Tuesday, 15 September 2020

Five things to do in London this week

Thanks to the Country and Townhouse newsletter, here are five things to do this week for those of my followers who live in, near to or are visiting London:

Pick up a Rankin for pounds and why we’re all over Ganni’s AW/20 collection

The positive side of the pandemic is that I’m now constantly on my bike, sometimes with my Border Terrier in tow. I even cycled to new to Mayfair restaurant Giannino (it’s 121 years old in Milan) to eat their world-famous pasta with cheese, sea urchin, and cocoa beans (sounds weird, oddly works). I’m wondering though when the weather cools and the nights darken if my cycling pleasure will abate. Luckily next week looks like a scorcher so I still have time to wear my summer wardrobe (click here for some beautiful summer dresses) for picnicking in the park with just five other friends. Let’s not let lockdown happen again.

Have a great week.

Lucy

FIVE THINGS YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS

Soak up the last of the summer sun with Sofitel London St James’ new picnic experience. Explore two of London’s Royal Parks by bike before sitting down to an al fresco dining experience, complete with your own private butler.

Cruise around the Scottish Highlands in a restored Land Rover Defender with WILDNIS, a brand-new tour operator offering luxury guided expeditions. Think adventure by day, glamping and open-fire feasts by night.

Try your luck at winning a ticket to Passport: Back to Our Roots, a series of one-off small gigs from big artists. KT Tunstall, Pet Shop Boys and Passenger are all set to perform at venues across the UK – you can enter into the prize draw here.

Virtually travel across the globe through food at one of Chewton Glen’s new globally-inspired cookery classes, taking place at The Kitchen Cookery School. Learn to make South American street food, Greek mezze or Indian curries.

Own original works by Marcus Harvey, Rankin, Polly Morgan and more by tuning into the first ever digital Viral Art Car Boot Fair on 20 September. (Image Credit: David Saunders)

WHAT’S GETTING US THROUGH THE WEEK

BEACON & ARMOUR BACKPACK

As an aforementioned bike rider, a backpack is the only bag of choice. I have recently discovered Beacon & Armour, a new London-based slow fashion brand that makes them to order. Costs of each element of the production and the profit made are disclosed to customers: retail at its finest and surely the future.

TIFFANY'S TRANSPARENCY

Speaking of which, from next month Tiffany will be providing in-depth provenance details for its newly sourced and individually registered diamonds, a project that has been two decades in the making. This means a transparency in the journey from rock to jewellery case that is almost unprecedented.

GANNI AW/20

One of my favourite brands (who doesn’t love a touch of Scandi chic?), Ganni’s autumn/winter collection has me compiling a wish list right now. I’ve got my eye on the oversized denim jacket with sheepskin collar, some tough looking boots good for the impending winter and their classic puffed sleeve knits.

CHOCOLATE

Today is International Chocolate Day, so here’s a shout out to my favourite bars. Prestat’s dark chocolate with raspberry fills an afternoon lull, Montezuma’s milk giant chocolate buttons are a step up from Cadbury’s, but it’s Pump Street’s bars that use crumbs from its bakery that steal the cocoa crown.