Things to do in London this week

 With thanks to Country and Townhouse, here are some ideas of things to do in London this week:

CULTURE    FOOD & DRINK    TRAVEL    STYLE    INTERIORS    PROPERTY                 If only I could learn how to meditate then I know my life would be supremely enhanced. I’d probably no longer grind my teeth (high cortisol levels), resulting in an indescribably obscene dental bill; I’d possibly no longer wake in the wee small hours (monkey mind), resulting in day-time fatigue; and maybe I’d even stop trying to clear my inbox while walking down the street, resulting in the odd lamppost-collision. I just need to find the time to do it – when I’m not too tired or deleting emails. Clearly, I’ve got some work to do. For those more enlightened souls out there, you may even want to join one of the UK’s best meditation retreats. I’ll see you there one day, I hope… Have a great week.  Photo: 'Grandiflora Rose' wallpaper design by Designers Guild                   WHAT’S EXCITING ME THIS WEEK       KEEPING UKRAINE FRONT OF MIND There’s always the danger of news fatigue setting in when there is really no change in a terrible and relentless situation, but the Ukrainians have no such luxury. Keep them front of mind with these fundraising events which are super easy to support.          THE FRINGING TREND To bang or not to bang? Actually we’re not talking hair but clothes. For a subtle nod to the trend, think bags and shoes (Chloé always does good fringe), or a fab Rixo dress. I think I'm beyond them anywhere else, but whatever floats your fashion boat. (Image: Alberta Ferretti)         LIFE IN THE GREEN LANE As we transition from petrol and diesel to electric, our car columnist Jeremy Taylor has started a weekly electric car column, which will cover everything from reviews to the latest EV news. Let your range anxiety be quelled…         FIVE THINGS YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS       Hackney chef’s table The Sea The Sea is launching a seafood-focused cookery school, with a focus on sustainability – from zero-waste cooking to utilising under-used species.         Works from the French artistic duo known collectively as Les Lalanne are on show as part of a new exhibition spread across Ben Brown Fine Arts and Claridge’s ArtSpace.       London’s hottest new terrace has launched at The Maine in Mayfair, located just off Hanover Square and designed in collaboration with BradyWilliams.         A new writing course run by author Kamin Mohammadi and editor Faiza Khan is designed to help writers cultivate a broader perspective. Email ownyourwriting@yahoo.com for details & to book       Pick your exercise of choice and get involved with The Lady Garden Challenge, which is all about raising awareness for women’s gynaecological health.          WHAT'S TRENDING ON C&TH       12 slip skirts to buy for the spring/summer season     This week's Break Out Culture guest is the legendary playwright Sir David Hare           Hunting for your next caffeine hit? Head to one of London’s best independent coffee shops     Europe boasts some of the best beaches in the world – here are our winners                       Win a £1000 Styling Appointment with Holland Cooper Getting ready for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations? Be in with a chance of winning a £1000 styling appointment with Holland Cooper.                   Sign up for 6 print issues of Country & Town House magazine, plus supplements and instant access to every digital edition for only £19               Copyright © 2021 Country & Town House Our mailing address is:​ Country & Town House Studio 2, Chelsea Gate Studios, London, SW6 4QL, United Kingdom                 CULTURE    FOOD & DRINK    TRAVEL    STYLE    INTERIORS    PROPERTY                 Do you ever feel that holiday itineraries can get overly fussy? This might be groundbreaking to say but, for one week (or even two!), why don't you park the planning, ditch the museum tours, delete your Duolingo ambitions, and just allow yourself to vegetate on a sunlounger. If you're already wracked with guilt at such an idea, then consider this newsletter to be the universe's intervention for you to actually relax. How? By holing up in a fabulous villa, safely sequestered from the existential panic of having to tick off every cultural pursuit in a capital. At the villa, time stands still and only the flow of conversation manages to have any pace. And frankly, we can't think of anything better for a summer in the year of 2022. Enjoy,               In Fair Verona, Where We Lay Our Scene I'm not sure whether to blame Call Me By Your Name, or the laundry hanging scene with Marianne and Connell in Normal People for my wild romanticisation of Italian villas. But, as the saying goes: there's no smoke without fire, and you can never put a step wrong thinking Tuscan.  There's one agency that comes to mind when searching for the perfect Italian villa, and that's Tuscany, Now & More. Every villa under its name has a private pool, and from then on, it only becomes more tailored to you. Perhaps you're an aesthete type who wants to luxuriate in historical residences? Villa Clara or Ca' di Lista is calling your name. Maybe you're thinking more of a family stay, Il Cornello would be our choice.  Whatever you choose, there's a travel concierge team on standby that you can call or WhatsApp (I hear you folk who hate making phone calls) for the nitty-gritty details. tuscanynowandmore.com       Is 2022 your 'Renaissance year'?  Dabbing a touch of ochre with a hog brush to paint a hazy Italian Renaissance landscape is the stuff of dreams for those who know their Donatellos from their Da Vincis.  And, while you're at it, it would be rude not to have a jaw-dropping historic villa as your backdrop. Cue Tuscany Now & More's new curation of art experiences. How about a two-day painting workshop at one of their villas with the formidable artist Tanvi Pathare? Obviously, it's a yes from us. And yes, Ca' Di Lista (the one pictured) is available, amongst other gems. There's a flurry of other choices on offer according to your artistic whimsy, which you can find out more about here. tuscanynowandmore.com           Beautiful Villas We're Booking this Summer The Rooster, Antiparos, Greece For ultimate Grecian hermitude, The Rooster has a small peppering of private houses are all about evoking calm. It also helps that their villas are astonishing beautiful. therooster.com          La Chartreuse de Cos d'Estournel, France  Budding viticulturists staying at La Chartreuse de Cos d’Estournel will have more than enough to keep them occupied on the estate’s 200 acres of vineyards and gardens. When you’re not sampling the Chateau’s own 20-year-old vintage in the cellar, soothe away stresses in the vast swimming pool. michelreybierhospitality.com         Forte San Giorgio, Italy  This 16th-century fortress is steeped in history, located on the eco-friendly island of Capraia situated in the Tuscan Archipelago. Restored over 10 years, this villa has 11 bedrooms spread over separate wings, two infinity pools, sea views with a garden gated beach and sea access. thethinkingtraveller.com         Villa Agave, Croatia  Sitting on the remains of the 16th-century chapel of St. Lazarus, the Villa Agave looks out on clifftop to the Old Town of Dubrovnik. Private yacht experiences, as well as a host of other glamorous pursuits are on tap to be arranged, if you so desired. adriaticluxuryhotels.com         Donna Agaver, Paceco, Sicily The Sicilian countryside is renowned for its postcard-worthy views, so why not take it all in from the comfort of a holiday villa? Sat close to Marsala, Donna Agaver is a secluded three-bedroom villa with views overlooking land and water. villatravellers.com          Atlanta Trevone, Cornwall  Hot off the press: if you're hankering for a staycation-meets-Mediterreanean holiday (ambitious, but possible) there's a new clifftop stay near Trevone Bay in Cornwall that's opening up in July. One to book with speed would be my suggestion. atlantatrevonebay.com         Finca Bellavista, Spain For the ultimate seclusion, Menorca's 10-sleeper farmhouse style villa boasts it's own forests, private walks to a raggedly and drastically beautiful beach. Hermitude, though, is balanced with a sumptuous pool, so you have the best of both worlds, really. zannierhotels.com         Astra Private Villa, Santorini  Since Astra's private villa is still in the orbit of the hotel, you'll be able to ease in the knowledge you have all the conveniences of a hotel, but the privacy of a villa. With a private swimming pool, as well as a plethora of other standouts, this isn't one to miss. astrasuites.com                   OUT & ABOUT     The Best Secluded Hotel Stays in the UK   The Best Glamping Holidays in the UK   Best Lidos and Swimming Pools in London   Hot New Hotels to Know                     WIN! A £1,000 Styling Appointment with Holland Cooper Fancy a treat? We've partnered with Holland & Cooper to be in with a chance of winning a £1,000 styling appointment in celebration of Holland & Cooper's limited Jubilee collection. Enter our competition here.                    Sign up for 6 print issues of Country & Town House magazine, plus supplements and instant access to every digital edition for only £19                   Copyright © 2021 Country & Town House Our mailing address is:​ Country & Town House Studio 2, Chelsea Gate Studios, London, SW6 4QL, United Kingdom

CULTURE    FOOD & DRINK    TRAVEL    STYLE    INTERIORS    PROPERTY                 I’ve never been sure how I feel about the royals, but over the years, like so many others, I’ve developed a deep affection for the Queen herself. Her dedication to duty; her dignity; her comportment in the face of multiple family traumas played out on the international stage have particularly elevated her above our wriggling, wrangling politicians, debating the meaning of ‘party’ in the mosh pit of the House of Commons. Which is why I think as a country we should go all out in celebration of her 70th Jubilee this year. I’ll get the trestle tables, you bring the bunting… it may be the last big royal jamboree for some time. Have a great week.  Photo: 'Grandiflora Rose' wallpaper design by Designers Guild                   WHAT’S EXCITING ME THIS WEEK       AN AL-FRESCO AFTER WORK DRINK The rosé is on ice, the heaters have been packed away, the vaccinations are (mostly) doing their job. That means a return to sun-drenched evenings, gossiping with friends, with a glass of something chilled in hand. But where to go? We’ll tell you here…         NO-DIG GARDENING What a revelation this is! I’ve just started to plan with this technique and I’m so excited about a future of less soil disruption and less backbreaking spade work. This is all part of the permaculture technique that teaches us to work more in harmony with nature –and I’m fully subscribed.          REMODEL YOUR RING If you have jewellery sitting in boxes that you’ll never wear because it’s just not ‘you’ even though the stone is really gorgeous, you might want to consider having it remodelled. With the move to reuse and repurpose what we’ve already got, this very much ticks our box. Find out more here.         FIVE THINGS YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS       Glamping, tree climbing, live music and yoga await at Home Farm, a rural hideaway on the outskirts of north London.         Bookworms, catch one of The Beaumont’s literary evenings – the first event on 27 April features author and journalist Catherine Ostler.       Soak up views of the city skyline while watching a movie at Rooftop Film Club, which returns to Peckham’s Bussey Building on 29 April.         Get ready to have the time of your life: Secret Cinema is back, and this summer it’s all about Dirty Dancing – tickets are on sale now.       International artists working with audio-visual technology are coming together for 180 Studios’ latest major exhibition, Future Shock. (Image: Daydream by Nonotak Studio)         WHAT'S TRENDING ON C&TH       Let the likes roll in at London’s most Instagrammable bars     Rebecca Cox checks into Soho’s new concept hotel Chateau Denmark           Jazzing up your home? Here are 12 beautiful bedroom wallpaper ideas     Net clothing is making a splash on the runway – check out our style edit                       Win a Three-Night Stay at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills To celebrate the launch of its new bar, Pop Up, Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is giving away a three-night stay with drinks and dinner at the bar included.                    Sign up for 6 print issues of Country & Town House magazine, plus supplements and instant access to every digital edition for only £19               Copyright © 2021 Country & Town House Our mailing address is:​ Country & Town House Studio 2, Chelsea Gate Studios, London, SW6 4QL, United Kingdom