Hello friends,
A two-week streak, who am I? It’s lovely to be back in your inboxes, I’m picturing comfortable, beaten up leather chesterfields, an open fire, blanket and a dog at our feet. Or in reality, just a Coco asleep on the sofa. As the last days of summer are upon us, and rose season ends for another year (although, I should say I drink rose all year round) I am thrilled that hot girl summer is over and cosy boy fall is in.
We’re off to a wedding in Italy in a few weeks, I’m sure it will be beautiful, but I’ve loved exploring the knitwear that’s finally back in stores. I’ve been trying to make my own version of this dress but considerably cheaper, black jumpers are winging their way to me, and I’ve found this Zebra print skirt for a twist.
Autumn is hands down my favourite time of year and I’m already making a list of fun things I want to do in this season. I’d like to take Coco for a walk in the countryside, maybe Richmond or Bushey Park. Lots of soups, stews, pies, piles of steaming vegetables under delicious waves of gravy, and if I’m lucky I’ll reinstate my almost weekly roast dinner. Warm evenings with candles and familiar series, rewatching Gilmore Girls for the millionth time or exploring Game of Thrones for the first time (I know, I’m way behind). Big jumpers, woolly socks, hot chocolate and cuddles on the sofa. Apple crumble with custard. Cold Sundays with big scarves, and wine in pubs with roaring fires. The best is yet to come.
I promised part two of Ben’s birthday plans. Welcome to Cele-BEN-ing, part II.
From Notting Hill we headed East, with drinks at Chiringuito ‘rooftop bar’ in Bethnal Green. I use inverted commas as whilst it was a rooftop, it wasn’t rooftop in the shorthand we’ve come to know - a bar with a view. The prices were good and the staff were super friendly, helping me carry our bevvy of drinks up the metal stairs.
From there we headed further into Bethnal Green, to Top Cuvee, for drinks and snacks. It’s an incredible bar with a range of brilliant wines by the glass - skin contact, pet nats, you name it you can get it. I think at one point we had one of each! I came away with a couple of bottles of this (which we tried by the glass), and a glorious tie dye tote bag.
Finally, we went for dinner. If you can believe it - I definitely crammed a lot in, but it was so worth it to spend the time with two of my favourite people (sorry Dad, you can come next time!). We headed to the Whitechapel Gallery to Townsend for dinner. I first discovered Townsend on a second date (brilliant location - feel free to borrow it if you need one!).
We started with sea trout (it was brilliant), with translucent slices of peppery radishes, a hunk of gloriously fresh sourdough and a summery caprese salad. Mains wise, we had a summer tart with courgette, the epitome of seasonal fare. Another summery tomato salad, and a pork chop with burnt apple puree with charred hispi cabbage.
All in all an excellent meal, and one, which had it been the star of the show would have been a showstopper in its own right. However, when compared to Caractere, it just couldn’t quite hold its own.
I tried it so you don’t have to… the Wagamama cook at home katsu curry kit. I bought this as a fan of the restaurant version, thinking it was an absolute steal at £3.30 to make it at home.
Things you need: flour, an egg, chicken, coconut milk and sides of your choice (rice, salad, I made roasted veggies). The instructions are very clear and easy to follow - you pane the chicken in flour, egg and the supplied panko breadcrumbs. This should be lightly fried to your desired crispiness. In the meantime, you mix the katsu sauce with coconut milk and heat.
Then, mix together and serve. It definitely gets points for ease, but it’s not a patch on the restaurant taste. Whilst the premise is there and I fully understand why they’ve branched out, there’s better katsus on the market, or indeed making one from scratch. 4/10 - wouldn’t buy again.
Fear not though, I do have one of their ramen kits in the cupboard so I might be back with a review of that too.
Something to make… this newsletter is not about to turn into a frugal read full of tips, but I am always conscious of ways to avoid food waste and make things go further, now more than ever. So, with that in mind - ever wondered what to do with bendy carrots? Make a dip. You can eat by itself, with crisps/crudites (very meta) or with chicken as part of a salad. I’ve got a feeling it would also do well as a rough mash or inside a pie.
Chop your carrots and roast. When cool, add to a blender with a heaped tablespoonful of cream cheese, pepper, teaspoon of nigella seeds and half a teaspoon of turmeric. All of these are very much to taste, feel free to add garam masala, paprika, chilli - whatever you fancy and blend away to the consistency of your choice. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for max 2-3 days (which is fine as it won’t last that long - it certainly doesn’t here!).
Something to drink… I take back everything I said about rose season being over. If you want to sneak a special one under the wire, I can recommend this rose picpoul - Foncalieu. It’s pretty rare to find a pink version, and it’s just as tasty and dry as its white counterpart. It’s a little bit different, will get your friends talking and is a great treat. I got mine at Wimbledon Vintners (support your local shops if you can), but it’s quite readily available online around £13.
Something to buy… This Laeticia Rouget plate. No further words are needed.
Something to watch… I’ve been watching all kinds of things recently - bingeing Netflix’s easy watch, Partner Track over the bank holiday. I’ve also loved the first two episodes of She Hulk (read this interview with the main writer) and I’m intrigued to see how House of Dragons will play out. The one thing I’m delighted about is Masterchef (celebrity version in this instance) - I’ll take any iteration of John and Greg! And, a huge date for your diary - 13 September - Bake Off is back! It’s always a sign that Autumn is on it’s way.
I’m hugely late to the party but if you haven’t seen it already, A League of their Own is brilliant. Set in the 1940s in Chicago, it’s the story of a women's baseball team, exploring racism, sexuality, gender, queer experiences, sexism and following your dreams. It’s quite rare to see a show with female protagonists exploring their own identities and embracing their queerness, particularly one set in WW2. The end of episode 6 is hard to watch, but so worth it. It’s a stark reminder that whilst we’ve come a long way, there’s a long way to go. Plus, D’arcy Carden (of The Good Place), is brilliant.
Something to listen to… to my absolute delight, The Arctic Monkeys are back with There’d Better Be a Mirrorball. It takes me straight back to uni days and winters for some reason - it’s very reminiscent of She’s Thunderstorms. They were a staple of my teens, seeing them perform across the North of England, and maybe even at a festival. I’m so glad they’re releasing new music, and will definitely be heading to see them when they tour again.. Their new single is reviewed in the Guardian, and there’s an interview in the Big Issue with Martin Compston (from Line of Duty) (a snippet is here, the full article is only available in the magazine), as well as a really lovely reflective piece on his experience. Their album comes out on October 21 (same day as Taylor Swift, and that Don’t worry darling drops) - a big day for culture.
Things to read…
I had no idea how good the Big Issue is, which is very remiss of me. They have a short review of Janelle Monae’s new book. I first discovered Janelle when my brother took me to one of their concerts a few years ago. I loved it - it was a great show!
Adele is back! And better than ever, gracing the cover of Elle.
If you love Pokemon - this is your dream job.
Jared Kushner, son-in-law of Donald Trump, has released a memoir of his time in the White House. I’m intrigued to read it, and enjoyed Vanity Fair’s exploration of the man and the book.
Don’t worry darling, Olivia Wilde and Harry Styles are in the news a lot at the moment. There’s controversy, more tour dates and Shia LaBeouf. Variety profiles Wilde, the New York Times has an opinion piece on Styles and Rolling Stone had him as their cover star.
Inside the last days of Brangelina according to the FBI. Alongside this cutting take on how good Pitt is at playing the game.
Taylor Jenkins Reid talks to Coveteur about her new novel, Carrie Soto is back.
GQ profiles Marcus Mumford as he releases his first solo album. A really beautiful, raw set of songs.
The Cut profiles Meghan Markle as she releases her new podcast series, Archetypes. She’s interviewed Serena Williams and Mariah Carey to mixed reviews. I have listened to both episodes, it’s worth it from a curiosity standpoint but I’m not sure I’d recommend.
I am very much here for Coastal Grandmother Fall.