Subscribing
I’ve felt a little adrift on the inspiration front - a bit cynical and lacking in awe. Trends feel overwhelmingly fast, and content seems wholly and solely geared to materialism and acquisition. Places I don’t feel this way, subscriptions I feel glad to read are limited. A recent favourite is Storm Journal — I love Carolina’s careful compilation of reading recommendations, elegant clothing choices and peeks of her interiors. She also interviews women (Mathilda Brusewitz, Elinor Nystedt, Brittany Bathgate) I find deeply inspiring with impeccable taste leaning to the classic and mostly black. Bookish and loads of COS, it was made for me - I paid for a subscription and I am so pleased I did.
I also love Christina Holevas’ newsletter Habiter, and stylist Lilli Meinheiser’s Future Classics. There is a through line, I’m aware.
Reading
Pacy and juicy and like a sort of contemporary girl’s chick lit. A lot of my friends who write or live in New York HATED it but I thought it was a fun, horny, romantic romp set in the modern art world — some of the feminist stuff was a bit hackneyed girl power but all in all, a nice easy read - Marian Keyes with some cocaine.
This Ragged Grace, Octavia Bright
I’ve read a lot of recovery literature over the last year, but this, I think, has been the most meaningful. Her words on grief, healing and self discovery are so eloquent, self-aware and interwoven with academic and literary references. Whether you are sober or not, I can’t recommend it enough. It also vibrated for me in her unpicking and unpacking of her father’s descent into Alzheimers - the aging and slow undoing of a parent is one of the most painful experiences in life, I am discovering, and her words comforted me a great deal.
“I like this idea that as we evolve, somewhere deep within us remains a skeletal trace of what came before that builds up in layers, a sediment of the self. But the point is that it’s crucial to our continued survival to let some things sink to the bottom, recede until they are obsolete.”
Eating
I had my family birthday dinner at Petermen, it was immaculate. Otto ordering the sea urchin crumpet and flooring the waitstaff was a highlight, but it’s all beautiful and a more relaxed way to experience Josh Niland’s menu than Saint Peter (although I love that too). Long lunch at Bert’s is always a treat, classic steak frites and oysters is a nice way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. We ate at Clam Bar, a fun weeknight spot for dinner and drinks in the city from the founders of Pellegrino 2000 and Bistrot 916. I really appreciate their branding. I love my vegetable box from Sift Produce - it makes me beam every time I open the fridge on the weeks I get it. I love having to go and collect it, the sweet notes on the growers and how connected to the seasons I feel. Woolies this is certainly not.
Looking
Matilda Goad’s home tour - as I move away from my lifelong monochromatic minimalism and start to like chaos, cosiness and colour - this is inspiring.
Buying
Dupes for the Row loafers, you’re welcome (they are so comfortable!). And a nipped waist blazer for evening — I love the silhouette.
Watching
I am completely ensconced in Ripley on Netflix. It’s brilliantly shot and it’s refreshing to watch a series entirely in black and white. It makes me want to spend a summer in Salerno, and to watch Fleabag again…
More soon,
N x
Welcome back!