Melina Keays, Entertaining Director
'I am in Guadalajara in Mexico and tried eating crickets for the first time. Insect protein is going to feature in all our lives in the near future so I thought I might as well get going. The verdict: they’re really quite nice (as are most things when fried and salted). There’s no particular flavour other than being fried, salty and crispy, and a brief moment of hesitation before I put the first one in my mouth was allayed by thinking of them as tiny lobsters.'
Ellie Stathaki, Architecture & Environment Director
'Last weekend, a group of friends, family and myself dined at Canto73. It’s a lovely, quite low-key supper club with seasonal recipes, currently housed in a location near Highbury Fields. The food was delicious and the chef explained all his dishes and the thinking behind them – it made for a great foodie evening.'
Jack Moss, Fashion Features Editor
'Going by my iPhone screenshots, this week’s obsession has been Paloma Wool, the Barcelona-based label designed by Paloma Lanna that she describes as “exploring the art of getting dressed”. Her not-so-long-ago launched menswear collection is the best kind of fashion – the kind that feels at once familiar and just a little bit strange. Case in point: her V-neck argyle ‘Gips’ sweater, which looks straight off a 1990s Gus Van Sant protagonist and is just about convincing me to leave behind my typical baggy knits for something more shrunken (also on my wishlist are the studded light-denim Crowd jeans and Pibot baseball tee). On the subject of knitwear, I’m also eyeing up London-based &Daughter’s first menswear outing – it’s the type of collection where you’re hard-pressed to pick a single piece (hence why the brand made Wallpaper’s list of the very best knitwear brands in the world, which we revealed last month). If I did have to choose, though, it would be the Balla V-neck sweater, which comes in the perfect shade of grass green.'
Hannah Silver, Arts, Watches & Jewellery Editor
'This week I took my oldest daughter to get her ears pierced for the first time. She doesn't know how lucky she is to have a jewellery editor for a mother (despite me frequently telling her) but it did come in handy, as I knew to go to Astrid & Miyu in London's Spitalfields: heaven for an 11-year-old girl. Their gentle and friendly manner and selection of earrings with which to get pierced show how far we've come from the days of heavy, boring piercing jewellery.'
Sofia de la Cruz, Travel Editor
'The Silver Birch, situated in leafy west London, is a small neighbourhood restaurant with big ambitions. As a local to the area, it had been on my list ever since it debuted in the AA guide with three rosettes last year – I finally had the chance to experience it first-hand a couple of days ago. Coincidentally, the restaurant has recently been awarded London Restaurant of the Year by the AA Hospitality Awards, and for good reason. Within a serene and inviting space courtesy of studio B3 designers, The Silver Birch marries traditional British flavours with modern flair. Head chef Nathan Cornwell proposes playful, fine dishes like an emulsion of Devon crab, pickled apple and caviar served with sourdough crumpets or a warming delica pumpkin accompanied by chanterelle, cavolo nero and autumn truffle. Don't miss the sensational cocktail list or the hearty desserts.'
Hannah Tindle, Beauty & Grooming Editor
'I just arrived back in London from an overnight trip to Margate, the home turf of Formerly Known As Haeckels (FKAH). A group of us were invited to celebrate the natural beauty brand's new chapter: alongside a temporary name change, there's also been an overhaul of its visual identity and sustainable packaging. After taking a tour of Anya Gallaccio's exhibition at Turner Contemporary, FKAH's in-house nutrition lead served lunch. Then, we partied into the night at local bar Off Licence. (This morning, I was revived by breakfast at Fort Road Hotel, FKAH's Algae Plump Serum and Eco Marine Cream and a couple of ibuprofen.)'
Tianna Williams, Editorial Executive
'This week I had the pleasure of tucking into a festive meal at Akub. Located in Notting Hill, the Palestinian restaurant was founded in 2023 by Franco-Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan. He serves up tempting dishes on ceramic restaurant crockery (that's also available to buy) by Nur Minawi – a Jaffa-based third-generation Palestinian ceramicist. From succulent lamb shank to aubergine doused in pine nuts and pomegranate seeds, these delicious dishes are now available to recreate at home via his debut recipe book Bethlehem: A Celebration of Palestinian Food, an ode to the resilience of community through troubled times.'
Charlotte Gunn, Director of Digital Content
'November is particularly packed for live music in London. On Tuesday, it was the turn of mid-aughts, Cali do-wop punk quartet Shannon & The Clams, who, on US election night, apologised profusely for their ‘crusty, embarrassing country’. Then came Los Bitchos, a cross-continental instrumental band of four women who play a blend of cumbia, funk and indie. And on Saturday, I'm very much looking forward to seeing the Prince of Darkness, Nick Cave, take over The O2.
With Amyl & The Sniffers, MJ Lenderman, Julien Baker, Magdalena Bay, Fontaine's D.C. and Charli XCX still to come this month, one of these snazzy new coffee machines, might be an essential purchase.'
Gabriel Annouka, Senior Designer
A last-minute weekend in Paris for a close friend’s 30th birthday quickly transformed into an escape to the city’s most captivating corners. First stop: the Pinault Collection in the Bourse de Commerce. The exhibition, showcasing Arte Povera icons like Jannis Kounellis, Marisa Merz, and Alighiero Boetti, felt as much a feast for the eyes as the building itself – a breathtaking alliance of concrete and space.
Next, Elmgreen & Dragset – our November 2024 issue cover artists – unveiled their playful and poignant exhibition ‘L’Addition’ at Musée d’Orsay. The duo’s installations turn the museum space into a living narrative of modern life that embodies their signature wit and innovation.
A visit to Palais de Tokyo introduced ‘Tituba, Who Protects Us?’, a group exhibition featuring Rhea Dillon’s powerful work. Among the highlights were Myriam Charles’ evocative film installation, Cette Maison, and Massabielle Brun’s beautifully crafted installation, both of which enhanced the show’s exploration of protection and resilience.
I also took in ‘Figures’, a stunning large-scale immersive mural exhibition that redefined the space with its vibrant, expansive visuals, making a bold statement on the intersections of art and architecture.
For a taste of Parisian culinary charm, I stopped by Brasserie Martin for a bite and visited the nearby bookstore, Les Mots à la Bouche. Here, I picked up a few travel-sized books, including Abdellah Taïa’s new novel, Les Bastions des Larmes.
As the Eurostar whisked me back to the UK, I carried with me not just memories, but a renewed sense of inspiration – Paris, once again, proving to be the perfect antidote to any seasonal slump.
