What we're loving this week
We’re always on the lookout for lovely things. Like magpies, we seem to be drawn to the beautiful. As bars start re-opening, holidays come back on the cards and change is in the summer air, we want to round-up our favourite things we’re loving this week. From the rosé made for long overdue catch-ups to the sustainable label famed for French-girl silk dresses, we’re treating ourselves to these – and strongly suggest you do too.
The drink
We’ve never missed travel and meandering, sun-soaked drinks with friends more. Founded in lockdown by two friends, for friends, amie gives us back everything we were missing. A delightful pale rosé with red berry flavours and a hint of cherry blossom, consider it your liquid passport, transporting you straight to the Languedoc where it’s made. £1 of every bottle sold is donated to charity, helping fund sustainable water projects. Add to your (picnic) basket immediately – and your list of lockdown discoveries.
The fashion
From rewiring the fashion calendar to collective cries for action, the fashion industry has used lockdown to really look at and respond to waste. Excess Only are one brand addressing the issue head on. They take beautiful surplus fabrics from Europe’s ateliers and turn each roll into a run of limited-edition designs. Using production as close to the source of each fabric as possible, they support local industries and help minimise their footprint. Plus, did we mention the designs are heavenly? Think ruffled tops, buttery blazers and liquid slip dresses. No wonder the label has a cult following.
The place
In lockdown we tried to recreate charcoaled meats and wood fired pizzas in earnest. It didn’t work. So imagine our delight when we read Wild by Tart, our favourite neighbourhood restaurant, with a real farm-to-fork ethos, has opened a summer pop-up. In London’s cute Eccleston Yards, expect the likes of glazed pork belly with fermented chilli, or pizza topped with charred courgette, goat’s cheese, nettle, tarragon and truffle honey. Our only worry is we’ll want to consume the entire menu. But then again, is that so bad?
The event
If you’ve finished Netflix and find yourself reduced to chortling through yet another re-run of Alvin and the Chipmunks, then you need the Free Range Film Club on your schedule. A socially distanced-approved outdoor cinema, snuggle up under a blanket, enjoy a crafty tipple or two, and lose yourself in a classic. And if you so desire, you can stargaze at the same time – which definitely counts as effective multitasking in our books.
The beauty
Our mental checklist when leaving the house no longer consists of keys, card, phone but now, hand sanitiser. Being such a handbag necessity, we’re always a little regretful that they look so, well, unattractive. Enter Puritx. Made in Herefordshire using 99% natural ingredients, their hand sanitisers contain essential oils and the highest concentration of aloe vera possible – meaning once the alcohol evaporates, you’re left with ingredients that help soften the skin. Donating 20% of their production to key worker businesses, these little gems of bottles look pretty (check out the packaging) but act even more beautifully. Winner.