There’s a lot happening in England this week. Hotels are reopening, indoor dining is back, cinemas and theatres are a go… frankly, we’re spoilt for choice!
To help guide you through the week ahead, we’ve rounded up five ‘must-dos’ from choice restaurants to swish new shopping experiences.
To read the hotlist in full, scroll on…
EXPLORE THIS Anya Hindmarch, The Village
British accessory designer Anya Hindmarch is launching a new shopping experience, The Village, today, Monday 17 May. Positioned on Pont Street, just off Sloane Street in London, The Village comprises of five neighbouring Anya Hindmarch stores. There’s an all-day café, a personalisation service depot – titled ‘The Bespoke Store’–, a hair salon (celebrating the publication of the designer’s first book, If In Doubt, Wash Your Hair.), and The Plastic Store (a space to showcase and collaborate with others focused on issues of sustainability, circularity, and the reduction of plastic consumption). In short: it’s a place to ‘meet, collaborate, and share’ and we’re too excited to visit!
WATCH THIS WALDEN, The Harold Pinter Theatre
RE:EMERGE, curated by Sonia Friedman Productions with Ian Rickson (Artistic Director for the season) launches on 22 May. Following a beyond trying year for theatre, the RE:EMERGE season is “creating a space for vital, new voices and fresh talent in the West End and beyond”. Comprising of three productions – (WALDEN, ANNA X, and J’OUVERT) – the season will launch with WALDEN, a debut play by New York-based writer and actor, Amy Berryman. WALDEN (Old English for ‘wooded valley’) is set in a remote cabin in the woods, where Cassie (Lydia Wilson) – a NASA botanist who has just returned from a year-long moon mission – is temporarily residing with her estranged twin sister, Stella (Gemma Arterton), and Stella’s partner, Bryan (Fehinti Balogun). Over the course of the play, Stella – a former NASA architect – and Cassie attempt to unpick the sibling rivalry that broke the sisters apart. WALDEN runs from 22 May to 12 June.
BOOK THIS Henry's Townhouse
With Marylebone as its stomping ground, this Grade-II listed building – once owned by Jane Austen’s brother, Henry – is the perfect rental for a weekend in the city en famille (or with a group of your closest friends). The charming, private townhouse is available for exclusive use buyouts and is comprised of seven bedrooms, each with their own distinct personalities, sleeping up to 14 people. For a unique private-dining experience, The Pantry Kitchen, fitted with an oversized sharing table, is the ideal space for hosting celebratory suppers. Post-prandial, you and your guests can head to the reading room for evening aperitifs and in true Austen fashion, tester your Persuasion skills to encourage your party to another round before bed.
SHOP THIS CHRISTOPHER KANE, Blue Floral-Print Duchess Satin A-Line Dress
Dress for the occasion in this beautiful Christopher Kane Impressionist-inspired floral print dress. The blue is the perfect hue for spring/summer engagements, while remaining mutable enough to wear in other seasons. Complete with 1950s-inspired neckline and classic A-line skirt, this romantic dress is crafted from smooth duchess satin. We think it’s a choice purchase for that deferred summer wedding in Somerset (which you first RSVP’d to way back in 2019, but is now fast approaching) – particularly considering that the print was originally painted in the garden of the label-founder’s London home during the summer of 2020.
RESERVE THIS Cafe Biltmore & Terrace, The Betterment
Celebrated chef Jason Atherton launched Café Biltmore, a restaurant and terrace at The Biltmore hotel in Mayfair, on April 21. Having previously opened fine-dining restaurant, The Betterment, at the same location, Café Biltmore offers diners a more relaxed, but no less pleasurable, dining experience. Already pegged as our choice al-fresco eatery this season, as of May 17, indoor seating will also be made available (which is a blessing, as Café Biltmore is sure to be oversubscribed this summer). Our go-to order: buttermilk fried chicken sandwiches, perfectly grilled fish, and wood-fired pizzas – with a side order of summery cocktails, of course.
Any Questions or Tips to add?