#3. FOMO post-lockdown, where you should go next & other stories
your london time out horoscope is here: may edition 2021.
fear of missing out post-lockdown + the joy of having an outdoor place to call yours again + why ‘if I had time..’ is over + the new bun in town you will go crazy about + rhubarb, cardamon & lardo, the city’s obsession + webinars you should pay attention to
*PLAYlist
O amor em paz - João Gilberto
Outro lugar - Toco
"Nothing is too much trouble if it turns
out the way it should." - Julia Child
Are we in May? May, middle of spring, almost half of the year? Well, at least this time I am writing this newsletter in sunny weather, seated outdoors in a cosy café, where I don’t have to ask my cappuccino take-away. I am drinking coffee in a proper green mug and having a delicious Oreo doughnut. Cheers to that!
April treated us well. Sun was shining most of the time (no, you didn’t read it wrongly) and people fully booked the outdoors tables in restaurants, cafés and pubs, massively supporting the hospitality industry. Like everything in life, the downside was to deal with the stress of booking a table. Maybe after one year of pandemic, you start to go with the flow and decide things last minute. But the easing of restrictions reminds us that London is still a popular city, where most of its population was using take away for about four months. Result: going to a restaurant is still the most impossibly wonderful prospect after a year of taking endless walks across town.
Fortunately, I have a flexible schedule, live in an area full of nice places and have some luck with my organisational skills. The cherry on the cake during the reopening outdoor season was definitely a place called Towpath. On a weekday, I woke up and decided to enjoy the sun and have breakfast in front of Regent’s Canal, and write my morning pages there.
They still only allow walk-ins (just turn up!), a practice many restaurants in London are not giving up (on the other hand, I have mixed feelings about that) and could enjoy a cappuccino and a cheese toast with quince jelly appreciating the quiet waters of the Thames, the boats and the ducks strolling around. I was really missing those little decisions that transform the day. More than having something new to share on Instagram, this is the beauty of having our freedom back: to have a place to call yours. Even only for a moment.
Going to a restaurant is still the most impossibly wonderful prospect after a year of taking endless walks across town.
Towpath has a wonderful atmosphere. The simplicity of the tables, the possibility to contemplate nature and the idea of how simple ingredients transform into great recipes is why I am highlighting this place here. The menu is a handwritten blackboard fixed on the wall (no, you won’t find anything with rhubarb, cardamon or lardo, the city’s new obsession), the tables are communal and have small vases with colourful flowers to remind you about the spring season. It brings that nostalgic feeling that your grandma is in the kitchen cooking your favourite childhood cake.
But let’s go deeper: the easing of restrictions brings also a feeling of FOMO (fear of missing out). Instagram feed shows 80% of inviting pictures of our favourite spots with inviting outdoor spaces to dine with loved ones. I am sure at least half of you, dear readers, had a feeling that you were missing something your friends were doing. It’s an ego trick, not to worry.
Instead, shouldn’t we also think about those who lost someone in this pandemic, with mental health issues (once I read that summer is worst, as the feeling of seeing people outside affect the mood badly), who can’t meet their buddies for other reasons or even that friend who lives in a country where lockdown is still a reality?
I always try to be considerate and empathic. I might fail on that, but I am trying. We have all been there. That’s why I don’t think I should visit all open places and should pay attention to those around us that may feel excluded and bad about something that sounds so exciting to the most. I constantly think to invite someone out of my ‘special circle’ for a beer. Or what about showing other stories than only bright Instagram stories? We all love when others show the real side of things. And most important: to reflect if we are doing things based on our fear of missing out or simply because we enjoy doing.
Would like to invite you for another discussion. Now that things seem to be coming back to a normal routine and we have the outside world for some distraction, let’s face the truth. What did you really do during lockdown? The English writer Joel Golby recently shared with the always great British humour something true: “If a global pandemic doesn't even get me to finally start yoga, then nothing and nobody can do it. There is also some peace in that understanding.” Could not agree more!
We are trapped in the greatest experimental setting in human history, where a virus smiles devilishly at us and asks: “Well, the time has stopped - what are you really doing? I took all the social obligations out of the way, all the big trips, all the evening dates, all the invitations, leisure activities, everything that always stole your very little time.” And the verdict is: I still bet that no one is playing the piano or learning more languages than before corona.
Nobody is creating albums with family photos that have been waiting for completion for years. Or reading all books on that old to-do list (by the way, who also thinks that some books should be re-written considering the pandemic scenario? I would be curious to see how some authors would use their greatest pieces of advice considering self-isolation for months…). No neighbour suddenly appears on the corner with a fitness body. Therefore, the greatest conclusion of our time is: the old excuse “If I had more time..” does not work anymore. We had time. We did not do the things we swore we would if we had that precious little time. And this is also a road to freedom!
Ok, you are probably reading more books and definitely did some online courses or gym exercises, but what else? That to-do list created years ago most probably has items still due. When you promised yourself that you would fully complete it if you had more time. But the virus is also teaching me to admit to myself that probably this list will be there forever, so I always have something to look forward to, which some say is the key to happiness. So, it's okay. So it is not possible. And that’s completely fine.
And the verdict is: I still bet that no one is playing the piano or learning more languages than before corona. No neighbour suddenly appears on the corner with a fitness body.
Now, back on track.
Aries
Plan yourself and book a table at Smokehouse. A discreet house nestled in Canonbury, where the Evening Standard said that “this is the place to show us why man discovered fire”. I could not agree more. Aries is a fire sign, so it seems the perfect place to recharge your energy and find some cosiness during spring. Otherwise, Macellaio RC in Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell, will satisfy your appetite with monstrous pieces of Fassona steak, a Piemontese speciality.
Taurus
May is all about Taurus, so probably you are looking for a place to celebrate your birthday? JOY at Portobello seems the right choice for this spring and promising month, my dear sign. The place is an outdoor restaurant and shop at Portobello Dock, a project from Stevie Parle and the famous Tom Dixon. For some sweet treat and self-indulgence, check instead Edinburgh-based brand Coco Chocolatier and get inspired by their chocolate range options. Small boutiques in London sell some of their cacao bars.
Gemini
Your eccentric personality will match very well with Wild Swans in trendy Upper Street. The only shop in London to sell only Scandinavian fashion brands, this is the spot to be to live beyond the hygge concept. SKÅL Nordic Dining (the name says it all) is almost next door and the right choice to taste good small plates this side of Copenhagen.
Cancer
Paper Mache Tiger defines itself as the coolest store in the world. Based in Cross Street, one of Islington’s best kept secret address, the place blends fashion, home & garden and cafe, a concept that is becoming even more popular in London. Do not expect any famous brand, as independent labels are the top priority. The store is big, full of plants and very luminous, especially on a sunny spring day. You can make yourself comfortable in their charming cafe, serving excellent cappuccino together with St John’s famous doughnuts.
Leo
To see and be seen, Leo’s favourite hobby, Brat is that difficult-to-get-a-table-but-oh-so-worth-the-wait spot. You can choose between their original Shoreditch restaurant or the Climpson’s Arch residency, which started last year just after the first lockdown, with outdoor tables, also in East London. Nigella is a frequent diner there, so you got the point.
Virgo
Museums are opening again from the 17th and The Wiener Holocaust Library is one of the world’s leading and most extensive archives on the Holocaust and Nazi era. Next to the British Museum, in the lovely Russell Square, they have very specific opening hours and you need to book a visit, especially if you want to have access to the Wolfson Reading Room, where rare and incredibly interesting books are available for you to read. If you need some comfort food after, what about some scoop of Hackney Gelato? You can now find them in selected Tescos. My favourite flavour is the pistachio and lemon one.
Libra
I am sure you are looking forward to dining outdoors, dear Libra. Pophams is my bet for you this month for a much-waited breakfast in a proper cappuccino mug, now also being sold by Pophams Home. The popular bakery has branches in Islington, recently refurbished, and Hackney, near London Fields overground station. Stars of the menu include the bacon & maple or the rhubarb & cardamom (of course) custard pastries. At night, they are open for hand-made pasta in a creative menu. It’s my favourite coffee in town and I consider myself lucky to have them next door. Feel free to call me if you are around!
Scorpio
Did you know you can visit The Freud Museum in London, where the great psychoanalysis made himself home for years? Located in Hampstead, the house is beautiful with Victorian design and hosts his iconic couch. Book in advance your ticket (£14) or also enhance your experience by booking an online course, full of interesting topics in the area. Another top tip for this month is to guarantee a spot in the webinars provided by experts of the CPA (The Centre For Psychological Astrology). Singletons in the Chart: Dealing with your inner black sheep or The 9th House and the Making of our Minds: Faith, False Prophets, Dark Gods, and Visionaries seems good options for a wonderful opportunity to go deep in astrology and for some self-care this spring.
Sagittarius
Say cheeeeeeese, centaur archer! You will look good in the photo visiting the new Neal’s Yard boutique in Essex Road, the group bet to stay local, knowing the trend is real even after the pandemic. Count with the same British and Irish cheese variety along with essentials such as bread, eggs, milk and yoghurt. Westerns Laundry is my choice for you this month if you are planning to dine out: a hidden gem with seasonable ingredients, talented kitchen staff and a unique atmosphere.
Capricorn
Pause your Zoom meetings and head to Badiani gelato shop. The Florence-based gelateria started its tradition in 1932. It’s my favourite gelato in town (or maybe in the world) and you can also find the boutique at Mercato Metropolitano. Their gelato is crafted in the age-old Italian tradition and they infuse culinary sensibilities to provide delightful twists for the palate, which turns it the perfect option for the sea-goat sign that gives important value to innovation and tradition. Their signature flavour, Buontalenti, is gonna be reminded forever after the first try, especially if you choose the Pistachio edition. God bless the Italians! Another good news for your refined taste: Eataly has finally opened in London and you have a wide range of restaurants to book yourself a table and enjoy a much-deserved Aperol Spritz outdoors! Just a hint: they have a terrace…
Aquarius
Always ahead of their time, Aquarius need what is not obvious. The Pantry Underwear, a corner tiny lingerie shop in vintage Camden Passage, is my choice for your creative needs, water bearer. If you are tired of wearing the same old stuff during the lockdown, you will have fun with coloured-design paints, bras and cotton pyjamas from brands like Karen Mabon. After the visit, go have some light lunch at Maison Bleue, a charming delicatessen at Calabria Road, near Highbury Fields.
Pisces
You deserve some sweet taste in these bitter lockdown times, don’t you? So hurry up for this good news: Buns from Home, a little new shop in Notting Hill, is baking the best buns you will eat in our British capital. They also have an interesting story: the owner started to bake the pastries in his mum’s kitchen just after the first lockdown after losing his job. He then printed some flyers and distributed them in the neighbourhood. After overwhelming success and crowdfunding, he teamed up with his younger brother and rented this small shop just off Portobello Road, where his mum can often be found on the counter. Try the custard cream flavour and sign up for the newsletter to receive notification about weekend specials. Free delivery is offered for some postcodes.
What a busy schedule you will have. Enjoy the city, and keep safe! See you in June. Yours. x, NB
So nice this reading! I really liked the reflection about the time! 💖
Interesting reading - good focus on mental health and empathy, which are top on lots of people’s and business’ agenda! Well done xx