The Digest: Listening Bars, Blowout Birthdays + The Pay Gap
Featuring a guest editor for this week’s Going Out section.
Hello and welcome back to The Digest, a weekly roundup email from Late Filing that covers shopping, going out, culture and talking points.
Today, I’m very excited to say I have a guest editor with me. When I first launched The Digest back in January, I knew I wanted to occasionally bring in writers whose taste and point of view I trust to take over different sections. This week, Going Out is covered by my good friend Alia Abdulla, a cultural strategist and woman-about-town who always has the best recommendations. (All of Going Out is un-paywalled today.)
Also in this issue: what to wear now the sun has made an appearance; the ways New York is becoming more London, and London is becoming more New York; why single women are throwing blowout parties; the staggering pay gap at prestigious firms in the City; the rise of indie food media; an upcoming talk with a Condé EIC; and the non-vain reasons you should be working out your glutes.
The Edit
Nine things worth shopping this week
My go-to brand for shirts, WNU, comes out with these matching sets for summer that I’m obsessed with. You can wear them around town, throw them over a bikini on holiday, dress them up with heels and jewellery for evening. An investment, really. £205 (10% off with code LATE10)
While putting together last week’s wedding gift guide, I ended up falling in love with everything from Gohar World. I can’t think of a more sophisticated hostess gift than these silver-plated cocktail picks. £125
After months of nudging my sister, who is a beauty whizz, to try out the Fara Homidi compact that I gave her, she has finally done so and given it a rave review. Mine hasn’t left my bag since I opened it. £83
While hunting down homeware gifts for the wedding guide, I also came across this gorgeous Sister by Studio Ashby stool. If money were no object, I’d throw in the Toucan Bench and the Patchwork Kilim Rug too. I love Sophie’s eye. £1,000
This sporty knit dress from Staud is an easy one-and-done spring-summer outfit for when you can’t think of what to wear. And it’s on sale. £86 (originally £215)
If you’re as obsessive about sun protection as I am, then I’d recommend this Solbari visor. Is it the sexiest thing I own? No, probably not. But it doesn’t mess up your hair as much as a normal sunhat, and the wide brim gives you proper coverage. I wear mine everywhere without shame! £45
I’m a fairweather gardener, by which I mean I only take an interest in it when the weather is fair. Now that it’s warmed up (and I actually have a garden again), I’ll be making use of my beloved Niwaki ‘Hori Hori’ trowel. If you love gardening or anything Japanese, then you have to stop by their shop on Chiltern Street. £32
Another gem from the St Agni sale: this draped dress. I love how it’s cinched at the waist (less sack-like), and the back is fabulous too. £125 (originally £405)
The body sunscreen has officially made it out of the bathroom cabinet (face sunscreen is every day!). My favourite is from Ultra Violette because it’s not sticky and it doesn’t leave you with a lilac cast. £24.30 at Liberty (originally £27)
P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.
Going Out
Edited by Alia Abdulla
Elystan Street – famously of langoustine-gate – is one of those places I’d walked past a hundred times assuming it was way out of my league, until I found out they had £30 three-course lunch menu (insane value). On Sunday 19 April, chef-patron Phil Howard is handing over the kitchen to his former Eleven Madison Park colleagues Charlie Watson and Emily Hall, the husband-and-wife duo behind pop-up dining experience (and soon-to-be-restaurant) Bad Neighbor. It’s £75pp to preview what they’re cooking up before anyone in New York. Book here.
London has a new-ish listening bar that’s not in east: New Forms on Manor Street. I visited with a few friends and I’d say it’s still finding its feet – but I was pleasantly surprised by the music programming and the fact that people actually dance. I doubt it’ll remain a hidden gem for long, though. There are no bookings, so make sure to go early in the evening.
My favourite listening bar in town is still Space Talk. Everything is so considered and intentional – the best speakers, a great sushi menu. You can tell they’ve put so much thought and care into everything. I also love Goodbye Horses in De Beauvoir, which was playing Brazilian funk when I last went. And Bambi in London Fields is a very fun night out – it’s more of a ‘listening restaurant’ and then around 10 o’clock it turns into a dancefloor.
A friend of a friend, Marc Flekei, is behind Kumori, a new handroll bar opening in Soho on 16 April. (I’ve loved following along the behind-the-scenes journey on Instagram.) Head chef John de Guzman was previously at Masa and spent a decade at Nobu. He’ll also be joined by chefs from the likes of Zuma and Dinings. They are only 30 seats, so definitely book ahead.
I popped into the newly opened Pavilion Press over the Easter weekend and crowds aside, I was pleased to see a strong selection of less mainstream titles across art, film and culture, plus coffee and treats from Reemie’s Cakes. It’s of those places you go in for a quick look and end up lingering – if you can find a seat.
I’ve heard lots of good things about Burn Lab, a new infrared studio in South Ken – mostly from my sisters, who are the real authority when it comes to fitness. They offer 50-minute sessions of hot barre, hot yoga and hot Pilates, and have top-of-the-range hi-fi speakers, which apparently make all the difference.
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