Add to List - #64
Blossoming in to a true Scots(wo)man and more culinary adventures
Hello, thank you, and welcome. I love you for being here!
Add to List is my Sunday round-up. It’s the small things that brought me joy, evoked an emotional reaction, or became some short-lived stability in the past seven days.
Obsession
The blossoms.
Flowers for spring? How original.
Yet, this week’s view coming through Kings X did something to my soul early on a weekday morning when I was lacking in hope and feeling a bit glum.
Confession
Forgot my pants at spin
…And I liked it. Luckily my outfit choice for the day was a long flowing dress. It revealed to me that I’m more Celtic than I originally thought. Didn’t hate going true Scots(wo)man at all.
Freeeedooom.
Shook
The ‘Morning Shred’ beauty routine.
WHAT. IS. THIS. This is not a trend. Surely. Not. This is madness!?
We still have a depressingly long way to go for woman and their unrealistic standards of beauty. This is a terrifyingly toxic desire for self-improvement; these people look like they need a safe word?
Cook
Pasta (shock) at 2Veneti; note-worthy Tom Yum at Farang.
On quite a few occasions this week I’ve been out in the evening supporting friends in their various musical and comedy pursuits. Thus, dinner has on more than one occasion, consisted of a pint of lager and a Clif bar (not nutritionist recommended). However, I’ve also been lucky enough to dine out for my job a few times — so haven’t exactly gone hungry.
On Monday, the gorgeous owners of 2Veneti treated some of the Pasta Grannies team to a spread of dishes over a lunch meeting (Honestly, this is my kind of work). Their restaurant menu features traditional and modern twists on Venetian classics. The ox tongue with salsa verde and pickled radicchio was a real highlight. Venice’s traditional pasta (bigoli) with anchovies also went down a treat. And their tiramisu? Well it’s one of the best I’ve ever tasted; assembled fresh on the plate on a super crispy brandy snap, there’s not a soggy sponge in sight. Sublime.
And in case I wasn’t full enough from that decadent start to the week, on Wednesday, I was lucky enough to nab a table at Farang, Islington. This Thai gem from chef Sebby Holmes is understated, unassumingly delicious and a well-hype-worthy joint. The tasting menu is quite the collection for £65/head including a tom yum which transports you straight to the streets of Bangkok and a whole deep fried fish that’ll have you saying kap khun krap with every single bite. Highly, highly recommend.
Book
Meditations for Mortals, Oliver Burkeman
Earlier this year Parul at
interviewed Burkeman as part of their on-going creative inspiration podcast. (If you are a writer looking for advice or inspiration, I highly recommend you check out their schedule).Off the back of listening to the podcast episode, I decided to re-read (well, actually, listen) to a chapter a day on audiobook (shout out Spotify Premium). I love Burkeman’s advice on procrastination (something I have historically been a huge sufferer of). He explains how getting in your own way requires inherently more effort than not doing the task at hand. And when you reframe it that way, it suddenly makes you feel a little stupid for not getting on with things.
Wherever you are in your journey of self-discovery, Oliver will meet you there, then compel you to move to the next phase.
Look
‘Crispy pants’
These Stella Nova trousers in brushed silk are bringing back my inner corporate girly. And they’re named after my favourite snack? Yes please.
Can’t Stop Scanning
I read this great article from
when it was published. This week, I saw it re-stacked on my newsfeed and re-read. Now, I urge you to do so too.Then, heed her warning: put down your phone (after you’ve finished reading this, though) go outside, scribble your phone number on a napkin, leave someone a voicemail and flirt with someone the old-fashioned way.
Forward Planning
Binge-reading in the sun.
I feel like time is rushing ahead of me atm. I have so much on but also nothing really on? Maybe it’s that feeling of the whoosh towards summer, a balmy current dragging us towards long nights and bad decisions; trips away and sporadic plans? It’s a new fiscal year next week (which reminds me, I really do need to get on top of my tax admin. Fuck.)
But next week? I don’t know really what’s in store — yet. This weather gives me a craving for flicking through pages in the park. I’ve got a real desire to find a bench and binge-read an entire novel in a day, sunglasses on, phone off. Any suggestions?
Random, but on holiday in Albania in 2022, my Italian-speaking partner got chatting to an Italian guy whose best pal had opened in London that was absolutely must try and tell the owner he sent us - it was 2veneti! We've yet to visit but this has prompted me to book it in x
I think you’ll find that’s not actually very Scottish at all. Scottish people do not, as a rule, ride bikes.