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
Substack’s Summer Party
On Tuesday Substack held their first garden party, and myself and my Substack wife
attended together (btw we host LDN writer hang outs together, more here).It was a really classy affair. I mean, there was a harpist (immediately makes anyone feel fancy — doesn’t it?). Plus, some of the most beautiful canapés I’ve ever tasted — I didn’t know I needed a mushroom mousse in my life but now I want to order it in jars and spread it on toast every morning. Yet, the food wasn’t the only thing that left me feeling full.
Hearing how so many writers have had their lives transformed through Substack was nothing short of inspiring. Not only that, but it was so apparent how online connections have transcended in to real life. Career pivoters, corporate resigners, long-standing creative coaches, add-ons to other income streams; you name it —everyone there was using Substack as part of a bigger purpose, but for so many it’s now their main focus.
I had the honour of chatting to lovely
in person after seeing her quite literally, sparkling on Substack now for a few years. As well as catching up with about the bumper meet-up she’s organising this summer. Plus, always a pleasure to catch up with , who I think comes from the most writerly family to walk this planet. Her sister, ’s delivered a brilliant speech in which she shared that there are now 5 million paying subscribers and around 50 million readers worldwide. Unreal stuff.Confession
I went to Paris and I accidentally didn’t eat a single croissant?
Yes. Seriously. I don’t know how that happened!? I guess I’ll just have to go and make up for some lost lamination in the not too distant future.
Shook
Esther Perel launched prompts this week on Hinge to help people spark more meaningful conversations. I wonder why Esther Perel is doing this? I think she genuinely wants to help try and change the app culture, but also, how much money do you think they paid her!?
And do you think anyone will use them? (My bet’s on about 0.2% of London’s male population being willing to be Perel-level vulnerable via their phones with strangers).
As a die hard fan of Perel — quite honestly for a while I’d have called myself Pereligious — it almost makes me want to redownload a dating app just to have a nosey at her prompts.
Almost being the operative word.
Cook
Not much cooking this week as I’ve been on the move quite a lot. In addition to the Substack party canapés. Here are just a few noteworthy bites.
Paris
Perruche - This is not a recommendation but a warning.
Just in case you haven’t already fallen for one of the western world’s overly-hyped, Instagram-friendly rooftop locations filled with high-vibes and striped cushions aplomb (Soho House members I’m looking at you) then make sure you head to Perruche, Paris.
Sarcasm aside: it truly is a magical vibe.
Perruche — literally translating to parrot is perched on the top of Printemps Haussmann shopping mall. As you ascend through a shopping centre elevator, you feel like you’re in on some kind of department store secret. Emerging from the lift at the roof you are greeted by a receptionist who is of course, absolutely beautiful. You walk through what can only be described as a verdant film set where you star as the doe-eyed, golden girl main character of your own fantasy life, basking in the sunset light as you inhale the spectacular view of the Parisian skyline. The chinking of glasses signifying friendship, fun, frolivities in the background. Imagine golden hour extending to five; low fi beats bubbling in your bones; the Eiffel towel standing proud upright against the golden hues of the city scape. (What I love about Paris by the way is how desperately flat it is — the only tower is the one big structure they care about; none of this architectural cock-offery we have in London).
And so, on to the negatives. Much like Soho House, the Ned, Boundary Hotel, or well, any other classy looking place with a view in a capital city, the service is shocking. Are the staff so preoccupied with appearances that they encourage you to get up and burn an extra 16kcals as you literally have to ask them if you can order a drink? Like: hello, please can I spend my money on your overpriced cocktails? Oh, don’t worry they’ll still ignore you. And the food? Looks good. Edible. Nothing to write home about.
A couple from Manchester seated next to me about 20 minutes after our arrival, took 6 photos and said 3 words to one another for the entire duration of their meal (which somehow arrived before we’d even managed to order a drink). All this said, would I tell you to go? Yes. Absolutely. I urge you to opt for drinks only. And save your tip.
Despite not managing to eat a croissant, I did manage to eat asqueeze classic croque monsieur for lunch.
London
Gioccabazzi’s walnut and gorgonzola tortelloni. Absolute heaven in every bite.
Dorset
A bottle of champagne and a packet of pork scratchings at The New Inn, Cerne Abbas in preparation for a wedding. Talk about juxtaposition.
Book
Cut and Thirst, Margaret Atwood.
A novella courtesy of Amazon Original Stories.
A bunch of female food professors who meet every Thursday to discuss fine cheese and muse about murder? This stinks of intelligently subtle layers. Rinded off with Atwood's wit and darkly punchy in its 35 small but rich pages. A good one.
Look
The pointy shoes got some good outings last week. And on Wednesday, I ended up at London Tech Week conducting an interview doing freelance journo cover. And so here’s me cosplaying as an expert on Fintech.
Can’t Stop Scanning
The Pitbull bald cap take-over.
Mr Worldwide has gone, well….worldwide. I wrote about him two weeks ago in Add to List #73 and now my newsfeed is filled with nothing but this type of delightful content.
In a world where the headlines are utterly depressing, this sort of silliness brings me unaparalled joy. I’m just a bit sad I didn’t get a ticket to the hotel, motel, holiday inn party.
Forward Planning
Another Sunday newsletter, another trip away. This time, I’m off to Calabria!
I’m attending a culinary food festival for this week with Pasta Grannies. So as you read this, I’ll likely be enjoying some seaside coves, hillside views, alongside plenty of caciocavallo cheese, pasta, and surplus nduja absolutely everything.
So lovely to meet you Michaella! Thanks for this delicious read!!
Great to see you. That's a busy week.