Game, set, match—Wimbledon begins today in the British capital. But the past week has felt like an inferno, hasn’t it? Every tube journey, each car ride, and every spare moment exposed to the sun has met Londoners with a proper challenge. Far be it from us to comment on the state of the environment but this “new normal” as some friends have put it, is doubtless going to change our city—which is not built for such equatorial temperatures.
I’ve got plenty of reading done, though: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night (1934) is one classic that I’ve just gotten around to. Then there are the works of Naghib Mahfouz that I have dipped into and enjoyed. Kitty Grady heads the Aesop Queer Library pop up, where she will be discovering tonnes more books in the shade. Speaking of writers, Carolina Julius lists a brilliant adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Night and Day. Plus much more this week.
– Chris Cotonou, Deputy Editor
Last weekend, I found refuge from the heat wave with an evening under the stars. I’m talking about Tina Gharavi’s new adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Night and Day. It’s my favourite Woolf novel, and the one that has long been swept under the carpet by critics, which is perhaps what gave screenwriter Justine Waddell the freedom to weave its threads into a dream-like retelling that captures Woolf both at her most breathtaking and funny.
The film has a best of British cast, with Jack Whitehall delivering some of its biggest laughs alongside Sally Phillips, Jennifer Saunders, Timothy Spall, and Lily Allen. Woolf’s young protagonist, Katherine Hilbery (played by Haley Bennett), is refreshingly distrustful of romantic love, and in this inventive retelling, dreams of studying astronomy at Cambridge. It’s an adaptation Woolf would surely approve of, and perfect for a warm summer evening. (Carolina Julius, freelance writer). Night and Day is in cinemas now.
Café OTO is bringing its annual Summer fair back to Dalston this Saturday 4th July—a free community event that celebrates independent publishers and music labels (Palestinian Sound Archive, and Syrian Cassette Archive are just two of 20 that will be there this year). There are vinyls, merch, and it’s a great opportunity to mingle with likeminded music heads while tucking into a rotating menu of Persian-inspired soups and sandwiches. (Luke Georgiades, Features writer). Saturday, 4th July, 11am - 6pm. Café OTO, 18-22 Ashwin St, London E8 3DL.
Wine bar and restaurant Marjorie’s may be named after its co-founder Michael Serle’s late grandmother, but it is anything but old-fashioned. Located just off Carnaby Street on the surprisingly peaceful location of Foubert’s Place, Marjorie’s—which opened last year—is a relaxed but elevated address. Inspired by neighbourhood wine bars in Paris, you can enjoy a quick glass of French wine on the terrace, or a more elaborate dining experience (the basement is arranged around an open kitchen). The menu by Giacomo Peretti (formerly of Le Gavroche) gives a modern spin to French cuisine. I very much enjoyed their leek tart when I went last week—and can’t wait to try the full scope of their summer menu. (Kitty Grady, Digital Editor). Marjorie’s, 26 Foubert’s Pl, Carnaby, London W1F 7PP
Fresh off our visit to the Serpentine Summer Party, step inside one of the world's most joyful artworks currently on show. Venezuelan kinetic art pioneer Jesús Rafael Soto's Pénétrable BBL Jaune is a monumental installation of 4,000 suspended yellow PVC tubes that visitors are encouraged to walk through. As you move, the work seems to shimmer and dissolve, creating shifting optical effects while blurring the boundaries between sculpture, space and spectator. First conceived in 1999 and reissued in 2023, it's an immersive, playful experience that captures Soto's lifelong fascination with movement, perception and the active role of the viewer. (CC). 16th June to 25th October 2026, Serpentine Galleries, Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA.
Just in time for the end of Pride Month, the Aesop Queer Library returns this week to its London Soho store. Titled ‘Body of Work’, the pop-up will spotlight queer literary voices “that use the body as a site of power, pleasure, resistance and renewal.” With authors including Kae Tempest, Lee Lai, Jason Okundaye, Brandon Taylor and Yrsa Daley-Ward, the key title is Adam Smith and Tash Walker’s The Log Books, which is a history of Britain’s LGBTQIA+ charity helpline. Everyone who comes down gets a free (yes, free!) book, meanwhile the Aesop Spitalfields and Brighton Stores will be hosting reading rooms simultaneously. (Kitty Grady, Digital Editor). The Aesop Queer Library is on from 3rd-5th July at Aesop in Soho, 41 Lexington Street, London W1F 9AJ
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