Take Me Back to London

Lovely weather, lovely people, lovely places to not get stepped on looking at art.

On Instagram, there is a trend toward photo-dumping, where you post a bunch of random, unedited photos from, say, your summer, and it all looks unfiltered and whatever-passes-for-real on the internet. I mulled over doing a dump of sorts here this week, one that included a picture of me nearly getting run down by a motorcycle as I tried to cross Abbey Road like the Beatles, but it didn't really feel right to me. In my opinion, the queen of all photo dumps is Dua Lipa, and that's the way it should remain.

Which is not to say I'm not sharing anything at all this week. London filled me up in a way that was much-needed. The weather was cool and breezy, the company was fantastic (hello, Amber!), and there were so many wonderful ways to spend an afternoon or evening, whether it was at an independent bookstore, antique shop, museum, or, yes, a zebra crosswalk of death.

A not-so-comprehensive list of places that tickled my fancy:

Canteen

Two chefs from the acclaimed River Cafe are behind this unpretentious Notting Hill eatery that dishes out excellent handmade pastas, woodfired pizzas, and to-die-for chocolate mousse. I honestly would have eaten there every night, but there were so many other good restaurants to explore. The place doesn't take reservations, but it is definitely worth the wait.

Open Monday to Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Follow them on Instagram at @canteen.310.

Speedboat Bar

I happen to love Thai food and this place dishes out some fantastic meals in a lively, diner-esque setting. Everything was good, and then I'd see another diner get something that looked and smelled good, so then I'd get covetous, even though I was full. Again, another case of me wanting to eat at the same place for the rest of my stay.

Open Monday to Thursday, 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., Friday and Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., and Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.; speedboatbar.co.uk.

The food hall at Harrod's

Honestly, I just love walking around, seeing artfully arranged fruit and vegetables under glass, and smelling rotisserie chicken...and premium charcuterie and chocolate. The counter with stuffed dates caught my eye this time. Did I buy any? No. Did I buy anything? No, but I will someday, and it will be one hell of a picnic.

www.harrods.com

The Courtauld Gallery

London is full of great museums like the Tate Britain (which I also visited this during this trip) and Victoria and Albert Museum. I learned about the Courtauld last fall when I was doing research in Edinburgh. An art history student who was in the archive with me knew that I would be heading to London next, so she, who studies at the Courtauld Institute, suggested that I not miss the Courtauld, not just because she was a student there, but because it is a wonderful collection of art in a small setting. You're not wrestling with someone and their selfie stick here. You're actually able to see the art and enjoy it, which is a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Open Monday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; courtauld.ac.uk.

Sir John Soane's Museum

By now, you know I'm a bit of a dork about things, so let me begin by saying I've been meaning to go to this little museum for more than 20 years. It's the former home of a Regency-era architect, professor, and avid collector who got the British government to leave his home open to the public, in exactly the same maximalist state as it was in when he died. So you can tour it for free and see his expansive library that was painted the same shade of red as a ruin fragment he pocketed in Pompeii and then gawk at his collections of architectural details, busts, paintings, and a sarcophagus of Seti I. Soane used to have candlelit parties around that sarcophagus, and when I stood next to it, a little freaked out, I was wondering what those parties were like. If those walls could talk, I tell you.

Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m; soane.org.

Richmond

Home to Royal Botannical Gardens at Kew (another lovely way to spend an afternoon), it is also a charming little town on the west side of the city that is the setting for the Apple TV+ series "Ted Lasso." Be sure to grab a pint at The Prince's Head, the pub where Mae poured pints for the lads during matches on the show. The night we were there, a quartet of chaps chatted about the musical "Mamma Mia" and wound up singing a rousing version of ABBA's "The Winner Takes it All." 10/10 would recommend.

Emirates Stadium

Hours after my near-death experience crossing Abbey Road (I kid), I caught an Arsenal match in which the Gunners destroyed Leeds 5-0. I had forgotten what it was like to watch winning soccer and experience an engaged and very loud fanbase. 1 million/10 would recommend, and a tip of the hat to the Canadian couple we met after the match. They were good fun.

www.arsenal.com

Writing prompt: Write about your favorite summer trip. What made it special and why?

Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering – because you can't take it in all at once.

-- Audrey Hepburn

Endnotes

A story that will make you want to be sure your diary is well-hidden

I picked up a copy of Mrs. Robinson's Disgrace from South Kensington Books while I was in London a couple of weeks ago, and this novelistic nonfiction by Kate Summerscale did not disappoint. The story revolves around Isabella Robinson, a Victorian-era widow whose second husband marries her for her money and proceeds to treat her poorly. Miserable, lonely and unsure of where to turn, Isabella begins keeping a diary about her thoughts, feelings, and...longings. Oh, those longings! Isabella's life was unfolding right around the time that Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary was published and attacked for being obscene. Women just weren't supposed to feel and behave like this, and Isabella was well-aware of her flaws. In her diary, she notes "my errors of youth, my provocations to my brothers and sisters, my headstrong conduct to my governess, my disobedience and want of duty to my parents, my want of steady principle in life, the mode of my marriage and conduct during that marriage, my partial and often violent conduct to my children, my giddy behavior as a widow, my second marriage and all that followed it." So...about all that followed it: she meets this handsome doctor at a party one night and can't shake her passion for him. She writes about that, and maybe alludes to some reciprocation (without going into detail). Then, of course, her boorish husband finds her diary and uses it as evidence when he files for divorce (except he makes sure to leave out the bits about Isabella knowing about his affairs and two illegitimate children). It was a notorious court case with some interesting and bittersweet twists and turns. At the heart of it is Isabella, who just wanted to have an interesting conversation with a companion who lit her soul aflame. Le sigh...

If you've seen Oasis's reunion tour, I am jealous of you

All the social media posts about this tour make it look like a really good time. So lately, I have been binge-listening to Oasis, and enjoying the ever-loving daylights out of the book Oasis Talking Shite: An Unauthorized, Unofficial and Unaffiliated Compendium of Provocations, Profanities and Profundities. Liam and Noel Gallagher are some of history's most epic shit-talkers and this hilarious book of their quotes is a great reminder of why that is so. For example, Liam once said that Coldplay's Chris Martin looks like a geography teacher. He also vowed, "I won’t change—not unless the geezer with the big beard lands down in front of me and pulls a giraffe out of his nostril and goes, “I’m God—you’ve got to be like this, you’ve got to be like that.” But until that happens, then they can f*&% right off." Curiously, Liam also said that if he had multiple personalities, all of them would be amazing. Anyway, Noel said of his little brother: "Liam's like a squeaky toy that swears a lot...in a blazer." He also noted, "Liam, clearly, would have liked to have had my talent as a songwriter, and there is not a day that goes by where I don't wish I could rock a parka like that man." And then there is his peculiar observation that Jack White looks like Zorro on doughnuts. I don't know what that means, but I love it. Anyway, fire up some Oasis and sing along at the top of your lungs. It'll make you feel good.

What's all this racquet about padel?

Businessman Wayne Boich is known around Miami for his savvy investments and his star-studded Art Basel bashes. But in recent years he has turned his passion for one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports—padel—into another successful business venture. With his Reserve Padel Club and his high-profile tournament, the Reserve Cup Series, Boich is methodically growing the game and its future, with no shortage of celebrities in the mix.

Yes, Inter Miami FC co-owner David Beckham, Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen, and former Miami Heat player Jimmy Butler have taken to the sport, but Boich says they weren’t the focus of his business. It was really about giving anyone from any walk of life the chance to do something fun and healthy with others.

“I have a real passion for this sport, because I know that it breeds community and health and wellness,” says Boich, a former top-ranked junior tennis player and U.S. Open Junior Competitor. “I thought if I could create a company and then have one wing of that company be focused on the build-out of nice clubs in the right locations, then we could have something special that could be a focus of folks’ days, where they think, ‘I want to fit in two hours at Reserve today and play a little bit of padel and hang out,’ whatever it may be.” Still, he admits the big names don’t hurt business. “Certainly, when you have celebrities who love it, it does push the needle a little bit.”

I spoke with Boich about padel recently for Aventura Magazine's September cover story, which you can read by clicking here. Come for his account of turning the 305 into an international ground zero for padel. Stay for his hilarious dig at the pro athletes who talk big smack on tiny courts.

Where I hope you'll donate this week

The arts are vitally important. Among other things, they expand our worldview, build empathy, foster a sense of connection, and stimulate our creativity and imagination. What I would ask of you today is to pick one arts organization in your community, whether it's a dance troupe, a symphony, a museum or something else, and donate what you can to helping them fulfill their mission. You'll get to support a groundbreaking play, or school program, for instance. They'll get to see how much you appreciate their hard work at a time when funding cuts have made it more challenging for them to do what they love and do best. If you've donated, hit reply and let me know where you gave and why. Maybe I'll share some of the replies next week.

Next week: Some notes on Amsterdam, some pieces I've written, and who knows what else.