1 — Bring a crisp poplin white shirt wherever you're headed.
Classics don't need reinventing and Aimé's Devon shirt is hard to beat. Roll the sleeves and wear over bikinis, team with wide linen trousers for daytime errands and add gold jewellery for smart evenings. The key to a polished yet cool look every time, is the fineness of the cotton and the luminous shade of white.
2 — Unhurried hours allow long reads and we heartily recommend Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Dream Count — her first novel in over a decade. The stories of four women whose lives interlace across Nigeria and the U.S. are intimate and yet anchored in our times. Adichie approaches her familiar themes of love, family, class and race with an empathic voice we find distinctive and modern and enjoy in each of her books.
What it used to be like, Graydon Carter's memoir takes us inside 25 years spent at the helm of Vanity Fair — the parties, the covers, the culture. He had a front-row seat to an intensely creative and extravagant era end we're keen to know what he saw behind the curtain.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney's emotional bond led to one of the greatest artistic collaborations and to heartbreak. It's not a new subject, and don't expect factual revelations, but Ian Leslie's John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs offers a refreshed perspective with a psychological lens that feels very current.
3 — Our summer playlist will be a companion to road trips, airport wait times and chilled evenings. We have put together Brazilian sounds, a Japanese gem and a Pink Floyd rediscovery that should encourage reveries and relaxation.
4 — August is the perfect time to explore outdoor art trails and soak up culture en plein air while the British weather plays along. First on our list is the Goodwood Art Foundation, nestled in the South Downs of West Sussex. This summer's headline exhibition features both new and old sculptures by Rachel Whiteread, set across 70 acres of wildflower meadows, ancient woodland, and shaded glades. The Foundation also offers a family-friendly programme designed to inspire and enrich visitors of all ages during the summer holidays.
Further north, Hanging Stones is an ongoing project by Andy Goldsworthy in the North York Moors. It features nine existing buildings, in various states of disrepair, which have been carefully rebuilt as artworks and linked by a six-mile walking route through the dramatic landscape of Northdale. More of Goldsworthy’s permanent works can be found at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, where a three-mile circular trail invites exploration. Keep an eye out for other site-specific installations by a range of artists, scattered across the park.
5 — Inspired by Laura Jackson's cruise updates, we're making frozen cherry negronis this month.
Ingredients (Makes 600ml)
200ml vermouth
200ml Campari
200ml gin
60ml morello cherry liqueur or cherry cordial
Directions
Combine ingredients and freeze for an hour, rake a layer and put back in the freezer. Repeat until it’s slushy and serve.