1 — Cowley Manor has always been a charming hotel nestled in Gloucestershire, but its recent redesign by Dorothée Meilichzon has turned it into a fun and contemporary playground to escape to for the weekend.
The bedrooms colour scheme with shades of mustard, forest green and cinnamon is lush and inspiring, while the glass walls in the spa give centre stage to the Cotswold’s woodlands and contribute to a sense of calm. A new menu devised by Jackson Boxer of local-to-Notting-Hill eatery Orasay features vegetables from the garden as well as Hereford beef and a comprehensive cocktail list.
2 — Long summer holidays are probably already organised but if time is available for shorter trips, we recommend to flick through Slow Travel Britain, if only to re-discover the appeal of familiar places. We love the Opinionated Guide books for their straight to the point and practical approach and their recent releases do not disappoint, if looking for cabins or family escapes.
3 — Closer to home or while on holiday, picnics should be spontaneous affairs, especially with unpredictable weather, but equipment and recipes should be at the ready. The perfect picnic basket can multitask and go seamlessly from park to beach. Palorosa bags fill this promise exactly in subtle tones of duck blue and celadon. They are extremely well made, light weight but sturdy at the same time.
A fail safe dessert to pack is a clafoutis, it is quick to make and will sustain travel. Phaidon is proposing a new edition of Ginette Mathiot’s Classic French Recipes, fifty years after the original iteration and her recipe still has authority.
4 — Time has finally come for short sleeved shirting and Aimé’s Daria shirt is a hard working piece of the summer uniform. The proportions are precise, the buttons open up just where they should and the relaxed fit will suit the mood. Italian striped poplin and sunlight cotton pair easily with denim or ecru canvas.
5 — Warm evenings and late dinner parties call for a laid-back soundtrack that can be found here.