Culture Addict: What The Stack Team Are Doing This Bank Holiday

Sharmadean Reid, Founder

This Friday I’ll be kicking off the bank holiday by getting my eyelashes done with our member, Eighty Lashes, before heading to The Jerusalem Tavern for a glass of tonic water - our office local.

After that I’ll be heading straight to the AIRE Ancient Baths in Central London (it’s a ridiculously decadent experience that I highly recommend for ultimate relaxation). To round-off my bank-holiday Friday, I’ll be eating well at The Ned, with a steak at Millie’s Lounge.

On Saturday, I’m getting out of the city and into the country as I drive down to Woodstock to get some peace and quiet to work on my decks and presentations. Whilst on my way to my friend’s cottage, I’ll be listening to The Authority Gap by Mary Ann Sieghart on Audible, and once I arrive, I’ll be reading a collection of short stories by Primo Levi.

On Sunday, I’ll be heading to Oakley Court with my son for a roast dinner (where they currently have a bouncy castle) - a good excuse to check it out before the offsite day there we’ll be hosting for our members.

By Monday, I’ll be heading back to the city to prepare for the week ahead. It’ll be a day of tidying and watching movies in bed all day with my son. I’m so excited to change my bed and use my new H&M home bedsheets. I’ll also take a moment to start reading Alice Aedy’s new Penguin collab, Green Ideas. Her company Earthrise have worked with Penguin to collate the best literature on climate change.

Hannah Connolly, Staff Writer

I'm heading into this bank hol with the intention of cramming in as much as is humanly possible. After 10 days of isolation, I am more than ready to make the most of the long weekend. That means kicking off Friday eve with drinks at East London’s High Water cocktail bar - the Rye Fidelity is my recommendation and only £10 - before heading over to Dalston Jazz Bar for a dance.

On Saturday I’ll be lunching at Maison Francais in St James Street - the stone bass is incredible and the anchovy, ricotta and thyme grilled bread is a must. Also on the roster for Saturday is the pursuit of a new read (not that I don’t already have an ever-growing pile of to-read books but what's one more?).

A favourite spot is Pages of Hackney, upstairs offers new releases curated to help you find exactly what you need, whilst downstairs is all cosy sofas and second-hand books in every genre you could imagine. Conveniently, this book shop is a short walk away from my local, so I may just have to nip into the Crooked Billet for a quick refresh.

As for Sunday, late lunch is booked in at Wiltons, one of London’s oldest family-run restaurants and one of the best at seafood to boot. Top tip, the Seasonal lunch menu is well worth the money and makes for a massive save at £47.95pp for three courses which, is usually, about the price for one main meal alone.

For Monday, being indoors has left me clamoring for some nature and as the weather is (allegedly) supposed to be glorious, Kew Gardens it is. I’m hoping to bask in the last of the summer blooms and reconnect with something other than Netflix.

Sasha Mills, Editorial Intern

My bank holiday is going to be dedicated to taking some time to decompress. I’ve just picked up Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers and The End of Everything by Katie Mack, so I’m planning on heading down to Finsbury Park to enjoy the sunshine and read. As an English student, I read a lot, but rarely for pleasure these days.

I’m also looking forward to finishing The Chair, which is a brilliant new comedy with Sandra Oh charting the downfall of a university department. It has the quality of a slow, steady descent into chaos, and I’m enjoying watching where that spiral goes.

Emma-Louise Boynton, Society Editor

Following two weeks (which felt like two months) locked inside my flat with Covid, I’m going all out this weekend and heading to not one but two festivals. Get me. (Check back in next week when I’m sick again….!).

First, I’ll be heading to Lost Village Festival in Lincolnshire early on Friday morning, where I’m hosting a number of talks and panels in the Institute of Curiosity tent. If you’re there this weekend come and see me chat about sex, career-building and all the bits in between. I’ll also be interviewing the inimical Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting, on Saturday so don’t miss that if you’re around. You’ll find me dancing/ sleepily swaying to Arlo Parks, Four Tet, Green Tea Peng and Caribou while I’m there.

I’ll get back to London on Sunday evening and plan on decompressing with a solo dinner at the new Japanese-inspired restaurant, Apothecary, in Shoreditch with my book. I’ve just bought Lisa Taddeo’s ‘Animal’ and am two chapters deep and already hooked. She writes like a dream. I’ll have a bank holiday nightcap at my friend’s wine bar, Hectors, where I’m now a loyal regular.

I’ve been told I need to watch The White Lotus as a matter of urgency, so I’ll spend whatever time I have left of the evening curled up on the sofa in front of that. Eventually, I suppose, I’ll go to bed. I’ve never been a fan of bedtime (I can’t bear the daily, mini-tragedy that is the day ending) but I recently invested in some Sophie Conran, scallop-edged bedsheets which have been a gamechanger. Now I feel as though I’m sleeping in a swanky hotel suite and relish my time between the sheets.

On Monday I head to All Points East for a day of dancing (hopefully) in the sun to the Foals and Bombay Bicycle Club.

Rhea Cartwright, Beauty Director

Having also spent the last 10 days in isolation, I’m itching to get out! Friday night I’m off to see my favorite Yazmin Lacey perform at Gibney’s in Shoreditch. You can still grab a FREE ticket!

I may not be able to smell but my taste buds are still intact. I’m heading to The Jolly Gardeners on Saturday for an elevated pub lunch in Vauxhall. With a nose-to-tail philosophy, it was launched in lockdown by 5 friends with a wealth of hospitality experience.

Sunday and Monday, I intend to be lounging at home ploughing through my never-ending list of recipes to try. On the list is a garlic confit I spotted on Carolina Gelen’s Instagram because is there ever a dish that isn’t instantly upgraded by more garlic? Followed by this wildly divine Devil’s chocolate cake with malted cream and hazelnut praline by Noor Murad, Ottolenghi’s recipe developer.

Aimée Green, Social Media/Creative Manager

New Zealand’s reign of COVID-free glory has come to an end and we’re back in lockdown for the first time since April last year. Nonetheless, I’ve taken to socially distanced beach walks at dusk to the soundtrack of Willow’s self-titled 2019 album as an excuse to get out from under my duvet. Female Energy (Part 2) is bliss.

Saturday will feature a rewatch of French Exit (2020) starring Michelle Pfeiffer with the most gorgeous ginger blowout. Sunday is dedicated to BBC’s television adaptation of Nancy Mitford’s 1945 classic The Pursuit of Love, which I’ll chase with an episode of Absolutely Fabulous from 1992 – specifically when Edina and Patsy go wine tasting in the South of France.