What I’m loving this April

Mirabeau Rosé is firmly in rotation right now – light, crisp and made for those first properly warm spring evenings. It’s pale, refreshing and such easy drinking – a bottle you open without overthinking and realise it pairs with most things you want to eat now the sun’s made an appearance. Makes you feel a bit like you’re on holiday… even if it is only 14C and you’re wearing a jumper. 

With the Lucian Freud exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery drawing to a close this weekend, we recommend the Catherine Opie: To Be Seen photography exhibition as the perfect tonic. It is well worth an afternoon. In a month that’s been super busy, it’s a good reminder that slowing down and taking in what’s on offer from London’s many amazing cultural institutions is sometimes just what’s needed. 

It’s no secret that I’m a butter obsessive and Maison Bordier has got to be one of my favourites. I’ve been using it in just about every way I can – it’s rich and salty and exactly what good bread deserves. It’s made in Brittany using traditional methods. You can visit the shop in Saint-Malo, which also has a butter museum. All the joy in one shop! Over in London you can buy it in a few places including La Fromagerie in Marylebone, Bloomsbury and Highbury. They only sell five packs at a time!  

A wander around the Paris flea markets Marche aux Puces de Sainy-Ouen is my idea of heaven. Equal parts treasure hunt and inspiration. I always come back with far more than I planned. One minute you’re poring over vintage glassware, the next you’re deep in conversation about a mid-century chair with an enthusiastic (and deeply knowledgeable) Frenchman. You never quite know what you’re going to find, which is absolutely the joy of it. 

Restaurant St Barts is a special one. It’s the culmination of passion and hard work from three long-term friends Johnnie, Luke and Toby – the team behind the newly opened Tavern. Sustainable, thoughtful, seasonal cooking in a beautiful setting, it’s the kind of place you leave already planning your return. Everything here feels considered without being fussy. The food is seasonal and precise but never overworked. There’s a real confidence in letting ingredients speak for themselves. A Friday night spent in the beautiful surroundings is a true pleasure, you will not disappointed.  

If you are not playing padel yet, are you really a Londoner?! House of Racquet is my new go-to for a fun padel session. It’s great for socialising or doing a business deal, but making it a little bit competitive. An energising way to shape the week! The club house is on hand for the perfect coffee or spicy marg, too, depending on what you need after you’ve sweated it out on court.