The TMH Edit: brilliant things to do this May
It’s the first Monday in May and, with wisteria in bloom and balmy evenings on the rise (if we’re lucky), we question if there could possibly be a lovelier month? Oh, and it begins on a bank holiday, which means plenty of fun for all. As does this edition of The TMH Edit, which includes six brilliant things to do and see, spanning the worlds of spanning food, art and design – and all are just as delightful as May itself.
Manteca Sundays
Regular readers will already know we’re big fans of pasta and nose-to-tail specialist Manteca. The Shoreditch restaurant has recently ventured into new territory too, with a Sunday menu that sees chef Chris Leach cook up a lunch that could rival your mother’s. Inspired by the lively and hearty Italian meals he devoured in welcoming households while travelling, dishes are designed to be shared and served family-style in the middle of the table. But this is no ordinary Sunday roast: quality produce is used to make plates such as herbed Tamworth porchetta and slow-roast ewe leg, alongside tasty sides including grilled greens with salsa rossa and pink-fir potatoes al forno. Tuck in. Manteca Sundays will run every week from 12 to 5pm.
Dungeness: Coastal Architecture by Dominic Bradbury
Dungeness is, in our opinion, one of the most fascinating and otherworldly places in the UK. It’s fitting, then, that its architectural scene is just as extraordinary. Dungeness: Coastal Architecture by Dominic Bradbury is a soon-to-be-published book that examines the very best buildings in its shingle-strewn landscape, among them converted lighthouses, industrial structures and train carriages (you might just recall this one we sold earlier in the year). It also highlights intriguing new builds by architects and artists alike, including Rodic Davidson, Simon Conder, Fiona Naylor and Brian Johnson, which have been designed to withstand extreme conditions and the curious microclimate of the almost post-apocalyptic environment. Buy for your bookshelf from 5 May.
London Gallery Weekend
Calling all art fans: the sophomore edition of London Gallery Weekend is coming very soon. From 13 to 15 May, the free public event sees more than 150 galleries in the capital open their doors for a compelling roster of exhibitions and events. Our hot takes include Soft Opening, for sculpture by emerging artist Rhea Dillon; Sadie Coles, on Davies Street, where four Indian galleries come together to curate an exhibition featuring contemporary artists from their native; and Maureen Paley, for thought-provoking new work by duo Jane and Louise Wilson.
The Old Pharmacy and Friends: Rita’s
A visit to chef Merlin Labron-Johnson’s Bruton wine bar, The Old Pharmacy, is always a joy. Time it right, however, and you could be in for even more of a treat than usual. On 15 May, Missy Flynn and Gabriel Pryce of Rita’s in Soho are taking part in a culinary takeover of the Somerset spot. Come for American and Mexican-inspired food; stay for frolics and plenty of margaritas. It’s the continuation of a monthly guest series, which involves Merlin inviting friends from a handful of his favourite London restaurants to reimagine Sunday lunch, using produce he’s grown at the pleasantly named Dreamers Farm. Having recently spent an afternoon with Missy and Gabriel (keep your eyes peeled for our story on Rita’s coming soon), we can guarantee that this particular residency will be something special. Meanwhile, check out our Residents’ Guide to Bruton for more fun things to do while you’re there.
Queer spaces panel discussion at RIBA
To celebrate the release of its forthcoming title, Queer Spaces: An Atlas of LGBTQIA+ Places and Stories, RIBA is hosting an evening of conversation on 23 May, where a panel will dissect the spectrum queer spaces that allow the community to thrive: bookshops, nightclubs, archives and museums, among others. The event is hosted by artist and designer Adam Nathaniel Furman and architectural historian Joshua Mardell, who collaborated on the – quite literally – shiny new book and will be joined by guests to be confirmed. Side note: for further reading on queer architecture and design, revisit our story curated by Kleanthis Kyriakou, one half of practice Wet-Hard Agency, on the LGBTQIA+ Instagram accounts to follow now.
Tracey Emin: I Lay Here For You at Jupiter Artland
Tracey Emin’s plethora of work spans many mediums: emotional expressionist paintings in hot pinks and reds, deliberately messy life-size installations and provocative wordy neons. But Jupiter Artland, the beautiful sculpture park and gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland, is showcasing a side of Emin we don’t always get to see. On 28 May, the artist will unveil a behemoth six-metre bronze sculpture of a womanly figured placed within a beech grove, alongside other new works in the gallery, as part of her show, I Lay Here For You. We’d also advise picking up a copy of the exhibition’s publication for an exclusive interview between Emin and acclaimed author Olivia Laing, which draws upon the show’s themes, such as the role of the female artist in shaping our understanding of nature. Until 30 September.
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