To Consume, May
We're back with what we've consumed - food, art, TikTok, books... we devour all good things. This month: Schapiarelli, Vancouver, curried chickpeas
Last year we did a weekly newsletter of the things we consumed, that we wanted to share with you. Highlights were Tyra Bank’s ‘hot ice cream’, Noby Leong’s Satay? Okay! podcast and a ton of silly content, as well as the actually good PR invites.
We hope you enjoyed it, because we really loved sharing our weekly highlights with each other, before committing the best bits into these hallowed newsletters. Plus it was actually a great way for us to think about all the great things we had done, because sometimes life rushes at you and taking stock doesn’t happen.
So we’re bringing it back, once a month.
What is in store this year…? Some of us are still addicted to Heated Rivalry (ASM: i need to talk about pasta salads and feta, what?), Rivals is back, cannot wait! There is bound to be some good 80s food chat… It’s currently asparagus season in the UK, what fun dishes will be made? Celebrity tequilas are tanking, will that bring some unhinged content to save them?
Here is our first one (because the year hasn’t really begun for us till now - as outlined in our first paid newsletter, at the beginning of the month).
I recently went to the Schiaparelli exhibit at the V&A, of course there are gorgeous clothes to look at but it was also really interesting to see how entrenched Elsa Schapiarelli was within he surrealist art movement and how she was able to push the boundaries of fashion – the exhibit described her clientele as ‘confident’. A few stand out pieces were a jacket from the circus collection with acrobat buttons, a wall of gorgeous brooches and the handmade buttons.
ANNA:
I went to Vancouver last month (curtsey of Visit Vancouver, for 50 Best Bars North America). It was super fun. Because of the mix of communities, history of immigration, and first peoples heritage there are some really interesting spots and experiences that tell the story of the city. One thing I do love when travelling is to go to at least one ‘fancy’ spot, like somewhere that would be a date-night – even / especially if I am not there on a date. A) it feels nice to dress up when away, B) it is where the city goes to hang out and get fancy. And I think it gets a real mix of people, all of whom are usually there to have an experience and to really enjoy the food and drink. You can pretend to feel like a local, it’s the other end of the spectrum of going to a supermarket when travelling. So, here are my date night suggestions for Vancouver, from my short whirlwind tour:
Elem - a fine-dining restaurant by chef Vish Mayekar, who pulls inspiration from his childhood home of Mumbai, British Columbia and his global travels. The menu explore the idea of elements (fire, water, air, earth), an idea which could be naff but works super well, as a gentle touch and focus. Actually works particularly interestingly with the drinks menu… the wine list is also super interesting, with local wines throughout. It is minimalist decor, and feels very chic
Good Thief - owned and run by a second-gen Vietnamese family, this is technically a cocktail bar, but with most (all?) Vancouver bars, it has a comprehensive food menu. The food is probably considered ‘fusion’, and the cocktails are super fun! I will be writing about them in next issue of Cheese mag - a laughing cow cocktail, and ‘phở-tine’ which is a play on the Canadian poutine, and it is so good!! Crispy pomme frites, cheese curd, phờ gravy, braised beef, scallion & crispy basil
June: I loved this!!!! It was all red, dark, and glamorous; super sexy. The food was very good, but in a way unimaginative - I guess French-inspired, a bit Med, maybe some Japanese thrown in there. But it was a neighbourhood joint that people travel to; it was definitely full of Vancouver people and felt like a place that was distinctly from a city of immigrants. It was Vancouver’s answer to the great restaurant in your home town that feels both ubiquitous but of the city. (Vancouver has long-standing ties with Japan, including one of the biggest cherry blossom seasons outside of Japan, it has mixed European history, other Asian migrant communities…)
Down stairs is a little bar, which is also beautiful, and does fantastic food too!
Talasay Tours
Side note: A big highlight was a walking tour, led by a tour company founded by an indigenous mother and daughter duo, through the forest looking at traditional foods that can be foraged and learning about traditional farming methods. I did this tour and it was amazing!! Just 20mins uber ride from downtown Vancouver.
I’ve been staying closer to home recently due to a leg injury and have been delightfully reacquainted with Trini Vibez on Kingsland Road. While the Trinidadian doubles are a classic dish of curried chickpeas served over a pair of flatbreads called bara, some establishments amp this up with a third bara, resulting in the rare triple. It’s the perfect food for strolling back to the De Beauvoir rose garden, where the meticulous community plot blooms once again.
Don’t forget to read all the amazing articles on our website! From celebrations to gourds - we cover all the oft-forgotten ingredients in food, as well as the more spoken about: like flour and water.
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