Iona’s June Hotlist

Visiting:

The Sovereign’s birthday (17th June) is officially celebrated by the ceremony of Trooping the Colour, and it has been great fun watching the practices during my walks. The public can watch the event on The Mall or on the edge of St James’ Park overlooking Horse Guards Parade. If you aren’t around to watch it in person, it is also broadcast live on the BBC in the UK. For all the best tips/views and in generally beautiful spots in London and further afield, follow Rita Farhi on instagram.

Royal Ascot, arguably the pinnacle event of the season, is back from the 20th June for an exhilarating week of races, fashion and more. Regardless of the enclosure, make sure you’re dressed the part. I thoroughly recommend a bag with a strap so that you can have your hands free for a glass of champagne and your race card. The Hettie in Blush is subtle and sophisticated. Don’t forget that Tusting can also be ordered bespoke so that you have something unique and special to match any outfit. 

Dining:

Dine in the Vines is back at the stunning Rathfinny vineyard in Sussex. The first event in the series celebrates local farmers with a seven course tasting menu of course accompanied by the English sparkling wine. You’re sat amongst the vines, the evening sun – I’m not sure what could be better. I’ll be taking the Silverstone tote which has two perfectly sized pockets for bottles of wine – convenient!

Closer to home, Brat fans rejoice, as Tomos Parry’s Mountain in Soho is set to open this month. Not to be described at Brat 2.0, Parry has taken inspiration from his ”favourite meals across Spain in recent years” and created a wood grill and wine bar. Everything is locally sourced and there will be an open fire kitchen in the basement to observe the chefs. This is somewhere not to be missed.

Reading:

I discovered Samantha Irby over lockdown and devoured her books. Incredibly witty, dry and honest collections of essays, they were the laughs I needed through a bleak time. I am hugely excited to start her next book, Quietly Hostile, which was published last month.

I like to have both a fiction and non fiction book on the go so I’m also about to start Naoise Dolan’s new novel, The Happy Couple, which follows the story of five characters all attending the same wedding and how their lives intersect. Exploring love, marriage, fidelity and betrayal, if you enjoyed her debut novel, Exciting Times, this is sure to be a hit.

 Watching:

“Speak of the devil and he appears” – The National Theatre’s new production of The Crucible transfers to the West End for a limited time in June. With incredible set design from ES Devlin, this stylish restaging of a classic is not one to be missed.

From the comfort of your home, The Bear is back with season 2. The in your face but terrific journey that Carmy and the rest of the restaurant weave through is emotional, real and raw. I have yet to hear anyone have a bad opinion of the series and the balance of characters, storylines and dishes comes together like the perfect menu. Out 22nd June, Disney+.

June buy:

I absolutely adore Jess Wheeler’s candle stick holders. All her pieces are hand made in Jess’ workshop in North Wales, making each piece organically unique with nature as the focus. They make such a special gift for yourself or a loved one. Her brass mistletoe is also such a hero piece that comes around during the festive season and will hopefully be back in 2023.

Bag of the month:

It has to be the Mini Holly for June. With weddings galore and the races, along with the previously mentioned aperitivo hour in Soho, this bag looks chic and put together without stealing the show from a statement outfit.

I’m also going to add in a bag of the month for him, which is the Grey Fox x Tusting backpack that I’ve recently gifted my partner and he loves it. Of course, I have ended up stealing it to throw everything into to take to the park.