Sunday Smörgåsbord #048
House moves, festivals, and 19 days of sporting excellence. Plus the summer party dish of dreams.
NB: [PW] signifies a paywall, though some providers allow you to read a set number of articles for free.
Hi friends,
Last week I was too busy licking my wounds after England’s loss in the Eurocopa final to write a Sunday round-up. Just kidding, it was great to see Spain win even at our expense: Valencia was a mass of flags, fiesta and, of course, fireworks until late into the madrugada.
The real reason for a Smörgless Sunday was that last weekend I accidentally moved house. Not a phrase I imagine is used often, but the state of my flat right now speaks to its veracity. I’ve spent the last week surrounded by seductive empty space peppered with little Pandora boxes of hell, or moving boxes which I can’t bear to open yet (remember I’m a self-confessed hoarder).
The good news is that whilst last weekend I was too busy lugging my sofa upstairs to pen this missive, this weekend I’m gladly picking up the laptop in lieu of opening another crate marked miscellaneous. So thank you, readers, for your service.
Have a lovely Sunday
Emma
PS - Thank you to everyone who got in touch on Friday’s beach reads post with their own summer reading recommendations. and both recommended Emily Henry so I’ve ordered Funny Story for my first outing. I’ve also got Caledonian Road teed up (thanks again ) plus The Weather Woman, which was of ’ rec. Know something else I must read? Drop it in the comments!
🍳 Recent servings, in case you missed them…
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📰 Features & Podcasts
‘Washed away: The strange, nostalgic world of public swimming pools’, CityAM. I couldn’t tell you how I stumbled on this article but reading it unlocked a core memory. A swim at the public baths every weekend with my Dad was a ritual of ours, followed by a trip to the newsagent where I was allowed a Beano comic and a curly-wurly. I loved those Sunday trips together and reading this article brought it all back: the smell of the chlorine, the tepid temperature of the slightly-diluted disinfectant we had to walk through on the way in, not to mention the very specific acoustics of a community swimming pool.
‘Pope Francis tells priests to keep homilies short as ‘people fall asleep’, The Guardian. From one core memory to another. When I was dragged to church as a kid I had methods for getting through it. Counting every tile on the ceiling. Finding and then reading every hymn in the book before we got to it. The service was carved out in segments: when they read the Creed I knew we still had a long way to go, by the time we hit ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do’, I knew we were entering the last forty-five minutes. After communion? Home stretch. But every week the part I hated the most was the homily. You just never knew how long it was going to last. I couldn’t bear the not knowing: would we be sat there for five minutes? For ten? For fifteen (which at the age of seven easily feels like two hours)? Well seems like it wasn’t just me who hates the flexibility of the Catholic sermon - the Pope himself is stepping in, decrying the length of some priest’s soapbox moments. The ironic part? I don’t go to church often but when I do, the homily is now my favourite bit.
‘Kneecap: Meet the UK’s most controversial band’, The Times [PW]. Kneecap were up there as one of the best artists I saw at Mad Cool festival in Madrid (see: Arts, Culture & Entertainment below). My awareness of them had been limited to a four-star Glasto set review I’d seen the week before but the line for their set (which snaked hundreds of people out through the festival fields) was testament to the excitement around this three-person act who rap in a mix of English and Gaelic and encourage some old-school moshing and misbehaviour. I was surprised to feel a little intimidated initially (there are lots of people wearing balaclavas in honour of group member DJ Próvaí who also wears one), but I don’t think that’s a bad thing: rather a sign that you’re about to see something purposefully designed to prickle discomfort and prompt questions. This Times interview with them provides a lot of context behind their work and I’m looking forward to watch their upcoming film. There are so many stories still to tell about The Troubles, not least from the the post-peace-process generation, and Kneecap’s mix of new energy, old tradition and good humour single them out as ones to listen to.
‘Steven van de Velde: Dutch say they are protecting child rapist’, The Times [PW]. Sorry to kill the mood but I couldn’t let this article, just published today, slide. Not only has convicted child rapist Steven van de Velde been allowed to play in the Dutch Beach Volleyball team at the Paris Olympics, he’s been actively protected from negative consequences including press access during his time at the Games. Without self-awareness or shame today the team’s press attaché admitted: “We are protecting a convicted child rapist to do his sport as best as possible, for a tournament which he qualified for.” I guess thanks for removing all doubt as to what your team values are.
‘Zosia Mamet on Girls, acclaim and nepo babies: ‘It’s not like you’re born to a famous family and the red carpet rolls out for you’, The Guardian. Through this interview with Mamet I stumbled upon this compelling monologue she gave about her difficulties with pelvic pain and medical gaslighting. It’s worth a watch.
🎨 Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Mad Cool Festival, Madrid. For Andy’s birthday back in May I treated him to four days of festival in Madrid, with the focus on two of his teenage faves who were headlining: Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam. In the end, and what I think is the beauty of festivals, the artists I didn’t know as much about were the ones who blew me away: Janelle Monae was a one-woman show of non-stop-reinvention, Kneecap were a bundle of chaotic, creative energy (see Features, above), and Lord Huron gave a performance of I lied so perfect it gave me goosebumps.
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La Casa Encendida and El Prado, both Madrid. As it happens, turns out we can’t hack four full days of traipsing to the outskirts of Madrid and back sustained only by overpriced beers and hamburgers, so we took the Saturday off to stay in bed a bit longer before heading out for a culture day. After a joint visit to La Casa Encendida, a free space near Lavapiés full of eclectic exhibitions, I headed off alone to that most dependable of Spanish art institutions: the Prado. The last time I visited was aged 17, on a Spanish exchange trip, and I have vivid memories of my host’s Dad waxing lyrical on the cultural importance of Velázquez’s Las Meninas. This time I made a beeline for one of my all-time favourites: El Greco, whose works never fail to leave me in awe, before heading to the museum’s latest special exhibition Art and Social Change in Spain (1885-1910). Walking the hallowed museum halls, I felt nourished and restored. Funny how art can do that to you.
📺 What have you seen lately that’s worth a read, watch or listen? Let me know in the comments.
🍹 Lifestyle
Moving house! After over two years of arduous renovation, false hopes and stop-starts, I finally moved into my new apartment in Valencia. This has been a real labour of love project given my architect is one of my best friends here. The project has certainly tested our friendship as well as our patience at times, but having (mostly) moved in now I can honestly say it’s been worth the wait. I hope to share some more photos and info on the journey in coming articles - once the boxes have been emptied.
The 2024 Paris Olympics. The perfect background watching for a move, I’ve already watched approximately seven different sports: from gymnastics to diving, skateboarding to hockey (another trouncing of my team by Spain). And in a week’s time I get to be there myself, all being well with transport. Are you a fan of the Games? Do you have a must-watch sport? Let me know in the comments.
Leftover beetroot tart tatin and the Olympics: a winning combo Beetroot and red onion tart tatin, recipe via the Hairy Bikers. On Friday night I hosted a little cheese and wine soiree to celebrate my accidental move. Everyone brought a cheese, wine, or both, and I provided some staples: bread, crackers, pickles and - more substantially - this beetroot and red onion tart tatin. With shop-bought puff pastry it’s the perfect dish for a party: quick to make, rather impressive to look and delicious to taste. Top tip: If you put the whole pan in the oven put a teatowel over the handle once it’s out to remind you it’s burning hot, or risk spending twenty minutes with your hand under running water like I had to…
💌 Substacks
‘Dress for an Affair’ - Ask a Stylist by Camilla Nazeri
One of the best Substacks I’ve read recently, this deep-dive into the Thomas Crown Affair is packed with interesting tidbits as well as exquisite style notes. It’s deserving of a double-paged magazine spread, complete with glossy 90s cover, naturally.
Side note: I also watched the film recently and was struck by how modern this 1990s heist romance seems. It’s depressingly rare even these days to see a Hollywood relationship thrumming with intellect, maturity and mutual respect. Oh, and stonking chemistry.
That’s it for this week. I hope you find something in this list that sparks joy or curiosity.
If you’ve got any recommendations on articles, podcasts, Substacks or shows for me to dive into, please drop them in the comments. Until next time!
❤️ Thank you for reading. If you made it this far please don’t forget to hit the heart to let me know you enjoyed the post, and help others find my writing.
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Happy reading 😁
(you might need another EH for after Caledonian Road. Maybe Book Lovers next…)
Thanks for the shout out Emma. You’ll love The Weather Woman. Look forward to phots of your new home 🏠