Staying In

Read Land by Maggie O’Farrell

Beginning on a windswept peninsula in the 19th century, in Maggie O’Farrell’s Land, out today, a father-son duo set out to map the entirety of Ireland. It’s 1865, the aftermath of the Irish famine – a period the Hamnet author knows well from the story of her great-great-grandfather, who worked for the Ordnance Survey in Ireland around the same time. And just as O’Farrell looks back at the devastated nation her ancestor inhabited, so too do the characters in Land, which span two generations, look back and forth at their lineage. We open with Tomás and his 10-year-old son Liam navigating a wind- and rain-swept Irish peninsula, having commenced this mission to chart the land, paid by the English. But soon an unsettling encounter nudges them off course, opening a spellbinding multi-generational tale that leans on the more folkloric tradition of storytelling: expect fable-like passages, coincidences and near-misses, a broad omnipresent perspective, time-worn phrases and a pace that ebbs and flows inconsistently. The film rights to Land have been snapped up by the same production company that brought the multi-award-winning Hamnet to our screens at the start of the year. And just as with Hamnet, in Land, O’Farrell doesn’t let the truth get in the way of a good story. Out now, £25.

Going Out

Dine At Beaverbrook Town House

You’ll no doubt know all about grand Surrey hotel Beaverbrook – but did you know the grand dame has a sister hotel in London? Spread across two restored Georgian townhouses on Sloane Street, Beaverbrook Town House is a boutique hotel boasting an excellent Japanese restaurant, The Fuji Grill. It’s centred around Tapasu, which combines the precision of Japanese cooking with the relaxed spirit of tapas. Begin with crispy sushi rice, wagyu dumplings and spinach salad (a surprising highlight, drizzled in a delicious miso dressing) before getting stuck into mains like grilled seabass with butter ponzu, organic baby chicken with sancho pepper and lemon, and chilli-spiced blue prawns paired with truffle-infused hispi cabbage and garlic yuzu butter corn ribs. Be sure to save some space for a few helpings of temaki, which comes last: a taco-sushi hybrid which sees rice and toppings sandwiched between crispy nori seaweed (order the black cod). When the weather plays ball, the small but perfectly formed terrace is the place to be – but inside is equally charming, boasting Art Deco interiors. beaverbrooktownhouse.co.uk

Property Of The Day

Where most old London townhouses have since been split up into smaller flats, this Chelsea property was created through the amalgamation of two existing homes into one 12-bedroom mega-mansion. Rebuilt in 1999, the house unfolds across five expansive floors, with a vast second-floor reception room and a private garden set behind a quiet, tree-lined avenue. 

£30m, sothebysrealty.co.uk

Little Luxury

Florals for spring may not be groundbreaking, but jewellery that takes the brief this seriously is. The standout piece from Annoushka’s newly expanded Daisy collection, this necklace detaches at the toggle to become a bracelet and a shorter chain – three ways to wear it, one piece. Each bloom is handcrafted in 18ct yellow and white gold, with petals set in pavé diamonds and a citrine at the centre of every flower. £16,500, annoushka.com

Competition Time

If the rainy weather subsides, how does a seaside escape to the coast of Cornwall sound? Enter this competition now for your chance to win a two-night stay at Three Mile Beach. 

Psssst…

Portobello Road favourite Canteen is heading to the Cotswolds for a summer pop-up at Chipping Norton venue The Old Coal Yard. If you’re in the area, stop by for fresh pasta and pizza – with live music on Friday nights and kids games on Saturdays (and keep your eyes peeled for any of these famous faces who live nearby).

Whatever You Do, Don’t

Overcomplicate things if you’re hosting a dinner party, say Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison, caterers, restaurateurs, and founders of Tart London. ‘Cook something you love to eat, that you’ve made before, and prep as much as you can ahead of time. A simple roast chicken with salsa verde, potatoes, and salads is much more exciting and relaxing to arrive to than an uptight scene of someone stressed and trying to cook difficult, new dishes.’

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