Weekly 8 May

Ellie Smith & Parm Bhamra
May 08, 2026

Dear Reader,

Did you know that the UK has its own version of Italy's agriturismo? It might not be as widespread as Italy's but now staying on a farm can be a wildly elevated experience. Yes, boots, mud, livestock and crops are part of it – central to it, in fact – but so are exquisite food, yoga lessons, and beautifully designed accommodation. It's just one reason to consider staying put in the UK this summer. And it's why – in celebration of the launch of our new Great British & Irish Hotels guide – we'll be running a series on why staying home isn't Plan B. Follow us on Instagram where we'll be dropping our Reasons to Stay series, from sexy wellness hotels to incredible things to fill your diary with.

Lucy Cleland
Editorial Director

Staying In

WATCH: Legends

Period dramas are always intriguing – especially when they draw on a true story. And for lovers of crime dramas, doubly so: delving behind the scenes of the stories you remember making the headlines, with extra salacious drama added in for good measure. That’s why we’re eager to tune into Legends this weekend, a new British crime thriller that has just landed on Netflix, created and written by Neil Forsyth, the man behind BBC heist drama The Gold. This time he whisks us back to the 90s, when Britain’s heroin crisis was reaching fever pitch and the government needed a new tack. Starring Strike’s Tom Burke alongside Steve Coogan, Hayley Squires, Charlotte Ritchie and more, the series’ title draws on the undercover identities of operatives tasked with infiltrating violent, high-powered gangs to root out the illicit drug trade. The only problem? The government workers set on the case were customs officers, with little to no experience on the front line. Six episodes streaming on Netflix

GROW: Your Own Peonies

Spring has officially sprung. This season’s freshest bloom? Peonies. ‘Often described as the harbinger of spring, peonies are rightly considered one of the main showstoppers of the garden,’ says Rosebie Morton, founder of The Real Flower Company. ‘Depending on the variety, they can flower as early as mid-April through to early July and once established are very undemanding.’ She adds that the key to a successful flower garden is choosing the right peony for your space: ‘If you are strapped for space and thinking of a container on your balcony or patio then it’s best to opt for a compact variety, or alternatively an intersectional peony known as Itoh peonies. There is a wonderful selection of colours as well, ranging from whites, yellows, orange and peach through to bright and deep pinks, and every combination in between.’ For more gardening tips, see Rosebie’s full guide here.

EAT: Emily English’s Red Pepper Pasta

Emily English, known by her online moniker @emthenutritionist, has a new cookbook out: So Good Express. Continuing her ethos of nutritious food you actually want to eat, it contains over 80 speedy recipes which will fuel your body and lift your mood in no time. Our top pick? This creamy red pepper blender pasta.

Ingredients

50g (5½oz) dried pasta of choice
Olive oil, for cooking
1 large banana shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Cupped handful of cashews
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
3 roasted red (bell) peppers from a jar, diced
1 heaped tsp white miso paste
2 tbsp water
1 heaped tbsp light crème fraîche
15g (½oz) Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra to serve
Handful of basil leaves
Salt and black pepper

Method

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a cup of the cooking water, and set aside.
In a frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat. Sauté the shallot and garlic with a pinch of salt for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the cashews and toast for 2 minutes. Stir in the smoked paprika, sun-dried tomato paste, tomato purée, roasted red peppers, miso and water. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Transfer to a blender, add the crème fraîche and Parmesan and blend until silky-smooth. Season to taste.
Return the sauce to the pan over a low heat, tear and stir in some of the basil and the cooked pasta, adding splashes of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen if needed.
Serve topped with the remaining basil and Parmesan.

Going Out

BOOK: Wraxall Vineyard Shepherd’s Huts

After a long day of wine tasting, the last thing you want to think about is how you’ll get home. Thankfully, Wraxall Vineyard is giving guests the option to avoid the tipsy taxi – with a sleepover in its new shepherd’s huts. An elevated take on the classic glamping experience, the two huts provide a fully-fitted handmade kitchen, an en-suite shower room, a king-size bed and a garden complete with a fire pit. Located on the very top of its most recently planted vineyard plot, the huts enjoy stunning views that stretch up to 20 miles across the Somerset Levels. One of Somerset’s oldest vineyards, visitors to Wraxall Vineyard can also enjoy a guided tour of the vines, plus wine tastings and a Somerset grazing table (think local cheese, charcuterie, salads, chutneys and breads) on the rooftop terrace. wraxallvineyard.co.uk

VISIT: New Restaurant Ornella

Last year, actor Theo James (The White Lotus) made his first foray into the world of hospitality with Lupa: a Highbury trattoria opened alongside Carousel co-founder Ed Templeton and chef Naz Hassan. And now he’s back with a follow-up, Ornella, launching on Wilton Way in Hackney this May. The eatery will serve Milanese food inspired by Hassan’s childhood in the Italian city: think mondeghili meatballs, penne alla vodka and vitello tonnato, followed by desserts like zuppa ingelse (Italian trifle). ornella.restaurant

SEE: Andy Earl’s Exhibition

Beloved British broadcaster Sir David Attenborough turns 100 years old today. And while you could celebrate by watching one of his very best documentaries, here’s a way to celebrate the naturalist out and about (aside from visiting his preferred London spot, the Natural History Museum). An exhibition from acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Andy Earl arrives at Bankside Yards this weekend, celebrating his four-decade career in visual culture. Working across everything from Pink Floyd's surrealist album covers Madonna, Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, Earl has played a crucial role in shaping the visual language of popular culture across his career. One of his most iconic portraits? Blue Planet, a cinematic shot of Attenborough wading through the sea, captured in a water tank in 2003. Hosted in a historic Victorian railway arch – open to the public for the first time in 150 years – the exhibition features 39 more pieces spanning portraiture, landscape and commissioned imagery. It opens here in London, before embarking on an international tour. Open Wednesday to Sunday until 8 August at Arch 10, Bankside Yards, 250 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 9AX. Free tickets available on Eventbrite.

Staying in Forever…

Property Of The Week

Probably best recognised from the HBO Max cooking show Selena + Chef, Selena Gomez’s LA home is officially on the market. Alongside the kitchen where Jamie Oliver once rustled up a Sunday roast, the mansion offers up a gym, a massage room, a glam room, a home cinema, a pool, a hot tub and a recording studio.

On the market for $6,495,000, thebeverlyhillsestates.com

Competition Time

Win a midweek stay for two at THE PIG-in the wall
Win a Celestial Overnight Experience at Fairmont St Andrews
Win a LIAVELLA AVAIA bag worth £799

Psssst…

Actors Nicole Kidman and Riley Keough, alongside Hamnet director Chloé Zhao, are among the celebrities training to become death doulas. But what does the role actually involve?