The SL Team Share Their Spring Culture Picks
GMEnternational/Getty Images; Hayley Madden; Peter Kelleher
Sherri Andrew,
Travel & Lifestyle Editor
“As any east Londoner will tell you, the V&A opening an outpost in Stratford is big news. I can’t wait for V&A East Storehouse to open at the end of May, when visitors will be able to see over half a million objects from fashion to fine art. Excitingly, it will also house the David Bowie Centre (the V&A recently acquired Bowie’s private archive collection), while V&A East Museum will open with an exhibition about Black British musicians and how they’ve shaped British culture over the last 125 years. The founders of Jikoni are also set to open a restaurant in the gallery, if you need any more of a reason to visit.
“Also opening in May is the new Soho Theatre in Walthamstow. It’s already lined up a cool programme of comedy and theatre shows, as well as talks and variety shows. The likes of Dara Ó Briain, Sara Pascoe, and Poppy and Rubina from one of my favourite podcasts Brown Girls Do It Too, are all due to perform.
“Book-wise I just finished A Thousand Blues by Korean writer Cheon Seon-ran, which recently hit the shelves. It’s a sci-fi story set in the future, when robots are part of human’s everyday lives and have replaced traditional workers. When one robot (which has spent its life racing horses as a jockey) is about to be sent to landfill, a young girl rescues it from the trash in the hopes of restoring it. But when the robot begins speaking, she realises it’s different to the others and has thoughts of its own. A heartwarming and fascinating story.
“Now I’m looking forward to reading Sister Europe by Nell Zink, which opens at a dinner party in Berlin. A motley crew of people are celebrating an elderly author's career but, as the night unfolds, frustrations rise due to delayed dinner and tedious speeches. Bored and restless, they decide to leave the party and embark on an unexpected adventure through the city, which inevitably ends in disaster.”
Heather Steele,
Managing Lifestyle Director
I’m still bereft the second season of Apple TV+ series Severance has ended (and even more gutted I missed the cast’s secret flash mob on the South Bank last week). While I’m still enjoying the comments and grandiose theories left below the line across Vulture’s in-depth analyses of the show, the fact the second series of both Andor (Disney+) and The Last Of Us (HBO/Now) are around the corner is keeping my sci-fi binging habit alive. There’s still time to catch up if you missed round one: Andor is the Star Wars franchise’s best spin-off yet – even my George Lucas-averse other half enjoyed it – while The Last Of Us reimagines the original video game’s plot – with the always-excellent Bella Ramsay and Pedro Pascal playing an accidental father/daughter duo who must battle a deadly airborne virus, and the warring factions the disease has created. While they’re both futuristic, the stories and acting across both transcend the tropes of the genre to create shows that non-sci-fi fans can get immersed in.
Events-wise, I’m beyond pleased to have secured tickets for the Grand Sumo Tournament at the Royal Albert Hall this autumn. For five days, the hall will transform into a temple of Sumo, complete with an authentic soil and sand dohyō (ring) and a roof reminiscent of a Shinto shrine. Last time it landed in the UK was over 30 years ago – and Sumo rarely travels outside of Japan – so this is just the thing to book if you want an up-close, unusual experience.
Finally, there are so many great books out this year. These are just some of them, but the two that are next on my to-read list are Dream State by Eric Puchner and Esther Freud’s latest, My Sister & Other Lovers. Out in May, Dream State is already an Oprah’s Book Club pick and has been optioned by of-the-moment film distributor A24. Inspired by a real life experience the author had of officiating a wedding where norovirus took out the entire wedding party, Dream State is a chunky, sweeping, multi-generational American family drama told over 50 years based around a love triangle in the vein of Jonathan Franzen and Ann Patchett, set around a lake house in Montana. My Sister & Other Lovers – published this summer – is one of Freud’s most autobiographical novels. It explores the relationship between two sisters and their unconventional mother, opening in the 70s and moving through heartbreak and addiction – all while travelling between Ireland, Sussex, Notting Hill and Jamaica.
Nicole Hains
Georgina Blaskey,
Senior Homes & Interiors Editor
“Being a Clapham local, I’m super excited about the opening of The Arding Rooms, a members club on the top floors of the iconic Arding & Hobbs building at Clapham Junction. There’s a large roof terrace and bar, with cosy seating nooks, gorgeous planting and panoramic views across London. A restaurant is also planned under a stunning stained-glass, domed atrium.
“If there’s one play I want to see this season, it’s My Master Builder, starring Ewan McGregor and Elizabeth Debicki. Inspired by Ibsen, it’s a new play by Lila Raicek set in the Hamptons. Elena Solness, a publishing magnate, is preparing to throw a party to celebrate her architect husband Henry Solness, as he unveils his latest masterpiece. Their already vulnerable union is shattered by the unexpected arrival of Mathilde, a former student of Henry’s, with whom he previously shared an intimate connection. I can’t wait.
“A trip to the countryside is always welcome on sunny days, so I’m keen to book English sparkling producer Nyetimber’s dining experience. The event starts with a guided tour of the estate, where you’ll learn about the vineyard's history and winemaking process, followed by a canapé reception and a four-course menu showcasing the finest seasonal ingredients and local produce grown on the estate – each course paired with a different sparkling wine (both white and rosé).
“Finally, I’m already planning my outfit for Royal Ascot. We go every year with a group of friends, and it’s such a highlight – dressing up, people watching and, of course, enjoying the horse racing.”
Cartier
Harriet Russell,
Chief Sub-Editor & Features Manager
“Anyone who knows me will tell you jewellery – and its history – is a passion of mine, so the minute the V&A announced its Cartier exhibition, I bookmarked it. Featuring more than 350 objects, including precious jewels, historic gemstones and iconic watches charting the evolution of Cartier's legacy since the turn of the 20th century, it promises to be another blockbuster.
"Another exhibition I've already booked tickets for is only on until 22nd June, so move fast if you want to guarantee entry. For some reason, ever since the pandemic, I find it harder to nab tickets to the always-tourist-heavy National Gallery. After centuries of separation, the gallery’s curators are bringing together notable works from an Italian golden period in Siena: The Rise Of Painting 1300-1350. It promises to be seriously beautiful."
"Just one more exhibition if you'll let me. After seeing Japan: Courts & Culture at the Queen's Gallery a couple of years ago, I now find Japanese art so interesting. So when the British Museum announced its Hiroshige exhibition, I was first in line. A lyrical journey through Edo Japan, it explores the natural beauty of the landscape and the pleasures of urban life."
"It's easy to write Emily Henry off as chick lit but her books clearly resonate because TikTok – or should I say BookTok – has gone mad for them. I like to think I found her first (I read some of her earlier work years ago), and I'm very excited for her latest novel, Great Big Beautiful Life, to drop later this month. All we know so far is that it follows two writers competing for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of an heiress – but in true Emily Henry fashion, romance inevitably ensues."
Spencer Davis/Unsplash
Nana Acheampong,
Fashion Broadcaster & Editor
"I'm a huge fan of Trevor Noah – his podcast What Now? is one of my favourites. I'm thrilled he's coming back to London with a new stand-up show, ‘Trevor Noah: London 2025 – All New Material’, at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith. He’s fresh from hosting the Grammys this year, so I’m expecting great things.
“Also in June, the iconic festival SXSW is coming to London for the first time. With over 70 music events, 420 talks and panels, and 250 film screenings, it promises to be a major platform for emerging talent and industry innovation across technology, film, music and culture. I’m most excited about the visual arts and fashion programming. I’ve always wanted to go to the original festival in Austin, so I'm thrilled it’s happening right here in Shoreditch.
“One of my summer highlights will be going to Rome in August to see Kendrick Lamar and SZA. I love combining gigs with mini breaks, and after seeing both of them individually, I can’t wait to see what they can do together.”
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