How to spend it in July

EAT

Tollington’s in London

First there was Four Legs, the cult residence at the Compton Arms in Islington, London. Then came a crowdfunded permanent location, The espadrille (Most Topjaw videos will point you in the direction of the pub’s Dexter Cheeseburger.) Now Ed McIlroy, one half of the duo behind both north London establishments, has struck out on his own, reviving Tollington’s, a tired old Finsbury Park chippy. Drawing inspiration from his travels along the Iberian coast, McIlroy has created a fish-heavy small-plates menu (Scottish clams, stuffed crab and “calamari a la plancha,” alongside spicy “patatas fritas bravas” and pinchos that changes daily) in a cheerful, low-key atmosphere. Rosanna Dodds

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SEE

Isabelle Castanier in Saint-Tropez

For her summer exhibition, interior designer Isabelle Castanier ditches the showroom for a more intimate setting: her childhood home on Saint Tropez’s leafy Place des Lices. Inside she has installed furniture, textiles and artworks by designers and artisans – from Emma Bruschi’s woven straw furniture to the vibrant fabrics of Marseille design duo Table – offering endless inspiration for sun-drenched gatherings. Marion Willingham

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Trade

Asics x Hay sneaker collaboration

Danish design company. Hay has collaborated with Asics to revive its Skyhand OG sneaker from the brand’s 1994 collection. Constructed from a mix of suede and leather, utilizing FlyteFoam in the forefoot and EVA foam in the heel for cushioning, the first release comes in three colorways – soft pink, blue, and emerald green – with new shades expected for fall. Ines Cruz

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EAT

Jackson Boxer’s French Food in London

The streets of Covent Garden in London have “surrendered to chains”, says Jackson Boxer. What it deserves is “a beautifully intimate and ambitious restaurant.” His answer is Enriquea Parisian-inspired bistro on the ground floor of the Henrietta Hotel, just off Garrick Street. He will be cooking dishes of green snails with garlic shoots, oysters with green apple granita, artichokes with boiled egg and anchovies, roast chicken with morels and turnips, and roast duck with blood orange and green olives. Baya Simons

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LA by Christabel Blackburn – in London

Christabel Blackburn often paints solitary women: against the backdrop of a terracotta building, a lush green garden, a teal swimming pool, or a cool, empty art gallery. Her latest work on display in a solo exhibition at Gillian Jason Gallery in London, is inspired by the city streets of Los Angeles and the surrounding mountains and deserts of California. “Each lone figure is surrounded by bright, clean colors, creating a cheerful exterior in a perpetually sunny world,” says the London-based painter. “But the lack of other people or cars and the abundance of space puts a damper on perfection.” Kira Richards

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SEE

Fumiko Imano in Tokyo

Fumiko Imano is often photographed with a fictional twin superimposed: side by side in the bathroom; at the foot of the Eiffel Tower; in front of the Sacred Heart. The latest exhibition of the Japanese artist, carried out in collaboration with the Milanese leather goods brand Valextrauses the same motif in diptychs shot at the Valextra factory in Milan. In a series of playful images, he follows employees out of the factory and sits beside them as the angular bags are cut and sewn. K.R.

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EAT

Moët & Chandon x Yannick Alléno pop-up in Paris

Moët & Chandon has partnered with Chef Yannick Alléno in a temporary bar and restaurant in the seventh arrondissement of Paris. A summer-long soirée will feature a champagne happy hour, a sparkling menu of sea bass carpaccio, asparagus and olive oil, wild strawberries and ice cream, plus DJ sets and live performances. C.R.

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TRADE

Tove x Merit Beauty Evening Bag

Natural beauty brand Merit and British women’s clothing line Tove have collaborated on a limited-edition evening bag made from vegan silk. Designed to be worn as a clutch or worn over the shoulder, it comes in a single taupe shade. Tove co-founders Holly Wright and Camille Perry have also curated an “evening set” of on-the-go essentials, including a lipstick, serum, and highlighting and “blush” balms. CI
Free with orders over £100 at meritobelleza.com and tove-studio.comor £119 for The afternoon set (including bag)

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EAT

Poon’s London Chilli Oil

On weekdays, the arches of Bermondsey thermal terminal are a hive of food production: Monmouth Coffee roasts its beans in one; Little Bread Pedlar bakes breads in another; Mons Cheesemongers ripens its raw milk cheeses on rows and rows of shelves. On Fridays and Saturdays, the building opens its doors to sell these products. The latest addition is Poon’s Londona supplier of chili oils, vinegar, noodles and “wind-dried” sausages. Stop by to try the garlic chili oil, infused with savory black beans, which they prepare on site during the week. Bachelor of Science

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TRADE

The photographic history of hip-hop according to Sophie Bramly

Sophie Bramly first encountered breakdancing in Manhattan’s Union Square in the 1980s, just as it was becoming a popular trend. “I had never seen anyone dancing and spinning on one shoulder, one knee or one head,” says the Paris-based photographer. “I had no idea the human body could do something like that. That was the moment I understood what rap music was all about: music that gave you the energy to do all that.” Bramly spent four years documenting the emerging hip-hop scene, photographing graffiti artists, the Rock Steady Crew and young people breakdancing on the streets of SoHo. Her photographs have now been collected in Hello! The early days of hip hop, 1982-84 (Soul Jazz Books£35). IC

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SEE

Madeleine Bialke in London

After moving from New York to London in 2023, the artist Madeleine Bialke She was drawn to the city’s trees. Whether towering over a wrought-iron fence in Bedford Square or lacing together spindly branches in Epping Forest, they helped anchor her in the unfamiliar landscape. The experience has inspired 10 ink drawings that will be on display at London’s Huxley-Parlour gallery until September. The trees, at once lively and firmly rooted in their surroundings, form the perfect welcoming committee. Chris Allnutt

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TRADE

Ice cream and Harry Styles t-shirts in Chicago

Aiming to bring the sense of pleasure back to in-person shopping, Harry Styles has been hosting pop-ups for Pleasing, his beauty and fashion line. First there was a Pleasing Saloon in Austin, Texas, which sold Western-themed scarves, sweatshirts, and perfumes. He is now opening Pleasing AstroMilk Bar in Chicago, Illinois. The kitschy American-style store will sell pale blue, pink and purple nail polishes designed to look like the Milky Way and red and white T-shirts and hats emblazoned with AstroMilk’s mascot, Marshal the Martian Milk Man. A bar will serve balls of blueberry ice cream, red velvet and espresso. Degree

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TRADE

I’ll be back home in the morning: Elaine Constantine at the Martin Parr Foundation

In the early 1990s, Elaine Constantine moved to London to work for Face magazine. The Manchester-born photographer began documenting the packed dance floor at the city’s 100 Club, home of the first Northern Soul All-Nighter. His new exhibition at The Martin Parr Foundationand the accompanying book published by RRB, entitled I’m home in the morningincludes 42 archival engravings that commemorate that time. It captures the energy of the city’s evolving soul scene in the mid-’90s: all sweaty figures lost in the joy of dancing. IC