Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week

A curious case

Gabriel Annouka, Senior Designer

I was invited to opening of The Curious Case of Mary Toft at Wild Trumpets in Notting Hill (Pride was on, but this felt like the better spectacle). London-based artists Diogo Gama and Catarina Maura unearth the true story of a woman who, in 1726, convinced Britain she was giving birth to rabbits. The King’s doctors fell for it, chaos ensued. The show reimagines the medical farce through unusual, mildly unhinged new work. On until 13 July by appointment.

A taste of Ukraine

Tianna Williams, Staff Writer

I joined our senior designer Gabriel Annouka for a lovely meal at Sino in Notting Hill. The Ukrainian restaurant (pronounced ‘see-no’) is an intimate spot nestled on All Saints Road. The interior struck a perfect balance of colloquial sophistication, while the food, served on stunning ceramics, nodded to its heritage. I recommend the mixed bread with honey butter, and marinated aubergine to start, followed by the pork belly and chicken Kyiv for mains. Read the full review of Sino.

A rosy reveal

Hannah Silver, Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor

I went to the beautiful Dumfries House to celebrate the launch of Van Cleef & Arpels Fleur’s d’Hawaï fine jewellery collection. Resulting from the maison’s partnership with the King’s Foundation, Van Cleef & Arpels, as their principal patron, presented the colourful new collection in the bloom of King Charles’ favourite rose garden.

Prints in Paris

Sofia de la Cruz, Travel Editor

Last weekend, I visited Wolfgang Tillmans’ exhibition Nothing Could Have Prepared Us – Everything Could Have Prepared Us at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. It’s a sprawling retrospective that takes over the entire 6,000 sq m of the museum’s Bibliothèque Publique d’Information. If you're planning to visit, make sure to set aside a few hours. I loved the informal nature of the display – prints taped to the walls, doors, and windows, spread across both the main and back rooms.

Architecture in Arles

Ellie Stathaki, Architecture and Environment Director

I headed to the South of France to visit Luma Arles and take in the cultural hotshot’s new shows and explore the site. The offering is multi-levelled: there is captivating and powerful art (lots of it), a site of fascinating architecture to be discovered (Atelier Luma is just one of many), and a pretty cool park – figuratively but also literally, thanks to some clever landscaping by Bas Smets. Which is quite a feat considering the temperature was 38°C in the region.

An extraordinary office day

Anna Solomon, Digital Staff Writer

I spent a day ‘working from Cologne’ – specifically, from Valentyns, a new office concept by Ferdinand Stahl and architect Thomas van den Valentyn, which reimagines the workplace as somewhere, well, pleasant. Lighting that mimics natural daylight, acoustic ceiling and wall panels, and drool-worthy Le Corbusier and USM Haller furniture are all underpinned by the belief that our environment impacts productivity. Unsurprisingly, that belief holds up, and Valentyns members share the sentiment, having reported a 30 percent drop in sick days since moving in. It probably doesn’t hurt that they also have access to breath-work and yoga sessions, cold plunges, Finnish and infrared saunas, HydraFacials and IV drips. My poky flat doesn’t hold a candle.

A terrific treatment

Charlotte Gunn, Director of Digital Content

The British heatwave has not been kind to my skin and I was in need of some help so I booked a last minute appointment at Teresa Tarmey's Notting Hill salon for one of her signature facials. I left armed with their wonder serum and face wash, and a mandate to drink more water (and a considerably lighter wallet!)

teresatarmey.com/