Some things that made me smile in... June 2024

Including art at the Serpentine, canalside dining and body butter bliss

Body butter bliss from Dibia

If you’re a regular here, welcome back! If you’re new, this is my round up of some of the things that have made me smile over the past month. Please feel free to share in the comments anything that’s brought you joy too, whether big or small! Are you currently a free subscriber but would like to upgrade? You can do that here.

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How has the month of June treated you?

As I type this, we’re experiencing a few days of proper summer weather here in London. It’s the first time this year I’ve gone out without a jacket and truly enjoyed the feeling of the sun on my skin. Related to this, I learned a new word:

Beek - “to bask in pleasurable warmth”

Though lots has happened it’s been a satisfyingly slow June and I find myself in a happier place at the end of the month than the beginning. There’s been the gradual (and very welcome) recovery process re. my back condition, I’ve done some fulfilling work, won and award! (more on that below), spent time with friends, rested well, seen new things and enjoyed a leisurely pace in my home city.

In addition, along with millions of others I binge-watched season 3 of Bridgerton. Over the past five years, the show has boosted the UK economy by more than a quarter of a billion pounds, supported more than 5000 businesses and this month saw Shondaland founder and CEO, Shonda Rhimes open the London Stock Exchange. Also, just when I didn’t think I could love leading lady, Nicola Coughlan more (Derry Girls fans know), seeing how she used the huge worldwide platform the Netflix show provided her with to raise awareness and funds for Palestine and LGBTQ+ charities (in perfect time for Pride Month!), and brilliantly responded to being told she was “very brave” to reveal her body in the show really warmed my heart.

Here’s a few of the things that made me smile in June:

I’m an award winner!

I learned that I had been nominated for and subsequently won, a Welldoing Inspiration Award!

Welldoing is the UK’s leading therapist-matching and coach-matching service for in-person and online therapy and coaching.

To mark their 10^th anniversary this year, Welldoing asked their community to tell them the people, businesses and organisations who have inspired them in the area of mental health and wellbeing.

I’m absolutely thrilled to be one of the winners and it means so much to have my work recognised in this way.

Find out more about all the Welldoing Inspiration Award winners, including myself, here.

Suspended States at the Serpentine Gallery

Yinka Shonibare’s Suspended States is, in his own words:

“…an exhibition in which Western iconography is reimagined and interrogated, at a moment in history when Nationalism, protectionism and hostility towards foreigners is on the rise.”

I found it brilliant and thought provoking. A piece that particularly struck me (not least because of current world events) was The War Library made up of 5000 books.

Extract of Yinka Shonibare’s The War Library - Suspended States

And as the sun was out that day I sat in the Italian Gardens afterwards to dissect the exhibition and have a long chat with a friend.

Bench view - pausing to take in the scenery and chat with a friend in the Italian Gardens

If you happen to be in the South Kensington / Hyde Park area of London this summer, then I recommend visiting Yinka Shonibare’s first solo London exhibition in 20 years.

Also at Serpentine South, you’ll find this year’s Serpentine Pavillion (until 27 Oct), designed by Korean architect Minsuk Cho.

If it’s a lovely day weather-wise, stroll over to the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens to see Yayoi Kusama’s giant bronze ‘Pumpkin’ sculpture too (from 9 July to 3 November).

Suspended States is FREE to visit and is on at the Serpentine South Gallery until 1 September 2024. Details here. (NB – there are two Serpentine Galleries. This exhibition is showing at the one located near the Albert Memorial.)

Find out about everything that’s on and coming up at the Serpentine here.

Body Butter Bliss with Dibia Skin Care

Dibia (pronounced Dee-byah) - which means “healer” in Igbo - is a London-based sustainable skincare brand, which is the brainchild of Iké Muotoh.

I was introduced to Dibia by a friend earlier this year. These rich, whipped body butters are handmade with love, vegan and cruelty free with reusable or easily recyclable packaging.

The jar of Patchouli & Cedarwood I got for my birthday is easily the best body butter I’ve used in a long time, smells amazing and probably disappeared a bit quicker than it should have because I couldn’t stop using it!

So, it was a wonderfully unexpected joy to discover that I had won a competition I entered on Dibia’s Instagram page. I’m now a very grateful recipient of my prize (pictured at the top of this post). Thank You Iké!

If you’d like to find out more about Dibia and try their Patchouli & Cedarwood, Sweet Neroli & Sandalwood and Original Unscented whipped body butters, visit the website here.

Windrush Day

I was happy to see Windrush Day on 22nd June once again honouring the people who came from the Caribbean to this country to help rebuild Britain after WWII - the generation my parents (both no longer alive) were part of. Though I am still horrified that in the wake of the Windrush Scandal there are people who have died waiting for compensation and many others still waiting.

Because things have gone quiet since the Windrush Scandal was in the news in 2018, many people think everything has been resolved, but this is far from the case.

In the light of this, Colin McFarlane and Annie Lennox have teamed up on the Justice 4 Windrush campaign to:

• Raise Awareness, educate Britain and ignite a collective call for action

• Ensure full and swift compensation to Windrush victims

• Bring an end to the Hostile Environment policy in the UK

Find out more about Justice 4 Windrush and support their mission here.

Canalside dining – a pretty spot in a delightful location

I spent a lovely few hours at The Waterway in Little Venice to celebrate a friend’s birthday. It wasn’t my first visit, but the last time I was there was few years ago and I’d forgotten how charming it was.

The menu is modern European cuisine, the vibe is welcoming and the service is great. Though there is a good amount of indoor seating at The Waterway, for me, the best tables are outside on the terrace as the restaurant is situated a stone’s throw from Regent’s Canal, offering picturesque views.

If you plan to visit The Waterway and you’re travelling by the tube, it’s about a 5 minute walk from Warwick Avenue Station. And maybe take a little stroll along the canal and explore Little Venice afterwards.

Find The Waterway at 54 Formosa Street, London W9 2JU.

And finally… in honour of the summer sun – for however long it lasts – and the Solstice, this month’s kitchen dance track is the mellow Solar Power by Lorde

Over to you:

• What’s brought you joy during June? I’d love to know

• A cause you might wish to support here