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RAW TALK. •

Out of Office

All being well, this newsletter has magically landed in your inbox at the usual time of 7:30 on a Friday morning, thanks to technology keeping its promise and allowing me to schedule this post a whole week in advance. Or perhaps my flatmate kindly sorted it out after I sent her a panicked message from a sun lounger in Sifnos, Greece, nursing a pounding hangover from last night’s visit to Loggia Wine Bar.

Apologies for the brag, but I’m finally on holiday after an intense nine months of hustling
The Telegraph •

The British woman who broke Three Peaks record fuelled by ice lollies

When Imo Boddy set out to become the fastest woman to complete the Three Peaks Challenge on foot, ice lollies would not have featured in her planning. As it turned out, however, the unexpected warm conditions she faced across the week meant they were key to her succeeding in the record attempt. “The intense heat left me dehydrated and suffering from heat stroke right from the start,” says 24-year-old Boddy. “Every single day was so unbearably hot that I was purely fuelled by a diet of ice cream,
The Telegraph •

‘Don’t wallow in self-pity, instead help others’: Telegraph readers on how to combat loneliness

The impact of loneliness on mortality is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day, declared Dr Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, in a report focused on the latest global health epidemic last November. Despite living in a hyper-connected world, 33 per cent of adults struggle with loneliness. The problem is so prevalent, that the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared loneliness a “global health threat” and launched the WHO Commission on Social Connection to fight it. Middle-aged people
RAW TALK. •

Thank God for my girls

It is funny how much the TV shows, films and books we consumed as children shaped our dreams and expectations about love and life. Growing up, many of the stories I read and watched revolved around finding that perfect prince charming in order to live “happily ever after” because romantic love was the key to happiness, right? No wonder many of us (especially women) have been planning our weddings since we were five, crafting checklists for our ideal partners and frequently discussing the pursuit
RAW TALK. •

How the London Marathon restored my faith in humanity

The United Kingdom is the second ‘most miserable’ place to live on the planet, according to a new study. And boy does it feel like it. Gone are the heydays of the 2012 Olympics, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 2011 royal wedding. Instead, we are still grappling with the repercussions of the pandemic, the unrelenting cost-of-living crisis and great political uncertainty. Here in London, people reckon the capital is dying because it is hostile, expensive and depressing. You only have to switch
RAW TALK. •

An ode to the Notes app

Flipping through someone’s notes on their phone is the most intimate and intrusive thing you can do. To commit this act would feel illicit in much the same way that reading someone’s diary would because reading someone’s notes gives you unparalleled insight into their behind-the-scenes. From their payday wishlists, ambitious life goals, post-meeting considerations and ratings of people they have slept with, there lies bare the phone owner’s most unfiltered thoughts. As well as the measurements f
RAW TALK. •

Shifting towards a plant-based diet is not necessarily better for your skin

On 21st July 2023, I rolled out of bed, I went to the bathroom and I cried. Not because my plans to sit in a beer garden all day long would have to be cancelled yet again due to another rainy day in the wettest summer since 2006, but because of my reflection in the bathroom mirror.

Until last year, I had never had more than the odd pimple on my face. But that summer and for the five months that followed, my face was unbearably sore and itchy. Puss-filled whiteheads and deep, inflamed cysts domi
RAW TALK. •

Why we all need little luxuries in our lives

I had to make a very important decision at the end of last month. Should I buy my favourite Clipper Snore & Peace nighttime tea and not be able to afford public transport for the day, meaning I’d have to walk an hour and a half in the wind and rain to meet my Granny? Or should I take the bus there and back and be dry, but be missing the most essential part of my evening routine that night? I chose the nighttime tea. Why? Because this little luxury is my comfort blanket, and without it, I’d feel
RAW TALK. •

The Season

It’s official. British Summer Time is here. And so return the moans about the weather, the tinkle-tinkle of ice cream vans, awkward tan lines, hayfever sniffles, strawberries and cream, bustling pub gardens and the Season. The English social season.

According to The British School of Excellence, the Season is the name given to several social and sporting events that take place during spring and summer. This calendar of prestigious events typically attracts royalty, celebrities and high society
The Sunday Times •

Your morning coffee’s costing a third more. This is why it’s so expensive

On Britain’s high streets, there is a coffee shop on every corner and someone clutching a takeaway cup at every turn.

Yet new research shows ordinary coffees have shot up in price by almost a third at high street cafés — and there are signs the boom may have peaked.

The cost of a medium latte at the big high street chains rose by up to 30 per cent between 2021 and the start of this year, according to analysis by the global manufacturer UCC Coffee.

In 2021, a medium latte cost £2.75 at a Pret
RAW TALK. •

The Comparison Game

I’m sorry I didn’t send out my newsletter last week, I was too busy playing the comparison game. And I lost, catastrophically.

I’m embarrassed to admit that recently, I’ve sat on my phone for hours a day fixating on what other people are doing. My screen time has gone through the roof. But being unemployed and stuck at home makes it hard to break away from these bad habits. Lately, even when I’m walking down the street or hanging out with my friends, I have often caught myself thinking, ‘Why ha
RAW TALK. •

It's 2024. Do we really want Bridget Jones back?

Eight years ago, Bridget Jones was my idol. As I leant up against the back of a shed at a GCSE summer party in my leopard fur coat, ripped fishnets and leather mini-skirt, a Marlboro Gold in hand, and swigging Chardonnay straight from the bottle whilst flirting with a few boys, I couldn’t help but think, “God, Bridget would be proud.”

Looking back, she probably wasn’t the best idol to have.

But for many girls of a similar age to me, Bridget Jones undoubtedly left her mark. I only had to type “
RAW TALK. •

Welcome to Raw Talk.

I guess I’m lucky. I’ve never really struggled with talking to people. On my first day at nursery, I waved my mother goodbye without a single tear in my eye, as I couldn’t wait to chat (more like scream) to all the other kids. At school, I overheard a girl in the year above me saying, “She’d be pretty if she didn’t talk so much.” Once at a dingy old pub in Old Town, Edinburgh, a seasoned gentleman approached me and quipped, “You can talk for Britain, love.” And yes, admittedly, after a few glass

13 trench coats we’re loving right now

If there's on style lesson to take away from New York Fashion Week, it's that there's a trench coat for every occasion. From the runway to the street, from dusk till dawn, NYFW’s designers and attendees have unanimously decided that it's the most versatile piece of outwear to sport this spring. Originally designed by Burberry as a raincoat for army officers in 1901, the World War One trench coat was double-breasted, tailored to the waist and flared to a below-the-knee hemline. The belt was equipped with D-rings for hooking accessories, the caped back allowed water to run off, the storm flap at the shoulder provided ventilation and the buttons at the neck helped protect the wearer from poisonous gas.
You Magazine •

Kylie is this year's Brits Global Icon — 7 of her best moments

Throughout the last five decades, international pop star Kylie Minogue has dominated our world. She has infiltrated our television screens, been blasted out on our radios and can even be found on our supermarket shelves.

The Brits are recognising her for her iconicity by awarding her the prestigious Brits Global Icon Award at this year’s ceremony on Saturday March 2, which is 'reserved for only truly exceptional artists'. Kylie will be amongst music legends including Taylor Swift, David Bowie and Sir Elton John to have received this award.
You Magazine •

How to achieve an ‘invisible kitchen’ à la Courteney Cox

There’s nothing like a celebrity’s house tour to get people talking. Drake recently showed off his £1 million mattress in a video on Instagram, Sofia Vergara told Architectural Digest she doesn’t know how to use her ‘magnificent’ La Cornue stove (‘I do not cook’), and Courteney Cox just offered her followers a glimpse at the minimalist kitchen in her Malibu home.

In contrast to the kitchen we’re most likely to associate the Friends actress with (Monica Geller’s kitchen was kitschy, with mismatched chairs and a chunky retro fridge), Courteney’s kitchen has an understated and clutter-free look. Invisible, so to speak.
SW Londoner •

Are pop-up shops revitalising the brick-and-mortar retail economy in London?

Pop-up shops are giving new leases of life to vacant retail shops on high streets and dormant units in railway stations in London.

According to a report carried out by Eclipse Group Solutions, the number of pop-up shops in the UK increased by 18% in 2023.

Some believe pop-up shops could be the answer to the declining traditional brick-and-mortar retail shop set-up, as we continue to see big retailers, such as Wilko and Debenhams, close their doors.

Former online vintage clothing business owne
SW Londoner •

Why some Londoners are dumping dating apps for singles supper clubs

Are singles supper clubs shaking up the London dating scene?

For over a decade, apps have dominated the landscape of modern romance, promising to match users based on algorithms and preferences.

But as the thrill of swiping gives way to a sense of online dating fatigue, London’s singles are now seeking new ways to find love in the city.

Many are over the ghosting, doom-swiping and hookup-centric atmosphere that dominates their dating app experiences.

Despite clinging onto the success stories
SW Londoner •

Meet Captain Quack: Twickenham’s very own nature watcher

For the past two decades, Captain Quack has borne witness to the ebb and flow of life along the majestic River Thames.

The explorer’s passion for getting outdoors and seeing the local wildlife has led him to document his unique perspective of his sightings on his X, formerly Twitter, account so that others can also experience it.

Nestled by Twickenham’s riverside for over 11 years, Captain Quack has become a local legend, sharing tales of his encounters with the river’s inhabitants, including
SW Londoner •

WATCH: The return of the Colony Room Club, Soho's infamous arts and drinking den

After 15 years of its much-contested closure, The Colony Room Club has been meticulously recreated as “a love letter to London’s lost bohemia.”

Affectionately known as one of the “seediest spots in Britain,” the Colony Room Club was a breeding ground for some of the most internationally important artists and celebrities of its day, as well as young promising artists who drank alongside their contemporaries.

The art installation and immersive bar has been recreated by former member and Young Br
SW Londoner •

WATCH: How are London artists coping with the cost-of-living crisis?

Several artists shared their concerns about the cost-of-living crisis and its impact on their careers at the Battersea Affordable Art Fair.

Acme’s recent artist tenant survey found that only 12% of artists can support themselves financially through their art due to the cost-of-living crisis.

A loss of community due to national cuts in funding further threatens the existence of artists, prompting charitable organisations to step in and offer support.

Battersea Affordable Art Fair’s mission is
NE Londoner •

Dirty Laundry at Islington’s The Hen and Chicken Theatre Bar review: An airing out of society’s insanity

Fresh off the back of a month-long run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Meat and Two Veg returned to Islington with a three-night sold-out run of Dirty Laundry.

Dirty Laundry’s Cambridge Footlights alumni comedic trio, Maddie London, Robbie Boyd and Emily Symington, left no stone unturned when it came to dissecting the absurdities of modern UK society at The Hen and Chicken Theatre Bar.

Their hour-long sketch set was a unique blend of humour, political insight and satirical critique, taking a
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