Kate Weinberg
There’s one night in August that’s my favourite of the year. Better than Christmas Eve, my birthday or New Year’s Eve (possibly the worst). It’s August 10th, San Lorenzo night. If you are on holiday that night, look up.
What you’ll see is a light show. I’m no astronomer, so I can’t tell a meteor shower from a coincidence of shooting stars. But 20 years ago, when I was living in Verona, I was introduced to San Lorenzo night, lying back on the stone steps of the open-air amphitheatre, hearing the audience to the opera ooh and ahh each time a star lit a path across the night sky. Every August since I’ve made a point of finding a stretch of ground to lie down and look up at the sky for those streaks of light.
So many people think of August as a dead month, when cities and schools empty out. But I think of it as a month alight. Not just San Lorenzo and those shooting stars, but the days still hot and long but already beginning to shorten. The light more precious as it begins to shrink away.
My second novel - There’s Nothing Wrong With Her - is published this month. Vita, the central character, spends a good deal of it stretched out, looking up for signs of life. It’s the story of a young woman, trapped in a mystery illness and her boyfriend’s flat trying to find a way out. She is visited by Luigi Da Porto, the Renaissance poet who was the author of the original Verona love story, Romeo and Juliet. He comes, he says, to “release her”. What follows is a layering on of love stories and recovered memories, a journey back into the light.
The night of San Lorenzo casts a spell over me, it transports me back to Verona where I first stumbled on Luigi da Porto’s forgotten story. It is a mystery in the heavens that’s all the better for being unexplained; it’s a thrill to lie down, wait and witness what comes next. For me, August is the time of year to look up.
Kate Weinberg, author of There’s Nothing Wrong With Her
Food & Drink: KASO
Two years ago, East London hotel One Hundred Shoreditch opened its doors to the public but in that time both of its restaurants have already changed. The newest change is Kaso, an Eastern Mediterranean hotspot that has taken over the rooftop dining space. Head chef Ilknur Celik is behind the new menu which is inspired by her youth in Istanbul. Celik started her career working in a Turkish butchers before coming in house at Soho House Istanbul at their restaurants and now we are lucky to have her in London!
Dishes on the launch menu include Grilled Octopus with Samphire, Roast Aubergine with Zhoug and Pine Nuts, Lamb Cutlets with Fig & Pistachio Salsa and Muhallebi; Greek mastic, pistachio and rose petals. Yum. As it’s a rooftop space then you know the skyline views are a real draw on top of the delish sounding dishes. The large open terrace makes for the perfect summer evening dinner destination with excellent drinks and music to accompany. In their own words “Kaso brings the nostalgic warmth of summer to life, blending the relaxed rhythm of the Mediterranean with the energy of East London. Channelling year-round sun-soaked vibes alongside killer cocktails and an eclectic, urban playlist + experimental DJ roster spanning Afrobeats, R&B edits, East Coast hip-hop, and old-school jams.”
Music: Battersea Park in Concert
We’re not sure there is much that sounds nicer than sitting back and relaxing in one of London’s best big green spaces listening to live music whilst tucking into a picnic with loved ones. Battersea Park in Concert offers just that - a long summer’s weekend of open-air picnic concerts in London’s iconic Battersea Park. After an outstanding inaugural year Battersea Park in Concert returns this August Bank Holiday to deliver another wonderful weekend of live performances, showcasing the best in classical, West End & jazz music including the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, Myleene Klass, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra, Cassidy Janson and more. This event is about good food, spine-tingling music and enjoying cherished magical moments with family and friends. General admission tickets for adults are £40 and just £17.50 for kids. Once inside you can pick up a special pre ordered picnic if you don’t fancy taking your own or there is street food provided by KERB. New for 2024 is a special little place for the little’uns - featuring interactive activities, make & play stations, silly games and more, the Kids Tipiland will be open until sunset each day of the concert series, with activities hosted by Tootles + Nibs and BB Broadway.
Theatre: The Comedy of Errors
Shakespeare's Globe on the Southbank is a realistic true-to-history reconstruction of the Elizabethan playhouse first built in 1599 for which William Shakespeare wrote his plays. The reconstruction was completed in 1997 and while concentrating on Shakespeare's work also hosts a variety of other theatrical productions. From this month until October they are putting on a production of ‘The Comedy of Errors’, one of Shakespeare’s most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. With tickets for as little as £5 this is a must do activity if you haven’t ever set foot in this iconic London venue. Be transported back to Elizabethan London as the Globe transforms into a bustling dock – complete with ship masts and piers – where Shakespeare’s wild comedy about rival cities, long-lost siblings and mistaken identities comes to ‘brisk, boisterous and rib-tickling’ life. with ‘boundless energy and slapstick silliness’.
Event: South London Wine Club
Crystal Palace Wine Club is a start-up wine brand based in South London running events/tastings, a wine & cheese shop, an online wine delivery service and a local wine subscription. For the second year in a row, they are presenting South London Wine Club - the chance to taste 100+ wines for just £50 in the beautiful surrounds of the famous Crystal Palace Park Bowl. With your ticket you can meet importers and winemakers, learn about all kinds of different vino from natural to classic wines, and enjoy exploring the newly-renovated Crystal Palace Bowl 'laptop stage'. Upon arrival you will receive a glass and a wristband that allows you to sample any wine from the 20 exhibitors, who will present a range of bottles from all over the world. Once your session is finished, you will receive a token for 50% off your first drink from the bar, which will feature all kinds of delicious wines, beers and cocktails, plus you can hang out in the Bowl and enjoy food from any of the three vendors before the event wraps at 8pm. A rather delightful way to spend the last official day of summer…
Event: Camden Fringe
2024 will see the 18th Camden Fringe happening from the 29th July to the 25th August with a bumper crop of brand new shows on sale. For those who thought Fringe’s only applied to foreheads and Edinburgh, let us enlighten you. The Camden Fringe is a performing arts festival, established in 2006 that encompasses new writing, opera, musicals, stand-up, sketch comedy, dance, cabaret, poetry, opera, mentalism, improvisation and Q&As. Shows take place throughout the day and generally last one hour. The Camden Fringe was set up as an alternative to the Edinburgh Festival, offering performers the chance to try out new material and different ideas in a supportive setting with less time and financial commitments than EdFringe did at the time. Shows take place in 27 different venues in the Camden area including The Bill Murray, Aces and Eights and the Phoenix Arts Club. The full line up can be seen here and tickets are priced from less than £10.
Art: Moco Museum
Moco Museum is an independent museum with a wide range of inspiring modern, contemporary, and street art – located in Amsterdam, Barcelona and now, London! Opening its doors in Marble Arch on the 8th August 2024 , Moco is a private initiative championed by its founders, Lionel and Kim Logchies, long-time art lovers with over 25 years of experience working in the world of art. Moco Museum has the mission to awaken the world to the inspirational power of art. Taking over a 1920s building at the top of Oxford Street, this is their first step into the UK cultural sector, building upon the success of the other two museums. Moco London intends to actively contribute to the current and expanding cultural epicentre around Oxford Street and become a must-visit art museum in London for enthusiasts and art lovers alike. The location of each Moco Museum is a heart-led and considered decision founded on the principle of enriching the existing cultural landscape of each neighbourhood. They will be exhibiting HUGE names such as Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, KAWS, Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, Andy Warhol, Studio Irma, and so many more, offering visitors an unparalleled collection of art to reflect on modern society. All looks set to be a really stunning addition to the art cultural landscape of London.
Event: Hospitality in the Woods
Following their sold-out 2023 edition, Hospitality In The Woods is back this summer for another unforgettable day of drum & bass and community. This year, on the 17th August, Beckenham Place Park will once again be transformed into drum & bass paradise, with five bespoke stages. You will be sure to hear everything from liquid to neurofunk, old school classics to new school flavours and everything in between. The venue offers a fantastic escape with its picturesque green landscapes, a serene lake, a grand mansion, and ancient woodlands— easily accessible in London with various transportation options nearby. This is a boutique feel festival from a huge label, so you get a stacked line up for the price of your ticket, in a gorgeous setting that the stage designs and production enhance. Tickets are priced from £56 per person with performers on the lineup including High Contrast, Pendulum and Kings of the Rollers. Please note this is an over 18’s only event.
Event: The Black Ballad Weekender
Black Ballad is a UK based lifestyle platform that seeks to tell the human experience through eyes of black British women. They elevate the voices of black British women through content, community and commerce. This month (23rd and 24th) is a two day lifestyle extravaganza celebrating 10 years of black women, black stories & Black Ballad. 10 years ago, Black Ballad was created to give Black women in Britain a place to call home. Since then, hundreds of thousands of Black women have read BB articles, watched their videos and attended their events. Taking place at the Business Design Centre, the Weekender event means you and 2,000 others can look forward to hearing from 100 influential black women, participate in more than 40 panels, workshops, keynotes, and interviews across six dynamic spaces, Browse the retail area, showcasing 50 black-owned businesses and established brands, enjoy a variety of cuisines at The Black-Owned Food Court and so much more. Weekender passes start from £30 and is open to everyone, but Black Ballad members are the VIPS. You can become a member from £4.99 a month.
Charity of the Month: Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH)
Great Ormond Street Hospital treats hundreds of children from all over the UK every day and stop at nothing to help give seriously ill children childhoods that are fuller, funner and longer. They believe no childhood should be lost to illness. Having first opened its doors on Valentine’s Day in 1852 with just 10 beds, it’s now one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals and home to vital advancements in paediatric medicine and care. GOSH has always depended on charitable support to go above and beyond for seriously ill children. And this is where you can help, this month. On Saturday 24th August you can take part in the London Summer Walk 2024 and walk on behalf of GOSH. Starting alongside the grandeur of Woolwich Royal Artillery Barracks, the 25km looped route heads through Charlton, along the Thames Path around the Greenwich Peninsula and fabulous Cutty Sark. A route steeped in history with iconic sights makes for a wonderful summer challenge. The full range of fundraising options can be found here but get signed up and raising money asap to help make a difference to the lives of many sick children.