Jack Savoretti
August in Formentera
August is the month I disappear for a while — to a small island in the Mediterranean called Formentera. It’s become a tradition, a quiet place where I can step away from the noise, spend time with my family, and reset. There are firm favourites we always return to, 10.7 and Can Carlos have become part of our rhythm here. Familiar faces, good food, and the kind of simplicity that’s hard to find elsewhere. Over the past year, I’ve been writing and collecting songs that feel like they’ve been with me for much longer, shaped by memory, experience, and time. Nostalgia, which used to catch me off guard, now feels like an old friend. It doesn’t pull me back anymore; it gives me the energy to move forward. For this new album, I went back to where it all started , Portobello Road. I reconnected with musicians I first played with 20 years ago, when music was something, I was just chasing down with open hands. Revisiting that time and those people helped me reframe what I do now. It’s been a grounding experience. As I look ahead to the release and everything that comes with it, I’m taking this month to be still. To enjoy the quiet before what I know will be a busy, exciting year.
I’m ready to set sail
- Jack Savoretti
Food: Legado
Credit: Legado
We are very excited by Legado, the hotly anticipated Spanish restaurant that's about to transform Shoreditch's dining scene when it opens on the 28th August. Michelin-starred chef Nieves Barragán Mohacho, the genius behind the beloved Sabor, is pulling out all the stops for what she's calling her ‘largest project to date’. It will be wood-fired grills, a sweeping bar and generous douses of Spanish design that are going to transform the place into a typical taberna. This isn't just another tapas joint; Legado is a proper love letter to Spain's incredible regional diversity, taking you on a culinary road trip from the lively tabanco bars of Cádiz and Jerez, to the whole-animal cookery of Castilla y León's asadors, the seafood restaurants along Galicia's coastline and the hearty stews of Asturias. With authentic ingredients like Lechazo de Castilla y León lamb and suckling pig from Segovia's Tabladillo el Cochinillo farm, plus a 150 strong wine list to match, this is all set to be the kind of place where you'll lose track of time over plates of perfect pintxos and glasses of proper Spanish wine. Basically, if you've been craving an authentic Spanish feast that goes way beyond the usual suspects, Legado is about to become your new obsession.
Experience: Spyscape London
Credit: Spyscape
Do you or your kids ever daydream about being the next James Bond or indeed a real-life spy? Because if so then Spyscape is basically your playground of dreams come true. It’s an interactive espionage experience that throws you headfirst into the shadowy world of intelligence agencies, letting you test your skills in everything from lie detection and surveillance to code-breaking and memory challenges. You walk through immersive exhibits featuring actual spy gadgets, learn about legendary operations that shaped history and even get a personalised spy profile based on your performance in various tests that reveal whether you're more suited to be an analyst, handler, or field operative. The whole place feels like stepping into a high-tech thriller, complete with sleek design and cutting-edge technology. Plus, you get to discover fascinating stories about real spies, both the heroes and the double agents, while figuring out if you've actually got the psychological makeup to handle life in the intelligence world. It's equal parts educational and adrenaline-pumping and honestly, you may leave convinced you missed your calling as a secret agent.
Theatre: Born with Teeth
Credit: Royal Shakespeare Company
Born with Teeth is going to explode onto the West End stage at Wyndham's Theatre this month and we predict that if you miss this, you'll be kicking yourself for months. It’s the tale of an explosive meeting of minds between William Shakespeare, played by Edward Bluemel and Christopher Marlowe, played by Ncuti Gatwa. One is bold, reckless and already infamous and the other is on the cusp of greatness but not yet a legend. This is two of Britain’s finest actors going head-to-head in what promises to be a darkly comic battle of wits and wills, as the two spar, flirt, drink and attempt to collaborate on a dangerous new play cycle. This isn't some dusty historical drama but a razor-sharp, fiery, fast-paced two-hander where spies lurk in every corner, the old queen is dying and the wrong words could get them both killed. This production has already scooped up major awards including the 2021 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award and won the Houston Theatre Awards 2022 Best Play/Production, so you know this is going to be something special. With the RSC behind it and a strictly limited run from August to November, these tickets are going to vanish faster than you can say "to be or not to be", so seriously, book now or spend the rest of the year hearing everyone else rave about the show you missed.
Food: Bad Boy Pizzeria
Credit: Bad Boy Pizza,
Roll up because the legends behind the ‘National Pizza of the Year 2022 & 2024’ are finally ditching the food truck life for their very first permanent spot and it's going to be absolutely epic! Bad Boy Pizza Society is set to open Bad Boy Pizzeria in Bethnal Green this month, transforming 419 Bethnal Green Road into what might just become London's most legendary pizza destination. The four mates behind BBPS have been crushing it with their massive 22-inch NYC-style slices and now they're going all-in with a by-the-slice-shop by day and a casual sit-down pizzeria by night concept that's basically every pizza lover's dream come true. After years of chasing their truck around markets and queuing up at Seven Dials, finally having a permanent home where you can reliably get your hands on award-winning slices feels like winning the lottery, especially since their Sausage Party Pizza was recently named the National Pizza of the Year at the National Pizza Awards. This Bethnal Green spot is about to become the kind of place you'll find yourself visiting way too often and honestly…your taste buds will thank you for it.
Film: Everyman in the Garden at the Grove
Credit: Everyman
Our favourite luxurious cinema experience, The Everyman, is giving us a movie night on steroids this month with Everyman in the Garden at The Grove. Picture this: outdoor cinema screenings set in the stunning Walled Garden of The Grove, the luxury hotel and spa in Hertfordshire set within 300 acres of picturesque countryside, where you can watch films under the stars while sipping cocktails and enjoying Everyman's legendary sofa seating and gourmet food service. The walled garden has even been designed by 'architect of joy', Yinka Ilori. Colour heaven! This isn't your basic outdoor screening but a summer pop-up running until the 7th September, that combines the magic of open-air cinema with five-star luxury hospitality. Sure, you'll maybe need to splash out for dinner in one of the restaurants or even a room at the hotel to make the most of it, but honestly, when you're watching blockbusters in a gorgeous walled garden setting with world-class dining and spa facilities just steps away, it feels less like an expense and more like treating yourself to the ultimate date night or friends' getaway. In partnership with luxury automotive brand Discovery, they've curated a series of unforgettable film screenings (including Pretty Woman, Wicked, Gladiator, My Best Friend’s Wedding and SO many more) for hotel guests and diners alike to enjoy through the long summer evenings- the kind of experience that'll have you planning your Instagram posts before the opening credits even roll.
Theatre: Brigadoon at Regents Park Open Air Theatre
Credit: Open Air Theatre
Brigadoon at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is going to transport you to a mythical Scottish village that only appears once every hundred years and there's something perfectly poetic about experiencing this enchanting musical under the stars in one of London's most beautiful settings. This classic Lerner and Loewe musical tells the story of two American tourists who stumble upon the mysterious village of Brigadoon, where time stands still and love conquers all, complete with soaring Highland melodies and breathtaking dance numbers that'll have you completely mesmerised. The Open Air Theatre has a gift for bringing musicals to life in their gorgeous outdoor setting, where the evening breeze, twinkling lights and natural acoustics create an atmosphere that no West End theatre can quite match. Picture yourself wrapped in a blanket with a glass of something yummy and a tasty snack, watching this timeless tale of romance and magic unfold against the backdrop of the park's ancient trees. It's the kind of theatrical experience that feels like stepping into a fairy tale itself. Tickets are as cheap as £15 each right up to the premium £75 seats and it’s on until the 20th September so just pick a night for good weather!
Art: Time Spaghetti
Credit: Dulwich Picture Gallery
Time Spaghetti at Dulwich Picture Gallery is a delightfully unconventional new show featuring works by Lisa Contucci, Clifton Wright and Stanley Galton created in response to the Gallery's historic Collection and architecture which translates to contemporary artists being given free rein to mess about with centuries of artistic tradition in the most sophisticated way possible. The premise is cheeky yet brilliant: take some of history's greatest masterpieces, add a few modern artists with something to say and then watch as they create this beautifully chaotic conversation across time periods that somehow makes perfect sense. Set in the world's first purpose-built public art gallery, the exhibition revels in the delicious absurdity of hanging cutting-edge work alongside Old Masters and pretending this was always meant to happen. The "Time Spaghetti" concept perfectly captures that wonderful mess of artistic influences, where past and present get so tangled up you can't tell where one ends and the other begins. It's the sort of exhibition that takes itself seriously enough to be intellectually satisfying, but not so seriously that it forgets art can be playful, provocative and just a little bit ridiculous.
Books: Queens Park Book Festival
Credit: Queen’s Park Book Fest
If you're a book lover looking for the perfect late-summer literary fix, Queen's Park Book Festival is absolutely the place to be at the end of August (30th and 31st!). This charming weekend festival transforms the gorgeous green space of Queen's Park into a bookworm's paradise, welcoming 80 authors across 30 events every year with everything from intimate author talks to lively panel discussions happening right in the park itself. This year's lineup is particularly stellar, featuring breakfast TV presenter Naga Munchetty and the BBC's chief international correspondent among other literary stars and familiar TV faces. What makes this festival so special is its wonderfully relaxed atmosphere; imagine chatting with your favourite authors while lounging on the grass, browsing books under the trees and soaking up that perfect end-of-summer vibe that makes you want to add about twenty new titles to your reading list. Located just five minutes walk from Queen's Park and Brondesbury Park stations, it's incredibly accessible and with early-bird offers like 10% off when you buy four tickets, there's never been a better excuse to spend your weekend completely immersed in the world of books.
Charity of the Month: The Ultra Challenge
Credit: Barbican
The Ultra Challenge London Summer Walk on Saturday the 23rd August is a charity race event that features three distance options to accommodate varying fitness levels: a newly introduced marathon route for 2025, the established 25km course through Greenwich and an accessible 10km option. The carefully planned routes guide walkers through significant London landmarks including the Woolwich Tunnel, Tower of London, Tower Bridge and Thames-side attractions such as the Cutty Sark and the O2 Arena, all while providing comprehensive support through strategically placed rest stops, GPS tracking technology and experienced Trek Masters throughout the course. Participation fees are structured at £39 for the 10km self-funded option, £89 for the 25km distance and £139 for the marathon route but alternative options are available through charity partnerships where you can benefit from reduced registration fees while supporting one of hundreds of affiliated charities. These include WWF, GOSH, Prostate Cancer UK, CALM and Children with Cancer UK. The event concludes with a celebratory finish featuring a BBQ meal, refreshments, commemorative medals and live entertainment. What an amazing way to support charity whilst also enjoying some of the best views our city has to offer.