Dear Reader,
As we prepare to usher in a new month at the club, it seems many of us have found ourselves in a seasonal limbo. Yes, the days are warmer (but not quite warm enough for full linen), and yes, we are still seeing various physios for our lingering ski-induced injuries, and yes, we are still waiting for our custom fascinator to be made for the impending Summer social season, and no you absolutely cannot wear a floral dress to the Chelsea Flower Show, and by the way, when did you say your parents are hosting that festival on their estate so I can block it out in my calendar? Anyway, what we mean to say is, you are not alone, and we are all in the same (Riva) boat. So, in this issue, we will be giving our members a little inspiration for this in-between period with things to wear, watch, treat, drink, and eat.
Three Uniforms
Allow us to take you from day to night with three trans-seasonal outfits that will become your new uniforms.
Morning Blues
You didn’t sleep well because your slightly overweight black lab has the snore of a fog horn. Your brother went out with his Cambridge friends and decided to host the afters in your playroom. While you’d like to spend the rest of the day in bed (you work for your mother’s interior design company, so your days are flexible), you also committed to various social appointments (as well as an 8 a.m. reformer class), which are all too late to cancel because you also believe in the value of good manners. You need an outfit to get you through the day that is comfortable, stylish, and has the ability to block out any of your major senses in a split second.
A Working Lunch
Reformer at Nobu completed, Jenki Matcha secured, general sense of dread shaken off…time to change into something suitable for errands, coffee with friends (and friends of friends that you also refer to as friends), and working lunches (aka your godfather taking you for lunch to discuss various job opportunities for you to dabble in).
WNU Brushed Off White Shirt £130
Gucci Jordaan Brown Suede Loafer £720
Cartier Pre-owned Baignoire £5500
Alighieri Ring £475
I’ll Get the Cab
After a long day of pretending to work, it’s finally time to reward yourself with a well-earned drink (the ones you had at lunch didn’t count). Of course, you have plenty of evening options because you are a woman in demand. You agree to go on a date with the son of a family friend who has just finished at Sandhurst, and predictably, he is a complete bore. So, as quickly as you can say ‘cheque please’ (paid for by SandBore, of course), you and your Saint Laurents are in the back of the cab on your way to meet your girlfriends for dancing and martinis at Lou Lou’s.
Happy Hour
Most members will already know that the drink of the season is the LPM Tomatini. However, one does not always have an LPM on their doorstep (most of our members barely have signal in their various residences), and one cannot solely rely on recipes found online. Luckily, one of the staff members at LPM gifted the recipe to us as a birthday present…and who are we to deny our members such a gift?
Ingredients
2 – 3 cherry tomatoes
1/2 a vine tomato
45ml vodka (your choice, but we like Ketel one)
10ml Italian white balsamic
5ml sugar syrup (very simple to make at home, recipe here)
a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste)
small ice cubes
Muddle your cherry tomatoes and 1/2 a vine tomato thoroughly in the bottom of your shaker with sugar syrup (this gives you the foam). Add the rest of your ingredients and give it a thorough shake. Add your ice cubes and shake again until ice cold. Double strain into your glass of choice and top with fresh cracked pepper. Garnish the rim with a cherry tomato rolled in pepper. Voila!
Please feel free to tag @therhubarbsociety in any of your Tomatini creations!
Society Recommendations
Still looking for some inspiration? Here are some of the Society’s latest recommendations.
Baby Reindeer is the insane true story that everyone is currently talking about. After every episode, you find yourself wondering, ‘ How could this get worse?’ And then it does.
The iconic ‘I TOLD YA’ t-shirt, worn by both JFK jnr and the cast of Challengers, but for £17 instead of £225. You’re welcome.
Santa Maria Novella Scented Wax Tablets are the perfect finisher for your spring clean. If you are looking for a way to elevate your linens, hang these in your cupboards, wardrobes, or drawers.
If you have a sweet tooth, and, in particular, like to pair it with a nightcap, The Colony Grill Room offers some of the best desserts in a cosy atmosphere. We love the Bespoke Sundae and the Bananas Foster.
If you are looking for an advance on your summer tan, the Charlotte Tilbury Tanning Drops give the best all-over, even glow without the suspicious smell.
If a Tomatini isn’t *quite* up your street, opt for some Lillet Blanc, a wine-based aperitif that is just as good on the rocks as it is in a cocktail.
Members are also reminded that the membership committee are still accepting applications, even if the current rumour is that an existing member has to die for there to be space (admittedly, a rumour that started in-house). If you are looking to apply for Social or Private membership, you are encouraged to do so before all committee members realise they have better things to be doing.
