The Rhubarb Society Playlist
Dear Member,
For those who missed Sunday’s Bulletin with some of the most exciting club news to date, we urge you to swiftly exit this issue, dig through your inboxes, and return once said news has been read. To everyone else, welcome back; it’s very good to have you. Founding members will remember ‘The Club Corner’, a section of the old newsletter which featured member’s questions/thoughts/concerns. In anticipation of our latest news, where we preempt many more burning questions and heated discussions taking place, we are dedicating this issue to just that. This will also be the last issue going out from our existing website and hopefully our next issue will be welcoming you to our new and improved home! If you have anything you’d like to submit for future issues, you can do so at hello@therhubarbsociety.com. Please note, all emails are vetted by our underpaid and overeducated intern.
THOUGHTS ON POOR TABLE ETIQUETTE?
ESPECIALLY AT WEDDINGS & UPSCALE EATERIES
It’s widely known in most circles that the biggest libido killer on a first date is finding out your potential suitor suffers from a severe case of KLAP (holding one’s knife like a pen, of course; however, dating someone with the other kind of clap is also unadvisable). However, you asked for our thoughts and not our dating advice, and our thoughts are that poor table manners should be considered a cardinal sin, regardless of occasion or establishment. Whether you are visiting a friend for an impromptu lunch or dining somewhere with multiple Michelin stars, time, effort, and preparation have gone into both occasions, so the very least you can do is repay them by not acting like a complete oik at the table. Napkins on laps, not talking with mouths full, and holding cutlery correctly should be the bare minimum (keep those tines down, please!). Of course, in a relaxed setting with your nearest and dearest who have seen you passed out in a hedge after a party, the odd elbow on the table or passing the salt sans pepper isn’t the end of the world. Ultimately, having good manners is about making others feel comfortable…even if the bride and groom’s rogue relatives you’re sitting with during dinner are making you feel anything but (every family has that one uncle, after all). If you need a refresher on how to act accordingly, you cannot go wrong with a quick guide or bullet-point list from Debrett’s. If in doubt, take the lead from your host or head of the table. If they use their water glass for wine and wipe their mouths like a dog after a spoonful of peanut butter, I wouldn’t sweat it too much. However, of all the things you could be remembered for, bad table manners should be the lowest on your list.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SOUTH OF FRANCE?
I WANT PLACES THAT ARE LOW KEY BUT STILL LUXURY
Every summer, like clockwork, it seems like everyone and their therapist is posting from (or about) the South of France. It’s synonymous with 50s film stars, ageing billionaires, beautiful coastlines, and the bored and unemployed. We thought there could be a cap on the number of times you could see a photo of the crudites platter at Le Club 55, but apparently not. Fear not though, we at The Rhubarb Society have some thoroughly vetted recommendations to give you. So, for those without a villa/yacht, friends without a villa/yacht, or friends of friends with a villa/yacht, slip on your Orans and let’s head to the French Riviera.
Saint-Paul De Vence – Saint Paul is a commune and one of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera. Some call it a haven for the famous and the arty, which you can see by the number of modern and contemporary art museums and galleries nestled amongst the old walled streets. Due to its size, you do not need long to explore and it makes for the perfect pitstop between Nice and Antibes. If you can, book either a stay or a lunch at La Colombe d’Or, which has an amazing and incredibly unique private modern art collection. This hotel has hosted everybody from Picasso to Matisse, who used to trade their art for a night’s stay, so as you can imagine, the walls are adorned with one-of-a-kind pieces. Toile Blanche is another great option if you’re looking for an overnight stay. It’s a boutique guest house with 16 suites and two pools. The village is ridiculously charming and idyllic, with cobblestone streets and an abundance of greenery and flowers. It is also completely pedestrianised, so you can frolic in peace.
Antibes – Now Antibes may be slightly less popular than its more ‘glamorous’ sisters (St Tropez and Cannes), but it is certainly a Rhubarb Society favourite (anywhere that is home to Hotel-du-Cap-Eden-Roc and Grand Hotel Du Cap-Ferrat is a front-runner in our books). We love the Cap d’antibes Beach Hotel and its pink umbrella adorned beach club. It has the luxury of having its own private beach stretch and a fantastic beach restaurant called BABA. You can access the beach club without staying at the hotel and they are very accommodating to dogs. While you’re there, it is worth walking along the coast of Cap d’Antibes, which is known for its incredible villas and gardens. The coastal path is a 5 km walk, however, so see how you’re feeling after a bottle or two of vino.
If you head in the other direction, you will hit Antibes’ old town. It’s incredibly charming but also a maze of narrow cobbled streets where you’ll find plenty of pavement cafés and restaurants to sit and watch the world go by. We love Momo Michelangelo (and judging by the photos on the wall so does every famous person ever). This place is great for authentic Italian cuisine in a rustic cave-like setting; they are also dog friendly, which is a bonus. Foodies will also love the markets here. From June to August, the Marché Provençal takes place. It is a traditional French market where traders from Provence come to sell the most amazingly fresh, colourful produce you can imagine. If you have the time, you can walk a short 25 minutes across the peninsula to Juan-les-Pins, which in its heyday was visited by the likes of Chaplin and F. Scott Fitzgerald. It has a huge jazz and music scene, and an annual jazz festival takes place in July.
Èze – If you are looking for a peaceful yet incredibly chic stay, Eze is the village for you. It’s literally wedged into the mountainside, hovering over the Mediterranean, with its buildings still impressively preserved in time. Walking up and down the steep (and sometimes slippery) cobbled steps is a necessary evil, but I promise you will be rewarded handsomely. At the very top, you will find Le Jardin Exotique, a botanical garden with unparalleled views of the French Riviera. Château Eza is a wonderful option for dinner (they have a Michelin-starred restaurant) or perhaps a leisurely drink or two whilst admiring the view. You must also absolutely buy the one-of-a-kind Lalique champagne glasses they sell there. However, if you’re looking for somewhere to stay La Chevre d’Or is unparalleled when it comes to food, views, and service. Alongside the two Michelin star restaurant, there are immaculate private gardens, multiple terraces and pools, saunas, and jacuzzis with breathtaking views over the Mediterranean. It is truly the pinnacle of low-key luxury.
Other honourable mentions include;
Sleep, Eat, Tennis
An iconic place frequented by the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Serge Gainsbourg, Audrey Hepburn, and Alain Delon (just to name a few), Epi is a legendary club with two clay courts, tested by John Mcenroe himself.
Tennis
If you have a passion for tennis and some cash to spare, look into booking one of the intensive tennis camps here. Patrick Mourtaoglou is probably one of the most famous tennis coaches in the world, notably coaching Serena Williams through 10 grand slam wins, and his academy has seen a myriad of notable players covering everyone from Gauff to Dimitrov.
Eat, Drink, Tan
Jacquemus recently hosted a takeover here which tells you all you need to know. It’s very boho chic and the sort of place you’ll want to spend all day alternating between sipping a Pandan Colada on your bed and dunking in the sea.
Drink, Eat, Watch
at Senequier
Now, we know this place is incredibly over-Instagrammed, but it’s for a good reason. Stop by for a pre-dinner cocktail, or if you’re an early riser it’s a fantastic way to spend a morning picking at a croissant and sipping a freshly squeezed juice.
I HAVE SEVERAL WEDDINGS THIS SUMMER
BUT NOTHING TO WEAR,
Help!
Now, normally we would dive straight into some sartorial recommendations, but we are anything if not frugal here at the club (as some more than others have pointed out regarding the new caviar bubble and squeak on the breakfast menu). Whilst weddings are filled with joy and laughter (and hopefully an open bar), they can also absorb an alarming amount of time, energy, and money as a guest. So, my first question to you is whether all these weddings involve the same group of people and how likely are you to be photographed? If you’re the plus one to most of these or a particularly skilled wedding crasher, you can get away with repurposing the same dress or suit multiple times. Switch up the colour of the pashmina, wear a different hairstyle, and alternate the jewellery. Make up a new story each time someone asks you about said outfit – ‘Oh ,this old thing? My great aunt bought it from a passing boat in Mustique!’, ‘My granny allegedly stole it after a party at Elizabeth Taylors’, ‘I found it stuffed inside an old trunk in the attic!’, and through each tall tale, your outfit will be given a new lease of life. Be sure to only upload your favourite image in said outfit to your social media with a vague caption about love and weddings so that each couple thinks you are referencing their wedding. Now, if you simply cannot get away with being caught dead in the same dress (and a different lie) each time due to the same guests going to each wedding, consider outsourcing the problem. The other guests are likely facing a similar issue to yours, so why not facilitate a borrowing system with those of the same taste and size as you? If unsure, you can use this template:
‘Hi darling, long time no see! Hope you’re feeling better after that dreadful tumble you took getting off Jonty’s boat last week. I heard you’re going to the Muller-Wolfsons thing in Marseille? Is there any chance I could borrow that fabulous little number you wore to the Spencers wedding for it? I think we must be the same size now I’ve finished with my colonics! My tailor was practically birthed in Saville Row, so happy to have them fix that sleeve for you before I return it. All my love xxx (p.s I can also give you the name of my doctor if you need that other thing sorted we were talking about!).
If this isn’t possible, you can always rent an outfit or your accessories from a rental platform. Our preference is ByRotation, especially as they already have a very vast and curated ‘Wedding Guest’ section, which takes 90% of the work out of it. You can also make up anything you want about the origin of the dress, and there’s a small percentage that it might be true. If in doubt, a classic wedding ‘uniform’ such as a dress that is knee-length or below (and as far away from white as possible, even if patterned), a strappy shoe with a thick heel (to manoeuvre all different terrains), and a small bag or clutch will do the trick. Make sure you can fit blotting papers, lipstick, and some tissues in your bag, and you should be set.
The Match Point Cap
To celebrate our two latest launches, the Canine Knit and the Match Point Cap, the club will be running a competition from now through August! Tag us in any photos or stories of your club merch and you will automatically be entered into the prize draw.
Members are also reminded that the membership committee are still accepting applications.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.
