Vol. 35 - Recommended By The Rhubarb Society
how to spend a day like a member and recommendations from one of our own
for today’s listening
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We recently welcomed another thousand members to the Society, taking us to a grand total of eight thousand. The first-ever issue went out on the 6th of November, so I am thrilled to see how much this community has grown in less than a year, and I thank you all so much for being a part of it. To celebrate, I would like to announce two things: the first is a giveaway that includes everything skincare and beauty alongside some Rhubarb Society merch (for international members, we may have to work out a gift card of your choosing of sorts!), and the second is the first interview with one of our very own! The opportunity to feature was first extended to the private members (our current rebranding for ‘paid’ subscribers), but in the future, I would like to extend this to all society members. If you would like to participate, please email therhubarbsociety@substack.com with the title ‘Community Feature’ and let me know how you’d like to contribute. Whether it’s to be interviewed or to write your own small feature that you think the other members would benefit from, I’d love to hear from you :) As for the giveaway, all you need to do to enter is either leave a comment below with an email address for me to contact you or tag therhubarbsociety in an Instagram story of your choosing (it can be anything to a recommendation you’ve loved or a favourite issue). So, let’s crack on with this week’s issue, where I thought I would walk through a Rhubarb Society approved day with recommendations covering everything from the websites to visit to the best mugs to drink from. I will be trying my hardest to give Orlando Bloom’s ‘Day In The Life’ Sunday Times feature a run for its money. I have also opened The Rhubarb Society playlist for everyone to add ONE song to (make sure it’s your current favourite). Let’s begin!
What A Rhubarb Society Approved Weekday Looks Like
Preferably, you’ve just woken up to either your pet or somebody very attractive next to you, and after you do whatever you need to do whilst still in bed (scrolling TikTok or otherwise), you realise it’s finally time to get up. You go to the kitchen, pull out a Le Creuset mug and start with a non-caffeinated beverage to sip whilst doing your skincare (no coffee on an empty stomach, please, ladies and gents). A squeeze of half a lemon with a dash of cayenne pepper and turmeric or a Rhubarb and Ginger Teapigs will do. Don’t forget to add a pipette of Glucobitters (a herbal tincture to control your blood sugars), of course. Skincare is a non-negotiable for me and used as an almost meditative 15 minutes of alone time both morning and night, so it’s how I start my day. My current Rhubarb Society approved morning skincare is as follows;
The Augustinus Bader Cream Cleansing Gel, followed by a swipe of Bioderma Micellar Water, Murad Vit-C & Glycolic (every other day), the Rhode Glazing Milk (far better than their cream, imo), and then the BeautyPie Shinkai moisturiser rolled on with my Holidermie facial reflexology tool to depuff my morning face. You thought I was done? Don’t be ridiculous. No morning routine is approved without an SPF. The Ultra Violette SPF 50+, to be precise.
The idea behind spending all that time and effort on your skin is so your make-up can be minimal. For effortless weekday skin, all you need is the Westman Atelier complexion drops. Yes, they are expensive, but they smooth and cover the skin like nothing else, and they really serve the ‘my skin, but better’ look. If you are on the oilier side, like me, you may want a little powder as it’s very dewy…or not, if you’re happy to rock that look. You do you. A curl of the lashes, a dab of Charlotte Tilbury Cream Bronzer across the cheek, nose and forehead, followed by the BeautyPie cream blush in the same places, and you’re good to go. I know there’s the never-ending conflict between the morning shower people (‘Who doesn’t start their day by waking up clean and fresh?’) and the evening ones (‘How do you sleep without washing off the day?’), but we don’t judge here as we are partial to both. Local flower stalls and farmers markets will sell a huge bunch of eucalyptus for less than £10, and our shower is never without one tied to the head. They last for a month, and it’s an easy fix to elevate your shower experience. TRS also love a thorough dry brush (you can find a great video guide here) and a shower steamer to really get the blood (and all the senses) going in the morning. Sing along (loudly) to the ‘Sunshine Songs’ playlist. Dry off with a Missoni towel and a Desmond & Dempsey robe. The men’s ones are better.
Here at The Rhubarb Society, we believe in the importance of small treats scattered throughout the day, so grab your keys (complete with your TRS keyring) and take 15 minutes for some fresh air and some coffee before your commitments for the day begin. Recommended options include the iced matcha at Blank Street (also on Deliveroo), the almond matcha at Jenki, the flat white at Shreeji, a latte at Hagen, or one of the hundred options at WatchHouse. If it’s a weekend and you’re nursing a hangover, nothing fixes it like a delivery from Eggslut. The sandwiches and duck fat hash browns are like the gourmet version of a McDonald’s breakfast. The apple-smoked bacon egg and cheese with chipotle ketchup is our favourite, washed down with their fresh OJ. If you want to sit and do some light reading with your coffee (or egg sandwich), The Know is a free daily five-minute newsletter that gives you topline stories from around the world. We are also a big fan of Airmail, a chic digital newspaper that covers culture, news, and business stories that are somewhat niche but with a luxury spin. For easy, early morning listening, The Louis Theroux podcast feels like you’re in a room with your (famous) friends having an off-the-cuff discussion about everything and anything.
After hours of procrastinating on Notion — the dream for girlies who treat their lives like a project AND want it to look aesthetically pleasing — the sound of your stomach signals it’s lunchtime. So, what are we eating? If you don’t have leftovers or something already meal-prepped, Atis (on Deliveroo) does some of the best salads in London. The portions are huge, the flavours are flavouring, and it really hits the spot when you’re craving something crisp and crunchy. A recent discovery that we have been loving at TRS is Three Uncles, which specialises in Cantonese roast meat (the closest we’ve found to my dad’s home cooking that’s readily available and affordable for delivery). It comes served with jasmine rice, pak choi, and special sauces, neatly wrapped in a little box for under £15. If this is your first meal of the day and you want to treat it more like a brunch, you could always try making these cinnamon roll pancakes. If you’d rather hit up an exercise class first, try the barre class at Heartcore or the reformer at Nobu Pilates. For an at-home workout, Yoga With Adriene is the best and has something for everyone. Being a Flaneur (a typically male term, which I now treat as unisex) is our preferred form of exercise here at TRS, so should you have the time to wander aimlessly, allow us to lightly guide you.
The first thing about being a Flaneur is comfort. If you plan on strolling without rhyme or reason, your clothing needs to reflect that. Some of our chic but functional walking shoes of choice include; Converse high tops, suede Adidas gazelles, Reebok Club C’s, Birkenstock Boston’s, and cow print Sabah’s. Or, if you are very much like me and you would like to live in flip flops all year round, let’s add a slim, tanned haviana to the list. Start in Hyde Park, walk around the Serpentine and into the galleries for some free contemporary art. Make your way back towards Hyde Park corner and towards Green Park, where you can pop into the Royal Academy of Arts for another art gallery fix. If that doesn’t do it for you, across the road, you have Fortnum & Mason, where you can browse all of the weird and wonderful foods and condiments that they have to offer. Make sure to go downstairs to the ‘Fresh’ section and get a bagel from the bagel bar.
From here, you have several directions you can go. You can head up to Piccadilly (with a brief pitstop into Maison Assouline for a nosy and a drink at their bar) towards Chinatown and Soho. You can turn right and head straight to Pall Mall and St James’s Park, strolling through the historical buildings that are home to multiple gentlemen’s clubs. You’ll also find lots of small, specialist stores filled with books and art amongst these roads. If you’re feeling brave, you can turn left onto Regent’s Street, where you will be fighting amongst a sea of tourists and locals, spilling in and out of the shops. Otherwise, you can take the back route via Mayfair, swinging by Berkley Square to see the elaborate display outside Annabel’s, before ending up at Mount Street for a pastry from the Connaught Patisserie. If pastries aren’t your thing, grab a slice of pizza from Delfino’s and sit in Mount Street Garden.
Depending on your mood, there are a few different ways you could spend your evening. Looking for drinks and dancing? Head to Nolita Bar, which is the underground bar at the Bulgari (Fridays and Saturdays are the best as they have live music and a DJ). If you just want good drinks without the pomp and circumstance, A Bar With Shapes For A Name is terminally cool, and the cocktails are extremely creative and some of the best I’ve had. It’s certainly off the beaten track and requires travelling to Haggerston, but it’s worth it. For a mix of luxury and discretion (and fabulous people-watching) there’s the Red Room at the Connaught (with the cigar room next door, should you be with someone who enjoys such vices). For a similar vibe in a more relaxed setting, Franks Bar (in the basement of Maison Francois) is a fantastic alternative. Lucy Wong in Fitzrovia has an underground speakeasy vibe and a DJ who plays until the early hours on Fridays and Saturdays (and some very reasonably priced dumplings to fuel you too). If your evening calls for something a little more lowkey, we’ve got you too. An Everyman membership gives you unlimited tickets to all of their cinemas UK wide and 10% off food and drink, and we at the TRS think it’s the chicest way to watch a film (new or old).
If leaving the house isn’t an option, a MUBI membership (you can try 7 days free) allows you to stream films from around the world, ranging from established, award-winning directors to emerging auteurs. There’s also a fabulous community filled with MUBI film lists to get you started — with options such as Aftersun, The Worst Person In The World, and Decision to Leave, you can’t go wrong. You’ll definitely need some Torres crisps (personally, I love the fried egg flavour) and an array of dips to assist with your film night. If decompressing after a busy day is your ultimate aim, light a candle or two…Trudon for luxury, always (preferably Ernesto or one from their Maitre Tseng collaboration) or BeautyPie for luxury without the price tag (Baha De Miel or Sweet Tobacco and Vanilla). A PR friend recently told us that the BeautyPie candles were supposedly made in the same factory as the Diptyque ones, which makes sense. Run a bath and fill it with Mirror Water Bath salts that smell as divine as they look. The Dr Teal’s Epsom salts with eucalyptus are a wonderful, affordable option for tired bodies and minds.
If you’re looking for a little more physical relief, this acupressure mat and this raised foam roller are firm TRS favourites when it comes to releasing tension. For evening skincare, the Dr Dennis Daily Peel a few times a week works wonders on oily, acne-prone skin, and it has really kept my hormonal breakouts under control. The Elizabeth Arden overnight cream heals and protects dry, red and irritated skin. Don’t forget to apply a lash serum overnight, too (you could always opt for organic castor oil as a cheaper, natural alternative). For the ultimate night’s sleep, take a few drops of the Nelson's Sleep Rescue Remedy, plug in your Bose Sleepbuds to drown out the sound of your other half, and pull on your Slip Contour Sleepmask. As a solid portion of our days are spent in bed, we believe that good bedding is a necessary luxury. Bedthreads are our favourite for chic, stylish, and quality bedlinen, and a silk pillowcase is a non-negotiable for those who want their skin and hair to be wrinkle and frizz-free. Opt for one from Slip or John Lewis. Sleep soundly to the sounds of binaural beats or Tibetan bowls, and get ready to do it all again tomorrow.
And now, onto the community segment, where today we are chatting with Jean!
Introduce yourself, tell us where you’re from, and how long you’ve been a member of The Rhubarb Society.
Hi! My name is Jean and I live in Nashville, Tennessee USA with my husband and our two cats, Chili and Queso. I’ve been a member of The Rhubarb Society since the very beginning! I hopped on the paid subscriber train as soon as it left the station and never looked back!
What’s one non-negotiable in your morning routine?
A shower and a fat cup of coffee. While I totally understand why people are night shower stans, I just cannot stand the feeling of having a “sleep film” on my skin for the entire day. I take a nighttime shower, too, so don’t come for me.
Has there been anything you’ve recently discovered that’s been life-changing?
I recently saw Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One in theatres on a whim (aka I had one more AMC A-List film for the week and I wasn’t going to let it go to waste) and now there is my life before this franchise and my life after. I immediately went home and watched the first six films over the span of three days and finished it up with Dead Reckoning Part One in theatres one last time. I literally could talk for hours about how incredible this franchise is and how detailed and dedicated Tom Cruise is. Much to my husband’s dismay, I’ve asked for stunt driving courses for Christmas. I also got married last October and planned/designed the whole thing myself, so I guess you could say that was pretty life-changing.
One piece of advice you think everyone should hear?
What other people think of you is none of your business. If you’re happy with yourself, then who cares if other people like you.
What is one film you can watch over and over?
That Thing You Do! I grew up watching this with my mom and would beg her to play the soundtrack in the car on the way to school every single day (Mr. Downtown first, always. IYKYK). It’s such a well written, fun movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously and it’s the biggest comfort in the world to me. Plus, I love Tom Hanks.
And a book that you will always return to?
My eyes are definitely bigger than my stomach when it comes to books, and I usually find myself buying books that I’ll never read, but I absolutely love Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. It’s a spin on the play-within-a-play trope, but with classic British murder mysteries. I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie novels, so this felt like all of my childhood nostalgia bound into 236 pages. It’s definitely a chunky read and took me a few reads to fully grasp the entire story, but It's the one book that I would give a limb to be able to again for the first time.
If you could only take 3 items to a desert island with you, what would they be? If we're talking "no one will be able to come help you" desert island - a laptop (so I can keep up with the world aka watch tv), SPF (even if I'm on a desert island, I don't want skin cancer), and a cat (obviously).
Your favourite restaurant?
There’s a restaurant in Nashville called Love Language that has a rotating menu of shareables and entrees that is absolutely top notch. I love their arancini, plus they have $5 wine and apps during happy hour, which is not to be missed.
Your go-to recipe?
My grandmother’s spaghetti and meatballs. It’s been a birthday dinner staple for everyone in our family for as long as I can remember. I’ve been sworn to secrecy, so I can’t share the recipe, however one I can share is Bon Appetit’s Chicken and Leeks. I love to make this during the summer to fall transitional months.
Your favourite item of clothing? Anything that isn't constricting or too fitted - I love a good "big shirt, no pants" moment.
Something that elevates your everyday? Jewelry, for sure. I've never been into big statement pieces, but I love how much more confident a couple pairs of earrings and a paperclip necklace can make me feel.
The best social media accounts you follow?
Other than @maybetamsin, I love @elirallo (aka @thejarr). She's such a girl's girl and isn't afraid to show the times when she doesn't have it all together. Plus, she's got great recs!
And one thing you would recommend to members of the Society? (this can be absolutely anything)
Everyone should try walking an album at least once. It’s one of my favorite ways to discover new music and get out of the house. Just choose an album and walk until it's over. You'd be surprised at how many miles you can rack up when you're not focusing on the walk itself.
Lastly, where can everyone find you?
You can find me on Instagram, TikTok, X (🤮), and Letterboxd as @chilinelson_.
If you have enjoyed today’s issue (or any issue) of The Rhubarb Society, please feel free to share with those closest to you using the button below. Thank you for supporting the Society, and we look forward to seeing you in the next issue.
With Love,
Tamsin & Rhubarb
xoxo
My favourite thing to do every other Sunday morning is to sit in bed with a massive cup of coffee and read TRS. This week is absolutely no different 🤍
I liked the different narrative style of this week’s, it was fun to see everyone’s recommendations! clamoureux@law.gwu.edu