Tacos, tears and future sex

What I watched, ate and quietly cried over

Let’s start with the essentials: I’ve been spending more time on my new Instagram page where things are a little more visual, a little more chaotic (in a curated way), and very much in my tone: thoughtful, ironic, and culture-obsessed.

What’s already there?
– A behind-the-scenes video from the newly opened V&A Storehouse (because we love museum logistics and industrial aesthetics),
– A guide to my favourite restaurants in London (somewhere between oysters and okra),
– And a short love letter to food in art, from Flemish still lifes to edible installations.

Click here to follow — @in_the_whitecube

What I’ve been watching (and tasting):

I recently saw Wes Anderson’s new film, The Phoenician Scheme. I’m not the biggest Anderson fan — don’t throw things — though I respect the aesthetic and the symmetry. For me, it all feels a bit too theatrical, though I did chuckle a few times.

What I do want to draw your attention to, however, is the tender product placement: a red Cartier box appears twice (unmissable), and there’s a fleeting but telling cameo by Hershey’s chocolate. Coincidence? I think not.

What’s even more delightful is what’s happening off-screen: Bob Bob Ricard in Soho has turned one of its rooms into an immersive homage to the film. Think: oversized salted pretzels in silver bowls, buttery Cantabrian anchovies with rye bread, and a colour-changing margarita served with a pipette (yes, like a poison test). There’s also a cocktail called Hand Grenade, because of course there is.

Also watching, regrettably:

Yes, I know it’s trendy now to dissect what exactly is wrong with Carrie Bradshaw — and where, when, and with whom she was completely out of touch. But forgive me: it’s 2025, and her best friend Miranda is living in an Airbnb (!) while Carrie wanders around her personal townhouse like it’s nothing.

And Just Like That is painful to watch — Spanish-cringe levels of painful — but also strangely addictive. I flinch. I wince. I keep going.

The only character I have no complaints about? Seema.

And finally: I watched the new Lilo & Stitch remake.

I’ve always loved the original. That quiet little film lived inside me since childhood — all about loneliness, friendship, and the kind of unconditional love that doesn’t need to be earned. I went in expecting a light nostalgic evening with cartoons and candy. Instead, I got a knife in the heart.

The plot hasn’t changed: Lilo, a lonely little girl bullied at school, has no parents, no friends, and a big sister doing everything she can to keep their fragile life from falling apart. At one point, Lilo literally prays aloud: “God, please send me a friend.” And from the sky comes this chaotic, violent alien creature — part mole, part dog — who breaks everything and heals everything.

The actress playing Lilo this time is brilliant: not your typical cute, glossy Hollywood kid, but wonderfully weird and textured. She’s awkward, stubborn, big-eared, constantly on the verge of tears — in short, completely perfect.

Attaching a recent photo of my own personal Stitch — Timofey the dog. He may not have antennae (or maybe he’s just hiding them), but he does have the temperament of a small destructive alien. Which, obviously, is why we love him.

If you’re in the mood to cry, hug your inner Stitch, or call your younger siblings just to say hi — I genuinely recommend it.

Where I ate (and want to return immediately):

Discovered Fonda — a small Mexican spot in London that feels like someone opened a door in Soho n and it just happened to lead straight to Mexico City.

The star of the evening? Aged beef fillet taco on a wheat tortilla (the Costra) — grilled cheese on the base, no unnecessary toppings, just heat, depth, umami. Like someone turned a taquería into a tasting menu and didn’t tell anyone. You take a bite and all conversation stops for a moment.

And then — the churros. Thick, still warm, a little irregular (as they should be), with the perfect crunch and soft middle. Dusted just right, dipped in dark chocolate and smoked pasilla chili oil.

10/10 recommend for: date nights, low serotonin days, spontaneous dinners that end with second rounds of mezcal and talking about childhood.

Best beer I’ve had lately:
A quiet revelation — Shindigger Toffee Stout, brewed in Manchester. Dark, smooth, slightly sweet, with just enough roasted bitterness to make it grown-up. Like someone melted a burnt caramel over woodsmoke and bottled the feeling.

Paired it with a square of dark chocolate — a perfect match. The kind of thing you sip slowly while everyone else is distracted, just to prolong the moment. Drunk late at night, surrounded by people I adore. Perfect.

What I’ve been reading:
Lately, I’ve been reading mostly in Russian — and just finished The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg (Девочки Кабула в переводе). I don’t have the language for it yet. Something in me resists turning it into a “review”. Just — read it. Quietly. It's one of those books that stays under your skin for a while.

Now I’m reading Future Sex by Emily Witt — a completely different world: thoughtful, weirdly intimate, sometimes uncomfortable. About desire, internet, the future of touch. More thoughts on that soon.