The summer bank holiday is just around the corner and it’s important to make it count. The only way to separate yourself from the rest of England over the weekend is through preparation. While almost everybody will be rewarded with an extra day of relaxation, only those who have planned their weekend will truly appreciate the extra 24 hours. There’s a lot of pressure placed on the summer bank holiday weekend and at OPUMO we like to make our readers’ lives as easy as possible, so here are two simple steps to perfecting the weekend.
Pachamama East
Located at 73 Great Eastern Street in London’s creative hub, Shoreditch, Pachamama East makes up one third of The Pachamama Group: three restaurants across London specialising in Peruvian cuisine.
Newly appointed executive chef John Javier introduces the lively flavours of Chifa, Peruvian cuisine that merges with Chinese Cantonese flavours – a result of steady immigration from China to Peru in the early 20th century.
Having spent the last few years developing dishes and techniques at Noma, Quay and Momofoku Seiobo, Javier is now treating Shoreditch to the intricacies of Chifa.
Not only is the menu a delight, embodying Javier’s passion for food as creative expression with few boundaries considered uncrossable, Pachamama East boasts a laid-back but super stylish interior and a short, punchy cocktail menu.
Book a table for lunchtime to enjoy the new flavours and a couple of cocktails to set yourself in good stead for the next step in your perfect summer bank holiday.
Notting Hill Carnival
You’ve filled up on Chifa and it’s time to party. Head to the crowded streets of West London for loud music, louder outfits and more food. Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event running over two days in which 2.5 million people take to the streets of Kensington to celebrate the culture of the Caribbean.
When it comes to carnival, there are a few things to take into consideration:
- You need to be comfortable because there’ll be lots of moving around.
- Carnival is all about making a statement.
- It’s possible to make a statement without going over the top.
Here’s what we’re thinking:
We’re starting with Nikben’s La Cucaracha Shirt as our main statement piece. The all-over graphic is full of character without being overbearing, thanks to the muted colour scheme.
Match the shirt with a pair of YMC Olive Hand Me Down Trousers, the dusty hues will complement each other and the YMC tailoring gives your outfit a relaxed edge.
You’ll want to carry some things with you: a bottle of water, a camera and, for the pessimists amongst us, a waterproof jacket or umbrella. In order to do this stylishly, opt for Mismo’s Bindingsværk / Black M/S Flair Tote. This durable tote bag holds more than you’d imagine, all the time standing out with its bold, minimal design.
Finish your outfit off with a pair of KAMO Black / Grey Palermo Sunglasses. The model boasts Zeiss lenses and an updated vintage frame with strong, clean-cut brows.
If you take anything from our advice it should be that preparation is the key to success, even for bank holiday weekends. Perhaps you'll follow our steps exactly, maybe you'll take some into account and stray from the beaten path at other points but whatever happens, as long as you've got something in the diary you're ahead of the game.
Shop all Carnival-ready shirts at OPUMO.
Prefer a backpack to a tote? Check out the top 5 backpacks for Autumn/Winter 2019.
