The Crumbs #4
Heated Rivalry, Half His Age, What She Did Next, Dory's: what to read, watch and eat this winter
I’m writing this from a mini solo writer’s retreat in Bristol. I had this romantic idea of sitting in a beautiful Airbnb, tapping away at my laptop, deeply inspired and motivated to smash through my novel-in-progress.
The reality? I’m in a hotel room, slumped over my keyboard, berating myself for not writing a single word. The trip has coincided with a migraine and a neutropenic total wipeout at the end of my monthly drug cycle, despite my best-laid plans to time it with my break week in between cycles. It turns out the ‘break’ week is just me recovering – you know how you always get ill when you go on holiday?
Anyway, I’ve decided to make The Crumbs into a quarterly dispatch so I can share a few reccos without spamming you too often. Here goes…
The Crumbs
Everything I’m loving right now…
What to eat:
— My favourite restaurant, Dory’s in Margate, is closing in March, so I went last weekend with Mark to say goodbye. We sat in our usual window seat, looking out at the sea, and ordered most of the menu, as we always do. Sourdough slavered in sea salt-topped butter, cured trout with beetroot (above), smoked mackerel with celeriac and creme fraiche, warming smoked haddock chowder and a surprise winner of white beans, carrots and sheep’s cheese: all of it was divine.
What makes the perfect restaurant? It’s not just about food – it’s about who you’re there with, the memories you make, the feelings you take away. Certainly it’s about the people behind the place.
While Dory’s is closing forever, its sister restaurant, Angela’s, is expanding and lots of our favourite Dory’s dishes will be on the menu there, so it’s not the end. But if you get the chance to go to Margate before March, go! Dory’s is as perfect as a restaurant can be.
— I finally made it to Gina, a restaurant in Chingford from pastry chef Ravneet Gill. Chingford is a long way from where I live in Southwest London, but it was worth the four-hour round trip for the beef tartare alone, which was laced with burger sauce wizardry. A lovely, unpretentious neighbourhood spot.
— I was invited to The Kensington Arms, a chophouse in Bristol. It's the cosiest gastropub I've been to in a while, with a roaring fire, friendly service and the best food. This cheeseburger with bone marrow onion jam was, frankly, ridiculous.
What to watch:
— Come See Me in the Good Light (Apple TV). A documentary about the life of the American poet and activist, Andrea Gibson, who died from ovarian cancer last year. Just a stunning film.
— The Housemaid (in cinemas) Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney are both terrific in this twisty psychological thriller about a maid who goes to work for a rich couple.
— Heated Rivalry (Now) Like every other heterosexual woman right now, I’m hooked on this show about forbidden love between ice hockey players.
What to listen to:
— All Consuming by Ruby Tandoh. Fascinating essays on the history and psychology of our food habits, from why we queue for hours for bog-standard strawberries and bubble tea to the rise and fall of Wimpy.
— Til Death Do Us Part by Lauren Zonfrillo. A powerful memoir about loss and grief with excellent practical advice on talking to kids about losing a parent. (I also recommend Jock Zonfrillo’s memoir, Last Shot)
— What She Did Next by Eve Simmons. Six months into her marriage, Eve’s husband asked for a divorce. The book charts the experience of divorce in your early 30s, and is a fabulous feminist read for blindsided women coming out stronger.
Similarly brilliant: Lisa Dawson on her husband leaving after 25 years:
What to read:
— So, I Met This Guy by Alexandra Potter. From the author of Confessions of a Forty-Something F##k-up, a perfect escapist read about the strength of female friendship, with comic capers throughout. One for your summer holiday.
— Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy. A novel about a college student’s relationship with her creative writing teacher. Really entertaining.
— So Thrilled for You by Holly Bourne. One of my favourite novels of 2025, this is perfect if you’re a struggling mum, a would-be parent, a child-free woman or just… a human.
What have you been eating, reading, loving? Let me know!
PS I’m feeling much better now and am off to eat lettuce for a week x
So much to love here! I'm so sorry about the migraine, but you've done more on a 'retreat' than I would in a year! XXX
Brilliant curation here. The point about restaurants being more than food really landed for me bc it captures somethign I've felt but never articulated that way. Last month I had this mediocre pasta in Venice but it felt perfect because of the conversation and setting. Dory's closing must sting, those kinds of spots become part of how we remember seasons of life.