Welcome to the home of The Tiny Department Store. Here you will find my weekly newsletter where I share the behind the scenes of setting up a small business and working towards making my dream of opening a concept store a reality. Without premises or a large budget I plan to create the world’s tiniest department store, measuring just the dimensions of the wooden box on the front of my shiny blue bicycle. The Tiny Department Store will pop up once a month with a new theme and a limited edition range of products that constantly evolve. I will also give you a peek inside my world, sharing snippets of my daily life, travels and inspirations. I would love you to join me on this journey x
Hello, I hope you are all doing well. I have had a small flurry of new subscribers thanks to the absolute design goddess that is Leanne Ford so kindly sharing the love letter that I wrote to her last week. I am so happy to welcome you all into my small creative corner of the internet. I write weekly about chasing my dream to open my own concept store, peppering it with more personal pieces about my day to day life and these monthly Love Letters, which quite aptly I love to write.
Reading
I always have a couple of books on the go, as well as a running ‘to read list’ on the Notes app on my phone. I absolutely love to read and have this one day dream of checking into a grand hotel, and sitting all day in a beautiful lobby, lost in a stack of book. Beginning the day with coffee before shifting to cocktails as dusk descends. Until then I settle for snatched moments during swimming lessons and basketball practice and of course those precious few bed time pages, as I desperately fight to keep my eyes open. I digress, so on to what I am actually reading. I am mid-way through Hello Beautiful written by Ann Napolitano. Clearly I am not alone here as it is one of Oprah’s book club picks, but several friends have also recommended. It is a beautifully written story that explores the life of William Waters and his developing relationship with Julia Padavano. It is emotional and rich in layers and would be a great book to explore in a book club as so many themes emerge as you read. I will come back to you once I have finished, but I am loving it so far.
The other book I wanted to chat about is Bread Song - how baking changed our lives, part memoir, part recipe book written by father and daughter Kitty and Al Tait. I first learned of their incredible story via one of my favorite podcasts Conversation of Inspiration with Holly Tucker. The moment I finished listening to the podcast I ordered the book which I read from cover to cover in a matter of days. The book tells the story of Kitty, who suffered with a debilitating anxiety as a teenager which caused her to disconnect from life as she knew it. It is heartbreaking as Kitty becomes more unwell and has to leave school and gradually retreats from the world. Her parents try everything to reach her, desperate to save their daughter and it is eventually in the humble process of baking a loaf of bread that she finds the path to recovery.
Reading this book transported me back to my own early teenage years where I suffered with anorexia and a hauntingly deep depression which I felt that I would never emerge from. I rarely talk about this time but I felt so triggered as I turned the pages, particularly reading it from her parents point of view who feel so helpless. I sent a copy of the book to my own parents and hope that they recognise themselves as the incredible people who pulled me out of my own personal darkness. This has taken more of a de-tour than I intended, but sometimes it is nice to simply follow the path that my words take me. Please note that this book is also full of delicious looking recipes that I am yet to bake, due to having a dud of an oven in our current rental. However I still wholeheartedly recommend this book whether you are a baker or not.
Watching
On a lighter note I have binge watched ‘One Day’, the Netflix series that it seems like the world is watching right now. I remember reading the bright orange paperback, squished like a sardine on the central line during my morning commute, as a wide eyed twenty something. I felt so connected to Emma, as a fellow northern girl who had fallen in love with a London boy. I loved the way the story followed Emma and Dexter, dipping into their lives on 15th July every year for two decades. I remember thinking that is was such a refreshing way to write a story. The book later became a film starring Anne Hathaway as its leading lady, which was a little underwhelming so I was excited to see how the novel had been adapted for a Netflix series. I wasn’t disappointed and loved the casting of the two central characters.
Whilst it still didn’t quite live up to the book, but then what screen adaptation ever does, I still loved it! It felt like being in a time machine that kept scooping me up and dropping me down in another time and place. It was comforting, nostalgic and ultimately heartbreaking. It left me with a yearning to be young again, to experience those halcyon days of university, falling in and out of love with every emotion dialed up to the max. It made me homesick for London and the soundtrack was perfectly on point. I have the playlist in my earphones as I type, the Frankie Knuckles version of Your Love giving me all of the feelings! Please watch it if you haven’t and let me know what you think.
Listening
I have been listening to lots of Mehro this month. I was introduced to the Californian singer/songwriter by my friend Kris on our trip to Charleston a couple of years ago and listening to his dreamy, moody, raw and beautiful music always transports me back to this wonderful few days. The perfect music to envelop you on those day of high emotions, which I have been having a fair few of recently. My current favourite is this one. We are going to see Mehro at the Cafe Du Nord later this month and I am so excited to see him live.
Cooking/Eating/Drinking
Thinking about what I have been eating makes me realise that I need to shake things up a little as nothing immediately springs to mind. This time of year always feels a little tricky as it is cold and dark and I feel in need of warm and comforting food but am also craving lighter and fresher flavours. I am still in the habit of batch preparing a big pan of soup and a vegetable dish on a Sunday or Monday for lunches throughout the week. This week I made this Moroccan caluliflower salad with apricots and almonds and it was really tasty. I also made these yummy salmon and couscous bowls.
Wearing
I haven’t been wearing anything very exciting recently as the weather has been cold and rainy and I have been trying not to buy anything new so I thought instead I would share with you the things on my wish list that I am hoping to be wearing in the summer months. Much like my reading wish list I have a clothes wish list too, which is ever evolving. I made myself a rule a couple of years ago that anything I want to buy has to go onto my list and remain there whilst it slowly percolates to eliminate any rash impulse purchases. It seems to be working quite well as I will often check in with my list and take a few items off as I add on something new.
Top of the list is a pair of shoes from Wear Message. These have been on my list since last summer but I ended up getting this pair from Birkenstocks instead, after admiring them on the feet of my good friend Vicky. This summer I am determined to treat myself to a pair. I am currently torn between the olive and navy. I also love them in cream. Can you help me decide?
I also really want to get a two piece swim suit. I haven’t worn a two piece for years but am very tempted by this two piece which can also be worn like a one piece. You will probably need to click the link to get a visual for this to make more sense. Baiia is an Australian brand that make reversible interchangeable swim wear and I have been tempted for the last two summers. They are quite pricey but can be worn a multitude of different ways. I am hoping 2024 will be the summer that I treat myself, this is my current favourite.
Finally, the curve ball. I have been obsessed with the sun hats from Lorna Murray for years. I quite frequently have one in my online shopping cart but still haven’t clicked the ‘buy now’ button. I am currently in love with the over sized sun visors and love to imagine an alternate life where I am strolling down a beach in a swim suit, hopefully from Baiia, rocking this beautiful visor. However this may only work in the dreamy fantasy version of my life, as to be truly honest I rarely stroll down the beach in a swimsuit, with or without a visor. Watch this space, it is a definite maybe.
I am going to stop now as this love list has become very long. Hopefully my friend Sophie will be pleased as she asked for a longer love list last month!
Please do let me know what you are loving right now, I always love to connect.
Until next week, Kate x
A perfect read Kate!! Thanks for sharing your love list, I think maybe my fave yet :) x x I’m already looking forward to next month
Loved your list Kate, I really enjoyed reading the Bakery book and it looks like I have another to add to my list. You inspire me every week x