Cashmere socks, Cornish pasties, Swiss Cheese plants and Priya O'Shea
Welcome to issue 5 of Nesting
I never thought I’d be grown up enough to own a dog. And then, when I finally took the leap, I realised I was absolutely right: I wasn’t grown up enough to own a dog. My whole life up to my late thirties had been all about me, and suddenly, here I was, having to consider another being. I am not being dramatic when I say that my dog changed my life. But, as it happens, I wanted my life to change a bit, so it was fine.
Buying Coco happened after a few months of therapy during which I’d had the most surprising revelation (therapy is good for those) that I actually wanted a more grounded life. By that point, I’d lived in so many addresses that even my godfather – my most reliable birthday card sender – went digital on me because he couldn’t keep up. I was starting to find it all a bit exhausting, too.
Once I realised I wasn’t as averse to being ‘settled’ as I’d once thought, it was time to take the first step and get the dog I’d wanted for a very, very long time. A long-haired miniature dachshund, just like my grandmother used to have.
Coco was the runt of the litter, the tiniest dog you’ve ever seen, with big brown eyes and long floppy ears. I’d heard stories of puppies running instinctively towards their intended owners, as if magnetically drawn to them. Not so with Coco. She ran away from me, wide-eyed and trembling. And continued to do so when I brought her home.
I was traumatised. I thought I’d chosen a defective puppy – one that was never going to snuggle with me on the sofa; one that didn’t play with other dogs in the park; and who wasn’t even pleased to see me when I came home. At the same time, I was learning what it meant to be responsible for something. My spontaneous life, especially the bits involving white wine and espresso martinis, had to come to a halt. It was about time.
Of course, predictably, Coco gradually came out of her shell. As I write this on the sofa she is resting her incredibly long snout on my knee, snoring softly. She has brought me more joy than I could ever hope to convey in words. The clatter of her paws across the kitchen floor when she runs towards me; the way she sits, regally, at the top of a flight of stairs, waiting to be carried down; the guilty look she has when she’s chewed another one of my bank cards into mulch. She is not just a dog; she is distinct and different and I know her as well as I know any other family member.
Now, as we are all more isolated than ever (and even though she has woken me up at 3am for the last two nights running), I am so incredibly grateful for my tiny and excessively fluffy little pup and the extra heartbeat she brings to my home. And I am so thankful that she changed my life. Because it was entirely for the better.
HOME COMFORTS WITH… PRIYA O’SHEA
I am increasingly obsessed with Bake Off. Is there anything more likely to divert you from locked-down life than lovely, wholesome people entirely focused on taking their buns out of the oven (so to speak) at the right time? No, there is not. So for this issue, I wanted a Bake Off star – and I found her in the form of Priya O’Shea, from last year’s series. Today, she is still cooking every day and sharing recipes on her Instagram account, which has legions of followers. I made her mushroom stroganoff and it was incredible. Oh, and she’s writing a novel, but we’ll know more about that later.
Where do you live and how would you describe your home in three words?
I moved back to Leicester about seven years ago. It’s where I grew up and where I have at least 50 family members within a five mile radius! In three words: FULL OF TOYS.
Who is at home with you?
My husband, my five and three year-old boys and about 35 houseplants.
Current Netflix/Amazon obsession?
I’ve recently started The Mindy Project – I have huge admiration for Mindy Kaling’s success. I grew up seeing very few Asian women on TV, and fewer still with darker skin like mine.
Best home comfort meal?
Gujarati food – simple potato curry with chapati, a dollop of cold yogurt and a crisp poppadom on the side. Growing up, that’s what we had every single day. Back then, all I wanted was fish fingers, but as an adult I crave it often and appreciate what a special meal it is.
Book currently on your bedside table?
My diary sits on my bedside table (I’ve kept one since I was given one at university) and I have a stack of other books including The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and Into the Woods, a guide to storytelling by John Yorke.
Background noise in your house?
My boys are roaring, shouting, jumping, running or throwing something almost the entire time they are awake – our house is NOISY! If I put music on, the kids insist on something else – currently the Trolls soundtrack. I love my Airpods and have those to drown out the roaring – currently listening to Ghosts by Dolly Alderton.
Bath or shower?
Shower – it is no exaggeration to say that on an average day I am in and out of the shower within two minutes. In that time at least one child will run in to complain about the other, or ask to me to reconstruct a Lego airplane, or to find their Happy Meal toy that was thrown out weeks ago. On the weekends, I can take a more leisurely shower – what a treat!
Favourite house scent?
Chai. Growing up my parents only drank chai (for which you need loose tea, not teabags). It’s warm and comforting. Chai for me is like nectar.
How well do you know your next door neighbours?
We are a corner house so only have one next door neighbour – I share bakes with them and they share surplus veggies that they grow in their greenhouse. We have some friends down the road and across the road too – not quite neighbours, but somewhere you can pop to in your pjs when you run out of foil while making Christmas cakes (I’ll be more organised this year).
Your favourite home from home?
My parents’ house will never not feel like home. I used to share a room with my sister which was infuriating (for both of us) and the room was never how I wanted it. I don’t miss my old bedroom, but stepping into their house is such a refuge – the smell of chai or curry and my own slippers that I step into. I leave a lot of my worries at the door.
Follow Priya O’Shea on Instagram here.
PODCAST STUFF
Table Manners - I am such a fan of Dawn French. Aren't we all? And in this episode of Table Manners we get to have dinner with her (alongside host Jessie Ware and her mum). She tells the lovely story of how she met her husband, Mark, and talks about Cornish pasties with such passion that I had to make some for myself. This recipe was good because it made the clever and correct assumption that I was too lazy to make my own pastry.
BOOK STUFF
I had a bit of a lockdown low last week, largely thanks to the driving rain that downgraded my social life from barely existent to fully non-existent. Anyway, Claudia Winkleman’s book, Quite, saved the day (the weekend, actually). Reading it was like sipping a feel-good tonic. I felt positively drunk by the time I was halfway through and started fearing the end, which happens with all good books. It sounds like a frivolous read – and it is intended to be – but she is razor sharp and intelligent (History of Art at Cambridge? I did not know that) and that makes it far more than mere fluff.
SHOPPING STUFF
Guys are weirdly picky about their socks, aren’t they? But I think I’ve found The Ones. The London Sock Company has just launched a new cashmere collection (modelled rather exquisitely below) and also has a genius subscription option, delivering a new pair to your/their door every month. David Gandy is an investor, The Rock loves them (as does, ahem, Gary Barlow) – plus, with every order, they donate a pair to charity. Win win.
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Socks sorted, onto slippers. I feel people make a terrible mistake when buying slippers. Slippers are for making your feet toasty, so it’s vital to go the whole hog and get a pair that hugs the whole foot. Backless slippers? Pointless. Since when was your heel immune from the cold? The best ones, still, despite me trawling to find a less predictable alternative, are from The White Company. I’ve also fallen hard for their Fair Isle slipper socks, below.
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After I graduated (a very, very long time ago), I managed to get an interview at a leading advertising agency. In it, they asked me which campaign I thought didn’t work. My reply? FCUK. It’s overdone, I said. It’ll never last. Never did get that job, mysteriously. Anyway, I like their face masks.
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I know having loads of house plants has become a bit of an Instagram cliché, but I love them regardless. I recently discovered the Bloombox Club, launched by Dr Katie Cooper, a psychologist motivated by the extensive evidence linking plants to our wellbeing. I’ve got my eye on the Swiss Cheese plant from their immune-boosting collection. Buy as a one-off or sign up for their subscription boxes; you’ll also get a perfectly-fitting ceramic pot or basket every month, with the latter.
SCROLLING STUFF
Lovely article from Bella Mackie for Vogue on the therapeutic benefits of baking.
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I pop onto Modern House whenever I’m in need of some property escapism. Here is one of my future houses. Do pop over.
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A bit niche – but as someone who would not even consider writing a feature in any font other than Arial – I totally agree that fonts have personalities. Reassuring to know I’m not the only one.
GRATUITOUS DOG STUFF
I warned you this might happen…. but if I’m going to feature her in any newsletter, it should be this one. Say hi to Coco.
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On that note, it’s time to go and take her for a walk. Put those cosy slippers on, eat those pasties and fcuk coronavirus. I’ll be back soon.
Dx
P.S I am also the author of “Bolder - Life Lessons from people older and wiser than you” - available to buy on Amazon here – and currently in development with Universal.
P.P.S The illustration for Nesting was created by my exceptionally talented friend Julia Murray in New Zealand.
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