Sunday Paper Edition 018: Wimbledon Special

What’s We're Reading

To fully immerse ourselves in the world of tennis, we are reading David Foster Wallace’s String Theory, considered by many to be the best book ever written about the game. Having been a great junior tennis player himself, the sport has been a recurring theme throughout Wallace’s work, including in his smash hit novel Infinite Jest which partially takes place at a tennis academy. Now, all his tennis related material has posthumously been gathered in one volume, including the famed 2006 essay about Roger Federer which is considered to be one of his finest pieces of writing.

What We're Drinking

This month, we are lucky enough to having gotten our hands on a few bottles of the exceedingly rare Champagne Rose Indulgence from one of our favourite producers in the region, Marie Courtin. Made from 100% pino noir grapes from 50-year-old vines and naturally fermented in burgundy barrels without any added sulphur, this uniquely pure yet complex wine will knock your (tennis) socks off. With notes of pomegranate, mint and dried pear and its deep pink hue it is also the perfect pairing for the enormous amounts of strawberries one must consume during these two Wimbledon weeks.

Where We're Watching

The drama of the tennis court also makes for great drama on the silver screen. Whether it is a psychological thriller like Woody Allen’s Match Point, a historical drama like Vittorio De Sica’s masterpiece The Garden of the Finzi-Continis or a biopic such as Borg vs. McEnroe chronicling the famed rivalry between the Swedish ‘Iceman’ and the ‘American bad boy’, we find ourselves hooked. The thrill of the game, the amazing style references and the physical and psychological endurance makes for an addictive viewing experience. Other favourites from the Métier team include Wes Anderson’s iconic comedy The Royal Tenenbaum (featuring some very strong looks by tennis-protégé Richie Tenenbaum) and the documentary Venus and Serena which gives us a rare insight into the battles, triumphs and controversies surrounding the superstar sisters.

Métier Du Jour

Spotted last year at Wimbledon, the Perriand City Small in White Sand is the perfect accompaniment for courtside. Crafted from buttery calfskin leather, this featherlight piece is intuitively organised and holds everything you might possibly need for a long day at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Being a firm favourite amongst our clients, this piece has been sold out for quite some time so we are very pleased to announce that it is coming back in stock soon. Reserve yours here.

Wimbledon Destinations We Will Be Visiting (In Addition to Centre Court)

If you find yourself in Wimbledon and in need of a break from the crowds at the grand slam, do take a stroll to 22 Parkside and have a look at this small architectural masterpiece designed by Richard Rogers, who sadly passed away late last year. Created for his parents to live in, ‘The Wimbledon House’ was also intended as a proof-of-concept for a new kind of structure Rogers hoped could help solve the UK housing crisis. Although that unfortunately never materialised, this early project became a huge influence on much of his subsequent work, including the Pompidou Palace in Paris. To learn more, you can watch this video where Richard Rogers himself tells the story of 22 Parkside.