01. A cocktail masterclass at Reed House by Michael and Zara Madrusan, the pair behind the new book, The Madrusan Cocktail Companion. They tested and refined recipes for more than 2800 cocktails (with contributions from many of the world’s best bartenders) and apparently the book was over a decade in the making. It was worth the wait. The book itself is a thing to behold – beautifully bound and terrific photography. I’ll overlook the fact that it omits an eighties classic, the Midori Illusion.

We enjoyed four cocktails – a negroni, a Martinez, a Tuxedo and a Death & Taxes (above).

02. British Film Festival: Four Mothers – perfect balance of dry Irish humour and Irish misery.

03. Read this article, not for the Thanksgiving bits but for the Joan Didion details. Then watch The Center Will Not Hold (doco on Netflix).

04. Watched: The Beast in Me (Netflix) – if you want a thriller, get on it.

05. Listening: Betty Taylor’s new single, Sucker Punch.

06. Eating: Delicious club sandwich from Baguette Studios, and a baguette filled with a vanilla cream cheese, pistachio crumble and honey – the dessert sandwich was a revelation; and my daughter’s cinnamon and raisin sourdough.

07. Wearing: summer dress (with little lambs on it!).

08. Cooking: Donna Hay’s sherry-roasted lamb.

09. Lots of spring rain has meant my hydrangeas are in overdrive.