I have been persuaded by my friend Chiara to go on a bike ride in the Mallorcan countryside. Not my usual pootle beside the ocean on the trusty electric but rather a jaunt that involves wearing, well, cycling gear.

I like Chiara. But on this occasion, I really don’t trust her. She owns an extravagant quantity of racing bicycles, comes from a family of professional cyclists and seems rather unpleasantly giddy about having persuaded me to commit to riding with her. “I am going to take lots of photos,” she said to me the other day in a tone of voice that did not make me feel relaxed.

Chiara claims to have much of the apparel that I need – this might end up being more drag race than cycle race – but she did instruct me to purchase a “bib”. This, for the uninitiated, is essentially a pair of Lycra shorts with braces and an excessive quantity of padding around one’s buttocks. Imagine, if you can face the image before your full English, a family-sized tortilla placed in the back of your knickers and you will at least have the scale of the upholstery fixed in your mind, if not the consistency.

Not wanting to invest too much in an outfit that might never be worn a second time, I headed to an out-of-town sports megastore where, among the paddle boards and padel racquets, I located the bib section. I immediately realised that I needed support – and not just in the crotch.

A young man approached me, offering his assistance, and I explained my needs in sort of Spanish – even if this did involve some additional miming and pointing to bits of the body that could have you fired if enacted in an office. But rather than call a lawyer, he mentally scanned my physique and, without guffawing, dispatched me to the changing rooms holding several outfits that brought to mind Dick Van Dyke singing “Me Ol’ Bamboo” in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (think the pinging of braces).

I tried on the small-sized bib and my thoughts drifted to a plate of spatchcock chicken served with boiled eggs. The medium seemed less likely to induce the voice of a castrato but I was unsure about the level of snugness needed. From inside the changing room I phoned Chiara, who seemed highly delighted with my purchasing challenges. She might have cackled. “What else should I purchase?” I enquired. We agreed that I would locate a cycle shirt, which I did. But on the way out I also picked up swimming goggles and some funny net shoes that you can wear in the sea if you feel that there’s a danger of sea urchins underfoot. At the till the cashier looked at my eclectic selection of gear and seemed poised to ask what sport I was intending to participate in – but then, mercifully, she let the moment pass.

So let’s see what happens. I have knees that at times move with the ease of rusted Victorian steam-engine pistons but I have some hope. I also have a tortilla-padded gusset. And if all else fails, there might be a passing bus.

With the lazier schedule of the summer months – and the possibility of time to get away and reset – comes the prospect of unencumbered hours between the covers of a great book. From chefs and politicians to fashion designers and authors, we asked 10 interesting people which book they’d encourage others to pack for a holiday. These novels, short stories and non-fiction reads offer entertainment, escapism and, in many cases, fresh perspectives on life. Here are three to get you started.

1.
‘River Spirit’ by Leila Aboulela
Selected by Yassmin Abdel-Magied, a Sudanese-Australian media presenter and writer
This historical fiction about Sudan mirrors the current moment in many ways. It is beautifully written and, for readers who might not know a lot about the country, it’s a wonderful entry point. Its characters are nuanced and despite the historical setting, it feels contemporary. 

2.
‘The Story of San Michele’ by Axel Munthe
Selected by Amy Poon, founder of Poon’s London
This extraordinary book is composed of vignettes that span the author’s experiences as a society physician, an animal lover and a doctor during cholera outbreaks. He ultimately rebuilds the ruined Tiberian villa of San Michele, perched high above the shimmering Bay of Naples on Capri. Full of charm, wit and wisdom worn lightly, it’s a mesmerising read. I came across it more than 20 years ago; it made me believe in magic.

3.
‘The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food’ by Dan Barber 
Selected by Brad Carter, chef and restaurateur
This book looks at sustainable farming that produces delicious seasonal food. It hit me hard at the time because everything that I was applying to my restaurant was in this book. Barber shows why good practices make a good dinner.

Summer in Paris is starting to look a little different. The Seine is open for swimming and Parisians are bobbing around with bright-yellow inflatables. But if you’d rather avoid being tethered to lifebuoys when you swim, might we suggest diving into a few good shops to beat the heat? Our Paris City Guide has a host of places to window shop and stock up on everything from ties and loafers to coffee and cookware. Here’s a favourite.

Bonjour Jacob, 10th arrondissement 
This café, magazine and record shop near Canal Saint-Martin was founded in 2021 by Hani Belahcene and Aurelia Galopin. It offers European coffee blends, pastries from the nearby Boulangerie Sain and vinyl records reflecting the owners’ many creative passions.
bonjourjacob.com

Not long after lunch on a recent sunny afternoon in Toronto, a sound seeped into earshot that I had not heard in a long time: the cheerful jingle of an ice-cream van (writes Tomos Lewis). It has been a while since I’ve hunted down some soft-serve with only that distinctive melody to use as a compass. These days my cravings tend to be slaked by static sellers. 

If you happen to be among those of us who consider the speculative delivery of ice cream – at parks, school gates or, better still, from the street outside your front door – as being close to a civic service, then the ice-cream van is, arguably, the only tannoy-topped vehicle whose siren call heralds good news.

The merry-go-round sound that jars the joyless but raises the nostalgic from their seats has a success rate that social-media managers could only dream of. Flocks of people ran outside at lunchtime to heed the call in Toronto this week. And that’s all without doing anything new. Indeed, the ice-cream van and its melodies have changed remarkably little over the decades. In the US, Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer”; in Canada, the nursery rhyme “Pop Goes the Weasel”; and, in the UK, the folk song “Greensleeves” are all enduring anthems. Trendy soft-serve shops and social-media-ready scoops have their place – but there’s no replacing the humble ice-cream van.

Fancy some more tastes of Toronto? Our City Guide has everything that you need to know, see and try.

In the latest issue of ‘Monocle: The Entrepreneurs’, we examine the ways that artisans across the globe are preserving ancient skills and processes by ensuring that they – and the achingly beautiful objects they create – remain relevant and desirable in the modern world. Here’s one.

Based in central Stockholm’s Södermalm district, upholstery atelier Wigrens Döttrar is a beloved part of the city’s fabric. “The community around here is close-knit,” says owner Sara Lidenmark. “Locals pop by to have a chat every day, and many of my clients live in the area.” That friendly, inviting atmosphere is central to the workshop’s reputation. “Sometimes I’m even invited to dinner at clients’ homes.”

Opened by upholsterer Anton Wigren in 1926, the studio is now managed by Lidenmark. She joined in 2012 after completing an apprenticeship with the then-owner, making her the fifth artisan to head the studio. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve had an interest in beautiful fabrics and furniture with a history,” says Lidenmark. “It’s magical to see a piece transform from something tired into a stunning object.”

A look at Lidenmark’s order book shows locals putting in requests for the upholsterer to spruce up their armchairs and sofas. But she is also working with larger clients such as restaurants and museums. With a wide variety of projects, Lindemark runs a tight ship. “Upholstering is a very creative process,” she says. “It gets quite messy when I’m working on something but I’ll have a moment after I’ve finished to stop and clean it all up. Then I’m ready to move on to the next piece.”

On the day when Monocle visits, Lidenmark is about to put the finishing touches on cushions destined for an outdoor-seating area on a roof terrace. It’s a slightly unusual job for her