What do you love most about what you do?

Dave: I’ve spent my life working in finance, so now it’s the creativity of running a restaurant, from the dishes to the design. It’s all a lot of fun.
Ria: For me I still get those pinch me moments on Saturdays when were fully booked all day and you realise you’ve created a space where people plan to spend their time with their friends or partners. When I’m serving people all day on a busy Saturday and seeing people enjoy what we’ve created. It’s pretty wild.

How do you balance life and work?

Dave: We always plan our downtime. Whether it’s a 2 day trip to the lakes staying in our favourite pub, or Garsington opera on a Sunday with my parents, or making sure before a Saturday shift we do our heath walk. Ensuring those bits of time off are as fun and as relaxing as possible.

Ria: I wouldn’t say we have much balance yet - we’re still under a year and as founder and GM it’s pretty non-stop still for us so life is very much work haha. But, we do ensure that all the micro-moments we are able to carve out we plan fully. Like a heath run and ponds swim before long Saturday shifts - those things are crucial for my mental health.

What’s your daily uniform?

Dave: Pleated navy chinos or blue denim jeans and a simple oversized white T-shirt.

Ria: For the winter it’s religiously been my Seventy & Mochi jumpsuits which are perfect. But I’m now needing to sort out my summer uniform as they’re a tad too hot!

What are you local to, and what's the best spot?

Ria & Dave: We live in Highgate and are very much in love with our little village. We spend a lot of time running and walking in Hampstead heath, swimming in the ponds and drinking at the numerous amazing pubs. For summer our number ones are The Duke of St Albans and The Wells Tavern.

What's your favourite piece of art (regardless
of medium, e.g. painting, design, movie)?

Dave: I love reading books by Mirukami - and as a runner - what I think about when I think about running.

Ria: I also love reading, but I’ve always written poetry since I was a child too. It was always the way I found it easiest to express my feelings - I grew up with depression and on antidepressants since I was 13, and writing poetry was my mental release.

What are you currently coveting, reading, watching and listening to?

Dave: Narcos - and considering whether it’s better business than running restaurants haha.

Ria: I realise we have a bit of a theme here… but I’ve just binged the podcast about the Kinihans which was recommended to me about the Irish drug cartel. Very fascinating story!

What's your favourite smell or sound?

Dave: The sound of birdsong in the morning

Ria: My 1am weetos hitting the bowl when I get home after a long shift.

What is the biggest luxury in your life?

Ria & Dave: We both recently got cowboy bikes and they were the best indulgence. Cycling to site every day and the hills back to Highgate - it was necessary.

Follow Ria & Dave

@rias_london

rias.world.co.uk

How do you strive to live a meaningful life?

Dave: I was born with Cystic Fibrosis, so for me it’s all about trying to make an impact young, because when I was born my life expectancy was 27 years, now I’m 31 each day is a blessing, so it’s making the most with the time I have.

Ria: For me, a meaningful life is about taking the time to create and embrace the small moments. Life can be hard, it can be unfair, and often feel lonely. So for me, I’ve learnt to find meaning and happiness in the little things that are all within my control. A morning swim in the ponds, a really hard workout, a breakfast date with a friend, a 2 day trip to the lakes, a pint in the sun with my book. It’s the amalgamation of all of these little moments that bring me joy - that together lead to a meaningful life for me.