The best interviews are often the most personal. In Loves of My Life, we get to know the person behind their craft, asking them the important questions we're desperate to know: the restaurants and date-night spots, what's in their Saved folder on Instagram, the piece of jewellery they're most attached to and what's lurking at the bottom of their handbag. In short, these are the true loves of their life. Next up is Abbie Roden Sandbach, businesswoman and founder of Amie Wine, West-London pizza restaurant Weezie's and social and content agency Roden.
They say home is where the heart is, and for Kentucky-born, London-based businesswoman, Abbie Roden Sandbach, you’ll be sure to find it nestled into the leafy backstreets of Belgravia Village. For it’s here, in this quiet corner of Central London, that you’ll find Amie Wine Studio, the chic outpost for the alcoholic beverage brand she co-founded in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic under the name Amie, and her newest venture Weezie’s, a charming pizzeria that’s part trattoria, part Southern Belle.
Given that these undertakings are so close to her heart, we wanted to delve deeper into the multi-hyphenate's life and learn a little more about where she finds inspiration, the corners of the city she loves to escape to and the food she orders if she wants to impress. (She is a hospitality maven, after all.) Simply put, these are the loves of her life…
What’s your #1 restaurant to visit in the whole world? And what would you order?
This is such a hard one, but I honestly love The Barbary in Neal’s Yard (London) so much. There’s something so special about it: the playlist, the lighting, the counter seating and getting to watch the chefs cook. Order the Jerusalem bagel, the naan, all the dips, the chicken and the cauliflower—wow. It's all so amazing.
Do you have a secret date-night spot?
The local Italian in our neighbourhood, Pentolina, is heaven. It’s family-run, so cosy and packed every night with locals. You really can’t beat it for a date night. I also love Six Portland Road. It’s such a hidden gem in Holland Park.
Coffee, tea, wine, cocktail—what’s your ultimate poison?
Has to be coffee first, I think! The morning ritual of having a coffee is the best. Wine in second place, a spicy mezcal margarita in third and a negroni in fourth. I also love a good bourbon on the rocks.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
If I’m at home in Kentucky, fried chicken. At home in London, cooking a cosy pasta or ramen.
What's your favourite store in London?
Supermarket of Dreams in Holland Park. It has all the best food and beverage brands, and I love it for a good weekend splurge.
Favourite city for inspiration?
I lived in NYC for five years, and going back to visit will never get old. There is so much inspiration, especially now that we have hospitality businesses; I love seeing what everyone there is doing! Amsterdam is really fun for this, too. I also get so much inspiration from Marrakech—the colours, the textures, the light; it’s such a beautiful city, and I absolutely love it.
Favourite item to pack when you go on holiday?
A camera (or two or three!).
If you could only holiday in one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?
Morocco, 100%. Morocco has everything: beaches, mountains, cities and rural villages. The culture is amazing, and it always blows my mind that you can hop on a three-hour flight and be in a whole other world!
Where's the one spot you take out-of-towners when you want to impress them?
Amie Wine Studio, and now Weezie’s too—obviously!
You can only pick one fashion brand to wear for the rest of your life. What is it and why?
With Nothing Underneath. My friend Pip [Durell] is the founder, but the quality of WNU pieces is amazing, and it has everything you need—no need to shop at any other brand!
What’s the most treasured item in your wardrobe?
I used to work at American heritage boot brand Frye. I have so many amazing Frye boots that I’ll hold onto forever. They are all iconic and will only get better with age.
Which item of clothing would you never ever part with, and why?
Probably a leather bomber jacket that used to be my grandfather's. Or all of my Frye cowboy boots.
Do you have an item of jewellery that holds a lot of meaning?
A ring that was my mom’s high-school graduation present from her parents (my Kentucky grandparents). It’s a gold rose with a tiny diamond in the middle, and I love it.
Is there anything in your home that you’re particularly sentimental about?
Yes, so many objects and pieces of art have so many stories and meanings, and there are a few pieces of furniture that came from my grandmother’s house in Kentucky.
What would we always find lurking at the bottom of your handbag?
Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm and a Deliciously Ella Hazelnut, Pecan and Maple bar.
What’s the beauty product you can’t live without?
I am currently loving Ilia DayLite Highlighting Powder.
What’s your favourite scent?
The incense from Aesop.
In your spare time, what do you love to do?
Travel! It’s a lot harder these days with our businesses, but even for a long weekend in the UK, I find so much joy in it. Spending time with my husband and our son and exploring new places. It’s the best.
What’s your most-played on Spotify?
Rayland Baxter. When I worked at Frye in NYC, we worked with him often, and I’ve seen many of his shows.
If we were to look in your Saved folder on IG, what would we find?
It’s mostly interiors, recipes and travel inspo and city guides. I love Saved boards on Instagram so much. I do a lot of my research and digging on Instagram.
What are your three favourite books of all time?
Thirst by Scott Harrison. This book is incredible. It’s a memoir about Charity: Water’s founder, Scott Harrison. My husband and I both read it, and it [inspired us to support] Charity: Water when we launched Amie in 2020. In the past five-and-a-half years, we’ve raised £50K for them.
To this day, I’ve yet to find another book that has made my jaw drop like Where the Crawdads Sing. If anyone knows of a book that can, please tell me! And Demon Copperhead.
Share a piece of advice from someone you love that always stuck.
Don’t ask, don’t get. My old boss used to say this to me, and it’s never left me. It’s so true; if you want something either personally or professionally, just ask. You never know what might come from that ask!
Be humble, be kind. My dad is very humble and very kind, and I’ve kind of made this advice an official phrase that I live by that I want to pass down to our children. Personally, I think nothing is more important than being kind to everyone and always staying humble.
Do you collect anything? If so, what?
Christmas ornaments! There is nothing more fun than hanging up all of the Christmas decorations and remembering where you got them from. I write on the back of each one so that I know where I got it, who I was with and the date. It gives me so much joy at Christmas, and it’s also so special, because if they get passed down, generations to come will also have those notes.
What’s your latest obsession?
White miso paste! I’m having a real Asian cooking phase right now, and I have so much of it in the cupboard! Yum.
Who are the people who fill up your cup?
My best friends. Nothing beats girl time. Sadly, I probably only get to see them once a year, maybe twice if I’m lucky, because they all live in America, but we always make the most of it when we’re together, and it’s the best.
Who is your professional hero?
All of my old bosses are my professional heroes: Jane, Jen and Debbie. Without them, I’d know nothing! They all taught me so much professionally but also personally, and I am forever grateful for all three of them.
Who is your personal hero?
My 97-year-old grandfather. He’s amazing. He is so kind, so humble and so knowledgeable!
Who are the loves of your life?
My husband, Will, and our son, Teddie.
What is the love of your life?
Kentucky will always be one of my biggest loves. And of course, our first-born: Amie!