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Books about quiet living, how architecture influences our daily life, how to cook a delicious coastal-inspired meal, poetry to remind us to live fully, and still more titles. Also, two favorite French series return, a new film about something many of us love, commemorations begin in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday, and many spring and clothing finds are shared, most at wonderfully reduced prices. Oh! And a décor sale not to miss as well if you are looking for this one particular item. Still, there is more!
Books
—Living A Quiet Life: Reflections For Peace, Purpose & Personal Growth by Vanessa Marie Dewsbury
Vanessa Dewsbury’s book inspired by her podcast The Quiet Mind is one to reach for as a daily read. Released last October, Living A Quiet Life is an invitation to embrace what honors you. “It’s not a book of rules or instructions, but a collection of reflections and messages of wisdom drawn from my own journey of self-discovery. This book is for anyone seeking personal growth, emotional healing, and the courage to release what no longer serves them. It offers guidance and inspiration for anyone who wants to feel more grounded, connected, and at home within themselves.”
In many ways, what Dewsbury indirectly writes about is something we often talk about here on TSLL – how to cultivate contentment, something that can only be found inside each of us, and no matter how diligently we think external circumstances will bring us inner peace, the good news, all we need to do is look within.
—Our World in Ten Buildings: How Architecture Defines Who We Are and How We Live by Michael Murphy
The buildings we live in, the buildings we go to that provide healing (hospitals and care clinics for example), where we go to learn, explore and tend to business, they affect us more than we may realize. “All the spaces we inhabit—to work, to learn, to heal, and to live—have been planned and built to influence our lives. They sway our emotions, nudge our behaviors, protect us from disease, and do more, or less, to support shared prosperity and our sense of the common good.”
In a new book, Our World in Ten Buildings, Michael Murphy “unpacks this hidden but ever more important element of our lived experience. As author and architectural designer Michael Murphy takes us through ten milestone projects in his career he lays bare the physical, political, and intellectual labor at work shaping the world we live in.” Look for this book to be released on Tuesday, April 21st.
—Size of Your Joy: Poems by Elise Powers
I spied this book on an IG Stories where one of the poems was shared, and I had to learn more about the book (thank you Grace!). Size of Your Joy “is an intimate and empowering exploration of the complex and often contradictory experiences of womanhood, offering an unflinching look at how identity, resilience, and self-worth are shaped by the intersections of love, grief, and longing.”
“[Elise] Powers reflects on how ideas of beauty, desire, and shame are quietly passed from one generation to the next, and what it takes to break those cycles. She examines the hunger—for belonging, autonomy, and joy—that women are taught to suppress, while imagining a path forward defined by liberation and self-acceptance.” Looks like a wonderfully thought-provoking book of poetry.
Being released on April 21st
—Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth by Kerry Docherty
At first, I saw the title, and how it was associated with being a woman, and I shook my head – nope, we don’t need another label, and especially not a detrimental one, that purports a truth that when accepted is harmful in a myriad of ways. But thankfully, I was wrong.
If you have ever shopped Faherty’s clothing (they have sponsored The Simple Sophisticate in the past), you know it is a successful business. Kerry Docherty is the co-founder of this business, as well as a wife and mother of two. And in her new memoir Selfish, she shares the questions that haunted her “as she realized she was giving away too much of herself: to a marriage with her college sweetheart, to the fast-paced family startup, and to a growing household that demanded attention she didn’t always want to give. Determined to feel seen—as an artist, activist, poet, romantic—she began to steal simple moments for herself, replacing her to-do lists with poems, pushing the business towards the things she cared about, and widening her circle of creative friends . . . It chronicles her efforts to reconcile capitalism with her own heart’s desire, her complicated family dynamics, her struggles with motherhood, and her efforts to rediscover parts of herself buried under other people’s expectations. Her example invites us to demand to be seen, do what we need to do, and dare to put ourselves first—and shows how doing so can actually be a gift to others.”
British Finds
—Death in Paradise, season 15, BritBox
The 15th season may have kicked off at the end of December, and while I thought we would have it earlier than next week (I errantly shared back in January it was premiering in February – it did, but not on Britbox, only in the UK), we officially have a premiere date for the remaining eight episodes of the new season of Death in Paradise – Tuesday April 21st. Have a look at the trailer below for the new season, and enjoy a new episode each week on BritBox
—Greatest Gardens with Diarmuid Gavin and Carol Klein, BBC
In this six-part series that premiered in late March, tour 15 gardens all over Northern Ireland with Carol Klein and Diarmuid, along with celebrity judges (Prue Leith appears in episode #1) to determine the Greatest Garden by the end of the series.
—Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace
With what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday on April 21st, many different commemorations are opening to the public to honor Her Royal Highness (I’ll share another on in next Tuesday’s April Garden post). And one is a new exhibit that just opened yesterday at Buckingham Palace in the King’s Gallery. Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style includes more than 300 items, many on display for the first time in this largest and most comprehensive exhibition of the late Queen’s fashion ever mounted.
“Discover the remarkable style of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch through clothing worn in all ten decades of her life – from birth to adulthood, from princess to queen, and from off-duty style to dressing for the global stage for momentous occasions in Britain’s history.”
The exhibit closes on October 18th, so if you happen to be visiting London soon, be sure to visit.
Cookbooks
—Come Eat: 100 Nourishing Recipes to Eat Every Day by Melissa Ben-Ishay
Being released on Tuesday, Come Eat features a variety of favorite weekly go-to recipes, from lunch to dinner to dessert—and all the snacks and sides in between—including:
- Greek Lentil Salad
- Healing Chicken Soup
- One-Pot Golden Chicken & Rice
- String Beans with Almonds & Tahini
- Snickerdoodle Chickpea Cake
- Salads, salads, and more salads!
“With helpful tips and easy-to-follow instructions, Melissa Ben-Ishay shows you how to easily adapt meals for your family, from breaking down the components of the perfect salad to making soup with ingredients you have on hand.”
Noma has won the award of the Best Restaurant in the World five times beginning in 2010, and while the founding chef has since stepped down (read more about why here), his team continues to make food worth traveling around the world for. In the follow-up cookbook to the bestselling The Noma Guide to Fermentation comes the Guide to Building Flavour.
A significant reason for Noma’s success “is found in the Noma pantry, the seasonings, condiments, sauces, and other flavor compounds developed over two decades by René Redzepi and the Noma test kitchen. And now 150 of these components that define the inimitable taste of Noma—including roasted kelp salt, smoked egg yolk sauce, Nordic pesto, and lacto-koji beurre blanc—are shared in The Noma Guide to Building Flavour. Most of the recipes are illustrated with step-by-step photo sequences detailing the techniques needed to transform surprisingly familiar ingredients into elements of Noma’s distinctive cuisine. Noma uses these recipes to create elevated preparations for the restaurant (a selection of gorgeous plated-dish photos are included), but readers—whether professionals or avid home cooks—will find plenty of inspiration for their own kitchens, aided by do-able suggestions from Noma chefs.”
I have to say, just having this insider guide to how they create their amazing flavors would be a wonderful resource to have in the cookbook library. Grateful they are willing to share. It will be released on Tuesday April 21st.
—Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt: A Celebration of Modern Coastal Home Cooking by Donna Hay
Australian cookbook author Donna Hay has a new book. And it looks light, relaxing and delicious. Take me to the seaside and let’s eat is what this cookbook says to me, and based on the Table of Contents (see below), I think we are in for a treat of recipes.
In Sunshine, Lemons, and Sea Salt, Hay brings us into her home on the Australian coast and “shows us how she crafts delicious, no-fuss meals and celebrates special occasions with friends. Here is a sampling of what you will find inside: readers will serve up a stunning variety of recipes for any time of day or night, including: satisfying desserts of coconut and lime panna cotta, golden sunrise breakfasts of ricotta eggs with basil oil, beachy lunches of mint salsa verde potato and chicken salad, and starlit dinners of chipotle honey salmon tacos with pickled onions.” Yum!
To be released on April 21st
Décor
—Lulu & Georgia’s 40% off all Rugs Sale
If you have been shopping for a rug, are in need of a rug, or are looking to replace a rug, this is a sale not to miss. All rugs, in all sizes, are all up to 40% off.
Harper Jute Rug (many sizes available)
~SHOP THE SALE:
Films
I cannot wait to watch this film and am crossing my fingers that our local boutique movie house will be showing it soon. In The Gardener, Australian actress Radha Mitchell stars as the powerful cosmetics heiress who retreats to a remote mountaintop garden cottage (filmed in North Carolina’s Highlands-Cashiers plateau) while fighting to protect her family legacy. An unexpected connection with a mysterious gardener (William Miller) leads her on a soulful journey of healing, self-discovery, and transformation.” Have a look at the trailer below and look for it in special release beginning today.
Francophile Finds
—The Art of Antiquing in France: Flea Markets, Brocantes, Antique Shops by Sharon Santoni
Listeners of The Simple Sophisticate podcast will already know about my special guest this week on the show, but if you haven’t tuned in to episode #424 yet, you will get to learn all about Sharon Santoni’s new book from the woman herself. ☺️
She joined me earlier this week, and we talked about quite a bit. We talk about quite a few of the brocante markets and antique fairs, and one market that was shared, a weekly one in Provence, is not in the book, so you are in for a special insider’s tip. Find the Show Notes for the episode (along with the market’s name) here and listen to the episode wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.
Being released in the States on Tuesday April 21st – a wealth of a resource for anyone who is looking to treasure hunt in France.
—Mademoiselle Holmes, season 2, PBS/Walter Presents
Absolutely tickled I was to discover that the second season of this French dramedy crime series is now available on PBS! Available from Walter Presents, all six episodes are available to stream on PBS Compass, and having watched three (okay, four!) already, it’s a fun season. I especially am loving the relationship’s evolution between the two leads (Charlie and Samy) played by Lola Dewaere (from Astrid et Raphaëlle) and Tom Villa (from Munch, who also appeared in Astrid et Raphaëlle). The comedy created between these two is a treat as they harmonize well with each other due to their adoration and appreciation for one another. Okay, enough of my gushing. Have a look at the trailer for the new season (oh! I forgot to mention, Mademoiselle Holmes was chosen as a “Petit Plaisir” last year – have a look here).
—Marianne (English title: Marianne, One of a Kind!), MHzChoice, season 2
Another delightful surprise was discovered when the second season of Marianne popped up on my streaming feed on MHzChoice. Available after a few years of waiting, and folks, it was worth the wait! I absolutely adore this character. Marianne is played by Marilou Berry, a judicial judge in Marseille. She is smart, strong-willed, and fiercely independent. And, did I mention her wry humor (the clip below will exhibit that ever so subtly.) She also has a huge heart and great compassion for everyone, which makes both cases she works on in each episode (there is the crime she has to solve that leads each episode, and then a sub-plot centered around a civil case she must try to resolve with the clients in her office which nearly always involves a hilarious antic or discovery) enjoyable to watch, yet for different reasons.
—The Secrets of the Abbey: A Brittany Mystery by Jean-Luc Bannalec
The new book in the Brittany mystery series is here! Well, almost. It will be available on Tuesday, April 21st. And this time, we step into an early October in Brittany, where warm, sunny days and balmy nights are savored. “For Commissaire Georges Dupin and his team, it also brings a heavy blow. Second inspector Kadeg’s aunt has passed away after being struck by a series of omens of death. And when Kadeg travels to the former abbey where his aunt lived, he’s attacked and critically injured. Dupin and the rest of his team quickly head to the aunt’s estate on the Côte des Légendes to look into what happened. But the more they look, the more questions are uncovered, and the more secrets Kadeg’s family seems to have.”
Shopping
—Banana Republic High-Rise Straight Utility Pant in stretch linen-viscose, four colors
A good utility pant that can transition well between tasks as well as going about casual errands or even to the farmers’ market is a great item to have in our spring and summer wardrobe. These high-rise stretch linen-blend ones look like a great bargain.
—Boden’s 25% off Everything Sale
Now is a great time to scoop up savings at Boden as everything, literally everything is on sale for 25%. Use promo code VMJG at checkout. One item that immediately caught my eye are these flat-front linen pants (I am not a fan of pleated fronts). They come in three lengths as well (the longest offering a 32.5″ inseam), and with their wide-leg design can be dressed up or down while providing wonderful comfort and cool in the summer months.
Belgravia Linen Pants, many colors, flat front, three different length
—Brooks Brothers’ Classic-Fit Non-Iron Stretch Supima® Cotton Dress Shirt
Earlier this week, the Signature Style series continued with Part Quatre/Four where we talked all about Button-Up Shirts and How to Get the Right Size, Fit and Style. Along with 23 ideas for styling, how to care for and a brand where I recently picked up a few shirts I love, brands were shared, and one was Brooks Brothers. Below is their version of the Oxford shirt (they have many other styles).
—COS’s Oversized Short-Sleeved Linen Shirt, three colors
A linen-shirt for oversized style and staying cool during the warm days of summer, as well as available at a great price.
Since we mentioned Faherty above regarding the memoir Selfish, I wanted to include an item from their site. This tank would be a perfect layering piece.
—Frank & Eileen’s Eilen Thin Navy Yellow Stripe shirt
If yellow and a subtle tip of the hat to classic style with a thin navy stripe are grabbing your attention, this shirt will bring the sunshine to any wardrobe.
—Shirtini’s Grace White Eyelet Dress
And an investment find, but a classic one at that, this summer dress will be a go-to you can depend on for years to come.
A bustle of a week here at Le Papillon, and the weather helped out as it was cold and blustery outside. Encouraged to remain indoors, much work was done and shared on the blog with a detailed Part Quatre of the Signature Style series, and Sharon Santoni’s interview for the podcast shared on Wednesday. On top of that, I am tickled to know that the first proof of Savoring the Sojourn is now ready to be shipped for visual approval! Wahoo! Soon, I will be sharing that moment with you when it arrives. I cannot wait!
I hope this week went well, and whether traveling at just the right pace, a bit too much, or not enough, my wish is that you still found moments throughout to catch your breath and be reminded of how well you are doing. Often when stress is buzzing beyond our control, we focus on what isn’t as we would prefer in our own lives, but I am confident there is much that brings you a smile when you think about it and how well things are going that we may forget to be grateful for.
It is mid-April already, just past actually, and that means the heart of spring is upon us. Even though we received a skiff of snow a couple of nights ago and maybe will have a bit more this weekend, the days are wonderfully longer, and soon the farmers’ markets will open here in Bend. Speaking of farmers’ markets, if you have been curious to enroll in TSLL’s Intro to French Cooking and are looking to cook with the seasons with ease, soon I will be offering a discount on the course as a way of celebrating the new farmers’ market season beginning. BUT! It will only be for a few days, so make sure you are receiving TSLL’s newsletters (weekly, monthly or books & online Courses).
And now to the weekend we go! May you have a book or magazine to pour through leisurely and entirely unrushed, a meal to tickle the taste buds, and of course, oodles of everyday moments to savor. Until Sunday, bonne journée!
~Thank you Janet B. for bringing this link to our attention for fellow Francophiles to explore – The best French podcasts for every level [France Today]
~What is the overview effect and how can it benefit our daily approach to living well? [Positive Presciption]
~Where in Paris to find the many vibrant spring blooms in the city’s gardens [Sortir à Paris]
~Architectural Digest shares a spring cleaning checklist for the home.
~5 simple ways to support bees and butterflies (the pollinators!) in your garden. [Real Simple]
~While we may not need motivation to exercise, just knowing the science behind how it helps our mental health and well-being is great knowledge to become aware of as we get to know our bodies and minds better. [VeryWell]
~We’ve all heard of book clubs. Well, how about a cookbook club? Sounds like a delicious idea to me ☺️ [Wit & Delight]
~Step into Mary Berry’s garden and discover which she prefers more, cooking or gardening. Thank you Sue from UK for sharing this video with me 🙂 [Roots podcast, The RHS]
~Heading to the gastronomical capital of the world? That would be Lyon, of course, not Paris, and this is a list of restaurants to dine at according to a French chef who knows. [CN Traveler]
~How to host a French-inspired apéro [Frenchly]
~Home Tour of the Week: Located in Hamstead, and continuing to honor its artistic heritage, this Georgian townhouse is a gem full of inspiration. I am loving the green stove in the kitchen and how statements are made throughout the house without saying it too loudly. Enjoy the tour. [House & Garden UK]
~This is a Gardening Show, yet not your typical gardening show. Comedian Zach Galifianakis stars in this new series premiering on Netflix April 22nd. And as you might imagine, he is taking his own approach to inspiring us to explore gardening. Whatever it takes to get more people to think about their food and caring for Mother Earth, and a few laughs along the way will be shared as well I have a feeling. Have a look at the trailer below.
~Explore last week’s edition of This & That, April 10th
Travel will definitely be on the mind after more than a few of the finds this week, with a series taking us to France, a first-of-its-kind fashion exhibit in London, a new film that takes us to Scotland, and a rom-com that carries us away to Tuscany. Plus, there are quite a few books – the importance of three different types of friendships, a new cosy mystery series from a well-established British crime writer, a deep dive into French culinary history from an expert writer on the subject, plus many more titles. Also, if you are looking for a spring trench, and one at a very nice price, you are in the right place. This is all just a taste because there is much more to discover. Enjoy perusing!
~Please note: TSLL is supported by you, readers who take the time to stop by (merci!), peruse, and sometimes welcome into your life the mentioned and recommended finds. Affiliate links are present in this post and may earn commissions for TSLL when you make a purchase. View TSLL’s full Privacy Policy here.
