A new exhibit in Paris to put on your calendars if you are traveling to the city this autumn, books on beauty and fame, British history, restarting a life in the south of France, a mystery set in Paris, and an exploration into a favorite international sport. Three, yep, I am going to say it, brilliant films to make you think about a variety of different aspects of life and its purpose, but each in their own creative way. And clothing finds for your fall capsule wardrobe. Still, there is more!

Art

—Monet: Painting Time, Musée de l’Orangerie

If you will be in Paris this autumn or winter, while you will of course be able to view Monet’s Les Nymphéas at L’Orangerie, which I couldn’t recommend more highly (view my video tour here), the museum will also be having a limited-time exhibit focusing on his body of work’s relationship to time. “A selection of almost forty of Monet’s paintings, mostly from the Musée d’Orsay’s and Musée Marmottan Monet’s collections, along with loans from French and international public and private collections, will highlight these successive phases, with particular emphasis on the Nymphéas.” The exhibit opens on September 30th and runs through January 25th, 2027.

Books

—The Cruelest Game: Chasing Greatness in Professional Tennis by Matthew Futterman

With the US Tennis Open kicking off this Sunday, Matthew Futterman’s new book is a timely read. Released on August 6th, Futterman investigates the game itself by talking to the athletes, coaches and insiders in the know of what it takes to partake, let alone win in this demanding sport. “From private practice courts to the tunnels beneath the major tournament stadiums, from training academies to faraway wartorn hometowns, Futterman sits us down with the stars whose relentless drive leads them to battle against a game of millimeters, and explains the off-court tensions that can both lift and destroy them.”

—Life of M: A Novel by Rachel Cusk 

This novel has been talked about for quite a while, and finally it will be released next week. The story centers around M, a movie star who is “one of the most recognizable faces of our time. Her image is everywhere. It has been like that since she was a child . . . Now, a writer has decided to pay close attention to M’s life in the hope of understanding who she really is. It is hard not to feel ugly next to M, hard not to feel insignificant. But what truths―about the very experience of living―might this proximity allow the writer to briefly capture? And at every turn, Cusk contemplates the cost of this beauty―and what we might lose when we are hypnotized by it.”

British Finds

—Churchill and the Crown by Ted Powell 

Another book is about to be released about Winston Churchill’s close ties with the Royals throughout his entire life. I recently read Winston and the Windsors and quite enjoyed it, so I am curious how this new book Churchill and the Crown will be different. And it seems this is what is unique and has now piqued my curiosity to want to pick up and read it, “At the core of the book is a series of studies of Churchill’s relationships with the monarchs he served. These studies offer a two-way perspective, examining both Churchill’s view of individual monarchs and their attitudes towards him. They shed light not only on Churchill’s career but also on the changing role of the monarchy in 20th century Britain.”

“Churchill and the Crown tells the story of Churchill’s relationship with the various kings and queens he served during his long political career, from young journalist under Edward VII, through his dramatic fall from grace in the First World War under George V, the frustrations of appeasement during the interwar period and his relationship with Edward VIII during the abdication crisis of 1936, culminating in his Finest Hour in the Second World War under George VI and the coda of Churchill’s public service to his final monarch: Queen Elizabeth II.

—Dibor’s Fleur de Lys Green Wine Goblet, sets available

—The Good Ship Murder, season 3, BritBox

A new season is now available for Premier members on Britbox and will be available for all to watch come this Tuesday, August 25th. With eight new episodes, cruise around the Mediterranean, solving crimes on land and sea as you do.

—Ludwig series soundtrack

Film

—&Sons

Bill Nighy stars as a famous, now notoriously reclusive writer, who, as he nears death, tries to reconnect with his sons after having a breakdown while giving a eulogy at his oldest friend’s funeral. Based on the novel by David Gilbert of the same name released more than 10 years ago, the plot is set primarily in Manhattan with the sons of A. N. Dyer (Nighy), living their own lives in California and New York. Have a look at the trailer below and look for it in theaters beginning today.

—How to Divorce During War

This film is a must-watch. A satirical portrayal of everyday life and its common stresses, with the backdrop of the war between Russia and Ukraine that indirectly hopes to prompt perspective adjustments in its viewing audience. The film won the award for Best Director in the World Cinema Dramatic category at Sundance earlier this year. Set in Russia just before the war begins and then as the war unfolds. Have a look at the trailer and find it in select theaters beginning today.

—Tony

Critics are praising Dominic Sessa for his portrayal of a young Anthony Bourdain in the film Tony, as well as Antonio Banderas’s portrayal of the Chef who takes a young Bourdain under his wing. The film draws directly, although with some liberties and additions, from Bourdain’s own memoir, Kitchen Confidential, which was published in 2007. Focusing solely on one summer, “a 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain travels to Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen, setting off a summer that will shape the course of his life.” Read NPR’s review here to learn more about the details of the film and why it isn’t entirely true to life, but does a more than decent job of telling a story about a man so many miss dearly.

Francophile Find

—Arbiters of Style: The New Wave of French Interior Design by Eugenia Santiesteban Soto

Since we are just coming off the 11th Annual French Week, and also now heading back into our regular schedules of work and school, settling back into our homes to support our life that has a bit more bustle, I thought this book would offer some dreamy inspiration from French interior designers themselves. “The twenty-one French designers in Arbiters of Style are leading a bold new charge in the decorative arts: fluent in architecture, but fluent in feeling, too; refreshingly unafraid of color; obsessed with sculptural form; and confident enough to let a single perfect gesture speak volumes. They are proving that the most profound luxury isn’t about having more – it’s about knowing exactly what to leave out.

“Illustrated with nearly 200 color photographs, [readers step into] interiors in private residences across France, from Paris and Ormesson-sur-Marne to far-flung holiday locales such as Cap Ferret, the Pyrenees, Biarritz, Île de Ré, and Saint-Tropez.”

—Gerard Darel’s Pochette en cuir, enveloppe (three colors)

A timeless envelope handbag, and at a fair price as well.

—The River Muse: A Novel by Laura Resau 

Set at a cottage that is rented out on on the grounds of a French chateau with a protagonist who is escaping an ex-boyfriend with her young child in tow, Callie arrives in a secluded village in the south of France to discover friendship, community and the opportunity to rediscover herself. Add in a drop of mysticism and Mother Nature’s magic, and the story looks delightful.

—Season Outside the Frame: A Novel of Art, Obsession, and Revelation by Laurence McHale 

A BIG thank you Vlatka, winner of the French Week’s newsletter giveaway, for introducing us to this French-based new book. 🙂

Season Outside the Frame is a mystery and one that begins in 1988 in Paris when French painter Claire Dubois sets out on a boat on the Seine and never comes back. “Decades later, Sorbonne art historian Elise Moreau sets out to dismantle that story. In Claire’s private journals she finds an artist nothing like the myth, and what begins as research hardens into obsession. Elise wants to rescue Claire from the critics, dealers and lovers who read the paintings as symptoms of a breakdown. The deeper she goes after Claire’s elusive season outside the frame, the more her own life comes apart.” This just looks absolutely fascinating. Remerci Vlatka!

—Sézane’s Fall Collection, debuts on August 23rd

The new Fall collections are now available, and Sézane’s will be in just two short days. Have a peek at a few of the items below.

Shopping

—Buck Mason’s At Ease Cotton Cropped Deck Jacket, three colors available

Cropped jackets continue to be ubiquitous options in collections, and when the ‘cropped’ isn’t too, they really are a classic that will stand the test of time. Of course, with any jacket, hitting our desired waist point is key, and this At Ease jacket looks like it may just be perfect for a wide swath of folks.

—Combelle’s Antique white cotton-viscose blend top

A touch of retro, harkening back to the 1920s, a touch of timelessness, and a flattering design to wear on its own or layered underneath a suit or blazer.

—COS’ Striped Cotton-Silk high-collar shirt, ivory & brown

Loving this silk-blend striped shirt. A classic with a modern touch.

—Fabrique’s Harper Ruched Crop Trench Coat in cotton

An ideal cropped trench jacket perhaps. And at a fair price for an item you will wear for many years to come.

—Fabrique’s Lark Contrast Stitch Barrel leg jeans in cotton denim

Fabrique has some great dark denim trousers, and this, while technically a jean, is on trend with its barrel leg. Liking the contrast stitching as well.

—The Frankie Shop’s Jet Wool Slim tailored trousers, light taupe

A tailored leg to hit at just above the ankle, these trousers remind me of something Vanessa Emme’s character (DS Layla Walsh) would wear in The Chelsea Detective. BTW, I am quite enjoying the latest season of the show. Can’t believe the last episode is on Monday!

Television

—Stucky, MHzChoice

Okay, so I know this one is Italian, but I know there are some Italophiles in our community. AND if you love the mystery series Columbo (long-running in the US from 1968-2003, starring Peter Falk), as France and French shows regularly allude to it/him in other current-day series, I had to introduce you to this new series on MHzchoice. Stucky is the Italian version of Columbo, directly inspired by the original. Modern-day, set in the northeastern town of Treviso, Stucky (Giuseppe Battiston) is an unorthodoxed inspector who solves crimes using his keen observational and relationship skills rather than the typical, bureaucratic approach. Throw in scenes at his favorite haunt at his friend’s trattoria for dinner and a glass of wine, and picturesque settings, and I think you’ll enjoy the first season (8 episodes). Have a look at the trailer.

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Happy Friday, and thank you for permitting me to take a few days off earlier this week following French Week as it gave me time to tend to all of the giveaways (which are all either en route or have already arrived! See all of them and our vast international winners list here), AND to tend to preparations for the publication day on Tuesday, August 25th, of Savoring the Sojourn!

We are SOOOO close now, and between ordering all of the preordered copies, receiving confirmation that the audio book will be available on Audible on the release day, and finalizing details with Roundabout Books for the book talk and signing on October 1st (the book will also be in the shop prior to the event so you can pick up your copy early – as soon as September 1st – and it will be signed!), and just double, triple and one hundrendth checking every little detail, we are ready! The book is out of my hands, and on Tuesday, you will be able to begin enjoying it, or as soon as your preordered copy arrives! Be sure to follow me on IG, as I will be sharing in my Stories when the preorders are officially sent out into the world to soar to your mailboxes!

Nelle has taken me on some wonderful walks and romps this past week, and we’ve also had some leisurely time in the garden, pottering about (captured in the above photo), adding a few new irises that arrived, AND seeing the window treatments put into place in the guest bedroom! Yep! You read that correctly, the window treatments – curtains/shades, rod and a French tieback I cannot wait to share with you are all in place and now to focus on the floor and the beds. So yes, progress – real progress is happening! So tickled with how it is coming together so far.

I hope this past week has gone well for you, and I want to thank everyone again for making this year’s French Week such a wonderful occasion. For all of your comments on the final post, I know I didn’t respond to any, as I put my head down and got to work on the giveaways, but your words of support and cheer for the winners brought a smile.

To the weekend we go and one of the few remaining weekends, unofficially, of summer to savor! Below are a few articles and videos I thought you might enjoy, and until Sunday, bonne journée !

~A wonderful read for ramblers and lovers of the British coastline – travel writer Paul Theroux shares his walk along the King Charles III England Coast path [NYTimes, gift link]

~This home in Cornwall, while having two bedrooms, is quite luxurious – the grounds, the interior – and it’s for sale. [Country Living]

~Home Cottage Tour of the Week! I want to go to this cottage on the Cornish coast and stay a good long while no matter the season. Oh, spend more than a bit of time in that inviting bathtub. With a luggage full of books, a pup and tea, I would be quite content. [House & Garden UK]

~A wonderful ‘problem’ to have to ponder — The enduring chicness of the ‘too many books’ aesthetic [House & Garden UK]

~How to care well for your garden during a hot summer [Gardeners’ World]

~Eat your eggs for improved brain cognition, according to this study. [Women’s Health]

~Nigella Lawson shares her beauty favorites that simplify her life [Financial Times, gift link]

~Speaking of Nigella . . . It won’t be long now! The new season of The Great British Bake-Off is coming soon with the teasers dropping all this week from each of the four hosts! [IG – GBBO]

~Two simple (and enjoyable) approaches for improved wellness and why they work, and the first one has long been talked about here on TSLL (check out my 1st book! as a daily practice recommended and enjoyed!). [Elle]

~If you are enjoying Tanya Reynolds who plays Alice on Ted Lasso, here is an interview where Jason Sudeikis shares why he chose her for the role.

~Is there a noticable difference between British and American table manners? If this list is accurate, there is quite telling differences. [Elle Decor, subscription may be required]

~Not only does France have La Rentrée in general, they also have La Rentrée Littéraire, and it’s about to begin. Learn more in this video from France TV (in English).

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~Explore last week’s edition of This & That: August 14th

~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.