Quite a few films are premiering, and some are generating murmurs of possible Oscar nominations. The holiday specials for Anglophiles are just around the corner, clothing for timeless style and cozying in, some available at steep savings, and a new biopic of a great rivalry kicks off today in the UK. All of this and still, there is more. 

Books

—Evensong: A Novel by Stewart O’Nan

Described as the “king of the quotidian”, novelist Stewart O’Nan’s new novel Evensong was recently praised in The Financial Times, and upon reading the review, I wanted to introduce it to you as I think you might enjoy it. Set in Pittsburgh, this indomitable group of women, self-named as The Humpty Dumpy Club, “navigates their own relationships and aging bodies and attending choir practice . . . They bake cookies, they care for pets, they pick up prescriptions, they sit vigil by the sick, and most of all, they show up for the people they’ve pledged to help. In the face of death, divorce, and the myriad directions our lives can take, the Humpty Dumpty club represents the power of community and chosen family.”

—Frequently Happy: 52 Mindful Moments to Bring Hope and Joy by David Larbi

Released in September, a book of weekly meditations from poet David Larbi, Frequently Happy “reminds us that in every season of life and the year, there is the possibility for joy―if only we would claim it.”

British Finds

—Beyond Paradise, Christmas special, BritBox

Get ready for Britmas on BritBox, and on Sunday, December 21st for those in the UK, tune to BBC One for the Christmas Special with Humphrey and the crew as they go about solving a creative crime in Devon. And in no time at all, on December 24th, the episode is available on Britbox.

—The Choral

While already released in the UK, Ralph Fiennes leads The Choral in its premiere here in the States on December 25th. Have one more look at the trailer below. I am looking forward to watching this one.

—Death in Paradise, Christmas special, BritBox

Season 15 kicks off in Saint Marie with Death in Paradise’s Christmas Special. Look for it to premiere on December 28th on BBC One, and then a day later on BritBox, December 29th. Look for the rest of the 15th season to kick off in early 2026, likely in January (I’ll be sure to share when the official date is known).

—Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius, BritBox

I have been waiting for this limited series to come to BritBox, and finally, it arrived this week! In three episodes, this bio-pic shares the early life, the struggles, and then how Jane Austen became the celebrated author we know today.

—London cap, three colors

Film

—Goodbye June

In Kate Winslett’s directorial debut, she has quite the impressive cast (including herself) to work with in Goodbye June (including herself!). Helen Mirren stars as the matriarch on the cusp of death whose unexpected health news prompts the assembling of “a group of fractured siblings who must come together under sudden and trying circumstances.” Have a look at the traier below and look for it to premiere in theaters today.

–Is This Thing On?

Directed and co-written by Bradley Cooper, Will Arnett (also a co-writer), Laura Dern, and Andra Day star in Is This Thing On?, a film capturing the unraveling of a marriage as Alex (Arnett) faces middle age and divorce and decides to seek a new purpose in the New York comedy scene. Meanwhile, his wife Tess (Dern) confronts sacrifices made for their family, forcing them to navigate co-parenting and identities.” Have a look at the trailer below and look for it in theaters beginning today.

—Marty Supreme

Oscar buzz is already happening for Timothy Chalamet again with his starring role in a film loosely based on the colorful American table tennis star Marty Reisman. Marty Supreme, set in the 1950s, follows Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream no one respects, who goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness. After having a look at the trailer, this film looks like quite the ride. Find it in theaters beginning Christmas Day.

Francophile Finds

—Lonely Planet: French Phrasebook 2026 Day-to-Day Calendar

A new year and a new calendar to begin it with while also improving our French language skills! Each page of this daily desktop calendar features a useful French word and phrase focused on travel-related topics such as language learning, social interactions, safe travel, dining, and menu decoding. 

—Paris Baseball Cap

I mentioned above how I have been wearing and loving (during spring and summer) my Paris cloth baseball cap, and here it is! While there is now an additional Paris cap available with bigger font and navy in color, the original one is ivory with navy embroidery.

Garden

—Gardeners’ World Winter Specials, BritBox

To tide us gardeners over until March, GW has again thankfully provided four Winter Specials, each an hour long, and for us in the states, they will become available on December 31st. For those in the UK, the first three are already available on BBC.

Shopping

—Narrow Tray with Glass Bottom, Cassandra’s Kitchen

A simple, but well-designed tray to serve a variety of treats and tea time ideas upon. Having and regularly using the rectangular size of this tray, I appreciate the sturdiness the removable glass bottom gives the tray, and with it being unattached, it is easy to clean as well.

—Jimmy Farley’s The Loulou glasses, two sizes available

I learned about this brand and then found these frames after reading the FT article shared in last week’s T&T. Nice and wide, and in a timeless color, the Loulou frames have caught my eye and maybe yours as well 😉.

—Lilysilk’s Amalfi Stripe Silk Shirt, three colors, 30% off

Classic, drapes nicely, and easy to dress up or down. Prepare for spring and summer with this wardrobe staple and save 30% off. 

—Naadam’s Super Luxe Cashmere Fair Isle Crewneck, two colors

—Sir/Madam Cat Fauna Grand Cup

For only $24, add some personality to your sipping rituals. “The detailed cat illustration adorning this generous vessel is taken from a vintage metal etching plate. Each cup’s interior rim is embellished with a colorful repetition of the beloved animal’s name in four languages: English, Spanish, French, and Italian.”

Television

—Amadeus, Sky

UK viewers, your opportunity to watch this much-anticipated new rendition of Amadeus begins today. For us here in the States, no date is set as of yet, but I have a feeling it will become available soon. 

Based on Peter Shaffer’s award-winning stage play (which was then adapted into a film of the same name, winning multiple Academy Awards), this new adaptation by Joe Barton (Black Doves, Giri/Haji, The Lazarus Project) takes it to an entirely new level. It is important to note that this rivalry, as it is depicted, is dramatized and based on nothing more than creative imagination (and there is indeed, an immense amount of creativity, raunch, some have described it, and much fun as well), but the truth remains, the two musicians’ worlds are strikingly different, and thus the tension existed. 

The new adaptation, made for TV, is a limited series consisting of five episodes. It reimagines “the meteoric rise and mythic downfall of one of history’s most iconic composers — and rockstar virtuoso of the 18th century, Wolfgang ‘Amadeus’ Mozart.

“When twenty-five-year-old Amadeus arrives in bustling 18th Century Vienna, no longer a child prodigy and craving creative freedom, his world collides with two pivotal figures: his fiercely loyal future wife, Constanze Weber, and devoutly religious court composer, Antonio Salieri. As Amadeus’ brilliance continues to flourish in spite of his personal demons, a questionable reputation, and scepticism from the conservative court, Salieri becomes increasingly tormented by this apparent divine gift. Amadeus is a threat to all that he holds dear in life: his talent, his reputation, even his faith in God, Salieri vows to bring him down. What begins as professional rivalry turns into a deeply personal obsession spanning 30 years, culminating in a murder confession and a desperate attempt to entwine himself with Mozart’s legacy forever.”

Learn more about the cast here, and have a look at the trailer below and look for it to premiere today on Sky in the UK. 

---

Happy Friday! The Friday before many of us will be hitting the road, train or air, welcoming guests, cooking and baking special fare – and most definitely enjoying special fare. And soon, if not already, slowing down to savor it all. 

It is also the final This & That in 2025, because beginning next week (there will be one more post – look for Monday’s Motivational post to be shared on the 22^nd), I take my annual week off from posting anything new. EXCEPT, programming note of reminder: On Friday the 26^th, the annual Favorite Books of the Year (view past lists here) will be shared, and on Saturday the 27^th, the Top Posts in each main category will be shared (explore past Top Posts here).  And while the weekly newsletter will resume on Friday January 2^nd, the monthly newsletter will be delivered as scheduled on December 31^st. 

With all of that shared, how are you doing this holiday season? This week was full of content here on TSLL – a new podcast episode sharing the importance of regularly enjoyed solitude regardless of one’s relationship status (and how to tailor it to your needs), the Petit Plaisir is a holiday film set in London I quite enjoyed watching last week, and TOP Tier Members had the Ponderings . . . post full of clothing finds for lovers of tartan, argyle and tweed (plus other thoughts to ponder about an honesty cupboard for pups? Yep, that too is pondered – thank you Nicola for introducing me to this term). 

And a follow-up and moment to celebrate because it means we are one significant step closer to publishing TSLL’s 4^th book – the illustration for the cover is complete! Sarah Lœcker has done it again, and I cannot wait for you to see it. I am now sending all the cover details (title, design, illustration, layout, etc.) to my trusted graphic designer so that the reveal can be shared early in 2026. 

Nelle and I have been walking, writing (me, and she snuggles next to me), and savoring the everyday routine, and I may or may not have watched quite a few episodes of Emily in Paris/Rome already. My neighbors have been spoiling me with baked goods, so much discipline is needed, and admittedly, it is getting weaker and weaker with each treat that arrives. But what a delightful dilemma to have, generous kind neighbors who want to feed you!  

Oh goodness, I cannot quite believe how close we are to concluding 2025. Thank you for being part of TSLL community, from stopping by and exploring what is shared in your favorite regular postings, leaving a comment to connect or share what spoke to you, expressing support and celebration for fellow readers of TSLL or simply by making time to visit to see what will pique your interest. You each make up the reason that TSLL is such a special place online, because it truly is. Your contribution in which ever way you are inspired to contribute makes it so. Mille mercis. 🙂

Enjoy the holiday weekend, and until Monday, may your smile be prompted to appear frequently, may time spent cozying in soothe your being, and may oodles of everyday moments be savored. Bonne journée et joyeuses fêtes ! 

~These Bûche de Noëls (or Yule Logs) are almost too gorgeous to eat . . . almost 😉 [Do It in Paris]

~The best gardening advice these top British gardeners never received, and they wish someone had told them. [Gardens Illustrated]

~Watch and learn from Jane Bertch (founder of La Cuisine Paris) how to make the French holiday cheese – Mont d’Or chauffé. [France Today]

~Learn more about a 7-day wine trip via train around France. [Travel + Leisure]

~Five simple, yet intentional things people in happy relationships do [VeryWell Mind]

~For a special trip to London, save these 9 Best AirBnBs in the city—you may not want to come home.  [Architectural Digest]

~Adhere to just this one eating habit, and see your health change for the better. [zen habits] TSLL’s Intro to French Cooking class (online, and self-paced) shows you the skils and simple approach to everyday deliciousness.

~The 7 alternatives French women are wearing when not wearing jeans. [Who, What, Wear, UK]

~And to conclude our This & Thats for the year, a video that many of you sent my way, and I am so grateful. Intermarché’s (a French supermarket chain) holiday ad “Le mal aimé”. Rest assured, a smile awaits to be experienced, and there is no need to fear the lupine/wolf). Enjoy! (Learn more about the ad‘s creation and how it became a sensation well beyond France.)

---

~Explore last week’s edition of This & That: December 12th

~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.