Anglophiles, are you ready? So, so much to explore and share. And yes, Francophiles I have some great finds for you this week from a must-see art exhibit if you happen to be in Paris in the coming months, as well as a new satirical film by a director whose previous work I thoroughly enjoyed. Viewers of PBS Masterpiece will have no shortage of new series to watch beginning this Sunday and with sales on vintage and consignment finds at a go-to online shop for both décor and clothing, as well as a much-anticipated new film that is prompting much Oscar-buzz, a book about our relationship with money and our wellbeing, timeless clothing finds for both women and men (I have my eye on this new wool-cashmere blend sweater from a trusted designer and perhaps you will as well if you love to cozy in, but bring a softer color to the autumn darker tones), this week’s T & T is brimming over with items worth exploring.

Books

—Five Steps to Financial Wellbeing: How changing your relationship with money can change your whole life by Clare Seal

I am a little early on this one, but with the holiday season quickly approaching, this book may go under the radar, and it is worth checking out. Being released on November 22nd from Clare Seal who lives in Bath, England, it was her IG account @myfrugalyear that sparked her first book, Real Life Money: An honest guide to taking control of your finances as she shares how she changed her relationship with money with great success. Her new book Five Steps to Financial Wellbeing shares the “fundamentals of a healthy relationship with money, from building self-worth to tackling consumerism. Five Steps to Financial Wellbeing is a toolkit to help readers of all ages and life stages establish a healthy, positive relationship with money. It also covers how to avoid problem debt, save and invest for the future and above all, take control of your finances”.

—The Romantic by William Boyd

Released last month, The Romantic was recommended and reviewed recently in The Financial Times, and upon reading that it is based on the true story of Cashel Ross – “a 19th century soldier, farmer, writer and felon who fought at Waterloo and may or may not have met Byron and Shelley”, William Boyd uses Ross’s intriguing life to weave a story that critics are praising.

—The Socialite’s Guide to Murder (a Pinnacle Hotel Mystery) by S.K. Golden

Released this past Tuesday, The Socialite’s Guide to Murder is set in “1958 and Evelyn Elizabeth Grace Murphy has not left the Pinnacle Hotel in fourteen months. She suffers from agoraphobia, and what’s more, it’s her father’s hotel, and everything she needs is there . . . Evelyn’s knack for sleuthing—and her playful imagination—are always hard at work, and she throws an elaborate party at the hotel where every guest is a suspect.”

British Finds

—Annika, Season 1, PBS Masterpiece

This Sunday is an impressive day of premieres on PBS Masterpiece, and one series premiere stars Nicola Walker. Enjoy six episodes of Annika, a new one being released each Sunday (I watch mine on PBS Passport for free with my OPB Membership, but you can also stream PBS Masterpiece with a small steaming fee on Amazon Prime or wherever you stream your favorite shows). “Annika stars as DI Annika Strandhed, the speedboat-driving head of Glasgow’s newly-formed Marine Homicide Unit, who juggles baffling cases and a rebellious teenage daughter.” Critics of both The Guardian and The Times have applauded this series where Walker plays a savvy detective who is reliably successful at her job, but it is the juggling of life with a teenager that causes more drama that leaves her baffled. Have a look at the trailer below.

—Doc Martin, Season 10 premiere (final season), AcornTV

The final season of Doc Martin kicks on this Monday October 17th after a long anticipated wait. While I have only watched a few episodes of this series, it is beloved and the characters are a hoot. Perhaps I need to sit down and watch a few more. The setting of course has my attention and awe, set in north Cornwall, Port Isaac to be exact, near my first stay in the English countryside, this small town reminds me so much of the landscape and life I saw and enjoyed (well, maybe not the antics that are shared on the show, but the natural aesthetics☺️). Have a look at the trailer and enjoy watching and savoring this final season.

—Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman

In 2016 the stage and screen and those who loved him lost Alan Rickman all too soon. Younger generations will recognize him from the Harry Potter films, and for me it is his lesser-known films, more than a few starring alongside fellow British actor Emma Thompson who contributes to his posthumous memoir Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman. Being released this coming Tuesday, Rickman in his own words “takes us inside his home, on trips with friends across the globe, and on the sets of films and plays ranging from Sense and Sensibility, to Noël Coward’s Private Lives, to the final film he directed, A Little Chaos.” If you haven’t yet watched A Little Chaos, I highly recommend it and in fact wrote a detailed post about the film a couple of years ago that stars Kate Winslett, Rickman plays a supporting role.

—Magpie Murders, PBS Masterpiece & BritBox

Begin watching the first of six episodes of Magpie Murders this Sunday on PBS Masterpiece (it premiered on BritBox earlier this year), a series “adapted from Anthony Horowitz’s bestselling mystery by the author himself, Magpie Murders stars Lesley Manville (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris) as editor turned amateur sleuth Susan Ryeland and Tim McMullan (Patrick Melrose, Foyle’s War) as world-famous detective Atticus Pünd.”

—Miss Scarlet and The Duke, season 2 (and news about season 3!)

See what I mean! Three new premieres on one night on PBS, and it is Miss Scarlet & The Duke I think I have been most anticipating. Enjoy six episodes of the new season on PBS Masterpiece beginning this coming Sunday at 9pm. And! And! I have some exciting news! Season 3 will kick off on January 8, 2023, so we won’t have to wait long to continue to enjoy the chemistry and sleuthing of Kate Phillips as Miss Scarlet and Stuart Martin as the Duke as they go about their work and lives in Victorian Era, London. Have a look at the trailer below for Season 2.

Film

—Till

Being released in select theaters this weekend and nation-wide at the end of October, Till depicts the heart-breaking true story that is about the young Emmett Till and his tragic death. The film centers around Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley and her “relentless pursuit of justice for her 14 year old son, Emmett Till, who, in 1955, was lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. In Mamie’s poignant journey of grief turned to action, we see the universal power of a mother’s ability to change the world.” Have a look at the trailer below.

Francophile Find

—Monet-Mitchell Art Exhibit

Over the weekend I was listening to one of the podcasts I enjoy tuning in to, A Week in Art, and in the most recent episode, they gave listeners an audio tour of the exhibit Monet-Mitchell‘s curator Suzanne Pagé, “an exhibition bringing together the Impressionist Claude Monet and the post-war American abstract painter Joan Mitchell, at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. Located on the second floor of the Fondation Louis Vuitton (8, Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi Bois de Boulogne, 75116 Paris), stop by now through February 27, 2023, to see the striking similarities between the two artists, but each with their distinctive individual approach. Have a look at the video below to learn more and be sure to tune in to the podcast episode above. I found it insightful, fascinating and informative.

—Happiness: The Art of Togetherness by Ines de la Fressange

I had the opportunity to receive a review copy of Ines de la Fressange’s new book (author of best selling Parisian Chic) that is being released next week Happiness: The Art of Togetherness, and it is full of colorful visuals, playful and genuine ideas to remind us of the priceless value of gathering, spending time with one another and because she is Ines de la Fressange, adding a bit of French je ne said quoi throughout. “Friendship has always been Ines’s refuge, and her deepest personal growth has come through her closest relationships. She can attest that surrounding yourself with the right people is the secret for finding joy and navigating the high and low points with equal grace . . . Ines has compiled everything that brings her happiness through her various relationships. She shares how she nurtures those connections, combining advice with lifestyle tips to get you through every day: from style to sharing meals to simple wellness pleasures like goal setting, gratitude, and letting go.”

—Sans Filtre (English title, Triangle of Sadness)

A couple of years ago I watched writer and director Ruben Östlund’s Force Majeure (2014), a dark comedy set in the high French alps centered around marital unrest. I thoroughly enjoyed it for its smart writing, creative setting and letting the viewer be a thinker and appreciate the subtle details that not only are revealed in the dialogue but the setting as well. Now Östlund has created Sans Filter (Without Filter) or the English-title, Triangle of Sadness which was his second Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered earlier this summer. A satirical story-line poking fun at a wide-range of cultural ‘norms’, the setting is a cruise for the super-rich that sinks thus leaving survivors, including a fashion model celebrity couple, trapped on an island.” Let the mayhem ensue. But why the English title, Triangle of Sadness? As you will see in the trailer below, models play a significant role in this film (and those who are more than a bit vain), and the triangle of sadness is “the patch of skin between the eyebrows, which a model might manipulate to express emotion or Botox to suppress it”. Have a look at the trailer below to see what it is all about and look for it in theaters now having been released on October 7th.

Shopping

—1st Dibs Fall Sale, 40% off

Treasure hunting for vintage and consignment finds has given discovery to more than a handful of items in my own home, and a few were found on 1st Dibs. Currently, they are having their Fall Sale, marking thousands of items off by up to 40%. I have shopped a few below, and while 1st Dibs is often known for its décor, they have some worth-exploring fashion finds as well. But be sure to haggle a bit on the price. Don’t purchase the asking price immediately. You never know unless you ask.

–SHOP MORE FINDS:

—&Sons Pioneer British Wool Cardigan, Grey (save 20% of first purchase)

—Joseph Luxe Cardigan Stitch V-Neck Jumper (horizon blue)

—Kemsley Jacket, Veronica Beard

—Veronica Beard Lisa Stiletto-Heel Bootie (three colors)

—Vince Crimped Wool Skirt in Navy

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Time outside has been more frequent these past two weeks as Norman and I spend as much time as we can outside with Little One. Now 11-weeks old, the fresh air and calm temperatures have been a helpful and welcomed surprise, and as such we spend a lot of time pottering about in the garden. Yesterday, we went outside to pick some dahlias for a fresh bouquet as I still cannot get over the beauty they are offering. As I have shared recently, normally we have had our first frost by now, and if that had been the case, these flowers would not be possible, but it hasn’t arrived it, so we do have these blooms and I am savoring them every single day (and watching the forecast to make sure when the first frost is predicted, I go out and bring in all of the blooms that I can).

I hope you have had a wonderful week, and the weekend ahead is looking bright and relaxing. Thank you for stopping by today, and below find many articles, one short but delicious video and a few other tidbits I think you might enjoy. Until tomorrow, when a new episode of The Simply Luxurious Kitchen cooking show is shared, bonne journée.

~A big thank you to long-time TSLL reader Sarah from Australia for sharing this article with me – Monty Don: Meet the new loves of my life and a second article about how his new puppy Ned is a reminder of his beloved Nigel [The Sunday Times, subscription needed]

~How to adjust to a new routine if you are an introvert and the change is not chosen [Introvert, Dear]

~Take a tour of a Victorian-Era sanctuary in London, the home of Rita Ora’s, full of vintage finds partnered with modern touches [Architectural Digest]

~Speaking of vintage, The Princess of Wales wore a vintage Chanel jacket recently and reminded me of the power of understated being dependably chic. Turns out the Princess is a ‘long-standing vintage fan’. [Vogue UK]

—How and why nature is the ultimate ‘release valve’ for HSPs [Highly Sensitive Refuge]

~The one question therapists don’t often ask, but should [Positive Prescription]

~What to do in your garden in October [House & Garden UK]

~The November cover of Vogue UK and the entire issue is dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II.

~How to rest your brain for a much-needed break [LifeHack]

~A detailed profile piece on Alexa Chung: How I Found My Personal Style [The Financial Times, may require a subscription, weekend edition]

~November 9th is nearing, which means the return of The Crown! Here is a peek from British Vogue.

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A post shared by British Vogue (@britishvogue)

~How to use conscious communication to build positive relationships [LifeHack]

~The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel began taping their final season, and Midge (aka Rachel Brosnahan) is the cover girl of Town & Country magazine this month. Here is the profile piece where they talk about all things Maisel and more.

~I was introduced to Dame Angela Lansbury when I began watching Murder, She Wrote at a very young age with my mother. It was one of my favorite television series. Here was a woman, a retired teacher, living on her own who was intelligent, strong, savvy and enjoying her life. I was immediately drawn to this, and at the time, didn’t know why. When I learned of her passing earlier this week at the age of 96, and read the quote you see below, it encapsulated why her role, in a series that ran for 12 seasons, held and still holds my attention.

“She told Fresh Air’s Terry Gross that she was ‘happily trapped’ in the role of Jessica Fletcher, the mystery novelist who solved a murder every week.

“Being Jessica was second nature to me because she embodied all of the qualities that I like about women,” Lansbury said. “She was valiant and liberal and athletic and exciting and sexy and all kinds of good stuff that women are — of a certain age and are not given credit for.”

—NPR, Angela Lansbury, beloved star of the stage and screen, has died at 96

~And to tempt your tastebuds (and a boulangerie and patisserie to visit if you’re in the 11th arrondissement in Paris), from The French Bastards, their Opera Cake.

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A post shared by THE FRENCH BASTARDS (@the_french_bastards)

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~Explore last week’s This & That: October 7, 2022

~Please note: TSLL is supported by you, readers who take the time to stop by (merci!), peruse and sometimes welcome into your life mentioned and recommended finds. Affiliate links are present in today’s post and may earn commissions for TSLL when you purchase. View TSLL’s full Privacy Policy here.