Become a Member for as little as $4/mo and enjoy unlimited reading of TSLL blog.
Oodles of books this week, including three cookbooks, from cozy mysteries, fiction of noted praise, a new book about shifting what it means to Have It All that aligns beautifully with living a life of contentment, and still more titles. A new film takes us back to the mid-twentieth century in Hollywood, and another takes us to the early 21st century in France. Clothing to keep you warm and stylish —one item I just purchased, love —and it’s on an awesome discount! Still, there is much more, even a hint at the upcoming holiday season.
Books
—Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours by Corinne Low PhD
Earlier this week, I popped into the local bookshop and found quite a few books that I want to share with you. One is Having It All. A long overdue focus on what living a full life for women needs to shift to being. I captured in the photo below what the author Dr. Corrine Low suggests we shift to, and as you will notice, it aligns quite beautifully with what we talk about all the time here on TSLL.
“Wharton professor and economist Dr. Corinne Low unpacks the hidden factors that influence women’s decision-making, and how the unintended consequences of these choices alter the course of our lives. From when and whether to get married and (or) have children to what type of career to pursue, whether to obtain an advanced degree to where to live―Dr. Low explores questions such as:
• What if there is no optimal time to “have a family” but rather a slew of different considerations at different life stages?
• What if we approached decisions around marriage and partnership as rigorously as we would an employment opportunity?
• What if we valued our time in dollars and cents, and structured our lives around choices that give us the greatest return on our investments?”
Having It All was released back on September 23rd and is available now.
—Loved One: A Novel by Aisha Muharrar
A new novel (released in August) that has received praise as one of the best summer reads of the year, and one of the best books of 2025 so far, Loved One is a funny, wise, heartbreaking story about a woman journeying into the unknown in the wake of sudden loss from Emmy Award–winning writer Aisha Muharrar.
“When her first-love-turned-close-friend, Gabe, dies unexpectedly at twenty-nine, thirty-year-old Julia is launched into an intercontinental quest to recover his lost possessions. Her journey takes her from Los Angeles to London and into the murky realm of the past. It also sets Julia on a collision course with the last woman he loved, a guarded, self-possessed florist and restaurateur named Elizabeth, who insists on withholding Gabe’s beloved guitar—one of the departed indie rock musician’s dearest belongings—for reasons Julia can’t understand. Both women, it turns out, have something to hide, and soon find themselves engaged in a complex dance of withholding and revelation.”
“An emotional mystery spanning years, continents, and relationship statuses, Loved One asks us to consider questions such as How do we reconcile various—and sometimes contradictory—truths about those closest to us? And What happens when we admit that the deepest feelings never die?”
—A Novel Murder: A Mystery by E.C. Nevin
Released in June, this mystery novel looks like a fun read: “In the quaint English town of Hoslewit, the biggest names in crime writing have congregated to celebrate all things bookish and murderous. Author Jane Hepburn is determined to make her time at the Killer Lines festival worthwhile. But when Jane encounters the dead body of renowned (and reviled) literary agent Carrie Marks, the festival takes on a decidedly different tone.”
—The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things That Last by Jimmy Wales and Dan Gardner
Being released on Tuesday, the founders of Wikipedia have a book about something we all most likely want, but may find waning in our current times. In The Seven Rules of Trust, “Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales says trust is a treasure. But it is not inanimate, like gold or gems. Trust is a living thing that can and must be cultivated. This book will show you how . . . Every community on earth depends on trust; it underpins our capacity to know things, and it is at an all-time low. Inspiring, approachable, and packed with candid lessons from the early days of Wikipedia, The Seven Rules of Trust is a guide to kickstarting a positive loop of accountability and creativity—and to building things that stand the test of time.”
—The Wilderness: A Novel by Angela Flournoy
Released in September and already long-listed as the National Book of the Year for Fiction, The Wilderness centers around “Desiree, Danielle, January, Monique, and Nakia, five women in their early twenties, at the beginning of their careers, of marriage, of motherhood, and of big-city lives in New York and Los Angeles. Together, they are finding their way through the wilderness, that period of life when the reality of contemporary adulthood—overwhelming, mysterious, and full of freedom and consequences—swoops in and stays… As these friends move from the late 2000s into the late 2020s, from young adults to grown women, they must figure out what they mean to one another—amid political upheaval, economic and environmental instability, and the increasing volatility of modern American life.”
“An era-defining novel about five Black women over the course of their twenty-year friendship, as they move through the dizzying and sometimes precarious period between young adulthood and midlife.”
British Finds
—Ten Pound Poms, BritBox
Ten Pound Poms is set to premiere on BritBox this next Thursday, October 29th. With six episodes, and two available on the premiere date, follow “a group of Brits who leave post-war Britain in 1956 to embark on an adventure. The Roberts family tries to make the best of their situation, but life at the shelter tests them; they’re not the only ones avoiding the truth.” A second season was already released in Australia, but it was not renewed after that. Have a look at the trailer below and watch it on BritBox.
Cookbooks
—The Blue Food Cookbook: Delicious Seafood Recipes for a Sustainable Future by Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver
Being released on October 28th, Andrew Zimmern (a food equity and climate activist, Emmy and four-time James Beard award winner) and Barton Seaver (an expert on seafood cookery and sustainability) will release their new cookbook. The Blue Food Cookbook has been described as the sustainable seafood bible, including a guide to environmentally friendly practices for buying and cooking food from oceans, lakes, and rivers, with over 145 recipes.
“Recipes span from humble meals to impressive fare for entertaining, from traditional dishes to creative takes—even desserts (trust!)—inspired by flavors from Zimmern’s and Barton’s travel around the world, restaurant experience, and their home kitchens, for blue food of all kinds, including tinned fish, shellfish, fillet fish, seaweed, and beyond.” Have a look at the “Table of Contents” below.
—My Harvest Kitchen: 100+ Recipes to Savor the Seasons by Gesine Bullock-Prado
Perhaps you already watch and enjoy Gesine Bullock-Prado on Food Network with her cooking show Baked in Vermont. If so, you likely already know about her new seasonally forward-focused cookbook. I took a moment to flip through the recipes while at the bookshop, and there are many excellent, everyday ideas that amplify flavor without the fuss, all while dancing with the seasons.
A bit more about Gesine Bullock-Prado: She is a pastry chef, baking instructor, and the author of six books. Be sure to get to know her here on her on IG.
—The Talisman of Happiness: The Most Iconic Italian Cookbook Ever Written by Ada Boni
In 1929, Ada Boni wrote The Talisman of Happiness, which has been described as “the original must-have culinary bible for Italians” ever since.
“Growing in length every time a new edition was published, in this landmark first English edition of the complete work, featuring nearly 1,700 recipes, American cooks can finally appreciate Talisman in full. Carefully translated to preserve the spirit and warmth of the original, this new edition makes the richness of Italy’s regional cooking accessible to all—and includes American measurements, delightful illustrations, and forewords by Lidia Bastianich and Katie Parla.”
Buon appetito !
Films
It’s 1943, the opening night of the groundbreaking hit musical Oklahoma, and lyricist Lorenz Hart (played by Ethan Hawke) is confronting his shattered self-confidence in a bar. Hart’s former collaborator, Richard Rodgers’ career is soaring. Hart’s is taking a different direction due to his struggles with alcoholism and mental health. Critics who have already reviewed the film are praising it, and it begins hitting theaters today for all of us to check out. View the trailer below.
An interesting bit of history about the song “Blue Moon”, written by both Hart and Rodgers, is that it wasn’t accepted initially when it was written in 1934 (titled ‘Prayer’ for the film Hollywood Party, a film that was never released). When finally put into a movie—Manhattan Melodrama, for which it became the title song —they changed the song’s title to “The Bad in Every Man”. It wasn’t until later that year that the song was given the title we know it by now.
Francophile Finds
—Aged Gold Eiffel Tower Ornament, Lone Fox
The holidays are just around the corner, and in just over two weeks, TSLL’s Annual Holiday Shopping Guide for Francophiles and Anglophiles will be shared on the blog (Sunday, November 2nd). Here is a quick peek at one item that will be included: “finished in an aged gold patina, this aged gold Eiffel Tower ornament adds a hint of old-world romance and timeless sophistication to your holiday décor”. And it’s only $20.
—I Am Finally, Finally French: My Accidental Life in Brittany by Mark Greenside
This book has been preordered since before I went to Brittany in March, and I cannot wait to start reading it on Tuesday (October 28th) when it is released. Written three decades after his first trip to Brittany, at 47, “Mark Greenside, a glass-is-half-empty native New Yorker living in California, unwillingly went to Brittany, and to his great amazement and surprise fell in love with the place and its people. Then, because love makes you crazy and do crazy things, he borrowed money from his mom and bought a 120‑year‑old farmhouse in Plobien, a village of 500 people. Thus began Mark’s bumbling, hilarious journey adapting to life in rural France. From navigating unwritten rules about touching tomatoes at the market to hosting dinners for discerning friends, every mishap and cultural and linguistic misunderstanding—of which there were many—became a lesson in resilience, perseverance, compliance, and humility.”
“Both a love letter to Brittany and a meditation on life’s unpredictability, I Am Finally, Finally French is an invitation to laugh, learn, and savor the beauty of embracing change—no matter how daunting it seems.”
—La Femme La Plus Riche du Monde
Oh! If you live in France, this is a film to watch. While we will have to wait here in the States for La Femme La Plus Riche du Monde (The Richest Woman in the World), it will be released next Wednesday for French audiences. Academy Award winner Isabelle Huppert stars as the title’s namesake, a nonagenarian who gifts millions to a young artist and, in so doing, sparks a scandal that leads her daughter to uncover alleged political corruption involving a former president. Loosely inspired by the actual events of Liliane Bettencourt, the French heiress to the L’Oréal fortune, the dramatization of the story that captured the nation’s interest began in 2007. Have a look at the trailer below.
—Paris Every Day by Rebecca Plotnick
Photographer and blogger Rebecca Plotnick’s first book of photographs capturing Paris is officially available on October 28th. Using her talented eye to capture the City of Light throughout each of the seasons, Plotnick, a friend of this blog and the podcast (listen to our chat here), explores in Everyday Day Paris “jazz bars, picnic spots, and casual bistros. [Readers will also] find advice for each season, including how to dress like a Parisian and indulge in the freshest regional produce. All bolstered by fabulous photos that include landmarks like the Luxembourg Gardens and the Eiffel Tower, as well as prime places to people watch.”
Shopping
—FIND OF THE WEEK SEASON!)! Cole Haan’s Hooded Puffer Coat, many colors, 60% off
For a couple of years, I have been realizing I need a knee-length puffer coat; however, I needed to be able to really walk while wearing it. So, the wrap-around length couldn’t impair my stride. Not wanting to spend a fortune but wanting to look pulled together while walking the pups around the neighborhood or on our local trails for leisurely wandering, I recently came across an opportunity at our local consignment shop. Cole Haan’s navy puffer coat with a hood. And it was $74. Retail/regularly priced at $300. But it had to fit.
Well, you no doubt have figured out that it indeed does. A medium, this coat offers an abundance of warmth, BUT and THANKFULLY, it has an interior zipped short section that allows the full length of the coat to remain slightly open so I can walk with ease. I immediately appreciate this. I can still walk comfortably when it is zipped up from top to bottom, but I appreciate this option. The sleeves are just barely long enough, and with gloves being worn, all will work perfectly.
This coat, while no longer available at Cole Haan, is available with at least a 60% reduction at both Saks Off 5th and Nordstrom Rack. And it is available in oodles of colors.
—Dôen Marlow Cashmere Sweater, Ivory
With a wider neck opening, this classic cashmere cableknit sweater is made from “cloud-soft 100% cashmere with an allover cable design. Featuring a high mockneck, it has full-length raglan sleeves, and ribbing at the collar, cuffs, and hem.”
—La Ligne’s Michael Peacoat, navy (other colors)
A classic winter coat. Perfect for wearing over a sweater, the pea coat dresses up any casual attire without trying too hard. Wear a scarf or a turtleneck, and you will be warm wherever you are heading.
—Sarah Flint Friends & Family Sale, 25% off
A quick heads up for savings on loafers, pumps, and boots from Sarah Flint. Use the FF25 promo code and save 25%! I have shopped a few items below, and note that a sandal is included —a sandal that is rarely on sale. If you’ve had your eye on it for the warmer months, now is a great time to scoop it up and save.
~SHOP THE SALE:
~Sézane New 70’s Trousers, indigo blue
With a lovely long inseam (33.5″), and available at a great price ($175), these indigo blue trousers provide an autumn and winter staple that works with so many separates – sweaters, blouses, shirts, blazers. Pull on your boots or pumps of choice and away the day goes!
Other colors are available in this style.
Television
—The Savant, AppleTV
Originally scheduled to be released in September, The Savant is now finally set to premiere today on AppleTV. Starring Jessica Chastain as Jodi Goodwin, “a top-secret undercover investigator who infiltrates online hate groups to stop domestic extremists from committing violent acts. The series follows her as she balances her precarious work with her life as a mother, tracking and profiling violent individuals to prevent mass tragic events. Have a look at the trailer below, and look for eight episodes in the series.
Theatre
—Oedipus, Broadway
Perhaps you saw this Olivier Award-winning play last year as it debuted in London’s West End. Both leads won for their roles, and now, beginning on October 30th, they come to Broadway in a modern adaptation of Sophocles’s centuries-old Oedipus. Crafted as a political thriller by director Robert Icke – the youngest Olivier Award-winning director in history – he reimagines Ancient Greek mythology to bring the secrets of the past bursting into the present. Mark Strong and Lesley Manville take the helm of the play, and as someone who taught Oedipus more than a few times, I would love to see how they have adapted it. I can only imagine the twists and turns, but then again, anyone who knows the plot, really already can, can’t they?
The golden month in Bend is October. Case in point, one of the many vignettes seen around town and throughout neighborhoods as Nelle and I took our walk yesterday morning. Mother Nature, you have gifted us with so much to savor.
How have you been drinking up the beauty of autumn (or spring) as of late? I honestly have been finding myself stopping and staring in awe more times than I can count, and I am loving it. The colors in the garden here at Le Papillon have begun to share their autumn bronzes and shimmering golds. In fact, I find myself in the bird garden at this moment, typing away with Nelle napping in her bed next to me, soaking up a bit of the afternoon warmth. Before long, this will be but a memory, but I am soaking it up while I can.
Speaking of the garden, the cottage garden gate post is up on the blog! If you haven’t already checked it out, you can do so here. I also want to thank everyone who has already stopped by and for your comments. I will be responding this weekend, but I want to thank you for your celebratory cheer, as bringing this gate to completion is reason enough to celebrate —let alone my delight with how it looks and functions, beyond delighted and grateful.
As I mentioned above in the French section, TSLL’s Annual Holiday Guide for Francophiles and Anglophiles will soon be posted. Look for it to become available on Sunday, November 2nd. And a small, but helpful update has been made to TSLL blog’s layout. Whenever you shop for signed copies of the books, any of the notepads, or anything else available in TSLL’s Shop, a shopping cart icon will now appear in the upper right-hand corner next to the search icon (see below). It only appears when you have something in your cart, but you can quickly click it and purchase. I want to thank TSLL reader Jen for helping my tech guru and me with this update and for helping us fix a few visual issues on the shopping cart pages.
Find the shopping cart icon in the upper right-hand corner when items are added.
Now to the weekend! Between the colors in the garden, some rain on the horizon, and a mystery novel I am having to pace myself reading, it looks like a wonderful cozy weekend is at hand. I hope you, too, are looking ahead to beauty to drink up, comfort to snuggle into, and oodles of everyday moments to savor. Thank you for stopping by today, and until Monday, bonne journée.
~Why asymmetry is the key to a balanced interior [House & Garden UK]
~Now this sounds like a fun adventure for Francophiles and Anglophiles: The Trail of Two Cities: Cycling London to Paris off-road [Financial Times, gift link]
~Garden Tour to savor: A Suffolk garden that balances formality and order with naturalistic beauty [House & Garden UK]
~Beyond planting tulips, other plants for spring color [Financial Times, gift link]
~One more for fellow gardeners, The 20 best plants for seedheads – beauty, wildlife and less work in the garden. I took note of this list, and will be looking forward to adding Honesty for autumn and winter beauty [Middle-Sized Garden]
~Finding balance, an emotional equilibrium, for deeper peace [Tiny Buddha]
~The Earful Tower interviewed two American tourists who were inside the Louvre Museum during the time of the robbery.
~A handful of bistros in Paris to visit [TravelAge West]
~A wonderful list to save for your next visit to Paris – 31 cafés to visit for those leisurely moments of dreaming, sipping un café au lait, and savoring time just being in the City of Light [CNTraveler]
~Looking for other museums to visit while in Paris? HipParis shares 15 Hidden Museums and Art Spaces in Paris (and one is toured here on TSLL – I highly recommend it if you are a fan of the Impressionists)
~A post/article to ponder – Are advent calendars wasteful? [Financial Times, gift link]
~Home Tour of the Week is a video tour of a Norfolk home decorated with antiques and timeless charm. The owner, interior designer Birdie Fortescue, who worked at Colefax and Fowler and was an assistant to Imogen Taylor (adore her—here is her book, which I highly recommend), demonstrates how antiques can create a relaxed yet thoughtful and welcoming aesthetic.
~Explore last week’s This & That: October 17th
Books about cakes, French food, both everyday varietals from experts in their fields. Books for lovers of literature and daily meditative reading, a new British series centered around women living life their own way despite society’s expectations, two new documentaries, each uniquely special and worth watching, autumnal clothing ideas for signature style, yet timeless sophistication, a new comedy with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Oh (what?!), the return of a favorite rom-com series, a new film involving art heists and a still so much more.
~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.
