Francophiles! I have a film you will not want to miss, the return of a series we have all long been waiting for and a new series that looks quite fantastic. As well, books and cookbooks to cozy up with this autumn, clothing to cozy up in style and awesome savings and still there is much more!

Books

—Little Monsters: A Novel by Adrienne Brodeur

Released in June, and an Editor’s Pick is a book from the author of the bestselling memoir Wild Game a novel about Cape Cod, complicated families, and long-buried secrets. Little Monsters centers around a brother and sister, now in their adult years, and their father, Adam, a brilliant oceanographer, who raised them mostly on his own in his remote home on Cape Cod. “As the novel opens, Adam is approaching his seventieth birthday, staring down his mortality and fading relevance. He has always managed his bipolar disorder with medication, but he’s determined to make one last scientific breakthrough and so he has secretly stopped taking his pills, which he knows will infuriate his children. Meanwhile, Abby and Ken are both harboring secrets of their own.”

—Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women’s Words by Jenni Nuttall

As someone who is fascinated by language, when I learned of Jenni Nuttall’s new book Mother Tongue, I immediately put it in my cart as it looks to be intriguing reading for both avid readers and those intrigued by history. “Mother Tongue is a historical investigation of feminist language and thought, from the dawn of Old English to the present day. Dr. Jenni Nuttall guides readers through the evolution of words that we have used to describe female bodies, menstruation, women’s sexuality, the consequences of male violence, childbirth, women’s paid and unpaid work, and gender. Along the way, she challenges our modern language’s ability to insightfully articulate women’s shared experiences by examining the long-forgotten words once used in English for female sexual and reproductive organs. Nuttall also tells the story of words like womb and breast, whose meanings have changed over time, as well as how anatomical words such as hysteria and hysterical came to have such loaded legacies.”

—Permission to Rest: Revolutionary Practices for Healing, Empowerment and Collective Care by Ashley Reese

Released last week, Permission to Rest “presents a series of body-focused rest practices for those who are running on empty, such as Cultivating a Rest/Work Rhythm, Nature Bathing, and Social Media Sabbatical. She addresses common roadblocks when beginning a rest practice, the incredible health benefits of prioritizing rest, and a number of holistic resources for developing a sustainable relationship to rest. The practices work for those short on time, but their benefits build the more you practice every day.”

British Find

—London Living: Town and Country by Simon Upton

Released earlier this week from interior designer Simon Upton who turns to London—a city in which he has been based for most of his working life-in London Living where he explores “an incredible range of homes in this vibrant city, Upton looks behind the scenes into the private spaces of creatives and influencers.” Presented in two parts, the book begins with “Town,” which is devoted to the homes of those who live solely in London; then, “Country” that showcases those who divide their time between London and a retreat in the British countryside”. Paired with each home tour is an interview in which the owner defines their true meaning of “home.”

Cookbooks

—Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over by Alison Roman

While released in 2019, Alison Roman, a food writer, chef and internet personality who became well known for #thecookie and #thestew, shared a cookbook offering simple, yet delicious and dependable recipes to ground the full schedules so many of us have as we step back into autumn. Nothing Fancy became a NYTimes bestseller and was an IACP Award Finalist, concluding the year of its debut being named one of the best cookbooks of the year by NYTimes.

What you will find inside: An “abundant collection of all-new recipes—heavy on the easy-to-execute vegetables and versatile grains, paying lots of close attention to crunchy, salty snacks, and with love for all the meats—is for gatherings big and small, any day of the week.” With all of the blackberries I still have in my garden, this recipe below from the cookbook spoke to my tastebuds immediately.

Films

—Dumb Money

You may remember the out-of-the-blue and shock to Wall Street event a couple of years ago when stocks of Gamestock shot through the roof. Well, now there is a movie inspired by these events and critics are quite liking it. Being released nationwide today, take a look at the trailer for Dumb Money below.

Francophile Finds

—Candice Renoir, season 7, AcornTV

Thank you to fellow fan of Candice Renoir, TSLL reader Michelle for bringing to my attention that Candice Renoir is back with season 7 (there are nine seasons in total so far) this coming week. Watch on AcornTV, and with subtitles (a French series), the drama and cases that need to be solved continue this Monday October 2nd. Included on this week’s jammed packed post full of 42 International shows to watch this fall (21 that are premiering or returning with a new season), if you are looking for something to watch this autumn until the series in the US return to the screen, this list will definitely keep you entertained.

—Lupin season/part 3, Netflix

Long waited for and I am quite confident, worth the wait at that, Lupin, Omar Sy, returns in the third part of a series that has a throng of fans around the world. With the start of the new season, Lupin, the gentleman thief, is on the run and heading back to Paris. Have a look at the trailer below and look for the premiere on Netflix Thursday October 5th.

—Poquelin and De Beaumont, MHzChoice

MHzChoice continues to welcome new French series to their streaming platform, and with Poquelin and De Beaumont, it looks like they have another hit on their hands. The series originally aired in France in 2020, and while with only season so far, each episode (four) is 90 minute. So who are Poquelin and de Beaumont? “Captain Louise Poquelin is a no-nonsense, overwhelmed single mother in Dunkirk, France. When she’s assigned a new partner, Lieutenant Etienne de Beaumont, an erudite cop with aristocratic origins, the two immediately clash.” The show premieres on October 3rd. Take a look at the series below.

—La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (English title – The Taste of Things), Bend Film Festival

Chosen as France’s submission to the upcoming Academy Awards (2024), I am over the moon that it will be included as part of Bend’s Film Festival beginning on October 15th with two showings. The Taste of Things stars Juliette Binoche and tells the story of the “relationship between Eugenie, an esteemed cook, and Dodin, the gourmet she has been working for over the last 20 years. Growing fonder of one another, their bond turns into a romance and gives rise to delicious dishes that impress even the world’s most illustrious chefs. When Dodin is faced with Eugenie’s reluctance to commit to him, he decides to start cooking for her.” This is must-see for foodies and Francophiles, but most definitely for those who appreciate quality films. Have a look at the trailer below and look for it to officially premieres in France on November 8th, and while I am not sure when it will be nationwide here in the states, I am confident it will arrive soon. However, if you live in Bend, it makes it all the more special that we can watch it in just a few weeks’ time.

The BendFilm Team selected the film sharing, “It’s not just the food that’s exquisite in this film; every frame is hypnotic. The passion for food and being in the kitchen, and the understated but beautiful love story, come through loud and clear.”

Shopping

—Madewell Corduroy Baseball Cap (two colors)

Autumn and corduroy just make sense together in my sartorial mind, and Madewell’s caps in a lovely brown hue and this blue are a wonderful accessory to pick up at a great price.

—Reiss Mid-Season Sale

The UK brand of essentials is having a sale not to miss. I have shopped a handful of items below, but be sure to check out the entire sale for yourself here.

—SHOP THE SALE:

—Theory’s Friends & Family Sale, 25% off sitewide

One more sale of note, for chic work and effortless, yet simple and well-made staples, is Theory’s Friends & Family sale. I have had my eye on the navy crepe trench, and am doing all that I can not to purchase it as I am saving my money for my trip to England. A great price for a quality item.

SHOP THE SALE:

Television

—Still Up, AppleTV+

Well, this new series, Still Up, just looks like a whole lot of fun. Set in London, and having just premiered on September 22nd, it centers around two best friends, “bonded by insomnia, Lisa and Danny. They stay connected to each other late into the night and find their way through a world of wonderfully weird surprises as their relationship deepens.” Have a look at the trailer below.

—Starstruck, season 3, Max

A series written and starring Rose Matafeo, Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning comedian, “Starstruck follows the life of Jessie, a millennial who lives in East London. She juggles between her two jobs in order to afford the overpriced apartment that she shares with her best friend, Kate. [In the first season], on New Year’s eve, she hooks up with Tom, and she soon discovers that he is a famous film star. Their worlds could not be more different, yet fate keeps bringing them together under the most extraordinary circumstances.” I am late to Starstruck, but will definitely be watching when I resubscribe to Max at the end of October with the return of The Gilded Age. Have a look at the trailer for season 3 below.

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Currently, I am savoring the daily welcome and hello of the dahlias in the garden as at any time the first frost will arrive. I am hoping for a couple more weeks, but in the meantime, oodles of ogling and pictures and walking up and down the front path to the porch just to see how they progress from morning to evening.

The garden has my awe and attention at the moment as the bulbs for spring blooms have been arriving, so I will enjoy some time in the garden this weekend, finding their new homes, and giving the lawn perhaps one of its last mows of the season. 

With the trip to England nearing, my anticipation and eagerness to hop on the plane grows, and I have thoroughly been enjoying the days leading up to the trip as I find them to be even more filled with excitement and enjoyment knowing what is to come. 

Speaking of the trip, just a reminder that next week’s postings here on the blog will be on schedule as usual, beginning with tomorrow’s new episode of the cooking show, a savory treat of a toothsome, dinner recipe that is quite simple and will fill your kitchen with appetizing scents, Monday’s Motivational post, Wednesday’s new podcast episode and of course the regularly Friday This & That on the 6th. The first Travel Diary post exclusively for TOP Tier Members will be shared toward the end of the week and continue into the next week full of detailed photos, finds, destinations and more experienced during my trip (learn more about becoming a TOP Tier Member here and all of the many benefits). 

I wanted to share a quick bit of heads up for any paying Member who has been trying to update their credit card information in their Dashboard. We have fixed the hiccup, and you should now be able to easily update as necessary. Thank you to member Cara for bringing this to my attention so we could fix the issue. 

And now with autumn upon us, a gorgeous Super Moon still present in the skies and a weekend to savor, I am ready for it all and I hope you too are looking forward after a productive week to a weekend full of all that you most enjoy as summer now has turned to fall.

Thank you for stopping by today and until tomorrow, bonne journée.

~A wonderful read, and validation to value your alone time while you walk – No, I Don’t want to go for a walk with you [NYTimes]

~How introverts can master the art of “Doing Nothing” [Dear, Introvert]

~Beloved British interior designer Robert Kime’s collections drawn from his two homes, one a flat in London and the other a mas, his flat on Warwick Square and La Gonette in Provence, are going up for auction next week (online and in person), and it is La Gonnette, a home he and his wife purchased and decorated in France that is a lovely escape to the French countryside. Take the tour here. [House & Garden UK]

~If you live in California or will visiting California this autumn, here are 8 perfect road trips to take for fall vibes [LA Times]

~One more for the fall foliage seekers in the states – 21 of the best US cities for Fall travel, festivals and seasonal feasts [Travel + Leisure]

~And #7 on this list had me saying, “most definitely true!” even if it seems impossible or too hard to attempt initially, 8 Things you will regret not letting go of sooner [Marc and Angel]

~What to do when you feel emotionally invalidated in your relationship [Introvert, Dear]

~Now this is a dream home tour in my book – a magical 16th century Cotswold millhouse completely and lovingly remodeled. [House and Garden UK]

~An enjoyable podcast episode to listen to if you are looking for inspiration and reassurance about hosting a wonderful dinner party [FT Weekend]

~Creative director and head museum curator at the Louvre in Paris Laurence des Cars has major plans to overhaul and modernize the famous museum in Paris. The question is, is it possible? [NYTimes, gift article]

~A potentially ultimate holiday getaway for gardeners and Anglophiles to boot! [H & G UK]

~Three of the best Paris vintage clothing shops to visit this fall [Frenchly]

~Paris Fashion Week has been in full swing these past few days and will conclude with the long and beyond highly anticipated debut (or should I say) return of Phoebe Philo’s first eponymous brand collection. Prior to this reveal, it was Saint Laurent’s collection that captured my eye when revealed earlier this week. Here are some peeks and analysis of what was seen on that runway. [Vogue British] You can see all of my favorite picks from Paris Fashion Week here on Pinterest.

~Speaking of Paris and style, What to wear in Paris this fall [Leonce Chenal]

~And if you would like a bit of a dreamy escape to Breakfast at Tiffany’s 21st century style, be sure to watch the runway show of Tiffany & haute couture Givenchy that was shown earlier this month in New York. A parade of Holly Golightlys adorned with gorgeous jewelry.

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~Explore last week’s This & That: September 22, 2023

~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.