Travel will definitely be on the mind after more than a few of the finds this week, with a series taking us to France, a first-of-its-kind fashion exhibit in London, a new film that takes us to Scotland, and a rom-com that carries us away to Tuscany. Plus, there are quite a few books – the importance of three different types of friendships, a new cosy mystery series from a well-established British crime writer, a deep dive into French culinary history from an expert writer on the subject, plus many more titles. Also, if you are looking for a spring trench, and one at a very nice price, you are in the right place. This is all just a taste because there is much more to discover. Enjoy perusing!

Art

—Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, V&A South Kensington, London

Having opened just a couple of weeks ago, a new exhibit spotlighting Elsa Schiaparelli spans from the 1920s to today. Tracing the fashion house’s “groundbreaking origins and its evolution under the current creative director, Daniel Roseberry”, visit the Victoria & Albert Museum through November 8th to see this first-of-its-kind exhibition.

Books

—The Ashtrays Are Full and the Glasses Are Empty by Kirsten Mickelwait 

Thank you Janet B. for bringing this historical fiction book to my attention as it looks absolutely fascinating and delightful, taking us back to the 1920s of Paris. Here’s the plot: “Raised in New York’s Gilded Age, pampered heiress Sara Wiborg dreams of a more creative life than the rigid future prescribed for her. It’s only when she meets Gerald Murphy that she finds a man who shares her creative, aesthetic ideal and, after a friendship of eleven years, they marry despite the strong disapproval of her family.

“Against the sizzling Jazz Age backdrop of 1920s Paris and Antibes, Sara’s innate style and gift for friendship attract the bohemian elite of the new century-including Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Picasso, and Dorothy Parker. But by the 1930s, her fortune is lost and tragedy strikes-not once, but twice. Sara’s strength and resilience allow her to find a new equilibrium over time, long after the parties have ended.”

—Friends of the Good: How Remarkable Friendships Transform Our Lives by Demond Martin 

Harvard graduate and successful entrepreneur, author Demond Martin may appear a self-made man, but, as he recounts and asserts, he wouldn’t have achieved the success he has without his friendships. Friends of the Good, inspired by Demond stumbling across Aristotle’s theory on friendship—friends of the good, explores “the three types of companionship at the center of our orbits: convenience, pleasure, and virtue. As Demond considers his past and his present, he realizes how much goodness has helped him along a path of intention.”

—A More Beautiful Way to Live: Nine Practices to Unlearn Habits of Anxiety, Fear, and Urgency by Bethaney B. Wilkinson 

Released in March, spiritual director and self-described recovering overachiever Bethaney B. Wilkinson “offers a framework for reclaiming presence, rootedness, and rest” in her book A More Beautiful Way to Live. “Weaving together rich storytelling and wisdom inspired by nature, she shares nine contemplative practices intended to help you cultivate rhythms of rest, healing, and deep connection; embrace a slower, gentler, and more life-giving pace; unlearn habits of anxiety, fear, and urgency; and show up wholeheartedly for what matters most to you.”

—Portrait of an Unknown Woman: A Novel by Camille de Peretti 

I learned about this French novel L’Inconnue du Portrait that won much acclaim in France in 2024 over this past weekend as a newly translated edition is now available. Portrait of an Unknown Woman has been described as “a saga inspired by the incredible but true story of the iconic Klimt painting.”

The true part of this novel is that the painting, Portrait of a Lady, was painted in Vienna in 1910 by Gustav Klimt and purchased by an anonymous collector in 1916. Retouched by the master a year later, it was then stolen in 1997 before reappearing in the gardens of an Italian modern art museum in 2019.”

“From the streets of Vienna in 1900 to Texas in the 1980s, and from Manhattan during the Great Depression to contemporary Italy, de Peretti imagines the destiny of this young woman as well as that of her descendants, and creates a masterful fresco that intertwines family secrets, disappearances, and thwarted loves.”

British Finds

—The Gardeners’ Club: A Novel by Marnie Riches

This past week, Nelle took me to our favorite bookstore here in Bend, Roundabout Books (mark your calendars for October 1st! When the first book signing for Savoring the Sojourn will take place at this independent bookshop!), and while I picked up what I had intended, I also spied a few books I thought TSLL readers would enjoy. One is this cozy mystery by an author who is better known for her award-winning crime-thriller debut, The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die. The Gardeners’ Club is her twelfth mystery novel, but it is her first cosy-mystery, and based on scanning the first chapter, it looks like a fun read.

Décor

—Sézane’s Checks Woven Striped Cushion, many colors, two sizes

A touch of texture and stripes, I immediately was drawn to these pillows. With a removable cover for ease of care to launder, and made of 100% cotton, choose your size and add a sophisticated pop of French style to your sofa, cozy chair or bed linens.

Films

—The Christophers

Critics are intrigued by this film, which is being released today, and Rotten Tomatoes has given it an average rating of 95% so far. The Christophers centers around two artists: One is “a mainstay of the London art scene since his starry breakout in the creative explosion of the 1960’s, Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen), but he has since drifted into a cluttered, self-imposed seclusion. His two estranged children (James Corden, Jessica Gunning) enlist Lori (Michaela Coel), a young painter and sometime-forger, to pose as a prospective assistant and gain access to a fabled series of unfinished canvases Julian has buried deep in his home studio, in a deceptive bid to secure an inheritance for themselves.” Have a look at the trailer below.

—Glenrothan

Let’s go to Scotland! Starring Brian Cox and Alan Cumming as the two brothers who, “following a violent exchange with their father on the day of their mother’s funeral, the younger of the two (Cumming) left their Highland home for America. After forty years, they reunite in the land of their birth.” Cox also directs the film, created by Scotsman David Ashton. Have a look at the trailer below and find it in theaters starting today.

—Hamlet

A modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic play that many of us likely know many of the lines by heart. Well, the lines don’t change, but the times do. As is the case with a classic, the stories transcend time as they share a truth that can be related to generation after generation after generation. Aneil Karia directs Hamlet, set in London in the 21st century, and the recognizable plot begins, “Hamlet comes home for his father’s funeral and finds his uncle Claudius marrying his widowed mother Gertrude. His father’s ghost reveals Claudius murdered him, leading Hamlet toward revenge and introspection.” Have a look at the trailer below and find it premiering today in theaters.

—You, Me & Tuscany, Netflix

Let’s lighten it up a bit, shall we? And travel to Tuscany while we’re at it. From Bridgerton fame, Regé-Jean Page stars alongside Halle Bailey (The Color Purple and The Little Mermaid as well as being a singer and songwriter) in You, Me & Tuscany, which premieres today on Netflix. Have a look at the trailer below.

Francophile Finds

—L’Agence (aka The Paris Agency), season 6, Netflix

A few months late to the boat on this one (the new season premiered in January), but it’s always a good time to vicariously slip away to Paris; the sixth season of L’Agence is now available on Netflix. With nine episodes, and each season amping up the luxury toured by the Kretz family and their clients, I look forward to restarting my subscription to Netflix soon and binging a few at a time. Have a look at the teaser for the season below.

—Searching for France with Eva Longoria, CNN

The “Searching For . . . ” series continues and this time, it takes us to France and is hosted by Eva Longoria. Premiering this Sunday on CNN, “Longoria now goes deeper, savoring the traditions, innovations and regional flavors that have defined French cuisine for centuries. Along the way she uncovers the history that shaped it, from royal courts and monastic vineyards to the regional communities that turned local ingredients into enduring culinary traditions.

“This season, Longoria samples fresh oysters in Paris, flavorsome bouillabaisse in Provence, and fluffy frog legs mousseline in Alsace. She tastes her way through braised boeuf bourguignon in Burgundy, buttery blue lobster in Brittany and beefy Bordelaise sauce in Bordeaux. In two special episodes, she returns to Paris – first to immerse herself in the Parisian art of pâtisserie, and then to indulge in an extraordinary meal along the River Seine that traces how French cuisine conquered the world in seven dishes.”

Have a look at the trailer below and look for two episodes to drop each week for a total of eight.

—The Secret History of French Cooking: The Outlaw Chefs Who Made Food Modern by Luke Barr 

Ohhhhh, this book! I cannot wait to read it, and I have a feeling many TSLL readers whose interest is piqued by France and their food will feel the same way because Luke Barr’s engaging writing turns an already fascinating and drama-filled history into a treat to read. In fact, his previous dive into the history of the culinary world – Ritz and Escoffier – was chosen as a Petit Plaisir for episode #207. A wonderful book to better understand how these now world-renowned names came to be so (he also wrote Provence, 1970, another wonderful read for fans of Julia Child and all of the other cooks and cookbook authors who found respite in Provence).

In The Secret History of French Cooking, “Barr takes readers inside the culinary rebellion that upended the staid French food world and reinvented the role and cultural importance of chefs and restaurants. The very idea of the chef as creator—as innovator, artist, auteur—can be traced back to the legendary Paul Bocuse, Michel Guérard, and the Troisgros brothers, among other colorful characters. The techniques they pioneered– fresh food, globally inspired ingredients, shorter cooking times, and avant-garde methods– both shocked and inspired the restaurants of the day.

“The book also tells the largely unknown story of a group of women chefs, including Simone Lemaire, Christiane Massia, and Olympe Nahmias, who fought for recognition in the all-male culinary establishment of the 1970s, and the villainous, all-powerful food critic who cast a shadow over the era.”

Shopping

—Rag & Bone’s Jennie Striped Poplin Blazer

A blazer perfect for spring – poplin is cool, yet provides coverage, and with pinstripes, a subtle signature statement as well. Layer casually over pants and trousers or with shorts, even a skirt in the summer.

—Mister k.’s The Claude Blazer, oversized cotton seersucker stripe

The stripes of this seersucker jacket grabbed my attention immediately, and orders of reservation are now open to welcome this oversized spring and summer gem into your wardrobe.

—Nivé Belted Trench Coat, Rue Sophie

If a touch of blue is your preference, this light blue trench coat may be just the spring coat you were looking for.

—Orolay Single Breasted Hudson Trench Coat, many colors

And speaking of trenches, this trench is $108. I know, and if you want, you can add a detachable hood. I love the Mackintosh look to this style, and can see it transitioning seamlessly from spring and worn again in autumn.

Television

—Brokenwood Mysteries, season 12, AcornTV

Let’s slip away to New Zealand with the kind-hearted and gentle lead detective Mike Shepherd. Season 12 just premiered last week and includes six full-length (90-minute) episodes, one dropping each week on Mondays.

—Margo’s Got Money Problems, Apple TV

David E. Kelly’s new series, Margo’s Got Money Problems has an impressive cast. Beginning with Elle Fanning, who stars as Margo, and then moving through the long list, Kelley’s wife – Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Greg Kinnear, Thaddea Graham, Nicole Kidman, Michael Angarano, and Marcia Gay Harden. Based on the eponymous bestselling novel by Rufi Thorpe, Margo is a 19-year-old who, after an affair with her professor, becomes a single mother facing eviction. Have a look at the trailer below and watch the premiere on Wednesday, April 15th (eight episodes in this first season).

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The tulips have begun to bloom here at Le Papillon, and both sun, gray skies, and rain have been in the forecast – the perfect weather in my book for going about our days, gardening, and relaxing.

I hope the season is treating you well, and you are finding the beauty that surrounds you, choosing to stop and admire it and delight as you prefer. Earlier this week, I had my first writing session outside in the bird garden for this new season, and what a treat it was! Nelle enjoyed the fresh air as well, and I hope to make this a more frequent practice in the coming days and weeks.

This week’s Monday Motivational post quickly became a favorite of readers, and if you’re looking for spring style inspiration as well as five more books to explore (never before shared here on a This & That post), be sure to explore this month’s new Outfits of the Month which includes five outfits.

Now, to the weekend! I hope you have a wonderful upcoming few days to do as you need and desire. And until Sunday, bonne journée.

~Nigella Lawson now has a regular food & cooking column in The Financial Times, and here is her first contribution.

~Let’s stay in London for a moment, and explore why the city is one of the best food cities on Earth [Food & Wine]

~The cover of May’s issue of Vogue has been released, and as anticipated, it is all about the upcoming release of The Devil Wears Prada 2.

~Paris’ marathon takes place this Sunday, and whether you are running in it or not, here are a few secrets shared from those who have run it. [France Today]

~A new museum in Scotland showcases the Scottish wonder that is older than Stonehenge. [Afar]

~Starting today, EU’s new Entry/Exit System takes affect. Learn all about it. [CN Traveller]

~As we curate our wardrobe, less is more continues to be realized as a wise approach. In fact, we reduce stress by heeding it. The key is knowing which items to include, and Part Quatre of TSLL’s Signature Style series continues next Tuesday as we continue to build a thoughtful and intentional wardrobe that suits us each uniquely. [Harper’s Bazaar]

~Just a reminder that sometimes we need to hear as HSPs – Being sensitive is not a weakness, five specific superpowers we are given. [Sensitive, Refuge]

~Remember to include the joy when deciding on how to decorate a room in our sanctuary [House & Garden UK]

~Save this for your upcoming trip to the City of Light! The best places for afternoon tea in Paris [Bonjour, Paris]

~Home Tour of the Week: Living in Paris in this apartment would be a dream – thoughtfully blending the past and present, take the tour here. [Frederic]

~Another list to save – The best bistros in Paris [The Infatuation]

~One more and just in time as the sunshine is out in Paris! 5 sunny terraces in Paris for lunch outside. [Do It In Paris]

~Seth Godin’s concise thoughts on where bad ideas come from.

~This . . . this is going to make you smile, I just have a good feeling it will 😌

~In last week’s This & That post, it was shared that a new series premiered, the sequel of sorts to Twenty Twenty Twelve and W1A. And in case you haven’t seen those British sartorial series poking fun at leadership incompetence, here is a glimpse of a helpful outlet to let it all out and just laugh at the absurdity. Hugh Bonneville continues to star as Ian Fletcher. Have a look and watch the new series Twenty Twenty Six on BBC now.

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~Explore last week’s edition of This & That, April 3rd

~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.