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Friday the 13th brings the luck here on TSLL! And that means oodles of books on all sorts of topics – British capers, inspiring memoirs for bibliophiles and anyone holding a dream in their hearts, books about loving life, how to succeed as an artist, and many more titles. Decor details to add a special French touch to your home, clothing finds – some on great discount and others investments to love for years, Michelle Pfeiffer’s new TV series, a new British series for Jane Austen fans, the return of gardeners’ favorite television show, and so much more. Bring on the serendipity and happy coincidences!
Books
—Artist’s Roadmap: Practical Strategies for a Career in Art by Delphian
Just released in the UK, and available in the States on the 31st of this month, if you know any up and coming artists or are yourself an artist who is pondering turning it into a career, this is a pocket-sized career guide described as “an essential primer for anyone wishing to discover what underpins a professional practice within this field . . . Filled with practical guidance, The Artist’s Roadmap positions early-career artists for those rare moments of opportunity that could define their career, whilst providing them with the tools and know-how to forge their own path to success. Grounded and well informed, this guide addresses everything from approaching galleries and understanding representation to the nuts and bolts of artistic business, such as tax, shipping and insurance.”
Click here to shop from Blackwell’s, where it is available now.
—Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief: A Novel (The Ernest Cunningham Mysteries, 4) by Benjamin Stevenson
If you read the first book in Benjamin Stevenson’s series like so many other people did and thoroughly enjoyed it (Everyone in My Family Has Murdered Someone), then you probably already know about his soon-to-be-released fourth book in the series – Everyone in This Bank is a Thief. And if you are just learning about this new series and love a cozy caper, you may have just found one. In Stevenson’s latest caper with Ernest Cunningham, the amateur sleuth guiding this series, we are taken to a bank where 10 heists take place, and since the doors were locked, there are 10 suspects, only those remaining inside the bank.” Hmmm . . . And we soon learn that “more than one person planned to rob the bank today. You can steal more from a bank than just money.” Add murder, and well, let the sleuthing begin.
Released March 17th
—The Last Titans: How Churchill and de Gaulle Saved Their Nations and Transformed the World by Richard Vinen
The history teacher in me, as well as the Francophile and Anglophile in me, cannot wait to read this new book. The Last Titans is a dual biography of Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. Both men influenced their countries and the world around them long after the war was won.
“There was a paradox in the parallel and intertwined lives of these extraordinary men. De Gaulle—tall, gauche, and incorruptible—exhibited qualities often associated with the English. Churchill—short, charming, witty, and a bon vivant—resembled the quintessential politician of the French Third Republic. Their working relationship was rarely smooth, but they appreciated each other’s stature: de Gaulle said Churchill was ‘the great artist of a great history,’ while Churchill recognized de Gaulle as ‘l’homme du destin.'”
“Richard Vinen explores what made these men exceptional and how profoundly they were influenced by their national cultures. Beyond personal intrigue, Vinen makes a wider point that Britain and France are both haunted by perceptions of past greatness. He retraces the paths of two leaders who once helmed superpowers but lived to see their nations weakened by two world wars and the loss of empires.”
Released on March 17th
—Life: A Love Story – a novel by Elizabeth Berg
This new novel looks lovely, inspiring and a reminder of the beauty of the journey, savored during and upon reflection. In Life: A Love Story, “as ninety-two-year-old Florence ‘Flo’ Greene nears the end of her life, she writes a letter to Ruthie, the woman who grew up next door to her, describing the items Flo is leaving Ruthie in her will. But as it goes on, telling surprising stories about those ‘little’ things Flo will leave behind (What could possibly be the worth of a rubber band kept in a matchbox tied up in red ribbon?), an unforgettable portrait of the life she has lived emerges.”
Being released on Tuesday March 17th
—Shut Up and Read: A Memoir from Harriett’s Bookshop by Jeannine A. Cook
Here is a feel-good story to delight in, and it’s a true story! Six weeks before COVID forced the world to shut down, on February 1, 2020, “Jeannine fulfilled her dream and opened a bookstore in Philadelphia, which she named after her hero and inspiration, Harriet Tubman. Harriett’s Bookshop would be a place to celebrate women authors, artists, and activists . . . Five years later, this small independent bookshop is thriving, with satellite stores in unconventional places, from movie theaters to horse trailers. Despite global death and destruction, book bans, the downward spiral in readership, the lack of physical customers, AI, and more, Jeannine’s shops have survived. Shut Up & Read is her story—the story of the little bookseller who could, and of the woman who has been the driving force behind it all.”
Released on March 17th
—Table 4 at The River Cafe: Conversations about Food and Life by Ruthie Rogers
Let’s travel across the pond (if you live in the States) and read a new book from award-winning chef, Ruthie Rogers, who co-founded London’s The River Cafe. Inspired by Rogers’ podcast that premiered in 2021, Table 4, her new book of the same name presents a lively array of compelling interviews about food by a dazzling roster of celebrities including David Beckham, Martha Stewart, and Mel Brooks.”
British Finds
—Antique Hunter’s Murder at the Castle by C.L. Miller, book #3
Finally, Finally! After the publication date of book #3 in the delightfully fun cozy mystery series was pushed back from January, this coming Tuesday, the wait is over! C.L. Miller’s latest caper, Antique Hunter’s Murder at the Castle, takes us to the Scottish countryside. Freya and Aunt Carole team up again, and this time, try to find a member of the Lockwood Antique Hunter’s Agency who disappears while investigating an art forger. The search leads them to a castle where “they discover that a murdered laird in the vegetable garden and his priceless collection of silverware has been stolen. Local police believe Freya’s missing team member was involved with the robbery and murder…but where is she now?”
Oh, I cannot wait for Tuesday when my pre-ordered copy arrives! I will no doubt finish it far too quickly ☺️
—Beaucamp Stripe Bolster Cushions
A bolster is a very good thing. Not only to provide support while we sit, sleep, or nap, but the circular shape provides a beautiful contrast to often a sea of edges. Now, these striped bolsters, if they fit your décor aesthetic, can be yours. These “hand-sewn bolster cushions dressed in woven linen stripes, with particular attention paid to the pleated element which echoes Beaucamp’s signature style, are made to order.”
—Gardeners’ World, 59th season premiere, BBC2/BritBox
When the new season of Gardeners’ World premieres, in my mind, the gardening season, being able to be outdoors pottering away regularly, has begun. And so, today marks that day! Monty Don returns (with his pup Ned) as host of this beloved long-running season, and as you will see in the short interview below with Don, you will get a peek into what the first episode will include.
—The Lady, BritBox
I must admit, I did not know about this true story, but I have a feeling anyone in the UK already has. Happening more than 25 years ago, The Lady tells the true story, dramatized for this limited series, of the Duchess of York’s (Fergie’s) royal dresser Jane Andrews, whose journey from working-class obscurity to Buckingham Palace ended in obsession, scandal, and a shocking murder conviction. Have a look at the trailer below and look for the series, comprising four episodes, to premiere on BritBox this coming Wednesday, March 18th.
—The Other Bennet Sister, BBC
Now, this is a series I cannot wait to watch, and while The Other Bennet Sister, adapted from the novel of the same name written by Janice Hadlow, premieres this weekend (Sunday) in the UK on BBC, we won’t have to wait long in the States. May 6th will be the premiere date on BritBox.
Ella Bruccoleri stars as Mary, the bookish Bennet sister, who steps out of her sisters’ shadows in search of her own identity and purpose. “Her journey will see her leave her family home in Meryton for the soirées of Regency London and the peaks and vales of the Lake District, all in search of independence, self-love, and reinvention.” Describing Mary Bennet as not your typical period drama heroine, I think I will like her all the more because of it. Now I need to read the book tout de suite! Have a look at the trailer below. There will be 10 episodes to enjoy.
Cookbooks
—A Year in a Cottage Kitchen: Plant-based Recipes from the Heart of Cornwall by Madeleine Olivia
You may already follow Madeleine Olivia on Instagram, but even if you don’t, I think you might delight in her second cookbook, A Year in a Cottage Kitchen. Inside, you will find 80 inspiring plant-based recipes, many of which offer new takes on classic dishes. Sharing the food she makes and enjoys in her “cozy cottage, discover recipes for Homemade Crumpets, Warm Butter Bean, New Potato, and Tomato Salad, and Apple Crumble. Step inside her world as she tends to her vegetable patch, strolls along the stunning shore to take in the sea air, and hosts suppers in her home or, when the weather allows, on the beach.”
Décor
—Recycled Glass Wall Sconce, Greenrow
My mind is pondering light fixtures at the moment, and while I need to be deciding on ceiling lights, these sconces caught my eye, and I wanted to share.
Francophile Find
Beginning today and running through March 22nd, the semi-annual event – Foire du Chatou – is now under way and full of antique dealers and oodles of brocante finds. Taking place just a short 15-minute train ride from Paris, it is a must-visit if you love treasure hunting. Having had the opportunity to visit this special event last year, I can’t wait to return. View my detailed visit here and find instructions on how to travel out of the city to it. Should you find yourself in Paris at the moment, make sure to visit. You will be enchanted.
Visiting Foire de Chatou: Antiquités, Brocante & Galerie d’Art in March (and how to take the train from Paris, photos included!)
—La Stagiaire (aka The Intern), PBS
This is a fun, smart, and everyday life French mystery series that I have become quite taken by. La Stagiaire is set in Marseille, and in its latest season on PBS (just released a couple of weeks ago), while you solve a different mystery in each episode, you also get to watch the light-hearted family drama playing out with Barth’s mother who arrives unexpectedly and decides to stay for a while with her son and his wife, the star of the series, Constance. Constance is more than tolerant, and that too causes much to chuckle about as her MIL navigates romance and a class action lawsuit she files with her grandson against someone who scammed her out of quite a bit of money. Needless to say, it is a treat of a series, and season 5 has six episodes. Happy viewing!
Garden
—Italian Garden Clogs, many colors (from Gardenheir)
Since TSLL’s first monthly gardening post on of this year won’t be shared until March 24th, I wanted to include a few gardening items that caught my eye and may well catch yours as you start to potter in your garden. Clogs! Garden clogs that is. And I don’t know about you, but while I have my ankle and knee-high wellies, I also really enjoy having a pair of slip-on gardening shoes for when I want to quickly go outside just to do something simple. Easy to wash, toes are protected – the perfect gardening shoe for such activities.
These Italian-made and designed clogs are a partnering with Gardenheir as they too know the value of a good pair of clogs for us gardeners. And the price is quite nice as well! $78! I have my eye on the Caramel color (bottom right corner).
—Rowen & Wren Wall-Mounted Terracotta Pot, two sizes
One can never have too many terracotta pots, and something I will be sharing in more detail in the gardening post is an idea that involves just that – many terracotta pots! So when I saw this variation of such a pot that makes it capable of being hung on a wall thereby bringing the beauty of the garden visually upward, I wanted to share. Loving the ruffled edge as well.
Shopping
—ba&sh Tina dress, two colors available
This dress sings warmer days, ethereal vibes and evenings swaying in the breeze, but it also could be a beautiful choice for a dressed up, albeit still somewhat casual, affair.
—Everlane, 30% off sale, site-wide
The Friends & Family event is on, and literally everything is at least 30% off. Denim is reduced even further – 40%, and a few of the items I picked in the scroll below are up to 70% off. There is a lot to shop on the site, so if you know what you need or are looking for, you will most definitely find it available at a great price.
~SHOP THE SALE:
—Freight’s Woollen Coat in Check
I have to give a shout-out to TSLL reader Sarah Justine, who introduced me to this UK brand, Freight. Speaking about the Signature Style series – the latest post, part trois, was shared earlier this week – centered around Sweaters That Last – and Sarah shared that she recommends Freight’s sweaters. So I took a look and fell in love with this coat. (Yes, I realize, it is not a sweater, but look at it! Gorgeous!) How timeless, how classic, yet effortless and elevated is this?! I will continue to shop their collections, but right out of the gate, I was impressed.
—Square-Toe Margot, V-Cut Flats, many colors
A classic flat with a beautiful quilt-like texture and a Parisian touch with the capped toe. And the Margot 3.0 is designed for even more comfort and wide feet.
—Zara Home’s Colored Rope Leash for Dogs
Upon taking a look at Zara Home’s latest collection and discovering that pups were their focus, I had to smile. This two-tone rope dog leash, with handle and leather details, looks to be soft on the hands with a touch of style, too. Shop the entire Dog Collection here, there are quite a few nice items.
Television
—98th Academy Awards, ABC/Hulu
The award show of award shows. Well, sort of, but the award show that tends to get talked about most often when it comes to the movies will air this Sunday with Conan O’Brien back to host. I’ll admit, I haven’t watched many of the films up for nomination this year, but that doesn’t prevent me from partaking as a viewer of the traditions, red carpet, and listening to the speeches while appreciating of the craft of movie making and all the other many art forms that make each film possible.
—The Madison, Paramount Plus
Premiering tomorrow, the limited series The Madison, consisting of six episodes (three become available on the 14th and the remaining three on the 21st), follows the Clyburn family, who uproot their comfortable NYC lives to move to the wilds of Montana after a devastating tragedy. Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Beau Garrett, Elle Chapman, and Patrick J. Adams, the name Madison is drawn from the Madison River Valley that runs through central Montana. Have a look at the trailer below.
This blanket of crocuses captured my eye while I was driving around town doing errands earlier this week, and so the next day, I made a point to go back and take a few photos. The welcoming signs of spring – how beautiful is this?
We have been having chilly, early-spring-like weather – some sprinkles of rain, a few gusts of wind as winter moves out and in between, sunshine that warms up the earth and encourages the bulbs to take the stage. So I ordered my annual delivery of compost, and Nelle and I spent part of a day earlier this week distributing it around the garden. While I may have been exhausted when I finished (I was, and then some), I was also elated to be outside, playing in the soil, so to speak, and saying hello to all the plants, which are gradually beginning to peek out of the ground.
This week also included wallpapering the east hallway that leads into the office, guest bedroom, and bath, and this was my first go-round of wallpapering a ceiling. Phew and Wahoo! It is up and looks, dare I say, not bad! I cannot wait to share with you this space once I add the new ceiling light, vent cover, and door handles. I will also include all that I learned about tending to the ceiling on your own. It is possible, and I will share with you what I discovered (through more than a few oopses). But before that post, later this month, the full office tour post will be shared. Look for that in two weeks or so, as this coming week is already going to be full with a new podcast episode, the Ponderings… post, and our other regular postings.
Speaking of regular postings, something has been added to the blog that is long overdue – a page dedicated entirely to sharing the Posting Schedule of TSLL. Long-time readers will likely know the schedule fairly well by now, but for everyone, there is now a page listing what is posted on which days of the week, seasonally, annually, and the periodical special posts (tours and travel diaries, etc.). Check this page to explore TSLL’s Posting Schedule.
Now, to the weekend, and I hope you have arrived at today with accomplished tasks under your belt, a feeling of ease achieved and days ahead to nourish your being. Thank you for stopping by today, and until Sunday, bonne journée.
~I found this gardening post for March tasks to tend to, including a detailed list of helpful tips, as it comes from experts who are the head gardeners at top gardens around the UK. [Gardens Illustrated]
~What a great idea – Paris streets are raising the global bar for children’s well-being (and everyone’s well-being for that matter) [Financial Times, gift link]
~Similarly, How Paris beat the car. [Financial Times, gift link
~An informative, detailed article about how to ‘bank’ collagen. Yes, it is possible. (Don’t be scared off by the title.) [Allure]
~With company coming this weekend, this perfect-for-spring dessert – Rhubarb & Lemon Tart, is on the menu to bake later today. [Raymond Blanc]
~12 Amazing things about being a HSP. Yep! Yep! [Sensitive Refuge]
~HOME TOUR of the WEEK: A colourful and sophisticated townhouse in London. So much beautiful, and eclectic upholstered furniture. [House & Garden UK]
~Gardeners – 26 plants you can sow or plant right now and more tasks for March [Gardeners World]
~Let’s conclude on a fashionable note, shall we? The second official trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2, and is full of stylish inspiration. May 1st!
~Explore last week’s edition of This & That: March 6th
Two new films, both set in England, one in present day and one set in the historic past. An array of novels as well as books to help you garden, welcome tranquility into your home, and deepen your inner peace. Two new television series starring familiar faces of comedy, designer clothing for spring sophisticated style on steep reduction, a magazine of note for lovers of vintage and antiques, and still, 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 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.
Looking forward to The Devil Wears Prada 2…loved the first one!