Shopping
I had no intention of doing ANY shopping in London. Well, with the exception of some Christmas ornaments…I’d seen that all the department stores had already opened their Christmas shops, and I knew I wasn’t coming home empty-handed.
I’m also a big fan of shopping for brands that are based in the country I’m visiting. It feels a little more special to buy something in its home country, and you’ll typically find the prices are better there, too (better being a relative term, obviously).
Selfridge’s had an amazing selection of emerging designer brands, and of the three stores I visited (Selfridges, Harrods and Fortnum & Mason), I thought their Christmas shop was by far the best.
And unfortunately for my luggage, I almost always end up buying a book from a museum when I travel. I particularly love exhibition-specific books that you can’t necessarily find elsewhere. They’re such a nice reminder of a trip, and let’s be honest, you can never have too many coffee table books.
Here’s what came home with me in my overweight luggage:
-Christmas ornaments from Harrods, Selfridges & Daylesford
-JW Anderson blouse that I got with an upcoming trip to Hawaii in mind
-A new gourmand fragrance to add to my rotation from Headspace
-Subtly branded sweatpants from Estelle Manor
-A still life baby tee from Vivienne Westwood
-Catalog book from Tim Walker’s Fairyland
-The most perfect Christmas candle in existence from Daylesford
Travel
I spent a quick but busy 48 hours in London, and a lovely long weekend in the Cotswolds living out my Amanda Woods fantasy.
I was very preoccupied with the arts in London: I visited the The 90s: Art and Fashion exhibit at Tate Britain, which just recently opened and has been getting a lot of hype - I was very underwhelmed by this exhibit, and don’t think it’s worth going out of your way for. I’m kicking myself for prioritizing this over the Schiaparelli exhibit at V&A. On the other hand, Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends was fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed the National Portrait Gallery. I also loved loved loved the presentation of artist Issy Wood’s Self Portraits as part of NPG’s Artist Focus series.
And obviously, I couldn’t go to London without seeing something on the West End. Paddington The Musical was the hardest ticket I’ve tried to score lately - yes, harder than Harry Styles and Ariana Grande combined. I’m so glad I managed to get one, though - it was extremely sweet, with beautiful sets, catchy music, and even a slightly sinister storyline woven in. It’s coming to Broadway in the spring (previews start March 30; opening night is April 18) and honestly, it’s worth seeing for the bear costume alone. You can hardly believe there’s a person inside of there - it looks like an animatronic.
I was almost too busy running around London to have a proper meal, but managed to squeeze in one lovely dinner at Bibi. The food + service were 10/10 and it’s a great bar to sit at for solo dining.
The Cotswolds is as magical as everyone says. The quaint picturesque towns seem to be overrun with tourists this time of year, though, so I’d suggest visiting at an off season.
We wanted to put two hotels to the test: Soho Farmhouse & Estelle Manor. I liked them both for different reasons, and Soho felt like the better choice for the fall season. The vibe was cozier, outdoor fireplaces and firepits and several different spaces to hang out, whereas Estelle felt a bit more contained to the manor house. Soho reminded me quite a bit of Wildflower Farms, but larger and with a bit more going on (more restaurants, bigger spa, etc).
That being said, Estelle Manor might be the most impeccably designed place I’ve ever been to. No detail was overlooked, and every object felt unique. The Eynsham Baths, their Roman-inspired spa, was so heavenly, and a must visit. I think I’d save my next visit to Estelle for the summertime, particularly when they throw their annual end of summer party.
Movies
You Can See Everything: sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. The longer I watched this, the more confused I became. There were times during watching that felt so unbelievable to me, I was certain these people must be acting.
With Liz, it’s difficult and unsettling to find the line between deliberate dishonesty and genuine belief in her own fabricated reality. In the trailer, she infamously says “why would I deceive you?” and the most disturbing part is that she seems to geniunely believes she hasn’t. I do think it’s possible to tell yourself a lie so many times that it eventually becomes your truth. The bigger the web you spin, the harder it becomes to distinguish fact from fiction.
Liz & Billy, meanwhile, have the dynamic of two people who killed someone together and know where the body is buried. It’s as if they have so much dirt on the other that neither can afford to break character. Their unwavering commitment to the bit, and each other, is genuinely shocking and disturbing.
Again, I really don’t want to spoil anything - this is a film you need to see in a packed theater. It is so enthralling, I nearly had to pick my jaw up from the floor when the credits rolled. Yes, it is quite long at 2 hours 54 min, but it never lags - and I’d say the last 2 hours are the most gripping. The cinematography and soundtrack felt sophisticated for a documentary and elevated it to another level, and I can see why this will likely be nominated come awards season.
Side note - a little something I’ve been talking about with a friend lately: starting a movie club! If you’ve been reading for a while, you know how much I love movies, and we’ve been tossing around the idea of getting a group together regularly. Nothing official yet, but stay tuned for more info if that’s something you’d be interested in joining!
On My Radar
Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous exhibition at The Met
Close to Home Bakery’s East Village pop up on Saturday, 10/24
Lady Delilah, a spinoff of the LA supper club restaurant Delilah, opens on November 3
Cavalier, a new spot for wine & small plates in Chinatown
Crybaby, a new LES wine bar from a somm who used to work at Cote & Coqodaq
Material Matters home show (Nov 7-8) & Collectible design fair (Nov 6-8). I visited Collectible last year and I highly recommend it
Iara, a new Brazilian restaurant on the LES
Brut Orchard Coffee on the LES, next door to the cult-favorite Parisian workwear store of the same name
This sandwich collab between Edith’s and Bartolo looks sooooo good
Until next week -
xo
Lo