Habitually Chic®'s Logo  

New and Noteworthy: July 2022

by habituallychic

07 . 20 . 22

I usually post what’s new and noteworthy on Fridays but seeing as how it’s 9,000 degrees everywhere, I thought you might like some ideas of things to read and watch while you are at home sitting in front of the air conditioner.

The team behind Baron’s Cove, my favorite hotel in Sag Harbor, have just reopened The Pridwin Hotel and Cottages on Shelter Island after a big renovation. The classic American resort hotel has been providing guests a unique experience on Shelter Island since 1927 on a nearly 10-acre site on Crescent Beach. It was selected for its protected waters, gentle bay breezes, and for its breathtaking water views of the Peconic Bay. Cape Resorts partner is the Petry family, who have owned and operated the resort since 1961 and Colleen Bashaw gave the whole place a great refresh if you need to escape the heat in the city.

I’m a little jealous of anyone who gets to watch The Bear on Hulu for the first time. It’s the best thing on television lately and the word of mouth buzz has assured the show a second season. It follows “a young chef from the fine dining world comes home to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop after a heartbreaking death in his family. A world away from what he’s used to, Carmy must balance the soul-crushing realities of small business ownership, his strong-willed and recalcitrant kitchen staff and his strained familial relationships, all while grappling with the impact of his brother’s suicide. As Carmy fights to transform both the shop and himself, he works alongside a rough-around-the-edges kitchen crew that ultimately reveals itself as his chosen family.” It stars Jeremy Allen White who went through intensive chef training to prepare for his role in the kitchen and he does it so well, you forget you are watching an actor playing a chef. This might sound like it’s not be for everyone but I hope you give it a chance. It’s worth watching just to find out what happens in episode eight.

I posted about Persuasion in my Instagram Stories this weekend but thought I’d also include it here. It wasn’t as bad as the reviews I read but it wasn’t good either. A lot of Jane Austen fans are mad because it feels like the writer and director never bothered to read the book. They turned the character of Anne Elliott into a totally different type of person which was annoying because the book is literally titled Persuasion because she’s a meek person who can be easily persuaded. They added modern elements like breaking the fourth wall and contemporary language that has made me question why they didn’t just set it in 2022 instead of not sticking to a true period piece. I say watch it for the cinematography and beautiful homes and then watch the 1997 Persuasion version that is generally considered the best adaptation.

If you want a much better British show to watch, I highly recommend Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? on BritBox which can be watched on Amazon Prime. I think I missed it when it was released just as I was arriving in Paris in April but I’m glad I finally found it. The three-part series is based on the Agatha Christie book by the same name and was written and directed by Hugh Laurie who also plays one of the characters. The story is about a dying man’s enigmatic last words send vicar’s son, Bobby Jones played by Will Poulter, and his socialite friend, Lady Frankie Derwent played by Lucy Boynton, on a crime-solving adventure. There are a few fun cameos as well. Hugh Laurie played up the humor a little more in his version and the incandescent Lucy Boynton really steals the show with her witty bon-mots. It was so good that I watched it twice, in my defense I was laid up because of my back, and bought the book. I love seeing how they changed certain details but kept the spirit of the book unlike Persuasion.

I was supposed to attend a special screening of Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris last Wednesday but I had to miss it when I pulled a muscle in my back. I haven’t seen it yet but a few people I know who saw it have raved about the film based on the book Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris. It follows a widowed cleaning lady who falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress in London in the 1950s, who decides she must have one of her own. After working to raise the funds to pursue her dream, she embarks on an adventure to Paris that will change not only her own outlook but the very future of the House of Dior. It’s only in theaters at the moment.

I watched The Forgiven so you don’t have to and that’s why I’m including it here. I don’t want you to waste your money. It’s a film that has all the right elements but just can’t get it together. Ralph Fiennes and some of the supporting actors like Ismael Kanater and Mourad Zaouiare are superb but the writing is absolutely awful for Jessica Chastain, Matt Smith, Christopher Abbott, and Caleb Landry Jones.

The Last Movie Stars is a six-part documentary from CNN Films and HBO Max that premiers tomorrow and chronicles Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward’s iconic careers and decades-long partnership. Ethan Hawke was asked by their children to bring life and color to the definitive history of their dedication to their art, philanthropy, and each other. Paul Newman burned tapes of interviews he gave but the transcripts survived so Ethan Hawke asked celebrities to read them for the series.

The Grey Man man airs Friday on Netflix and I can’t tell if it will be amazing or terrible but I can’t wait to find out. It stars Ryan Gosling plays the CIA’s most skilled operative, whose true identity is known to no one, accidentally uncovers dark agency secrets. A psychopathic former colleague puts a bounty on his head, setting off a global manhunt by international assassins. It also stars Chris Evans, Regé-Jean Page, and Ana de Armas who I wish Hollywood would stop putting into films. It’s also based on the book The Grey Man which is the first book in a series of many.

The Lady Di Look Book: What Diana Was Trying to Tell Us Through Her Clothes came about from the Instagram account @ladydirevengebooks but I’m happy to say there is a lot of substance in this book. I really love the deep dive into the fashions from every part of her life and look forward to reading more.

The Little Book of Hermès: The Story of the Iconic Fashion House was just released yesterday and would make a great present to yourself or your favorite fashion friend. I look forward to learning more about the iconic fashion brand since my copy just arrived yesterday.

I’ve posted this Linen Dress in navy and white before but they are the dresses I’ve been wearing during this heatwave so I thought I’d show you how I style them. I wore the navy dress with the yellow striped Rue de Verneuil canvas bag that I picked up in Paris along with Birkenstock 1774 Arizona Canvas Slide Sandals. With the white dress, I wore my new Souleiado fabric bag from Gucci Vault. This bag was the workhorse of my London trip because it was so lightweight but roomy. I also wore my new yellow Hermès Oran sandals that I bought in London. You might be able to ask your sales associate to find them for you in a store but they also seem to be mostly sold out. These yellow Woven Raffia Sandals are a great alternative. I can’t wear jewelry and definitely not rings when it’s hot so I just wore my Hermès stainless steel H hour watch with the blue leather strap for a pop of color. I also put all my essentials in my new Hermès Bain New Yachting Pouch which can easily be moved when I switch bags.

I need to put together a travel blog post with my trips and tricks because sometimes even I make mistakes. I own this 3 Pack of 3/6/10FT Nylon Braided Lightning Cables for charging but made the rookie mistake of not taking the 10-foot cord on my trip to London and of course there were no plugs directly next to the bed. The six-foot just reached but the ten-foot would have been perfect. Buy a pack for everyone in your family for your next trip.

Stay cool!

XOXO,

HC