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Friday 30 October 2020

Friday Favourites - October Edition: TV, Books and Podcasts

 

Girl wearing headphones reading a book. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Image by Andrea Piacquadio for Pexels
Welcome to this month's Friday Favourites, a round-up of TV, book and podcast recommendations. The October mix includes Elton John, the Barbarians TV show, Emily in Paris, an octopus, Barbara Amiel and Pam Hupp. Pam who? Read on.

TV Viewing

The Undoing (Sky, Now TV)

This is a very classy production starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant.  The cast list has lots of "ACEs" after the production crew's names, and you can see why in the beautiful lighting and screenplay. It makes you realise how third rate a lot of the dramas are, nowadays, in terms of how they're filmed.

Aside from the brutal lack of chemistry between the husband and wife  (Kidman and Grant), and Kidman's resolutely frozen face, there's a lot to admire. I was gaping at the beauty of Kidman's clothes. The red cape! The dress she wore to the charity auction! It puts Emily in the shade  (from Emily in Paris, below).

It's also quite novel only having one episode a week. No bingeing! I think we're going to enjoy this.

Emily in Paris (Netflix)

The critics were very sniffy about it, and I saw an outraged Canadian expat in Paris whining about how the programme is based on stereotypes. Nonetheless, it went to the top of the Netflix charts, including in France. 

My message on this one is:  it's not Proust. Yes, there are stereotypes. But stereotypes wouldn't exist without a soupcon of truth. I love the French and their quirky ways . The fact they hung onto Minitel for so many years  (Google it). Their weird breakfasts - croissants dunked in bowls of hot chocolate. Johnny Halliday! Need I go on. But I love their commitment to French cinema and I'd much rather watch an angst-ridden French film than an American rom-com with the inevitably happy ending. 

Although there was criticism of how the French came out of the programme,  the Americans didn't fare much better. The deep pan pizza is Chicago's crowning culinary glory? And although Emily was wearing designer threads, she didn't look as stylish as her French boss Sylvie. 

We enjoyed Emily in Paris as a frothy confection. The perfect antidote to 2020.  Paris looked beautiful. I'm sure there will be a second series. A bit more bite would be nice.  Camille catching her "friend" Emily in bed with the chef, for example? More discussion around topics like sexist v sexy, which was a brief flash of intelligence. More please. 

Rita (Netflix)

If you want feel good TV with a bit of bite, then try Rita, a Danish series about the life of an unconventional and charismatic woman. In series 1, school teacher Rita is conducting a busy life love with three men: the head teacher, the mild mannered Rasmus;  the father of one of her pupils, and her childhood sweetheart Tom, who's now the father-in-law of her eldest son Ricco. It's all very complicated. Every episode has pathos, sadness and humour. The characters are wonderfully drawn, including the young teacher Hjordis who has her own follow-up series. Oh - and it's a rich seam - six seasons. Binge now. 

Read more: How the Danish hit went global - BBC 

Barbarians (Netflix)

If you loved The Last Kingdom and The Vikings, you'll find this worth a look,  although it's nowhere in their league.   It's a big budget drama from Germany with quite a few parallels to The Last Kingdom, including a similar story conceit where the hero starts off  with a different family and is stolen or given away to the "other side." In this case, we have a Roman centurion who started life as one of the Barbarians. He was given to the Romans in return for peace. Fast forward and the same Centurion is forced to wreak havoc on his family and friends from a few years ago. But is that his plan? 

My Octopus Teacher (Netflix)

I defy anyone to watch this gentle and bewitching documentary without shedding a tear. A film maker, Craig Foster, is struggling to make sense of his life.  He spends a year documenting the life of a wild common octopus.  They may look like alien life forms but the octopus is amazingly clever and adaptable. We see the little octopus literally building a wall around herself to protect from predators.  After accepting Foster into her grotto, she shows affection towards this strange being. The ending is heart breaking.


What I've Been Reading

Friends and Enemies by Barbara Amiel

I've long been fascinated by Amiel and her fourth husband, Conrad Black, the former proprietor of the Daily Telegraph and other publications owned by the Hollinger Group.

Black was imprisoned for fraud, plunging him and Amiel into millions of pounds of debt and ignominy. 

He was pardoned by Trump after spending three years in prison, following the publication of his positive book about the President. (Yes the Blacks are Republicans, but as a well adjusted Boomer I've able to read about conflicting views without throwing a tantrum). 

Before disaster struck, this gilded couple had mixed with the world's richest dynasties, royalty and politicians. Barbara, a journalist and newspaper columnist, was a latter day Marie Antoinette with a couture habit. Now in her 80s, Amiel doesn't come across as particularly likeable. There are hundreds of pages of bile when it comes to Conrad's trial and the lawyers and judge they had to deal with.  I never got over the fact the she freely admitted to punching and kicking a small dog that adored her, for no reason, even though she caused it internal bleeding and pain.  

Most intriguing was her account of how, in her early 50s, her life was turned upside down when she married Black. Suddenly a woman who'd lived in a fairly modest apartment and dined on Lean Cuisine was expected to host prestigious banquets for the great and good.

Living among the mega rich, the Blacks tried to keep up but it kept going wrong, as shown by the jewellery that Amiel bought.  

A guest at one of dinner parties peered at her emerald necklace and declared the jewels had been treated with oil and were the wrong colour. Cringe city. But very revealing, in exposing that that a lot of the "great and good", these supposed philanthropists, were in reality shallow snobs with petty rivalries and bad manners. If I'd been Amiel, I might have made a virtue out of wearing costume jewellery from an up and coming designer, rather than trying to compete with old school "patio jewellery". 

We Brits come out of it quite well.  Canada turned its back on its citizen Black because he had the audacity to accept a peerage. Most of their US and Canadian friends completely blanked them from the start. Elton John was the only friend who took Amiel out after the initial disgrace and gave her a trinket from Theo Fennell. A lot of the people listed by name as enemies by Amiel are still alive. I wonder what they're thinking now. 

Me by Elton John

Barbara Amiel praises Elton John in her memoir but she doesn't get a mention in his.  I am a big fan of Elton's but I resisted the book for several months, thinking it had all been revealed in various newspaper serialisations. But I succumbed, and I did enjoy it.  Elton is open, honest and down-to-earth. His memoir is rich in anecdotes and amusing tales involving celebrities and the royal family.  "I'm perfectly aware of how ridiculous my life is, and perfectly aware of what an arsehole I look like when I lose my temper over nothing," he writes.  "I go from nought to nuclear in seconds and then calm down just as quickly."  

He famously fell out with Princess Diana, Tina Turner and his mother, who comes across as overbearing, peevish and unpredictable. 

We'll be seeing Elton for the second time - Covid permitting - in Liverpool next November, his farewell tour having been curtailed this year.

Here he's pictured with Taron Egerton, who played him in the Elton biopic.

Playdate by Alex Dahl

This novel is about a young girl who goes for her first sleepover but doesn't return the next day. The story turned out to be very convoluted, and quite clever. It kept me feverishly turning pages to find out  what actually happened. 

Podcast Delights

No Place But The Water, BBC Radio 4 

A drama in nine fairly short episodes, I stuck with it after finding the first two episodes a bit irksome with whiney children's voices dominating. I was glad I stuck with it because things improved after episode three. The world has suddenly been turned into water;  houses crumbled and fell into the sea. There's no explanation of why this happened. A family have found a haven in a deserted hotel near a spooky wood.Fortuitously they have food in the cellar  (fast running out) but no toilet paper, which sounds familiar.  Then they see another boat, with a young boy and his mother on board. The kids' squeals and all the talk about seeing angels is tedious, but the ending makes sense.  I particularly enjoyed Grandad's laugh, but as usual, the father, Gil, formerly an English teacher, came across as fairly useless, which is the way men are often portrayed now by our PC BBC.

The Thing About Pam, Dateline NBC

This is the true story of an American woman, Pam Hupp, who brazened it out after a crime and nearly got away with it.  Russell Faria came home one evening two days after Christmas 2011 and found his wife of 12 years dead on the floor. Not long before her death, it transpires, his wife had made her friend Pam Hupp the recipient of her life insurance. You'd think this alone would interest the police, but no, they seemed to like Pam and were convinced Russ had killed his wife. Even after Pam closed down the trust, shortly before Faria's trial, that was supposed to give 50% of the life insurance policy to Russ's daughters. 

There are lots of flabbergasting twists and turns before Pam Hupp is finally convicted of the 2016 murdere of Louis Gumpenberger, the man she hired to implicate Russ Faria for the murder of his wife. Who killed Betsy Faria is still an unsolved mystery. 

Backlisted Podcast 

If you love old books, Backlisted is for you. Each episode features a guest (usually a writer) who has chosen a book they love and which they think deserves a wider audience. Though sponsored by the crowd-funding publisher Unbound, it isn’t about selling new product: it’s about how and why some books stand the test of time.

For Halloween the latest book is Beowulf. Some of my favourite books, Frost in May by Antonia White, Excellent Women by Barbara Pym  (which I featured here), and Great Expectations by Charles Dickens have been featured.

Hope you enjoyed this month's Friday Favourites. It's a monthly post published on the last Friday of the month.  Do share your latest recommendations in the comments.  I have a feeling we're going to be needing as many recommendations as we can get.

Sharing this post with Not Dresssed as Lamb, My Random Musings, Shelbee on the Edge and Lucy Bertoldi. 

FOR MORE MUTTON

There's a fashion or beauty post every Wednesday with the #WowOnWednesday link-up. Stay in the loop: follow Is This Mutton? on Bloglovin or Feedspot. I post extra goodies on the Is This Mutton? Facebook page. Check out the Is This Mutton? Pinterest boards, including boards on other bloggers in fab outfits plus beauty, jewellery, hairstyles and fashion picks. Is This Mutton? is also on Twitter and Instagram


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Wednesday 28 October 2020

Ice Cream Pastels for Winter

Is This Mutton style blogger Gail Hanlon in ice cream colors for autumn and winter

In a total contrast to Monday's post - Gothic Romance - today I'm wearing ice cream pastels. In winter! Well, it's still officially autumn but Winter Is Coming. And with further Covid restrictions on their way, bright colors may be a good tonic for all of us to relieve the gloom.
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Monday 26 October 2020

Style Not Age Challenge: Gothic Romance

 

With Halloween approaching Is This Mutton's Gail Hanlon attempts to style Gothic Romance with a white pearl buttoned blouse, black lace skirt, black wig and black ankle boots


This challenge from Emma  flummoxed me for a while.  I was probably too sidetracked by the word "gothic" which to me implies Halloween style make-up, corsets and black lace. 

I was most concerned about my hair letting the side down.  I can't think of any self-respecting goths or Halloween witches with a highlighted bob. But while I was food shopping in Tesco, I snapped up a witch's wig for just three pounds.  It's not the best quality, but at least conceals the hair.
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Wednesday 21 October 2020

Faux Leather Leggings with Mint Green - and Link Up

 How to style faux leather leggings over 50: Is This Mutton chooses a textured, long mint green jumper, waist cincher belt and mint green beret with snakeskin ankle boots

Leather and faux leather is everywhere, and I've never really worn either except for a couple of pastel coloured leather jackets years ago. I was inspired to buy these Spanx faux leather leggings after seeing them on blogger friend Hilda.

Mint green has always been a favourite colour although not one I've worn for a while.  It's a cosy, and fun look, to pair a beret and jumper/sweater with leggings and snazzy boots.

Edgy snakeskin boots and a textured jumper elevate black faux leather leggings for a cosy and stylish look: Is This Mutton.

I'm sure a few people will say I "look mutton" in this ensemble, but that's their perogative. I think we're past those judgments, Women of any age should wear what they want. We don't want helpful lists from tabloids, or even other women, telling us what we should and shouldn't be wearing.

The irony is that when I was young I would never have worn faux or leather leggings because I had "thunder thighs".  Years of squats and lunges have improved them but to me they're still large, yet the leggings are quite forgiving.

For a less daring look you could pair the leggings with a longer tunic or dress. It's best to avoid tucking in shirts or jumpers with leggings like this. 
Outfit details (nothing gifted but I have included links to what I bought, and I get a few pence if you click through): textured jumper, leggings, beret  The leggings are sold out in most sizes but I found them in stock at Selfridges (they also have other styles and colours). They are true to size. 
Older women can and should wear faux and leather leggings and jeans. Why not? Gail Hanlon from Is This Mutton is now daring enough to try the look

Leather / faux leather leggings or jeans - a yay or a nay for you? Let me know in the comments below.

Sharing this post with Top of the World Style at High Latitude Style, Chic & Stylish at Mummabstylish, #LinkupOnTheEdge  at Shelbee on the Edge, Anna at Muttonstyle, #AnythingGoes at My Random Musings, Thursday Moda at Elegance and Mommyhood, Turning Heads Tuesday at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish,  Style with a Smile and Stylish Monday at StylesplashAnna at the GlamAdventure, Style Six at Coast to CoastTFF at Doused in Pink, Fancy Friday at Nancy's Fashion Style, Fabulous Fridays at Lucy Bertoldi, Beauty by Miss L Link Up#iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed as Lamb,  Lizzie in Lace  Ask Suzanne Bell and Confident Twosday at IDoDeclaire

Now it's time for #WowOnWednesday, the link-up featuring posts on fashion, beauty, travel and fitness from bloggers around the world. Please click on a few of the posts and leave comments - you'll make the writers incredibly happy.

Last week's readers' favourites

Laurie from Vanity and Me with her post "Autumn-Winter Wardrobe – Time to get cosy." Loving the pink textured jumper. 

And Emma from Stylesplash with her post "HEAD TO TOE POLKA DOTS". You all know I love a polka dot or two!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
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Wednesday 14 October 2020

Skirt of My Dreams

Sometimes it pays to be in the long game. I saw this skirt  by Baum und Pferdgarten a while ago at the Bias Cut - there was also a gorgeous matching coat - but the price put me off. I touched it longingly when I saw the skirt in person at a pop up sale last year, but this time my size wasn't available.  Then, hallelujah,  I saw it online in my size and snapped it up.

I love the drama of the skirt - the deep magenta colour and the sheen of the brocade.

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Monday 12 October 2020

Feeling Peachy

 Adding a splash of orange to an all-cream outfit for autumn: Is This Mutton
I did something I haven't done for ages:  a big old blog shoot. I kept yesterday free - no walks or gym classes and no guests for lunch, so that I could take photos of a few outfits to catch up.  

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Wednesday 7 October 2020

Glow to Go with Three Make-up Products - and Link Up

 Beauty products added to the regime of over-50s style blogger Gail Hanlon from Is This Mutton
My beauty routine changes in autumn as I instinctively fight some of the problems caused to my skin by summer. Today I'm going to tell you about what I'm using now, including a new foundation; and my quick three product makeover. Yes, down from five products! Nothing was gifted for this post. 

The pigmentation on my left cheek is always noticeably worse in the summer, even though I apply as much SP50 as I can. The fact that it reappears  (and largely disappears during winter) is why I haven't sought laser treatment because while it's said to work, the brown marks still return in the summer. 

I saw some good reviews of dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting's Brightly serum which is packed full of the latest "actives" to use the jargon. You're advised to start with half a pump, which I did;  I quickly progressed to a full pump because my skin is already conditioned for retinol and actives.  I didn't feel any tingling, but after a few days I developed some spots on my cheeks. Practically unheard of, but apparently a good sign as it shows the actives are purging the skin.

The serum is formulated more as a cream than a liquid. It's easy to smooth in and soon disappears. You can use it as a serum in the morning and apply make-up over the top. I will stick with it because I usually get good results with products like this for reducing the pigmentation during winter.

Olaplex

I'd also heard good reports about Olaplex No 6, a leave-in styling cream. You only have to mention "leave-in" and I'm looking for the Paypal button. One of the banes of my life, irrationally, is having to use conditioner after shampoo. The Olaplex is not my no 1 choice.  I prefer Color Wow Dream Coat, which styles my hair beautifully and doesn't add weight or oil. I also rate the Aveda Damage Remedy, shown in the picture. Both of them save me time because I can shampoo without a conditioner. 

Cream Blusher

One of the problems caused by my brown spots and where they are on my face is where to use a blusher. Inevitably, it has to land on the left brown spot, and if it's a powder formulation, it seems to darken the brown spot and make it all the more noticeable. Cream blushers are better, and  I've used them for several years as they're more flattering on older skin. I've just bought a Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick blusher in Las Salinas.  This gives a pretty pink glow which would probably work with most skin tones. I apply it just above the pigmentation. 

Night Cream - yay or nay?

I've never been too impressed with night creams but a sample of Goldfaden MD Regenerative Night Cream convinced me otherwise. Goldfaden, also a dermatologist, created a range of effective plant based products to achieve strong results.  It's absolutely true that with this cream my skin looks more glowy and fresh first thing in the morning. I apply it over the Brightly serum. It's very pricey though.  I had a big reduction when I bought it at Cult Beauty but that big box is housing a miserly 50ml pot. which retails at £140. 

A winning mascara

Finally I added the mascara by Maybelline to a shopping basket when I needed to reach a spend threshold for a gift  (that old trick!), and I'm pleasantly surprised with it.  It builds up the lashes nicely and lasts all day without flaking or imprinting itself on the lower lashes. 

Three Product Makeover 

Before and after: using just three make-up products can make all the difference as over-50s style and beauty blogger Gail Hanlon, from Is This Mutton, demonstrates

Some of you tell me you never wear make-up.  I always do, even if it's just concealer. Make-up makes a huge difference for me, and it doesn't have to be a full face of slap.

In the photo above, I'm showing my bare face on the left, and on the right, after my usual "prep" products (which make a huge difference on their own) and three items of make-up plus lip balm.   I took the photo in the same room but from a different position, although I'm sure you'll agree the "after" is noticeably better.

My three product makeover, after applying a hyaluronic acid serum, moisturizer and eye cream, is:

I had been loyal to a particular foundation for years but suddenly it seemed a bit muddy looking and thick.  Another blogger swears by Clarins foundations and I tried a sample.  I liked it so bought a full size bottle. This foundation is extremely light in texture with a delicate scent, but quite a heavy hitter in terms of concealing pigmentation, dark circles and red patches.  Having applied it with a damp make-up sponge on the areas which need it, I then use my eye pencil as a liner, pulling up the eye lid to apply the pencil to the water mark and pushing it into the eyelashes.  This has a miraculous effect in terms of opening up the eyes without looking at all obvious.  Finally a slick of blusher and my face has a rosy glow.

I've included the link for the eye pencil as I've only seen it at one online retailer in the UK.  The purple shade is perfect if you have grey, blue or green eyes.  I tried the teal shade but weirdly it gives the dreaded panda effect.

I'm also using a lip balm but didn't count that as a make-up product because even make-up haters use those!

Finally nails and cuticles - the bane of my life! My nails have been poor for years, ever since I had acrylic nails back in the early 2020s. I use several different oil and cream cuticle conditioners during the day, but it's an uphill battle, particularly with all the hand sanitizers and hand washing. 

This Margaret Dabbs product is nearly finished and I'll definitely be buying a new one.  It has a strange, but pleasant, smell that reminds me of furniture polish. It makes the nails look instantly hydrated and the effect is long lasting. Margaret Dabbs is a podiatrist whose medical pedicures are in much demand at her salon in Marylebone, London. Her products are on the pricey side but devoid of marketing B-S. Put simply, they work.  You can buy her products from the website or from online retailers including Cult Beauty and Look Fantastic.
Is This Mutton's Gail Hanlon shows how to get your glow with just three make-up products, including a brutal before and an improved after
Have you tried any of these products, or do you have some new discoveries you can share in the comments below?

I've just splurged on some new products from Byredo, Bobbi Brown and Lisa Eldridge, so there'll be another beauty update soon. 

Sharing this post with Top of the World Style at High Latitude Style, Chic & Stylish at Mummabstylish, #LinkupOnTheEdge  at Shelbee on the Edge, Anna at Muttonstyle, #AnythingGoes at My Random Musings, Thursday Moda at Elegance and Mommyhood, Turning Heads Tuesday at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish,  Style with a Smile at StylesplashAnna at the GlamAdventure, Style Six at Coast to CoastTFF at Doused in Pink, Fancy Friday at Nancy's Fashion Style, Fabulous Fridays at Lucy Bertoldi, Beauty by Miss L Link Up#iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed as Lamb 

Now it's time for #WowOnWednesday, the link-up featuring posts on fashion, beauty, travel and fitness from bloggers around the world. Please click on a few of the posts and leave comments - you'll make the writers incredibly happy.
Last week's most clicked (readers' favourites) were Michelle from Fifty and Fab, and Alison from Midlife and Beyond.

Michelle's post was "My new walk in wardrobe, some pretty underwear from Playtex and a fab white cotton shirt!" Three dead cert favourite topics.
Michelle from blog Fifty and Fab - readers favourite in the Is This Mutton #WowOnWednesday link up
Alison was celebrating her birthday with her post "Turning Sixty - No Big Deal." I loved her dramatic dress. I enjoyed some of the memories in the post. My own 60th is just a month away! 
Alison from Midlife and Beyond - readers favourite in the Is This Mutton #WowOnWednesday link up

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
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Tuesday 6 October 2020

September Sentence a Day: There's a holiday!

 

Is This Mutton's Gail Hanlon at the summit of Fleetwith Pike in the Lake District, September 2020

Covid-19 Update

I've been reporting on the UK Covid-19 situation since the global pandemic officially began. Current status: with England, Wales and Scotland all having their own version of the rules, and local lockdowns in place in towns in the north and in Wales, it's impossible to give a brief description for the UK this time. So I will give you the situation in London.  Children are back at school and university teaching has resumed. It's fine to go to gyms, cinemas and shops.  Restaurants and pubs close at 10pm exactly. Face coverings must be worn on public transport and in shops and pubs/restaurants, where contact details of one of the group must be taken.  Social distancing is a must.  Theatres and football stadiums remain mostly closed. Employees who can work from home are urged to do so. In the home, gatherings of more than six people, including children, from a maximum of two households, are banned. There are now sizable fines  (but the reality is, hardly anyone gets fined!). The govt is reportedly planning new restrictions if the second wave gets worse, 

Tuesday Sept 1

Sunny start. Had a second attempt at getting a passport photo. Still dire, but will have to go with it. See more in my post

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Friday 2 October 2020

It's Those Friday Favourites! Books, TV and Podcasts

 Is This Mutton's Gail Hanlon on a walk listening as always to a podcast. Check out her monthly Friday Favourites for recommendations

TGIF! A week later than normal, here's my monthly round-up of favourite viewing. listening and reading. Love to get your recommendations in the comments. 

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