A few of my favourite things

My favourite Christmas shop, Paris restaurant, Rejina Pyo buy, burgundy cardi (Sofia Richie wore it), artist (with a rare limited edition print: £75) & my favourite newsletter (with 50+ small brands!)

We’re almost there people! Those sleigh bells are ringing and the end is in sight!

I know we’re busy / tired / drunk this week (I know I’m a combination of all three) so this is just a little sweet one of some things I like… which aren’t all Christmasy (okay, the first one is, but please read on!).

My favourite Christmas Shop

— My favourite Christmas shop: Choosing Keeping. Just a treasure trove for the stationary and ‘little bits of something’ lovers. The windows, the wrapping, the wonderment, the wisdom (it feels like a store that knows what they’re doing).

And the Christmas ornaments (sounds much fancier than decorations) are a DEE-LIGHT! I can’t stop looking at them.

And they really can be used as an ornament after! I have the Tuna and the Egg (a gift from a friend, a sandwich in-joke) on my mantle.

My favourite Paris Post

I’m a yearly paid subscriber to

Farrah @Substack

from ex fashion editor (and head of Substack UK) Farrah Storr. She’s done more than one great Paris post in the past, which I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed, but this one I read recently has some best kept secrets (I always love a locals, or in this case frequent traveller, restaurant / bar reco).

*I’m saving this bistro and this bar for later (by later I mean spring 2025).

Le Bistrot De Paris

This is the kind of place that just makes Paris to me, a proper classic bistro, old school but in that chic French way and full of locals (I’m assuming). Thank you Farrah, adding this one for next time.

Le Gavroche

And I’ve got one for you - Le Gavroche - not fancy, but the food was fantastic.

We went on a lunchtime and it was full of locals - business men, a few from the fashion crowd (the Celine office was relatively nearby), old ladies who lunch, and the odd old chap who sits with his newspaper. Exactly what I’m looking for.

Moonshiner

One of Farrah’s recommendations (that I had heard of but have never been); a hidden cocktail bar masquerading as a pizza shop, you’ll need to go past the pepperoni to find the Patrón! Sounds a little bit forced fun I know, but it does look so nice in that dark candlelit prohibition style way.

Candelaria

This reminds me of one of my favourite Paris bars we discovered years ago - Candelaria - very similar concept, you have to go through a tiny taco place round the corner and enter the ‘secret’ bar through a door next to the fridge. The tacos are also great mind… and probably your cheapest meal in Paris.

Back in 2019 this bar did feel relatively unknown (to us it did anyway), alas, the last time we were there in 2023, it seems to have become a bit of a tourist trap (but we did have Mabel with us on this trip and a lovely American lady sat with her on her knee the entire time on the tiny bench seat she had. So, swings and roundabouts!).

My favourite ‘what I want to wear’ (right now)

— A girl needs something to wear in Paris… this caught my eye thinking ahead to after Christmas and into spring (feels a long way off I know, since we usually get the worst of winter Jan through to March).

Rejina Pyo | Cleo Jacket Wool Blend Jacquard Tiger Beige | £495

You know what I’m going to say ‘it’s the scarf that did it for me!’ (removable scarf collar to be exact).

— A girl may also need something fancier to wear for an evening in Paris (yes, I’d be bloody freezing in the below if this weren’t in summer). On that note, a girl may need a similar something to wear to a wedding in Sweden in June.

Rejina Pyo | Erica Dress Viscose Blend Jade | £675 - Many scenarios sorted with this dress!

And this peplum satin blouse / jacket also looks Paris perfect (yes, I am a Rejina Pyo fan).

My favourite dish (yes, really)

— Can you tell I’m mid-30’s? A favourite dish is a thing! If I needed a Christmas dish this would B it: Emile Henry | Ruffled Pie Dish Burgundy 27cm | £37

My favourite new brand

— I saw Sofia Richie wearing this burgundy beauty recently and now I can’t stop thinking about it.

The brand is BIRROT, which are new to me, but founded in 2018 in Copenhagen (damn, the Danish always do design so good). I hear there’s a Copenhagen store and now I’d very much like to plan a wondrous winter trip there.

Naturally, this BIRROT | Lay3 Boatneck Cardigan | £305 is now sold out on their direct site, HOWEVER, I’ve discovered it’s available to pre order at Moda Operandi in black and burgundy (for end January delivery)

*I also found it in pink on BIRROT’s site at £282 and it is a luuvly pink (quite hidden, I found it by using the search tool for ‘cardigan’).

And if your heart is still melting for that burgundy shade I do also love this Lay3 V Jacket | £473 - super sophisticated 😎

My favourite newsletter

— This newsletter / mail out from the geniuses that are *Paynter piqued my interest last week, one of the best, most genuine, I’ve seen in a long time…

“WE HAVE NOTHING FOR SALE. SUPPORT THESE BRANDS INSTEAD”

The list contains over 50 makers of clothing, shoes, escapes, home wears, food, drink, experiences, making kits, publishers, repair shops and many more.

I genuinely did take some time and read all of this, which, let’s be honest, is rare (and let’s B more honest, why I’m not making a fortune writing this newsletter of my own).

*Paynter - you know their jackets? I’ve mentioned them before in here, a genius business model, with only 4 drops a year.

My favourite nail artist

— I had to shout out my favourite nails. My god they are good, she is good! The best in fact. If you’re in London DO go to Shannon aka Elias Nails (and do book well in advance).

I can’t rave about her enough, one of the most talented, and loveliest, people I’ve gotten to know. Plus, the gel polish she uses lasts ages (up to 4 weeks for me, and doesn’t leave your nails crumbling).

Every time I see Shannon I think she can’t better the last times magical design… but she always does… and always fulfils my brief of ‘pink pony disco’ perfectly 😂

Always a joy never a chore with Shannon! To me it feels like a chore when you go to a soulless nail salon and the manicurist doesn’t engage the entire time and watches a giant tele behind your head. If you know what I mean (and if you happen to have been to Blackheath Spa Nails).

My favourite print

Okay, there could be quite a few that fall into this category, but Frankie has always been one of my favourite artists (and the first proper piece of original artwork I bought a few years ago; you know you’re now a grown up when you’ve spent hundreds on a painting).

She doesn’t bring out many prints but has just recently launched this A3 size limited edition run of 100… featuring my fave Scampi Fries: Frankie Thorpe | British Tapas Limited Edition Print | £75.

I know they’re over half sold out already so if you want one I’d get your order in at the bar!

My favourite…

This is nothing to do with anything really, other than it came up when I was trying to source that Sofia Richie Birrot Cardigan (from above) and I rather liked this - L.F. Markey | Ace Cardigan Burgundy Stripe | £230 - the burgundy / red colour combo!

OVER and OUT!

That’s it folks, Christmas is in 3 days! As I mentioned in my last post (from Tuesday) it’s been a whole year of writing this Substack now, and I’ve not had a week off from the constant cycle of producing twice weekly newsletters (madness!) .

So, a little brain break is most definitely needed 😊 (I know this is a nice job, but believe me, so much goes into sourcing / writing / constructing / editing each and every newsletter).

I’ll try to get a little tasty something out to you at some point between Christmas and New Year, but otherwise I’ll be back to normal schedule in the first week of JAN 2025… now that does sound like MADNESS, 2025!

The biggest BIGGEST thank you to you all for being here, whether you’re subscribed as free or paid, I couldn’t be more honoured that you’ve chosen to read this from me ❤️ and I truly mean that.

And to those of you that are paid subscribers, well, wow, THANK YOU a million times over, you really do keep this newsletter going. Again, I truly mean that, without you I simply can’t keep providing this resource every week (sadly, this doesn’t cover the bills as it is if I’m honest).

Okay, back to festive… THANK YOU and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Remember wear the damn dress, wear the sparkle, wear the boots, or wear the PJ’s if you want, and do eat another mince pie… screw it!

Have fun, love, Bethany xx

Had to get Mabel in there didn’t I.

Oh, and just allow me to leave you with this as it’s just made me laugh so much… and I do genuinely love him!

Choosing Keeping | Christmas Ornament Weasel | £80 (price is the only reason I don’t own this, I love this store, but come on now, who spends 80 quid on a decoration!).