Have I told you about...

30/10/24 - A juicy little list of good things to click on. Featuring: travel, tulle, chocolate, chips, horses, handbags, Deal and good deals.

Weekly wishlist, ‘Have I told you about’, call it what you like (I suppose I am), basically this is GOOD THINGS to click on from the never ending source that is my obsessive brain.

And it’s not all ‘stuff to buy’… well, it kinda is, but it’s recommendations, places I’ve been, people I like, products I’ve tried and so on!

This week we’ve got art, eats (I mean, I suppose you do have to buy these things but they’re not so ‘fluffy’), places, polene, wears and wares. Intrigued? Read on my dears.

— Polène, I could go on and on about these bags. I don’t own one (yet!) but they’ve been on my radar for years. Filling that gap for a perfectly formed handbag at a premium mid-price point (approx. £330 - £500: considering luxury brands offerings seem to start at £1.5k these days this feels surprisingly attainable). If you don’t know them they’re a French brand and every single style is achingly chic / timeless / elegant.

I just saw this new woven style the other day but there are multiple I would rather happily receive as a gift please Santa (no hint at all there).

Polène Béri Onda Edition | £420 (also comes in cognac and ecru). None woven Béri styles come in more colours at £350 (here’s my colour pick).

Okay, this is also stunning, Khaite vibes for £380 (also comes in a smaller size for £330).

Polène Cyme Tote | £380 - comes in multiple colours in both sizes.

— Studio Lenca x Counter Editions, launching 30th October. I’ve read at 2pm, but I’d sign up to Counter Editions mailing list, just in case they do an early release for their newsletter subscribers.

— My burning desire for a Studio Lenca piece has been growing since I first came across the artist in 2022, thanks to the interiors of Updown Farmhouse. I adored this place, we stayed in December 2022 (thanks to Deal resident

Rosie Birkett

mentioning on her Instagram at the time).

That Studio Lenca original at Updown Farmhouse. Photo by moi.

— I would 100% recommend Updown Farmhouse if you fancied a trip to Deal (not on the coast, but a beautiful 17th century former farmstead, and only 10 minutes drive into Deal). I would love to (one day) own a house like this: it’s cosy, but spacious, grand, but cottage comfortable, eccentric, but elegant. Every room is painted a glorious colour and full of wonderful things. It’s just lovely.

Also, to note, the owners / hosts (and all front of house) were beyond lovely. There’s only 4 bedrooms in the house (and two separate small cottages), the breakfast is great, served in a cute conservatory in the house, and the outhouse restaurant (which you can book without staying) is a magical setting, with fantastic food… and I do recall a delicious fig leaf negroni.

I keep seeing they have guest chefs for the odd evening here and there too (most recently, Max Rocha, of one of my faves, Cafe Cecilia), so keep an eye out for these special feasts.

Yes, it was December when I was here, but how golden and warm is that wall colour.

— And here’s the aforementioned Rosie’s Deal Travel Guide, linked here at her Substack 😊 . I’ve been to Deal three times now and always have a lovely time; it’s small but in one little pocket has at least 5 places I love - a townhouse hotel with restaurant, a wine bar, an olde pub with fireplace, an independent store selling various bits-n-bobs, and fish-n-chips, duh!

*I could do you my own little Deal guide, if anyone fancies this?

— ARKET secret 14% off code, I’ve known of this for years, but it seems it’s not general knowledge, and it always works! Would you like the code?