Monthly favourites time is here again and this one will be a quick run down as I’m a little behind schedule due to severe laptop issues that I don’t wish to dwell on as it is too annoying for words. So let’s get into it, so I can get June’s out of the way shortly too.

Film Recommendations :

Casablanca : I finally saw this film classic and enjoyed it far more than I imagined. The  memorable lines and the French national anthem at the bar were worth it. Ingrid Bergman was radiant in that soft fuzz of light so beloved of films from yesteryear. Definitely worth a watch if you haven’t seen it already.

Mon Roi : Yes a smidgen of a crush on Vincent Cassel helped to steer my choice towards this film that features a great performance by Monsieur and the lead actress Emanuelle Bercot. She plays a woman recovering from a ski accident interspersed with flashbacks from her relationship with Giorgio (Cassel), a charismatic, adrenalin seeker. If you want to see a French film that is a little under the radar but very good, this is one to see.

Spotlight : This movie about the investigative journalism that uncovered the sexual abuse covered up for years (no doubt centuries) by the Catholic church is solid.  It’s non sensationalist, slow but steady for one story that needed to come out.

Television Recommendations : 

Master of None  : Season 2 was devoured rather quickly. It starts off in Italy with Dev learning to make pizza in true Italian style. It’s still delivered in that slice of life contemporary style. I love how Dev and his best friend Arnold interact. The soundtrack is brilliant too.

My Twin Peak obsession was rekindled with the news of the Mark 2 version. I still love the original, the characters, the music, the general ambience. The memories. Believe it or not I still haven’t watched the new series, I’m a little anxious about it …

Bloodline is a show that was meant to last for around five seasons but Netflix cancelled it. So the third season was dramatically shortened. This has been one of my favourite shows on Netflix, particularly the first season with Ben Mendelssohn who is excellent. The tension is amped up and the Florida Keys setting suits the sometimes OTT family drama where shit hits the fan.

Book Recommendations :  Nora Webster by Irish writer Colm Toibin is a quiet story but nicely told.  I confess to enjoying this up to the three quarter mark and then had to read it very quickly from that point on. It’s a tale of a  widow living in small town Ireland in the 1960’s who needs to find new ways of living when her husband dies. Music is her salvation.

Music Recommendations : I quite fancy this old track Stand on the Word (1982 version) – by The Joubert Singers and have also been having a 90’s flirtation recently.  Dare by The XX  is a bit of a cheat in terms of timing but they’ve just released a video for the song featuring Millie Bobby Brown from Stranger Things and also Paris Jackson!

Perfume : Trying quite a few new perfumes that I want to write about and for some reason have more inspiration at the moment than I have had for a while. This is a relief quite frankly … but then laptop issues. Recently my favourites have been Dryad from Papillon (Liz Moores) and Naja from Vero Profumo.

Travel : Le Jardin des Méditeranées in the Domaine du Rayol are worth a visit.  The setting is incredible on the coast not far from Sainte Maxime. There are gardens from all over the world, including those from NZ and Australia which I loved (obviously). This is now going on my itinerary for visitors.

Lows : Well this happened in June but the Grenfell fire in London was atrocious and an awful result of austerity, gentrification, cost cutting and the value placed on human life.

Let me know if you came across anything interesting this month – TV, film, books, music, perfume, food or if you went anywhere uplifting, bizarre or odd or if things were completely crappy as well … And have a great rest of the month.