All Things Considered: November edit

A round-up of shopping saves, obscure thoughts and bakery complaints

Hello hello! If you’re new here, All Things Considered is a monthly medley of things I’ve seen, bought or thought about over the past few weeks.

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Without further ado…

Thoughts on gift guides

When all the Christmas gift guides landed on seemingly the same weekend in mid-November, I noticed a bit of shade being thrown. I skipped mine this year so I didn’t take it personally, but I felt bad for people who spent evening after evening hunched over a laptop making theirs, only to feel weird about sharing it.

Key irks seem to be: the growing number of them, how early they’re published, unaffordable price points, plus questionable motives for creating them when there’s potential revenue in panic-buying + affiliate links.

I don’t tend to give or receive Christmas presents (with a couple of small exceptions) but I do bookmark gift guides to discover new brands and remind myself of brands I love but had completely forgotten about.

I wouldn’t attempt to guess how much others make from affiliate links in their edits here but I’d bet it’s less than you expect. For me, it was exactly £2.11 in the last 30 days. I rarely bother to include them and that’s not a holier-than-thou decision, it’s just quicker to leave them out. For what it’s worth, there are no affiliate links in this post either.

If a gift guide is done well, it would have taken its creator days or weeks of thoughtful research, deliberation and planning before they decide on a carefully balanced shortlist. The time and effort likely outweigh any revenue it generates. Last year mine took a full week and I agonised over every item. There will always be dodgy characters who link to the first 30 things they see on Amazon and hope for a payday, but I believe the majority of people have more integrity than that.

If anyone wanted to make an easy buck, they’d sell foot pictures on the internet, they wouldn't make a gift guide! If someone makes £3.78 affiliate revenue because they introduced me to something I love, then good for them!

I loved my last All Things Considered edit a bit too much and after publishing it, I bought the brown Adidas trainers, the Soeur Berlin coat, my fave Arket cords in brown (one pair wasn’t enough) and a leather belt from Massimo Dutti. I rarely add to my wardrobe as we have no storage space, so it was a lot to spend in a month but I’ll wear it all for years. I have zero qualms with outfit repeating – my clothes are here for a good time AND a long time.

Below are some things I’ve had my eye on recently. I’d seriously consider buying the Massimo Dutti knit and trainers, the shearling boots and the leather bag.

Patchwork bedspread, £180 from Zara Home

Take this quilted bedspread out of the context of Zara and put it in John Derian’s house (I know, I know, he’d never shop at Zara Home) or in a Commune Design project and it’s going to look the bee’s knees.

Gold-plated silver earrings, €160 from Après Ski

I found this brand via Instagram and while I haven’t bought anything yet, I love the shape of these. They also have some great necklaces on colourful fabric cords.

Painting by Miles Cole at McCully & Crane, £1,750

One of my favourite colour schemes from a painting this month was this abstract by Miles Coles at McCully & Crane. I know I feature them here far too often but I can’t help it – they have such a great eye for contemporary art and they allow you to pay in interest-free instalments over a year.

Clara cotton nightdress, £165 from If Only If

I can’t put my love for this brand into words. Before buying my first If Only If nightie a couple of years ago, I was an ardent pyjama wearer. Now, unless it’s ice-cave levels of cold or I’m on my period, I’ll only wear their lightweight nighties. They’re SO comfortable and really come into their own on summer holidays. My boyfriend says I look like a Victorian ghost in them, which I take as a compliment.

Things Nicky Haslam Finds Common tea towel, £50 from Selfridges

Interior design legend Nicky Haslam’s catty annual tea towel has become a Christmas collectable, which also explains why you’d part with £50 for it. More of a fun keepsake than something to dry the dishes with, it makes you wonder how many more things he can possibly find common? Selfridges has the full six-year back catalogue for sale, as well as 2024’s new list of peeves.

The Dora Maar shelf, $385 from Meta Coleman

Interior designer Meta Coleman is one of the most brilliant creative brains out there if you ask me and I love this new shelf that she’s designed. It’s been months in the making but is finally available to buy. It also comes in painted versions.

Silver leather trainers, £119 from Massimo Dutti

It’s like a football boot at a disco! Massimo Dutti does more to impress me than any other high-street brand at the same price level. They especially excel with footwear and leather accessories. I’ve made a mental note to go and try these on.

Commune hand soap, £55 from Liberty

I stayed at Cove Valley cabins in Devon last summer and they had these Commune hand soap and hand cream bottles by the sink. It’s a small British brand and I think their branding is just the coolest. Plus, they accidentally beat everyone to the punchline with butter-yellow mania.

Checkmate chair, from £685 by Dante Negro

Look, I don’t even have a garden so I certainly don’t need these, plus I can’t afford them, but I like to show you things that I love, regardless of price point. It’s just nice to appreciate things sometimes. Aren’t they the most beautiful chairs (and bench) for a patio or conservatory?

100% cashmere polo, £169 from Massimo Dutti

I’m on the fence about whether I can pull off burgundy with my hair colour and skin tone but I’ll be giving this a try next time I pass a Massimo Dutti. The colours, shape and cashmere content are all winners for me. I was torn between including the polo above or this very similar grey version which is half the price as it’s 100% wool but not cashmere.

Nickel and brass spotlight, £255 from Rose Uniacke

In my opinion, this adjustable spotlight is perfect. The shape, the finish, everything about it. It also comes in brass if you’re not mad into nickel.

Lola table in walnut, £5,047 but currently sold out, by Standard Practice

This table is actually sold out (soz if you had five grand for a dining table that was just burning a hole) but I had to show you it regardless because corr blimey, the shape and the simplicity are too good not to.

Delft tiles wrapping paper, £3.50 a sheet from Dennis Severs’ House

Not much to say here besides, how bloody lovely is this wrapping paper? Side note that Dennis Severs’ House in East London is a charming place to visit before Christmas, by candlelight.

The Cavendish Hotel at Baslow, the Peak District

You need to have grown up in Yorkshire/Derbyshire/Lancashire to know how dire the local hotel situation is if you seek design-led stays. The options are very limited, so I include them here whenever I find them. As an estranged northerner living in the south, it feels like the least I can do. The Cavendish in the grounds of the Chatsworth Estate in the Peak District had a refurb – with much-improved interiors by Nicola Harding – and it looks like a cosy spot for winter weekends.

XL frame with metal border, £79.99 from Zara Home

Bespoke framing is the way to go for the best result but man is it expensive! It’s the reason I have artwork that I’ve owned for years, still sitting in a cardboard folder on the floor. If you need to go down the ready-made route for affordability, Zara Home has a smart selection of frames.

Wooden decorations, £15 from Kayleigh Radcliffe on Etsy

Oh my word, I just came across wooden decorations by Kayleigh Radcliffe on Etsy and I am completely obsessed with them. I have quite a collection of Elizabeth Harbour’s wooden decorations which have a similar vibe but dare I say it, these are even better. the Christmas designs are great but you have to look at her Halloween designs because they are SO GOOD!

Mansur Gavriel Flores leather bag, £405

I keep trying this bag on my shoulder every time I go to Liberty but I can’t decide between practical black and the way the cream version lifts an outfit. I love the simple gathered top and the useful size, also the fact that it’s not a particularly sought-after style, so fewer people will have the same one. I’m biding my time to see if it goes down any further in the sale as £300-350 is about my limit.

Fressko stainless steel thermal coffee cup, £16

This is the best coffee cup in the world and I will die on that hill. It’s by Aussie brand Fressko but they ship worldwide. In the UK, they did an exclusive collab with Rosslyn and their London coffee shops are the only places you can buy them in person. I bought one in summer (it’s a smart dark brown colour) and I use it every day. People constantly ask where it’s from as it’s small (8oz – perfect for a flat white or a regular filter coffee), it never leaks, plus it’s comfortable to drink from by flipping the cap up. It keeps coffee hot for a couple of hours and it’s one of the most useful things I’ve bought this year. 10/10 would recommend.

Lomond shearling-lined boots, £269 from Penelope Chilvers

I tried these on the other day when my feet were freezing in my Converse and oh, sweet relief! I didn’t buy them as I’m between sizes annoyingly and still deciding whether too big with an insole would be annoying. They are super cosy though and fasten with a drawstring, so they’re hassle-free even if you’re wearing gloves.

A strange croissant encounter

A few weeks ago, I wrote about bakery hysteria and out-of-control queues for cakes and pastries. I didn’t send it to anyone’s inbox, I just quietly set it live and shared it on notes. It’s here if you’d like to read it.

Anyway, Arome Bakery is one of the many internet-famous bakeries around London. Their honey toast has reached cult status. I go two or three times a month, though I remain mystified by their decision to charge £4 for a takeaway filter coffee. To my knowledge, it’s the most expensive batch-made coffee in London but that’s irrelevant to the story.

I decided to expand my horizons beyond my usual apple miso Danish and bought a chocolate and banana croissant a couple of weeks ago. The odd thing was, there was no chocolate in it at all. I went back to the counter and flagged the mistake. They explained that yes, that’s right, there’s no chocolate in it (they usually tell people who order it that it’s ‘just a banana and almond croissant’ to avoid complaints). I thought it was downright weird, so I sent Arome a DM, suggesting they remove chocolate from the pastry’s name, to save hassle and disappointment.

They replied after a couple of days, thanking me for flagging the issue. This entire time there should have been chocolate in the chocolate and banana croissant (obviously). They checked with the kitchen and it was missing from the recipe but it seems no one had flagged it. They had been accidentally selling a chocolate pastry with no chocolate in it and no one in the bakery or counter team had raised the issue. An honest error but it made me smile and just shows how compliant we all are, even in the face of a seemingly obvious clanger! I’m just out here doing the lord’s work…

A couple of useful things I bought last month

Is it Popeye or me after four weeks of spinach in my smoothies?

We finally bought a smoothie maker after years of promising we’d make our own to save money. Plus, I want to cram more veg and general goodness into my diet as I recently found out I’m anaemic, so I need more vitamins and iron but we rarely cook from scratch. Research says Vitamix is the best but they’re wildly expensive and enormous, so we bought this Ninja blender and we’re obsessed with it! We have a green smoothie every morning with almond butter, spinach, spirulina, collagen powder, banana and coconut water. I’d love to add a couple of other nourishing recipes into the mix after weeks of the same one every day – leave me a comment if you have a fave combo?

The other thing I bought last month – and this is shameful to admit – is an electric toothbrush after stubbornly sticking with manual for my entire life. I asked my dentist for a recommendation and he said the Oral B iO4 (and above) range is the best on the market. I bought the iO8 as it was heavily discounted for Black Friday and wow, the difference is significant! Plus the battery really lasts.

One last recommendation, though I didn’t buy this one, I was given it in a goodie bag after an event. It’s the Kissu lip mask by Tatcha – currently a saviour for my permanently dehydrated lips. I slather a thin layer on before bed and it does seem to make a noticeable difference to their dryness by the morning.

And another thing…

John Derian’s pickle tree. A man who knows how to decorate for Christmas.

1. It’s Christmas and the bows are coming for your candles and Champagne coupe stems (not for me, I might add). If you’re steadfast in your love for bows, maybe try big nostalgic tartan bows for an early ‘90s Ralph Lauren vibe? Or stiff silk organza bows – oversized – all over the tree? I’m not a bow lover I’m afraid, so strings of popcorn, paper stars and long garlands of skinny silver tinsel are more my thing. I also love garlands of dried orange slices and I’m particularly into themed mini trees on table tops (to keep the cost of decorations down). Some I’d like to try are: fruit and vegetables, stars, suns and moons, or fish and shells.

2. It was depressing to read about Neal’s Yard’s £300,000 cheese theft (seen via Little London Whispers’ Instagram). There’s a place in hell for people who steal from independent businesses who might not survive the loss.

3. I read that baby owls sleep on their stomachs, face down, as their heads are too heavy and the thought is too cute. Like dramatic, stroppy little fluffballs.

4. I said I’d hold myself accountable and report back on this, so I am. Friends, I promised I’d read a book to break my spree of being unable to get back into reading and I’m afraid I didn’t. No one is more disappointed in me than me…

5. My favourite London lunches since my last round-up were at Bottarga in Chelsea and Holy Carrot in Notting Hill. I’ve also become pretty well acquainted with the cheese toastie and French onion dip at Maison Francois in Borough Market (don’t go to that area on a weekend – it’s far too busy).

6. Things I watched (or am still watching) and loved in November were: Penguin (my boyfriend’s choice but I got into it) and The Day of the Jackal (totally brilliant and has filled a void since Slow Horses finished). We also watched a couple of oldies that were new to me: Mad Men from start to finish, having somehow never seen it before, and right now we’re watching Traitors. We intentionally missed it when it was first on TV as I mistakenly believed it wouldn’t be my sort of thing. I’m gripped by it!

That’s it for today because this is already SO LONG and I need to exercise some self-control for once. Please leave me a comment about any of the above if you feel like it.

As always, it would be a huge help if you could like/restack this post or recommend my publication. When you spend all of your time working alone, it’s nice to feel like there’s someone out there. Interacting with a writer’s posts is the best way to make them feel like the effort is worthwhile.

Thanks and have a lovely week,
E x