Lucy Loves: September
For your radar this month — London's biggest design festival, must-see art across Europe and a serene hotel along the Turquoise Coast
Hi everyone,
Welcome back. I hope you are all well and ready to embrace a busy autumn season. After a slow-ish summer spent glued to the Olympics, catching up with best friends overseas and introducing our little one to our favourite spots in London, Istanbul & beyond, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to dive back into the world of work.
In addition to this month’s Lucy Loves column — my curated edit of art, design & travel things for your radar — I’m plotting a trip back to London, a jaunt down south to soak up the last of the summer sun and a round-up of my favourite hotels along the Turquoise Coast for a last-minute autumn getaway (more on this soon).
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Love Lucy Xx
Books, pods and long reads I’ve enjoyed recently — and think you will too
Katy Hessel’s round-up of the best art days out in the UK and Ireland
Portrait of the Art Dealer as a Young Man: New York in the Sixties by Michael Findlay. This evocative memoir is filled with spicy anecdotes about the people, parties and art Findlay encountered across his career. Pre-order here
Turkish author Elif Shafak on How To Fail (Elizabeth Day’s brilliant pod) talking about her life, inspirations and new novel There are Rivers in the Sky
A hotel to bookmark on Turkey’s glamorous coastline
Earlier this summer, Olly and I whizzed down south for a review visit of D-Resort Göcek, a five-star hotel on the edge of Göcek town, best known for its glossy marinas and glittering bay with views across an unspoiled stretch of Mediterranean. Despite its alluring picture-perfect setting and proximity to nearby Bodrum, a well-known hedonist hotspot, Göcek is surprisingly serene.
Set at the foot of lush green hills amid peaceful waterways and gently swaying palms, D-Resort is no different. This is a place to kick back, relax and enjoy the good life. Unlike many hotels along the Turquoise Coast, D-Resort is open year-round. The weather and water are still warm in September and October, and prices are off-peak, so it’s one to scope out if you’re after a last-minute weekend away this autumn. You can now read the full review over on Citizen Femme.
New season heroes
Some are brand new, others are golden oldies. All are transitional must-haves:
I’m a sucker for stripes so I’m thrilled all things nautical are back. Layer this light-weight Breton jumper over a scooped T as the weather cools
Brave the inevitable autumn downpours with this Liberty umbrella in pretty florals
Carryall bags in shades of green were all over the AW/24 runways. I’m eyeing up this olive example from Ferragamo. A girl can dream
I’m a big fan of Drunk Elephant, particularly its wondrous Hydration Serum which does a good job at refreshing parched summer skin
Sensible boots will be everwhere this season — I’m adding these to my wish list
Autumn art to see across Europe
Nara in Bilbao, Frankenthaler in Florence, Goldin in Berlin — check out this handy round-up on Christie’s.com outlining the blockbuster shows already running or set to open in the coming months across Europe. Of all the big-hitters, I’m most looking forward to Monet and London: Views of The Thames at the Courtauld Gallery (27 September 2024 — 19 January 2025).
As for gallery shows, autumn highlights include Tracey Emin’s solo exhibition at White Cube Bermondsey (19 September — 10 November) and an exhibition exploring Henry Moore’s fascination with Greece (12 September — 26 October) at Gagosian Athens. Also worthy of note is Drip Drip Point Warp Spin Buckle Rot (24 September — 25 October) by Daria Blum, a recent RA graduate and the first recipient of the Claridge’s Royal Academy Schools Art Prize.
Installed across Claridge’s Art Space, it will include a site-specific multimedia installation that explores Blum’s research into the relationship between physical space and muscle memory, choreography and embodiment, while also looking at notions of institutional power as they relate to dance and architecture.
Planning ahead
I don’t know about you, but I go into planning overdrive in September. With summer holidays already a distant memory, I’m looking to fill the diary with treaty trips, dinners and excursions to soften the back to work blues. I’d like to pencil in a weekend away here, a long-awaited bub-free dinner here and another date to see Olafur Eliasson at the Istanbul Modern (open until 9 Feb 2025).
September is also a time to think strategically about upcoming work projects. I’ve just bought myself this William Morris notebook to help organise my random scribbles and thoughts. I’d love to know what helps you get back in the zone via DM.
London Design Festival
Returning to the capital for its 22nd year, the London Design Festival (14 – 22 September) is a dazzling celebration of contemporary design which sees hundreds of creative events, exhibitions, workshops and talks pop up across the city.
The Landmark Projects and the V&A — the festival hub — are a good place to start. As is the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, which will host Duo (above), a suspended immersive installation by the Turkish designer Melek Zeynep. Not surprisingly, the choice of things to see, do and sign-up for is overwhelming, so make sure to plan ahead by browsing festival highlights in advance.
In case you missed it…
I recently guested on
's latest series of Creative Career Change, a podcast exploring the joys and challenges of multi-hyphenate life. We chatted about all sorts of things, from juggling deadlines and establishing multiple income streams, to navigating Substack, growing self-confidence and setting boundaries. If you missed it, you can listen to the full episode here. We’d love to hear your thoughts as well as you own career stories via the comments below.And finally…don’t forget to register for Open House London (14 — 22 September), a free architecture festival that opens up and celebrates London’s most remarkable private homes, buildings and landscapes, among them the Flower Meadows at Hampton Court and Howard Hodgkin’s studio.
In other Hodgkin news, Gagosian is dedicating its Burlington Arcade gallery and shop to the celebrated British painter and printmaker throughout September. Shown alongside Hodgkin’s vivid 2016 painting Always Afternoon (above) will be a selection of items from the Howard Hodgkin Home range, including crockery, rugs, and soft furnishings, all available for purchase.
Thanks so much for the mention, Lucy! I loved chatting with you 🥰
hey! I foud that Contemporary Istanbul in October in their webiste. Are you sure for the dates?:)