Category: Life

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LET’S CATCH UP 11.19.23

I’m officially in my annual Black Friday haaaze at work, but (as mentioned in my last post) trying desperately to maintain sanity and make the most of this special time of year. Sounds simple, right? I’ll let you know how it goes by December 31st.

ON MY MIND:

  • I’ve been tasked with desserts this Thanksgiving (largely because I can buy them and I presume my family must feel safest that way) but I am attempting to make at least one thing from scratch and it’s my Mom’s beloved pumpkin roll recipe. Wish me luck. For posterity, I might also go armed with this festive seasonal non-alcoholic punch that surely I can’t mess up.
  • The 3 albums I’ve had on repeat lately – all of them are fun, upbeat and the type of synth-y 80s inspired pop that is a particular sweet spot in my musical taste. First, the new Cannons album ‘Heartbeat Highway’ – zero skips on this one, but I particularly love Sweeter and Cry Baby. Next up ‘1989 Taylor’s Version’, naturally. Those vault songs are just crushing me in the best way, especially Is It Over Now and Slut! An anthem. Last but not least, ‘Sting’ from Emarosa – we saw them play at a tiny venue in the West Village last month and they had such great energy. Their cover of Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody is so fun and the song Cinnamon from the album mentioned is so good we put it on our wedding playlist.
  • Life has really thrown me some curveballs since we got back from our honeymoon and without getting into the details, it hasn’t been the easiest couple of months. Which has delayed my recap of our wedding day much more than I’d originally planned – I just haven’t had the bandwidth. But! It’s finally coming later this week – so stay tuned 🙂

ON MY BOOKSHELF:

  • I’m way behind my reading goal for the year – 40 books read with a goal of 52. In an effort to give myself some extra grace (perpetual goal hitter that I like to be), I’m trying to just focusing on reading books I think I’ll love for the rest of the year. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett is still high on that list of hopefuls but I also just picked up a used copy of My Life in France by Julia Child that’s calling to me.
  • I wasn’t willing to shell out the money to buy the Britney Spears’ memoir myself, but my celeb-loving sister did and so I’m once again benefitting from her hand-me-downs. I started this yesterday and will probably finish this weekend. Pamela Anderson, Monica Lewinsky, Britney Spears.. these women were all of an era when the press/public made a mockery of them and I’m glad they’re all getting a moment to finally find their voices again.
  • I just finished Sloane Crosley’s essay collection I Was Told There’d Be Cake and while I thought some essays were stronger than others, overall it was a fun read full of sharp observations and relatable self-deprecation. I’d give it 3.5-4 stars.
  • As I always do – next weekend I’ll share my list of holiday reads! It’s one of my favorite posts of the year and one of my favorite December traditions. If you’re new here, I let my self revel in the literary equivalents of watching a Hallmark movie while sipping hot cocoa all month long. Last year’s post here.

IN MY CART:

  • I saw this plaid taffeta skirt at last week’s Talbots holiday party and immediately swooned. I’m placing my order ASAP as I’m always worried about sizes selling out.
  • I’m going to get one of our wedding photos (or maybe this one from our honeymoon) printed and put it in this sweet ceramic frame – will drop it in Adam’s stocking for Christmas!
  • I am really in need of a couple of new belts and it’s been strangely hard to find something I like in between cheap $30 options and $$$ designer options. So far I like this neutral one that has interesting but still understated gold hardware.
  • The way I cannot stop thinking about this mixed plaid fitted vest. It’s on sale but still pricey.. I’m keeping in my cart hoping that the Black Friday gods are good to me and it goes on further sale?
  • Totally different, but while we’re on the matter of vests – this fair isle option is much more budget friendly. I’d wear with a fitted black turtleneck and wide leg jeans.
  • A silly, small thing: I love these crystal accented socks – I’d wear with silver heels and a mini or cuffed jeans and loafers.
  • J.Crew’s cashmere sweaters rarely go on sale – I’m using the early Black Friday sale as my chance to pick up this cropped crewneck in a classic charcoal for just under $80.
  • Adam and I are finally crossing Waverly Inn off our New York restaurant bucket list with a reservation next Friday night and this long-sleeved rose print dress looks like just the thing to wear. Romantic and dressy enough with red lips and sheer black tights, but not over the top.

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ON LIFE: MEASURING TIME AND MANAGING STRESS

Time is a strange, stretching taffy sort of thing, isn’t it? As of writing this, we have about 6 1/2 weeks left in this year. In contrast, our wedding was 6 1/2 weeks ago. It feels like a blink and a lifetime. In a normal year, the weeks to come are my busiest, most stress-inducing, highest pressure of the year. But as you might know, this wasn’t a normal year for me. We planned a wedding in 12 weeks and have had about a 4-5 month stretch where, even if we hadn’t added that major milestone to the agenda, would have left me stretched pretty thin. I’ve become the taffy in this scenario I suppose.

And while my career of choice (Fashion E-commerce) tends to dictate that these next 6 1/2 weeks will feel like I’m careening towards the new year – it is in my best interest health wise (mentally and physically.. lest we all forget the stress induced stomach ulcer I had back in August) to dig in my heels so to speak. To make a dedicated effort to stubbornly reject the blink and you’ll miss it moment that exists between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I think this might seem counterintuitive but I’m doing this by filling up my calendar (it might in fact be ill-advised but what do you care, it’s my experiment). We’ll only get one holiday season as newlyweds, I want to look back and remember cozy December date nights, ice skating hand in hand in Central Park, picking out gifts that feel special. Likewise, I’ve made significant progress on some personal goals this year and I want to keep pushing. Sure work is busy – but it’s always going to be. I’m going to keep getting up early every morning to work-out, keep trudging through the depths of my novel’s first draft, keep putting money in the apartment fund. 6 1/2 weeks suddenly becomes an expanse before me.

I certainly don’t have all the answers, and I suspect that the dates on the calendar will continue to surprise me with their domino fall – but this year, I intend to not let it pull me completely apart.

Outfit from the lost France files – I hope you’ll continue to indulge me with these.

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MY OCTOBER TBR STACK

I mentioned in yesterday’s post but I think I read about 4 paragraphs in total between mid-September and now. And that’s okay.. but as someone who loves reading seasonally, I was starting to get very itchy that I was missing out on my Fall reads. Luckily, I’d pre-stacked some books in my TBR (to be read) and now that I’m back to some semblance of normal order – I’m diving right in. While I probably won’t get to all of these this season I plan on spending now through Thanksgiving working my way through as much of the below as I can.

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman – My virtual book club this month and my current read. You know Hoffman from her popular Practical Magic series but she’s an acclaimed author outside of those. So far, I’m enjoying this bookish, possibly time traveling read? I’m about 80 pages in.

The Paris Mystery by Kirsty Manning – Every once in awhile I’m in the mood for what they call a “cozy mystery” – there’s a bit of suspense, maybe a murder.. but not it’s not going to keep you up at night. I liked the sounds of this one and will be a nice call back to my recent time in Paris!

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab – I read and loved Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue a few years ago so was interested in reading something else by the author. This is the first in a series and I’m interested in giving this sweeping, dark magic saga a try.

The Witches of New York by Ami McKay – I do not know a thing about the plot of this book.- but quite frankly based on title and cover alone, I’ve wanted to read this one for years. Luckily, my New York book club picked this one for our Oct/Nov read so I finally am prioritizing it! Will report back.

Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot – As work gets increasingly hectic during Q4 my reading mind starts to go slack and I love dipping into some fun, easy reading romcoms. This one sounded cute and that’s all I need it to be.

The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet Witch by Melinda Taub – My bookish bestie Claire picked this one up and I couldn’t resist doing the same. We get a different look at the Bennet family (of Pride & Prejudice fame) with a witchy remix. Count me in.

The Mad Women’s Ball by Victoria Mas – Another Paris setting, this time in 1880s Belle Epoque, with a gothic sounding twist. I’m going in fairly blind here too but its largely set in an asylum for women that society has deemed hysterical or otherwise crazy – so I think it will have a dark enough edge to feel just right for spooky season.

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WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FALL

I know, I know.. we’re a month into Fall already – but between the wedding madness, the honeymoon escape from reality and then the hectic return to work – I’m really just now getting to catch my breath and try to really hit pause. I want to soak in this little newlywed season alongside the fall season that I love so much here in New York. Below – a short list of joy-inducing things I’m looking forward to over the next month.

  • Catching up on Shows + Movies – I want to watch the new season of Only Murders in the Building + Sex Education and I’m hoping to fit in a few favorite fall movies (You’ve Got Mail, Practical Magic) alongside a few new ones (A Haunting in Venice looks perfect for spooky season and I’ve got screening tickets for The Holdover in a couple of weeks)
  • Baking/Cooking – I cook out of necessity but not because I love it, but this time of year I do think it’s fun to make a few seasonal favorites like pumpkin bread and turkey chili. So what if the bread is from a box, it’s the thought that counts, right?!
  • Reading (!!) – I obviously love to read all year round but Fall reading is elite tier. I have barely read a word in the past month, but I just picked up the first book in my fall stack (Alice Hoffman’s The Invisible Hour) and I can’t wait to spend the next month leaning in heavily to my TBR stack.
  • Increased Running – I’ve been in a really good running groove this year and I’m looking forward to add on a bit of mileage now that my life is *slightly* less busy and the weather has so nicely cooled.
  • Fall Foliage – While I’d like to have even 1 full weekend at home sometime this month, we’re headed to the lake this upcoming weekend to close up the cabin for the winter. The good news (besides the fact that it’s always nice to be at the lake) is that the leaves should be pretty close to peak color so I can bask in the foliage while I haul the dock out of the water.
  • Slow Weekends at Home – Will I ever get one? Only time will tell, but man would I kill for a sleep in Saturday. Chili in the crockpot, pumpkin bread in the oven. A good book, candles lit, and a seasonal movie to watch. Bliss.
  • Our 1 Month Wedding Anniversary – Still a couple of weeks away, but how fun to have something new to celebrate?!

Also – this entire outfit is 30% off in Talbots Friends & Family Sale starting Wednesday 10/18 + they just launched the first of their holiday collections. You all know it’s one of my favorite places to find classic wardrobe pieces that feel feminine yet modern so now is a great time to stock up. This entire outfit is comprised of pieces I know I’ll mix and match all season long – a timeless suede tote in rich chocolate, a perfect layering cashmere sweater, super easy to wear straight leg jeans, platforms heels (I’m obsessed with these!!) and a chic little jacket in a fun green plaid.

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Thanks to Talbots for kindly gifting these pieces and for your support of brands I love!

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2023 SUMMER READING RECAP

I mentioned it in my last post but, despite the fact that it was a whirlwind summer – I still did really well reading-wise! 13 books! While I strayed a bit from my initial Summer Reading List – I’m happy with the ones I did check off. I also read 4 back list titles (from at least 20+ years ago) which was really fun. I want to do more of that. Below – everything I read this summer. Hope you find something to pick up for your own stack in the season ahead!

  1. The Guest by Emma Cline: A languid, Hamptons summer vibe that served up just enough tension to be compulsively readable. While I loved her debut The Girls, I solidly liked this one. (4 stars)
  2. Strip Tees by Kate Flannery: If you also wore American Apparel scoop back dresses and knee socks between the years of 2003-2009.. you need to read this book. A memoir from one of the early employees about navigating adulthood and career building in a business built around the hero worship of one bad man. (4.5 Stars)
  3. Brutes by Dizz Tate: Billed as Virgin Suicides meets the Florida Project – there were parts of this book that were so vivid to me. Beautifully written but felt a bit meandering. (3.5 stars)
  4. Happy Place by Emily Henry: How she keeps churning out consistently great rom-coms every summer, I don’t know.. but she does. This wasn’t my all-time favorite out of her line-up but I really enjoyed it all the same. If you’re looking for a fast, fun read – this is it. (4 stars)
  5. My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Albert Florin: A woman looks back on her last year of college and the relationships that significantly impacted her. While the romantic ones are the focus I loved the reflections on her relationship with her parents as well. For fans of Writers and Lovers by Lily King. (5 stars)
  6. High Fidelity by Nick Hornby: I’ve always wanted to read this – and while I typically don’t gravitate towards male protagonists, it was kind of fun to hear things from a man’s point of view.. even when he was a sometimes infuriating as our main character here. I loved the record shop setting too. Now I want to finally watch the John Cusack film adaptation and also the role reversal TV adaptation that starred Zoe Kravitz as a female version of the lead instead. I love when book’s send me down a rabbit hole. (3.5 stars)
  7. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann: This one was a re-read for me. I first read this in my early 20s and while I still loved the romp of it all, it was sadder than I remember it being upon re-reading. There are things that are definitely dated here but it’s compulsively readable and fun to think of women in the 1960s reading this too. (4 stars)
  8. American Mermaid by Julia Langbein: Every once in a while a book really surprises me and this was one of them – go in blind like me. But to give you a taste – it’s a magical realism story of Hollywood, feminism and.. stay with me here.. mermaids. (4 stars)
  9. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles: I doubt I’ll love an Amor Towles book as much as Rules of Civility, but this one was solidly great and the way it all came together was so beautifully executed. (4.5 stars)
  10. The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett: I’m on a mission to read everything Patchett has ever written and while I’m not surprised, I’m still in awe of how wonderful even her debut novel was. I loved this book. (5 stars)
  11. Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur: I loved Brodeur’s debut memoir Wild Game so eagerly picked up her first novel. A great setting (coastal Maine) a great family drama with a complicated patriarch at the helm. It wasn’t Wild Game but I enjoyed this one too. (4 stars)
  12. The Furrows by Namwali Serpell: There were a lot of great reviews for this book but my entire book club struggled with it. A story of memory and grief and siblings. Maybe it was just us? (3 stars)
  13. Last Summer in the City by Gianfranco Calligarich: Originally published in the 1970s, it’s considered a forgotten classic until finally being translated into English and re-published. It had feelings of Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye – a story of listlessness and young love and loss across one summer in Rome. (4.5 stars)

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