Happy weekend, my darling readers! And happy almost Thanksgiving! This has to be one of my favorite holidays—there's nothing better than good food enjoyed with close family and friends. I'm taking a quickie break from my blog, but I'll be back at the beginning of December with new posts. In the meantime, I wish you the happiest of Thanksgiving holidays, and safe travels, too! Here, to get your weekend started right, a few happy posts from around the web:
Pretty packaging.
Good advice.
Only in New York: A s'mores bar.
Home makeover, Joanna-style.
Cashmere hearts.
These bicycles have wings.
Monica and Chandler: A love story.
One epic split.
The most happy friendsgiving.
Snowflake cupcakes!
A balloon festival time lapse.
(Image via I Dream Of...)
This past weekend, it was unseasonably warm in New York on Saturday, so Matt and I decided to go for a quick stroll down to Brooklyn Bridge Park. We tried to time our walk with the sunset, but it sets so early now! We ended up hitting the park right as the sun dipped below the horizon—at 4:30 p.m.(!!).
I was amazed to see the park so empty on a Saturday night. Quite a contrast to the busyness of summer! Other than the soccer fields and a few lingering fishermen, it was like we had the whole place to ourselves, which is just the way I like it. :)
More Brooklyn Bridge Park here, here, and here.
I originally chose this polish to match the dress I wore to this wedding, but with fall in full swing, Essie's After School Boy Blazer has become my go-to shade. There's something about navy nails—they feel so bold and dramatic. :)
What do you think? Would you go this dark with your polish?
A lighter fall nail color here.
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'Tis the season in New York where we're gearing up for all those gorgeous Madison and Fifth Avenue holiday window displays. In the meantime, I can't help but tune in to a shopping fete happening across the pond to mark the arrival of J.Crew in the UK. This week, the first J.Crew women's shop opens at Brompton Cross in London, and the brand is pulling out all the stops to celebrate. For example: Complimentary (and colorful!) bouquets of fresh flowers with any purchase, plus cascading bursts of balloons to welcome new customers in.
It's so festive and pretty, don't you think? Totally makes me want to go shop!
More J.Crew here, here, and here.
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What's on the coffee table in your apartment? Unintentionally, Matt and I have started to curate our own mix of hard cover books to put on display. You can easily tell which books are his, and which are mine. The mix ranges from the gorgeous Paris Vu Par Hollywood, which I picked up at an exhibit in Paris last year, to Flip Flop Fly Ball, a clever collection of baseball infographics. I look at our coffee table book collection as instant-pretty for our apartment. It's something that, with a fresh bouquet of flowers, gussies the whole place up.
What do you think? Do you have any coffee table books?
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It's rare that I get to walk to see a play in Brooklyn, especially one as exceptional as Julie Taymor's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The inaugural production at the new Polonsky Shakespeare Center, this Shakespeare classic reaches new heights under Taymor's lead. I'll admit: I enjoy seeing Shakespeare in New York (especially in Central Park), but the interpretation always varies, for better or worse. This time, it's for better, as Taymor brings a vibrant energy to the show that's as enchanting as it is hilarious. The content is matched only by the inventive and airy design of her sets, which help make a small (and pristine!) space feel larger than life. If you can, grab tickets now—they are selling out fast!
To up the pressure to catch a performance, here is the New York Times review. :)
(Images via the New York Times)
I've talked about Rachel Khoo before: Ever since the New York Times' first wrote about her, I've been following her work, and her 'Little Paris Kitchen' in France. Fresh off the success of her first book, she's released a second, called My Little French Kitchen. In it, Rachel goes on a tour of the French countryside, uncovering new and delicious recipes as she goes. I can't wait to snag a copy, and start sampling her take on so many classic French dishes.
As a precursor, Matt and I attempted to make Soupe au Pistou from her debut cookbook The Little Paris Kitchen. It was delicious! Have you ever tried making pistou? It's a combination of garlic, basil, and olive oil, all mashed up into a purée. It was a challenge, given my limited culinary expertise, but added such wonderful flavor to this winter soup.
More from Rachel Khoo here, and a peek at her new book!
A snap from when I met Rachel in New York!
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'Tis the season for holiday music. Well, almost! This may sound crazy, but I've been listening to Christmas tunes since October (!!). In the fall, I joined a holiday singing group with a few co-workers of mine. It's perfect: There are about 25 of us, and we practice once a week for an hour at lunch. Then, our chorale director packs our December calendar with holiday performances around New York.
For my regular readers, you know: I'm bursting with joy every time we rehearse. Singing Christmas music harkens back to my a cappella days. I didn't realize how much I missed it until the first time we practiced together as a group.
The amazing part is that our repertoire is so varied. I'm learning all these new holiday songs that I've never heard before like this one and this one.
What about you? Has the holiday spirit hit you yet?
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I discovered these tea towels while searching around Artsy Modern, and thought they were a hoot! It would be so fun to cook in the kitchen with these instead of the boring, plaid towels I currently have. Although, I will say, I'd be scared to spill on these—they're too cute!
(Images via Artsy Modern)
I'm counting the days—or months, I should say, since I'm going in January—until I get to go and see The Commons of Pensacola off-broadway. Tickets are on sale now for this new show at the Manhattan Theatre Club, written by actress Amanda Peet, and starring Blythe Danner and Sarah Jessica Parker. The play is a send-up to the Bernie Madoff scandal, but from the perspective of a daughter (played by Parker) who is forced to confront her mother (Danner) about her father's financial crimes.
The show marks Peet's debut as a playwright, and Parker's first return to the stage in 12 years. I can't wait to see Peet's work, not to mention this powerhouse cast!
Here, Peet, Parker, and Danner discuss the show.
It looks so good, right?
(Images via The New York Times)
I have been on the hunt for a while now for a cute pair of booties to wear this fall. My struggle is that the leather always seems to gap around my ankle, which produces an odd fit. That's why I was thrilled to discover the above pair from Madewell—the Lonny Boot comes with a strap, and a bit of stretch, too. I'm in love!
Do you rock booties or traditional boots in the fall? Or both?
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Ever since Joanna Goddard first blogged about the greeting cards she made over at Pinhole Press, I've been obsessed! The holiday cards (and wine labels and notepads and calendars) they create are so beautifully designed. This year, I'm toying with the idea of sending my own photo greetings—I can't resist these gorgeous cards!
Why I'm tempted: This week, Pinhole Press is offering a discount of 33% off (!!) all cards and calendars, now through November 10 (use code HOLIDAY). Yes, it's only November, but since the early bird gets the worm, I need to make my holiday card decision now.
What do you think? Are you a fan of photo greeting cards?
More on holiday cards here, here and here.
(Images via Pinhole Press)
Happy November, my darling readers! Over the weekend, we officially made the switch—I can't believe how chilly it got outside. I am now wearing not only tights, but my wool coat outside every day. :) What do you enjoy most about November? I love the dark nights, the cozy days, and the holiday spirit that lingers in the air.
Plus, Thanksgiving is a holiday that's always so much fun. At our house, it tends to be a bit chaotic now—lots of little kids running around! But there's such joy and silliness in that (an example from last year).
What do you love most about November?
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