Links are back up and running! I’m so sorry for the inconvenience earlier, but everything should be working in my first post from today.
Now: a few really amazing deals I’ve found on toys and clothing for children during this sale season:
+TUBBY TODD: 15% off sitewide, plus extra promotions for purchases over $100. Their all-over ointment is magic — a must-have if you are a new mom! Works on everything from diaper rash to baby acne and even eczema.
+ZULILY: Ooly products on sale! I’ve never seen this brand on Zulily and — as you know — I’m in love with this brand for art supplies for my children, and in fact had already ordered a few packs of their gel crayons for the holidays, but now I’m going back and considering these dot paints and some of their coloring books for my “emergency stockpile” of activities. While at Zulily, note that CPC is back, and you can still snag these perfect-for-Christmas cord overalls for your little man (Hill owns! — these run big; I would size down).
+ANTHROPOLOGIE: 30% off Olli Ella, including their absolutely adorable baby doll pram and dollhouse. The pram won’t ship until after Christmas but this is the kind of item you might buy now and set aside for the birthday. (I never see this brand on sale!)
+BELLABLISS: 40% off with code THANKFUL. I remember mini wearing a past-season variation on this precious romper and swooning over her in it. I also love these Christmas shortalls for a little boy. I prefer the look of shorter shorts on Hill (I feel like so many of these rompers have big, baggy legs that go down below the knee), and this fits the bill.
+NORDSTROM: Some price breaks on darling Janod gifts, like this cool aquatic puzzle (which teaches them how to use screws!) that I just snagged for Hill at 40% off and this tractor puzzle (also 40% off, and also snagged).
+MINNOW SWIM: Starting at 8 PM PST, all swimsuits are 20% off. I am buying mini this for next summer — it is TOO GOOD. I find this brand runs true to size, so will probably size up from her current size so it fits next year.
+1212: 25% off with code BF25. I wrote about this at some length in my big Black Friday roundup, but the absolute best, softest baby basics and I especially liked their onesies when my littles were tiny.
UPDATE (2:18 P.M.): Links appear to be back in working order! Apologies for the confusion.
UPDATE (11 A.M.): Hi Magpies! A lot of my links to amazing shopping finds are not working at the moment. I am working with my technology partner to resolve this issue. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Part two of my latest batch of shopping inquiries! (Part one here, and more of what you might be looking for here.)
Q: A beautiful LBD for a special occasion (to be celebrated at home).
A: This dress (seen above, and currently on sale for 40% off). Wowza. More options here and here.
Q: Gifts for both of my sister-in-law’s families — one large family gift for each.
Q: TV stand decor. At a loss for how to style mine beyond the actual TV.
A: I hear you! You don’t want too much up there to impede or compete with your TV-watching. I would say a stack of coffee table books in a carefully curated set of colors with an objet (suggestions here) on top on one end and a green plant on the other — maybe a potted boxwood? That’s what we currently have going on in our living room, and it helps tie the room together without feeling too cluttered.
Q: Looking at Sheertex tights — seem to good to be true? Need tights for work in winter.
A: I honestly hadn’t heard of this brand until you wrote me about it! I have been a Spanx girl through and through for over a decade. I think the quality is amazing and I like the compression. However, I am currently looking to upgrade to Wolford Matte 80 Denier, la creme de la creme in hosiery!
A: I would suggest Erin Gates’ collection. This 8×10 size (!) is $400, and it looks like something out of a Ralph Lauren ad, and this one is refined and plush and belongs in a Nancy Meyers living room. I shared more rugs I love here, and some of them fit the bill (under $400) if you’re looking for area rugs around 5×7.
Q: Pointy-toe cognac/camel work flats at a reasonable price and available in Canada. Sarah Flint is out…
A: Margaux! Impossibly chic and in the greatest camel color.
Q: Timeless luxury clutch. BFF has the BV pouch and I love it but can’t copy her! Something similar?
A: Oo such a fun one — what about a Chanel wallet on a chain? You can tuck the chain inside to use as a clutch, but nice to have the option to wear as a crossbody, too. Drool.
Q: Gifts for dads and brothers. Likes: boating, history, genealogy, and wine.
A: A starting point for men’s gifts here, but a few thoughts related to their listed interests:
+Depending on their degree of sophistication in wine (this might be insulting to, like, a trained sommelier), we use this What to Eat with What You Drink book constantly — maybe this and some wine from a local vineyard? (My parents-in-law frequently send us wine from Early Mountain Vineyards in VA.) Great stocking stuffer: this amazing champagne stopper. Actually works! Read the reviews!
+Yeti mugs or lowballs for their next boating adventure (depending on if they set sail at coffee or cocktail hour). They come with splash lids (boat-friendly!) and are insulated to keep their beverages at just the right temp.
Q: A cute laundry basket that isn’t woven (wicker or rattan)!
A: Poppin! We use this blue one in Hill’s room. Comes in great colors! Alternately, Yamazaki always has attractive storage solutions — if you’re open to one without a liner, love the look of this.
Q: A nice but not too $$ gift for someone you don’t know well. (An in-law’s new partner…)
A: There are some good options along these lines in my Stocking Stuffer roundup — but if you’re looking for something more substantial (around $50), perhaps a Caran d’Ache pen and notebook, a beautiful mug, or a pair of digital tiles. My mom has also given a lot of Everlane and Patagonia to significant others of her children in years past (before those people became children-in-law) — both brands are nice, substantial, and “inoffensive” (by that I mean, a safe play — who doesn’t love Everlane and Patagonia? — and because they are more along the lines of outerwear, they don’t feel too intimate/personal). Something like this fleece sweatshirt or this fleece pullover might be just the ticket.
Q: How to dress my husband.
A: Ha! Todd Snyder has been my strategy for the past few years (bonus! they are running a great Black Friday promotion where you can save up to 30% off right now). I love that they walk the line between traditional and, for lack of a better word, urban — or stylized. They also offer great colors! I feel like all men’s clothing is navy, brown, or green, but Todd Snyder dares to venture into bright blues, oranges, yellows, pinks, etc. I buy Mr. Magpie several head-to-toe outfits at a time from them a few times a year. This winter checklist is a good starting point — I would start with some cords and a great sweater. I find that the way they style their models online is instructive (sometimes I copy their entire looks), and their in-store staff at their flagship store has also been very helpful on visits in years past — now they offer free email styling consultation, which might also be helpful.) I also recently discovered Taylor Stitch, a more rugged-leaning menswear label. I’m intrigued by their textured shirting, like this houndstooth and this corduroy.
Let me know if more suggestions would be interesting for a standalone post.
Q: Footless neutral or light blue one-piece for newborn boy. Photographer wants feet out!
A: So sweet! I did an entire roundup of my favorite holiday dresses here. This one is so cheery! Feel free to email me any time with specifics like style, pricepoint, etc and I can do a deeper dive.
Q: Christmas/holiday cards. Traditional, classic, not too modern, non-photo.
A: This is tough to find — so many of them are photo-centric! I’d say your best bet is to find an Etsy shop whose designs you like and ask if they will work with you to adapt one to be photo-less. That’s what I’ve done! Currently working with EW Designs on this exact subject. HoneyBearPages also has beautiful work that might be adaptable. I’ve also worked in the past with Sweetly Said Press and Dinglewood Designs — both were joys to collaborate with and yielded the most stunning letterpress designs!
Another hack: search for “Holiday Moving Cards” (tend not to be photo-centric, but to have holiday themes!) and just change up the phrasing to suit your own needs!
CORNFLAKE CHRISTMAS WREATH (RECIPE BELOW — MY MOM HAS MADE THIS EVERY YEAR FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER AND IT IS THE PERFECT BAKING ACTIVITY FOR SMALL HANDS TO HELP WITH — WILL ABSOLUTELY BE DOING THIS WITH MINI THIS YEAR!)
Magpie Sugar Cut-Out Cookies.
Cream 1 cup butter and 1 cup sugar. Mix in 2 eggs and ¼ tsp salt. In a small ramekin, dissolve 1 teaspoon baking soda in 4 tablespoons milk. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla to the dough and add milk mix alternately with 4 cups all-purpose flour. Roll out dough. Cut with cutters. Bake at 350 for 8-10 mins.
Grandma Carm’s Christmas Horns.
Work 3 tablespoons sugar into 5 cups flour and add 1 pound butter. Mix in ½ cup sour cream and 2 dry yeast packets. Add 3 beaten egg yolks and two tablespoons vinegar. Knead. Store in fridge over night. Shape dough and roll in circles. Fill with 1 tablespoon apricot jam and roll like crescents. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 and sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar.
Cracker Toffee.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and then place saltine crackers in a single layer on top — as many as will fit, edge to edge. In a small pot, combine 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter and 1 cup light brown sugar (packed) and bring to a boil. Once bubbling/boiling, continue to boil for three minutes, until deep caramel color. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely. (Work quickly, the sugar-butter mixture hardens fast!) Bake in oven for 5-6 minutes and sprinkle 2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips over top. Let sit a few minutes to melt and spread over top. If chocolate does not melt, you can return pan to oven for a few minutes and spread then. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cool completely, break into pieces, and eat.
Cornflake Christmas Wreaths.
Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter in a large pot. Add 1 10-oz package marshmallows and stir until melted. Mix in green food coloring. Stir in 4.5 cups cornflakes. Form into either one large round wreath on a serving platter or multiple small wreaths on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Dot with red M&Ms or red hot candies and finish with red velvet bows. Let cool completely.
Holiday Baking Supplies and Accoutrements.
+This enormous bin of plastic cookie cutters is the absolute best. For $15, it covers every holiday as well as nearly any theme you could want (letters! sports! animals!) and I find them better than the more expensive/fancier-seeming metal ones — they do not bend or rust like their metal counterparts! I also like that even within a given holiday, the set includes bigger sizes and smaller ones — we have proper enormous gingerbread men (they are like 6 inches tall!), which is so fun for a dramatic presentation. Did I mention the entire kit is $15?! I’ve had mine for over a decade and will never part ways with it.
+I had a recent inquiry about sprinkles! I have really liked the sprinkles from India Tree, which I first discovered at Sur La Table. I especially like their sanding sugar. However, I did recently discover this fun brand, Sprinkle Pop, which does over-the-top themed sprinkle mixes and I think I will order some for decorating with mini.
+Alternately, Martha Stewart used to make the most charming treat boxes/bags, and you can still find a handful if you look hard online (also here), though I don’t think she’s produced these for a few years. Too bad — I loved her stuff!
+Williams-Sonoma Gold Touch baking pans and sheets are my favorite to bake with. They are heavy, non-stick, and do not warp. I feel like I always talk about “not warping” as the ultimate marker of quality in cookware, but I’m haunted by some of the inexpensive stuff I bought in college, where the baking pans never actually laid flat, and were therefore always yielding uneven cooking results and at risk of toppling onto the floor.
+That said, my head has been turned by these Great Jones sheet pans that I’ve been seeing all over. Has anyone tried? The dishwasher safe element intrigues me — you aren’t supposed to put most baking sheets in the dishwasher and as a result they can be difficult to keep pristine.
+Upgrade your baking game this season with Nielsen Massey vanilla and almond extracts — the best. Or splurge on Guittard chocolate chips or Scharffen Berger chocolate. I also always and only bake with Plugra or Kerrygold unsalted butter. It’s expensive, but especially in baking, you can really tell the difference. It yields the richest flavor!
+Also, take it from me: buy your peppermint and almond extracts now. I have in years past had the HARDEST time finding these in the run-up to Christmas, and I anticipate this year will be particularly scarce with more people at home looking to celebrate any way possible.
+Meri Meri always does the cutest cupcake decor kits, like these and these. Mini would have a blast decorating with these.
+I’ve written about this recently, but this cake dome (double as a punch bowl if you invert the stand and place the dome on top of it!) has been a true MVP in our house for a decade. I nearly always keep something in it, whether baked goods, store-bought treats, or — inverted — an enormous bowl of fruit. I also find the pedestal handy on its own for creating dimension in a tablescape, i.e., you could elevate a pie on it around a bunch of other baked goodies. I also have always loved the cake stands from Mosser, which are usually made of milk glass, and this green would be so elegant if you go with a green/blue theme for the holidays. Also a fun way to showcase your baked goods on a pedestal!
P.P.S. If you’ve been eyeing the Nintendo Switch for your children, quick! I found it restocked in this limited edition pastel colorway here, and available with free shipping.
By: Jen Shoop
Who is ready for some online sale shopping? I will be updating this post with all my favorite scores and finds from Black Friday through Cyber Monday, including many small businesses:
+OUTNET: Extra 25% off almost everything with code BLACKFRIDAY, including the silk charmeuse trousers you never knew you always needed, Zimmermann magic for your first post-COVID social event, and a CHIC houndstooth blazer (pair with black turtleneck and leggings for your next Zoom meeting).
+ANTHROPOLOGIE: 30% off everything if you sign up for their (free!) AnthroPerks program, so you can score this darling dress, this plaid cardigan (MEANT to be worn with No. 6 clog boots), or something sparkly for NYE (this dress would work with (or without) modest bump, and j’adore this Saloni-esque style). Finally, is this not the most perfect lounge-y Christmas dress? Festive in color but easy to wear. Basically a nightgown.
+LAKE PAJAMAS: Select pieces of everyone’s favorite pajamas on sale. I just ordered a few of pair of these as gifts, and I absolutely loved these maternity pajamas while nursing — great gift for an expecting/new mama. Bonus: free shipping over $50. Do not wait on this promotion — these do sell out.
+LAURA MERCIER: 25% off everything; 30% off orders over $150. I ended up not liking the Ilia tinted serum I bought in the Sephora sale (full review coming soon), so I re-ordered LM’s tried-and-true tinted moisturizer. I alternate between this and Chantecaille’s tinted moisturizer most days! Two other items I love from LM: their eye primer (which I use in lieu of shadow most days but can of course be used as a base layer as intended!) and their eye shadow in “Vanilla Nuts,” which is the most perfect neutral shade for me. It brightens the eye while still looking very natural.
+1212: 25% off everything with code BF25. If you are a new or expecting mom, 1212 makes the absolute best onesies and leggings. The softest pima cotton, only two snaps to fuss with on the onesies, and an extra stretchy head opening for those tiny heads. These pieces are expensive, but they hold up beautifully — I passed all of them down from Emory to Hill. Especially when my babies were itty bitty, I only wanted to put them in the softest cotton pieces and these are in my opinion the absolute best. They also have precious footies. A great option if you have a new baby you’d like to shower with a gift! (Also, they have a Hanukkah-centric pair of holiday pajamas!) The brand runs a bit small, so I would size up if in question.
+BOLL&BRANCH: 25% off everything. A great time to upgrade your bed with my favorite sheets and bed blanket. (Love love love love.)
+OUTDOOR VOICES: I actually do not care for their leggings, but Mr. Magpie lives in their joggers and I am eyeing a pair for myself — up to 35% off in select colors.
+MAJE and SANDRO: 40% off everything at Maje and sister brand Sandro, meaning that you can score this tweed coat dress (which was one of the most popular items I featured last month) at a serious discount. Absolute perfection for a Christening or a demure wedding-related festivity. I am eyeing this perfect sweater dress with the scalloped detail and pearl fasteners — OMG. And let’s not forget Maje’s fleet of perfect little cardigans — eyeing this and this wow wow wow.
+HILL HOUSE: 20% off almost everything, but LBH – we’re all here for their nap dresses, which, sadly, are probably already almost all sold out. (I got to the site three minutes post-launch and they’d already sold out of the print I wanted!) My favorite styles are the Ellie and the Caroline, but I did manage to snag a new style for myself, the Nesli in their holiday tartan.
I already shared a roundup of stocking stuffers for adults, but wanted to share a few cute finds for your children’s stockings (or Advent Calendars, if you give a gift each day! — and you still have time to order one of these as well as an Advent wreath and candles before the season starts this Sunday, or you can order the one seen above from small business Le Petit Organic and you will probably have it on hand a few days into the season!):
SOHP SHOP SOAP BALLS (EVERY TIME YOU WASH YOUR HANDS, YOU GET CLOSER TO A LITTLE BURIED TREASURE)
*Any items asterisked you can split up into several days of Advent gifts, i.e., one Little Person per day, a handful of crayons per day, etc.
I also always love to give books. I’ve shared a few great holiday books spread out across several posts recently, but thought I’d consolidate them here:
**All books double asterisked are appropriate for itty bitty babies! They are brief, boast large and colorful illustrations, and available in board format.
One perk of running is that I find myself closely attending to the lyrics and stylings of songs in a way I do not otherwise. (Recent listenings to a Bob Seger track I have known for years prompted rich introspection.) On this past week’s runs, I have fallen, hard, for Sturgill Simpson’s uptempo arrangement of “Breakers Roar,” a track originally from his gorgeous 2016 album, “A Sailor’s Guide to Earth,” which is as weird and experimental as it is brilliant and soul-rending. Sturgill has described the album as a letter to his infant son, and listening to it from that lens is like tiptoeing on heart-strings. “Breakers Roar” sings like a haunting and cautionary lullaby on his first album; in its bluegrass re-styling on his just-released “Cuttin’ Grass” album, it moves me in a different way: Simpson’s high, twangy, lonesome wail cuts against the upbeat instrumentation and I can think only of his lonely search for meaning in a world that he finds perilously wounding.
Bone breaks and heals Oh, but heartaches can kill From the inside, so it seems Oh, I’m telling you it’s all a dream
And then this couplet, which runs counter-narrative and catches in my throat:
Shatter illusions that hold your spirit down Open up your heart and you’ll find love all around
At the risk of playing Pollyanna, this refrain has proven a useful mantra in reforming my occasionally gloomy and ungenerous thoughts throughout the day. When I find the clouds gathering, it helps to focus on the Helena Stories, and even the tiniest traces of them: the elderly couple holding hands on a nighttime walk around the block; the donut hole my nanny saved for mini as a special treat; even the brief text from a neighbor: “nice to say hello today,” he wrote, after we waved to one another from ten feet apart, me hovering in my door frame to afford him a wide, COVID-era- friendly berth, him shuffling into the elevator.
Open up your heart and you’ll find love all around
What have you been listening to lately? What songs are worth a “close read”?
Post-Scripts.
+I was arrested by the unfussy-cool “normcore” vibe on the chic pea above and have added this similar sweatshirt in the bronze color to my cart.
+Some more of my favorite running gear at the moment in the post-scripts here.
+Other tracks on my current (eclectic) running list, which is titled “Chasing Flow,” a reference I assume you will understand (?). I should note that I like running to songs that either move me (like Sturgill’s song above) or simply have a good beat to run to (and whose lyrics are basically immaterial to me).
+I remember clearly the day I bought a pair of gray New Balance sneakers in college — it was a micro-trend at the time among my preppy sorority friends to pair them with denim from James or Citizens. It was a lot sportier than my usual look but I leaned into it with abandon. I’m tickled by their resurgent trendiness, especially in their collaboration with Staud. I’m eyeing this pink pair and this navy pair for myself, to pair with mid-wash denim, a hoodie, and a long wool coat.
+Studio McGee always has such chic pieces in their collaboration for Target, several of which I would add to this roundup, including this decorative box.
+Harry Potter cookie cutter set!!! Mr. Magpie and I re-watch the series every few years around the holidays, and we just started with the first one.
+My favorite shoe at the moment — actually a house slipper. I have not taken these off all weekend. They are so plush and festive and easy to slip on and do you know what I feel like when I wear them with my plaid nap dress? A Christmas goddess.
Not featured in the collage above above, but on my radar this chilly and gray Sunday afternoon:
+Mini gingerbread man waffle maker and mini snowflake waffle maker. I bought the mini pumpkin waffle maker for Halloween and mini lost her mind over it! Such a fun little festive detail. I am debating the insanity of buying both winter designs so I can speed up the cooking process (and I think mini would love both designs!). These did sell out at Amazon/Target in the pumpkin shape so going to have to act fast.
+40% off everything at Maje and sister brand Sandro, meaning that you can score this tweed coat dress (which was one of the most popular items I featured last month) at a serious discount. Absolute perfection for a Christening or a demure wedding-related festivity. I am eyeing this perfect sweater dress with the scalloped detail and pearl fasteners — OMG. And let’s not forget Maje’s fleet of perfect little cardigans — eyeing this and this wow wow wow.
Maybe two years ago, a stylish but practical girlfriend of mine asked: “Do you wear one of those Bandolier things?” “Huh…?” I puzzled. Once she’d mentioned the brand by name, I was astounded at how often I spotted them on the street, in the school pick-up line, etc. The style didn’t particularly stir me, but fast forward two years later, and I find myself seriously in the market for my own. At the top of my lust list? Anya Hindmarch’s cheeky canvas-coated style from her “I Am a Plastic Bag Collection,” a series designed around a sustainable canvas material that took two years to develop and has no carbon footprint. (So cool!)
I bought nearly all of my children’s Christmas gifts this past week, fearing sell-outs and shipping delays — the only items I am holding off on at the moment are articles of clothing/items I believe will go on sale as a part of Black Friday promotions. I did end up adding a couple of new items to our list that are idiosyncratic to the interests and needs of my children. We bought mini this extravagant Maileg dollhouse for the mice she’s been collecting since she was born. My mother-in-law and I have always had fun giving her Maileg gifts together, so she is planning on furnishing the house with precious Maileg furniture! I am so incredibly excited to set it up under the tree for her.
We also bought micro this Kartell ghost chair in blue, which, at first glance, sounds incredibly boring, but he and mini always fight over the pink Kartell ghost chair we have set up at mini’s small table in her bedroom, and now he is old enough to want to participate in projects, color, paint, etc.! At the moment, he also simply loves climbing into the chair and slipping out of it, climbing in, climbing out, climbing in, climbing out. I’m excited, too, to be able to occasionally serve them dinner at that table, sitting in those chairs, for special occasions. (On special occasion, we let them watch movies in the living room while eating dinner.) Note: if you are thinking you might have more than one child, and even if you aren’t, probably best to get a table with two chairs that go with it from the get-go, even just for entertaining other little friends. (This one is cute.)
I bought a couple of other smaller toy items for them both, many already shared on this list, as well as a Kiwi Crate subscription (STEM activities curated by age!), but I did also buy micro this service station. I love the Janod brand and I was feeling as though micro needed his own “play universe” — a true second child, he has simply played with everything mini owns, including her duplos, magnatiles, Little People. I wanted him to have something his own.
You’re Sooooo Popular: Gucci Flats.
The most popular items on le blog this week:
+These MAJOR Gucci flats. I guess we’re all in the mode of self-splurging and wanting special shoes for the holidays? (More trendy footwear here, and more chain-embellished goodies here.)
+Turtleneck sweatshirt. (I own in the tan color. It has a nice thin weight — easy to layer.
How do you hit the reset button after a bumpy day, or week?
Earlier this week, my sister and I decided that we would not spend Thanksgiving Day together. She and her husband live in Brooklyn, and we had already all decided not to travel down to D.C. for the holiday to see our parents, but had been hanging on the hope of spending the day with one another given that we live across the bridge. Given the scary spikes in case counts, we made a somewhat last-minute decision against it. And though my brain and resolve told me one thing, my heart rioted. I found myself in a terse funk for the rest of the afternoon, unable to shake it off and baffled by the intensity of my response. I also couldn’t quite figure out what I felt — Upset? Sad? Disappointed? Caught off-guard? This shouldn’t be a surprise, I kept telling myself. We’ve canceled almost everything else anyway. What is really going on with you? It took a long, cold walk with Tilly and my own thoughts and then a long, tearful conversation with Mr. Magpie to realize I was, actually, angry! I was, to quote one of my favorite books on mini’s bookshelves, “mad…spicy mad.” I have felt many things this year about coronavirus, most of them on the sad and scared side of the emotional spectrum, but I hadn’t yet clocked anger.
I assume many of us feel this way right now. We are all fatigued and frustrated. News of the vaccine is spiriting, but it also leaves us feeling frenzied: can we hurry up?!? Can we fast-forward to the part where we have been inoculated? Ahh!
Mr. Magpie, ever the even keel, said two important things to me that night. First: “Let it all out.” And he stood in the kitchen across from me, nodding his head, as I unloaded. Then: “Now knowing that nothing we do today is going to change the outcome of Thanksgiving, how do we make tonight better? How do we hit the reset button for tonight?” And so we did all the things we have been doing since the dawn of this pandemic to muddle through: we hugged one another, we escaped into the TV (currently totally obsessed with the HBO show “The Undoing”), we sat down to a delicious dinner. And, just to make sure the reset button was fully depressed, I put on my favorite Hill House tartan nightgown, lit all the candles in our living room, and opened a bottle of champagne. It helped.
+Minor closet upgrade: going to put all of Mr. Magpie’s shoes in clear boxes. (More of my favorite home gear/organization items here.)
+Currently in the market for a bowling set for my little ones. We were really trying to think up more “active” activities for them as we head into the colder months, especially since we recently decided we will not send them to the playground anymore. This simple set is my front-runner since it has 10 pins (most of the toddler sets I’ve found only have five or six?) and I am anticipating my children will want to play at the same time? But then again…how gorgeous is this wooden set? Melissa & Doug always gets good reviews, too. Any suggestions?
+More indoor activities for small children here, and of course you could always go to my personal child activity guru, Myriam.
+Advent starts the Sunday after Thanksgiving! (If you need a last-minute calendar for children, Target has some fun options here and here, and some Advent wreath ideas here.) I like to give mini (and now micro!) something small every day of Advent — sometimes a piece of chocolate or bundle of crayons and sometimes bigger items. It does take some advanced planning. A couple of things I have on hand this year: sticker books (we love the Usborne ones and these little Dover ones, which are perfect for commute to school on days where I need something to get her out the door), winter animal figurines (I can put one or two in the pocket every few days), WaterWows, play-doh.
+I have heard great things about this detangling brush. I adore my Mason Pearson brush but I do find I need a separate detangler just out of the shower, and have been using a Tangle Teezer for years now, which does a good job of working through snarls, but I find that I fling it out of my hand routinely. I wonder if the proper handled brush might be a better solution.
Thank you for all of your recently-submitted queries! I’m answering about half of them here and will answer more in an upcoming post. Below, what you are shopping for…
A: Dondolo has some super cute options, like this dress for you and this one for her, as does Doen. Maisonette also releases mommy and me styles periodically that always turn my head — this dress for you, this dress for her. There are also some amazing coordinated tartan looks for the whole family here! Finally, this oversized bauble sweater comes in mommy and mini sizes for a more casual moment.
Q: The perfect neutral loafer (suede or leather?)
A: Tod’s! Worth the investment for sure. They are beautifully made and just never go out of style. You can get the look for less with these.
Q: Master bedroom bedding! Duvet cover in particular. We have the RH with the gray stripe.
A: Sounds like we have similar hotel-bedding-style preferences — we also used to own the RH in the gray stripe! Now, I own and love sets from both Boll & Branch (I have these sheets and am eyeing the coordinating duvet, but can I also put in a plug for their cozy bed blanket, which I currently use and LOVE? You can save 25% off with coupon code STOKES) and Hill House Home (I have the entire Chancery Lane set).
If you want something a bit more ornate, Matouk’s Mirasol and Aziza collections are stunning.
Q: Open cardigans/breastfeeding-friendly sweaters.
A: Oo, this is YOUR season. So many great statement cardigans out right now. A few of my favorites, which could be easily layered over a nursing tank:
A: Splurge: love these fun side tables from Oomph Home. For something less expensive, this under-$100 style comes in great colors, this wicker side table is precious and adds interesting texture, and this one has a clever design that enables you to bring the traytop over the arm-rest of your glider.
Q: A chic battery lamp for an entryway where there is no outlet.
Q: Puffer coat that is also somehow slimming and warm. Does this exist?
A: This Everlane! The length, profile, and lightweightness of the “puff” create a long line. (Also has a hidden drawstring cord to cinch at waist a little bit.) Higher-end pick: this Max Mara.
Q: So dumb: bathroom/powder room trash cans that don’t kill my Schumacher wallpaper vibe.
A: So chic! I adorethese nightstands (so elegant!) and these have an interesting shape, but are $$.
Q: A book explaining the religious side of Christmas to a three-year-old.
A: We have read Christmas in a Manger to Emory since she was a baby! Simple words and images.
Q: Ribbon to put on the Christmas tree.
A: I would suggest going for ribbon that is wide — 2.5 or 3″ wide — to make a big statement. Red velvet is a classic, but I know many of you go with pastels/white-themed trees, so here are a few pretty ones: pink, sheer plaid, even “chardonnay.” This metallic plaid or this mossy green are also chic!
Q: Stylish sneakers for my dance class. We jump a lot!
A: In my opinion, the most attractive sneakers are the APL Techloom. I love all the colors, though I have owned them in black/white in the past.
+Decided to bake these cinnamon rolls for Thanksgiving Day morning, Molly Wizenberg’s recipe published in Bon Appetit (many years ago). If you’ve never read Wizenberg’s first book and are looking for something beautifully-written and heart-warming, this is for you! Perfect holiday time reading, as it’s all about food and love.
+Honestly, I could not stop laughing at BBC’s coverage of Rockefeller Center’s Christmas tree (thanks to my girl Alison for sharing): the tree’s “sparse” appearance feels very “on-brand for 2020.” I shared this article with some of my family and my brother-in-law said: “Woof, it’s almost like there was a miscommunication and they cut down the wrong one.” “No, Chip, not that one — not — BUZZZZ.” The entire debacle led me to order this Christmas puzzle of a Rockefeller Tree from a better vintage. (Ha!) I also ordered this one. I am anticipating a lot of down time with just Mr. Magpie and I over this holiday season.
+If you’re looking for a last-minute activity to preoccupy little hands this weekend or on Thanksgiving morning that will not entail a lot of supervision (i.e., no glue or scissors involved), might I suggest buying a pack of inexpensive craft paper cards and envelopes and these stickers (or these) and having them decorate “thank you” cards for loved ones, neighbors, etc? That’s what my children will be doing this Saturday morning, and then our “outdoor activity” will be scooting to the mailbox down the street to drop them off.
+Uh-oh. Saks is running a tiered promotion — $50 off purchase of $250, $100 off purchase of $400, etc, etc — this Christmas red cocktail dress is calling my name…
+My hair stylist used this leave-in conditioner on my hair when I last got it cut and colored and I just snagged my own bottle, currently marked down from $28 to $18! Smells like heaven.
By: Jen Shoop
This book was unbelievable. In it, Woodson tells the story of multiple generations of a Brooklyn-based family, principally focusing on the unexpected pregnancy of Iris as a fifteen-year-old girl and the way her decisions to keep her baby and then leave her daughter in the care of her parents and boyfriend in order to pursue a college degree impact the family.
The prose runs both tactile and evocative, similar in a sense to Seamus Heaney’s poetry, which somehow communicates both earthiness, muck, physicality as well as the ineffable emotions that surge through us–often simultaneously. Both writers are in this sense worldly and other-worldly: they attend to the realities (sensorial and otherwise) of living in this world while also grappling with Big, Profound Things — in Woodson’s case, the meaning of family and motherhood in particular, the conditions of belonging to others while we are alive, even the nature of death. I marvel with particular wonderment at her conjuring of the forces of water and fire throughout the novel. Both elements play a functional role in propelling the plot forward and pinning down various symmetries in the novel’s narratives, but they also externalize the texture of this book, which feels almost like something fanning outward, rippling over–like flames, or waves. We don’t know if they are consuming the characters or propelling them, cleansing or burning, drowning or warming. There are deaths and injuries by fire, the sending of ashes out into the water, and many other moments conjuring these elements. The overlapping narratives told in different voices as well as the jumping forward and backward in time all further contribute to this sensation. The prose positively moves, and moves us with it.
I feel a lump form in the back of my throat when I think about this novel. There were sadnesses, yes–gaping absences, woundings, abandonments–but mainly it struck me as a slow fraying. Woodson does not linger on the specifics of a maudlin scene, for example. We find out about the (SPOILER ALERT) death of Aubrey not through elaborate poignant details but almost obliquely, in the moments leading up to it and the aftermath five years later and the briefly-glimpsed vision of Iris running sixty blocks to the World Trade Center. Because of this, there is never one central moment of agony or decay — just a slow tearing at the seams. Though we focus principally on Iris and her decisions, we also see the broad swathe of multiple generations of her family, and the way their heartaches are both intertwined and in some ways tragically disconnected. It is beautiful, truthful writing and I read it in two or three sittings, unable to think of anything else.
If you have read it, what did you make of the ending? Why did we end with a scene in which mother and daughter have been more or less reunited by the near-cosmic dint of the deaths of everyone else in the family, and their mutual discovery of gold (a material that can withstand fire!) buried by Sabe? It felt almost metaphorical to me, and at the same time, deeply believable. Please share your interpretations — I have been puzzling over this today…
+Currently reading Ruth Ware’s One by One (thriller!) as a little palette cleanser before digging into Billion Dollar Loser, a non-fiction chronicle of the rise and precariousness of WeWork, the co-working space behemoth.
+Currently listening to Cobble Hill, by Cecily von Ziegesar, author of Gossip Girl, which follows (copying and pasting from the cover materials) “a year in the life of four families in an upscale Brooklyn neighborhood as they seek purpose, community, and meaningful relationships—until one unforgettable night at a raucous neighborhood party knocks them to their senses.” I am listening to this book on Libro.FM, which several of you recommended after my post on audiobooks a week or two ago. Libro.FM enables you to buy audiobooks through your local bookstore. The folks there reached out to me after reading my post and generously offered me access to a selection of titles gratis.
+I am seriously considering this MZ Wallace crossbody in the navy with the red Gucci-esque striped strap — currently on sale! These are the kinds of bags that are heaven to have with little children around. I know several of you have raved about the similarly styled Dagne Dover phone sling.
+Speaking of Dagne Dover, I am also eyeing this fanny pack in the pretty matte pink color. I know I’ve talked your ear off about this, but I cannot believe how much wear I get out of my State Bags belt bag (available on sale here and here!). Or maybe I should invest in higher end one given frequency of use…black velvet Gucci anyone?
+These house slippers! LOVE. If they are too #extra for you, I also love the elegant smoking slipper styling of this pair. Peep the copy: “Furlanes are traditional indoor/outdoor Venetian slippers. These chic handmade shoes with slip-resistant rubber bottoms (once made with recycled bicycle tires after WWII) are worn by gondolieri so they do not ruin the wood of the precious gondolas. Legend says that the Venetian nobles wore them to sneak in silence, thanks to the soft and silent soles, in the night to meet their secret lovers.” YES. Love a shoe with racy history.
+Oh! Before we move on too far from bags, this stylish MZ Wallace backpack is also on rare sale. Love. I own the Metro style, but this is also majorly attractive as far as backpacks go. (And I did a lot of research on the subject back in the day.)
+Speaking of statement coats, one of my personal favorites in my closet is by Harvey Faircloth, a brand that seems to have gone out of business — it is a utility jacket with a wide band of faux fur trim and I get so many compliments on it to this day. You can still find them gently used on eBay and occasionally NWT. I love that they fancy up everyday jeans and add edge to dressier looks!
+Maybe by the time this post has gone live, this sweater will have dropped. LOVE. I wore a similar style from Zara earlier this year on Instastories but it has sold out!
