My Internet friend Mary recently asked me, “How do you fill your cup if you only have, say, an hour to do it?” Like me, she’s a mother who is also running a creative business, and we were musing on how to maximize our days while taking care of ourselves. It occurred to me that the answer to this question might vary day to day, week to week, season to season, and that I must exercise deep self-awareness to intuit an accurate response. Some days, filling my cup means going for a run, breaking a sweat, taking a long walk with a neighbor. Other days, it means blocking everything out to write creatively and without constraint (e.g., not writing to publish, but writing to tinker). Still others, it means sitting still, prioritizing rest, taking a shower, laying down, reading. And on other days, spending QT with a loved one, jumping on a call with a girlfriend, leaving my desk to do something with the children, or going on a midday date with Mr. Magpie. Sometimes Mr. Magpie even suggests we drive to pick up lunch together rather than ordering in because it means we’ll have 15-20 minutes to take a pause and catch up together. An efficient date.
What I mean to say is — the answer to this question depends on how well I am taking serious the provocation to “become an expert in myself.” How well am I listening? How well do I know what will recharge me on a given day? Sometimes it’s quiet I crave, and sometimes its companionship, or creative inspiration, or the satisfying feeling of hitting the pavement and moving the dirt.
Yesterday, I woke up and knew it was a “move the dirt” day. I could not wait to slip into my running shoes and push myself.
What about you? If you have an hour to fill your cup today, what will you do?
****
Below, sharing some favorite fall fitness finds to help with “moving the dirt” on the days where you crave movement:
01 // My new Nike Infinity Runs (seen above). Reader, these are excellent. I’ve written about this line of shoes countless times, but I love the upgraded style. They have even more padding/support than earlier versions but still wear like a sock — they are featherweight. Most importantly — they enable me to run naturally, without altering my gait. Note that they are 20% off in select colors! Go a half size up in these — they run snug.
07 //Lululemon Aligns. Old faithful. I just did a big clean out of my fitness drawer and I donated several pairs of leggings from brands that never worked well for me. For example, I love several of the Alo pairs for style points, but they never fit me properly (better for taller Magpies), and I always hated all of the Outdoor Voices ones I tried (too constricting!). I cleared all of those out and basically have Aligns, Splits59s, and Colorfulkoalas left. I think I’ll treat myself to a new pair of Aligns this season to round out my collection.
08 // This Gap fleece jacket is exactly what I want to throw on over everything, preferably with this waffle-knit beanie from Vuori. Speaking of Vuori, I keep coming back to their boyfriend joggers — I love the style / fit over their more popular pair.
09 // Eyeing this therma-fit lightweight fleece pullover for cold weather runs, as well as these long-sleeved dri-fit tees from Nike. I find their fitness apparel well-made and reasonably-priced, with smart details. I specifically love that the tees have thumbholes. I find this makes a big difference when I’m running in the cold.
10 //Running headband and glove set. Musts! I also think these inexpensive Amazon gloves, which I’ve worn for multiple seasons in a row, are a good buy.
11 // Target has a cute half-zip deeply reminiscent of the styles from Varley for $25!
I feel as though every other week, I’m wrapping a gift for a child’s birthday party, a hostess, a Baptism, etc, and while I’m not particularly adept at actually folding the paper to wrap the gift (I’m passable at best), I’ve learned a thing or two about presentation over the years, mainly from my mother-in-law, a magical, creative person who makes everything special. She’s taught me that you can make even the smallest token exciting through thoughtful, artful wrapping. One shortcut: great ribbon. Specifically, I keep a full stock of all different widths of white satin ribbon from the brand Offray on hand at all times, and I do not skimp when using it. It’s almost fool-proof: who doesn’t love an enormous white satin bow?! I remember that I wrapped up a baby shower gift with a heavy hand of 2.5″ white satin ribbon, and one of my aunts scrambled to grab it off the floor afterward: “Oh no no, this can’t go to waste. We save this.” Two other habits I’ve cultivated over the years, which I’m sure nearly all of us do: I hang onto good-quality boxes to repurpose (Shopbop has a really great gift box — super durable and great sizes; so much better than the flimsy “shirtboxes” I find myself panic ordering during holiday season) and I also keep all of those little shredded crinkle papers that come with shipments in big baggies in my gift closet. The latter are great for partly filling cello bags or gift baskets, or filling out a gift box with multiple smaller gifts tucked inside.
Above: Offray 2.25″ satin ribbon; Sugar Paper for Target gift wrap.
Other items I always keep on hand:
1 // A big roll of cello wrap as well as multiple sizes of cello bags, including the wine size, which can also be great for gifts like these round puzzles (a great family / host gift!). These 6x10s are good for small items, like luxe beauty products that you want to present a little more dramatically (better than gift wrapping a tiny mascara/lip gloss).
2 // Lots of ribbon in different textures and patterns. My favorite are the velvets — this brand is a particularly good quality, and I love the dusty colors — and always, always lots of widths of double-faced white satin from the brand Offray. Offray was long used (maybe still is?) as the ribbon for Olympic medals — the quality is excellent. If you are local to the D.C. area, there is an Offray Ribbon Outlet out in Hagerstown, MD, and you can get loads of great quality ribbon for cheap. My MIL will sometimes drive out there and stock up for both of us.
4 // Gift tags. I have a weakness for beautiful paper products and have amassed quite the collection, but a few of my favorites are these chinoiserie patterned ones from Mary B Paperie, these from Erin Wallace, and these stickers (!) from Joy Creative Shop. The sticker ones from Joy Creative were a revelation — so easy to line up on a bottom corner versus worry about taping beneath the ribbon. I also have a few specifically for my children, including these and these. (I always put both of my children’s names on them so I can use for either / both.)
5 // Gift wrap. My favorite brand for grift wrap remains Rifle Paper. They run a Black Friday promo and I usually stock up then, and specifically on their rolls of gift wrap. (I prefer rolls to sheets – so much more versatile/practical, especially during this phase of life, when we are often wrapping bulky/bigger toys for children.) The quality and motifs are incredible relative to price — I’ve seen other place charge much, much more for less. It’s not cheap, but you do notice a huge difference; it does not rip as easily and is never semi-sheer. I always have a few rolls of their “Party Animal” pattern for kids, and I love this floral, which works well for adult birthdays, bridal showers, and even baby showers. I am hoping to buy this set of three rolls for holiday over Black Friday!
I also love the Sugar Paper x Target line. They just released a bunch of new items — these are similar in quality to Rifle but about half the price. Their designs aren’t quite as whimsical, but these are GREAT for holiday, when you’re going through a lot of paper — much less expensive. I ordered this blue set for year round gifting (also would work for Hanukkah / general “winter” gifting), but this set of six rolls will probably be making it my way for holidays. I also love their scalloped tissue, sturdy gift boxes, and beautiful gift bags. I just added a bunch of their items to my cart for my next Target order while they’re still in stock.
I recently ordered a few rolls of paper from Joy Creative Shop, too — I like the punchy colors and graphic design. I feel like these designs are perfect for children / tweens / teens.
For specialty gifts, I have some small sheets of gift wrap from St. Frank that are spectacular.
6 // Organization. I keep all my gift tags in clear bins like these, arranged so the cards are facing forwards so you can sort of thumb through them to find the right design easily. (I also keep birthday cards / occasion cards in this card keeper.) I keep scissors, wrap cutter, and tape in another clear bin. Ribbon goes in bigger snap-tight bins (currently BOGO — we use these for everything in our basement). I’ve tried to get on board with gift wrap organizers but honestly just prefer to keep the rolls upright and easy to grab in a bin like this. (I actually use an old Simply Human trashbin we no longer need upstairs.)
+Party Hostess: I often wrap up something like Red Clay’s Hot Honey, Caspari napkins, or Luxardo cherries with fancy crackers/herbed nuts in cellophane with a bow.
If you want more Magpie, you can subscribe to my Magpie Email Digest for a weekly roundup of top essays, musings, conversations, and finds!
By: Jen Shoop
We compiled all Magpie recipes into beautiful cards for your kitchen! Get the recipe card collection in your inbox here.
What’s your drink order, Magpie? I love to learn my friends’ secret coffee orders, favorite weeknight wines, health tinctures, and hyper-fixation cocktails. My best friend and I used to sporadically text each other photos of our soy lattes back in our 20s — we were both obsessed with them — and for some reason, catching a glimpse of her feet on the NYC sidewalk beneath her latte sparked joy and cultivated a sense of intimacy even though we lived states apart. Sometimes she still texts me and asks exactly what I’m doing — “I like to have a picture of where you are” — and I enjoy “guess texting” her with what I think she’s up to at a random time of the week: “Craig has golf on, you’re about to order Thai food, and you’re drinking a martini.” (I have been dead-on at least once.)
Anyhow — what are you sipping on this season?
During the week, I enjoy exactly one mug of hot coffee with half-and-half and sugar in the morning, which Mr. Magpie brews with his Moccamaster, using beans he grinds daily with his Fellow Grinder. On the weekends, Mr. Magpie sometimes makes what he calls “bonus coffee,” and we enjoy refills. I don’t need or frankly crave the extra caffeine (I’m a one-cup-a-day gal), but I love the ritual of it on a slow weekend morning. And when we’re between coffee subscription shipments (we’re currently drinking Sey coffee, based in Brooklyn), we treat ourselves to pitstops at Grace Street Coffee in Bethesda, and I’ll order an oat latte, hot or iced depending on my mood, not the weather. (My sister once told me it was “savage” to drink an iced latte in the winter, but sometimes I’m just in that mood.)
At home, we nearly always drink out of these porcelain “filter” mugs from Intelligentsia, seen below. I had read, deep in Reddit coffee nerd threads, that porcelain mugs are the ideal conveyance for coffee. These ones have a simple, almost diner-like design, but a nice, heavy heft to them — the thick walls keep liquid hotter longer.
I drink water all day long out of an enormous straw-top Yeti I stole from Mr. Magpie after he received it from a work retreat. He works for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and on the side panel, the water bottle reads: “BE OPTIMISTIC / BE TENACIOUS / BE COLLABORATIVE / BE BOLD / BE ADAPTABLE / BE CURIOUS.” It sends a shiver of hope down my spine every time I lay eyes on it, which is — often. The Foundation is an incredible organization, and I’m not saying that because Mr. Magpie works there. I am obsessed with all of his colleagues, who are bright and passionate (I accidentally eavesdrop on a lot of their conversations since we both work from home and will later tell Mr. Magpie how smart someone sounded, or how productive a chat seemed — ha! Just some casual couch quarterbacking), and the Foundation is trying to “put itself out of business,” which means it is not operating off of an endowment but investing substantial money in scientific research to cure the disease right now, in real time, not a moment to lose. The urgency, grace, and sense of purpose with which this organization operates routinely moves me. And, of course, who doesn’t love MJF?! A treasure! Bringing things full circle, apparently our boy John Mayer first picked up a guitar because he was inspired by MJF playing “Johnny Be Good” in “Back to the Future.” (Also, if you haven’t seen the MFJ documentary, “Still,” it’s deeply touching, beautifully produced, and deserving of a view. Many friends and family members have reached out after seeing it to let Landon know how much it meant to them.) Anyway. I sit with the Foundation all day long, and I think about the good they’re doing every time I sip my water.
At lunch, I drink one Spindrift, preferably lemon, and if I need an afternoon pick me up, I like Harney & Son’s Cinnamon Orange tea.
In the evening, it’s a matter of mood: sometimes a glass of wine (I love Italian reds — Nebbiolo, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Nero D’Avola, Chianti), sometimes a cocktail (I’m back on my daiquiri kick, and have been loving either the mezcal one or La Bomba, which is seen at the top of this post and below), sometimes more water followed by Harney and Sons peppermint tea, sometimes a glass of something sparkling. I derive tremendous joy out of sipping sparkling or “up” cocktails out of these beautiful coupes, seen in the photo below — among my most prized possessions. (I believe code Magpie20 still gets you 20% off at Food52, FYI.) Meanwhile, Mr. Magpie is a pretty devoted Gruner Veltliner guy these days. He considers it the perfect white wine to pair with food or nothing at all. He was raving about it to some friends we had over this past weekend, and he explained that it’s got more body to it than a sauvignon blanc, but isn’t sweet or heavy — it’s an easy-drinking, off-dry, bright wine that tends to come in affordable 1L bottles. In general, though, Mr. Magpie is much more likely to modify his beverage program based on what we’re eating. If he’s making a big steak, he’s going to pour a big red. If he’s looking for a pre-dinner cocktail, it’s often a negroni. He has his specs, though: he likes to blend Carpico Antica with sweet vermouth, and will occasionally swap in Bruto Americano for Campari. And it’s always over a big block of ice, in a frosted glass, with a long peel of lemon, not orange.
How about you, Magpie? What are you sipping on this season?
+These captoe ballets are SO good — great colors. Very Chanel, but not too-copycat.
+My sister and I were freaking out over the new Reformation x The New York City Ballet collab. This tulle skirt is calling my name. Like with a great velvet heel and a cashmere sweater tucked in?! My sister sent me a screenshot of this head to toe look and said: “…it me?” Any of my Magpies who know my sister will agree: it’s SO her style. (She’s worked in fashion for years and years, lives in NYC, and has incredible fashion taste.)
+I’ve been updating my Prime Deal Day finds here. I have to say the item I purchased that I am most excited about was this mixed pack of my favorite flosses, 20% off. I guess this is adulthood? But seriously, the floss is one of my favorite adult discoveries. I mentioned this recently, but I never go anywhere without floss! I also noticed these Rael blemish covers are included. They’re a great “emergency” buy — I’ve used a few times when in real deep waters. And these adorable Teamson brand play kitchens for kids are on sale, too! We bought one of them for the children last Christmas and they love it.
+A navy capelet to throw on over anything and everything this fall/winter.
+Goop just launched a limited edition package of our beloved Goopglow Exfoliator. It’s the same formula and everything, but the package is so pretty. This would be a beautiful gift for a loved one / mother / sis / etc, wrapped up with a big velvet bow in cellophane. It’s too early to talk seriously about holiday gifts, but if Christmas were tomorrow, I’d tell you my top three recs for sisters are this exfoliator, a Quince sweater, or an LL Bean tote monogrammed with a fun nickname / inside joke on the side.
+A game I’m adding to our cupboard for when we have friends/family in town for the holidays, and a new devotional I’m contemplating. I really enjoyed the ritual of working my way through Cleere Reeves’ one, which I wrote about earlier this week. I found it was too intense to read it daily, so ended up picking it up more casually, when I felt I needed something extra in the morning.
+I shared a little photo of mini a few days ago and was surprised by how many mamas wanted to know her outfit deals! Little fashionista! She was wearing this cardigan (40% off!), these leggings (also 40% off), and these sherpa clogs (a Birk Boston lookalike). More of my daughter’s fall clothes here — she picked almost all of them herself.
+Vuori just released the coziest waffle knit beanies. Eyeing one for morning walks with Tilly. While we’re talking morning walk hygge, how good is this oversized fleece from Everlane?
+This sparkling skirt is on super sale. Fab buy for the holiday season!
+Christina Dickson sent me some of her beautiful fall table linens a few weeks ago and I especially love this hunter green set of patterned placemats and napkins. Gorgeous for all the upcoming holidays — from Thanksgiving through Christmas and New Year’s!
+PaperCape just released the cutest holiday patterns. Love these and these.
If you want more Magpie, you can subscribe to my Magpie Email Digest for a weekly roundup of top essays, musings, conversations, and finds!
By: Jen Shoop
If you’re planning ahead like I am — it’s onto Thanksgiving attire! (I have to admit something, though: this year, I skipped a part of Halloween. I usually send my children into school with little personalized Halloween cards and toys/treats/etc to hand out to their classmates — I love the ones Erin Wallace does! — but I just didn’t get to it. It felt like something I needed to say “no” to in order to say “yes” to other things? Instead of spending an afternoon tying sixty ribbons onto tiny cards with tiny toys, I was able to make space for something else. I can’t put my finger on the exact swap, but I’m hoping it was the afternoon we baked pumpkin cookies, or the family walk we took through fall foliage. I generally battle against a scarcity mindset, but I do think that it can be helpful to ask, when weighing the pros and cons of taking on even a small extra task, “What is this displacing?”)
Anyhow – onto planning what to wear for Thanksgiving, and other fall festivities. Above, you can see me wearing Doen’s new Milana dress, which they sent me from their latest fall collection, which launched today. (I also love this 70s-inspired silk georgette number. I saw it and imagined it with a velvet heel and a faux fur jacket at the opera? A girl can dream.). It is a lot like the puff-sleeved Rhodia in pattern and hand feel (both are breathable cotton voile) that I bought last month, but has a longer sleeve and sash that make it feel slightly better-suited to November. The neckline feels saucy, too. Either of those dresses are, in my mind, perfect picks for Turkey Day — easy to wear, flattering, polished but not too done-up. I took an XXS in both (I’m typically an XS, but find this brand runs a tad big), but I will say both of these are cut fairly narrow. They fit great, but just. So I would take your true size if you are at all worried/between sizes/etc.
A few other gorgeous dresses to consider for the occasion:
+Parterre’s Dorothea Dress. Love the color, the complex vintage pattern, the tailored cuff. This feels elegant and demure in the best way.
+This under-$200 OPT dress is selling quickly. I saw a chic pea wearing it to a fall party two weeks ago and she looked incredible. I love the length, the fitted bodice, the rich brocade-inspired pattern!
+Nina Blanc always releases fabulous, ladylike silhouettes in interesting patterns. I love this dress with a suede, heeled bootie. (Look for less with these.) I wore this dress in a tartan for Christmas Eve last year and loved that I knew I’d see no one else wearing it. Such an underrated label!
If you’re not into wearing a dress, I love the idea of a great pair of jeans with a fab fall top like this, this, or this; a fair-isle sweater; or a statement cardigan. A few other ideas for making a casual outfit festive for the holiday:
If you want more Magpie, you can subscribe to my Magpie Email Digest for a weekly roundup of top essays, musings, conversations, and finds!
By: Jen Shoop
An early morning post because Amazon is running a “Big Deal Day” promotion today and tomorrow, with some deals highly anticipated to sell out (especially this Philips Air Fryer — Amazon is limiting one purchase per household). Magpies, I spent a lot of time trying to sleuth out what would be included ahead of launch, but Amazon made it a wee bit difficult to discern exactly what would be on sale, and on which day — and it is generally challenging to navigate their sale promotions. Still, I persisted, hoping to identify the best deals for us in advance, and am sharing some amazing finds that I am 90% confident will be included below. The Picasso Tiles seen above are a no-brainer. Buy a few sets to keep as gift back-ups / to surprise your children with on a rainy day. (You can always use expansion packs! These are compatible with Magnatiles, FYI!) The other gift I wanted to mention (not seen in collage below) are Squishmallows. My daughter and her little friends adore these compulsively huggable stuffies — they’ve become quite the hot gift among girls her age. I am hoping to buy one or two for the gift closet, too. I believe the otter and possum will be discounted.
I’ll check back here later today to update, and will also keep all my favorite finds in this Amazon List for easy finding.
01. SHOKZ OPEN RUN PRO HEADPHONES — A few Magpies recommended these bone conduction headphones as a better way to listen to music without totally blotting out the noise around you (safer!). I’ve had these in my Amazon wishlist for months now, as my *very old* running headphones are on their last legs. (The sound quality on those badboys is terrible, too.) Thinking I’ll snag a set of these for myself as a part of Big Deal day. These would also make a great gift if you have a parent/sibling/significant other who runs outdoors.
02. BOSE NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES — I want a pair of these so badly! I find my ears bother me if I have my AirPods in for a long time, and yet I’m easily distracted by noise and need virtual silence when I’m writing seriously. My parents, who are avid travelers, also swear by these for flights/trains. Color me tempted…
03. ELEMIS CLEANSING BALM — Such a luxurious way to end your day. Removes all makeup and something about using a warm wash cloth to do so feels deeply comforting and peaceful. I loved this so much, I gifted one to my mother! I find we both use it as a “special luxury wind down” product versus an every night of the week makeup remover.
04. LIVING PROOF DRY SHAMPOO — I just wrote a veritable sonnet extolling the virtues of this incredible dry shampoo. It’s the only I’ve used that actually prolongs a blowout. In this case, Prime has made the jumbo size (9.9 oz) the same price as the regular size (5.5 oz). Stocking up while on sale!
06. CHILDREN’S CROCS — A good time to buy for the spring/summer season ahead. Mini was just begging me for a new pair (her heels are hanging off the back of her summer pair), but I said we’d need to wait until warmer weather — it seems foolish to buy a pair now! — and yet she might just get her wish with this promotion.
06. PICASSO TILES — A classic gift. My children play with these constantly. We mix and match sets from different brands — these are totally compatible with Magnatiles!
07. BENTGO LUNCHBOX — Have heard such good things about this brand. I love the slim silhouette and compartment arrangement.
08. PHILIPS AIR FRYER — One of my girlfriends was just raving about her air fryer. She said it totally changed the game with reheating leftovers, serving children’s chicken nuggets / fries. This one is such a good deal (over 50% off) and from a reputable electronics company. A good gadgety gift for your tech/gear/cooking/grill guy. I anticipate this will be a highly sought after deal because they’ve already restricted purchases to one per household.
09. HOT TOOLZ CURLING IRONS — These are the absolute best. I have these in several barrel widths that I bought before I was married and am still using to this day. They conduct heat really well and hold up beautifully. I use the 1″ and 1.5″ widths the most frequently.
10. RIBBED TURTLENECK SWEATER — Great to throw on over leggings for casual Saturday / soccer mom / etc.
12. SOJOS SUNGLASSES — A friend of mine calls these “car sunglasses,” meaning she leaves them in her glovebox for sunny days and doesn’t fret about losing / crushing / leaving her fancy ones in the car / etc. Such a good everyday shape — and they’re unisex so your husband can borrow if he’s in a pinch behind the wheel, too.
13. NIPPIES — An absolute must-have for summer / swimwear / formal occasion wear with weird straps. Could not live without these and fashion tape!
14. BECKHAM COLLECTION SLEEPING PILLOWS — I’m a broken record at this point, but these are our favorite inexpensive sleeping pillows. We use in children’s rooms, guest rooms, etc!
15. APPLE AIRPODS PRO — The time to buy them if you need them! I use them daily for walking the dog and any phone calls I take. Love being hands-free so I can take notes or doodle or walk around my room.
16. IT COSMETICS SUPERHERO MASCARA — One of my favorites, alongside Giorgio Armani and Ilia. Gives a really great, inky lash line.
17. COLORFULKOALA LEGGINGS — My absolute favorite “inexpensive” leggings. Great for rainy days, running around with kids, etc. Supremely comfortable (closer to Aligns than most other brands I’ve tried). I own in five colors.
If you want more Magpie, you can subscribe to my Magpie Email Digest for a weekly roundup of top essays, musings, conversations, and finds!
By: Jen Shoop
+KILTE MARLEE CARDIGAN. ($50 off if you sign up for emails.) I love the punchy color and melange yarn, which you can see close-up in the above snap. It’s a wool blend but far less itchy than most of my other wool pieces — I can even wear it with a short-sleeved tee beneath without it bothering me. When I’m in my studio, my favorite/go-to everyday uniform is jeans, a tee, and a cardigan, and this one has come into heavy rotation because the color is an instant mood elevator — this look is basically what I’m wearing most days at my desk. I took a size 1. I love their entire autumn collection, especially this marigold pullover. Wearing above with my most-worn everyday jeans, the Riley crops and the best $15 tee. I bought this a size up from my true size and they’ve really stretched out. I think I’m going to buy a second pair in my true size and just wear them in, because now these are a tad baggy. Just FYI!
+QUINCE MONGOLIAN CASHMERE FISHERMAN SWEATER. Probably my most-worn sweater so far this season? I actually really liked pairing it with tone-on-tone brown leggings for soccer mom duties recently — it made me realize I’m not a head-to-toe athleisure kind of girl. I always need something to be more “everyday dressing,” e.g. a sweater instead of a sweatshirt, a denim overshirt instead of a jacket, etc. I’ve also been loving pairing the Quince sweater with off-white denim, around my shoulders with patterned fall blouses, etc. Size up one size in this — runs small and I think this looks better with a slouchy fit. I took a small in this and I’m a true XS. If you want a really slouchy/oversized fit, go two sizes up.
+G LABEL MORGAN PUFF SLEEVE. An investment, but this is perfection, especially if you are a petite like me. It has a shrunken fit and the cuffs fit me perfectly at my wrists (most sweaters require me to roll up / push up the sleeves). I adore the puff sleeved detail and the chunky ribbed collar/cuffs, and the dimensions are straight up divine. I throw this on with utility pants (these are my favorites) or jeans (per note above, these are my most-worn) and immediately feel polished. It’s a forever piece I know I will wear season after season. I took an XS in this, but honestly it wears like a petite size.
+SEZANE PIERRE CARDIGAN. This was such a fun discovery for me. I have nothing else like this in my closet, but it’s the kind of thing that makes an everyday outfit feel really special / interesting? Like, you throw it on and it becomes your personality. Ha! I took an XXS, and it runs big. I will say this is a tad itchy. You need a LS shirt beneath.
+QUINCE ORGANIC COTTON FISHERMAN SWEATER. Sorry to be a broken record here, but Quince really has been a favorite discovery this year. (Where have I been?). I love this classic navy color and find I wear it a ton.
+LA LIGNE MINI MARINA SWEATER. I have a few La Ligne sweaters, but find this is my most versatile/most-worn. I love the cropped length, the soft brushed cotton feel, the retro rollneck, etc! It’s jut a timeless piece that feels fresh every time I put it on.
+ALICE WALK ALPACA SWEATER. I normally run in the opposite direction of “basics,” preferring the statement detail, the bright color, etc, but this ivory alpaca knit is a true workhorse. I love throwing it on around my shoulders — the texture offers such great contrast — and of course it goes with everything. I especially like the look of this paired with natural or ecru denim.
+JENNI KAYNE EVERYDAY SWEATER. I love this well-priced staple sweater. It’s easy to throw on with jeans for a casual Saturday moment. I love the silhouettes/fits from this brand — they nail the cool, unfussy, Cali-chic vibe with their proportions. I will say that I also bought their cruise cocoon sweater and decided to return it. The shape is great, but the color just…felt blah? I felt boring in that one. I know people love their fishermen sweaters, but now that I know about Quince, I’m not sure I need?
If you want more Magpie, you can subscribe to my Magpie Email Digest for a weekly roundup of top essays, musings, conversations, and finds!
By: Jen Shoop
Today, I am reprinting a modestly edited musing from the archives that many Magpies have written to me about over the years. For many of us, the message has served as a bracing morning tonic. I drink in the words and feel my spine straighten: be mindful, I tell myself. “Live care-ingly,” Mary Oliver whispers. What are you sending out today?
******
The other day, I came across these lines in the devotional:
“Whether consciously or subconsciously, we are always sending out something–whether that be rays of kindness, ripples of impatience, or riptides of frustration. The way we carry ourselves, the nature of our responses to others, and the way we speak, think, and act are all emitting something.”
I found myself flipping back to that passage: a chord struck. Mr. Magpie and I often interrupt ourselves while mid-conversation to interject: “Little rabbits have big ears.” It’s shorthand for “let’s pause here and pick up later, when children are out of earshot.” Sometimes this is because we’re puzzling over the behavior of people in our lives and don’t want to cast a long shadow, or we’re commenting on how drop off/pick up went and don’t want a child to feel criticized or “talked about,” or glibly visiting any manner of subjects we don’t want them repeating to their entire classrooms. We are aware in those moments of the way parenthood plunged us into the lifelong responsibility of modeling good. And it’s not just the words we say, either: my children absorb everything. My body language, my pace, my mood, my level of distraction. There have been times in the last few years where I have been upset or sad or frustrated and my children have pressed their bodies against mine, laying their heads on my shoulder, and I know — with the pique of heartache — that they are reading my movements and attempting to console me. In the middle of our move to D.C., I found my bristling nervous energy rubbing off on my children (mini was waking early — 5 a.m.! — and mini-tantrums erupted frequently) and our terrier, Tilly, who was nippy and agitated. Sometimes this is how it must be, or at least that’s what I told myself while beleaguered with logistics and stress. I cannot completely conceal my emotions. I cannot protect my children from everything I feel. I am not a robot! But after reflecting on those words from my devotional, I thought: “What am I sending out on a normal day?” What picture do my children have of me? What picture do I want them to have? How can inch closer to the version I want?
I want this to be a part of my new morning conversation with myself. And not just as a parent. Sometimes I find myself nearly pawing the ground with impatience when I am waiting in a long check-out line at the grocery store. What vibe am I sending out then? Not the version of myself to which I aspire, to be sure. How can I be more mindful of my posture, my body language, my openness to the beautiful happenstances that can transpire when interacting with other parents at drop-off, while passing neighbors on evening walks with Tilly, when stretching alongside other runners in Rock Creek Park? What energy am I putting out into the world? What do I want it to be?
+Shopbop sent me a big bag of beauty products to try, and I was especially excited by this Trish McEvoy mascara. If you’ve been following for awhile, you know a) mascara is my favorite beauty product, and b) I hate tubing mascaras. Will this be the one that changes my mind? A mom at my children’s school has the most amazing lashes and I once stopped to ask her what she uses: this was her secret. I’m game to try! (I’ll share more of my reviews from this delivery, but I have to say I was also very excited about this ginormous Stoney Clover pouch they sent? It’s HUGE and a really good quality. I’m such a freak about pouches! Never enough!)
+Ordered this top. I love little statement blouses like this to tuck into jeans for everyday wear. Also eyeing this for date night/dressier wear. The color is so good and will go with anything/everything. I’m imagining with leather-effect wide-legs for some reason. Love.
+Cutest lamp, and a fab runner on sale for $119 (originally $358).
+Cute little gift for a two year old. Just ordered to give a little one! I love that brand — beautiful, well-designed toys. More of my go-to gifts for little ones here.
+Veronica Beard has some great snags in its sale section right now. I love these platforms in the merlot color for fall/Thanksgiving festivities. So good! And this paisley top is somehow $119? J. Crew price for incredible quality. Finally — this jacket situation?! My mind is blown. In my cart, itching to click “purchase.”
+A bunch of you loved these Nike casual sneaks I featured the other day. I wanted to mention that I totally lived in their Daybreaks last year and have still been getting a ton of wear out of them, even now that they’re a little worse for the wear (white shoes with white suede trim are hard to keep tidy). Nike knows a thing or two about making a comfortable sneaker. I have also been wearing these Onitsukas a lot — they are SO cool, IMO — but they aren’t (yet?) that comfortable? I find the upper digs into my ankle and I’m curious how long they’ll take to break in. I also discovered this brand which has a Veja vibe but is less ubiquitious / more under-the-radar than Veja.
+This dress is 70% off and I have no reason to buy it but it is SO GORGEOUS. Love the color, the pleating, the delicate straps. Just a kiss of the Gwyneth-winning-her-Oscar dress.
+This has to be my all-time favorite bedtime book for children. I’ve now given it to at least six families. I might as well just keep a stock of them in my gift cubby! More favorite bedtime books for kids here.
+It’s strep szn (wah!). My pediatrician had a chat with my children: “keep your hands out of your mouths, please!” and advised them to wash their hands before lunch/snack. I bought this bulk set of keychain-style sanitizers to clip onto their lunches and backpacks.
+Just the most handsome coat ever. More great outerwear here.
+Couldn’t resist buying this footie for a friend’s baby! The pattern. I bundled it with a Jellycat stuffie.
If you want more Magpie, you can subscribe to my Magpie Email Digest for a weekly roundup of top essays, musings, conversations, and finds!
By: Jen Shoop
What is it about the middle of the night, when all of my worst thoughts crowd around the bed? I wake and immediately fling myself into worry. I saw a funny meme this week (I must get better about flagging/tagging these as soon as they cross my consciousness, because I can’t find it for the life of me) that went something like:
Them: Listen to your body.
Other people’s bodies: Sleep. Exercise. Drink water.
My body: Eat pizza. Wake up at 2 a.m. and worry about things you cannot control. Pour another glass of wine.
I laughed at the 2 a.m. worry routine: no matter what I do, midnights remain callously unkind for me, too. I have learned that I absolutely cannot turn on my phone, or I will prolong the sleeplessness. Instead, I put on Gilmore Girls or read my Kindle. A gentleman at the pool this summer commented: “Besides the iPhone, the Kindle is the single best technology of the past two decades,” and think about that a lot — how wonderfully sturdy it is, the genius of its single-use design, the longevity of its battery, its lightweightness, its shape. Funny that he was so passionate about this idea that he offered it up to a stranger. But I share his view: I am put off by the planned obsolescence of our smartphones and laptops. They purposefully degrade into wasteful desuetude, whereas my $100 Kindle has survived a decade of heavy use without losing a step. Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and The Sun skewers this phenomenon in fascinating and deeply moving ways that have been impossible to unsee. (I wrote a full review of that novel here a few years ago, and, looking back, I think I underestimated the staying power of its message. I think of that novel, and various strange, Edward-Hopper-like vignettes I constructed while reading it, frequently.) Anyhow — I suppose my reading material this week has not been particularly benevolent in quieting my mind in the middle of the night. I’ve been tearing throughThe Golden Couple and None of This Is True(the latter on audiobook), both suspenseful and psychologically intense in their own ways — and compulsively readable. The Golden Couple is a delight because it is set in N.W. D.C. / Chevy Chase, and I feel deeply connected to the setting and tickled by its references. I can imagine exactly where the scenes are unfolding, and what the street traffic feels like in those parts. The joy of finding a familiar landscape in a text is — though possibly juvenile — not to be undermined. I also enjoy the authors’ writing style, which I find distinguished by its elegant pace. Imagine the vibe/aesthetic/interiors of a Nancy Meyers flick transmuted into a writerly style. The novel reads like marble countertops and manicured lawns. I love it. None of This Is Truehas an icky, freaky “what’s behind the door” suspense to it that has gripped me. I’m listening on audiobook and I find the two narrators deeply unlikeable, in a way that makes sense in the context of the book. (You aren’t meant to like these people.) There is one moment where one of the main characters comments: “People who seem boring can sometimes have the most interesting stories to tell.” It brought to mind a Stephen Hawking quote: “Quiet people have the loudest minds.” Is that true, I wonder? Perhaps all of us come into this earth with the same total amount of intellectual/creative energy — but some of us throw it out into the world, bouncing it off of others in conversation and interaction, and others of us keep the ballast of it inside. Still waters run deep, etc. Do you consider yourself a quiet person with a loud mind or vice versa? I’ve never been the loudest or most voluble person in the room, but then again, I’m a writer, constantly chattering through my consciousness with you…
What else was on my mind this week?
+On Saturday, we had an at-home date night. We made martinis (gin, stirred, lemon twist) and ordered delivery burgers from Et Voila. They do a fantastic burger that travels surprisingly well — you just toss the fries onto a baking sheet with a spritz of Pam and they crisp up beautifully.
+A reader asked me for thoughts on styling cords (she owns these and these). I snapped a few photos showing how I’ll style mine below. My approach is to balance out the staidness of the pant with pattern and think about proportions/textures. There needs to be something feminine or at least…dramatic? oversized? fashion-aware? — about the top, IMO: a floral pattern, a smocked detail, a long hemline, a flounce. Side bar: how delicious is the bag?! I’m dying over it.
+As an aside, I love this deep red nail color (seen in all photos above) I’ve been getting the past few weeks. It’s OPI’s Blues for Red. It doesn’t have as much purple in it as some of the other dark reds, and I prefer that. I’m a red gal.
+If you like the cord vibe but aren’t sure about pants, try this overshirt, this baseball cap, this ruffle blouse, or this editor-favorite Uniqlo sling bag (truly, fashion editors *love* this $20 bag!) in a new cord fabric.
+I couldn’t believe the timing given my request for moisturizer recs at the bottom of this post earlier this week, but Shopbop sent me a big Stoney Clover pouch of beauty products on Thursday and I was giddy when I realized they’d included an Augustinus Bader Rich Cream in the bag. I’ve been curious about this product for a long time but been reluctant to spend that much money on one component of my rather protracted beauty regimen. One of you wrote left a comment saying it’s not at all worth the $$, another chimed in to say it’s “fine” but not as good as UBeauty’s Super Hydrator, and then several of you wrote to rave about it via DM. (One said: “Sadly, you notice an immediate difference once you run out.”) I will use and report back with thoughts. No matter how good it is, though, I think I’ll still have trouble splurging on it once I run out? I’ve been that way with other products, only “treating myself” to it every few years. For example, I loved La Mer for awhile, but felt continuously guilty about its purchase, so would alternate with cheaper products. More to come.
P.P.S. More New York ephemera. A few of you have written recently to ask for restaurant recs in NYC. My list of favorites is at the bottom of this post, but it is a few years old and you know how quickly New York moves! Some have shuttered, and there are new doors opening weekly. This post on a recent trip to NYC also has some ideas.
P.P.P.S. Fall dresses for little ones, if you’re shopping for Thanksgiving!
If you want more Magpie, you can subscribe to my Magpie Email Digest for a weekly roundup of top essays, musings, conversations, and finds!
By: Jen Shoop
Above: another photo from my time living in NYC and making nearly daily trips to Central Park. Fall, there, is nothing short of magic.
If you want more Magpie, you can subscribe to my Magpie Email Digest for a weekly roundup of top essays, musings, conversations, and finds!
My Latest Snags: APC Grace Bag, Nikes, and a Baptism Gift.
I did some shopping this week. I finally pulled the trigger on the Small Grace APC bag in Noisette. Several Magpies have written to say how high quality this bag is — like Celine, but 1/3 or 1/4 the price. Not cheap, still, but more attainable. I know many of you bought this, too, this season, so now we can all twin! You’ll be promptly seeing it in every photo of myself this fall. I cannot wait!
I also ordered Nike’s new and updated version of my favorite running sneaker. I’ve purchased at least five pairs of the shoes from this particular line of Nikes (the InfinityRNs). A Magpie wrote and asked me how they compare to Hokas and Ons. I’ve discovered I cannot run in Hokas — they make me too flat-footed and my calves ache afterward — but I love both those and the Ons for walking my dog, walks with girlfriends, low-key “hikes” with my children, etc. They’re better walking shoes for me. The Nikes are ultra-lightweight but offer decent support and enabled me to achieve a natural gait in my running, almost as if I’m wearing nothing at all. I got them in the cool green color.
For an upcoming Baptism, I ordered these sweet Bible affirmation cards. I’ve gifted a few sets of these over the years — they’re ideal if you’re attending a Baptism, but not a godparent. Just something small and thoughtful. I actually regret not ordering a couple at a time. Good to just have on hand! Would also be sweet for a First Communion gift.
This Week’s Bestsellers.
This week, we purchased lots of fall pants. I have so many pairs of jeans but I am currently hunting for a darker wash everyday jean. I shared these earlier this week and think I’ll order to try. I love that they have an unfinished hem so I can cut them to the perfect length at home.
*A lot of us also ordered these Magpie-reader-recommended $30 utility pants from Target as an alternative; the NLs run tall/long and are better suited, proportionally, to taller frames. The Targets are apparently great for petites.
Weekend Musing: A Baggy Life.
This week, I kept coming back to these words from author Matt Haig: “Get a routine baggy enough to live in.” In context below —
Years ago, I made a little pact with myself: life is too short for too-tight clothes, and especially too-tight jeans and too-tight fitness wear. Why endure an entire day of discomfort to flatter my own vanity over a clothing size that no one else will see?
When I read Haig’s words, I thought: “Life is also too-short for too-tight plans.” I don’t want to live with narrow margins and tailored-within-an-inch-of-life seams. I love the idea of finding a “baggy routine” — one that feels loose around the hips and accommodates random tacks and jives with minimal strain and stretch. I want to take a walk that’s a little longer than usual, let the children stay up late to play one more round of Uno, stop to talk with my neighbors, have the flexibility to say “yes” to last minute plans because we have the extra give in our schedule.
This involves, as Haig points out, “saying no to things that get in the way of life.” Someone recently forwarded me a little bit of a Ted Talk that Elon Musk’s ex-wife gave. I know little about her and I understand that Musk is a controversial figure, but my friend and I both warmed our hands around what she had to say about the power of saying no. In the clip, she argues that: “Behind every no is a deeper yes to everything you do want.”
Love these sentiments heading into a busy season —
Making sure I leave my schedule baggy enough for what matters.
Post-Scripts.
+These earrings surprised me — I find myself reaching for them all the time when I want an earring that’s a little more interesting than my standard pearl studs but not too much of a statement. Wore the last two nights!
+I was really impressed with my Sezane order. I don’t think I’d ever ordered from them before? I got this cardigan and these pants. The cardigan feels much more expensive than it was — I’m wowed by the quality. It is a tad itchy (you need a LS tee beneath) but very warm and the details/colors are fab! I took an XXS and it’s still pretty big/boxy, so I would not size up. I ordered the pants in a size 2 in the green color and they are snug but am still keeping them because a size up will probably be too big. I’m typically a 0, so I would advise sizing up one size from your usual. They have a great weight to them, and I love the silhouette. Now I’m eyeing this fine knit henley and this classic navy blue cardi (the buttons!).
+My biggest tip for mamas with multiple little kids: buy a pouch for each child to keep their clothes/diapers/gear/pacifiers/bandaids/toys/snacks separately in your bag (this would make a great non-diaper-bag diaper bag). Then you can remove the pouch(es) you don’t need if you’re with only one child, and quickly find what you do need in your diaper bag. I really love the Mackenzie wet/dry bags from PBK, but I don’t understand why they don’t offer in more colors/patterns each season. I have a solid navy and a solid gray that I had monogrammed for each child years ago. They’re great because they’re lined and can double as “soiled clothes holders” if need be. These Pehr ones are also great — super roomy.
+Speaking of Pehr, I still adore their canvas bins for small toy organization (also good for things like diapers, swaddles, etc). I like to use these to group gifts together for baby showers. Just wrap the entire thing in cello with a big ribbon at the end. How cute would this bin be stuffed with great baby books, swaddles, etc for a new mama?
+The Great’s new outerwear collection is SO good. I’m swooning over this reversible puffer and this colorblocked fleece. While we’re talking statement puffers: this Canada Goose!
+Cutest tiny fleece vest for a little one – under $25.
+Love this yarn-effect headband. Fun pop of color/pattern for fall.
+Wearing this top as I type. It’s a perfect jack-of-all-trades fall blouse because it works with basically any fall color. I had a Magpie write a few days ago: “How do I style cords?!” And I said that I always try to balance out the staidness of corduroy with a pattern, a feminine detail, etc. A top like this is perfect.
+If you’re not into florals, though, adore these embroidered black tops. Comes in a bunch of colors and would be a perfect pairing with denim, cords, etc.
P.P.S. I was struck by all the comments on my rambling thoughts on John Mayer this week. What else do y’all listen to? What’s your house music?
P.P.P.S. Cheers to the weekend! I can’t encourage you to try this retro cocktail more.
By: Jen Shoop
We compiled all Magpie recipes into beautiful cards for your kitchen! Get the recipe card collection in your inbox here.
I’ve been making this banana bread for nearly fifteen years, after discovering it on Molly Wizenberg’s Orangette blog (remember it?!) circa 2009. I made it and promptly decided I did not need to try another banana bread recipe for the rest of my life. It has a delicate, almost cake-like crumb, unbelievable moistness, and a winning piece de resistance: a cinnamon crumble topping. This is a banana bread we make in our house year-round, but autumn always seems to beckon repeated performances given the warm spices involved.
I’m sharing below with some modest adaptations from Wizenberg’s recipe, which was itself an adaptation from a recipe from Oakland, CA bakery called Bakesale Betty, which ran in a 2008 Bon Appetit issue. You will likely have all the ingredients on hand, and I implore you to make it for the weekend.
*The plate above is from John Derian’s Halloween collection with Target from a few years ago. My children are obsessed with these — they’re melamine, and therefore kid-proof! — and they always fight over the plate with the biggest spider on it. I just noticed that you can still buy a melamine cakestand with the same motif here, and individual plates here.
Cinnamon Crumble Banana Bread
For the bread:
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1-1.5 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3-4 medium bananas)
2 large eggs
½ cup canola oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup water
For the crumble topping:
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 ½ Tbsp. packed brown sugar (I use whatever I have on hand — light or dark)
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350° F and move the rack to the middle position.
This recipe yields an unconventional amount of batter. Molly’s recipe calls for a 9×5″ loaf pan but most of us will have only 8×4″ loaf pans. Personally, over many years of trial and error, I make exactly seven muffins’ worth and then pour the rest into my 8×4″ pan and it bakes to perfection. This means that my children can enjoy the recipe in muffin form (easier to transport into snack/lunchboxes or on the go), and Mr. Magpie and I can make our way through the loaf. So, I line a muffin tin with exactly seven liners, and then I grease an 8×4″ pan (I really love this one from Williams-Sonoma – bakes very evenly; I did notice that they make this pan in 9×5″ dimensions if you want to just have one loaf, though!). I know this is a lot of fuss about pans but trust me — do not pour all the batter into an 8×4″ pan because it will collapse!
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mash up the bananas to a pulp — really use some elbow grease! — because I find the more fully mashed the banana, the better the result. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, eggs, oil, honey, and water. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir well. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin(s).
In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle them evenly over the batter. Use every last bit of the sugar mix, even if you think it’s going to be too much.
The muffins (if you’ve used my “sidecar muffin” approach) will take about 20-22 minutes to bake. The loaf will take about an hour, give or take a little. If the topping starts to burn or look too brown, tent the tin with a bit of foil over top — this enables the bread to continue to cook without burning the crust.
Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
+All my favorite baking gear. In the photo at the top of this post, you can see these waffle dish towels from Food52. Though we use these “rags” all the time around the kitchen — wiping things down, drying, mopping up spills, etc — I like to have a more attractive towel hanging over the oven, and these simple waffle-weave ones are functional and also aesthetically pleasing. More of my Food52 favs here. You can get 20% off there with code Magpie20.
+This fleece is currently on sale for $31 and comes in the best colors/patterns. Love the snap front, too.
+Love these chalkboard labels for all of the random things we have in our pantry/fridge — Mr. Magpie is always pickling things, mixing his own spice blends, etc. These are great because you can just erase and write a new label when needed. Perfect for labeling the sides of Mason Jars (what we typically use for storage of these kinds of things), or these glass bottles for things like syrups, juices, etc.
+Earlier this week, I pulled out a past-season Cleobella dress to wear to dinner with my parents. I was reminded how much I love the patterns they release in fall in particular. This season, they have two really cute options — love this Western-inspired paisley one and this patchwork-inspired style.
+A great, reasonably-prcied striped beanie for a chilly morning. Imagine with a long tan topcoat!
+OK, after raving about the UBeauty lip plasma, I discovered that Hailey Bieber’s beauty brand, Rhode, has a similar product for $16 that people are raving about. Going to order to try and compare.
+Thank you for the moisturizer recs earlier this week! Next on my list to try: Clarins’ Multi-Active Day Cream (deeply trust Clarins – I’ve loved basically everything of theirs I’ve tried) and UBeauty’s super hydrator (pricey but was galvanized by the Magpie commenter who insisted this outperforms Augustinus Bader!)
+Love Minnow’s new cream striped knits for children. Perfect for fall. These are heirloom quality knits you will pass down from child to child, cousin to cousin, etc. Love that they’re unisex!
+I always have a few of these tucked into my gift closet for random moments. My daughter just completed a course of antibiotics for her first ear infection of the season (wahhh), and it’s great to have something small like this as a reward.
If you want more Magpie, you can subscribe to my Magpie Email Digest for a weekly roundup of top essays, musings, conversations, and finds!
Autumn has been rolling in slowly — a few chilly days, then 80 degrees and sunshine — and I am constantly having to remind myself to live where my feet are. After all, I like these mild days where you might need a cardigan in the morning, but can pad around in bare feet, jeans, and a tee the rest of the day. The days are still long enough that our children can play outside after school, and morning runs are pleasantly brisk versus over-bundled. Every phase is a good phase applies well here. This year, I have been transfixed by one tree in our neighborhood that has been slowly turning shades of yellow, orange, and red over the course of the past week. Each day, I find it a bit more fully kissed by autumn. For some reason, I have transposed my own experience with aging onto it and I have this to say: it looks different each day, but equally breathtaking.
Below, some beautiful finds fitting of the season. I wanted to mention three things: 1) that Target launched a new house label, Figment, with lots of aesthetically pleasing cookware/kitchenware. I have no sense for the quality and would encourage you to invest in a Staub if you can, but these occurred to me as beautiful pieces for a first apartment, a college student, newlyweds, occasional cooks, etc. While we’re at Food52, I currently have one of these vintage-rug-inspired vinyl mats in my cart. We’ve destroyed so many actual rugs in our kitchen because we spend about 80% of our lives there, and we actually cook in it. I’m wondering if this might be a wiser play. 2) I did end up ordering one of these tiny Staub pumpkin cocottes — I couldn’t resist as a serving dish for a French onion dip I’m making this weekend for a little fall gathering. It was somehow on sale for $25 when I bought it, and now I think I need to buy more so we can use to serve chili, soup, etc. So fun. 3) I am so drawn to colored glassware at the moment. I normally play it safe in this sphere but these colorful coupes are so fun and special for a champagne toast, and I love these petite cordials too (for serving sherry? which has come majorly back in vogue!)
