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+CAPTAIN VON (THIRST) TRAPP: I have been laughing all week — I shared this hilarious, spot-on video of creative Trish Michelle breaking down the “raw tension” (her words) of that scene in “Sound of Music” where Captain Von Trapp starts waltzing with Fraulein Maria and then the Baroness notices (I loved Trish’s re-enactment of The Baronness), and asked Magpie readers: “Did anyone else have a confusing crush on Captain Von Trapp as a teen?” I was inundated with hysterical replies, including my two favorites: “My sister and I refer to him as Captain Von Thirst Trapp” and “Yes, but I wasn’t confused about it.” HA! (Also, one of the comments on Trish’s video said: “Hunny that Viennese Waltz was rated R!”) Made we want to re-watch “SOM.”
+EARLY ENCOURAGEMENT: I loved this post from Instagram account IveBeenThinking:
I am now a two-time entrepreneur and it is always ungainly and embarrassing at the start of a new enterprise. You don’t yet have your pitch down; people don’t yet associate you with your ambition. You’re just an idea on peg legs. The truth is — most people don’t care one way or another, but there will always be nay-sayers and side-eyers. And we say: let them be wrong about us. You must conserve your energy for building. And of course success is the most satisfying response. But on a more positive note — pay attention to the people who root you on from the beginning, and send that energy forward, too. I am thinking specifically of my friends Kaitlin D. and Allison L. and a handful of others who have cheered me on for years, whether by saying “that’s so cool,” or “tell me more,” or “keep going” — or just by showing up, and reading my work, and demonstrating an interest. I probably owe a dozen entrepreneurs the generous spirit they afforded me. So when the chance arrives, I’m already ready with “Oh, I bet you’ll be good at that,” and “That’s so interesting — I can’t wait to see where this goes.”
+HOLIDAY MOVIES: What have you seen and liked so far? I’m watching my inaugural “good bad Christmas movie” (to borrow a phrase from Caroline Chambers) this weekend — having a few girlfriends over to watch “The Merry Gentleman” feat. Chad Michael Murray. (A handy guide to Netflix’s holiday lineup below, via YourChristmasCountdown.) When I first read about this movie, I wrote to my friends: “I’m sorry, but I have to see this. Does anyone want to come by for a cocktail and viewing?”, and one of them immediately responded: “I’ll clear my schedule.” Now this is the kind of holiday energy I love — ha! I’ll be mixing up Coquitos, described as a Puerto Rican take on egg nog, using this recipe, and I cleaned out Trader Joe’s holiday/seasonal snack section (salted maple popcorn? turkey stuffing flavored chips? rosemary nut mix? yes, yes, yes).
+AUDIBLE FOR THE HOLIDAYS (Sponsored Mention): Below, I put together a list of audiobooks available at Audible that are on my radar for the holiday season — how charming to listen to Hugh Grant read us Dickens’ classic? I’m imagining putting this on in lieu of holiday music while working on a puzzle or wrapping gifts. My children listen to audiobooks every night while falling asleep (we’ve officially retired the white noise machines), and I’m looking forward to introducing a couple of seasonally-themed options, including J. K. Rowling’s The Christmas Pig. (They normally listen to the Baby-Sitters Little series by Ann M. Martin or the The Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne.)
I am a long-time Audible subscriber and love the catalog they have and the delight of selecting a new title each month. Right now, Audible is offering an incredible promotion: new listeners can sign up for Audible Premium Plus at $0.99/month for the first three months. (And, now through 12/2, you will also receive a $20 credit. Basically, with this promo, you’ll get four audiobooks for $3!) My mom actually alerted me to this when trying to figure out where to download Ina Garten’s memoir — she became a subscriber and we listened to it in tandem with one another. (It’s an absolute joy!)
See below for my top audiobooks for holiday, and a carousel of all my favorite audiobooks for me and my children on Instagram here. Happy listening 🙂
+20% OFF AT SHOPBOP: For new customers only, you can get 20% off at Shopbop this month with code NEW20. I’m constantly updating my “hearts” — I shop extensively at Shopbop. I love the curations and the easy returns.
JENNIFER BEHR CLIP // ANINE BING SWEATER // ALIGNE STUDDED JEANS // ALIGNE TOP
+BLACK FRIDAY PROMOTIONS: So many great sales launching. Wanted to spotlight a few brands I love that can be difficult to find at a discount: 1) Margaux is offering 20% off sitewide. I own their Demi flats in two colors (red and brown — both get a lot of wear) and love the Chanel-esque, minimalist vibe, buttery soft leather, and wide sizing options (I wear a 34.5!). Very sad to have missed out on their fun teddy mary janes – they are reminiscent of a current-season style from Chanel minus the embellishment! 2) Pehr! 30% off sitewide. This has been a steady brand in my children’s wardrobes and bedrooms for years. I am still the biggest fan of their oversized pouches for diaper bag organization, travel, etc. I also use them for myself! And their fabric bins are charming and the perfect size/style for sorting little sets of toys (Maileg Mice, Calico Critters, Cars, etc!). My sister and I both use the smaller size as a cute “gift basket” when gifting at a baby shower. Just tuck some goodies inside and wrap the entire thing with cello. Those bins are great for diapers, socks, soft toys, etc! Finally, their crib sheets and other nursery bedding can’t be beat! Such sweet prints, and great quality. My children both have duvets by Pehr! 3) Kule – 30% off with EARLY30. Their striped “Modern Long” tees are like chips — you can’t just have one! And I always love to buy Mr. Magpie their fun socks as a stocking stuffer.
+THIS WEEK’S BESTSELLERS: Ugg platform slippers were the top seller! In my book, an RWI. Mine are actually an ivory sherpa from last season and I live in them. So cozy. Plus shouldn’t life have a little bit of the ridiculous in it?
Below, I’m indicating the items that are a Black Friday deal with a *BFD*!
01. UGG SLIPPERS // 02. DORSEY CRAWFORD EARRINGS // 03. TUCKERNUCK DRESS (I ALSO ORDERED!) // 04. METALLIC TURTLENECK // 05. TUXEDO SHIRT *BFD* // 06. MADEWELL WOOL VEST *BFD* // 07. JEWELED CARDIGAN *BFD* // 08. INNBEAUTY EXTREME CREAM *BFD* // 09. JENNI KAYNE PLEATED SKIRT *BFD* // 10. FREDA SALVADOR BROOKE BOOT *BFD* // 11. CHAPPYWRAP TARTAN THROW (15% OFF WITH JEN15) // 12. J. CREW BRUSHED CASHMERE SWEATER
+SAKARA LIFE: Have you heard about Sakara? It’s a vegan meal delivery service that I’ve been hearing about everywhere — one of my friends from high school (former professional ballerina!), Katelyn, is a brand ambassador for them, and said she loves their lunches in particular. Anyhow, Sakara reached out to me (!) and asked to send me a week’s worth of meal deliveries. I opted for just breakfast and lunch (you can have them deliver breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any combo thereof for 2-5 weekdays each week) since we are more on the “meat and potatoes” side of the dining spectrum at dinner, but are down for lighter/healthier options in the mornings. I wasn’t sure what Landon would make of this — he is very particular about what he eats, and he is a serious home cook — but he was delighted by the idea that an entire week of breakfasts and lunches were taken care of. I hadn’t fully realized how much prep, conversation, and negotiation goes into our daily lunch routine in particular. We almost always eat together, and if it’s not leftovers or something from the freezer, it’s a long conversation that often starts at 10 am about what we’re going to order. It was such a relief for him (us both) to just open the fridge and eat when ready. We were both delighted by how fresh and well-seasoned everything tasted, and the portions are ample. I hope this won’t offend any vegans, but we were also circumspect about the vegan aspect — would the food be filling enough, tasty enough? Nearly all of it was delicious. I think their lunches (typically salad and grain bowls) are the stars of the show — great flavors, interesting ingredients, and so fresh. I would describe it as “Sweetgreen plus.” I liked the breakfast parfaits but was so so on some of the other morning options. Finally note: we both felt vaguely “virtuous” (ha!) in our healthy dining the entire week, which felt nice as a counterbalance to the impending indulgence of Thanksgiving week. Honestly, this would be something intriguing to treat yourself to for the holiday months — very healthy, fresh breakfast/lunch options and then you go out for all your cocktail parties and baking exchanges in the evening! Or as a reset in January. Anyhow, right now, you can get 25% off your order with code JENSHOOP. Treat yourself!
