+TREES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD: I feel eerily close to Josh Eckert writing about this, but nothing could have prepared me for how much I love and comment upon trees in my 40s. (Another surprise of age…). When we moved from New York to Bethesda, I had no idea how much my neighborhood and its angel neighbors would mean to me — nor how much peace and joy its mature plantings would instill. Sometimes I am almost ecstatic while walking around my neighborhood — ! A friend of mine were joking that we should invent an crowd-sourced app called “rate my trees” where you score the tree maturity and density of a given neighborhood as an input in the home buying process. I mean, we’re not wrong are we?! I took all of these photos — and the one above! — of my beloved little corner of Bethesda this past week, in varying postures of overwhelm and glee:
Can you even?!
These vignettes called to mind one of my favorite stanzas from Wendell Berry. “My tasks lie in their places / where I left them, asleep like cattle.” What a perfect image, and mirror for the sentiment I have when I am away from my desk, bearing joyful witness to the world.
+THE MYSTERY OF 60 DEGREE WEATHER: This made me LOL, because I have been either sweating or freezing all week:
The day I wore this sweater, I decided to work outside in the afternoon, and I realized about five minutes into focusedly writing that I had sweat actually dripping down my stomach. I removed the sweater and then shivered for the next ten minutes. Geez!
+MAGPIE X RILEY SHEEHEY: A belated thank you (!) for all the lovely words and orders from my collaboration with the insanely talented Riley Sheehey. I framed “Simple Things” in my son’s room in this frame. I love it as decor in a child’s room, but also such a sweet gift for a christening, baby shower, new mom, etc.
+RILEY’S ILLUSTRATED LITTLE WOMEN! OMG, Riley has illustrated one of my favorite books of all time. Just LOOK at the bookplate illustration, designed to look like vintage paper doll clothing. Swoon! The book will be available on 11/12 and I will be ordering immediately.
+FASHION + INTERIORS INSPO: Two reels that I loved this week: this one on the Scandi-girl’s trick of wearing a thin, thermal vest beneath everything in the winter months to add warmth without bulk (led me to buy this Uniqlo vest!), and this one on decorating for the holidays, Ralph Lauren-style, from a former RL employee.
+IF YOU COULD GO BACK FOR A DAY…Ugh, my friend and I were weeping over this reel about being 82 years old and going back to your 32 year old body for one day — and how different everything would look. I have a love/hate relationship with these sentiments. I know they are true; can imagine myself feeling and saying these exact things. And yet I do feel grateful and seeing these videos still gives me a gutting sense of guilt, sadness, anticipatory grief! This particular video really knocked me sideways! I have been carrying it around like a 10-lb weight — but I have also found myself noticing the little things my kids do that sometimes get under my skin and just letting them go. I know I will miss the sticky syrup fingers, the way my son absent-mindedly hands me his trash, the pile of tiny shoes by the door. Heartstrings.
+EYEING + BUYING:
+Currently using and loving this hand wash in our primary bathroom. Such a surprising little luxury! I have other comments on making tiny upgrades to our daily routine that I’m saving for a post this week. But while we’re talking Hotel Lobby — they released their holiday collection! I got their Holiday in New York and have already (sorry/not sorry) been burning it in my studio while listening to the Vince Gueraldi Thanksgiving playlist. Major pre-holiday coziness.
+A chic, packable puffer jacket – look at how it folds up into a little pillow/square! Great item to pack for fall travel; comes in a few colors (and petite sizes!) but I love the pine green and truffle brown. While I was perusing Athleta, I noticed that they’ve discounted their core fleece sweat set line. Has anyone tried this collection? I love the colors and classic (almost vintage gym) silhouettes.
+I saw a woman wearing a gray cashmere polo sweater just like this over a white tee this week and thought it looked so chic and different! I’d not have thought to layer the tee beneath, but it looked so fresh and modern and un-done? Will be replicating with this gray cashmere sweater I have!
+Mentioned this multiple times in the past few weeks, but this mask/face wash has shot to the top of my obsessions list. I absolutely love the way my skin feels after using it — squeaky clean but hydrated. It feels like a reset in a bottle, and I love the powder clean smell. I’ve actually been using most nights lately; I just love that mountain-air-fresh feeling it gives! I was reading up about this brand and just noticed it was named “the world’s best spa”? I think but am not confident I can book some of their treatments at my nearest Blue Mercury. Will be looking into this…
+I went to yet another concert this week (…who are we? this is the fourth concert in the last month and a half!) — this time to see Laufey! I wore my trusty Celine phone sling — my stalwart stadium/large venue companion. It has really come in such handy. I was thinking I’d love to get another designer phone sling to mix it up. This Bottega shot to the top of my list, although the dimensions listed are 8″x5″, and Capitol One’s specs are that the bag must be beneath 7″x5″. I would NOT want to run the risk of having to part ways with it. (I do think they have cubbies you can rent, but still.). This Tod’s would work!
+Serious splurge but how chic are these Brunello Cucinelli sneakers?
HOTEL LOBBY HAND WASH // DONNI TEE // DORSEY EARRINGS // ALEX MILL CASHMERE SWEATER // APIECE APART MERIDA JEAN // NATURA BISSE FACE MASK/CLEANSER // BOTTEGA PHONE POUCH // ATHLETA PACKABLE PUFFER // ZARA CARDIGAN // LATEST ROMANCE READ DOWNLOAD
+BESTSELLERS: This spectacular Jenni Kayne coat (20% off at time of posting) and these cozy clogs were wildly popular among Magpies this week. SOOO good. Living vicariously through you on this purchase.
01. JENNI KAYNE SWEATER COAT // 02. COZY CLOGS // 03. CHIC TEXTURED DRESS FOR HOLIDAY // 04. HALLOWEEN TOTE BAGS (FILL WITH FUN GOODIES — IDEAS HERE) // 05. FAV WIDE LEG JEANS (USE CODE JEN20) // 06. CHOCOLATE CABLE KNIT SWEATER // 07. VELVET TOP (I ORDERED THIS TOO) // 08. SHERPA VEST // 09. WESTMAN ATELIER FOUNDATION STICK (20% OFF!) // 10. HILL HOUSE QUILTED JACKET
*Little reminder that Credo’s 20% off sale ends this weekend — IMO, this is the best beauty sale of the year. I am not a VIB Rouge at Sephora so I get a 10% off during their promotions. All my favorites below!
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