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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?
Post-Scripts.
+More about Mr. Magpie’s coffee gear.
+Elevated athleisure for coffee runs.
Shopping Break.
+WOW, just added this red cocktail dress to cart for the holidays.
+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!
+Love the fit of these jeans. ($70!)
+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.
+Another perfect G. Label cardigan.
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