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At some point over the past year, social media mega-influencer Tinx shared the concept of “the best beer.” She wasn’t talking about brand or style, but context — I think the first example she gave was: “the best beer is the first beer you have with your friends when you are getting ready to go out.” I mentioned this to Mr. Magpie, and he said two “best beers” are 1) after a hot day of manual labor — e.g., moving boxes or doing yard work, and 2) just after he’s showered off a beach day.
I love the concept and wanted to ask for your input on…
01) What is the best book?
02) What is the best bed?
03) What is the best meal?
04) What is the best outfit?
The best book is the one I put myself to bed early to read. I’m talking 8 p.m., favorite pajamas on, fully reclined and ready for a solid two hours of reading. Recently, this was God of the Woods for me. NPR’s Maureen Corrigan captured it well when reviewing GOTW: “I was so thoroughly submerged in a rich fictional world, that for hours I barely came up for air.” The other book that springs to mind on this front is Liane Moriarty’s What Alice Forgot. The way I tore through that book! I could not put it down. My answers to this prompt surprised me because I intuitively thought about the most delicious reading experiences versus criteria for the text itself (e.g., I wasn’t evaluating based on most literary, most meaningful, most artful).
The best bed is my own, currently, because as I age, I become more and more persnickety about being able to sleep well anywhere else. But a close second: my childhood bed when I was home from college. There was, simply, nothing like it after the disruptions of communal college living and sleeping on cheap mattresses with scratchy sheets. I loved the familiar sounds, the specific lay of light in the morning, the clang of the radiator, the crystal doorknob handle I’d open in the middle of the night to pee. (The home I grew up in was built in 1920.)
The best meal is the one shared with best friends — the kind that leaves us lingering around the table with the candles burning low as we fare la scarpetta and pour an extra glass of wine. Could be takeout pizza, could be an elaborate feast Mr. Magpie has dreamt up. The company is the crux.
The best outfit. My mind ran in two separate directions for this one. On the one hand, I thought about outfits that make me feel empowered and pulled-together — an on-trend pair of jeans and a great blazer; a killer dress (this Rixo recently made me feel like a million bucks). On the other hand, I thought about the clothes I put on after a long day. I’m thinking specifically of the day you’ve moved apartments, or after a long road trip, a grueling exam, or even a fun but full day at the beach, theme park, etc. I love the sensory experience of showering to wash the day off and then climbing into soft clothes. The Alice Walk gauze pants and a tank top were it for me this summer — the thing I wanted to wear after swimming in the Lake, hiking in Aspen, sweating at the pool, chasing the kids. (So N.B., make sure you pack a “post long day outfit” next time you’re on vacation.)
What about you? Any thoughts on the best beer, the best book, the best bed, the best meal, the best outfit? Please share!
Post-Scripts.
+How do you handle skincare while traveling?
+My Grub Street style food diary.
Shopping Break.
+Gap has come out with a chic barrel style pair of jeans for under $80, in case you skipped the Madewells. (BTW, I’m still waiting for mine to arrive?! Will style when they get here!)
+Love Everlane’s new wear-with-anything anorak. It has a fashion-consciousness to it. Also liking the look of their new off-duty sweats and hoodies, and I’m always a sucker for a knit polo sweater. Love the neckline.
+A very chic knit dress. You could wear now with sandals, or pair with a little cropped jacket and suede boots in the fall.
+If you’re after a pop of color this fall, red is the obvious answer but also I’ve been seeing a lot of cornflower blue? Love this little Ann Mashburn bag in the hue.
+Dreaming of this coat. Look for less with this or this.
+Soccer Saturday moms: one of the parents on my daughter’s team had one of these collapsible sideline benches. It was so thoughtful of her to bring — the kids not playing could sit there while waiting. (This would be good if you’re sitting there for multiple games!). And this is what I’d wear.
+Boss lady dress. Love it in the chocolate brown.
+This chic polo-style striped sweater from Tuckernuck is on sale. Great with jeans.
+I couldn’t get my hands on a pair of the Duntons (hoping they restock…) but ordered the similar Isadoras.
+ChappyWrap has some really cute limited edition fall patterns out. Love this one.
+Old Navy just released a cute quilted barn jacket.
1) what is the best book?
The best book is a preorder from a beloved author in an existing series that I stay up to read. One I know I’ll read again and again, that makes me laugh and cry. Most recently, The Earl Who Isn’t by Courtney Milan.
02) What is the best bed?
Best bed is my bed with cool clean sheets on bare skin, after I’ve showered off a day at the beach. “No more jobs!” My husband and I say (a James Acaster bit)
03) What is the best meal?
The best meal is the one that suits the moment. Cider donuts in the fall, a big breakfast sandwich when you’re starving, fries and mayo on the beach, carnitas and all the fixings. But also, the best meal is usually this chicken: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016151-lemon-and-garlic-chicken-with-cherry-tomatoes
04) What is the best outfit?
The best outfit is one you get compliments on and feel comfortable in!! For me it usually involves an H&M tennis skirt or some other mini, a sweater or an oversized button down, statement glasses and a tennis necklace. And sneakers, always. No uncomfy seams. An OQQ sports tank or Negative bralette worn as outerwear. A swipe of tinted chapstick.
And I’ll go ahead and say the best beer is the one I split with my husband on the terrace, after I’ve pumped and the kids are asleep. Or perhaps the beer my dad brings in his suitcase across an ocean just to share with me. I had a beer that was both, when my son was about three months, a limited run of Goose Island Bourbon County my dad had saved to drink with us.
The best writing, from under a sleeping baby.
“No more jobs!” Love this 🙂
xx
This is brilliant!
01) What is the best book? The best book is one you read on vacation with zero responsibilities to distract you. You are immersed in the book’s world and don’t leave until you finish the story.
02) What is the best bed? The best bed has fresh sheets that are so tightly tucked you feel like they are hugging you. It also has copious pillows in various sizes, magically makes itself in the morning and doesn’t have to be shared with anyone!
03) What is the best meal? The best meal is one you don’t have to plan, prep, cook, or clean. By dinnertime, I have total decision fatigue and appreciate if this is one I don’t have to choose. An alternate answer is an al fresco meal in a fabulous destination where you chat with the chef, pair it perfectly with cocktails/wines, the atmosphere, and ambiance!
04) What is the best outfit? The best outfit is the one you have in your closet and know it will fit perfectly, feel comfortable, make you feel chic/styled, and be able to go about your day with a pep in your step. This outfit requires zero thinking and is always a winner.
Also a huge fan of the tightly tucked sheet! NOTHING better.
xx
I love this concept!
1. The best book is one you stay up way too late reading (like hours past a reasonable bedtime), and in the morning, you feel zero regret for the lack of sleep. Lifelong bad habit about which I feel no guilt.
2. The best bed is on the day our cleaning lady comes. She changes our sheets which is my number one most hated household chore (would rather clean a toilet); crawling into those crisp, cool sheets with perfect corners is heaven on earth!
3. The best meal is for sure the first one you eat after giving birth! I dream of the yogurt parfait with grilled peaches at the hospital where all of my babies were born.
4. The best outfit is the one you receive in the mail and immediately wear because you cannot wait.
Also, my vote for the best beer is a tie between a summer pool beer with friends, sitting on the side of the pool while the kids play (our pool is BYOB!) and an outdoor concert beer.
“Lifelong bad habit about which I feel no guilt” — yes!! Same!! I did this just last night.
Also – WHAT – your hospital had yogurt with grilled peaches? Or do you mean you brought it for yourself for after?!
xx
Yes, it was on the room service menu! Locally, the hospital is known for having excellent food (as far as hospital food goes) – I recommend that yogurt parfait to everyone I know who has a baby there!
OMG! Amazing!
Totally agree. My first proper meal after my son was born was a lamb stew on a bed of carrot purée, and a baked apple for dessert. Not anything I would’ve chosen for myself but so restorative
Wowza!! Who made this meal?!
1. The best book is the one where you finish and then immediately go buy the author’s other books.
2. The best bed is the one you crawl back into after getting up in the middle of the night to tend to a child, use the bathroom, etc.
3. The best meal is the first one you eat after giving birth!!! I wasn’t allowed to eat during any of my labors, and nothing has ever tasted as good as the food I ate immediately after baby’s arrival (ILYSM Pizzeria Paradiso ).
4. The best outfit is the one that you packed for a trip not knowing if it would work, and it ends up being perfect.
WOW – love all of these! Completely agree that your bed feels like heaven after an unexpected wake-up to tend to a child. It’s never felt better. And yes to the random outfit you’ve packed that ends up being perfect!!
xx
Love this concept! It’s warming up here and I’m a summer frame of mind, so…
1. The best book is one you have time to read in a greedy yet languorous way. It’s encompassing so you can’t slow down even though you want to savour it. And that’s okay because there are no other responsibilities pulling you away. I read Funny Story this way on the beach in Fiji several weeks ago – bliss.
2. The best meal has friends, and more wine than is maybe a good idea, and is eaten outside.
3. The best bed is my own, with fresh sheets.
4. The best outfit is after a day outside, when you’re freshly showered. Maybe your skin feels just a little tight from the sun. You put on a dress and shoes for dinner – something beautiful yet unfussy – and even without makeup you’re glowy and beautiful with happiness (I see someone else put something very similar – couldn’t agree more!)
So fascinating how many of us equate “best books” with “best reading experiences.” I totally know what you mean about having no other responsibilities pulling you away. For me, it’s something about giving myself permission to just enjoy, let time unfold as I want it to, pass the hours doing something just for joy.
xx
01) What is the best book? One that evokes this feeling expressed by someone on twitter recently: “I’m immersed in Du Maurier’s Rebecca for the first time, and I feel insane. Impossible to live a normal life while reading this book.”
02) What is the best bed? My own, after a very long day of travel. Nothing better than stretching out in my own clean sheets, comfy mattress, and pillows after a day on a plane.
03) What is the best meal? One eaten outside after a day of hard exertion, like hiking.
04) What is the best outfit? One that makes you feel like myself. I once spent a 5 days in rural Kenya and wore loose maxi skirts the whole time, in keeping with local tradition. Taking a shower afterwards and putting on jeans and a sweater felt AMAZING.
So intrigued with how many of you specifically cite having a meal outside! I hadn’t thought of that but there is something so wonderful about it.
LOVE the quote about the DuMaurier book – have definitely been there, reading something that interrupts/disrupts my life (in the best way)!
xx
01)What is the best book?
A book you really fall into. Can read for hours and get lost in characters, place, and completely engrossed in the story. Plus the language an author uses. The ones you can’t put down. Some of those titles include “A Gentleman in Moscow”, “ God of the Woods”, “ The Seamstress of Sardinia”, plus many others in on my bookshelf. Also includes classics that you go back to time and time again.
02) What is the best bed?
My current bed with an avocado mattress is heaven and I love my leather bed from room and board with my red land cotton sheets. I just can’t wait to crash in my current bed at night. It’s the favorite part of my day. Another favorite is the bed at the Wort in Jackson. Best sleep of my life.
03) What is the best meal?
A meal you enjoy with friends and family. For me it’s meals that create conversation and sharing camaraderie at the table or venue. Fresh local ingredients from local farms and small batch food products. One memory is a Super Bowl party I had with friends and friends of my son. The house was full of football shareable food you see at parties or tailgates. All of the boys piled on the couch eating food with parents dotted in. It was low key, fun and definitely will be become an annual event. Another is a picnic outside. Most recently a shrimp, corn, sausage Frogmore stew type boil with lots of herb butter and old bay ( no question) on vintage Italian platters and plates at the coffee table with the family, an impromptu family dinner sitting in the living room. One of my favorites.
04) What is the best outfit?
An outfit you feel confident in. You leave the house and can conquer the world. My staples have been great print dresses and sneakers with jewelry to dress it up or down. Living in Old Town flats are a must especially with walking the dog. I’m loving brands like Hill House, Ulla Johnson, Hunter Bell, Loeffler Randal, and a shop in Moasic called Alas Eusi which has amazing brands from around the world. Just bought a great Marion Park dress plus some good jewelry from the brand Maslo in Richmond, VA.
05) What is the best beer?
A cold beer on a hot day while eating some Maryland blue crabs smothered in Old Bay outside on a picnic table at a historic property or park with newspaper underneath. Peroni or a Stella
A frosted mug with Dragon Milks Stout and a fully loaded dog at Vienna Inn.
I love the “meals of camaraderie” you shared — I feel that way about blue crabs (sounds like you do, too!), BBQs, paella, tacos. Those meals where you’re all experiencing something beyond just your own plate. Love that.
xx
Always love when you do these!
The best book is the one you can’t put down, the one that makes you think. I just finished God of the Woods, and am still thinking about the ending. I felt so sure I knew what was happening then the last section completely surprised me.
The best bed is my own especially with fresh crisp sheets, the windows open letting in a chilly breeze. There’s nothing better than pulling up a fluffy duvet.
The best meal is the one with friends and good wine. There’s nothing better than migrating from the meal to dessert to cappuccinos. Having the outside lights turn on while still at the table is always the sign of a good meal.
The best outfit. A hard one! In the fall it’s my favorite jeans, a light cashmere top, blazer or jacket and my favorite loafers made from a recycled Kilim rug (from Artemis, the colors! the patterns! it took me ages to decide which pair and I adore them, they add color and texture especially since I mainly wear neutrals). In winter, my coziest sweater, leggings and fluffy socks. The rest of the year it depends, a good dress and sandals in the summer and spring is unpredictable so perhaps all of the above. Regardless, it’s the outfit you feel the best in, the one where you’re not constantly fidgeting or picking at the pieces.
These are so delightful! I love this detail about the best dinners: “Having the outside lights turn on while still at the table is always the sign of a good meal.” Yes! Just lingering with good friends.
I am in the midst of writing a review of GOTW and totally agree on the ending! And some of the other scenes, too — they’ve just stuck with me. Absolutely brilliant writing.
xx
Fun prompt! Mr. Magpie has it nailed with his first answer to “best beer” — back when I drank alcohol, post-manual-labor was basically the only context in which I drank beer. Absolutely nothing quite like an ice-cold beer in that context!
I am pretty aligned with your other answers — the “childhood bed while home from college” answer was too real, down to the crystal doorknob (!) — I also grew up in a home built in the early 1920s so reading this was like a sensory boomerang right back to growing up!
Otherwise, I’m adding a “post-long day outfit” to the perpetual packing list I have saved in Notes! So genius, because often I am a little squicked about having to wear pajamas during those occasions (I prefer to keep pajamas for sleep only since I am a little anal about wearing other clothes in bed — even if they’re not really worn out in public.) Can’t believe I haven’t thought of this before, especially for vacations and visits to family (i.e. trips outside of a work context!)
xx
Yay! You’ll love the PLDO (post long day outfit). This occurred to me especially on a few of our trips of the summer. When you’re back, showered, waiting for happy hour/dinner, you don’t want to be wearing jeans or a dress. You want upscale loungewear. Let me know what you end up packing to fit this bill!
SO funny about the crystal doorknob!!
xx
Thank you so much! Off the top of my head, based on what I already own: for warm weather I’d include SZ Blockprints caftan dresses, or one of the few I own from a random Etsy seller in India who makes gorgeous block print midi dresses for around $60-70 a pop (!) — feels like a hack when I have been buying similar items from upscale Western brands for sooo many years!
For cooler temps, this is a great question — I would default to a cute sweatshirt and comfortable, but still chic, pants — ideally ones that are a bit more polished than sweats or pajamas, but still VERY comfortable. From my current wardrobe, this would be a random pair of navy ribbed elastic-waist pants from Stateside that I’ve had for about 5 years (great structure but SO comfy — my go-to long-haul plane pants) or a pair of Simon Miller Alder pants in black (LOVE the micromodal rib — I have a dress and cardigan in the same fabric!)
I’ve been curious about Donni’s ribbed flares as well, as they seem really comfortable. That said, at 5’4 with a relatively short inseam, I am always trying to avoid alterations when it comes to loungewear (for some reason I always think it will be terrible to hem jersey pants?) If anyone else has tried these pants (or has any other similar recs), I am all ears!
xx
Love these takes!!
I have those ribbed flares! You do not need to crop them. They are very comfortable!!
xx
Thank you SO much for the firsthand intel on the Donni pants! Off to ogle them … 🙂
Ooh I love this.
1. The best book is the one you read while on a trip, wherein the setting of the book matches your travel destination. It makes the travel and reading experience both so much richer! Two favorites: I read the nonfiction account of women’s role in the Spanish Civil War, “Tomorrow Perhaps the Future” last summer in Barcelona and the WWII novel “The Secret Book of Flora Lea” during a trip to the Cotswolds.
2. The best bed is your own, freshly made with clean sheets – ideally on a weekend, knowing you can sleep in the next morning.
3. The best meal is the one with your foodie friends; their exclamations and enthusiasm are contagious.
4. The best outfit is the one you put on on a summer evening, after a day spent at the beach and a long shower to scrub off the sunscreen and sand. Your skin has a natural bronzey glow, you put on a flowy dress and chunky heels to go out to drinks and dinner in a seaside town.
These are SO good. I totally agree with books on trips — they connect you to the destination in a really special way. Their own kind of memento? I also read differently (more openly, if that makes sense? I’m so sponge-like when I’m out of my normal environment, and this extends to what I’m reading!) when I’m traveling. I love the experience!
Co-signing on the freshly laundered sheets detail — the absolute best. I also have a hang-up (meaning, an obsession) with getting into bed with my hair wet. It is such an indulgence. I basically never do it because my hair is ruined the next day (does not air dry well) but sometimes when I’m tired, or sick, I get right into bed after a hot shower and there is NOTHING more divine to me.
xx
The best bed is the one you crawl into at home after a week away. There is nothing like that sleep!
Ugh, yes – I agree with this one! Even just a short trip away, I’m always happy to be back in my own bed!
xx