3/50 NYC Adventures: Chelsea Market

Chelsea Market.
The Chelsea Market is a much-loved little tourist trap. The trendy logo always grabs the attention of the wandering passerby. Even the most jaded of all New Yorkers can't help but find their way into the heart of this scrumptious, bustling and exquisitely warm haven of shopping and treats. This indoor market houses chic shops, trendy eateries, handmade crafts and specialty grocers. In other words, yeah, it's a version of Heaven. A VERSION. Let's dive in, shall we?

What To Do.
You want to spend an afternoon here, and make sure NOT to eat before hand. Because samples will abound. Begin with lunch at Friedmans (they have yummy tomato soup), then wander through the gigantic Anthropologie (I know, I know, it's a chain store but it's also the mother ship. Give it a free pass), then perhaps steal a moment away for a cookie at Sarabeth's (the dove shortbread cookies are my FAVE.) Make sure to browse through the artisan section of the market. This is where tons of start-up designers can showcase and sell their carefully-crafted jewelry and clothes. I especially love Brooklyn Charm, where you can select all the fixin's for a custom-made pendant necklace. My little sis may or may not have one of these around her graceful neck at this very moment :-) And there is always room for gelato, right? Stop by L'Arte de Gelato and try out the stracciatella. Or pistachio. Both are just so delish. Browse the New York cookbook section at Posman Books and learn about all the foodie geniuses that were borne in kitchens throughout this grand city, like Momofuku, Sorella, Sarabeth's, The Gramercy Tavern and more. And Chelsea Market Baskets has, well you've got it, amazing woven baskets in every shape, size, color, texture, etc. Last but not least, stop by Buon Italia, a fabulously authentic Italian grocery store, and pick up some thinly-sliced procuitto and bufala mozzarella before you leave the market for good. Now you have some delicacies to share when you get home. And then maybe your husband will forgive that you spent hours holed up at the market shopping...

// Anyone spot the most beautiful mother in all the land...? //

This market is a worthwhile (and tasty) experience. I've been bringing almost all our guests here and I tend to pop downtown and walk around this fun spot every few weeks. Like I said, the mother ship is here, so I can't stray too far... I hope you enjoy your Chelsea Market exploration!

TASTE: Pecan Pear Chicken Salad (With Greek Yogurt instead of Mayo!)

Pecan Pear Chicken Salad.
This idea just came to me one (hungry) day. I had roasted chicken leftovers and I wanted to do something with them, so I thought... chicken salad! Yes! But in an attempt to lighten it up a bit, I swapped the creamy mayo with Greek yogurt (and used less, too.) The pecans and pear addition are a nice nod to autumnal flavor, making this a great lunch idea. Now that I think about it... this is the perfect addition to my at-home tea time lunches! Now all I need is a girlfriend here who wants to indulge with me... tea time, anyone?? Really... anyone...?

Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 small pear, chopped
- 1/4 cup pecans
- 1/8 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 (heaping) tbsp. plain Greek yogurt
- Pepper (to taste)
- Ginger (to taste)
- honey (just a drizzle)

Optional: 
- 1/4 sliced avocado
- 2 slices multi-grain bread (or a tortilla)

Method:
1. Combine the shredded chicken, chopped pear, pecans, cheese & yogurt. Mix them all in a bowl and add a pinch of pepper and ginger.

2. I chose to make a sandwich, so I topped a slice of multi-grain bread with the chicken salad and added some sliced avocado on top (for funsies.) Drizzle with some honey, it absolutely tops off the taste. Note: you can also put the chicken salad in a tortilla or on top of a salad. Yum!

Enjoy your yummy autumn-inspired lunch!

Current Reads.

Images Via 1, 2, 3

A Little Comfort Reading.
Autumn is really, truly here. It's officially biting cold outside and my hands beg to wrap themselves around a steamy cup of green tea every time I leave the apartment. It's a grand time to cozy up with a home-spun blanket, a hot beverage and a delicious book. Right now I'm reading several delightful books that are less about traditional storytelling and more about a journey in photos. Humans of New York is brand new, released last week, and based on a blog of the same name. It was gifted to me by my dear friend Mary who is always on trend, especially when it comes to the literary world. It's a gorgeous and candid look at, quite literally, the humans of New York. It's mini stories, quotes and striking photography. Plain and simple. And pretty mesmerizing, too.

I've also been thumbing through Gwyneth Paltrow's latest cookbook, It's All Good, which is based on a pretty strict/healthy diet with the intention of creating clean recipes that are still tasty and satisfying. Every so often I feel rather guilty about the amount of butter or oil that I cook with, and I'm often trying to find ways to incorporate more vegetables into my cooking. This book does both. We shall see how the actual implementation goes...

Finally, I've been reading/looking at the pretty house photos in the new Design*Sponge At Home book. Since moving into our new apartment in August, my husband and I have been trying to style our home in a carefree way that suits our busy lifestyle. It takes a lot of time to get your home just right, and I'm learning to accept that it will probably always be a work in progress. This book has helped me realize that I should embrace my own style quirks and showcase them in my home, instead of succumbing to the pressures of a manufactured decor template. It's been a fun journey, and certainly one that I want to share with you all soon.

What are you reading right now?

The Merrell Challenge Wrap-Up

The End.
It's been a good run (pun intended.) This Challenge ended last week, and I wanted to share my final thoughts and stats.

My Running Stats: (via Mapmyrun) 
Final Standing: 1333rd
Percentage: Top 3%
Average Mile/Minute: 9:15 min/mile (I shrunk my time in the past week!)
# of Runs Completed: 30
# of Days Left: 0

Obstacles.
There are always reasons not to run. Amazing, perfectly reasonable reasons. Am I right? I thought it would be NO BIG DEAL to run 30 times within 45 days. I really did. Ha. I didn't really factor in life. Over the course of 45 days, we had 4 different sets of visitors in town (which made me want to go to brunch, not run!) and I got sick (which took me out of commission for almost a week!) Those two things alone kind of threw off the discipline I thought I had been cultivating. Ultimately, I learned that my runs had to be faster in order to get everything done in a day. Thus, I increased my speed. Believe me, this whole running thing was NOT always convenient, and it certainly didn't just make time for itself.

Reflection.
I honestly can't believe I did it. I've never run so consecutively in my life. It's been really rewarding because I never really believed I was a runner. I think the incredible fall foliage and the high of running in Central Park everyday really helped the "wow" factor for me. There was always something new to look at, or someone new to look at. Occasionally I would run in the afternoon and catch some of the local schools around the time of their track practice (tons of schools use Central Park, and especially the Reservoir as an extension of their facilities. It's everyone's playground!)

One Memorable Moment.
One time I was running and I stopped for a second to change a song on my iPod, and this kid (he couldn't have been older than 8th grade), ran right by me with a few of his friends and yelled, "Stop for nothing! KEEP RUNNING!!!!" I was like, "Alright, alright!" That little Upper East Side kid kicked my butt. I tell you what, I never stop to change songs anymore. I feel like he will appear out of the bushes and scold me. Another time the track team was doing sprints and I might have tried to race them. But alas. I never won. Those teenagers are scrappy.

What's even stranger is that I still feel like a teenager, yet when I think about what I've done since high school, it's been quite a lot. It's weird how you can feel young and at the same time be aging. Living. And then aging some more. All the reason to keep running!

Now that I've done this, I think I want to continue running but diversify a bit. I want to increase my mileage and try to work on my endurance. I also want to start hitting the gym a bit more regularly to incorporate more weights and strength training. You can't keep running without hitting the weights (so says my Health Magazine.) It's a journey! Thanks for joining me.

If you want to learn more about the Merrel Mapmyrun Challenge, you can follow my journey here and here and get a peek at my gear here.

2/50 NYC Adventures: Times Square

"I had traveled eight thousand miles around the American continent and I was back on Times Square; and right in the middle of a rush hour, too, seeing with my innocent road-eyes the absolute madness and fantastic hoorair of New York with its millions and millions hustling forever for a buck among themselves, the mad dream - grabbing, taking, giving, sighing, dying, just so they could be buried in those awful cemetery cities beyond Long Island City."
- Jack Kerouac, On the Road

What is Times Square?
So maybe Jack Kerouac didn't really like Times Square. I understand. But. There is something outrageous and memorable about the first time you experience the CRAZY that is Times Square. Mixed with a lot of grit, toothy smiles and too-vivid colors is a tiny little bit of magic, and that's what I want to highlight.

What is there to say about Times Square? If you've been there once, you probably don't feel the need to return. It's not that it's a bad experience, it's one that everyone should have. Giant jumbo screens featuring American Eagle underwear models leaping around, giggling at their own adorableness, as if they're shocked by their own precious effect on the world. "Oh my goodness, I really am a doll in my panties! Tee hee hee." Ugh. Yet this is the kind of advertising that America wants, so sure, put it on the BIGGEST SCREEN IN THE COUNTRY. Purse ads are the same size as a building (they probably cost as much as a building, too.) Theaters litter every corner, advertising the latest and greatest musical, sure to change the world as we know it with its audacious storyline. Not gonna lie, I really appreciate the theater culture. It's what most endears me to this neighborhood. The theater geek within me gives certain grace allowances to the circus of this square.

The Gold.
Times Square is a flamboyant, semi-adult version of Disneyworld. On speed. In a club. With extra-large flashing lights. And naked cowboys prancing about, requesting money for their, well, nakedness. It's an odd kind of place. It's both fortunate and unfortunate that my acting studio is located in Times Square, so I am there almost daily. Yes, I have already become a speed-walking snob that gets annoyed with people who mosey in front of me at a snails pace, their heads up to the sky, gazing open-mouthed at the GIANT lit-up buildings. It's fine, but don't block my entrance to the subway while you do that, please. And because of it's touristy draw, most of Times Square consists of people gazing upwards at the lights, amused and amazed. The rest of us are just trying to get somewhere. Oh, and there are the few (thousand) con artists trying to make money off the first group by selling shot glasses, t shirts and fake Rolexes. Although, I really prefer the fake Louis Vuittons, if you care to know. I'm a sucker for that fou-fou French brand.

The Theater.
Times Square houses the incredible theater district of New York. Arguably, this is greatest theater town in the world (stop pouting, London, you get a place in my heart, too.) Just two weeks ago I had the incredible privilege to see The Winslow Boy at The Roundabout Theater with my uber-cultured Aunt Shirley. She is the first person who ever introduced me to Broadway by taking me to see Kiss Me Kate when I was 12, so she is really the one to blame for this whole dreamy excursion of being an actor. If I never make it, eh... I'll start crocheting for a living. But if I DO, that Oscar is surefire dedicated to her. She knows it. We had a good ol' time taking in the incredible story that The Winslow Boy had to offer. I love theater, because it asks you to think for yourself. And it's funny, because my Aunt Shirley has spent a lifetime teaching me to do that, too.

Oh the theater. And since they're all located in Times Square, I'll take it. Light the way.

TASTE: Lavender-Agave Limoncello

Inspiration for Lemons.
I'm already longing for my time in Italy. This past summer I took the most epic of all trips and backpacked through Europe with the love of my life. This is a trip we had been dreaming about for 6 years, and it came to a beautiful and adventurous culmination during the month of June. We ate SO well, and I've been mulling over a couple of exotic recipes that I want to attempt to make stateside. So maybe I can't exactly replicate this astounding margherita pizza from Naples (apparently the flavor is in the water), but I can try my hand at a few other tasty treats. The first of my European-inspired attempts is limoncello. FYI it takes a bit of patience to make this (so add PATIENCE to your ingredient list. Seriously.)

Limoncello is served in Italy at the very end of a meal, when your belly is gleefully protruding over your pants and your mouth is dumbly drunk from the pleasing combination of bufala mozzarella, hot doughy bread, fresh spiced basil-tomatoes, savory white fish, home made pasta and of course, wine. And dessert. And then more wine. Need I say more? Then, at the very end of the meal, limoncello seals the deal. It's the last kiss of the night before you roll yourself into bed. And it's glorious, to say the least.

I got this recipe from a dear old Italian woman who ran a restaurant up in the foothills of the Amalfi Coast. She laughed at me while she wrote the recipe down, saying, "You can try, but you won't be able to make this back at home." Apparently that is because the Italians use 100-proof alcohol in their recipe, which is, well, not exactly sold in the U.S. We basically have to make do with a lot of vodka. So I fashioned my own concoction based on her recipe, along with Giada's (obviously), this recipe from Linden Hills Co-op and this recipe from Imbibe. And I decided to make two batches, one regular and one using infused lavender and agave. Time to get crazy!

Lavender Agave Limoncello
Ingredients:
- 2 cups vodka
- 5 lemons, peeled
- 2 limes, peeled
- 1/2 tsp. lavender
- 2/3 cup agave
- 1 cup water
- Juice from 2 lemons

Method:
1. Using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, peel the lemons and limes carefully. Trim away any white pith from the peels, as the pith can make the limoncello taste bitter.

2. Place the peels in a large pitcher and pour 2 cups of vodka over the peels. Add in the lavender. Cover the mouth of the pitcher with plastic wrap and set the pitcher in a cool, dark place. Allow the peels to steep for at least a week. (This is the part where your patience needs to kick in.)

3. After a week has passed, combine the agave+water+juice from two lemons in a saucepan and bring to a boil. I like to boil the sliced lemons in with the sweetened mixture (it gives it a yummy sweet-and-sour flavor!) After the mixture has boiled for a good 5 minutes, remove from heat. Let the mixture cool completely. (Again, utilize your patience and just walk away. You can do it.)

4. Once it's completely cooled, the agave+water+lemon mixture should be the consistency of syrup. Strain the syrupy through a fine mesh strainer. This should weed out all the lemons and seeds. Double strain if necessary. Set the syrup aside.

5. Next, strain the lemon peel-vodka mixture.

6. Combine both mixtures and seal in a glass jar. I got mine at Crate & Barrel, but I also used a mason jar as a second container. Store in the freezer for up to a month.

Now Enjoy! You can serve the limoncello in shot glasses at the end of the meal, or you can use it as a cocktail mixer. It's a snazzy beverage, perfect for the coming months' holiday celebrations.

To Make Regular Limoncello
Follow the above method with these ingredients: 
- 2 cups vodka
- 5 lemons, peeled
- 2 limes, peeled
- 1 cup sugar (I used raw)
- 1 cup water
- Juice from 2 lemons

Drink and Be Merry.
I hope you love this as much as I do. Soak up your inner-Italian and enjoy. It's a real treat.
Bon Appetit!

Romeo & Juliet. Orlando & Kristen. Plus Stevie.

// The door to the building. Yowza.//

Romeo, Oh Romeo, Wherefore Art Thou Romeo?
Orlando Bloom. Is currently starring on Broadway in Romeo & Juliet. Yeah. That hot elf has graduated to an iconic Shakespearean bad boy. Traded in his ears for tears and I'm still swooning. Way to go, Bloom. Way to GO.

 Image Via 1, 2, 3
"Elf envy... they all had it." 
- Orlando Bloom, on the set of Lord of the Rings

Our History: LOTR
I first crushed on Orlando Bloom when he was a mystical, gracious aryan elf helping Frodo make it to Mount Doom in the epic The Fellowship of the Ring. Please. No one in that movie could even TOUCH Legolas. He was way too cool. He had perfect sight and could see enemies coming miles away. His sensitive hearing could detect oncoming danger. He could scurry along on top of the snow while everyone trudged through it. He never got dirty. His bow and arrow were righteously right. And as long as he didn't get killed, he could live FOREVER. Ugh. This elf was the man. Perhaps he combed his blonde tresses a bit too much and maybe he got a lot of elven mani-pedis on the set of these movies, but he still had super powers. Awesome ones.

My Husband.
So of course I found me a man who resembled Legolas. Obviously. He doesn't shoot arrows or throw daggers at dwarves, but he can do some pretty eerie stuff on Excel. And he doesn't have super-human hearing or seeing, but he actually listens to me babble on about the beauty of teatime and the necessity for efficient dish stacking in the dishwasher. And that's pretty super to me. What a man. He took me to see Orlando as Romeo for my birthday. The show is brand spankin' new, only running for 2 months, and Stevie snagged us tickets for my birthday. Best gift ever.

My Review.
The cast? Ridiculously talented. I mean, superior-ly talented. The theater? The Richard Rogers is one of the more beautiful Broadway theaters I've been in. The drama? Pretty expectedly impeccable. Shakespeare's language is so articulate, so intentional and just so poignant. Stevie and I have been on a Shakespeare kick since we saw A Midsummer Night's Dream in London this past summer. Also epic. Now I want to see Macbeth and Hamlet again!

// The show was smoochable. //

After Party. 
We left the theater in a thrill. Clutching each others hands, quoting "Oh Romeo!" and "parting is such sweet sorrrrrooowwww!!!" (alright, I was the only one poetically wailing) But we fell out the door into the chilly night, the autumn air crisp and the New York street lit up with the bright lights of Broadway. What a dream. This moment. What I always wanted to do. Goof off on Broadway.

We waited after the show to get a glance at the cast before they left the theater. Apparently everyone else had the same idea. Good thing Stevie a lot taller than a bunch of post-teen gals (like me) and he and Orlando actually had some, well, I can say it, but don't get too jealous: EYE CONTACT.

// Who remembers Justin Guirini from American Idol Season 1? He was my fave in From Justin to Kelly. He played Count Paris and totally rocked it. //

// We "met" Orlando. In the top right corner, that's Stevie and Orlando's hands, almost touching! We (meaning Stevie) scored his autograph! Ah, I am still a 13-year old starstruck little girl inside. Note: he has a bodyguard. And that guy is lookin' FIERCE. //

// His autograph? Pretty cool. Our enjoyment of another celeb sighting? Priceless. //

Way to my Heart.
This birthday? Somehow it was just the best ever. Even though, for those folks on stage, "Never was there a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo." Duh duh DUHHHHH.

The Merrell Challenge Update

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
- L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Crunch, says my Sneakers.
There are ghost hunters. There are bargain hunters. There are actual hunters. I do not fit into any of these categories, but I do have my own area of curious interest: I am a seeker of fall foliage (and somewhat of a fiend about it.) I seek it out. I can wake up and smell the crispness of the leaves, thus determining how vibrant the colors might be today. And then I must go and discover whether or not my hypothesis is correct. Wow. I haven't used the word "hypothesis" since I was a sophomore in college. Whoa, haven't used the word "sophomore" since I was that level in high school. It must be a brainy day for me... Anyway! This thirst for foliage; it's both a grand gift and a heavy responsibility. I accept its challenge. Along with...

The Merrell Challenge.
I've had the pleasure of taking on The Merrell "Feel Your Run" Challenge for the past 6 weeks or so. The premise of this challenge is to log 30 runs in 45 days, which is a really good start for me (a non-runner) to actually track my progress and be accountable to something that could potentially reward me with presents (the ultimate motivator!) This challenge has gotten me outside, thus coupling my (semi) love for running and my (absolute) joy for fall foliage. It's the perfect time of year to be out and prancing around in the leaves!

// Who says New England gets to have all the fun? New York is rocking the vibrant autumn colors these days. //

// This guy is about a week away from donning auburn, gold and cinnamon shades of bliss. //

The Trail.
I've been running a 2.3 mile loop around the Reservoir at Central Park. It's the perfect distance for me and I have seen a lot of improvement in my endurance and actual time. I've never been into timing myself as a runner (I always rewarded myself just for getting out there!), but since I've been running a lot it's definitely been fun to see my own progress. This past week I started mixing up my trail by running across the Upper West Side to Riverside Park and running along the Hudson. I also took a new route north in Central Park and looped around the North Meadow, which proved to be ridiculously scenic. Anything to keep it interesting and fresh (and leafy!)

My Running Stats: (via Mapmyrun) 
Current Standing: 1595th (whoa. um what.)
Percentage: Top 4%, woohoo! (I have a feeling a LOT of people signed up for this and just haven't done it. How could I possibly be so high up? Not being self-deprecating; just knowing thyself.)
Average Mile/Minute: 9:30 min/mile
# of Runs Completed: 26
# of Days Left: 4

I'm almost to the (not-so-literal) finish line, folks. Wish me luck!

When Mom Comes to Town

My Mother.
She is an intricate creature. She literally comes in a room and sweeps it with giggling joy, spontaneous curiosity and a slam-dunk of wisdom. She does all of that. Within like 5 seconds of walking into a room. She's no ordinary mom, I'll tell you that. She has played surrogate to dozens of my friends over the years. She listens to their problems, she really looks in their eyes, and then asks simple questions that draw out the choice that is best. It's awesome brilliance. That woman. I've never met anyone like my mother. She is generous, too. Really really generous with everything she has to give. Her time, her empathy, her dollars. She will give anything away to help you be best your best YOU. She is genuinely concerned for others, whether it's a dear old friend, one of her daughters friends, a niece or a lady she just met at the nail salon. Her compassion for others is intoxicating, more than inspiring; it makes you realize you are in the presence of someone truly consumed by honest love. It's a dizzying, gracious experience. I grew up with it and I'm still left open-mouthed. All the time. She is impressive and yet doesn't take herself too seriously. She just laughs and moves on to the next.

// Yum yum yum yum //

So my mom came in town for my birthday. I can say with absolute certainty that she was my gift this year. She is so much fun, brings so much life, and I just really needed her this time around. You know when you just need your mom? Well, she was the most perfect remedy to a 6-week whirlwind experience of moving to a new city and doing things that are entirely uncomfortable. Finally, mom got here, and I could breathe in a sigh of relief. Did I mention that she is a LOT trendier than me? She showed up to my apartment in leather leggings. I died. And my oh my, she came ready to party. We shopped til we dropped. We exercised in the park, munched on every kind of famed New York goodness and toasted til we were silly. We covered some serious turf, traipsing all over Manhattan and seeing so many sights. Ah. I miss her already. I wept as her cab drove away. There is no one, seriously NO ONE, like my mom. Come back.

TASTE: Spiced Pumpkin Coconut Custard

Pumpkin Time.
It's officially pumpkin season, right? I think I've gone a little pumpkin crazy in the past few days. My kitchen has been an auburn haven of earthy spices, creamy coconut and warm pumpkin puree. I've been whipping up all kinds of fun fall-themed treats and this one is extra special, because it's my first attempt at custard. And it's reeeaaaally yummy. Prepare yourself for fun, creamy clouds of autumnal joy. This recipe was inspired and adapted from this trio of recipes: spiced pumpkin ice cream, vanilla ice cream and coconut milk custard. Now brace yourself, custard requires really following the recipe, but in the end, all that meticulousness is totally worth it!

Spiced Pumpkin Coconut Custard
Ingredients:
- 15 oz. can coconut milk
- 12 oz. can evaporated milk
- 1 level cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*The egg yolks give the custard that creamy effect. All you "egg-whites-only" gals, don't shy away!

Method:
1. Combine the coconut milk, evaporated milk and pumpkin in a saucepan on low heat. Add in brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

2. Set up an ice bath. If you've never done this before, it sounds more complicated than it is.  Fill a large bowl (or pan, I used a pyrex baking dish) with ice and water. Place an empty 2-quart bowl in the ice-water bath. Pour hot mixture into the empty 2-quart bowl, let sit for approx. 5 minutes. *The ice bath helps the mixture cool more quickly.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 egg yolks. You can save the egg whites for an omelet!

4. Slowly add the whisked eggs to the hot mixture, taking time to combine. Whisk the mixture for about 2 minutes.

5. Pour entire mixture back into the saucepan, heat pan over low, constantly whisking for about 2-3 minutes. Bring to a boil.

6. Pour mixture into an 8x8 glass pyrex baking dish. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes.

7. Put dish in the freezer and let sit for an hour. The edges of the mixture will begin to freeze, so you will want to stir up the mixture. Let it freeze for another hour, then stir the mixture again.

8. Let sit over night and then devour!

Let me know what you think about this tasty treat. Enjoy the whole autumn season in every spiced, creamy bite.

Bon Appetit!

October Delights List

October List by knhale
// 1. Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Good Cookbook // 2. Trader Joes Autumn Mums // 3. Urban Outfitters Staring at the Stars Cardigan // 4. Capri Blue Mercury Glass Candle // 5. Urban Outfitters Midi Chain Ring // 6. Kate Spade New York Cedar Street Maise Handbag // 7. Origins Plantscription Serum // 8. Anthropologie Petite silk pants // 9. Paper-Source Gold Confetti Thank You Notes // 10. Christian Dior Miss Dior Fragrance // 11. Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick //

Oh October. 

I really love this month because Autumn begins to set in and I get to celebrate the birth of some of my absolutely favorite people. First my mother in law (she's pure joy, people, seriously) and then both of my gorgeous, talented sisters. It's an absolute thrill gift-shopping for all of them, because it's so much fun to shower the ones you love with treasured surprises. And when you're doing it on a budget, you have to be selective and really think about what they want... which leads to discovering things you kinda want, too. This list is a compilation of a few things I've pick up here here and there and a few things I'm dreaming about. 

 

With all the wonders of fall comes one not-so-wonderous occurrence: dry skin. I've been using (7) Origins Plantscription Serum and it's really doing the trick. I am no stranger to Origins products, but this one is an especially magical elixir. In excitement for fall, I decorated my outdoor space with a bevy of these (2) fun fall mums in several colors and I ordered a sample of this (10) Christian Dior Miss Dior Fragrance from Sephora (we shall see how it goes, I'm pretty selective about my perfume choices.) I'm getting motivated to start cooking healthy again, so this (1) Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Good Cookbook is on my list to buy. My adorable god-daughter got me my first Kate Spade bag for my birthday (does that little gal have excellent taste or WHAT?) so it's caused me to stumble over to their site and start drooling over maaaaaany of their gorgeous creations for fall, like (6) Kate Spade New York Cedar Street Maise Handbag. My sweetheart-of-a-sister-in-law got me this truly deliciously-scented (4) Capri Blue Mercury Glass Candle for my birthday, and it's been making my house smell like a masterpiece. Well, actually, it smells like Anthropologie, and that's pretty much my idea of what Heaven smells like. Score. And I might have treated myself to a few little things, like these (5) Urban Outfitters Midi Chain Ring and an old favorite, (11) Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick, but those were just for funsies. And since I've been writing a fair share of thank-you notes this week, these (9) Paper-Source Gold Confetti Thank You Notes  have definitely gotten the best of me. They're so delicately pretty it's dangerous. The rest are dream items. Although I'm not totally sure how well I could rock those slouchy silk (8) Anthropologie Petite silk pants (but they are just so darn cute.)

Keep dreaming of lovely Autumn things, dear Oy-sters. The weather is just right for dreaming.