Favorite Things

Good Buddhist advice for trying times, dreamy winter travel destinations, and a really good sale, plus more Favorite Things!

Happy Sunday!

It’s been a really busy few days over here, and I’m finally taking a moment to catch my breath...whew. I’m currently sitting in my living room with the fire going, a hot cup of coffee in hand and my favorite throw blanket wrapped around me and feeling very content, indeed. I’m looking forward to having a very Sunday-esque Sunday, meaning: staying in my sweatpants, taking down Halloween decorations and doing some calendar/meal planning. Not much else. Maybe a trip to Target if I’m feeling wild.

Anyway, I’m gearing up to release some holiday content over the next few weeks, which I’m really excited about. You can expect my annual gift guide, my painstakingly curated list of gifts that I either already own and love, or would personally love to receive/give during the holidays. I’ll also be publishing new holiday recipes! As always, my recipes use whole food, seasonal ingredients, are never overly complicated, and strike that perfect balance between delicious and good for you. I’m also going to open up a Holiday Cooking Hotline to answer any questions you have leading up to both Thanksgiving and the December holidays, plus a few other surprises that I’m working on.

This newsletter is a labor of love for me, but it also helps me pay my bills. I rely on this income for my family, so your support and paid subscriptions mean so much to me. If you’ve ever considered upgrading your subscription, now is a great time, so you don’t miss my complete gift guide and upcoming exclusive holiday recipes. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting my work.

Now, let’s get to some favorite things!

I’ve been watching Disclaimer* on Apple TV+ and it’s very good, but dark. Starring Cate Blanchett and Sacha Baron Cohen, it’s about an acclaimed journalist who receives a mysterious novel that reveals some of her darkest secrets.

Listening to this song on repeat.

Some of you know that I used to be a consultant for Beautycounter, an incredible clean beauty brand. Beautycounter abruptly shut down operations in the spring, and their products haven’t been available since (since then, I’ve come to use and love Osea). Thankfully, they’re holding an “in between sale” before formally reopening next year, so if you’ve been missing their wonderful serums, makeup, cleansers, sunscreen, night creams and more, you’re in luck. The shop is open until December 2, and you can find it all here.

It’s time to get rid of black plastic - toss those spatulas, takeout containers and plastic utensils, they’re full of toxic chemicals leaching into your food.

It’s almost time for advent calendars, and here are some pretty great food ones (I’ve had the Bon Maman one before, and it’s so fun to open at breakfast time with kids!).

I recently made this pumpkin bread with my little one, and we both loved it.

If you’re looking to get away this winter (maybe permanently after the election, ha), these destinations look positively dreamy, especially Aselund (brb, bookmarking places on Airbnb).

Speaking of the election, some Buddhist advice for election anxiety.

Wishing everyone a peaceful week, and thank you again for reading!