In true form to the most unique year possibly ever, where our world is bound by our own neighborhoods and the physical walls of home around us, I spent November leaning into the immediate things and people around me that I cherish. This includes transitioning my home for fall like I never have before and practicing more self-care. I’m excited to share my own personal favorites from the month below…

At Home

I grounded our bedroom with this perfect vintage rug and it has transformed our room to feel more “us,” to have a bit more depth and character, and the proportions of which even make our room feel larger! I’m in love. (tips for shopping vintage rugs)

I bought a set of six of these gorgeous yet very affordable goblets and am using them as our water glasses. Elevating that simple vessel has made me more motivated to stay hydrated, and makes meals at home feel even more like a special event (which is so needed right now, since it is the safest place to dine during this pandemic!).

Entering the colder months of the year always dries up my skin. This super hydrating cleansing balm has been a true moment of self-care at night. I do a quick swipe with these and this to remove makeup, then massage the honey cleanser into my skin. Then I take a damp cloth and rub the balm off and finish off with a moisturizer and my skin feels so hydrated and indulged in pure luxury!

And finally, for the second year in a row, I’ve been burning these fir & firewood candles non-stop to bring in the seasonal spirit!

Wearing

As an avid skinny jean wearer for a solid decade now, my eye has been turning to more bootleg and wide-leg pants lately. I grabbed this pair (40% off right now if you snag it in time!) and cannot believe how well they fit and how posh I feel! There is nothing like feeling slightly ahead of a trend, and trust me, this will take you to that status immediately.

Reading

I’m still reading Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (I’m about halfway through right now). I’m always a slower reader with non-fiction! That said, I cannot emphasize enough what an important one this is. It takes you through the history of race relations since the founding of America, showcasing just how deeply engrained racism is in every. single. facet. of American history and everyday life.

On a different note, I just ordered An Entertaining Story since I am really leaning into celebrating dinners at home and elevating the experience, and look forward to new ideas and inspirations in its pages once it arrives!

Watching

The Crown: the latest season was just released and I LOVE Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher. I was never all that interested in the royal family until this show came about, and now I find myself also watching the docu-series The House of Windsor (also on Netflix), fully enthralled by ALL OF IT.

I also recently watched I am Greta on Hulu, which was a needed reminder of the importance of thinking critically about my consumption on every level.

Cooking

I had so much fun preparing a litany of sides for our Thanksgiving meal, but there were hands-down two stand-out dishes that were new to us that we will forever keep in our arsenal now.

Scalloped Corn (I substituted greek yogurt in place of the half-and-half)

Shredded Brussel Sprout Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette (I modified this a bit since I am pescatarian and also to adjust to what I had on hand. I used almonds rather than hazelnuts, chopped dried cranberries instead of pomegranate, excluded the bacon, and used mango chutney instead of apple butter and it was DIVINE!)