I’m finishing up this blog post early morning of December 1, i.e. the same morning it publishes. I occasionally get into these manic moments whilst blogging and I kinda just let myself fall into them because I haven’t been blogging as much as I would like. So I’m having at it.
I’ve had a brilliant early morning thought (that might not feel so brilliant when my delirium wanes) to do a sort of Blogmas, in which I blog daily until Christmas. It’ll be a mixture of daily updates and other types of content like cafe reviews, book reviews, and Friday Favourites. I’m hoping to get a week’s worth of posts prepped this weekend so that my content creation schedule can be more flexible the rest of the month, and so that I still have time to, ya know, live my life.
I’m still brainstorming blog posts, so if there’s anything you’d like to see more of (or less of), drop it down in the comments (you can comment anonymously too)! Any questions? Topics? Doesn’t necessarily have to be festive. Or could be!
Books
Disclosure: I received some free copies.
Normal People by Sally Rooney // ★★★☆☆ // At my own transition in life (though from college to post-grad rather than from high school to college like the protagonists), I’ve been especially interested in coming-of-age stories, and with the rise of rom coms, I’ve been wanting a little more YA romance in my life. I was looking forward to a “sentimental romance,” as one Goodreads reviewer put it, but the novel didn’t turn out to be what I expected. This novel was about troubled lovers who could have saved themselves the heartache with better communication, but who doesn’t need to improve their communication skills? However, I never ended up symapathising with them. I found the style of writing a bit dry, whereas others found it packed with intense emotion. I feel like I’m in the minority though, so I’d say to give this novel a shot if the blurb intrigues you!
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling // ★★★★★ // I think this book is the easiest to remember of the series because the timeline is set by the structure of the Triwizard Tournament. Some minor things I forgot were that it was Dobby who gave Harry the gillyweed (not Neville), nifflers made an appearance, technology like electricity and computers are viewed by wizards as muggle substitutes for magic and don’t work at Hogwarts, and that there was another invisibility cloak.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas // ★★★★☆ // This book was on my TBR for the longest time, and it got bumped higher on my list with the new film adaptation out. I thought it would be an easy YA novel to breeze through, but the topic was so heavy (especially in this political climate), so I had to take my time through it. This book offers such a candid and human perspective on police brutality, and I’ve never read another book like it.
Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You by Lin-Manuel Miranda // ★★★★☆ // It’s just a collection of tweets, but they’re Lin’s tweets, and they’re accompanied by Jonny Sun’s playful illustrations. Some pep talks felt like empty words, but from what little I know about Lin through media and social media, I can feel how genuine he and his words are. Some pep talks were exactly what I needed to hear. I think that this is a nice collection to read in one go when you first get it, and then keep around to randomly flip open when you need a lil pep talk.
My preliminary TBR for December is: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling, One Day in December by Josie Silver, The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman, Circe by Madeline Miller, Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang. I’d also love to squeeze in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows before the end of the year, although eight books in December might be too optimistic.
I also ordered Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng off Book of the Month just yesterday! If you’re not familiar with BOTM, they’re a book subscription service. This weekend (Nov 30-Dec 2 inclusive) they’re offering your first month free with code TISTHESEASON. This isn’t sponsored! I found out about this promo through their newsletter, which I subscribe to just to see what books they curate to inspire my own TBR. Disclosure: I don’t subscribe to the actual book subscription service because I can usually find books in the library (for free), find books online (for free), or receive advance copies (for free for review). At least, I haven’t subscribed until now, though… Disclosure: I plan to unsubscribe after I receive this free book LOL. Anywho, if you’re intrigued, the available books you can choose from, should you decide to participate in this promo, are: The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay, One Day in December by Josie Silver, An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, Severance by Ling Ma, No Exit by Taylor Adams, The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn, The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, Circe by Madeline Miller, The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware. You’re welcome for that little insight!! (Otherwise you can’t see the available titles until you sign up.)
Netflix
I was so excited for The Princess Switch because holidays, baking, and Vanessa Hudgens (my childhood!), buuut it was lackluster, didn’t make much sense, and was a little cringy. If you want a laugh, check out these editing errors. Ah well, at least I got my baking fix with the new season of The Great British Bake Off.
A show I binged was Quantico (first season was great, second season was still pretty good, third season fell off), and a show I’m binging now is Designated Survivor (Maggie Q yay).
On my to-watch is Walt: The Man Behind the Myth and The Pixar Story. I’m also looking forward to Dumplin’ coming out (Jennifer Aniston yay).
Has anyone watched The Christmas Chronicles? What do you think? The trailer didn’t interest me all that much, but I’ve seen quite a few websites include it in their list of holiday films to watch. I think I’ll probably end up watching it as I’m sure I’ll have plenty of winter evenings to fill.
Music
It’s time to break out my Christmas playlist again! Would definitely recommend listening to it on shuffle. Some of the newer songs on the playlist are “By Christmas Eve” by John Legend and “Bring the Snow” by Sam Palladio. “Bring the Snow” was an original song played during the credits of The Princess Switch — easily my favourite part of the film! (No shade.)
For a chill, wintry playlist with some Christmas magic sprinkled in between, go for the November playlist. Some songs I’m especially enjoying are “Jump” by Gabriel Black ft. Sofi de la Torre and “Let Go” by James Hersey ft. Filous.
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Shopping haul
I went pretty crazy buying stocking stuffers for friends this month, but I think I was relatively restrained buying things for myself, especially if you look at how crazy I went during last year‘s Black Friday. This year, I bought myself a pair of Abercrombie high rise ankle straight jeans in medium wash, Uniqlo ultra light down jacket in black, Uniqlo ultra light down vest in black, and Uniqlo rayon long-sleeve blouse in black.
Abercrombie is my go-to for jeans. It was really difficult for me to find jeans I felt comfortable in (goddamn thighs) until I found a pair from Abercrombie during my sophomore year of college. I subsequently bought two more pairs and pretty much rotate between all three Abercrombie jeans on the daily and hardly wear anything else. The only thing is that two of the three are distressed, and the one that isn’t has frayed hems. I realised that I needed to get myself another pair of non-distressed jeans for casual days at work (hypothetically) and for winter. This pair I ended up buying was the only non-distressed pair in a style I liked (high waisted, not too skinny, not to wide, i.e. mom/boyfriend/girlfriend but will settle for straight) that was still in stock. They didn’t have it in my “short” length, but then my friend Kat told me I could just cut it myself, and since the hem was frayed anyway and the sale was too good, I caved. I haven’t worked up the courage to cut my jeans yet, so until then, I’ll just roll ’em. Also I love the buttons.
I’ve heard about Uniqlo’s ultra light down my whole life but for some reason always thought they were super expensive (in middle school I would never buy anything 50RMB+, which converts to 7.20USD at the current exchange rate LOL) (hey 50 is a big number okay??), and I already had coats, so I never bought one. But then I visited NYC for a day trip in early November and felt like I was convulsing from the cold, so when I got back to Philly, I bought the Uniqlo ultra light down jacket right away, deeming it a necessity. It was on sale too.
Then I returned to NYC for Thanksgiving, wearing my new Uniqlo ultra light down jacket, but alas, I was not prepared for the coldest Thanksgiving in NYC since 1901 and the second-coldest Thanksgiving in NYC ever!!!! If you caught up on my Thanksgiving recap, you’ll know that whilst in NYC, I learned that my Thanksgiving host always wears a down vest under her down jacket when walking the dog out at night, and so, as soon as I got back to Philly, I bought a Uniqlo ultra light down vest. I’m still waiting for it to arrive in the mail.
So now, my ultra light down collection consists of those two new additions and an ankle-length parka from my mom’s friend’s boutique, which I’m reserving for the dead of winter even though I’m really tempted to pull it out right now (but if I pull it out right now, how will I survive the dead of winter??).
My last purchase this month was perhaps more impulsive, but it’s a basic, so I’m sure I’ll get a lot of wear out of it. I thrifted a Uniqlo rayon long-sleeve blouse in beige awhile ago and thought it’d be good to have it in black as well so I got it on sale. However, rayon is a rather soft material, so it doesn’t have a super polished look for a button-up. But oh gosh, it’s sooo comfy. And it can always be fancied up with a blazer. Not that I have a blazer. But it could.
Wish list
Love this J.Crew holiday dress. The festive red, the silk blend, the velvet bow, the folded bodice, the flowing skirt… the lack of an occasion to wear it, the price tag… Moving right along now…
Last July I fell in love with this 1901 midi shirtdress, was heartbroken when I missed the sale and it sold out, and have been pining for shirtdresses ever since. I found this lovely Boden Roseland shirtdress in navy and I’m obsessed with the red lining against the navy, but it isn’t on any sale, so I’m resisting. This Boden Posy shirtdress in red is nice as well (available in more sizes here), and it’s on sale, but I feel like the Roseland is more classic. Another dress I’m loving is this Boden Claudia Ponte midi dress in red, though it’s a little too formal for me to get enough wear out of. Straying away from the dresses, this Boden Christmas Fair Isle sweater is absolutely adorable — those 3D bauble hats, c’mon!!
As I was stalking my July recap to find the 1901 midi shirtdress, I was reminded of the Halogen ruffle neck sweater in green that I was obsessed with. Thank god I didn’t see this over Black Friday, else I might have bought it. I need warmer clothes and this one is so fun yet simple.
Last March I was obsessed with multi-coloured stripes, and since then, multi-coloured stripes have become quite trendy, so I’ve been reminded of my obsession. I saw an Instagram ad featuring Madewell‘s mockneck sweater and loved the colours, mockneck, and ribbed texture. Whilst browsing the site, I found Madewell‘s crewneck sweater, which is similarly multi-coloured, and I love the wide sleeves. Other cosy finds were another of Madewell‘s mockneck sweaters in golden harvest and this Madewell x Manos del Uruguay chunky knit in cinnamon. I love how Madewell names their colours. Their marketing tactic is working on me…
Venturing away from clothes and into the home, I’m still obsessed with this Calhoun & Co. Good At Naps throw from last month and additionally love this Anthropologie throw. Also for the home, I’ve been meaning to thrift organisational baskets. I found these Pehr pom pom canvas bins but am not quite yet ready to dish out the money for them, so yes, I’m going to have to get around to thrifting organisational baskets. But ugh, wouldn’t the blankets and bins all look so good together??
Gosh I have quite a few loves and obsessions, don’t I?
Lately
Last I left you at the end of October, I was just starting to get settled into my new apartment in Philly. My one-year lease is already almost one-third of the way through, but after such an uncertain summer post-grad, I’m thankful to know where I’ll be for even just the next eight months. After a summer of feeling like my life was gradually coming to a standstill, October began to pick back up, and November has continued along that trajectory. I’m letting myself enjoy life without feeling guilty about it, and I’m so grateful that I have the luxury to do that.
It’s time to take my own advice, and, however long or short I have where I am, not be afraid to settle in because I’m thinking about when I have to move out. I don’t have forever. But I have now. It’s funny how life comes back around, isn’t it?
I had my boxes in storage delivered to my new apartment the first weekend of November, and the day after, I headed out to IKEA to pick out new furniture with the help of Bomi, who has the misfortune of owning a car and thus is the designated chauffeur for all her friends. I couldn’t have made this trip without her, bless. The goals for the day were the Fyresdal daybed frame, Klack serving tray, and Fejka mini Christmas tree. However, the daybed frame didn’t end up fitting in Bomi’s car, and I couldn’t find the other two items. The daybed was difficult enough to load onto our trolley and push to the cashier, so I decided to pay for home delivery, which included delivery up to the third floor of my walk-up building. It arrived the next day. It’s probably for the best that the daybed frame couldn’t fit in Bomi’s car, because even if we made it all the way to the foot of my apartment building, I have no idea how the two of us would have gotten it up those stairs. As for the other two items, I found suitable replacements and took home the Fascinera chopping board and Fejka hanging plant as consolations.
My roomie Georgina and I built my bed as soon as it arrived. The following day, I pulled out some of the broken-down furniture from my old apartment and built them back up. My room was starting to come together.
The day after was the midterm elections. This was the first time Georgina and I voted in our new neighbourhood, and it was my second time voting ever — #adulting, amiright? We got stickers (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و We also treated ourselves to some morning coffee out. Isn’t voting great?
Georgina was feeling a bit under the weather that day, so she took the day off from work, which was probably fun for her and was fun for me too. It felt like a Friday in the middle of the week! In the evening, we hung out in my newly furnished room, instead of the living room like we usually do. You might notice some of the same elements in the corner of my new room as you did in my previous apartment, i.e. the Bed, Bath, & Beyond three-tiered shelf and IKEA Poäng children’s armchair. We used the Williams Sonoma pie basket she gifted me for my birthday as a temporary coffee table, or rather, instant-milk-tea table. I will always cherish the first few makeshift days when you settle into a new space.
A few days later, the weekend came again, and I headed to NYC to hang out with Kat. We wanted to photograph Central Park’s autumnal foliage, and it seemed to be an optimal weekend for colour. From that, we planned a whole day in NYC. I arrived in NYC chattering from the cold, doubtful I would end up taking very many photos because I couldn’t bring my hands out from the warmth of my pockets. The only thing my hands would come out for was warm food! We window shopped on Fifth Avenue, and the most delightful thing I saw was a street vendor selling piping hot sweet corn arepas with mozzarella, which both of us helped ourselves to. Strolling along, we popped by The Plaza Hotel for a peek, and continued onto Tiffany’s. The initial plan was to eat a croissant outside Tiffany’s, but we had just stuffed ourselves with arepas and weren’t sure where the nearest croissant was. Perhaps the second most delightful thing I saw in NYC were Tiffany’s dazzling diamonds. The rest of our day was spent more low key downtown.
The following week, the first snow of the season came upon us. I didn’t have any plans that day except to work on job apps and blog stuff from home; usually I don’t leave the house unless I have to. But how could I miss out on the first snow? Even though I could have made my own hot chocolate at home, I decided to walk a few blocks to the nearest coffee shop for it. Hot chocolate in the first snow — what could be more romantic, right? I hopped out of my pyjamas, pulled on real clothes, took the first steps on the newly fallen powder, and got absolutely pelted in the face by snow. I pushed onward to my hot chocolate and bravely traversed my way back home to shelter. Then I stripped off the clothes I wore for ten minutes and hung them in the bathroom to dry.
Perhaps Mother Nature was a bit overzealous in welcoming in the holidays. She was as excited as I for the first holiday markets of the year to open at the end of the week. Georgina and I started at the Dilworth Park Holiday Market and ended up at the Christmas Village at Love Park. We both had a difficult time resisting purchases for ourselves and needed constant reminders that we were there to shop gifts for other people.
Just a few days away was Thanksgiving, marking the most important time of the year: when Georgina will finally allow me to play Christmas music around her. We upheld our sacred college tradition of spending Thanksgiving break with her family in NYC.
And just like that it was the last week of November. I fell quite ill midweek and spent one whole day reading and sleeping in bed. All better now though! There’s a peek into my most updated room, newly equipped with a Bed, Bath, & Beyond C-shaped side table. Can you believe that none of the lights were on in the apartment in that photo? Blessed to have the best natural light in the apartment.
How was your November, and what are you looking forward to in December?