Pretending I’m somewhere warm with a mocktail and homemade Parmesan crackers. At least this room look beautiful in the snow.

I was so lucky to spend 4 days in the fall in London with one of my best friends. We walked, shopped, and ate our way through town. Here is what I packed for the trip: denim shirt, two long sleeve shirts, brown pants, navy pleated skirt, 3 sweaters, and a few tanks and tees to wear under the sweaters. I also brought 2 crossbody bags, 1 tote, and 3 pairs of shoes. The last picture is my airplane outfit.

Finishing my reading round up from last year.

Stranger: Not for me. Minot is a beautiful writer but I could not understand the main character’s obsession with the love interest. Shark Heart: Weird little book, not sure what to make of it. It is science fiction but also a love story. Funny Story: Emily Henry is so good at the well written, smart rom com. Liked it a lot for what it is. Tell Me Everything: Strout’s two famous heroines come together in a compelling, lovely story. Age Dis-Gracefully: Funny and charming. Cautious Travellers: Really liked it. Reminded me of Piransi. Fantasy, beautiful writing, and suspenseful. Theo: Chose it mainly because it is my son’s name. It was fine. I thought it was trying to hard to be good literature, and found it predictable and overly sentimental. Creation Lake: Undoubtably literature with a capital L, and excellent writing. I just didn’t like it.

Since I have been using the same recipe for banana bread since the pandemic, I decided to mix it up and try this healthy-ish recipe. I had a little issues with bake time but otherwise it was delicious.

New year, new empties.

Glossier cleanser concentrate – good cleanser for when you are sweaty, in a luxurious glass bottle. Cedar Stack candle – good, but not as good as my favorite Hinoki Fantome. Neocutis eye cream – a classic that I always return to over the years. Hotel Lobby Hamptons candle – very fresh, and definitely a summer scent. Dr. Sturm Vitamin C – SO expensive these days (even on sale) and am seeking a cheaper alternative. Hermes tinted moisturizer – this is basically all I wear unless I have an event. Just enough coverage, and has sunscreen in it.

Mostly by Rifle Paper Co.