i exceeded last year’s goal of reading 25 books by 5, making a 2019 total of 30.  i’m going to do my best to match that this year.  these are the first five of 2020.  my favorite was the testaments.  i wasn’t sure what to expect after such an iconic book like the handmaid’s tale, but it was a captivating and interesting continuation of the story.

also, how beautiful is this rifle paper edition of little women?

i don’t yet have the words for what has happened in the world this week.  maybe i will eventually, or never.  since we are home for the foreseeable future, i will be showing you little bits of the apartment and what we are up to.  we are fortunate to be able to work from home, so i am going to focus on gratitude these days.

{a mini tablescape}

{perfectly jammy 6 minute eggs}

{nyc streets empty}

{farmer’s market tulips}

napa is one of the most breathtaking places in america i have had the pleasure of visiting.  we experienced a range of weather, but even in the rain, it was stunning (and the rain brought out a gorgeous double rainbow).  the weather was a perfect 55 – 60 degrees, and the range of vegetation was amazing.  i sincerely hope we have the opportunity to go back soon.

while we were in paris, we stayed at the beautiful hotel providence.  our room was complete with a freestanding bar too.  i loved everything about the decor and ambience.

i just finished another stack of books on my way towards my reading goal.  my favorite here was city of girls.  any coming of age story in new york is totally up my alley.  however, the most beautiful was definitely runaway.

i’m still working my way through my new year’s resolution. here are the next five books i finished off. the best was pachinko – so beautifully written and such a compelling story.

i did like normal people though i wouldn’t rave about it like others.

every book i have read by moshin hamid has been elegant and thought provoking, and this was no exception.

the gorgeous abundance of strawberries at the farmer’s market had me craving strawberry shortcake. i used this recipe and ate it in about 3 minutes.

as much as i love a white moment in the summer, i have such a hard time keeping my whites white. it always seems that makeup, coffee, or plain ol sweat mean that i am either constantly dry cleaning or stain removing my white tops and dresses. so when i was looking for a new summer sundress, this one’s dark moody florals did the trick (and are much lower maintenance!).