Since I usually wash my hair every few days, it takes me forever to finish hair products. The three Milbon products in the back are from my hair salon, and I love them all. Interestingly, my former salon in NYC also used Milbon. The Ultra Violette sunscreen was amazing, but you can’t buy it in the US so I need to find a worthy replacement. The Diptyque perfume was delightful but am not rebuying, because it also takes me forever to use up perfume. Finally, the Goop hair scrub was definitely comparable to the Christophe Robin I used to use, and it can often be found cheaper during sale periods.

Long Island: Just fine. Very little plot and most of the writing are the characters’ thoughts. A Northern Light: I wanted more from this. The most interesting part was the protagonist’s descriptions of living in Greenland. Long Island Compromise: She is such an excellent writer but I found it hard to care about any of these characters. The Life Impossible: Not as good as Midnight Library but pretty good. Didion & Babitz: I really liked this. I read non-fiction about once a year, and this was a good one. The author has a very casual, conversational style and it inspired me to (revisit) Didion and read Babitz for the first time.

Glossier deodorant – still my favorite nontoxic deodorant. Shani Darden retinol – still my favorite retinol. Mother Science Hero Serum – did a good job with overall brightness and lightening dark spots, but not as good as standalone Vitamin C. Defenage Bio Serum – Will not repurchase. Not sure it does anything. Honest Beauty Hydrogel Cream – still my favorite daily moisturizer. Feels like taking a drink of water on your face. Lindsey Leigh jewelry cleaner – an excellent and easy to use jewelry cleaner. Oto pillow mist – Came in an advent calendar. I am not usually sensitive to smells but this smell gave me such a bad headache that I am tossing before finishing. Fresh Rose Face Mask – travel size that I decided to finish. Nice to use, but too expensive to buy and use regularly. Prequel Vitamin C – a very solid Vitamin C product at a good price.

I was so excited to finally go to Choosing Keeping when we were in London. I have followed them online for years, and the store was everything I dreamed out. I bought Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers when there in person, and just received another order online for art supplies, labels, and a gorgeous fountain pen.

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.