Hellllooooooo! It’s Fall. Make it make sense. September is essentially over. October starts in a matter of minutes. WTF happened and how did we get here. I will never understand it.
It’s been a whirlwind over here. Top secret meeting, getting to watch one of my best friends launch her new brand into the world, hanging with the kiddos, getting Dalkin&Co ready for holiday madness… the works. And in between all of that, all I want to do is clean my house, organize my closet, cook cozy things, snuggle with my family and watch a movie and maybe throw in a girls trip. It’s going to be a doozy of a fall because you know me, I will make all of that happen.
So, in honor of the season change, let’s talk all things Fall. From recipes, to my closet edit that absolutely gave me LIFE, to my makeup purge, the TV keeping me going and we’ll cap it off and share the cookbooks I’m currently drooling over.
Recipes on Repeat
Five WGC recipes I’m pulling back out now that the seasons are shifting:
Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili - if you enter a chili cook-off, this will make you win.
Rigatoni with Broccolini and Sausage - hello cozy
Chicken Tortilla Soup - trust me, you will never need another recipe ever again
Chuck Roast Tacos - the best way to feed a crowd or feed a family and have leftovers
Bolognese - this is an elite Bolognese. Serve it with pasta and you’ll be in heaven.
The Fall Capsule
I did a massive closet purge in August, donated a bunch, poshmark’ed a decent amount and gave a bunch to my sister and now I’m being very intentional about what comes back in. The edit is everything this season. Here’s what I’m actually reaching for:
The sneakers of my dreams
I love love love my bracelet stack at the moment: 1, 2, 3 and 4
I’m deep into my tank game under a sweater. This one is so soft, so thin it disappears and feels like you’re wearing nothing.
The best black cashmere in the land.
These are the jeans that I keep reaching for. The cut is epic and I fear I might not be a secret sauce girl anymore.
Come to think of it, these 5 things plus a red lip is essentially my fall go-to look when I have to look presentable. SO you can see, I’ve given myself a bit of a uniform for work and its making life so easy.
Where We Ate
Mistral -- okay this one is gooooood. Classic LA restaurant, got a full makeover and a new chef and it is SO delightful. Classic french food. The fries are outstanding. The steaks. The clams. OMG I loved it. Great date night or girls night out. And there’s a patio.
What I’m Watching
Lioness - finished it and I am not okay. Season 4 needs to start immediately. Also can we please talk about the marble on that staircase in one of the last scenes. ELITE. Very, very expensive. I need to know everything about it. Where did they find that and how much did it cost.
The Night Manager - still obsessed.
Brothers - started this last night and I love a good giggle. Also I am deeply invested in whether these two are actually brothers in real life. We need a blood test immediately.
The Gentleman - Theo James is EVERYTHING
Influenced
Okay I did a full beauty edit recently and cleared out basically everything. What I kept are a few ride or die products and I just re-stocked a bunch so needed to share the wealth:
Carte Blanche - the best 4in1 starter. Add some moisturizer and its all you really need for your skin. I’m a shade 4.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk - it looks bright pink but it wears beautifully
Hung Vanngo Palette for eyes - I love this color combo
Anastasia eyebrow pencil - the best best. I get Taupe.
Mascara - you know I am a tried and true Maybelline SkyHigh girlie - in the black bottle! Buy it from the drugstore. No link needed.
Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm - the best makeup remover. Price feels steep but it legit lasts me 6 months.
This is literally it. Maybe a lip gloss. So simple. So me.
Things I Sent to the Group Chat
Cookbooks I am obsessed with this fall and yes you need all of them:
Oversharing by Cortney LaCorte - Snacks, easy dinners, cooking for company, and the kind of energy that makes you want to invite people over immediately.
Greek Out by Maria Koutsogiannis - loud, proud, unapologetically Greek and exactly the Mediterranean cooking bible we have all been waiting for. Olive oil, feta, lemon, oregano, honey, etc - she makes it all feel very doable.
Meals You Can’t Mess Up by Shay Spence - Shay is a food and travel writer, former People food editor, and one of my favorite people on the internet and this book is exactly what it promises. No recipe has more than ten ingredients, most cook in one pan, and every single one actually works.
Everyday Eats by Alex Snodgrass - Alex is one of my best friends and the queen of easy healthy meals and this is her most relaxed one yet. Short ingredient lists, pantry staples, minimal cleanup. Her Skillet French Onion Chicken with Mushrooms alone is worth the purchase.
What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking: Make It Fast by Caro Chambers - Caro is a Substack star and an absolute force and this book is going to be everywhere this fall.
BONUS dropping next week: A Cozy Kitchen Cookbook by Adrianna Adarme - 100 easy, approachable recipes organized by mood and pace, with Peruvian and Colombian family favorites woven throughout. Perfect timing for fall. I cooked out of it all last week and it is INCREDIBLE. The calabrian shrimp… omg.
Ask Me Anything
We’re heading into the best cooking season of the year. What do you need!! DM all the requests!
What is the link to your sweats from InstaLive. Your friend, Madison, maybe?
Love this! So much goodness and can’t wait for the first chili of the season!! Thank you for everything!♥️