Happy Friday, friends! I hope you have a lovely weekend ahead of you. We’re still dealing with sickness at my house (ugh) but I hope to go for a long run, keep (re)-reading this book, and get ready for a last-minute work trip to NYC. I’ve never been in the winter: if you have any recommendations for things I should do or see or eat, please tell me in comments!
My favorite finds from around the web:
- Chrissy Metz Is Bringing “Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds” Adaptation to Amazon. I’m behind on the news but this looks very interesting.
- What Have You Learned in the Last Decade? I love this kind of reflection.
- I just got a new pair of these favorite jeans (after wearing them 200+ times and putting a hole in them where a hole doesn’t belong).
- Wendell Berry: Advice for New Readers. If you’ve been wanting to read Berry’s work, this will help you figure out where to start.
- The Most Anticipated Books of 2020, According to Goodreads. Well of course I’m DELIGHTED to see DON’T OVERTHINK IT featured here! (Be sure to check out the preorder bonuses.)
- If you think readers keep sending me links to delightful mugs and such like this one, you’re exactly right.
- The Rust Belt Didn’t Have to Happen. Fascinating profile of J. Irwin Miller, a prominent industrialist who used his influence to build up his town Columbus, Indiana for success.
- 14 Parlor Games to Bring Back This Holiday Season. I recently hosted a bunch of young teens at my house for pasta and parlor games. This list came in handy.
Don’t miss these posts:
- 15 inspiring and practical books to help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions. If you want to actually keep your New Year’s resolutions, these 15 inspiring and practical books will help you follow through.
- The words that keep rising to the top. This might resonate with those of you choosing a word or phrase for the year.
- 45 sources for great decaf coffee. I had to switch to decaf a few years ago and you all came through with the recommendations.
- The single best thing you can do for your reading life. This simple mindset shift makes a startling difference.
Have a great weekend!
42 comments
Anne are you going to have time for any meet-ups in NYC? I bet I’m not your only fan who would love that! In what neighborhood are you looking for suggestions?
Omg I would love a nyc meet up
My schedule is PACKED next week but I have good news: the full book tour schedule is coming to the blog on Monday but I’ll tell you right now that I’m coming to The Strand (!!!) the evening of Friday March 6! It’s not yet on their events page as we just sent the final copy but it will be very soon.
Yeah! Great to hear, I will finally meet you in person! If you have the time (since you are a coffee fan) try to get to the Starbucks roastery right next door to Chelsea Market. Chelsea Market and the High Line are great as well. Three Lives bookstore is a tiny undiscovered gem. Safe travels, Anne!
Don’t know what u have to do but I love the Marriott in the theatre district. And b prepared for flight delays and surprise snow 😢
The Shell Seekers! <3
While in NYC definitely try to get to Serendipity and have their Frozen Hot Chocolate! It is unbelievable, but huge, so share if you can!
I’ve never been there, thank you!
Go see To Kill A Mockingbird on stage. My 16 year old and I saw it in NY over the summer while on vacation and loved it! Hope you all mend cozy and well this weekend.
I didn’t know it was playing—thank you!
Just took our kids to NYC for their first time (and had been years since I had been). I loved Bryant Park and the Holiday Shops by the skating rink (shops were closing but think ice rink stays?) and of course is right across street from NYPL 😉. One of our favorite meals was at Eataly (we ate at one in the Oculus – Westfield mall at WTC).
So glad you had a good trip. Thanks for the tips!
Post some NYC photos or stories if you can, so we can vicariously join you! Christmas/winter in NYC is on my bucket list! Skating in Central Park, department store windows, bookstores 😍 Enjoy!
I promise to share some photos!
Thank you for that list of parlor games! My 13-year-old niece was just complaining about running out of things to do at a slumber party with her friends over the holidays. Bet we won’t have that problem next time!
I hope you find some good ones from that list!
If you visit CW Pencil Enterprise, I would love an Insta stories shop tour! ✏️ 🤓
I need to visit—I haven’t been since they moved! I’m not sure if I’ll be able to zip down to the Lower East Side this trip but CW is a high priority for my return visit in March.
Wow! I just googled this CW Pencil Enterprise. I need to go there!
I read and enjoyed “Gorge.” I love reading about mountaineering adventures and a life goal of mine has been to climb Kilimanjaro despite being plus sized. Can’t wait to see the film adaptation!
It’s such a good memoir. I was excited to see that news.
How is it that The Shellseekers is such a ‘must read again’ favorite. I’ve read two (or three?) times, and just recently added it to my Kindle for another go around!
Not to sound like a total writer nerd, but the perspective and structure were what pulled me back. I love the way she tells this story.
If you can squeeze in ONE SHOW. Just one. Make it Hadestown. It is brilliant and poetic and mesmerizing. I didn’t want it to end.
I haven’t even heard of that one, can you believe it? Thanks for mentioning it here.
I second Hadestown! Via Carota, Cote, Rezdora are a few of my favorite restaurants.
I was in NYC in the fall and a great place to go is Bar Sixty-Five at the 30 Rockefeller Plaza building. It’s open late and is perfect for a drink with a view that is unbelievable! Located on the 65th Floor and free except for the drinks. Enjoy!
Thanks for the rec!
It’s been years since I visited New York, but my favorite hotel is The Peninsula. Great location and wonderful rooms and staff. My daughter has put together a travel guide for NYC that might give you some ideas for places to stay, where to eat, where to shop and what to see. Have a great trip! Hope your daughter recovers quickly. My 86-year-old mother just got over viral pneumonia. It’s pretty scary.
Strand book store!!!!!
Also, from a previous post you mentioned trying to find boots that fit a wide foot. I have wide feet and it seems so few shoes are made for woman with wide feet. I found Eneslow Shoe store on park ave, one block from my daughter’s apartment. They have many brands that are from Europe and seem to be better quality, and wider, and walkable. My daughter goes with me to make sure that they are fashionable as possible … They have a wide range of fashion level. I just purchased a chelsea boot last Oct, that are great for my feet! I go everytime I get to visit NYC!
After seeing you rave about them, I finally bought myself a pair of Madewell jeans and it has changed my life! I am tall with skinny legs, no butt, and thick middle. Jeans NEVER work for me. I have not worn jeans in at least 8 years. I anxiously waited for my jeans to arrive and, when I put them on, they fit like a glove and I actually looked pretty darned good in them! They are as comfortable as leggings with the stretch. No muffin top. It’s unbelievable for me that I’m actually wearing jeans!!!
If you will be spending time near The Strand on this trip or during your tour try to visit the Jefferson Market branch of the NYPL. The building is remarkable and has such an interesting history.
Cafe Lalo on the Upper West Side (201 W. 83rd St.) is sparkly and fun for a morning or afternoon treat. You’ll remember it from the blind date scene in You’ve Got Mail. It’s also walking distance of the American Museum of Natural History. This is a fun walking neighborhood—lots of good architectural detail on the older buildings.
Rosamunde Pilcher sounds perfect for recovery/comfort reading …hope you feel better soon…
The Shell Seekers is a magical book that I’ve read three times. When you can curl up with this book and read and read, you will feel relaxed and in love with the characters.
These jeans are the absolute PERFECT answer to what I’ve been looking for! Wow! Might have to save for the price tag but after shopping ThredUp (again, thanks to your recommendation) and all the great deals there instead of having to go to a real store (Yikes! Exhausting when you live an hour away and deal with chronic fatigue.)and spend list prices on everything, these are more than worth the splurge! Sometimes it’s the ‘silliest’ things that I stumble across in your posts that turn out to be lifesavers for me! So thank you!
Summer before last we thought our Montana ranch had sold and began down sizing our belongings. Long story short, the two things I gave away/sold that I wish were back in my possession–all my Rosemunde Pilcher hard back books and my baby grand piano.
I’m listening to The Shell Seekers for the first time. I just want to listen to the end…but I don’t want it to end! I didn’t know much about the book before I began listening. I hope the ending isn’t heart-breaking!
Definitely Eataly. So good.
Congratulations on making Good Reads list! That is sooooo exciting :-). I hope you allow yourself time to enjoy that accomplishment!
The Shell Seekers. 🙂 Love. I just listened to Winter Solstice again because I love it at Christmas. Must be return to Rosamund Pilcher season. Coming Home has become my favorite, but love them all.
Last time I was in NYC (in October) we tried The Butcher’s Daughter for brunch. There are a couple of locations downtown. We went to the one in the West Village. The food is really good, a lot of vegetarian and vegan choices and really tasty, warm drinks. I had a green tea latte that was delicious. The place is tiny but we were able to grab seats at the counter.
Have a fun, safe trip!