Links I love

What are you up to this weekend? Will and I have a big weekend planned, as in big plans to cozy up at home: U of L basketball, U of L football, and lots of Thanksgiving prep!

I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.

Favorite gifts to give and receive

Need more gift ideas? We refreshed this round-up of gifts I’ve loved to give and receive over the years. Good stuff is there, all vetted and endorsed by moi! Some of it is even on sale; keep reading …

My favorite finds from around the web:

I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a bookmarking service.

‘I had a year to write it from scratch’: the 2025 Booker finalists on the stories behind their novels. (The Guardian) Fascinating, especially if you enjoy origin stories and peeks behind the scenes.

12 Christmas mysteries for your holiday season. (MMD) Brigid’s fantastic list of festive whodunnits.

Our Homes Aren’t Weird Enough: Experts Reveal Why Playing It Safe Is Killing Your Style. (House Beautiful) “A home isn’t meant to please everyone; it should express the people who live there.” Will and I have been talking about the goalposts of “quirk” and “funk” for weeks!

Anthropologie has a great sale going: get 30% off with the code ANTHRO30. Plus spend $200+, get $50 emailed on 12/11. It just so happens I’ve shopped Anthro a lot this fall (see “quirk” and “funk” above—Anthro kills it in these departments for house and home); these are some favorites:

• I’m wearing the Cline Chunky Crew-Neck Sweater (XXS–XXL) here on Instagram. (I’m wearing a medium.)
• I got Will Salt & Stone Body Wash for his stocking. If Anthro happens to stock any of your beauty/skincare favorites, 30% is a killer deal. (I’ve gotten a lot of teenage stocking stuffers at this sale in years past and intend to shop for 2025 today.)
• These Colorful Bud Vases come in an array of beautiful colors and are the perfect little accent at home or as a hostess gift. (Less than $10 with the sale!) I bought one in literally every color last month because I’m contemplating a display/collection.
• If you want to try their cult favorite Colette pants (23–34) or add to your collection: 30% off! My most-worn pairs are the Magic Fabric Crop Wide-Leg Pants, the Crop High-Rise Wide-Leg Jean, and the Full-Length Wide-Leg Jean.
• Their mugs are always stinking adorable. Here’s a book mug for you! And another!
• Here’s your reminder that Anthro has puzzles! Including Advent Calendars and favorite brands Galison, Piecework, and Cavallini.
• Finally, I’m not interested in spending $700 on board games right now, but feast your eyes on this gorgeous Vintage Bookshelf Board Games Bundle. (Sold individually.)

Make Your Own Tradition This Thanksgiving. (Bon Appétit) “Over the past few decades, Thanksgiving has become more about peace, grace, and friendship, where we celebrate our chosen people and our family ties.”

Thanksgiving or Perimenopause? (McSweeney’s) “Is it four thousand degrees in the kitchen, or is it just you?” I clicked on this so fast.

Little things I’m loving lately: kitchen edition. (MMD) 10 (mostly) small things bringing me a disproportionate amount of happiness in the kitchen right now.

With Cursed Daughters, Oyinkan Braithwaite Makes a Deliberate Shift Away From Her Bestselling Debut. (Elle) “Writing is a sort of…it’s magic. It’s this alchemy where, sometimes, things fall into place.”

Why Don’t People Return Their Shopping Carts? A (Somewhat) Scientific Investigation. (Behavioral Scientist) Do your part, return your cart! “I’m a psychologist who has spent the past decade studying how we think about our own behavior in relation to others. Perhaps the choice to not return a shopping cart seems trivial, but what we do with our cart says a lot about how we think about others and what we believe we owe one another (or don’t).”

One Bookstore, 3 Sisters and 100 Years. (New York Times gift link) “Bookstores are a rich part of New York City’s history, places like the Strand, Books & Co. and Gotham Book Mart. But with so many closing in recent decades, the Argosy has become a quiet contemplative curiosity amid the bustling blur of Midtown go-getters.” An incredible literary legacy. (How have I never been?)

Madewell’s Black Friday sale is on: get 40% off your purchase. I especially like my Madewell bags and boots. My most-carried and -worn are the Essential Bucket Tote and the Dimes Kitten Heel boots,

I test-drove Smitten Kitchen’s slow-roasted sweet potato recipe this week before adding it to our Thanksgiving menu: it’s a winner! (After reading a zillion comments, we intend to bake these the day before, slice, arrange in a casserole dish, and drizzle with a TBD gently sweetened buttery something.)

What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable. (MMD) Last month I read three gigantic books, which resulted in an uncharacteristically low number of total books read. In comparison, this month I feel like I’ve been flying through the titles—easy to do when you’re reading 300-page books instead of 1300-page ones.

Don’t miss these posts:

Branch out into a new genre with these literary fiction reads. There’s no need to be intimidated by literary fiction!

The little luxuries that make you feel pampered every time you use them. For something to feel luxurious, it has to be appreciated—by you. (I refer to this post all the time when I’m in need of gift ideas.)

10 delightful cookbooks for reading, cooking, and gifting. Cookbooks you’ll want in your kitchen.

Have a great weekend!