There is arguably no one who loves this season more than yours truly.
Summer is good, but summer is gone, and given the chance I wouldn’t go back: a year ago today, I was living in permanent summer, yet could likely be found hunched over and squinting through the harsh Rio de Janeiro sun just watch a “How To Make The Perfect Fall Latte” TikTok on my phone. Why am I like this?
The truth is —not to get too personal, but, alas— Christmas never felt the same in my complicated family, and Halloween became my refuge. In the melodramatic spirit you all know I strive to embody, the religion of Fall became one I strictly worship (don’t check how many times the word ‘pumpkin’ is mentioned in this newsletter) and a fleeting period I savour carefully — or rather, gleefully indulge in — every year. Good luck to all those who will be subjected to witness it (including you!).
Ins: a pointy toe, no makeup and a red lip, photobooth pictures, personalised invitations, cardigans as a top, pumpkin-stuffed ravioli, writing essays for fun, pin-straight hair, weeknight plans, statement belts, grinding your own coffee beans, pretentiousness, a bootcut jean, leopard print (it’s not over until I say it’s over).
Outs: tops with a thin neck scarf, tote bags, restaurant reservations, abusing blush, ballet-flat adjacent micro-trends, excessively large group dinners, too many layers in your haircut, matcha as a social event, headphones as an accessory, taking work calls in public, claw clips, being hungover on a sunday (I say this weekly, and yet…).
Current Happenings
I attended my first bookclub with Open Book Club NYC and had a divine experience. Mood lighting, a glass of sauvignon blanc, and an excuse to spend over an hour dissecting how exactly the main character (who we all lowkey related to) lost her mind. The subject of the evening was All Fours by Miranda July — how utterly insane it was, how insane she is, how we hated reading it, how we loved having read it. I went in completely alone and left feeling so socially fulfilled. I already bought my next ticket.
Yearning for academia (as a concept — not the deadlines), I ventured over to Yale to visit a friend doing her masters there. She indulged me in all of the university activities I so badly crave now that I’m working: spending long hours in beautiful libraries, strolling through campus with a coffee, cozy dinners at small town restaurants, and of course, getting tipsy (read: drunk) at the house of someone you only met when they opened their front door.
Getting up early to try a new café weekly with my roommate (Fabrique currently being a favourite) — further fuelling my cinnamon pastry-addiction and almost guaranteeing a caffeine crash before I even open my work laptop.
In a last hurrah of summer, and totally not in the tone of this newsletter, we went to see Peggy Gou live in NYC two weeks ago. Day drunk on a ferry was definitely not on my bucket list for September, but I mean, how else were we supposed to arrive..?
Up next: my boyfriend is in town! How to fit in apple-picking, cookie-baking, strolling through the fall breeze, and all the other nauseating seasonal couple activity (which I openly shamed until having someone to do it with), into one week?
October Wishlist
I’m on the hunt for dresses to transition into the fall season, as well as (even more) microshorts to be worn with tall boots — anything that’ll justify me showing leg until November.
Other treats on my mind…
The new papier Diptyque candle — musky notes inspired by sheets of paper.
An Anthropologie pumpkin-shaped mug.
Laneige gingersnap lip sleeping mask.
Trader Joe’s Bourbon Vanilla Flavoring for baking.
27” Capezio legwarmers for ballet. In light pink.
Delicate bralettes from OnlyHearts.
Spookipaws jellycat.
Wearing…
Autumn Reading
Rouge by Mona Awad — last October I ran through my Daunt Books copy of Bunny dunking a scone into my latte at a London café, so it was only fitting this year I’d pore over her newest book in the same season, likely curled up by my bay side window with a vanilla-scented diptyque candle burning nearby.
Big Swiss by Jenny Beagin — looking for more books about insane women after finishing the Miranda July.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach — for my next book club meeting!
Once Upon a Time by Elizabeth Beller — channelling Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy this fall.
And of course, dipping back into my high school copy of Frankenstein. We never do get over our first loves in literature…
Recents!
Shopping: A Le Creuset for fall stews, fresh pair of Levi’s, ingredients to cinnamon cookies, a stack of books, lbd from the Cynthia Rowley sale, a pumpkin spiced latte with real pumpkin, leopard print vintage top, a pen at the Yale giftshop, a long skirt from the Ba&sh sale.
Seeing: My college roommate, my dad, my bf, my brother, and another friend from university have been visiting me in a row since Memorial Day weekend. So much love!
Reading: Rouge by Mona Awad.
Doing: Planning a party, eating hand rolls at Kazu Nori, baking with my boyfriend, slurping pistachio froyo after ballet class, figuring out my halloween plans, rewatching Gilmore Girls, sipping free wine at art galleries, booking flights for Paris next month.
And of course… it’s never truly fall without a revisit to one of my favourite twitter threads:
your trip to yale looked straight out of a coming of age film! loved this post as always; you have impeccable taste <3