November 2025 Wrapped

My online window shopping must be stopped!

Life Happenings 🌹

• I finally was able to meet one of my oldest friend’s new baby! (Still haven’t met her husband though…) It’s really beautiful seeing people you’ve known since being a baby, raising a baby.

• A close family friend passed away after an ongoing series of health issues. The whole journey has made me reflect on aging more than ever before. Her funeral service was lovely and the culture around death in New Orleans is low key one of the most fascinating things about this city. Hers featured a phenomenal spoken poem inspired by the service and closed out with Kenyan dance for the ancestors that I am determined to have at my own funeral.

• Stressing out about health insurance for 2026 because I am affected by this flop government getting rid of the subsidies. So squeezing in last minute appointments to hold me over!

• My Hyperfixation of the Month: I’ve always been something of a flower hater when it comes to gardens; please just give me a functional garden of herbs and vegetables. Well apparently my problem was that I just hadn’t seen a flower garden done right! After developing garden envy on my walks I’ve decided I will plant a pollinator garden in my yard this spring! I’m very excited for this project, as evidenced by the detailed spreadsheet I spent a week compiling.

Things I Ate 🍔

• Favorite Meal 🏆: A selection of small bites at NOMA’s Love in the Garden event. My favorites of the night being a crab and caper dip from The Blue Crab and an original whiskey cocktail “I Want to Lick This” created by Sho Shonna Jackson as part of the cocktail competition.

• A delightful chorizo and egg burrito from Congregation Coffee

• A sampling of sake cocktails at Rice Vice: Part Two

• Pizza from Nighthawk Napolentana

• Avocado Toast & Golden Latte from Luca Eats

• Annual Steak, Beans and Potato lunch from one of my work vendors. And they source QUALITY cuts, cooked to perfection.

• Literally one of everything from Lagniappe Bakehouse when I brought my dad to try it for the first time

• TOO MUCH TAKE-OUT & FAST CASUAL FOOD. I AM NOT ALLOWED TO EAT OUT IN DECEMBER.

• A constipation inducing charcuterie board featuring triple creme brie, caramel cheese, and cheese flowers (that would actually be so good on a pasta).

• A “Church Lady Revival Southern” Cake that I made for Thanksgiving (ie. yellow cake with chocolate icing from scratch)

Things that Entertained 📺

• Favorite Watch of the Month 🏆: Put the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City x Below Deck Yacht trip in the Smithsonian.

• Wicked For Good
  It was great but I wish it was released as one very long movie or closer to the release of part 1.

• Frankenstein 2025
  I saw an interview Jacob Elordi did about a tweet he read early in his career, to the tune of “Jacob Elordi is a boring actor, he could only play Frankenstein’s monster!” Which of course made him determined to play Frankenstein’s monster and prove the hater wrong. Thank God for Guillermo del Toro! But also, Jacob Elordi is SO underappreciated for his range! (A hill I will die on after seeing him as Mr. Darcy in a covid-era Zoom production of Pride and Prejudice).

• The Front Room (Kathryn Hunter ate this role up)

• Love Island Australia continues to be the most problematic franchise by a landslide, and I will not be finishing it because everyone SUCKS.

• Bridgerton and Stranger Things rewatches in preparation for the new seasons!

• I started 9-1-1 Nashville and am immediately locked in because one of the main characters is HOT.

Things I Read 📖

• Favorite Read of the Month 🏆: North Woods by Daniel Mason (Historical Fiction, Magical Realism)
  Truly a magical piece of writing that has so many layers. I plan on re-reading some of the chapters because I did rush through it to meet my book club deadline and it’s one you need to sit with.

• World War Z by Max Brooks on audiobook (Zombies, Thriller)

• The Passengers by John Marrs (Thriller, Technology, Hostage Situation)

• The Theory of Earls by Kathleen Ayers (Historical Romance, Regency)

• Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson (Mystery, Whodunnit)

Expense Report 🛍️

• For my vinyl collection: A vintage original run of Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book vinyl with braille on the cover! And a limited edition run of the Hey! Arnold soundtrack (I’ve been watching for this drop like a HAWK).

• A selection of basic tees, a blazer and a tailed coat from RicRack’s bag sale (I found the most flattering and comfortable H&M basic tee at this sale a couple of years ago and that shirt in other colors remains my white whale)

• Aesop hand soap on their black Friday sale 😜 (as well as restocks on laundry detergent and hand soap refills for my house)

• Despite a full cabinet of products I never use and the fact that I vowed to not purchase more…more natural haircare products 😭 (And on that note I DO actually need to replenish my shampoo and Alterna Caviar came highly recommended…)

• A battery for my car 🫩

Things I Want to Buy 📋

• Mochi Rice Krispies. No explanation needed.

• An article about the benefits of creatine on women’s bodies did numbers in my circles, so I think it’s time to add creatine to my supplement routine. (And also, this iron supplement in particular)

• Gym motivation has been down, and I think matching sets that make me feel hotter would help get it back up. Maybe I’ll finally try Gym Shark? Or Oner which I think is supposed to be a better company.

• Some products for my signature home scent journey: a glass oil diffuser, Sandalwood reed diffuser, Spiritus Sancti if I win the lottery, a Palo Santo candle WITH cloche.

• Screaming, crying and throwing up over the sold-out Dr. Marten x Marc Jacob Kiki boots

• I aspire to one day be a dress girlie and The Summer House might be my gateway. Or this little plaid number, inspired by an English countryside photoshoot mood board, with a dreamy color palette. Or this Zara gown? Okay maybe I am a dress girlie already.

• A zoetropic record MUST be added to my vinyl collection, just waiting for the perfect release.

• These realistic fruit candles would be so cute on my new wall baskets! But also I REALLY want to learn how to make molds because this could be an incredible DIY.

• I’ve wanted a roof rack for my Camry forever

Things I Listened To 🎵

• I keep hearing about Rosalia’s vocals!! So naturally I’m giving LUX her time in the spotlight.

• I took an edible one Friday night and rediscovered my love for the Pocahontas soundtrack. Opening up with Virginia Company 🔥🔥🔥

• Really been into Minnie Riperton and Roberta Flack this month.

• Queens of the Stone Age (because I’m salty I didn’t get to see them perform live)

• If steel drums have no fans, I’m dead.

Favorite OOTD 👕

• Nothing of note

Travel Report ✈️

• Mississippi for Thanksgiving

Intentions for Next Month ✨

• My fitness journey is stalled and I think it’s time for me to focus more on diet. My goal is to really lock in with nutritional and intentional meals.