The silly little gift guide is here!!

And we are so back. SO BACK.

Hello!! Hi!! I missed you!! I am finally, finally, back in the newsletter world, AND I AM SORRY FOR MY ABSENCE. The thing is: if I feel like I have nothing to say, the newsletter is nearly impossible for me to write. I’ve spent the last two Fridays just looking at a blank page and thinking, “if there were words of value here, they’d come to me.” Turns out: nothing came. Which is fine! I believe in yap! with! purpose!

I also firmly believe that creativity needs dead space to replenish, and I know it’s my best advice, so I repeat it often with the hopes that you’ll take it, too.

Now this weekend is Thanksgiving weekend. One of my favorite weekends of all time because even if you don’t celebrate, it feels like there’s a solid *DO NOT DISTURB* sign on Thursday and Friday. I was getting newsletter emails from people about actual real-life-tasks these past two days and I was like….excuse me?? Don’t you know I am resting?? So it is ballsy of me to hit your inbox on a sacred weekend. But I come with gifts! And a guide for them!

(all the exclamations points are proof I am back. SO BACK.)

But now, The Silly Little Gift Guide™!

Welcome to the second year of the Silly Little Gift Guide™! I call it both silly and little because it is a short list, generally on the less-expensive but not-cheap side, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. I love casually perusing any gift guide that comes across my feed during the holiday season - it’s like a peek into how other people shop. My gifts tend to be more home + kitchen focused, because I like what I like! But there’s also a mixture of comfortable clothes added in. Because again, I like what I like.

Side note: if you’re curious about tools I use on the day-to-day as potential gifts, you can find them all here.

Handmade Leather Slippers by Hawkins New York - This is for your “must be under $50 but not feel like it” list. These slippers are $32 but feel luxe, come in amazing colors and are great for wearing around the house.

Italian Ice Cups by Hay - I’ve been having trouble thrifting the perfect cups for my compound butters (important) or dinner party desserts (even more important!!), and I just love the look of these. They are on a Black Friday sale this weekend so I think I might scoop up six of them. Better safe than sorry. A cheaper alt: ice cream cups by The Oblist.

For if they are modern-eclectic and love coffee: Mugs by Marvilla - I have these mugs in cobalt blue and I’m obsessed with them. They are designed and made in Mexico City, and if you get the matching tray it’s a super chic way to keep your breakfast mugs on your counter (preferably near the espresso machine).

For if they are Copenhagen-classic and love coffee: Striped Handwarmer Mug by Na Nin. This mug is expensive but I dream about the red stripe one. Often.

The Met x Anthropologie Decanter - for the very VERY classy hostess in your life, this decanter is both affordable and gorgeous. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collaboration with Anthropologie has a bunch of nice pieces to skim through, but this is the only one that really screams timeless to me.

My Aelfric Eden knit sweater - God I love this thing. I have it in cream (I wear it in this video) and green and I’d be happy to get it gifted in 87 more colors. It does run huge, but for anyone supremely cozy in your life, it’s a great gift.

I don’t believe in matching Christmas pajamas but I do believe in really phenomenal robes.

And I just saw Ilene Rosen restocking these at her lovely store, so I’d be remiss to not share them. The “Oyster” one really calls to me. You can look at them all here!

And if you are looking for the be-all-end-all of affordable (and small-shop made!) food ornaments, Earthen in SF is where to find them. I love it there.

And lastly, a few favorite books to gift! Shamelessly including mine, which is a casual New York Times’ Best Seller thanks to you all!

Saladish: A Crunchier, Grainier, Herbier, Heartier, Tastier Way with Vegetables by Ilene Rosen (my neighbor!)

Olive et Gourmando by Dyan Solomon, who I just met via Instagram DM and was star struck!

Justine Cooks: Recipes (Mostly Plants) for Finding Your Way in the Kitchen by me! Again, shameless.

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Now I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope you are fully comatose today. I’m so, so glad to be back. And get ready for a ton of recipes coming your way.

Xoxo,

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