little autumn darlings

wellness + delights: new england chills, 90s witch aesthetic, and paleo pumpkin lattes.

i find myself on the east coast this autumn, in a little cottage, on a block in my childhood neighborhood. the autumn chill fills my lungs most mornings as i sip big ceramic mugs of earl gray tea (two bags, steeped to perfection, one splash of classic nutpod). bundled in cotton pajamas, a secondhand free people cozy sweater + thick wool socks i soak up early morning sunshine. somehow here i feel connected only to the happy memories of my youth- of which there were many. i try to remind myself of this as i navigate the world of self healing. the tendency to look for all the dark and gnarled bits feels deeply engrained. hard wired. but what about the giddy trick-or-treater within. the little jack-o-lantern carving witch costumed black licorice munching girl who watches halloween town with her brother every year. the goth purple nail-polished tween wiccan with a massive candle collection and a budding obsession with spiced apple tea + the adams family. if anything can bring out my younger, untethered, exuberant self- it is fall in new york.

anywho, im here for the lists- not the longform today- so here you have it, the things that are igniting glee and sparking enthusiasm in me this early autumn eve:

firstly, food:

• all nutpod creamers including toasted marshmallow and pumpkin spice. the malk psl brand too. excellent with coldbrew.

• wellness girly trick or treats: maple cotton candy (a refined sugar free marvel) smart sweets, hu chocolate, cinnamon siete cookies + churro chips.

• soup season! making root veggie soups w. bone broth, sprinkled with spicy pumpkin seeds + goat cheese crumbles.

• cinnamon-y ceremonial cacao spiked w. vanilla bean, colostrum + collagen.

• the protein, fat, fiber, carb template for big nourish bowls but make it seasonal.

• raw pecan butter with pears and milky rooibos chai.

• warm apple cider. or iced.

  

fave wellness + beauty items:

• vanilla chai lip balm

• maroon liquid eyliner

• essie muted olive green nail polish (shade: precious cargo-go)

• chocolate croissant candle from tj- good for the soul!

• frankincense + castor oil by the wooden gypsy

media:

• i just watched killing eve. a perfect, smart, and mysteriously equally cozy + spooky show. i anxiously await the final season of you for similar reasons.

• i made this day-long autumn playlist. i enjoy starting my day to it. baking to it. going for rustling leaves hot girl walks in the park to it.

• falling asleep to the asmr soothing whispers of a fall themed slumber party. yes please!

those are the bits + bobs thus far but there is still so much to do!

my remaining autumn bucket list:

• visit small nyc coffee shops with my little cousin. bring books, sample seasonal drinks, go for a stroll in foliage filled central park after. we’ll both be wrapped in thick scarves and giggle lots and link arms. then a slumber party to bake + braid psl challahs and watch tim burton movies.

• bonfires in my uncle’s back yard with when harry met sally + other meg ryan autumn movies on the film projector.

• creation of capsule wardrobe based entirely on 90’s witchy aesthetic- the clothing of my soul, sourced from local thrift shops + consisting mainly of dark velvet and corduroy, black lacy lilac colored things, emerald green and black.

• make refined sugar free versions of the pumpkin spice latte, caramel apple latte, maple latte, and all other things that taste like fall in manner of kitchen witch at home (whilst watching hocus pocus etc.) then bring to barista gig job and pair w delicious espresso and expertly foamed milk.

• walk up hills and around favorite neighborhoods and marvel at the dark, new england-y, witchy aesthetic of homes, breathe in deliciousness of halloween decorations + burning lanterns, connect to sweetness of my inner child.

• curl up at night with mugs of tea to watch halloween movies and light all candles that own.

• go to local art museum on an artist date.

• pick pumpkins out east with mama and have a gilmore girls rewatch night while carving them at the big dining room table.

• indulge and luxuriate in extra long skincare. especially focusing on exfoliation showers, richly scented warming body lotions soaps.

• read all books on book list, but from the local library! read at local park benches all bundled up, on days off at coffee shop, in bed with heating pad on and lots of blankets and pillows.

• soak up and drink in every moment of this delicious season.

this afternoon, i strolled the aisles at marshalls and basked in the glory of heaps of scented candles: marshmallow, candy corn, pumpkin spice, big deep orange colored bedding. i wanted to buy some ghost adorned pajamas or hallows-eve-y slippers but refrained. how i’ve missed this specific flavor of shopping joy! while living in scandinavia for the past decade, a place brimming with icy, smooth, manicured aesthetics my consumerism was on pause. life there feels smooth like soapstone and marble. it is ethical and minimal. life here is toasty warm like dark wood + wool. it is happy excess of things and decor. i’m grateful to be able to split my time and enjoy the delights of both. but, as i roast tiny cubes of butternut squash from the farmer’s market, sip a collagen chai and admire the blanket of yellow leaves in the yard, there is nowhere, nowhere i’d rather be for spooky season. the sweetness of back to school, memories of pencils and fresh notebooks. the girly glee of seasonal celebrations. spicy drinks. the bucket lists i compose with my little cousin (separate to the one above) with whom i can romanticise life like no other. the little lists of pleasures and looking forward to’s are warming my soul like a fiery hearth this october.

thank you for holding space for my musings and appreciations love doves. what are you jazzed about this early autumn? i’d love to share in your enthusiasms. xx