The Most Perfect Autumn Weekend... 🍂
Hello my loves, & welcome back to The Sunday Paper. I hope you are enjoying a cozy October Morning. Let’s hop straight into the weekend recap.
The weekend began with a stormy Friday afternoon. My girlfriend Kate (& the cohost of our podcast) bopped around to a couple of stores while I waited for Blake to finish up the workday. Once he was done, I stopped back at our place to pick him up for a brief walk before cooking dinner. Towards the end of our walk, the rain picked up, so we rushed home for a cozy night in. We lit lots of candles, put on jazz, and started on dinner. We tend to make steak on Friday, so I had picked up a flap steak from the butcher earlier that day. If your Whole Foods sells flap steak, get it! It’s not very common, but it’s a great cut if you can get your hands on it. It’s thinner than a ribeye or NY strip and has great marbling. We made that with lots of Nichol’s farm shallots and served it with buttery green beans and a large salad dressed in EVOO, homemade bread crumbs, and gruyere. We finished off the night watching And So it Goes.
Saturday morning was another rainy and cozy vibe. We ended up meeting our friends at La Colombe for a quick coffee before heading to the farmer’s market. We picked up lots of local produce and stopped at Target on our way home. I grew up in a neighborhood that always “Booed” around Halloween. I think it’s the sweetest tradition, so I decided to start it in our building! We picked up little pumpkin pales, fall scented natural soap, cream mini pumpkins, pumpkin reeses (because, come on), and I made a little “bake your own pumpkin bread” kit for our boo bags. They turned out too cute! This is your sign to start the tradition in your neck of the woods! I spent the rest of Saturday seasonalizing my closet, baking bread & making homemade butter, doing an at home mani-pedi, and packing for our little weekend getaway!
Sunday morning, we woke up and packed the car because we are heading on a little overnight glamping trip to The Fields of Michigan for peak fall foliage! We are stopping at an apple orchard and in the town of Saugatuck for lunch on the way up. We are so excited for this cozy autumn getaway!
CURRENTLY LOVING
Bag Balm: My mom used bag balm all the time when I was little, but I was recently reintroduced to it and it’s a game changer for remedying chapped, rough skin. Every might, I lather my hands and feet in BB before putting on socks and gloves to sleep. This has been such a game changer for me and I already know it will be a saving grace in the winter months!
Simple yet Ornate Gold Cross: Sometimes I feel a little bit extra called to keep a cross close to me, and this week has been that way. I have a beautiful gold cross that my mom gifted me - it was blessed by the pope and I hold it very near and dear to my heart (no pun intended). I think a cross is a simple, beautiful, and timeless staple. It’s sentimental to some, goes with every outfit, and adds a classic and chic touch to even a sweat set. I’ve been loving mine a bit extra lately! Pair it with a cutie pair of gold hoops for the ultimate effortless gold glow. I linked this one because it is perfectly ornate yet still classic and simple with the dainty chain. Plus, who doesn’t love supporting a small business Etsy vendor?
Koala Eco Fruit & Veg Wash: Cute and functional, this produce wash looks great on your counter top & gets the job done. I just got it and I already know I will be repurchasing!
Navy Cashmere: I have a tried and true navy White + Warren turtleneck that I’ve been pulling for at least twice a week. Navy is finally getting the momentum it deserves, and I’m here for it. Something about the color makes even the coziest of outfits look preppy and put together!
FROM MY KITCHEN
Pick Your Protein Niçoise Salad:
In my opinion, a Niçoise is the perfect classic yet hearty salad to transition salads into the winter months. This salad is classically done with tuna, but you can sub any protein you’d like. My personal favorites are airliner chicken breast or crispy salmon but you can really go any route! This salad is the perfect option for an effortless yet delicious dinner.
What You’ll Need:
Greens of choice
Hard boiled egg
Protein of choice
Steamed hericots verts or green beans (I prefer green beans as they are crunchy and less starchy in texture and flavor)
Boiled baby potatoes
Baby tomatoes
Olives
WELLNESS HACK:
If you’re not already, get into the habit of greeting, hugging, and kissing your loved ones before they leave home & anytime they come back home. Every night, when B comes home from work and I’m in the kitchen, I put down what I’m doing, wash my hands, and greet him with a hug, a kiss, and a “hi my love, how are you?” It’s little moments of affection like these that make all of the difference in our senses of love, intimacy, and overall happiness and wellbeing.
I love collecting beautiful and functional coffee table & cookbooks, but this new purchase has to take the cake as one of my all-time favorites. Every recipe in this book sounds absolutely delicious. The author’s writing evokes a sense of coziness and hygge and makes me excited to get in the kitchen. Pro tip: if you get this book, start with the spinach salad with warm bacon vinaigrette on page 38.
THAT'S ALL FOR THIS TIME...
For your planner:
I’ll see you again here in two weeks
I upload on YouTube twice a week
and Tik Tok a couple of times per week
I completely value each of you. If you want to hang out more, check out my Youtube channel, Instagram, Tik Tok and website!
THANK YOU for your support – I appreciate and value each and every one of you. If you need anything at all, please reach out!
Sending peace & joy your way!
XX-
MGM
I bought the bag balm and I am OBSESSED!!! Perfect for winter in Chicago