autumn is here

hello.

autumn is finally here. “it is, after all, the season of the soul.” - virginia woolf

i’ve come to understand that there are two types of autumn:

there’s a cozy warm and intimate autumn: the leaves changing colors, trips to the pumpkin patch, apple picking, baking pumpkin flavored treats, vintage jazzy playlists, day dreaming about new england, comfort books, cashmere sweaters with tights and skirts, candy apple reds, burnt oranges, and mustard yellows.

and there’s a dark and dreary autumn: dark academia, stormy rainy skies, black coffee on early mornings, large overcoats and black boots, damp forests and atmospheric moody weather, long trips to the library, melancholic classical music, halloween season, gothic lit, horror films, deep reds, espresso browns, and forest greens.

oh, how i love both so intimately and deeply.

today, i’m sharing an autumnal weekly report and a little list of autumn things that make me happy. i haven’t been able to write as much as i’d like between work and school, but i wanted to share something with you today as we celebrate the start of the best season of them all.

i encourage you to reference my autumn master list for a full in depth letter full of seasonal goodies.

autumnal weekly report:

reading:

i have not had time to read much outside of school, but let me recommend a few for you…

-jane eyre by charlotte bronte: classic lit for gothic loving readers

-babel by r.f. kuang: my favorite dark academia book

-slewfoot by brom: spooky gothic horror

-kitchen by banana yoshimoto: for warmth and comfort

-the brothers karamazov by fyodor dostoevsky: classic russian deep philosophical lit (this is a long and heavy book, but i promise you it’s worth the read)

eating:

-pumpkin waffles in the morning: i usually don’t have time to make them in the waffle machine. my favorite pumpkin toaster waffles are the nature’s path brand and the trader joe’s waffles.

-autumnal coffee at home: i have a nespresso machine i use every single day. i usually use melozio capsules and add this pumpkin creamer my favorite (and a great non dairy alternative).

-it’s soup season: chili, broccoli cheddar, minestrone, lentil, i love all soups, especially in bread bowls.

-lots of autumnal foods both savory and sweet: i recently wrote about autumn things to make, so i highly recommend checking that one out if you’re looking for recipe inspiration.

playing:

-emily in (rome): this guilty pleasure show made me fall in love with emily as soon as they got her away from paris.

-when harry met sally, you’ve got mail, charlie brown, practical magic, winnie the pooh and the blustery day, kiki’s delivery service

-vintage autumn radio on youtube

obsessing:

-the hatch restore alarm clock: imagine waking up without having a panic attack. this was a tech treat i didn’t know i needed. my cortisol levels in the morning have reduced significantly thanks to this gentle little waking device.

-owala water bottle: (owala > stanley). i got the purple one for me and green one for my daughter. we’re obsessed.

-xxl moleskine dotted notebooks: i love these for taking notes before, during, and after lectures. they make great journals, too.

recommending:

-target halloween treats: every year i peruse the aisles of target during the holidays and get some seasonal treats, candies, snack packs, and other fun items to spark joy throughout the week. i’m recommending these reese’s ghosts, glow in the dark oreos, mini rice crispy treats, goldfish snack packs, kit kat’s (elite), and halloween pirate’s booty.

-seasonal plates: it’s always good to have some disposable plates and cups and bowls on stand by. my mom and i collected them when i was a little girl. i still have some halloween ziploc bags and decorate plates from the early 2000s. these cups, bowls, and plates (these plates, too) are my absolute favorite right now.

-glossier hot cocoa balm dot com: the perfect color for fall and it smells yummy.

-touchland seasonal hand sanitizer: salted caramel and pumpkin spice (i have not smelled these yet but i’m curious and intrigued).

-cinnamon spiced vanilla candle: caramel pumpkin swirl is one of my favorites from bath and body works and speaking of hand sanitizer, i recommend this one and this one.

treating:

-bartholomew bear jellycat: a jellycat will bring you happiness. i need the bb bear keychain so i can bring him with me everywhere i go.

-apple watch series 10: i got this for school and my new job. this was a splurge, but it’s functional and it serves a purpose (i’m terrible at justifying large purchases you see).

-longchamp bag: i got this for uni. yes, it may be basic, but it’s beautiful and she holds everything i need. i have the large le pilage in black.

lastly, here’s a little list of autumn things that make me happy:

cold cloudy mornings, starting my day with a pumpkin or caramel flavored coffee, the smell of old books, dark chocolate for an afternoon treats, cozy pajamas, blankets, and slippers to study in after a long day, classical music, freshly baked cinnamon rolls, hot cocoa with extra marshmallows, pumpkin icing body wash, rainy days, oversized sweaters, vanilla scented candles, crunchy leaves on the ground, the great pumpkin charlie brown, cozy quaint coffee shops, jazz music, gothic literature and dark academia books, soup season,

okay, that’s all for today.

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i love you.

bye.

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