Fall Fridays Volume 12

Last week of autumn, LET’S DO THIS. This will be the final Fall Fridays of 2025, so thank you for being here! I love writing these and all the eyes that read them.

BAKING/COOKING

Slow-cooker meatballs, Ina Garten’s cauliflower toast, BLT skewers, homemade Levain-dupe peanut butter chip cookies. Holiday cooking is in full swing, I can’t be stopped.

BLT Skewers

Levain dupe peanut butter chip cookies

CRAVING

The Thanksgiving egg rolls at Sweet Afton in Astoria. Good god, they’re unbelievable.

DRINKING

I had a Manhattan the other night and how on earth did I ever drink three of those a night?! That seems wild to me now. It’s made me not want to have another cocktail for at least a few months. I never thought I’d be this turned off of alcohol, but it’s felt amazing.

You can read the rest of this post over here.

Fall Fridays Vol. 10

That is not my tree above. Showing you my Christmas tree seems… too intimate (says the person that gives away any and every detail of daily life). I really just posted that one above because it’s one from a midtown hotel and I’m really starting to hate the picture perfect ones. They’re very pretty, but so boring. A perfect Christmas tree is like that Instagram face you can’t get away from: it’s become mundane. Anyway, here’s what happened this week.

BAKING/COOKING

I made Ina Garten’s weeknight bolognese and was blown away at how good it was. Really can’t believe that you can get that sort of deep flavour in a thirty minute recipe. Absolutely keeping this one in the dinner rotation now.

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Read the full post over here.

All of this post can be read on my Substack.

The Best Christmas Tweets 2023

everything I learned about being a neighbor I learned from her pic.twitter.com/1gD2u50ABi

— maybe: clare (travis’ version) (10 minute version) (@clur19) December 15, 2023

it’s her season pic.twitter.com/HCyZjajiXZ

— Jordan (@itsjordanapps) December 16, 2023

https://t.co/lXOy7OuIKn pic.twitter.com/3IgH4DkZk8

— Ben Crew (@BenjaminCrew1) December 16, 2023

I like that The Muppet Christmas Carol doesn’t burden us with what horrors a Miss Piggy/Kermit the Frog crossbreed would look like and just settled for “the girls are pigs the boys are frogs don’t think about the biology of puppet offspring”

— Carrie Courogen (@carriecourogen) December 16, 2023

A gingerbread Frank Lloyd Wright Fallingwater house pic.twitter.com/Sj4pVyxjdf

— Marti Lawrence (@Marti_L) December 17, 2023

I’m sorry but this is still the single greatest movie frame in the entire history of cinema pic.twitter.com/P3Tp7YxRJP

— Angelina (@whyangelinawhy) December 17, 2023

I will keep fighting for women’s rights until Mrs. Claus gets a first name.

— Missy Baker (@TheMissyBaker) December 18, 2023

My 38 yo brother is shipping Christmas gifts to me. For the address he put my first name/last name, care of DORK Inc., in case anyone is wondering if they ever grow up.

— Mediocre Mom (@MediocreMamaa) December 19, 2023

I gotta level with you man, I'd be fucking thrilled if a bunch of ghosts came by and told me how to fix my shit in a single night

— helen qu'elle heure (@uberjnet) December 20, 2023

three wise men? three? be serious

— ten second cam (@camilli_amilli) December 22, 2023

The feminine urge to keep adding to someone’s gift cuz ‘it isn’t enough’ 😭

— bria celest (@55mmbae) December 23, 2023

Whomever says Santa isn’t real hasn’t seen a 4 year old help with housecleaning based on said Santa coming to town ONLY if the house is cleaned up.

— Steve Patterson (not a parody)🇺🇦 (@patterballs) December 23, 2023

You can find the best Christmas tweets of last year over here if you crave more and you can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.

Fall Fridays Vol. 6

BAKING/COOKING

I physically cannot stop making chicken marsala. This recipe is restaurant quality.

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Incredible chicken marsala recipe from Once Upon A Chef

CRAVING

It’s November so my radar is set on the Thanksgiving dumplings from Mimi Cheng’s as well as the Bobbie (Thanksgiving) sandwich from Capriotti’s.

DRINKING

So many blonde flat whites. There is no better hot beverage.

EATING

The heavenly duck croquettes at Satis Bistro in Jersey City.

EXPERIENCING

My dear friends Paul & Richard got me the (TikTok famous) bloody shower mat and it is great, if only slightly jarring. Nathan had a strong reaction to it, so we used it exclusively on Halloween and then I delicately packed it away for next year.

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The TikTok bloody footprint shower mat

LISTENING

So I can’t stop listening to bad Christmas movies in the background while I wrap gifts. My logic: I don’t want good ones on in the background because I’ll want to watch those. If I have bad ones, then I can focus on what I’m doing but still have a Christmas vibe happening. And I can’t just put on Christmas music, it’s only November 3rd, I’m not a full psycho.

LOVING

All of the wildly nice messages about our costume this year.

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A post shared by Liz Heather (@lizheather)

SHOPPING

I found these perfect (not expensive) high-end-looking gift tags for Christmas from Target. Sixteen of them for $5 is perfect.

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Christmas gift tags from Target

WATCHING

God, so many horror movies - I’m 2% grateful October has come to a close. The last one I saw was Chucky 2 and it was actually pretty great.

WEARING

I tried on this Top Shop coat that I’m absolutely in love with. $170 isn’t insane, is it? I’m gonna wait for Black Friday.

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My tombstone might say, “She took a lot of dressing room selfies”

And I’ve created an autumn highlight reel on my Instagram incase you care and you can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.

December Dalliances 2022

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Christmas Eve view, December 2022

• You can find my favourite tweets of the month over here and here. (I also made a list of my very favourite Christmas tweets.)

• I recapped my autumn list of things to do and made a new seasonal list of things I’d like to do this winter.

• I compiled my favourite photos of 2022.

• I finally wrote about my trip to Las Vegas from back in September.

• I read and reviewed Dave Grohl’s memoir.

• I went to the newly opened (and fantastic) Museum of Broadway.

• I got a seasonal latte at Elevenses Cafe in Astoria and it was very cute, I’d go again.

• I have fallen in love with The Body Shop’s new scent Wild Pine. I’m fearful that it may be a seasonal scent, so I’ve already stocked up.

• I ate at Soothr and it was so, so good. Love a new thai place.

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Paul at Soothr, NYC

• Some things I watched this month:

  • The Santa Clauses (the new Tim Allen show): Ugh, it was terrible. Maybe I’m not the audience it’s supposed to be for, but still - just a stinkfest.

  • Jack Frost: I love Michael Keaton, but I just couldn’t get past the first half hour. It’s way too sad.

  • The Crown (seasons 3-5): Loved the season three Wales episode. The moon landing one was also perfect. It’s a great show, but extremely depressing if you’re binging it over a short period of time.

  • Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?: God, I hated it. Netflix has this annoying habit of making documentary series out of things that could easily be 40 minutes long and it is obnoxious as hell. You do not need to watch this. Read the Wikipedia page about it instead, you’ll save yourself so much wasted time.

• I was looking up trivia for the movie Scrooged and learned that the childhood house in the movie is a real place in Queens! So obviously I walked over to see it in person. Insanity that it hasn’t changed after all of this time.

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Frank Cross’ childhood home from Scrooged (1988) in Queens, New York

• I won a lottery ticket to see A Christmas Carol on Broadway and… YIKES. I can’t describe how bad it was. First of all, IT WAS A ONE MAN SHOW. And I didn’t know that beforehand, so yes that’s my fault. But oh my god, it was agony.

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A Christmas Carol on Broadway in New York, December 2022

• Are we all aware of how garbage the brand Silani is? I tried it for the first time and lord was it bad. Never again. Spend the extra dollar and eat something edible.

• I watched the final World Cup game with my parents and I’m glad France lost, give others a chance to win too, ya know?

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World Cup final with my parents, December 2022

• I will never be above latte art.

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Latte art from San Remo’s in Etobicoke, Ontario

• I went to Bell, Book & Candle for some Christmas themed drinks and it was great. Love a divey, but good bar.

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With Irene at Bell, Book & Candle, NYC

• Is it even Christmas if I don’t make Nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookies? I also made a few batches of Alison Roman’s amazing chocolate chunk shortbread cookies that were a big hit.

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The Nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookies from Ambitious Kitchen

• Obviously I went to my parent’s house for Christmas and it was exactly what I wanted & needed.

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My nephews watching Jingle All The Way, December 2022

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My mom’s Christmas window can’t be beat

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Christmas Day, December 2022

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Our Christmas tree

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Snowfall before Christmas is everything to me

• Went ice skating for the first time in twenty years and it was great. Think I’m gonna buy some skates and make this a yearly thing.

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Ice skating at Celebration Square in Mississauga, Ontario

• Jackbox and Nintendo Switch games remain the perfect family activity around the holidays.

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The game Use Your Words on Nintendo Switch

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The game Use Your Words on Nintendo Switch

• My mom and I saw a wild fox in her backyard and it. was. incredible. It was just playing in the snow and I can’t believe we got to see him/her.

• Winter skies might be the best skies.

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December 2022

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If only I could bottle this kind of blue and keep it in my pocket

• I made the Christmas tree spinach and artichoke dip and it was a hit. It did not look pretty, but the flavours were great.

• I also made a leftover turkey sandwich with STUFFING WAFFLES and it was so, so good. Again it photographed rough, but tasted incredible. I used this recipe to make the waffles. Definitely have to do this again.

• The main reason to go to the Union Square Holiday Market? Duck confit poutine at Duck Season. It’s honestly a better poutine than some Canadian places.

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Duck confit poutine at Duck Season in NYC

• I fell absolutely in love with the newest Bob’s Burgers Christmas episode, The Plight Before Christmas.

• Crate & Barrel continues to have the cutest fabric Christmas ornaments.

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Harry Potter-looking cat ornament at Crate & Barrel

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Fabric snowman ornament at Crate & Barrel

• Trader Joe’s had Christmas wreaths this year, so I got one and it was perfect. It makes me feel so together to have a wreath on my door. I still have it up. I don’t want to say goodbye.

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Christmas wreath from Trader Joe’s

• I went to see Noah Baumbach talk about his new movie White Noise at a NYPL event and it was very all right. I wish he’d talked more about older movies of his that I’ve loved, but I guess it makes sense that he didn’t since he was promoting this one.

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Noah Baumbach speaking at an NYPL event promoting White Noise, December 2022

• The candy cane cold brew from Blank Street? Unparalleled.

• One of my favourite things to do in December in New York is to walk around the city looking at the holiday lights and listen to that Darlene Love song on repeat.

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The Rockefeller Christmas Tree, December 2022

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Saks holiday lights, December 2022

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Macy’s holiday decorations, December 2022

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Holiday taxi display on Fifth Avenue, December 2022

• I went to Essex Market to see their Gingerbread Village display, which was cute but I wish it was bigger. And since I was there, I took a look at the sandwich menu at Shopsin’s and holy christ I need to go back.

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Gingerbread Village at Essex Market in NYC, December 2022

• Nothing better than a Boxing Day puzzle.

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Boxing Day, December 2022

Some things that I’m looking forward to this month: I’m going to get real dressed up and go see Moulin Rouge on Broadway with my friend Diana, I’m excited about seeing the Restaurant Week menus for this season, I’m going to start using this first-of-the-month checklist again, Classpass is doing a free monthly promotion right now so I’ll keep doing that until it starts charging again, and I really can’t wait to make this lasagna soup.

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The Heathers 2022

If you have any interest in the other monthly roundups of 2022, they can be found here: November 2022, October 2022, September 2022, August 2022, July 2022, June 2022, May 2022, April 2022, March 2022, February 2022 & January 2022.

You can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.

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Baby Dog, December 2022

The Best Christmas Tweets

You can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.

The Plight Before Christmas - Bob's Burgers

Stop everything you’re doing and watch the newest Christmas Bob’s Burgers. I CRIED ON THE SUBWAY, it’s so good. Christ. I’m trying to decide if it was the general Christmasy vibe that I loved, all the siblings-caring-about-siblings thing or if the music at the end is so Philip Glass-y that I never stood a chance at NOT sobbing. Love, love, love. Take twenty minutes and watch.

And if you’re in the mood for more after this episodes…

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You can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.

Navigating November 2022

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How we intend to spend the remaining winter nights

• You can find the best tweets of the month over here and here.

• TIP: If you don’t pay for a Spotify subscription and you hate ads: just close the app every time an ad starts and then reopen the app and the song will start. How did it take me years to learn this?

• So for the first time in nine years, Milk Bar didn’t have their Thanksgiving croissant. Criticisms have been declared and letters have been MAILED. If you think I’m kidding, you really don’t know me.

• I rarely go to bars, but I went to Witching Hour in Brooklyn and I just loved the layout and general vibe. Must remember.

• I returned to Minetta Tavern and it’s not as great as it used to be! You’re very crammed into each table and the food wasn’t really worth the price anymore. So that’s rough to realize.

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Poppies should be worn year round

• I also went to Don Angie for the first time and the lasagna is as good as they hype it up to be - same with their incredibly photogenic salad. Make sure to skip the veal tartare and the dessert, though.

• I tried the Thanksgiving dumplings from Mimi Cheng’s and they were just all right, which was a little disappointing. Maybe I’m still in mourning for the Milk Bar croissants.

• The Starbucks seasonal drinks keep making me sick and I keep returning for more. Someone explain?

• Obsessed with this slip I got from Free People.

• Made a batch of the insanely good Alison Roman chocolate chip shortbread cookies for the freezer, to make closer to Christmas.

• So there was a beautiful, summer-y day in early November so I found an outdoor pool and headed to The Rockaway Hotel. Day passes for their heated pool are $30 all season, which is kind of amazing.

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The Rockaway Hotel Pool, November 2022

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Tanning in November

• Some links I loved:

  • This great Times piece on all kinds of stuffing.

  • Some good cookie-making tips from Ina.

  • I had no idea Coney Island used to have these grand, gorgeous hotels.

  • How to donate stuff straight from home.

• I got a drink at Miracle on 9th Street which was very cute and the drinks were great. If I’d known it was all the way over near Avenue C, I might not have gone but I’m glad I did.

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Drinks at Miracle on 9th Street, Manhattan

• Some things I watched:

  • Terrifier: okay I shouldn’t really count this since I saw a total of fifteen minutes before leaving the room. But Nathan continued watching it, so I could hear all the screams and sounds from the bedroom and I still somehow had nightmares?? So no I won’t be watching the sequel.

  • We saw Halloween Ends on November 1st and it has to be the absolute worst Halloween of the entire franchise. Just unreal. It felt like punishment for trying to watch a horror movie past October 31st, so lesson learned.

  • The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXXIII: it’s a bit depressing to hear how old Marge’s voice has become (this is an awful thought to voice and I apologize), but the Halloween episode was so good this year (especially the last segment).

  • Falling For Christmas: I am not a Hallmark movie person, but I was bored so I put this on and… I’m still firmly not a Hallmark person. These types of movies aren’t even enjoyably bad, I don’t get it.

  • A Christmas Story: this was never in my favourites of Christmas movies and it’s a very okay movie. Hundreds of better Christmas movies, though.

  • Knives Out: it was completely all right, nothing fantastic. I really hated Daniel Craig’s accent and the whole throwing-up-if-lying detail. Just seemed like a bad first screenplay idea.

  • The Fabelmans: it was good but not as epic as I’d hoped. It was really good at showing the memorable relationships through a child’s eye, especially when a kid starts to see his parents as real people.

  • The Crown (seasons 1-2): Love it, can’t wait to keep going. John Lithgow is wonderful. Loved this line: “I find, in general, people have very little understanding of who they are. One has to turn a blind eye to so much of oneself in order to get through life.”

  • Don’t ask me why but I watched some of the last season of The Big Bang Theory and just UGH. What a terrible show that was. The fact that the writers made Penny pregnant in the series finale even though there were countless episodes beforehand where she confidently said she wasn’t going to have children. JUST UGH. Of course it was written by a man.

• I’ve already gone a few times, but the Union Square Holiday Market is really great this year.

• You’re already Christmas shopping so just a gentle reminder: get the gift receipt.

• The snow is coming and you will slip and possibly fall. Act accordingly.

• I used to absolutely love Yogi Bear’s All Star Christmas Caper (it came out in 1982) and it absolutely still holds up. Link over here if you have kids and/or love nostalgia.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: of course I’ll be lighting my bayberry candles on Christmas Eve as well as New Year’s Eve, December is always the most expensive month but it doesn’t have to be, don’t forget to buy your mistletoe, I’ll definitely watch some of these, I’ll absolutely watch The Snowman yet again, I’ll make a family Christmas video again, if you’re in Ontario you kind of have to ice skate on this gorgeous path, and once again I’m begging you not to give lottery tickets as gifts.

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If you have any interest in reading what went on in October, come on over here and you can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.

Christmas 2019

Clearly I’ll never get over this Apple ad.