Another month, another playlist. For a while, when I was younger, I always the "music girl". I was the one with a full iPod and a song for every occasion. As with a lot of things, age took me away from my love for music but I've spent the last couple of years diving back in. As I spend more time exploring what's new and revisiting old favorites, I've grown accustomed to hearing a soundtrack in my ear as I navigate the day. Thankfully, each monthly playlist that I share here is like a little time capsule of how I was feeling and what I was inspired by at any given time.

This month's playlist is a little soulful and kind of all over the place... just like November is shaping up to be. Give it a listen here.

image via marissa alves

Monthly moodboards are my favorite way to get a sense of everything that's striking my fancy right now and honestly, with Pinterest, they kind of make themselves. This month it's pretty clear that I'm inspired by a pretty specific palette and relaxed, quiet vibes. There's just something about November that calls for dreamy hues and introspective hominess, right? I like to think of this time of year as a big excuse to spend more time at home, cozied up with books and my thoughts and a lot of snuggles.

I'm excited to put my nose to the grindstone and get a lot of vacation planning accomplished this month. I've already made good use of Google maps, planned out my packing lists and have decided December is going to be so. exciting! In the meantime, I'm trying to approach the last two months of the year from a zen place. Lots of self-care and minimal holiday stressing (speaking of, click here to see my tips for creating YOUR OWN holiday traditions via The Glitter Guide).

Here's where I need your input... I've already started seeing a lot of holiday content around the web and some of my favorite bloggers are even sharing gift guides already. How do you feel about gift guides? Love them? Hate them? I've really loved doing product roundups for the holidays in the past and would love to continue sharing my gift picks but I'm scrambling to find a way to share that doesn't feel redundant or forced. If you love holiday content, when do you want to see it?

images via

Life has been a little all over the place lately. Introspective and busy, routine and surprising. Waxing and waning between filled to the brim with activity and leaving plenty of room for boredom.  At least I have enough downtime to watch gems like Kim Kardashian being interviewed by Jennifer Lawrence on the Jimmy Kimmel Show (do it, you won't be sorry!). I've taken on a lot with school and we're having to work extra hard with Lorelai to get her caught up to her new first grade rhythm so I've basically entered zombie-mom territory.

There is, however, a bright spot on the horizon because we're just six weeks away from our big trip! From mid-December to mid-January (5 whole weeks!) we'll be gallivanting around Japan and Thailand and I couldn't be more excited. I've already started mapping things out (if you're going on vacation sometime soon, Google Maps is basically the best tool in the whole world), watching videos like this one on an endless loop and stressing about how to pack for two seasons in one carry-on bag. I'm excited to explore new places and hopefully come back with a lot of digital memories that I can share here.

Aside from wanderlust, I've been thinking a lot about blogging and how I feel about everything these days. Honestly, I waiver between LOVING this space and feeling a bit uninspired but I guess that's just how it goes sometimes. I've been blogging for almost seven years (insane!) and I've recently started reflecting on the trajectory of it all and how much more time I can realistically put into a pursuit that loves me back in big ways sometimes but goes through a lot of dry spells too. I've been thinking about the kinds of things I share, the kinds of things you're actually interested in reading and the future of this weird online world we're all living in. Heavy man. What I've concluded is this: I'll continue blogging for as long as it interests me and hopefully you'll be receptive to little pieces of me chronicled on this space. I might begin to pull away from aspirational content and focus on more anecdotal things that happen in my own life. Or I might share the rogue post about Need Supply Co. and that'll be okay too. I'm still figuring it all out...

One of my favorite ways to connect with you is by sharing the things that have been catching my eye lately so here's ten:

1. Get ready with Delilah Parillo and Glossier
2. The most inspiring and intimate look inside the life of Joan Didion called 'The Center Will Not Hold' on Netflix
3. My favorite Insta-muse Ally Walsh's self care advice
4. Should you give your kids an allowance? via Mother Mag
5. Anine Bing's AMAZING California home
6. My favorite Youtuber's Autumn / Winter lookbook
7. Gwyneth Paltrow interviews Amanda De Cadenet (girl crush!) for Goop
8. Orion Carloto's new book of poetry, Flux, is out
9. The coolest interview from Lisa Says Gah (who else?)
10. The depressing reason why so many women drink (via Vox) is something to think about... "The magazines telling me strong is the new sexy and smart is the new beautiful, as though strong and smart are just paths to hot. The Facebook memes: Muscles are beautiful. No, wait: Fat is beautiful. No, wait: Thin is beautiful, too, as long as you don’t work for it. No, wait: All women are beautiful! As though we are toddlers who must be given exactly equal shares of princess dust or we’ll lose our shit."

weekend shopping

image via vogue