Growing up in the mountains of Montana, we had two seasons: winter and road construction.  So when I moved to Spokane for college, I was blown away by fall.  The slightly warm weather, the changing autumn leaves, and the mental calm created by slowly easing into the winter season.

So when it snowed in Spokane on September 29th, and again on October 9th, I started to wonder why Montana’s weather had chosen to follow me West.  The leaves on the trees are still green, covered in snow and ice, but green.  And the sub-40-degree temps have me dreaming of warmer climes.

After a long winter in Montana, where sub-zero high temperatures were too common, and I shoveled feet of snow from my driveway every week, I needed my fall buffer to prepare me for the winter.  But, alas, it seems we can all stop trying to make fall happen.  Winter is here.

Harry Potter and cookies, two of my favorite things.  And what better time of year to bake a few Harry Potter-themed cookies than Halloween?  This Cookie Cutter Set is doubly discounted and looks like the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon (and a few hundred calories).

Need a sugar cookie recipe?  Try my Mother’s Always Soft Sugar Cookies, but be sure not to over-bake them.  And if you want to  tint your icings different colors, Wilton’s gel food colorings are the best.

J.Crew is having a pretty good sale right now.  40% off full-priced styles, and 50%-off sale pieces.  So if you need a couple of things to freshen your fall wardrobe, it’s worth a look.

I purchased this Juliette Collarless Sweater-Blazer after seeing it on Meghan Markle.  It’s a nice piece for when you want to be cozy, but need to look professional.  It would also be good for airplane travel.

If you’re in the market for a professional dress, I’ve had my eye on this tweed cap sleeve dress for a while.  I love the update on the classic sheath, and the fact that I can wear it under blazers without it being tight through the arms.  Also in petite and tall.

Podcasts have become the thing that gets me through my day.  Need to grind out a collage for the blog?  Podcast.  Need to walk the chubby puppy?  Podcast.  Have to drive to Idaho for a meeting?  Podcast.  So I am going through whole seasons at a rapid pace.

This week, I picked up Slow Burn from Slate.  The first season of this podcast, launched in 2017, discusses the long road from Watergate break-in to Nixon’s resignation.  The topic feels especially prescient as we move into another presidential impeachment inquiry.  I’ve read several books on Watergate, and watched at least as many documentaries, and there are still details and stories in this podcast that I did not know.  Love when that happens.

One of the things that I love about this community is that I always find great information in the comments.  A few weeks ago, we were talking about BeautyPie, and a reader recommended the Kiko Milano Eye Shadow Sticks.  She said they were a good dupe for the Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks.  So, of course, I rushed to Amazon to pick one up.

And the verdict is in: if you want rich pigments and quick, almost foolproof, eyeshadow application, these are for you.  I bought the mauve and the vintage rose, and I am officially converted.

Did your book club turn into a wine club?  Yeah, mine too.  But The New Yorker has a solution for your problems: Instagram Club.  Nothing like a good satire on a Friday.

Also, if you’re looking for a more serious read, The Atlantic is discussing how overpacked schedules are hurting Americans.  It turns out that all we want is more time with our families and friends.  (So why are we all so terrible at making at the time?)

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