September and October are typically my favorite months in New York. I consider them to be very similar vibe-wise to April and May, but with less rain. That is, until recently.
It’s rained every weekend for the last seven weeks, and we have an eighth forecasted. So the opportunities to run around in my favorite suede trench have been drastically reduced, but luckily I’ve had my movie nights planned out ahead of time, thanks to last month’s ‘sletter.
There, of course, have been moments of autumnal bliss, but let’s take a moment of silence for this fall failure, and hope November is kinder to my weekend plans.
What I’m doing: As I mentioned before, rain has plagued the city of New York every weekend for a month and a half. What have I been doing with all this indoor free time? Naturally, I’ve been nesting. Cooking cozy foods and giving my living room a major little love.
Really, this all started a few months ago. I began to get the itch to move; I was bored of my space and didn’t want to invite people over because of how it looked.
After I’ve lived somewhere for a while, I have a tendency to give up on decorating because, as a renter, there’s always another apartment on the horizon. This time, instead of packing up and moving after my usual two-year stint, I decided I would invest some time and money in my current space.
I want to make it very clear that I do not claim to be an interior expert. I’m merely a novice experimenting with my space. My weird, long railroad apartment overwhelms me and I’m certain my layout could be far better. But I love watching AD Open Home tours and adding pictures to my Pinterest board so here’s where that has gotten me:
The couch - It’s important for me to have space for my long-distance besties to comfortably stay in when they’re in NYC, so I got rid of the raggedy old teal pull-out couch that I got on FB Marketplace for $150 and replaced it with this one from Danish brand OMHU.
It’s comfy, attractive, and convertible. I’ve also had a very hard time finding a rich chocolatey brown coach (most lean either mustard or grey, neither are for me), and this one fulfilled all my dreams for a pretty fair price.
My friend Erika even put the couch to the test for Architectural Digest, and she gave it an A across the board
The coffee table- as a former UO girlie, I’ve never actually owned any of their furniture and always been a bit weary of it, but the sale price and appearance of this one sold me. I’m actually so impressed, the assembly couldn’t have been easier and it’s surprisingly sturdy. I love the bit of whimsy it adds to the room while the heavy metal frame still grounds the space
The art - I’ve been eyeing painted silk panels on FB Marketplace and Etsy for a very long time now, but am usually deterred by the price. That was until, I spotted this one from the window of the downtown B38. The man selling it on the sidewalk told me it was hand-painted from the 1970s and gave me a good deal
It’s still a work in progress, but I have a renewed love for my space
What I’m watching: Living for the Dead - brought to you by Kristen Stewart and the creators of Queer Eye, this ghosting hunting show is more like Queer Eye for ghosts. The Ghost Hunties (that’s what they call themselves) have spook-kikis and slay-ances; it’s emotional, it’s funny, I binged it all in a weekend
If you’re interested in more fashion-focused content, I definitely recommend The Supermodels documentary on Apple TV, which follows the careers and lives of Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and Linda Evangelista.
What I’m cooking: This time inside has also given me a chance to try new recipes and revisit my tried and true fall favorites from the NYT Cooking app (If you’re not a subscriber, reach out to me directly and I’ll get you the deets)
The viral Marry Me Chicken - My friend Mercedes recommended this recipe to me, and it really is mind-blowing. I don’t do sundried tomatoes so I left those out and through a giant bunch of spinach in instead to get some greens. There is nothing out of the ordinary in the ingredient list, but something happens that is pure magic in the cooking process. I can’t explain it.
Allison Roman’s Chicken and Dumplings - This recipe hits so hard. I’ve made it twice, once all the way through, another adapted with shortcuts using a rotisserie chicken, and I have to say. If you have the will to make the full recipe, it’s well worth it.
Gruyère and Black Pepper Buttermilk Scones - I wish I could eat these every day. The flavors are so delicious and unexpected, and to my surprise scones are not that difficult to make. Cool!
White Chicken Chili - Beautiful. Perfect. Gorgeous. Easy to make, warming, delicious, 10/10, no notes. Avocado and cornbread are essential toppings.