Hosting a Gathering in a Small Space

I used artificial greenery for the centerpiece.

From the time I was a small child, I remember holidays as bright, beautiful, warm, and somewhat hectic. There are so many traditions I associate with this time of year, and even now, as an adult, I still get nostalgic pulling out decorations and seeing strings of lights. One of my fondest memories is the way everyone always gathered together. As the years have passed, the faces around the table have changed-- some passing away, some new ones being added as we've grown up, gotten engaged, or had children who will eventually be the ones at the kids table instead of us.

Both sides of my family are enormous, but that never stopped us from cramming around tables together to share food, conversation, and laughter. I picture my Aunt Jani's dining room on Thanksgiving or Christmas day, jammed with an eclectic assortment of chairs and these gorgeous place settings, while our beloved Peg shares her thoughts on everything from traveling the Amalfi Coast for "some R&R" to Rolling Stone magazine. I think of Christmas Eves at Nunny and Puppa's house, two long tables shoved in the basement, the loud din of my grandparents, their siblings, their five children and significant others, and their 16 grandchildren.

The common ground was the love-- it never mattered in either place how crowded it was-- although it was definitely hard to navigate around all the chairs! It was about all of the people they most cared about gathered in one space to share a meal together.

I was reading something recently in The New Yorker about how Friendsgiving is a saving grace for many people-- an occasion for us to gather with our chosen family, the ones who are there for us not through blood but by choice. I am blessed with so many friends like that, and family as well.

This year, Shelley said she wanted to host Thanksgiving. Everyone had plans, but my mum, sister, and I have always done something we affectionately referred to as "Part Two". We usually went out for Thanksgiving to my aunt's house, but Part Two was a chance for us to stay in our pajamas, decorate for Christmas, eat as much as we wanted, and have leftovers for the week. I can still remember sneaking in to the fridge to dip cold turkey into cold gravy (if you haven't tried it, you should).

We had a small group of family and some close neighbor friends over for Part Two this year-- in spite of the fact that our home is incredibly compact, we managed to get a dozen people in here. Perhaps, dear reader, you have wanted to have a gathering but worried your space was too small and it wouldn't go well. Now that we have successfully executed such a dinner, I'm sharing some of the things that worked for us.

1) Possibly the most important thing in any gathering is food. Have you ever noticed how you may be on the fence about something until you hear that pizza will be provided (maybe that's just me?)? Shelley is a fantastic cook, and she worked for a couple weeks to plan a menu all from scratch-- a brined turkey, brussels sprouts that one person even said were enough to make her like them, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean almondine, rolls, a vegetable tray, crab dip, pumpkin cheesecake, and stuffing. My mum brought a pumpkin pie and a cherry pie as well. People are happy to be well-fed, and that coupled with the wine everyone brought was enough to keep us all merry.

2) Music is essential. It's always been a massive part of my life, so I crafted a playlist of chill songs that spanned like 7.5 hours. I didn't want to induce any turkey comas, but I also wanted it to be a good vibe-- subtly soaring in the background of the constant conversation.

3) I enjoy decorating-- particularly at this time of year, which really gives me a chance to shine. We used paper plates and napkins from the Dollar Tree with some cute plastic forks. The reason behind this was two-fold-- it's a little more comfortable to use something you aren't afraid of breaking, and you want to enjoy your time with your guests without stopping to wash a mountain of dishes.

My tablescape

I used a mix of candles and greenery (real and artificial) to add depth to the tablescape and make it worthy of Shelley's meal, plus give a boho-hygge feel (I'm not sure if that's a thing or not outside of my daily life, but now it is). I hand-lettered name tags for everyone and used some gold-threaded twine to tie them to sprigs of rosemary, which smelled amazing and gave a nice personal touch. There is something special to me about crafting a space that shows love for each person sitting around the table.

Name tags and greenery add a personal touch

Candles give off a serious glow

4) Keep it casual so guests feel comfortable. I have been places before where I was afraid to breath because I didn't want to wreck anything-- it was almost TOO nice. Even though the food was snazzy and the place settings looked nice, they were still plates that came in a pack of 18 for a dollar. Giving it a laid-back feel made it slightly less bizarre and "are those the chairs you take camping?", I think, that everyone was sitting in a hilariously eclectic assortment of chairs that could only be described as "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving".

Camp chairs, desk chairs, dining room chairs-- we had them all. 

These are things that definitely added to our successful gathering. It didn't matter what a small space we had because the people who came were awesome, and there is a mutual love that harkens back to those nights sitting around the table with my family for all of those years.

Thanksgiving Outfit Ideas

It's officially the most wonderful time of the year: crisp air, football, twinkle lights, Christmas music, and food-- so much food.

Thanksgiving is this Thursday, so I am sharing some outfit ideas that are both cute and comfortable (as is pretty much everything I wear), but also allows a little room to grow with that second helping of dinner or third slice of my mum's pumpkin pie. If your family meals are anything like mine, you see the importance of this.

The first outfit is a checkered jumper, which I like because you can style it with a cardigan, like I did here, or with a long sleeved t-shirt layered underneath it overalls-style. I paired it with my favorite boots and a bow to hold my hair out of my face. The dress is stretchy, which is a plus.

Checkered jumper...and it has pockets!

Dutch braid held back with a Wunderkin velvet bow

My second outfit is a layered look: a cream-colored crew sweater over a flannel babydoll top with a pair of high-waisted jeans (perfect to conceal the food baby). I left my hair down for this, and paired the menswear-inspired outfit with a large-face watch and my Thursdays boots again (\I've had these boots for three years and they only get more comfortable).

Playing in the leaves!

Thursdays boots

I love layering plaid under cream. 

Possibly my favorite look. 

This corduroy babydoll dress is basically the color of Thanksgiving. I love the loose flowy style, and I paired it with a pair of black flats and a black pearl-studded headband. The headband is cute but functional, which is the key to accessorizing. It looks like I put a bit of effort in, but it's also keeping my hair out of the way so I can focus on Shelley's pumpkin cheesecake (clearly I just show up for the desserts).

Ankle strap flats and a headband to tie it together 

The fourth outfit is another layered look. I have a navy floral shift dress under a turtleneck sweater and-- you guessed it-- my Thursdays boots, again. I used a sage headband from Little J to tie in the colors of the floral print on the dress and pulled my hair into a braided bun.

My last outfit is the one that most focuses on comfort over aesthetic. I wore a pair of mid-rise moto leggings (stretch!) with an oversized chenille turtleneck sweater and my Chelsea boots (a summer sale snag from a couple of years ago). My hair gets tangled with any kind of collar or hood, so I styled it in a loose twist with some French pins and pulled pieces out to make it look undone and casual.

French pins twist

I hope that this gives you some inspiration, especially if you are like me and stare at a full closet lamenting that you have nothing to wear. Happy Thanksgiving!

Five Fall Favorites

Hi everyone! Today's post is all about the wonderful alliteration of five fall favorites. This is, in my opinion, the best time of the year, so it was hard to just pick five things, but I did it.  I am all about the cozy vibes and dainty details.

My first favorite are these Backcountry leggings. I got them a little while ago, so my exact pair isn't on the site anymore, but these ones are pretty similar (albeit much more expensive, but they always have sales and codes). They are thin but the fleece lining gives an extra layer of protection against the cold. They're water-resistant, which is huge in snow/rain, and they have pockets-- actual good pockets that I can stick my whole phone in and not just a chapstick. If you plan to do any sort of hiking this fall/winter or are just looking for a cozy base layer, these are your pants. I wore these all through our Sleepy Hollow trip, including on the rainy cemetery tour (you can check them out here).

In the same realm of cozy goodness, I'm also very into beanies, and the COAL beanies are some of the better ones I have had. They come in a wide array of colors, and they are so warm. I'm very particular about anything being too tight on my head or too itchy, and these beanies are neither of those, plus they look cute with everything and add the perfect amount of grunge. I also got a pretty mauve pom-pom beanie from ASOS recently for around $7. I don't wash my hair every day, so for second- or third- day hair, it's nice to pop on a beanie over curls on their last leg or a braid.

This third one is neither cozy nor dainty, but an essential. Over the summer, Shelley and I began trying to veer away from deodorants that use aluminum and other harmful components, but I absolutely need something with an anti-perspirant in it. I've tried a couple so far that have not worked for me even a little bit, and clinical strength whatever-brand is usually my go-to. Shelley uses the Tom's, so I gave it a try and can report it is effective, even under layers of sweaters and jackets. If you've been on the fence because you aren't sure where to start, this is my recommendation!

On to the dainty details. One of my favorite parts about cooler weather is how you can put forth pretty much zero effort and still look cute and put together: sweater, jeans, boots, done. It's basically the dressed up version of sweats. Sometimes, though, the sweaters' necklines make me feel like there's something missing that could add that final pizazz, so I have been cycling through a couple different necklaces: the Tiffany heart necklace Shelley got me a few years ago for our anniversary, a little gold necklace with stars and moons on it, and the Giving Keys necklace my mum got me for my birthday this past year. Each of them have a delicate chain and a sweet charm, which adds a little bit of sparkle to the more grey aspects of this season, and the company provides jobs to people transitioning out of homelessness.

Shelley and I have been long-time lovers of Sara Bareilles, and when we saw she was touring for her new album, Amidst the Chaos, we bought tickets the day they went on sale. We waited months for the show, and this past weekend we finally got to go. I love the fact that she writes her own music, that she plays piano, and that her voice is clear, authentic, and ethereal. She doesn't need choreographed dance moves, contoured features, or auto-tuned vocals to sound good-- she just is who she is, unapologetically. Seeing her in concert made us love her more, which is why she made this list instead of the pair of boots I was initially going to share on here. Not only is she insanely talented, but she is also witty, gorgeous, and swears like a sailor, which makes her much more relatable. Somehow, she sounds better live, with added runs and riffs, changed notes that cover the whole damn scale, and a power and clarity that only come from sheer raw talent. If you haven't listened to her album, or anything by her, I highly recommend searching the Amidst the Chaos tour on YouTube so you can hear for yourself. I've been listening on repeat.

What are you loving this fall? Let me know in the comments or send me an email!

Leaf Peeping in Hudson Valley

One day in the middle of July, I was pining for fall in a way that made me start stalking the Farmer's Almanac to see when leaves would peak up north. I spontaneously booked a trip to Sleepy Hollow, a place I have always wanted to go because spooky season is fun and I am a lit nerd. Shelley reminded me that we are saving for a wedding and already had a trip planned to Orlando for a friend's wedding, but I had already booked, so what could be done? (Part of my plan!)


We began the drive early on Friday morning with sandwiches and bags stuffed into my little Mazda hatchback, Arlandria. Road trip-ready with a playlist prepped, we drove... and drove... and drove to New York.

Stopped off on the way to see this lookout

The 6 and a half hours were nothing compared to the over double that time we had done down to Orlando a few weeks prior. We took back roads and were able to truly enjoy the colors of the leaves, which honestly took my breath away.

When we first arrived in Hudson Valley, before we even brought our bags in, we were down walking along the river and playing on the pebbled beach.

Hudson River 

Exploring the Hudson 

We stayed in a little bed and breakfast called Casa Hudson, which overlooks the Hudson River. The place was clean, the breakfast was minimalist and good, and the owners were kind. Plus, the view!

This view!

Casa Hudson

That night, one of the first things that drew me to Sleepy Hollow in the first place was the Great Jack O'Lantern blaze-- over 7,000 carved pumpkins arranged in various displays. Carousels, windmills, trains, bridges-- it was amazing to see, like Christmas at Halloween. If you go for no other reason, make it to see this.

A bridge of pumpkins!

Now we know why he is screaming...

Shells walking into the bridge of pumpkins 

The next morning after breakfast, we put on our hiking boots and headed out to a place recommended to us at the B&B called Bear Mountain. It gets its name-- you guessed it-- from the large bear population, but thank goodness we didn't see any or I wouldn't be typing this now.

Bear State Park 

Hiking (again, Sorel boots for the win!)

We started out near a waterfall (surprise!). Anyone who has followed this blog for any amount of time knows that's kind of our thing, so after a gorgeous hike up the mountain, we trudged back down-- which was somehow more treacherous than going up-- and lunched on a ledge above the waterfall.

Lunchtime picnic at a waterfall

<3 

So many gorgeous leaves 

The colors were seriously breathtaking. 

The leaves were incredible, and with every turn I was exclaiming and snapping pictures of the way the light filtered through the leaves like a kaleidoscope and cast crazy shadows. The morning was perfect, just cool enough, and the sky was a deep, clear blue. We explored a swamp across the street as well, listening to the wind rustle through the willows.


Our plan was to cross the river and head back to Sleepy Hollow for a kerosene lantern tour of the Old Dutch Church Cemetery. We went early and found out a Halloween festival was happening, so we explored the cemetery by day and ran into the Headless Horseman and got to see the Headless Horseman Bridge. In spite of the lore that goes along with the town, and the street signs with the horseman depicted at the top, it wasn't as touristy as I expected-- not like Salem, which I also loved in spite of the witches on every corner.

The bridge 

Old Dutch Cemetery 

Our feelings about being there 

The Headless Horseman

Old Dutch Church of lore 

Me by THE Headless Horseman Bridge 

Horseman sculpture 

Being cheesy with the Horseman's Hollow haunted house stuff 

The little town was quite lovely, and the day was perfect. We walked up and down the streets and explored, and went to the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse, which made my day. I don't know why I have this thing with lighthouses, and this one was pretty small, but it was still worth the walk.

Lighthouse

Relaxing at the lighthouse in Sleepy Hollow 

That evening, we bundled up in layers-- it was much colder than I anticipated-- and grabbed our kerosene lantern for the tour. It was a walking tour through the cemetery and took us until midnight, which was very spooky. The tour in general was historical and fascinating, and walking through the cemetery at night was more peaceful than unsettling. Some of those dead rich men had some crazy things to prove with the giant mausoleums they erected, and one man even put a statue of an attractive woman on his tomb so that she is trapped there, immortalized in tears for him. Insecure much? We got to see Irving's gravestone, and had a confused moment of "What's he doing here?" when we saw Andrew Carnegie's name on a grave up there. Apparently that was where he chose to be laid to rest and not Pittsburgh, where everything is named after him. I highly recommend this tour as well-- our guide did a fantastic job, and the lantern was a big selling point for me. It was all very old-timey, which may be why I am into the lighthouses as well.

Ready for our guided cemetery tour 

Lantern in hand 

Washington Irving's grave-- his headstone was stolen twice!

Sunday, we wanted to go for a hike but woke to a torrential downpour and the Hudson crashing against the shore like we were at the ocean, so we ended up heading home. About halfway through the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, we came across a waterfall gushing over the road, and a mountain with the most exquisitely colored trees and a fog, so we pulled over to grab some pictures and just appreciate the sheer beauty of God's creation. The whole weekend was very much that-- stepping back, almost as if into another time, and allowing ourselves to walk and experience and live in nature with gratitude and awe of the entirety of it.

Mount Bethel 

Our trusty steed

If you decide to go, or have been, let me know! I'd love to go back some day.