Today on weekend meanderings, Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan’s Scott’s gorgeous New York City apartment, 6 Substacks I can’t get enough of right now, the coziest striped sweater, and a home manicure solution that’s working for me. Plus, a reader favorites book round-up and last week’s giveaway winners.
Happy Saturday, friends!
It’s time for the weekend post with Kim and Elizabeth, our weekly roundup of inspirations and goings on.
This morning’s email looks a little different. Did you notice? I switched email platforms which caused considerable anxiety while seriously taxing my tech abilities. But it’s done so yay! If you had any delivery issues, please let me know in the comments.
I’m talking about books – again – so I thought you’d enjoy a look at the Creekside Folly’s upstairs landing design created by Ashley White of Eye for Pretty.
This post may include some affiliate links. Click here for my full disclosure policy.
Speaking of the Creekside Folly, a ton of progress was made at the house this week and I’m going over later for a look-see. Our project manager asked for plumbing specs ASAP … like where exactly is everything to be placed – from shower heads to towel bars. And, a meeting’s been set with the cabinet maker. Things are happening.
Let’s get started with last week’s book bundle giveaway …
And the Winners Are …
I’m excited to announce the winners of last week’s book bundle giveaway are Christine and Sarah! Congratulations, ladies … I sent each of you an email to get your mailing addresses. I’ll have your books – The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, Lying Drunk by Tony Hicks, and Every Day I Read by Hwang Bo-Reum – on the way to you early next week.
A huge thanks to everyone who enthusiastically participated – I’m blown away by all of your responses and book recommendations. I compiled them here so you can easily browse through all 72 of them. And you also can purchase through the links, but of course I encourage you to buy from your local bookshops. Quite a few titles were mentioned again and again including The Correspondent, Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, My Friends by Fredrick Buckman, James by Percival Everett, The Women by Kristen Hannah, and Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall.
Reader Favorites Book Round-Up
I also want to mention an online book source I just discovered. Bookshop.org offers the convenience of online shopping and supports your local bookshop. When you buy from the site, you can designate a bookshop to receive the full proceeds from the sale. Read more about how it works here.
Dreamy New York Apartment
AD’s feature on Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott’s – yes, that Jonathan Scott – New York apartment has me swooning. Far be it from me to diss the Property Brothers, I was a fan of HGTV and the brothers for many years. HGTV has kind of gone off the rails, but I do appreciate the Property Brother’s Celebrity IOU show and I’ve enjoyed the renovations of their personal homes … especially brother Drew and wife Linda’s gorgeous home in Hancock Park. Anyway … actress and singer Zooey Deshanel and Jonathan have been a couple for many years and their New York City apartment is fabulous.
Have you noticed celebrity homes when featured in AD tend to come on the market a few months later? I certainly hope that’s not the case here but time will tell.
Meanwhile, take a look at the apartment’s stunning family room with arched built-in bookcases and incredible millworker details.
The kitchen is a wow. The copper trimmed custom hood was designed by Jonathan. And the powder room makes quite a statement with its custom wallpaper and vintage Italian mirror.
I appreciate Zooey’s love of pattern and color combined with traditional-meets-maximalist aesthetic. The couple found an ideal partner in New York City-based designer Young Huh. As you can see their collaboration was a triumph and the couple wrote the forward for Young’s upcoming book, A Mood, A Thought, A Feeling: Interiors – what a great title. I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Boden’s Lucy Oversize Cotton Jumper Sweater
You know I love a cozy sweater. My entire wardrobe can be summed up in two words … jeans and sweater. Wait, maybe three words … jeans, t-shirt and sweater. I’ve never met a sweater I didn’t love so when I say I love this oversized striped sweater – sent to me by Boden – you may do an eye roll. Fine, be that way. Nevertheless I do love it and have worn it three of the last four days. The only reason I reluctantly switched things up is I was meeting a friend who had already seen me in it earlier in the week.
Anyway, it’s been very cold here and I’m not cut out for this kind of cold. Of course it’s a good reason to stay at home and at home I want to be super cozy and comfortable which can easily slide into slovenly if I’m not vigilant. So, thank you Boden for assisting me in staying warm, cozy, and comfortable while being able to hold my head high should I have to dash to the mailbox or grocery store … or heaven forbid answer the front door.
I’m wearing a small which at first glance I thought would be way too big. Not at all … it fits perfectly. Perfectly oversized in that it’s longer – but not baggy – and the sleeves are ideal length. That’s a long way of saying it fits true to size … and it’s available in two other stripe color combos and two solids. Highly recommend.
6 Substacks I’m Loving
Have you ventured into the Substack universe? I love the platform for many reasons including its lack of advertising (currently; we’ll see if it holds), long form content covering every subject under the sun, and – for the most part – lack of the snark so pervasive on social platforms. That said this is probably the honeymoon phase, everything evolves, but for now I love pretty much every thing about it. There are a few things I find onerous, like the paid subscription model that requires tough choices be made, although many of my favorite Substacks are paywall free (thank you!). Anyway, the irksome side of the equation is something I’ll discuss another day. Today, it’s about 6 Substacks I’m currently loving, a few of which I’ve mentioned in past dispatches.
- Fresh Hell; Tina Brown’s Diary (no introduction required, witty observations with one eyebrow raised)
- Heather Cox Richardson (politics from a historians perspective)
- P.S. by Plum Sykes (I’ve been fan-girling since Plum’s Vogue days, she’s so chic and I hang on her every word)
- The Life Edit by Shira Gill (organizing expert and inspiring minimalista)
- The Last Layer by Colin King (interior stylist and author of the Devine book Arranging Things)
- The Grosgrain by Heather Davey Fusco (blogger turned Substacker, arbiter of good taste & social media sensation)
You may have noticed that many favorite bloggers have transitioned to Substack, like Heather Davey Fusco and Shira Gill. I’ve been toying with the idea too. Running a blog is costly, hence my email platform change, as well as cumbersome. And, if you’re not technologically inclined, one must hire outside help for ongoing maintenance, issue resolution, and other annoying things. The Substack platform is free to creators … and the subscriber paywall is optional … so call me Substack-curious. I’d love to hear your thoughts as well as your favorite Substack newsletters.
DIY Manicure
Who doesn’t love a pretty manicure? I do, but developed a gel polish allergy and my days of perfectly manicured nails came to a screeching halt. The sad truth is that regular nail polish, even when applied by a professional (shout out Irina at Beauty Lounge), chips easily … and quickly. I was grousing about this to BFF Jane who suggested I look into Celisse, a back-to-basics nail system designed to make home manicures simpler and less time consuming. I’m down for that. Their philosophy being that perfect is the enemy of good … and a good manicure is good enough.
Last year, with the holidays – holiday events – approaching I ordered The Full Set. It comes in a pretty red box and includes a nail file, buffer, cuticle serum, three pretty polishes and a top coat (no base coat required). The polishes are neutral, sheer, buildable … and fast drying. My favorite is Camisole. Even better, a sheer, neutral polishes blends in so chipping is no biggie … it’s barely noticeable. Believe it or not I read the instructions and learned – at age 63 – how to properly file my nails. But let’s not get into the weeds.
I don’t love doing my own nails, but it has to be done and this system is easy, relatively fast and it’s working for me. With Valentine’s Day approaching I’m looking at the pretty red box and thinking this would be a lovely gift for daughters, nieces, friends … anyone who either can’t or chooses not to engage in the gel nail industrial complex.
Odds & Socks ~
“If you read a book in 2025 – just one book – you belong to an endangered species.’ (gift link)
Don’t miss Cindy’s feature on one of my favorite, uber-stylish, golden girls.
Words matters … this made me laugh.
C Magazine (C for California) recently celebrated their 20th anniversary and published their very first book California Dream State: Stylist Living from Canyon to Coast
We just started rewatching The West Wing – it’s on Netflix. I loved this series, can you believe it debuted in 1999?! And it holds up … in fact, it’s surprising how current it feels it terms of issues being grappled with.
Current Favorites ~
And that’s what I have for you today. Last weekend we talked about three favorite books from last year, the debut of Donkey King on ABC (did you watch this morning … if not watch it here), and mini Boat & Totes make for fun gifts … if you missed it, catch up here.
Let’s see what’s inspiring Kim and Elizabeth.
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Hi Juliet,
I love the look of your recommended Boden sweater. But when I went to the website I saw it is dry clean only! A cotton sweater dry clean?
Would you try to wash it?
Good morning, Eva. I’m a devotee of Patric Richardson’s book, Laundry Love. Patric says we cannot let our clothes boss us around (i.e., let the care tags boss us around) and everything in our closets can and should be washed at home … and he details how to launder everything imaginable. I follow his advice to the letter for regular laundry, but I’m ashamed to still send knitwear to the dry cleaner (don’t tell Patric). I know … this is not very helpful. xo
https://go.shopmy.us/p-38137172
Thank you for the book recommendation
Hope you enjoyed the list, Eva. Lots of great books to keep us busy this year. Happy weekend! xo
Hi, Juliet —
Regarding your new platform, I thought it might be helpful for you to know that I found your email in my promotions/non-primary inbox this morning.
Most of my Substack follows are political. I do subscribe to the wonderful Catherine Newman, dba Crone Sandwich.
Julia! Thanks for letting me know. Apparently you can drag the email into your primary box and it will prompt you as to whether to delivery them there in the future. Hope that works, and sorry for the trouble. I follow of political Substacks too … and Substacks of every topic under the sun. It’s getting out of control, but I adore the platform. Thanks for the recommendations, I’ll check them out now … and happy weekend! xo
Good morning!
You are so right in commenting that HGTV has gone off the rails! I used to love it, but now haven’t looked at it for years.
For a nice manicure I use Essie in Mademoiselle. It is a very soft pale pink shade that not only holds up well, but if you do experience the rare chip it doesn’t show up! I keep my nails short, and this color adds a bit of the French style so popular now.
Lyn, it’s a bummer what’s happened to HGTV, my once guilty pleasure. Same thing with the Food Network. I love Essie polish too and I’m partial to Lady Like. When I go to Irina for a basic manicure I always take it with me. What I don’t love is the two hours it takes to dry. I’m losing patience in my old age. Happy weekend! xo
I need a new substack like… well, nonetheless I signed up for more… thank you for the list. And loved the piece on Words…
Leila … I hear that! At some point the Substack needs to bundle subscriptions because there are just too many good ones … and only so much budget. It feels a lot like streaming services … I guess we’ve become a death-by-subscrition society. Oof. Happy weekend! xo
Hmmm…I’m not sure I can do my own nails well…but I could give it a shot!
Happy New Year!
It’s a steep learning curve, MA. Happy New Year! xo
Hi Juliet,
I have to do my own nails too – and recently found a system I like called Dazzle Dry. It is super fast – like within 5 minutes. I’m not paid by them lol!
Another great post – and love the idea of not letting your clothes boss you around ha!
Jenny … I think I’ve heard of that too. In addition to the polish time, the drying time is unbearable … thank goodness for these new products that make the process slightly less dreadful. Happy New Year! xo
Thank you for passing along Bookshop.org. I have passed this book-buying option to my book club members, and I will continue to encourage others to do the same.
Nancy, I’m so glad to hear that … and was thrilled to stumble across it! xo
No Substack for me. I respect your right to monetize but it just feels like anyone with a blog or social media presence is heading for Substack. Many have little or any original information or only post sporadically after receiving subscriptions. Subscriptions (multiple) can run into the hundreds and thousands of dollars for the users to access formerly free (if you don’t count the ads or endorsements) entertainment. However, I do believe you have the right to be compensated for your time.
Hi Susan, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I agree with you about the subscription fees. Speaking only for myself it’s not about compensating time, but covering operating costs. There are many newsletters I’m willing to pay for – similar to buying a magazine or newspaper. But I have mixed feelings about the blogs turned newsletters adding a paywall. Anyway, I’m noticing a real shift, certainly a shift in where I spend my online time … which is more and more on Substack. And I don’t love change. Ha. Happy weekend! xo
Hi Juliet,
I like the new platform. It’s easy on the eyes. Only thing I didn’t like is that I did not receive the email this morning. I’ve checked everywhere and it is nowhere to be found. I’ll try resubscribing and see if it arrives next week.
I’m a huge fan of Substack, especially Heather Cox Richardson, she’s the best and keeping me sane right now. I’ll check out the others. I’m hoping the platform remains a good one and it is not just a honeymoon period.
I miss HGTV. I could just leave it on and know something good was always on. Property Brothers were always fun to watch, and the apartment above is lovely.
Stay warm!
Janet
Janet, thanks for letting me know you didn’t get my email. Check your promotions and junk folders. Sorry about the inconvenience but I’m glad you found your way back despite the extra steps. As for HGTV, I feel the same way, there was always something good on and it made for great background. Did you see the Gaine’s Mountain House? Only three episodes, but I did enjoy that transformation. Happy weekend! xo
I unfortunately did not receive your email today! I look forward to having my Saturday morning cup of coffee reading your message, so hopefully it will re-appear next week
Hi Ann, I’m so sorry to hear that. Check your junk or promotions folder and you might find it there. Then move it to your inbox and it should prompt you whether you want to receive it there in future. In the meantime, I’m working behind the scenes to make sure it gets delivered properly and not treated as junk. Sigh. Thanks for letting me know and happy weekend! xo
Hi Juliet,
Good luck doing your nails.
The NY apartment that Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott own is incredible.
Good to know about purchasing books too.
Have a great week.
Thanks, Katherine … happy weekend to you!!! xo
Thanks for sharing the Celisse nail products. Also, I love The West Wing.
Isn’t it the best?! We’re halfway through the first season and I’m already dreading coming to the end of the 7th. xo
Juliet, I am so excited for you. To have a dream designer help you with your new place is going to be amazing. The landing looks beautiful.
I am with you…I am not a cold weather person and though I know 40s isn’t cold for some, it is for me. I can’t be motivated to do much. We went to Mexican last night and Jackson said it is frigid mom!! You know guys never complain about the temp…so I was justified.
I have been using Olive & June I know can find a CVS. The base coat, polish and top coat last about a week, are healthy too. I am not so good with manicures, but I am working on it too. I love the idea of this pretty set! The colors are lovely.
Good idea having a book space. You read so much, I think people will appreciate your selections too.
The sweater is adorbs. Boden is always the nicest quality.
What is it about this time of year? I repeat the same look many days in a row. I just can’t be bothered and I only care about being warm!
I love all these Substacks. I subscribe for free for a lot of them, and others I really love, I’ll pay.
People don’t realize the blog takes a LOT of work, and since you and I don’t have those advertisements jumping all over, we get zero dollars for the work, except for an occasional link purchase.
I will look for the new email and see if I can make sure I get it to go to the primary. It looks lovely!
I love that apartment and will look for that designer’s book.
Have a great week Juliet! xo
I love substacks too.
I have not had trouble receiving your posts but the lack of strong contrast in the type has made it very uncomfortable to read.
My eyes feel strained afterwards.
Sorry. Afraid I’m giving up.
Sorry to see you go, Susan. I’m talking to my blog designer for my once a year tune up to see if she will make a change … my blog design isn’t something I myself have a lot of control over so we’ll see what she can do. In the meantime, thanks for being here and have a happy New Year! xo
Good morning Juliet!
I received my email on the new platform and loved the new look! It’s a game changer.
As for Substack…I am on there myself, but have not posted anything yet. I am not sure that Substack is without its issues. I have heard from many people that they are moving to Patreon because of problems with Substack. That said, I do not know enough about that side of it.
However I do follow a lot of people. I subscribe/pay for 3. I just can’t justify paying for more because there are only so many hours in the day and I find that I end up paying for things I do not use.
I love this nail kit! You have sold me on it and I will be ordering it when I leave here. I do love getting a manicure but find they do not last more than a week for me.
Thank you for the 72 book suggestions! I cannot wait to take a minute to scroll and find some new to me.
Your new bookcases look fabulous! Cannot wait to see more of the Folly!
Have a wonderful week Juliet!
xo
Hello Juliet,
Happy New Year! I love your striped sweater and I also enjoyed the apartment you featured especially the green wallpaper. I don’t want to pay for yet more news sources so substack is not for me honestly.I have my places I subscribe too and that’s enough! Take care xo
Isn’t that wallpaper divine! I feel like we’ve entered an era of subscription overload. I can’t keep up with streaming service subscription. It’s a brave new world! xo