Weekend Reads #308

I'll be honest, I did VERY little reading this week. I didn't want to read what went wrong, who is at fault, and what will happen next. I believe the best thing is to rest, to recover, and be ready for the upcoming year as we cannot give up, it is our responsibility to keep speaking up and fighting for those who will be most affected by the change in administration.

So Weekend Reads is far less reading and much more everything else as I don't want to wear you out, overwhelm you, or make you feel defeated. Those emotions do not help anyone. Watch some fluff TV, read some smut on your Kindle, put in your earbuds and close your eyes and let the late fall sun shine on your face while you listen to bilateral music (really helps me stop the racing thoughts). But don't forget, with a new year needs to be new energy and drive. Love and strength to all of you.

Weekend Reads #308

I'm gonna love the hell out of you. (The White Pages)

Why I left the network. (ProPublica)

Why are people still buying ripped jeans? (New York Times – gift link)

I'm intrigued by the new Glossier lash curler.

Keri Henderson, a talented woman I met through the D.C. blogging scene, launched a newsletter called The Kickback with Keri. Her newsletter this week after the election was poignant; I encourage you to subscribe for free.

Suggestions for more honest Album of the Year list titles. (New Bands for Old Heads)

Let's talk about the white woman problem. (Emily In Your Phone)

Universal Standard is returning to the D.C. area for another trunk show/pop-up shop. From November 14 – 17, US will be taking over a mansion in Upper Northwest off 16th. I don't have a code, but I know other influencers like my friend Emily do, and any active code can be used on your purchase. Sign up to attend for free at this link. If you have never attended an event like this before, ready my review of attending a Universal Standard trunk show.

James Van Der Beek diagnosed with colorectal cancer: “There’s reason for optimism.” (The Hollywood Reporter)

One of the country’s few gender-affirming thrift stores is in Baltimore. (Baltimore Banner)

Sale Alert

Brandon Blackwood, one of my favorite bag designers, is having an early Black Friday sale with 40% off most handbags and up to 60% off select outerwear and shoes. The sale is at this link; use code BLKWDFRIDAY24 at checkout.

• My personal faves are the Daphne and the Jacqueline and I may have gotten one as a holiday gift to myself?

I know you don't all wear glasses, but GlassesUSA.com is having an early Bird Black Friday sale with an additional 40% off frames at this link. Use code EARLY40. Gucci, Michael Kors, Burberry, Versace, and more. I was shopping the sale last night and am considering these from Gucci, these from Michael Kors, and these from Michael Kors.

I have a Hydrow rower and I LOVE it. I have the Wave, the smaller one, which is so cool looking I have it in my living room (I picked the orange one). I love that I don't need to adjust anything but the foot things after my 6'4″ husband rides, that there is a great variety of rides with instructors or just pretty views, phenomenal stretches, and it gives me a full body workout without hurting any of my joints or my back.

Anyway, Hydrow has provided me with some exclusive savings codes where if you use code OXYGENWAVE you get $250 off the Wave rower, and OXYGENPRO will get you $450 off the original Pro rower. The Wave is smaller and holds up to 360 lbs; the Pro holds up to 375 lbs and both can accommodate up to a 36″ inseam (and clearly, with me, a 28″ inseam!).

J. Crew Factory has 50% off and then an extra 25% off orders $125+ with code BESTEVER and this sale ends tonight/Saturday so shop soon! My picks:

• You know I love a lady tux, and J. Crew Factory has this velvet one-button blazer and matching pants in sizes 00-24 with petites and the pants also in tall options.
• If you're looking for a pair of low shoes to go with your lady tuxes and cocktail pantsuits, these velvet loafers are an excellent choice.
• A badass and timeless statement necklace for less than $20.
• J. Crew Factory is fantastic for closet staples like this tissue turtleneck and this washable merino turtleneck.
• Pairing a simple shirt or sweater with these plaid pants is a quick and easy way to look festive this season. Highly rated and on sale for less than $50, consider a second pair in a work-friendly solid color.

Lane Bryant has Buy One, Get One 50% off. I shared before how I am impressed with Lane Bryant's current collection. Starting at size 10 and going up to 40, Lane Bryant is becoming one of the most size-inclusive brands out there. My picks:

• For the holidays or a special event, this jumpsuit is badass and comes in three lengths. If you prefer a sleeve, this one is also gorgeous.
• This blouse would look chic with black velvet pants, ivory trousers, or even your favorite jeans
• This dress is timeless, can be glammed up with a sparkly belt and heels, dressed down with tights and booties, and can even be styled with a denim or leather jacket.
• Well, hello there, fabulous red plaid pantsuit! Link for blazer, link for pants. Style with a black shell or turtleneck, white button-front shirt, or glam it up with a sequined tank! The pants come in lengths.
• I now have two of these bras; they're comfy, cute, and give great shape.

The Sephora Fall Savings Event is continuing through November 11; check out my sister's picks from the sale at this link.

• As for what I got: these tanning drops (never used before), this shadow palette (same), this setting spray for my daughter for Christmas (she's obsessed), this blush in Luminous Flush (new to me), this gloss in Coral Flash, this liner in Cobalt, this liner in Army Babe, this liner in Freak, this liner in Studio (I love a simple face and a bold colored liner along the top lash line and mine are all old or out). I also got my daughter this in Watermelon Kiwi.

As I was finishing this Weekend's Reads, I got an email from Universal Standard. If you go to this link and use the password VIPHOF, you can buy 3+ items for just $80 each. It's a good list of items like the Kanda Puffer, the Plaza Linen Shirtdress, the Better Than Wool Cardigan, the Kate Jumpsuit, the Odeon Shirtdress, the Next to Naked Bodysuit, and a bunch of other great things I don't have reviews of on Wardrobe Oxygen or Instagram.

See/Hear/Read

I'm back at it—watching The Golden Bachelor franchise, that is. My DVR automatically began recording this season's The Golden Bachelorette. I was going through the DVR, saw it, and it felt like the perfect thing to start Election Night when I got home from being an election judge, exhausted but too wired to sleep and too stressed to watch the early results. I ended up binging it with K this week and we've fully caught up.

The most lovely part of this series is the friendship created between the male contestants. As we get older, we can live more solitary lives. It's heartwarming to see these widows and divorced guys enjoying staying in a house together, opening up to one another, and truly bonding. I think that is more powerful than the supposed search for a new spouse, which I wouldn't be surprised if Joan, the Bachelorette, decides not to pick.

I also caught up on season 2 of Shrinking (Apple TV), another show that isn't heavy and is nice to look at and has really entertaining characters. I don't know how these folks have jobs and families yet all this time to hang out together in their backyards and living rooms and break rooms drinking wine and talking about sex and egos and vibrators, but I don't care.

Shrinking is a pleasant distraction, and I like Jason Segal and Harrison Ford and Wendie Malick and Christa Miller reminds me of when Cougartown was on and good. And I've come to love Jessica Williams and Ted McGinley and Lukita Maxwell reminds me of my teen. It's not as good as Season 1 but also it's more intriguing and I am wondering often how things will pan out.

I am back on my Elin Hilderbrand kick and am reading the second of her “Paradise” trilogy, which takes place in St. John instead of Nantucket. It's entertaining, though I don't feel as emotionally connected to any of the characters… except maybe Huck. The sons are dumbasses; the mom is a primary character, but not until the second book did I grasp that she was a brunette, and I can't envision anything else about her, and Ayers is a character I am still learning about and not quite understanding as well as I usually do with Hilderbrand's books.

But it's in sunny St. John, and when I am listening while rowing on the Hydrow or driving home from taking E to school or doing chores, it prevents my mind from wandering to less pleasant things. And I am all about that, especially this week. When The Perfect Couple came out on Netflix, it was hard to find Hilderbrand's audiobooks on Libby. But now, if they're not available, the wait is only a week or two, and I already have Troubles in Paradise ready to go when I finish What Happens in Paradise (I only have about an hour left).

For Your Entertainment

This is a week for some chill music, a nice to watch video… and some Lenny Kravitz. It's always a good time in my opinion, for Lenny Kravitz. He's dancing in a castle, he's dancing near a pool, he's lying in a fireplace, he's shaking his hips, playing the guitar and playing the drums and is shirtless most of the time… enjoy.

Oh, the song is also a good song. Add it to a playlist for preparing dinner, driving down a road on a sunny day, or taking your sweetie for a spin around the kitchen.