Best of November
November really flew by, which was quite the change from October which seemed to go on and on - seriously, I think October was the longest month of 2019 - a title usually saved for January. As we’re now full speed ahead in Christmas season, here’s a look at some of my favorites over the past month right before holiday season and "all things Christmas" consumed my life.
The Crown - OH MY GOODNESS I cannot express just how excited I was that the series finally returned. I had been waiting for this since the end of last season almost 2 years ago. This season saw a new cast which was even more exciting as there were new characters to look forward to. It was so good and I binge watched the season in 3 days as I was hooked. I always find myself researching while watching and this season was no different - I learnt so much and also enjoyed that we’re getting closer and closer to present day so once again, I’m waiting with bated breath for season 4.
Klaus - Ok this is THE BEST Christmas movie we’ve gotten in a long time! I know this is a grand statement to make but if you google the reviews you’ll see that I’m not alone in feeling this way. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a feel good movie and I have been telling everyone to watch this. The storytelling is amazing, as is the cinematography and it’s a great movie for all ages. I cannot recommend enough. Thank you for this Christmas gift Netflix - you really delivered!
Great Big Story Instagram - This account is so interesting as it’s basically mini documentaries on a variety of different topics. Launched by CNN, their Instagram account is just one outlet where content is posted - there's also a website, Facebook page and Youtube channel. Some of my favorite features thus far has been on a village in India that celebrates the birth of daughters by planting trees when each girl is born (see here), the Qing Miao tradition of young girls wearing headdresses made of their elders’ hair (watch here) and a touching story on Chef Christine Ha known as the Blind Cook. (watch here)
Longchamp Notebook - I got this as a graduation gift l and have been using it daily since (it was nicely packaged and also came with a pen - if you’re still shopping for Christmas gifts then this is a good choice). I know this seems like common knowledge but writing down everything has truly kept me more organised. I’m the queen of lists and just jotting down basic information but somewhere along the line I got super busy and flustered and this all went out the window. Since starting back I’ve seen just how much it has helped. I write everything down from my to do lists for the day, articles of interest, mini journals - the full works.
New York Times Morning Briefing - one habit I’ve kept since childhood is reading the newspaper every day , a habit which I think has served me well throughout adulthood. In my ongoing effort to stay informed, I signed up for the New York Times Briefing - which is basically a condensed version of the news for the day delivered to your inbox every morning. The New York Times has always been a reliable source of reporting for me and just taking the time to keep abreast with what’s going on in the world really improves my outlook on many things, especially in this era of misinformation and outright fake news. You can sign up here.
Bath and Body Works Lotion in “In the Stars” - A random purchase that worked out really well for me. I usually find that most Bath and Body Works scents are overbearing for my senses (too sweet, too heavy, too much musk etc) but this one is just right. It’s a pretty light, warm scent with hints of vanilla and amber and it isn’t jarring at all. I’ve worn it with a few different perfumes and it doesn’t compete or overpower them. If you’re like me and prefer a lighter scent then I recommend this one.
And here ends my November favorites. November was a pretty good month- a quick, busy one for me but good nonetheless. Hope you enjoyed this month's list! Thanks for reading