Friday Favorites (21)

Friday Favorites – a series where I share all my favorites from home decor, to clothing, to books & movies and more.

You may remember that I started this series to feature a few of my Friday Favorites – favorite things from home decor to clothes, recipes, and favorite shows. If you missed any you can see them here.

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I can’t believe this but I think our last Friday Favorites was in July. I know I took August off but how did September pass without sharing some favs? Oooops. Well, I have a lot to share with you this month from books to films to weekend getaways!

Favorite Spot to Read

I’m loving this new little spot to curl up with a book in our sunroom. I gave a peek at this space in our fall home tour. The chair is from Ikea and is so comfy. You can find the table here.

Favorite Books

Speaking of books, I have a few to share with you this month! I absolutely loved The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes. It’s a beautifully written fictional story inspired by the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. I never knew that the Roosevelts started this initiative to help more rural people have access to books. I loved the characters and story and the back drop was beautiful. It was one of those books I didn’t want to stop reading. Right after finishing this, I read The Last Letter to Your Lover which they made into a movie on Netflix with Felicity Jones. I still need to watch that!

The Captain’s Daughter by Meg Mitchell Moore – this book isn’t new but I thought it would be a perfect book to read in Maine. I don’t know if you guys do that, but I like to bring books set in an area or I love to read summer books in summer. I loved this book. I learned a lot about fishing in Maine because the main character’s father is a fisherman. It’s a lovely story of family, class, love, and loss all set with the coastal backdrop of Maine and Massachusetts.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid – I couldn’t put this one down. Another one I read in Maine. This book is set in Malibu and tells the story of the Riva family. Every summer the Rivas have a BIG party, huge actually, filled with celebrities and this one is in the early 80s. This book shifts from the 50s / 60s to the present day of the book early 80s. I just couldn’t stop reading! I loved the characters. Loved Taylor’s writing and loved the setting of Malibu, especially when it was a sleepy town in the 50s. I think you’ll love this one. I now want to read her other books: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six. Have you read either of these? I think she’s written even more books.

Now I’m reading Her Perfect Family by our cousin Teresa Driscoll. I just started it but LOVING it. Teresa writes amazing mystery and suspense books. I’ve loved them all. This one is actually featured as Amazon’s First Reads so people can download it for free. I interviewed Teresa as part of my Creativity Over Coffee series, you can read about that here.

Favorite Getaway

I can’t believe our week in Maine was a month ago! It was a fabulous and restorative trip. A great place to visit in the fall. You can see more about our trip here. If you’re into antiquing check out this post for places we loved in Maine for treasure hunting.

Favorite Body Cream

I have dry skin and Luke bought me this cream for the summer! I just went through the container and got a new one for fall. I LOVE that it really soaks into the skin and the fragrance is heavenly – coconut, vanilla and pistachio.

Favorite Gift Idea

You may have already seen these the other day when I shared them, but my husband and I collaborated on 2022 watercolor calendars. My watercolor illustrations and his wooden stands. They make the perfect gift as they come in a pretty gift box.

Favorite TV

We’re watching lots of great shows at the moment. As the boys are getting busy social lives it’s mostly been just the two of us watching together. We loved the White Lotus Hotel. It is kind of strange and compelling although not for children. Just as a warning there is language, drug use, and nudity.

We also really loved the Mare of Easttown. Kate Winslet is wonderful and, I think, won a Golden Globe for her performance. She plays a PA detective and is trying solve a missing person’s case while there a few murders in town. Couldn’t stop watching this!

We just started Nine Perfect Strangers. Only a few episodes in but another compelling one to watch. The premise is nine strangers at a wellness retreat. Nicole Kidman’s character is calming but yet there seems to be more…

The Hardy Boys is light and fun. The kids are watching this with us (when they have time).

I think by far though our current favorite is Only Murders in the Building. It is Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. There’s a death in their NYC apartment building and this trio start a podcast about it. We are dying to know what’s gonna happen!

Favorite Recipes

There were so many great ones in the New York Times the other week, but my family loved this salmon one (I used basil instead of mint) and these coconut black beans. We, of course, are back to making pumpkin bread. Get the recipe and pan we love here.

Well, I think that covers all our current favorites. Now, it’s your turn! Would love to hear what your current favorites are. What are you watching and reading?