Bluestocking Catalogue #8
Fabulously-fall cookies, my most-played album this year, & my favorite subscription box.
Hello, there!
Thank you, as always, for being here. I don’t have much to say here at the top of the newsletter this week, but am excited about this week’s recommendations. Let’s dive right in, shall we?
Brown Butter & Maple Pumpkin Cookies
I stress-baked these Wednesday afternoon.
I did not have pumpkin pie spice, so substituted ginger, nutmeg & cloves (I eyeballed an equal amount of each for a total 1/2 tsp.) Imagine chewy molasses cookies - but with pumpkin. And maple. And a lil’ homage to snickerdoodles. Their spicy-sweetness smells like autumn to me.
Hint: DON’T overbake. They should look slightly underdone in the middle when it’s time to pull them out. (Oh, I also weighed my flour.)
“Good Luck, Kid”: my most-listened to album this year.
This music is medicine for me. Joseph’s album “Good Luck, Kid” in particular can turn my day around. I am not bored of it (yet.) Their lyrics are poetic and their harmonies tight. I contend it works brilliantly as an album in a time when most artists prioritize singles.
My best friend shared this band with me when Noah and I were in the agonizing stage of Not-Together-Yet and the timing was perfect. I felt like they were singing my experience - and isn’t that one of the gifts of art? To articulate our profoundly felt, yet unexpressed, feelings & experiences. I felt seen. When the same friend came to visit me this winter, of course Joseph happened to be in town and of course we went. It was magical.
I found out last night that Joseph is hosting virtual concerts and I can’t wait to attend one (or maybe all of them, let’s be honest.) Regardless, give their album “Good Luck Kid” a spin - especially if you like Haim, Penny & Sparrow, or Maggie Rogers.
CauseBox
I asked for a CauseBox (a socially-conscious subscription box) for Christmas last year, and when it arrived in late January, I felt a real boost to my winter blues. (January might be my least favorite month - there’s nothing to look forward to & it’s so dark.) I love CauseBox’s mission: they are committed to highlighting eco-friendly, fair labor products that are both beautiful & useful. A month or so later, after some thought, I purchased the annual membership (which means paying up front in exchange for choices) and have not regretted it. Each box has seemed to arrive at the perfect time, and I use many items on the daily, like the gorgeous stacking bowls I received in the summer box or my one-of-a-kind S’well water bottle.
Here’s a peek at the fall box I just received this week:
^There’s always a lovely magazine with the stories behind the products, as well as a spotlight on the artist they hired to create the art for the box, as well as the cute postcard you see below. They often support small businesses that provide meaningful work for women around the world.
^Before I opened all the things!
^After I opened all the things! The green fabric are two towels & washcloths; I got to chose those over a robe. Each box always includes several large items (like the bamboo serve set above) that I actually use.
Out of 3 boxes so far, there are maybe 2 products that I might not want for myself but will make great gifts. (For example, there was a serum in the summer box that includes hydraulic acid - a very hip ingredient - but that I know I don’t want to use on my face yet because it increases your skin’s sensitivity to the sun.)
This is a year where many people’s finances are tight, meaning a splurge like this might not be in the cards for you. I get it. But if you’d like something to look forward to this winter and you have a little money to play with, you can’t do better than CauseBox. If you sign up using my link, we both get this PMD Microderm.
(As stated above, I also get a gift if you sign up using my link. But I was planning to share about CauseBox even before I found out about this promotion because I love their mission and these boxes have brought me a lot of joy in this dumpster-fire of a year.)
Call to Action: Pick one thing
I am mostly overwhelmed about the state of the world. This week, I wrote some Postcards to Voters to try to channel my rage into action. I’m also considering phone banking for Biden/ Harris, even though I don’t like talking on the phone. I’ve given money to a local campaign I believe in (Weinzapfel for AG, in case any local friends are curious.) I emailed my senators begging them not to replace RBG until a new president is elected.
There’s lots of do, and lots of ways to help. I assume you’re already registered to vote & have a voting plan. Good for you! If you, like me, sometimes feel weighed down with overwhelm, can you choose - and then do - just one thing to help support democracy today? Will you comment below & let us know what it is? I’d love for us to cheer each other on in the comments.
I hope your Sunday is nourishing & gentle.