On a High Note Vol 29

WELLLL it’s 4pm and I’m just now getting around to writing this. 😂 That’s about how this Monday is going!

First thing’s first–Kendall is officially on maternity leave (Hooray! Welcome Baby H!) so we’re down to a skeleton crew over here for a bit. (AKA, back to being just me! Which is why I am already behind schedule! Kendall, hopefully you don’t see this so you aren’t disappointed in me although I know you’re not surprised. 🤣)

Second–I am working to put the finishing touches on my first gift guides this week! (I swear, every year people start releasing them earlier and earlier–I can never keep up!) Holiday content takes a LOT more time than usual, so thanks for being patient with me! (Luckily Kendall is a gem and has been working on these in advance!)

Now, let’s jump into our 29th edition of On a High Note: a roundup of things to bookmark for the week!

Gift...

OurPlace Pan on sale for $50 off with code SUPERSALE!

This has literally NEVER happened, but my absolute favorite OurPlace pan is on sale for $50 off right now–coming out to only $95! Use code SUPERSALE at checkout! If I had to pick ONE gift to reign supreme this year (for a loved one OR yourself) it would be this!

I did a big blog post reviewing it right over here. In short: It is the best all-purpose pan and the one that I use 99% of the time. It’s the easiest possible to clean, and so multi-functional. Not to mention, looks so beautiful on your stovetop!

Plan...

33 Chicago Restaurants you can order Thanksgiving Dinner from!

I know Thanksgiving is looking much different for all of us this year, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a bad thing! It’s a great opportunity to put up your feet, not have to deal with dishes, and to be able to give some much-needed business to your favorite local restaurants! The Infatuation just did an excellent round-up of 33 awesome Chicago restaurants you can order Thanksgiving Dinner from this year! Whether you’re looking for something traditional, or something out of the box–all of these options were making me verrryy hungry. If I can make a personal recco–I highly recommend Frontier! (Same owners as one of our other neighborhood favorites, Ina Mae!) Get on that pre-ordering ASAP!

Read...

“Other countries have social safety nets. The US has women.”

My friend Hitha shared this piece as one of her amazing #5SmartReads series last week that really struck a chord with me. It’s written by journalist Anne Helen Peterson (as part of her Substack newsletter, which you can subscribe to!)

She talks with sociologist Jessica Calarco (who teaches at my alma mater, Indiana University!) about her recent research on mothers grappling with parenting, partners, anxiety, work, and feelings of failure during the pandemic.

Although I’m not a parent myself, the Pandemic has made me increasingly aware of how much work we need to do here in the U.S. to better support women and mothers in particular. As the article says, “moms don’t need advice right now. They need politicians and business owners and community leaders and their own partners to step up and give them the support they deserve.”

Read...

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

Another read–but very different! I’ve been hearing about this one for a couple years now, but it’s new-to-me! I recently finished The Perfume Collector and highly recommend. (You can find here via Amazon, and here via Bookshop.org, which gives back to Independent bookstores–I always recommend going with this option if you’re looking for the physical copy! You can also support local bookstores by purchasing the audiobook version via Libro.fm! With my link you get a special offer of two titles for the price of one!)

All my WWII historical fiction junkies will love it. Here’s the description:

A remarkable novel about secrets, desire, memory, passion, and possibility.

Newlywed Grace Monroe doesn’t fit anyone’s expectations of a successful 1950s London socialite, least of all her own. When she receives an unexpected inheritance from a complete stranger, Madame Eva d’Orsey, Grace is drawn to uncover the identity of her mysterious benefactor.

Weaving through the decades, from 1920s New York to Monte Carlo, Paris, and London, the story Grace uncovers is that of an extraordinary women who inspired one of Paris’s greatest perfumers. Immortalized in three evocative perfumes, Eva d’Orsey’s history will transform Grace’s life forever, forcing her to choose between the woman she is expected to be and the person she really is.

Laugh...

Dating Material: Places You’ll Find My Hair, Six Months After We Break Up

This cheeky series of doodles in The New Yorker had me laughing out loud. My hair is always EVERYWHERE. There is never a shortage of places Neal is finding it, so if you’re in the same boat–this will give you a much-needed laugh!

Watch...

The Sarasota Ballet’s Digital Program!

A reader turned friend, Lauren, is a professional Ballerina with the Sarasota Ballet, and she let me know their digital program is coming up on November 20th-November 24th! You can purchase tickets for just $35 and watch it at your leisure anytime during that timeframe! Wouldn’t that be such a fun date night to dress up (you know, in normal clothes), make martinis and watch the ballet!? (Here’s a photo of Lauren dancing with her partner in the program!)