“October is crisp days and cool nights, a time to curl up around the dancing flames and sink into a good book.” — John Sinor
READING: A book for business, a book for pleasure, and a children’s book about Audrey Hepburn:
Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People — “I know my own mind. I am able to assess others in a fair and accurate way. These self-perceptions are challenged by leading psychologists Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald as they explore the hidden biases we all carry from a lifetime of exposure to cultural attitudes about age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, social class, sexuality, disability status, and nationality” (Goodreads). I’m reading this book with its revealing activities as part of an equity book study with the admin cabinet.
The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It — The New York Times bestselling business biography of the visionary young widow who built a champagne empire, became a legend in her tumultuous times, and showed the world how to live with style. Tilar J. Mazzeo brings to life the woman behind the label, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, in this utterly intoxicating book that is as much a fascinating journey through the process of making this temperamental wine as a biography of a uniquely tempered and fascinating woman” (Goodreads).
Little Audrey's Daydream: The Life of Audrey Hepburn by Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Karin Hepburn Ferrer — The story and illustrations in this lovely book are as charming as Audrey herself.
LISTENING TO:
Vince Guaraldi Radio on Pandora — I love cool jazz in the fall, especially selections from It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and other Peanuts favorites leading into the holidays.
Halloween Party Radio on Pandora — “Thriller,” “The Monster Mash,” “Ghostbusters,” and all of my silly, spooky favorites.
WATCHING:
Halloween favorites including the hilarious Beetlejuice, Hocus Pocus and, of course, the aforementioned It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Each year, I look forward to the wonderful Vince Guaraldi soundtrack, the very first time Lucy pulls the football away when Charlie Brown tries to kick it, Snoopy as the WWI flying ace, “I got a rock,” and — spoiler alert: “You blockhead! You kept me up all night waiting for the Great Pumpkin, and all that came was a beagle!”
Emily in Paris — The new Netflix series is pure eye candy with its beautiful cast and Patricia Field’s creative (if totally impractical) wardrobe selections and styling, picking up right where Carrie Bradshaw left off in the “American Girl in Paris” episodes of the final season of Sex and the City. I really enjoyed the French language, the music (playlist here), and above all, the scenes around the beautiful city of Paris where all ten episodes were filmed on location. In fact, I miss Paris so much that I actually watched the series twice, but that doesn’t mean that I loved it. The show is rife with both American and French stereotypes that, although sometimes rooted in fact, present a very negative portrait of Parisians and their culture. If you’d like a reality check, watch this video by French fashion designer Justine Leconte.
ENJOYING:
The fall colors in Door County — Brilliant foliage, tranquil rosy, sunrises, deep blue water with rolling white caps, crimson apples, amber cider, and stunning, golden sunsets — We took a couple days off to have picnics in the woods and walk along the shorelines. It was cold and windy, but just what we needed to recharge our batteries — that is, until Saturday, when hundreds of tourists suddenly appeared and we went home early.
A chilly October Monday at home (aka “Fall Break”) — snuggling with Piper, a fire in the fireplace, café au lait with cinnamon, and a good book. As the daylight wanes and the temperatures drop, I am embracing my nordic predisposition toward koselig (the Norwegian version of hygge).
Although I really enjoyed traveling to New York and Paris last October, I did feel a little sad about missing one of my favorite months right here in Wisconsin. Little did I know, that a quick trip to Boston in early November would be the last time I would travel for over a year. Although COVID-19 is keeping us close to home, it has afforded an opportunity to truly appreciate the beauty in our own backyard.
