Friday Favorites~a weekly series where we share our favorite books, decor, fashion finds, recipes, podcasts, articles and more.
FRIDAY FAVORITES NO. 558
Good morning friends. It’s time for Friday Favorites.
How was your week? I had a rough week with the time change. It must be age because I’ve never been affected before. I was awake at 5:00 and could not go back to sleep. Needless to say I am a little tired. What about you?
The weather has been hot again, it’s hard to believe it is November. It doesn’t feel like it at all.
Have you been enjoying all of the Christmas decor, baking, and music on social media? Did you see the viral Home Depot tree? I am curious, when a tree or a dress or a water bottle goes viral do you feel like you have to have it too?
I have lots to share today so lets get to Friday Favorites.
FOOD~RECIPES TO TRY
Cannellini beans with rosemary and balsamic onions, this looks comforting and delicious.
20 Minute Thai Basil Beef Rolls, are easy and delicious. I made these this week and I am making them again tonight I liked them that much.
Maple roasted delicata squash and wild rice salad is on my Thanksgiving menu! This salad looks amazing. By the way, if you are looking for more vegetarian recipe for Thanksgiving or just every day be sure to check out Vanilla and Bean.
Cinnamon Dolce Latte, recreate your favorite Starbucks drink at home!
Add this Bourbon pumpkin bread with spice swirl to your holiday baking. Make extra to have all weekend and to send home with your family.
LINKS TO READ+WATCH+LISTEN
6 Things You Should Never Buy a Host, According to Etiquette Experts
Students Hated ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ Their Teachers Tried to Dump It.
‘How Much Can This Child Take?’
The Most Walkable City on Each Continent
5 best ways to show your support to someone you love suffering from depression
How Americans Became Obsessed With Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar
These Brown ’n Serve Rolls Are Full of Midwestern Charm
The Future of Hospitality Lives at Auburn University’s 1856 Culinary Residence
Add this Hard Seltzer Sangria to your Holiday Bar
An Expert Says the 30/30/30 Morning Routine Is the Most Effective Method for Weight Loss
Trader Joe Holiday Items are Trickling In
You can always count on Gabby, 80+ Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas
BOOKS
Tuscany, 1943. Stranded in war-ravaged Italy, Beatrice’s dream of an escapist year teaching English is shattered. Granted shelter at the Villa delle Colombe, she seeks refuge in Francesca and Edoardo’s beautiful walled garden, hidden from the outside world, with an elaborate cypress maze at its heart.
But Beatrice is not the only one seeking an escape here. Francesca has brought children to the safety of the house, as well as other adults, all of them seeking sanctuary on the estate with its mysterious maze. As the war closes in, the residents are forced to witness—and do—unthinkable things…
2015. Tess arrives at the villa raw from the agonising loss of her husband. Beatrice, now custodian, guides her to the solace of its gardens, where Tess begins to heal. But all hope of peace is shattered by the arrival of Marco, the estate’s absent owner, who wants nothing more than to hand it over to developers.
Distraught, Beatrice realises she must finally reveal the villa’s painful past if she wants to save it. As the extraordinary story unfolds, Tess realises that Villa delle Colombe is not just a refuge, but a beacon of hope in the darkest of times. Can she convince Marco to give it a new lease of life—and find a way back to happiness herself?
The Other Half
Who killed Clemmie? Was it the blithe, sociopathic boyfriend? His impossibly wealthy godmother? The gallery owner with whom Clemmie was having an affair? Or was it the result of something else entirely?
All the party-goers have alibis. Naturally. This investigation is going to be about aristocrats and Classics degrees, Instagram influencers and whose father knows who.
Or is it ‘whom’? Detective Caius Beauchamp isn’t sure. He’s sharply dressed, smart, and thoroughly modern—he discovers Clemmie’s body on his early morning jog. As he searches for the dark truth beneath the luxurious life of these London socialites, a wall of staggering wealth and privilege threatens to shut down his investigation before it’s even begun. Can Caius peer through the tangled mess of connections in which the other half live—and die—before the case is wrenched from his hands? Bitingly funny, full of shocking twists, and all too familiar, The Other Half is a truly stunning debut.
When We Were Enemies(Free With PRIME First READS)
Camera-shy Elise Branson is different from the other women in her maternal line. Her mother is an award-winning actress. Her late grandmother, Vivian Snow, is a beloved Hollywood icon. But when Elise’s upcoming wedding coincides with a documentary being made about Vivian, Elise can’t escape the camera’s gaze. And neither can her grandmother, even in death.
It’s 1943 when Vivian, a small-town Indiana girl, lends her home front support to the war effort. As a translator in the nearby Italian POW camp, she’s invaluable. As a celebrated singer for the USO, she lifts men’s spirits and falls in love with a soldier. But behind this all-American love story is a shocking secret—one that is vital to keep buried if Vivian is to achieve the fame and fortune she covets.
For Elise and Vivian, what’s hidden—and what’s exposed—threatens to unravel their lives. The heart-wrenching choices they must make will change them both forever.
Holiday Couptails
Pop some bubbly and raise a glass to your new favorite cocktail book, Holiday Coupetails!
This festive collection of recipes crafted by Brian Hart Hoffman and Brooke Bell includes all the best seasonal flavors served up in the preferred glass of imbibers everywhere: the coupe. This book answers the call of home bartenders who have been asking for more since Brian’s first sold-out cocktail book, The Coupe, premiered in 2016.
In addition to favorite drinks inspired by Brian and Brooke’s international travel and memories with family and friends, Holiday Coupetails also offers appetizers and desserts to keep your holidays merry and bright. From warm, cozy drinks perfect for sippin while sitting by the fire to big batch cocktails and hors d’oeuvres ideal for lively holiday festivities, this book will have you saying, “let’s eat, drink, and be merry!”
Over 50 recipes for sipping and savoring, including: Polar Expresso ‘Tini, Sugared Cranberry Manhattan, Gingerbread Eggnog, Rum Old Fashioned, Mulled Wine Brownie Cups and so much more! Stunning photography accompanies each recipe.
If you have already read these books or missed something I have featured before on the blog check out My Bookshop on Amazon.
Books for Kids
FASHION AND DECOR FINDS & SALES
Love this Apres-Ski cashmere sweater!
This bag is so unique. I have several bags made by Selleria Boldrini and love them all. If you are looking for a classic crossbody bag this one is on sale!
Sand + Fog candle fans make sure to check out TJ MAXX, there are so many seasonal candles for under $12.99. Buy online, is a great selection and you don’t have to carry them home.
If you like Penhaligons, Byredo and Creed among other high end perfume make sure to check TJMAXX and Marshalls. So many great scents that are perfect for holiday gifts.
Target Holiday Decorations Under $35
- Threshold Lit Village Christmas Stocking Holder, $30
- 27″ Faux Spruce & Pinecone Christmas Swag with Velvet Ribbon Trim $29
- Wondershop 30 by 18-Inch Buffalo Plaid ‘Merry’ Outdoor Mat, $10
- Threshold Artificial Flocked Tree in Woven Basket, $10
- Hearth & Hand With Magnolia Stripe Woven Throw Blanket, $20
- 48″ Skiing Christmas Tree Skirt with Overlocking Edge White $30
- Hearth & Hand With Magnolia 12-Inch Decorative Wooden Bead Garland, $15
- Threshold Embroidered Winter Scene Faux Shearling Lumbar Pillow, $25
- Wondershop 22-Inch Pre-Lit Flocked Mixed Pine Wreath, $20
- Threshold 4-Ounce Mercury Footed Ribbed Glass Candle, $5
- Wondershop 10-Piece Battery Operated Ceramic Village Kit, $30
- Hearth & Hand With Magnolia Chunky Rib Knit Christmas Stocking, $15
- Wondershop 16 by 16-Inch Reversible String Lights Pillow, $10
- Hearth & Hand With Magnolia ‘Tis the Season Christmas Wall Sign, $20
Don’t forget to check out my Holiday Shop and My Gift Guides(I am adding weekly)
UNTIL TOMORROW
I hope you enjoyed the recipes, links and books I discovered this week on Friday Favorites. If you did please share the post on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!
If you have missed a Friday Favorites post you can find them all here.
Don’t forget to stop by tomorrow for Weekend Meanderings with Kim and Juliet. Have a wonderful weekend.
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It’s been a long week here.
Hope you have a relaxing weekend William.