Two easy weeknight pastas, the best socks for icy toes, and a very good croissant-infused chocolate bar

Plus, a truly plastic-free coffeemaker

As I write to you, another snowstorm is barreling down the East Coast; my favorite local weather source is Hudson Valley Weather - the tone is calm, and the predictions have been spot on in all the years I’ve tuned into them. They are predicting 12-18 inches here with the possibility of 24+ inches in some locations. Snow, snow, snow is the future. To prepare, I ordered takeout for dinner as a pre-home-bound treat, brought in some extra firewood, and am going to bed early.

My birthday was this week, and it was a good one, full of connection and time with my people and, yes, some great birthday gifts. While I love to give gifts and I love to get gifts, I know that the best things in life aren’t things, so gifts always feel like icing on the cake.

A. Every conversation this week started with everyone remarking how much they were ready for spring. If that’s you, too, take a gander at Sean Pritchard’s Instagram feed for a dose of bloomscrolling! He has a new book coming out in June - I preordered it so fast.
B. This all-stainless-steel coffee maker ($80) is something I’ve been hunting for a long time - another pre-order this week. I see it as current Abbey sending gifts to future Abbey. 😂
C. My father sent this weather radio as a birthday gift, and I find the updates very reassuring in their simplicity - no checking Instagram while I’m looking for the weather update, that type of thing.
D. A perfect tiny cardboard box arrived in the mail this week, conveying a birthday gift of neon paint from a long-distance pal who knows my heart beats neon - and the brand name is Nova - how perfect! I’m already thinking about painting the edges of my inner doors with it.

E. A friend gave me this cookbook, and I’m going to spend the blizzard making pasta dishes out of it. These both look easy and delicious.

F. I suffer from very, very, very cold toes - so I was so excited by the gift of two pairs of these cozy, thick socks from Japanese brand Rototo. I wore them today and can report - super toasty toes all day.
G. My oldest kid gave me this notepad - our shared love of paper goods is the true gift.
H. Tim ordered these beautiful chocolates for my birthday in the potato chip and the croissant flavors!
I. These neon pencils were also a gift from Tim … they’d been winking at me in various stores for months so I was so touched when I unwrapped them (I hadn’t said a thing).
J. Remember Jack Gomme? I have vivid memories of a Jack Gomme tote that made me feel very grown-up in the early 2000s. My son picked this zippered pouch up at a local boutique for me, and it was a happy blast from the past.

I’m starved for green! October 6, 2025

It’s been a true joy to share slices of my life with you over the past year, along with the useful or beautiful things I’ve seen or used each week. I’m offering an anniversary subscription discount for the month of February and a small bonus: if you become a paid subscriber this month, I’ll send a piece of design history to your mailbox. I have collected vintage postcards for years—I can never resist them—and I would love to send a handwritten one to you as a thank you.

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I include a few bonus finds here each week for paid subscribers as a small token of appreciation for making this newsletter possible.