Curated Weekly

Only one week is left for October and autumn here in Raleigh is just really starting to show while I am out and about. Raleigh, North Carolina has a very temperate climate which means that the autumn season will truly be with us all through November and even leading a touch into the beginning of December. I still have so much to enjoy and savor this season and as we find ourselves near the end of October, I am also starting to plan for Thanksgiving coming up in a month as shown below. Thanksgiving may be possibly my favorite holiday because the trees here in Raleigh are full of color, the temperature is at its coolest without it being too cold, the Christmas tree makes its return, and of course the cozy Thanksgiving dinner and desserts. I will start incorporating some Thanksgiving ideas into the Curated Weekly posts if you too, like me, are starting to dream and plan of this most cozy holiday here in the U.S.

MODERN CLASSIC FINDS

With the temperatures starting to drop now that we are making our way into November, a quality coat may be on your list this year to buy and if so then this Timeless Topcoat from Banana Republic factory would be an elegant option for the season.

Silver will always be a timeless look for home decor and this Small Straight Steel Glass Vase from Zara Home would be beautiful for putting flowers in year-round, but also especially for the holiday season.

Elegant napkins are a key component to a well set table and if you are looking for a budget-friendly option then these 4pk Floral Napkins are only $16.00 and would look great for not only Thanksgiving, but for year-round too.

For my gardeners out there, I found this elegant Weekend Collection Garden Mini Tote Bag on Ann Taylor that would make for a beautiful option for tinkering around in the garden. It also comes in green and blue as well.

Whether creating a vignette for the home, making an evening tea time, or hosting a get together, there simply isn’t nothing that a good wicker tray can’t lend itself to and this Scallop Wicker Tray at Target is only $35.00 which makes it a good budget friendly purchase compared to its counterparts that is usually priced for more than $85.

I am currently in the process of brining in more elegant cups with saucers for my morning coffee as part of my sophisticated life list (I’ll make a blog post on this later) and I currently have this 8 oz Vintage Flower Ceramic Cup with Saucer on my list from Amazon.

I do love an elegant hobby and I recently discovered this beautiful Les Bouquets: of Classical Illustrations of Flowers, Arrangements & Bouquets Coloring Book from Mrs. Shockley’s blog A Home For Elegance in her September Favorites post. Also, if you have not visited her blog then please do so because it is a very lovely place.

And back again at Target for another collaboration this year is French designer John Derian with not only a Thanksgiving line, but also a Christmas line too. There are many vintage inspired items for selection this year, so be sure to peruse the entire collection. My favorites are the Lit Turkey Mold, Holiday Appetizer Plates, and Red Leaf Print Tablecloth although I loved so many of the other items too.

BOOKS

I recently picked up Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well: A Cookbook at Sur La Table as seen in the picture at the top of the post. This book is smartly written, beautifully illustrated, and recipe-filled as Sam Sifton, the Times’s resident Thanksgiving expert, delivers a message of great comfort and solace: There is no need for fear. You can cook a great meal on Thanksgiving and you can have a great time. This book is a definitive, timeless guide to Thanksgiving dinner – preparing it, surviving it, and pulling it off in style.

A new release this week that looks intriguing is Gathered: On Foraging, Feasting, and the Seasonal Life by Gabrielle Cerberville. Gathered is an adventure in foraging that awakens us to the beauty of the seasons and the world we live in, heightening our senses to the crunch of snow underfoot and the sharp prick of a thorny bramble. Season by season, Cerberville takes us along through winning harvests and missteps, introducing us to the beautiful complications of foraged edibles and the various ways to eat and prepare them in delicious recipes such as Chanterelle Peach Pie with Basil, Wild Blueberry Ginger Gimlets, and Pulled Hen of the Woods with Juneberry BBQ Sauce. Cerberville also chronicles indigenous practices of honoring the earth, and their own long road to self-discovery and acceptance.

Also being released this week is Epicurious’ Standout Cookbook For Fall 2025, Dorie’s Anytime Cakes by Dorie Greenspan. With evocative writing, expert advice, and gorgeous illustrations by Nancy Pappas, Dorie’s Anytime Cakes celebrates the simple, but still exciting and special with more than 100 recipes for easy-to-make, easy-to-love cakes. There are recipes for all kinds of cakes, including loaves and rounds, muffins, crumbles, and Bundts, even savory cakes—plus frostings, fillings, and other flourishes.

For my fellow Francophiles and foodies, I recently came across Cassoulet Confessions: Food, France, Family and the Stew That Saved My Soul at a bookstore in New York and it caught my attention immediately. Cassoulet Confessions is an enthralling memoir by award-winning food and travel writer Sylvie Bigar that reveals how a simple journalistic assignment sparked a culinary obsession and transcended into a quest for identity. Set in the stunning southern French countryside, this honest and poignant memoir conveys hunger for authentic food and a universal hunger for home. In Cassoulet Confessions, Sylvie travels across the Atlantic from her home in New York to the origin of cassoulet, the Occitanie region of Southern France. There she immerses herself in all things cassoulet: the quintessential historic meat and bean stew. Not only does she discover the deeper meanings of her ancestral French cuisine, but she is ultimately transformed by having to face her unsettling, complex family history.

MOVIES/TELEVISION/MEDIA

Being released in theaters on November 21st and on my list to watch is Rental Family starring Brendon Fraser. Set against modern-day Tokyo, RENTAL FAMILY follows an American actor (Brendan Fraser) who struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese “rental family” agency, playing stand-in roles for strangers. As he immerses himself in his clients’ worlds, he begins to form genuine bonds that blur the lines between performance and reality. Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.

Another movie that I am looking forward to watching is Ella McCay being released in theaters on December 12th. It’s about an idealistic young woman who juggles her family and work life in a comedy about the people you love and how to survive them. Featuring an all-star cast including Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Woody Harrelson, what’s not to love?

Step into the creative universe of Victoire, jewelry designer and artistic director of the Pino Pino Pino Club. In this video, Victoire welcomes us into her Paris apartment—a vibrant space filled with creativity, vintage finds, travel memories, and artistic projects. Discover her studio, her unique pearl collection, her decor inspirations, and get a glimpse into her daily life of creation, freedom, and passion.

ARTICLES OF INTEREST

If anyone can inspire us about personal style it’s the French and this article, The French Art of Layering in Autumn gave me some good ideas for my own autumn layering.

It almost sounds like something out of a crime novel, but sadly Thieves Break Into the Louvre in A Shocking Daytime Jewel Heist. This article details what was stolen and what we know so far.

If you’ve ever been curious as to what makes a luxury hotel luxury, then Travel & Leisure is here with the answer with What Does a Five-star Hotel Rating Actually Mean?

There’s plenty of inspiration to embody the grandeur and elegance of this iconic style in your own home in this article, Townhouse Sophistication: A Guide for Your Living Room.

I have visited the elegant Morgan Library in New York before and if I would have visited NYC later this month I would have certainly gone again as The Morgan Library Opens a Landmark Exhibition of Renoir’s Drawings.

For a state banquet, Kate Middleton accessorized her dazzling gold dress with her favorite headpiece and you can read about the sentimental value behind the Princess of Wales’ £1m stunning tiara.

If you too are planning on reading Marie Kondo’s newest book soon, then here is a great interview to read first with Marie Kondo On Her New Book Letter From Japan & Her Top Tidying Tips.