I Once Loved a House, and It Loved Me Back

I Once Loved a House, and It Loved Me Back.

Hello friends of this list,

It's been quite a fall. I've been all over the country on book tour, and I moved to a new state. Never do those two things at once!  (And in case you're wondering, our bookstore, Eureka Books, is alive and well and we are still the owners! It is an independent bookstore, after all--so independent that it can live in California while we live in Oregon.)

Just a few days ago, we settled in our new home in Portland. But I've had an opportunity to take one last look back at the house I said good-bye to: Apartment Therapy ran a story about how I coped with letting go of a house I love.

How did I do it? I decided to fill a sketchbook with drawings of every little thing I cherished most about my home. I've been posting them on Instagram for some time, but the Apartment Therapy story brought many of them together in one place. I hope you enjoy the story.

What Are You Doing This Saturday?

The corner market. That tiny toy shop you adore. The local bike shop. Your neighborhood bookstore. These are the shops that hire your neighbors, support your local food pantry, and make your neighborhood a cool place to hang out. So what do you think about hanging out with them on Saturday?

On Small Business Saturday, independent bookstores around the country are offering up special events, holiday specials, and a chance to watch local authors pretend to be booksellers for a day. That's right--the bookstore near you will be staffed by authors for a day, who will do their best to persuade you to read all the same books they love.

I'll be at Broadway Books in Portland at 11 on Saturday. Find out who will be at your local bookstore here--and if you don't see them listed, stop by anyway!

What I'm Watching: A Movie Made of Paintings

What an astonishing work of art! Imagine, a feature-length animated film made entirely of hand-painted oil paintings. And it's about Vincent Van Gogh, which is fitting. To my surprise, it's also a bit of a murder mystery. Go see Loving Vincent in theaters if you have a chance--it's dreamy and gorgeous.

 

How's this for a Thanksgiving centerpiece?

If you're lucky enough to have access to a farmers market (or a Trader Joe's) that sells Brussels sprouts on the stalk--trust me, this will become a Thanksgiving tradition. I love this recipe, but if you're not a fan of spicy peppers, all you need is salt and pepper.

Have a lovely, gratitude-filled (and Brussels sprouts-filled) Thanksgiving, everybody!