December '21 Newsletter
Hello and Happy December!
For me, December is all about tying up loose ends, and getting both my energetic and physical spaces decluttered and sparkly for the new year. I think this has a lot to do with my Russian upbringing, where New Year’s Eve was the biggest holiday of the year, celebrated very similarly to Christmas. We have a saying in Russia that goes, how you greet the New Year is how you’ll spend the year, and that’s always stuck with me. So instead of starting things like deep cleaning, organizing, setting intentions for the new year, or establishing new habits in January, I start them in December. I truly love this time, and the feeling of waking up on January 1st with things in order. And speaking of new habits, I’m currently reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, which is all about habit building, and I’m finding the subject fascinating.
As for all the holiday celebrations, gatherings, and entertaining, I talk all about my approach in this month’s class. The recipes this month are very festive and fun as well. We’ve got Miso Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies, which are great to bake on a snowy night or to use as fuel for tree decorating. There’s also Pistachio Fruit Cake, which is the edible gift component that I’m gifting this year, and Collard Rolls with Roasted Carrots and Cranberries, Sage White Beans, and Hazelnut Cream, which I dreamed up as a holiday main.
Mini Gift Guide
For this newsletter, I thought I would put together a mini gift guide of lovely things that I’m looking to gift this holiday season. Everything is under $50, small, and thoughtful.
Baggu Bag Set $36 - The ultimate reusable bags! They’re as fitting for the farmers market as for a beach day, and they come in so many fun patterns.
Leaves and Flowers Hojicha Latte Powder $40 - I never thought I would love a tea powder as much as I love a good matcha until I tried a hojicha latte this summer at Nana’s in Mystic, CT. Hojicha is a roasted green tea powder, made from the older leaves and stems of the tea plant and is low in caffeine. The flavor is toasty and earthy, great for a green tea or matcha fan.
Maldon Sea Salt Flakes $10.95 - It’s so nice to have this fancy, large flake salt on hand for finishing anything and everything, from salads to chocolate chip cookies.
Gua Sha $30 - Doing gua sha facial massage every night before bed has totally changed my skin. It helps relax the neck and jaw, aids lymphatic drainage for less puffiness, stimulates blood flow, and helps me with eczema flare ups. Head over to Britta’s page for the best tutorials.
Opinel Folding Knife $24 - A chic, French all-purpose folding knife, enough said :)
Doing Well Subscription $12/month - Health educator and coach Daphne Javitch recently came out with a subscription platform as an extension of her 1-on-1 health coaching practice. Love her grounded, back-to-basics view on health and wellness so much.
Moon List Journal $14.99 - A beautiful tool for self reflection, with unique journaling prompts.
Tart Vinegar $24-$26 - You can’t go wrong with gifting a small-batch, raw vinegar that comes in flavors like celery, rose, lavender, and kombu.
Plum Wood Hand Carved Spatula ~$36 - If you follow me on Instagram or Youtube, you might have noticed the beautiful, wooden spatula that I use when cooking pretty much everything. I get asked about it all the time, and it truly is the best. It comes from a shop run by a father-daughter duo - the father hand carves all the wooden wares himself.
Horseshoe Hair Pin $20-$28 - I love French-style hairpins like these, since they make it easy to pin up my thick and heavy hair. These particular ones are made of brass and are so nice-looking.
I made you a holiday playlist!
These are some of my favorite, festive tunes to cook holiday feasts to. The playlist progresses from classical, to jazz, to folk, so it’s got a little bit of everything.
Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and healthy holiday season :)
