weekly r.e.p.o.r.t. c.a.r.d. #30

sales actually worth your money, snack obsessions, and a memoir I can't put down

Happy Sunday! I always feel like the holiday season arrives earlier and earlier every year. I walked into Bloomingdale’s yesterday and Christmas music was blasting.

Not that I’m complaining! But as Thanksgiving is a week away, here’s the lineup of dishes I’m contributing (in case your meal isn’t totally set!)

• Puff pastry Pop Tarts for Thanksgiving morning (stuffing one batch with Nutella and the other with strawberry jam)

• Tini Younger’s famous mac and cheese (ignited what we now refer to as #MacAndCheeseGate, but was worth every iota of drama)

• Ice cream pints from 1-900-ICE-CREAM (the best ice cream in the world…just so happens that I have a meeting in Philly tomorrow so I can snag some!)

• Crudité platter (because we all need some greens on Thanksgiving!)

  • They used to do national delivery, but sadly they’re not doing it this year!

Nothing better than discovering a sweet treat at the bottom of your freezer. These are the Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches from Trader Joe’s. I really only buy them when I have people over…or else I will inhale them. If you’re looking for an easy Thanksgiving dessert, this is it.

What are you making for Thanksgiving?! Always love getting inspired!

P.S. If you’re new around here—welcome to the weekly r.e.p.o.r.t c.a.r.d! It’s a weekly grab bag of the ideas, things, and people that I’m loving. Check out the last issue here. It’s a fun, light addition to the VARSITY READER fold.

Reading (book): I’ve started and stopped many books this year. As Grace Atwood often says, there’s no shame in a DNF (do not finish!) However, this juicy memoir is definitely one I’ve been racing through.

Griffin Dunne is an actor and writer from a very famous family (his aunt is Joan Didion, and Sean Connery saved him from drowning at age eight). His memoir recounts the story of his immediate and extended family—their trials and tribulations in Hollywood but also the day-to-day of having a wild childhood.

I love that this book is written by Dunne himself and not a ghostwriter (as most celebrity memoirs are not penned by the actual public figure). Straight from the heart. Highly recommend!

Other books I’ve read and loved recently:

• This book about how to ask better questions (and become a more engaged listener)

• This juicy thriller about a girls’ trip gone wrong in the Hamptons

• This memoir about a woman’s escape from North Korea at age seventeen

Eating: One of my favorite things to do before a few days away is to do a fridge, pantry, and freezer cleanout. I challenge myself to see how long I can go without going to the grocery store and use what I have. Challenges like these always make me a better chef (the learnings are worth the cleanup!)

If you haven’t already tried Molly Baz’s mayo line Ayoh!, it’s spectacular. I wanted to use up the bottle I had in the fridge, so I made a variation of this nut-crusted salmon recipe with frozen salmon fillets.

I didn’t have Dijon mustard, so I subbed in the Tangy Dijonayo and it was even better. I also didn’t need the breadcrumbs (didn’t have those either!)—the nut crust was perfection on its own. Definitely a new dinner staple!

The four-bottle pack of Ayoh! (which includes Hot Giardinayo, Dill Pickle Mayo, Tangy Dijonayo, and Original Mayo) is on sale now for $32. Would make a fun gift for a gourmand! I will definitely be rebuying in 2026.

Other things I’ve been munching on recently:

• If you love the famous Williams-Sonoma peppermint bark, these are a lightened-up version. Mini rice cakes drizzled with white chocolate and candy cane pieces! Only available during the holidays and beyond good. Stock up!

• These protein pretzels are STELLAR. Originally a Hitha Palepu rec. No protein aftertaste. My fiancé even liked (and he’s very picky). Hitha feeds to her two kids to rave reviews!

• Also on the health front, I received a targeted ad for these superfood espresso brownie bites. They promise “focus.” Do they deliver that?! I’m not quite sure—but they are delicious and a great mid-day pick-me-up. I’m equally intrigued by the energy bites, which are a peanut butter brownie flavor and on their way to me.

Playing: With spreadsheets. Bailey (@busymomfindstime on Instagram) is one of my favorite follows (and a new IRL friend). We’ve chatted online for years, but finally met earlier this month in NYC at the creator summit organized by Catherine. Bailey is a law firm partner based in Memphis, and just as whip smart and honest in person as she is online!

As holiday gifting is on everyone’s mind (and adds up quickly), Bailey brilliantly made a holiday gift spending tracker. It’s free and will keep you sane (as well as on-budget)! I already downloaded and am beyond excited to put to good use.

• Other hacks to make your holidays easier:

  • A karaoke machine! My mom ordered this a few years ago and it’s been a staple at our Thanksgivings ever since. A good family activity between dinner and dessert.

  • Left, Right, Center. Such a fun and easy game to play during the holidays! It comes with chips...but we opted to start with $3 in singles to up the stakes. It gets super competitive and doesn’t require a long rules explanation.

  • My sister-in-law brilliantly ordered these single-use plastic plates for the days before Thanksgiving. A blue-and-white print that’s similar to the Spode plates our in-laws own, you can barely tell they’re one-use plates. Excited to spend less time cleaning!

Obsessing: This is a very random recommendation. But one that I’ve been sitting on for a few weeks—and not sure how I’ve neglected to mention it, as it instantly became part of my day-to-day.

A snap from my hotel bathroom in Seoul. I first took the toothbrush on my trip to Korea / Japan last month and instantly became hooked.

I’m all about leveling up and making sure every item in my daily routine has a very specific utility. But my toothbrush?! I was doing just fine with my standard Oral-B electric toothbrush.

So when, again, I saw an IG ad for SURI, I was intrigued. Their toothbrush is much more compact than my Oral-B and takes up way less space in my personal item. Plus, I loved the fact that it comes with a bacteria-killing travel case. I was convinced to pull the trigger.

Definitely don’t get a toothbrush for anyone on your gift list…that’s straight up insulting. (And SURI has some messaging around a toothbrush being a great gift—they clearly need some marketing help). BUT it is an excellent self-gift (and one that saves counter space!)

Recommending: The Black Friday sale siege is here. Brands are starting their sales earlier and earlier, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed in a sea of stuff. So I’ve culled down the three sales that are absolutely worth your hard-earned money. These are products I rave about all year (not only during sale season!)

I’ve paid full price for all of these items and they’re worth their salt. The fact that they’re on sale is an added bonus!

1. My beloved lymphatic drainage & compression leggings ($164, originally $235)

Bariloche, Argentina in January 2024—clad in the leggings!

I’m the first one to admit. These leggings seem like a scam. Leggings that debloat you and reduce cellulite with regular wear? I was equally skeptical. But Julia Casella (who introduced me to the product) wore me down…and in 2023, I finally bought them.

And I’ve been a superfan ever since. My LEGGINGS highlight on IG has testimonials from dozens of people who were equally skeptical—and now can’t get enough of the product. (I’ve even heard from people with IBS that these leggings were game-changing for them).

I never go on a plane without my leggings. When I walk off, I’m not bloated in the slightest—travel discomfort be gone. In order to get the reduced cellulite benefits, I wear them to WFH for at least five hours two times per week.

And while they are a medical device, you can work out in them just like regular leggings. I’m either wearing Old Navy activewear or these leggings. No Lululemon or Alo for me. If I’m spending on leggings, I want them to actually do something!

2. These barrel-y staple pants ($186, down from $249)

   1. Try stacking the code JULIA15 for an additional 15% off!

Barrel pants are here to stay! I dove into the history of barrel pants in this post, but IMO, they’re not a passing trend.

I’m personally in love with the shape. I find them comfortable, elevated, and pants that add a bit of extra edge to any look. These are my personal favorite barrel iteration. One that looks equally at home in a work setting as for more casual days!

I love pairing my barrels with lady jackets, cropped tanks, fisherman sweaters—they really look at home with all styles.

3. The shoes that take me 10K+ steps and beyond ($395, down from $316)

Margaux was a brand I was very skeptical of at first. It felt like every content creator was posting about them—which always makes me dubious. Is the product really that good? Or are they just offering sky-high commission rates? So last year, I ordered a pair for myself and put them to the test.

To my surprise, they delivered—in a big way. The first day I wore the Mary Janes I ordered (on sale for $300), I clocked 15K steps. Candidly, I can’t even wear the Chanel flats I got three years ago for more than 3K.

These Mary Janes are my spring and summer staple shoe. I even wore them during my first dance with my dad (my feet were done with heels at that point!)

So I expanded my collection to more of a winter loafer. Again, they were worth it!

11K steps on their first day in action—and I definitely could have done more. All of that to say is…when a brand is recommended over and over again by content creators, order it and put it to the test yourself. Margaux will be a forever staple in my closet!

Admiring: Some things, people, and content I’ve been loving this week:

• Inspired by this mantra via Gracie Van:

• These $35 silky pants are on their way to me and I can’t wait!

• Not a parent, but I enjoyed this read about helicopter parenting and Gen Z.

• Last week, I dropped my practical gift guide. All picks are under $100 and perfect for the hard-to-shop-for guys & gals in your life.

  • Everyone is loving the Hulken (a sleekly designed, portable tote perfect for city dwellers schlepping a lot of stuff).

  • However, a close second is Hanni—an in-shower moisturizer that Nan introduced me to. The product is meant to be applied wet while you’re in the shower. No additional post-shower routine! I’ve repurchased many times and can’t say enough about how smart this product is. $34 and a great stocking stuffer or white elephant gift.

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