weekly r.e.p.o.r.t. c.a.r.d. #33

real vs. faux fur, Christmas & Hanukkah traditions, and holiday overwhelm hacks

Happy snowy Sunday! We were blessed with an early AM snowfall here in NYC, which made for a picturesque morning. It really does feel like the holiday season (finally).

Sampling sweet treats is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. Bub’s Bakery is an incredible new bakery downtown dedicated to baking without the top nine allergens (soy, eggs, dairy, nuts, peanuts, wheat, sesame, fish, shellfish). And WOW. Everything I’ve tried there is magnificent and just as indulgent as the real stuff. Straight up food sorcery!

The cinnamon roll in particular was so good. Would put it up there with Cinnabon!

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): At the end of the year, it’s always fun to dive into the data behind my content. What resonated with people (and what didn’t)? What did people purchase most? What was a surprising runaway hit?

On the book front, it wasn’t a beach read thriller that took the top spot (or a juicy celebrity memoir). It was this book—which is the consummate guide for brand-new managers at work. In a framework-driven way, the book spells out how to build (and foster) high-performing teams, maintain authority as a manager, and create a healthy work culture.

For more book recs, every book I’ve ever recommended is linked here!

Reading (article): A deep dive into the world of Dyson. Overnight, the company transformed from a vacuum maker to a beauty titan. The power of a great product and equally good marketing!

Eating: My husband grew up Jewish and I grew up Catholic. While he feels very deeply connected to his Jewish identity, his understanding of the Jewish faith is very heavy on the -ish! I’m currently taking an introduction to Judaism class to learn more about the faith, as we are planning to raise future kids Jewish.

We are celebrating Hanukkah with some friends this year (our first official celebration!), and I’m attempting to make sufganiyot (jelly donuts traditionally served on Hanukkah). I’m whipping out the KitchenAid I got for my wedding shower and giving it a try. Could be a total fail…could be great!

Playing: With fun wrapping paper! Wrapping paper (and gift packaging more generally) is one of the best parts of the holiday season. Buying gifts is fun…but making it pretty is equally as exciting.

The famed designer John Derian is doing a super fun holiday collaboration with Target, and I picked up a few of his designs.

My signature wrapping paper this year! And very well-priced at $6.

A few more picks I’m loving:

• A beautiful forest green candle (would make for a wonderful hostess gift). This funky green glass candle is also a great option.

• Christmas-cookie printed wrapping paper! What could be better?!

• This red Christmas sweater (the trees are a bit of a hidden motif, so it’s holiday-esque without being too in-your-face).

  • And if you’re still struggling on the gifts front, my practical gift guide is beyond failproof. Gifts your recipients will actually love, use, and wonder why they didn’t purchase for themselves years ago!

Obsessing: Over fur hats and the faux vs. real debate. I snagged a llama fur hat when I was in Peru earlier this year and wear it constantly in the winter. It’s super warm, adorable, and one of those pieces that always gets me stopped in the street.

I got a few requests for a faux fur hat option—which is actually more expensive than the real thing.

TLDR—ethical reasons aside, sometimes it’s best to buy the real thing and not opt for the fake stuff!

Recommending: Duckbill. I’ve shared a bit about them before, but they’re an executive assistant platform that is designed to make your life easier. You’re assigned an assistant (a co-pilot!) who tackles any task that comes your way.

I’ve recently tasked my co-pilot with more glamorous tasks (seeing if by some miracle, they can find a $500 jumpsuit I’m lusting after for much less…)

…as well as the unsexy and critical (booking a dental cleaning!)

The interface is beyond easy to use. When you input a new task, you’re prompted with a series of questions. Your co-pilot is capturing all of the context they need so that they can hit the ground running with your task. This eliminates the back-and-forth…and there’s no limit to the amount of tasks you can outsource to your co-pilot. For a very reasonable flat fee, they can basically run your life!

And the price is right. It’s typically $49 for a one-month membership, which is already a steal. But with the code SMARTER50, you can get 50% off! A Duckbill membership is perfect way to cap off the holiday season stress-free—or would make for a great gift for anyone in your life who is suffering from overwhelm (aka everyone).

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

• I couldn’t get enough of this fine jewelry breakdown via Sogole Kane. There are so many terms thrown around on social media (natural! lab! fine! demi-fine!) that it’s all turned into word salad. What actually means something vs. what’s marketing jargon? And most importantly, what’s worth your money? This piece answers it all.

• A critical reminder via Natalie Laser:

• I shared about my love of these Negative Underwear pajamas earlier today on Instagram Stories. Many creators were talking about them, and I didn’t believe the hype—until I finally put them on my body. Ultra-soft, so breathable, and a complete luxury (over $300 for pajamas!) A fantastic self-gift (or a special present for a loved one).

  • However, apparently this $30 dupe is a very similar material. I haven’t tested it for myself (yet), but I just added to cart. I will keep you posted!

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