October 10, 2025

Happy Friday!

Oct 10, 2025

Happy Friday!

This past weekend, I had the loveliest family retreat at The Ritz-Carlton Lake Oconee—a place that has quietly marked so many chapters of my life. It’s where Carter proposed, where I once escaped for a girls’ weekend with my mom, and now, where my whole family—ages 14 months to 60—gathered under one blissfully blue (and at times, dark and stormy) Georgia sky. There’s something special about a place that grows with you, revealing new joys every time you return.

And speaking of growth . . . I did something new (and slightly terrifying): I taught my first ever Pure Barre class! For months I’ve been studying, practicing, and quietly manifesting this side quest, and to finally step up to the mic—knowing that 2.5 years ago I could barely hold a plank for ten seconds—was surreal. I’ve learned that the most meaningful change doesn’t come from comfort; it comes from stretching (literally and figuratively) into spaces that make your heart race a little.

Growth is the ultimate luxury—it requires time, trust, and a willingness to look a bit unpolished before you shine. So here’s to chasing what scares you, to revisiting places that feel like home, and to the kind of progress that happens quietly but transforms you completely.

Wishing you a weekend full of soft moments and bold steps forward.

xx Lauren

Eating | Gold Cluster Platter

We love displaying seasonal candy in this cluster platter for guest grazing (and our own noshing!). Right now, it’s filled with pumpkin Reese’s, candy corn, and m&m’s!

Reading | The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

A cozy, heartwarming spell of a novel that feels like wrapping yourself in a cashmere throw on a drizzly October afternoon.

Katie of Beach Reads & Bubbly

recently featured this title on her Fall To-Read list as well!

Watching | The Thursday Murder Club

Cheeky British wit, cozy countryside crime, and the kind of charming mystery that pairs beautifully with tea and a shortbread sweet. I finished the book last week, and I am excited to watch the film adaptation featuring an A-list cast tonight with Carter!

Listening | Taylor Swift Press Tour Clips

The cultural reset of the season; she speaks, we analyze! Follow along on my dedicated Instagram highlight for all the updates and key moments.

Trying | LAKE Holiday Collection

LAKE recently sent me a few pairs of their festive, buttery-soft holiday selections. Trust me, you are going to want these on the top of your wish list.