Happy Friday!
Carter is out of town this weekend, which means the house is mine and the calendar is wonderfully empty! My plans are cozy ones: catching up with my girlfriends, a few spirited rounds of mahj, and long stretches tucked away at home with a book. And, if I’m being honest about my ambitions, finally starting this season of the Gilded Age! Corsets, scandal, and a couch with no one asking for the remote!!! Bliss!!!!!
Until our next correspondence,
xx Lauren
The Lauren Letter will always be free. But if this space has become something you look forward to—a small ritual in your week, a source of inspiration, a reminder to approach life with more intention—you now have the option to support it.
Wearing | Roller Rabbit Deck the Halls Polo Pajamas
I remain a LAKE loyalist, but Roller Rabbit has a playfulness I can’t resist! Their seasonal prints are unmatched, and the monogramming option is precious. Rumor has it they’re opening an Atlanta storefront, and I’ll be counting down the days!!
Eating | Beef Teriyaki
This is my weeknight hero: quick, cheerful, and almost no work. It’s dinner in about fifteen minutes, with most of the shortcuts already built in.
You’ll need:
1 lb 90% lean ground beef
1 bag of broccoli
1 red pepper
3 cups shredded carrots
2 bags of microwaveable rice
1 bottle of teriyaki sauce
Method: Brown the beef while you prep the broccoli and red pepper. Use store-bought shredded carrots, because life is short!! Drain the fat, push the beef to one side of the pan, and add the vegetables to the other. Sauté for about 6 minutes (remember that a little garlic never hurt anyone). Pour in the teriyaki sauce and give it two more minutes. Microwave the rice (yes, microwaveable rice is very much the move here) and serve everything warm. Dinner, done!
Reading | Daddy Issues
Sofia Franklyn’s memoir is a juggernaut, and I was utterly enraptured. It has sex, drugs, and the making of a media empire. The name-dropping is plentiful, and it gives you plenty to debate with your friends over whose side you’re on.
Watching | Ghosts (UK)
Carter and I were hunting for something breezy that runs thirty minutes and suits us both, and we struck gold. Ghosts is charming, clever, and wonderfully British. There’s an American version, but word on the street is it doesn’t hold a candle.
Listening | Dave Portnoy on The Toast
Fresh off Daddy Issues, I queued up The Toast’s interview with Barstool founder Dave Portnoy and found it so refreshing. One of my biggest critiques of Alex Cooper is that she lands the biggest A-list names and then runs through a list of PR-approved questions, nodding along to every answer. Jackie and Claudia kept things friendly and fun, but they held Dave’s feet to the fire when it counted.
Trying | Petite Keep Holiday Card Trunk
As I shared this week, we finally gave our holiday cards the home they deserve: a Petite Keep trunk in festive red, with white Swiss dot fabric and champagne script. It’s nestled under the tree, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out!
Champagne | Eric Javits Tanya Beret
With European Christmas markets on the horizon, I’ve decided a beret is non-negotiable. This cashmere version is delicious and comes in a whole palette of colors.
Frites | Quince Mongolian Cashmere Beret
All the style and all the color options, at a tenth of the price. Same Parisian attitude, and plenty left over for vin chaud.
The Lauren Letter Holiday Content Suite
Autumn Poetry
I stumbled onto her page right before I sat down to write this letter, and I’ve been mesmerized ever since. She captures so much depth and magic in so few words. It’s pure magic.
P.S. I promise to always keep The Lauren Letter free as my little exercise of trying to make the world a bit more beautiful. If, in return, you could considering giving this post a “like” or share with a friend, it would just mean the world to me.
