The Monthly Edits are a casual curation of my consumptions from the past few weeks including: books I read, delicious eats, fun finds, and personal meanderings. Buon appetito!
The pleasantly crisp September air encourages us to refine our rhythms and routines, devoting more space (and patience) to our practices. Hopefully the autumn equinox earlier this week acted as a refreshing palate cleanser—offering up some balance and clarity. I’m finally figuring out my flow in our new space and feeling more on solid ground. September was a good reset for me, anyone else feeling similar?
I’ve been tinkering away around the house these past few weeks—installing creative window coverings, spray-painting objects in espresso brown (my new favourite colour), and scoring some great vintage finds. The annual French Container Sale was last weekend (pictured above). You might remember me mentioning it last year: a local business owner spends the summer in France filling an entire shipping container with flea market treasures, then sets up shop on a farm here in town for one very busy afternoon in September. It’s one of my favourite events to attend, and this year I came home with the cutest beechwood and rattan stool.
There’s lots of fun stuff in today’s edit. Let’s dive on in…
Olivia Dean’s new album, The Art of Loving, released today and it will likely be on repeat for the foreseeable future. I’ve also been listening to Comforting Sounds late in the evenings—wrapped up in a blanket on the balcony. The sky is so clear at our new place, some nights we can see the Milky Way. Without sounding too woo-woo, the five minute outro on this track feels like a spiritual experience. Give it a try.
I’ve been a letter-in-the-mail-sender since my Nana taught me the importance of written correspondence as a child. Each month I head to the post office with someone’s birthday card, holiday greeting, or equivalent. Having something turn up in the mailbox for me in return is absolutely priceless, which is why I’ve signed up for my favourite subscription service ever: Pocket Art. Each month, a small piece of artwork signed by the artist is mailed to my door with a letter about the piece. Word on the street is Joy Kinna (the local genius behind this program) will be partnering with some really cool creatives in the coming months—I can’t wait to see what arrives next!
The only halloween costumes I want to wear.
Rory Gilmore’s reading list…impressive.
Pop music enters its Wife Era.
Espresso cashmere crewneck + espresso plaid skirt.
Made me laugh.
I could look at this London home all day long.
Also this Mexican coffee house feels like a gallery.
Fluted terra cotta planters, yes please.
Weird-girl films for the fall season.
Sad I missed Jane Austen’s 250th birthday party.
Never thought a film about ping pong would get me excited.
This excerpt from Elizabeth Gilbert’s new book is raw and honest, her writing always impresses me.
Enjoyed this interview with Ottessa Moshfegh.
This tree skirt sewing pattern might be my next project!
A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers. This was a fun pre-halloween read. We follow Dorothy Daniels, a razor-sharp food critic with a murderous appetite for food, sex, and power. Over the course of a decade, as she moves between Manhattan and Italy, we discover she’s developed a taste for more than just food… namely, her boyfriends. The writing is lush and indulgent, equal parts satire and horror, with whole passages that read like gourmet restaurant reviews. It’s unhinged, not for everyone, and definitely falls in the category of weird-girl lit. I devoured it over a weekend and would recommend for the upcoming spooky season (not to the faint of heart).
Exit Lane by Erika Veurink. This easy-to-enjoy romance novella is a modern riff on When Harry Met Sally and One Day. We follow Marin and Teddy over the span of a decade, beginning with a road trip after graduation and weaving through the many ways their paths cross. It’s a soft, character-driven story about timing, love, and the people who leave a lasting mark on our lives. Veurink’s writing is thoughtful, tender, and steamy—with a quiet pacing that allows you to slow down.
The Idiot by Elif Batuman. I wanted to love this one—it’s a cult favourite in the “millennial classic” category—but honestly? It dragged… all 423 pages. We follow Selin, a Harvard freshman in the ’90s, as she fumbles through first love, philosophy classes, and endless email exchanges with an older mathematics student. I love a good coming-of-age story, but as I read through reviews afterwards, I realized I missed a lot of the intellectual insights and Russian literature references in Batuman’s writing. Oh well, I’ve moved on.
Dinners haven’t been all that adventurous lately—I’ve mostly stuck to some staples: lemon chicken soup, fennel bolognese, and black bean zucchini fajitas. That’s left me with a little more room for fun breakfasts. These tiramisu overnight oats were a decadent delight (I used almond milk and grass-fed dairy yogurt). This maple pumpkin granola is perfectly festive and delicious with milk or greek yogurt… or just by the handful!
Another season, another mood board!
The Autumn 2025 board is a cozy one—full of rich espresso browns, dark academia vibes, quilted textures, and the simple pleasures of home.
I love the way it sets the tone in my office, like a seasonal compass pointing me towards what feels grounding. Just the inspiration I want around as the days get cooler and shorter.
There’s a window in one of our hallways that needed a bit more privacy, but I still wanted to keep all the natural light—so a curtain wasn’t going to cut it. After some online browsing, I landed on these removable faux-fluted glass window coverings. They were easy to install and added a really beautiful texture to the space. I liked them so much I used the extra panel on my glass bookshelf doors and another small window in my office.
Our couch also required side tables to hold snacks and goodies, but I wanted something versatile and inexpensive. I found a couple Ikea stools, sanded them down, and spray painted them in a deep luxurious espresso brown from the Behr Premium collection. They turned out so good! Since I had leftover paint, I gave a boring white mirror and an outdated picture frame the same DIY treatment. Very satisfying.
I hope you’ve had a refreshing September. Thank you so much for reading and as always, I would love to hear from you!
Will you be dressing up for Halloween?
What are you most looking forward to this fall?
Ciao ciao,
No affiliate links or sponsored content here! YGL is fully reader supported—keeping all my recommendations personal and genuine.✨
A year later and I am still loving all my Merit Beauty products! Time to switch my blush from my favourite ‘Beverly Hills’ summer shade to the gorgeous ‘Fox’ fall tone.
xx
As always, Lauren, this was a breath of fresh air to spend a little time with! Neumann is such a good helper with your mood board (lovely), and I loved all the film recommendations for fall.
And yes we’re going to dress up for Halloween as Fallout vault dwellers (me my husband and our 1 year old daughter)