Setting the table for one

A breakdown of my recent adventure into tablescaping along with exclusive Black Friday deals.

The top of today’s newsletter in partnership with Marimekko.

Let me serve you! I’m wearing the Marimekko x Laila Gohar nightgown, which I haven’t taken off since getting it! Other things featured in this shot are these serving platters, flutes, goblets, this salad bowl, and these vases.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It has nothing to do with the rather tangled history, and it isn’t because of the parades or even the food. I’ve been a pescatarian for well over a decade so a full Thanksgiving feast has been out of reach for a while. To me, Thanksgiving feels like one of the tent pole holidays in the States, even though it often gets overshadowed by the glitz and shine of everything that happens in December. In many ways it’s the underdog of the year. I quite like an underdog.

Even with its overlooked status (and to prove my point, try naming more than five Thanksgiving songs or movies… I’ll wait. Turkey Lurkey Time hardly counts since it’s technically about Christmas), there is something undeniably charming about a holiday designed purely around gathering. There is no gift exchange, no lore that leads to treats or candy, no commercial buildup. It’s simply about being present, spending time with your family and friends, and as the name suggests, being thankful.

A closer look at the bowls, as well as the flute, and goblet, as well as the tea light holder.

As you know, I moved into a new apartment this year and I’ve been enjoying the interior side of life, really building out my home. My dining room table has been a pain point because it slowly became a catch-all, which is not the purpose of a dining room table. In an effort to curb the habit of tossing my bag or mail on it, I decided to set up my table with a little help from Marimekko. I plan to spend the holiday at my favorite restaurant this year (and if you are in the city, try doing Thanksgiving at a restaurant, it is truly divine), but the beauty of a set table is that you’re always ready for something impromptu.

I only recently discovered Marimekko’s home pieces, and much like their fashion, which I’ve known about for years, the collection is full of bold prints in rich and joyful colors. You can easily mix and match prints to create a tablescape bubbling over with personality. I decided to play with the abstract florals found in the salad bowls, which also appear in the silhouette of the serving platter and tea light holders, along with the brushstroke striped runner and placemats. Fun fact: that pattern was created in 1953 and is still very much in use today. The result is whimsical, and it never hurts to add a bounty of flowers too.

A quick thank you to Martin Romero for shooting everything, he’s amazing! And thank you to Team Clean for helping make my apartment presentable.

As we get closer to the end of the year and start to think about possible resolutions, I look at this beautifully set table as a reminder to invite more people into my home. Host more gatherings, whether they are planned or completely impromptu, enjoy a set table even if it is only for one, and most of all find new ways to enjoy my home even more!

What you’ll find behind the paywall is a round-up of exclusive discounts for the CYC community from brands like 6397 (which you should be familiar with since I basically mentioned their linen jacket in every other newsletter this year), Everybody World (maker of some of my favorite t-shirts), Maison D’Etto (the brains behind one of my favorite perfumes and candles), and a few others.

But wait there’s more!!!

You’ll also find a link to preorder the v-neck sweatshirt I first released this summer. I did a limited reorder, so now is the time to grab one!!!!