Last night we turned our clocks back and as I write this the sun has long set. I served dinner at 6:30, the city sparkling outside the windows, candles burning on the table. It really feels like the dark half of the year now.  A storm came in yesterday and dumped 75mm of rain on the coast. We did all our groceries the day before it hit and I was grateful to have all the ingredients for my Sunday roast today without having to step outside.

These are the things I loved in October.

Scary Stories On YouTube

One of my favourite things about October is that I can fully indulge in my love for all things scary. Ever since I was a child I loved hearing and telling scary stories. This year I discovered Mr Nightmare on Youtube; a channel dedicated solely to true scary stories people submit.   Of all the ones I listened to, the Hitchhiking stories were the scariest.  Listen below..if you dare.

Beauty

These are the beauty products I purchased and am loving this month.

1. Morphe Fall Into Frost Eyeshadow Palette:  I’d been pining over this palette for quite some time. It has gorgeous pigments for all those cranberry Fall eye looks.  I’m really loving it and using it everyday.

2. Moroccanoil Body Oil :  I spray this dry oil all over my skin straight out of the shower for silky sking.  I’ve always loved the signature scent of Moroccanoil Hair products and the body oil smells just like it.

3. Dior Flash Illunizer: As I’ve gotten older I’ve had to change my makeup to work with the changes my skin and face are making.  Shadows and bags under the eyes disappear with this illuminating pen.

4.  Dior Mascara and Primer:  I’ve used this mascara before and saw it in a holiday set with the primer yesterday at a beauty gala I attended. The primer is white and creates a base for the black mascara to stick to.  The brush really separates the lashes and makes them look extra long.

5. Lancome Transluscence Setting Powder:  Loose transluscent powder is a great product to use to give you that airbrushed look.  It sets all the foundation and concealer so that it doesn’t sit in wrinkles and creases.

5. L’Oreal Gel Liner:  I love a feline eye and have perfected it with the help of a simple pen I’ve used for years that is basically like a sharpie.  I’ve wanted to branch out to gel liner and am really loving the deep black smudge proof I’m getting with it.  I may buy a better gel liner brush than the one that came with it but so far, so good.

6. Nude by Nature Nude Lip Kit: Nude by Nature is a relatively new brand that prides itself in creating cosmetics that are all natural.  I just really liked the shade of their new nude lip kit which comes with the lip lining pencil and a creamy peachy nude lipstick. The lip gloss finishes the look off, pluming and giving the lips shine.

7. Clinique Chubby Stick in Robust Rhubarb: I’ve used Clinique products for so many years and probably own all of the chubby stick lip shades.  Recently they launched 4 shades of chubby stick cream blush.  I prefer cream blush to powder because it gives the skin a youthful glow that sinks naturally with the oils in your skin.  I find myself drawn to more cream based makeup products. Powder can make skin appear dry and cakey and I want to go more for the goddess look than queen mum.

 

NETFLIX Binge: Making A Murderer 2

If you watched the first part of Making A Murderer on Netflix you’ll probably remember feeling really helpless by the end.  We watched part 2 in about 5 sittings and I can say I have hope; hope that justice will soon be served. Lawyer Kathleen Zellner will get to the bottom of this preposterous misuse of power and hopefully bring real justice to Teresa Halbach’s family.

Enya – And Winter Came

There are a couple of albums that come out every year in my home.  As soon as the feather duvets replace the regular blankets on the bed, Enya’s And Winter Came and Sting’s If On A Winter’s Night are plucked from the box I keep them in all year (along with all my Christmas CD’s) and start to play, especially in the car on weekend Autumn drives. I came across the sheet music to the main title online and have been playing it. It’s very simple, as is most of Enya’s music but it’s such a lovely ethereal melody and brings back all the warm festive memories the album brings me each year.

Nook Restaurant And My Own Pomodoro

Apparently there are 2 other locations downtown but I just discovered Nook, the new-est addition to the many amazing restaurants we have within walking distance in our neighbourhood.  Serving simple authentic Italian food, Nook has quickly become our favourite date night spot.  We visited 3 times in 2 weeks, not getting enough of the pasta bolognese, prosciutto arugula pizza or the prosciutto and burrata appie.  I grew up on Italian food. My mother is Uruguayan and most of the cuisine there is either steak and salad or Italian.  I owe her for my love of it as well as her recipes for bolognese sauce and lasagna.

I’ve been loving making a simple Pomodoro sauce which I serve when I make fresh pasta.  I sometimes add chopped italian sausage to it and  keep the rinds of parmesano to add a bit of cheesy goodness to it.  This is how I make Pomodoro:

You Will Need: 

4 – 5 full cloves of garlic, peeled and pressed under a knife(to bring out the juices a bit)

Olive Oil

1 carrot peeled and chopped in half

1 can of peeled chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

salt

a bunch of fresh basil

Parmesan rinds (I save them in a ziplock)

Butter

TO MAKE: 

Heat some olive oil in a pot and add the full garlic cloves.  We’ll remove them at the end so they’re just for flavour which is why I don’t chop them.  Add the carrot; this takes the bite out of the canned tomatoes. It’s an italian secret to sweeten up the sauce.  Add the canned tomatoes and break them up with a fork.  Add a good pinch of salt and place the basil whole, without chopping, into the sauce and push it down with a wooden spoon.  Now add the parmesan rinds and cook the sauce on medium heat for 35 minutes.  After 35 minutes, remove the garlic and carrot pieces and add a large dollop of butter.  This gives the sauce a creamy consistency.  Mix your fresh pasta into the sauce, grate some fresh parmesan and give it all a splash of olive oil. Mix and serve.  It’s really really good!

When I add sausage, I chop it and brown it in the pot with olive oil first, then add all the other ingredients in the order I’ve mentioned above.

 

This concludes my October favourites.  I hope you’ve enjoyed and perhaps found some inspiration or new beauty products to try!  Thank you for reading and until next time.

Love,

Jennifer