The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in November

While at the MoMA Design Store, I also picked up this set of travel cutlery from Black + Blum, makers of my colleague Dom’s trustymicrowavable stainless-steel containers. I’d been looking for a set like this for a while. It’s true that most fast-casual restaurants, at least here in New York, have phased out their plastic utensils, but for the few that haven’t, it’s nice to have my own set of utensils that are easy to throw in my bag and carry around. The container is slim enough that it would work as an unexpected stocking stuffer, too.

One of my best friends had her birthday this month, and as part of her present, I got her one of these Mofusand blind-box toys that’s also a digital clock. Don’t let the pictures fool you — these are very, very small, about the size of your palm. My friend loved it (she got the red apple), though she says it “took some finagling” to get the clock to work because there are only two buttons to adjust.

My deep devotion for Soft Services’ Buffing Bar aside, sometimes nothing beats the one you can find in the aisle of your local supermarket for $6. While I’ve tried other higher-end goat-milk soaps, likeBeekman 1802’s, and enjoyed them, I find no big difference in quality between those and this one from Sunorama, which I’ve returned to time and time again over the years. The scent and lather are comforting and luscious, likely from the combination of goat milk, honey, and shea butter. And during dryer months, this soap makes for the perfect everyday body wash, providing great slip for a close shave too.

I picked this up during Sephora’s sale earlier this month. While Laura Mercier’s loose powder remains my go-to, there are moments in the day that shine breaks through around my nose, especially during particularly stacked eight- to nine-hour ones. As much as I wonder if people still use blotting sheets, I figured a mini-compact is basically the same thing. This one’s so tiny I almost wonder if it’s worth $30, but it refreshes me perfectly, even through a recent eczema flare-up around my chin, doesn’t cling to any dry patches, and restores my T-zone to silky-smooth matte glory.

I ordered the new AirPods Pro 3 as soon as they were released because my previous pair broke a few months ago and I was desperately waiting for the new ones to come out. I always use a case because I like my things protected and pristine, and this was the best-looking one out there. My old case was acheap silicone thingthat my husband would always make fun of for being fugly, but I never lost my AirPods, unlike him, because the case made them grippy. (His would always slip out of his pants pockets.) I’ve finally convinced him that a case is a good idea, and now he has one, too, inblack.

I moved at the beginning of this month, so I’ve been doing lots of furniture and home-décor shopping. My old apartment was mostly carpeted, but the new place is bigger and almost entirely hardwood, so I’ve been doing a lot of rug shopping. This green wool Momeni rug was the first one I bought — I got it on sale at a local place, but it’s available online too — and I absolutely love how it looks. The floral pattern reminds me a bit of Art Nouveau flowers, but a bit homier. It’s in my living room and makes me smile every time I look at it.

I bought this rug from the same local furniture store as the Momeni one to put in my home office. (Obviously, I love florals.) The color scheme works really well with my desk, which is sage green, and adds a bit of whimsy to my workstation. I have the round version, but I quite like the rectangular version shown here, too.

I did not realize how much fervor pen people could have for their pens until I read through the comments under my colleagueMartha’s article. Perhaps I shouldn’t admit this, but I’ve never felt more than indifference for any pen I’ve ever purchased, so I decided to check out McNally Jackson’s famed pen selection on the recommendation of my boyfriend’s dad. After picking up this ballpoint Schneider — a staff favorite — I’m happy to say I’ve finally experienced the power of a good pen. It’s smooth on the page and doesn’t smudge — a feat I’m sure my fellow lefties will appreciate.

While prowling Manhattan for something small, patterned, and for the bathroom for theStrategist Gifting Game, I wandered into John Derian to marvel at theornamentsand eventually found myself at a table of $5 matchbooks covered in vintage prints. The two I picked up as backup gifts, aregal peacockandsome rather Victorian lips, aren’t available online, but there are so many delightful options to choose from, like this Sleeping Beauty scene.

Winter conditions arrived early this year in Vermont, and I’ve already done my first ski-touring laps of the season. I’m looking forward to many more while wearing this helmet, which is lighter-weight and has more ventilation than a resort-oriented helmet, so I can wear it while traveling uphill as well. I’m particularly excited to use the headlamp clips during my Tuesday evening training laps at the local ski mountain. Compared to the mountain-bike helmet I had been using, the Smith’s Boa adjuster and smoother interior is much easier to fit over whatever headwear I’m using for the day, whether that’s abalaclava, buff, headband, or nothing at all.

I’d wanted this Alex Mill cardigan ever since I saw it at their fall press preview, and got quite a good Black Friday deal on it. I found it on Tuckernuck’s website (honestly, a good place to look when something is sold out on a brand’s own website, as this sweater was), where it was 25 percent off, and then I used a gift card to cover most of the rest. It hasn’t arrived yet, but I’m excited to pair it with some brown cords and shearling boots.

Speaking of Black Friday deals, I’d had my eye on this workout top from Aritzia for a while, and was just waiting for their sale to start — and as soon as it did, I bought it. Overall, I’ve loved its “Butter” line of activewear. It feels fairly priced, washes well, and just does its job well.

It was a big pants month for me, as the weather had finally grown too chilly for me to wear my usual athletic shorts to dance. I needed to add some full-length dancewear to my wardrobe, which Instagram promptly sensed, serving me a suggested post from Cloudbody. The small, San Francisco–based brand makes loose, flowy, breathable pants designed for movement, and I was swiftly convinced by the videos of dancers stretching, spinning, and sliding in them. I bought a pair in plain black, and it’s been a joy wearing them to class and feeling the fabric swirling around me; I’m thinking about getting another pair in a more colorful offering.

The second pair of pants I acquired this month was from Waysyders, where I got my hibiscus-purple singleta few months ago. I snapped up these Tide Pool pants literally minutes after they dropped on the website. The pants have three buttons sewn into the pant leg near the hem, which allow me to adjust the inseam internally — I can roll them down so that they drape artfully over my shoes when I’m out and about and roll them up when I’m barefoot in the studio. They also have a loose, relaxed fit, an adjustable waist, andverydeep pockets, which I appreciate. I love the cornflower-blue color, too — when I paired these pants with myblue fisherman sweater,my boyfriend called me the Blue Boy.

I actually ordered the large box twice in two weeks this past month, partly because Miami Fruit had an early Black Friday deal for 40 percent off. I wait for these to come into season every year — they are truly the best guava I have ever eaten. They even impressed my mom, a native of Taiwan and connoisseur of guava and other tropical fruits, which is saying a lot. I recommend letting them get just the slightest bit soft before slicing and eating.

We had our usual whole smoked turkey fromDickson’s Farmstandfor Thanksgiving (which beats a fresh turkey any day) but also seized the opportunity of having a larger family gathering to get this, the best smoked ham hands down.

I generally use Black Friday to replenish my skin care and boring items like cleaning products. But when Ambar pointed out the very steep discounts at Banana Republic Factory the other day, I searched for one of a few items of clothing I knew I wanted to add to my closet this winter, which was a black, not-too-thick-but-still-warm V-neck sweater. I landed on this. It’s not 100 percent cotton, which I don’t love, but at $30, it was too good of a price not to buy. It fits very cute: boxy and with arms that aren’t too long (always a problem for me). I wore it every day this past weekend.

This is a funny one, but shout-out to Paisanos, the best butcher shop in the world, where I ordered my Thanksgiving turkey from. They answered my questions via phone when I called them four separate times because I was being scatterbrained, butchered the bird beautifully (this recipeis the winner forever and ever), and delivered it. I love them.

I’m nothing if not a philhellene, like Lord Byron before me. Anything that resembles an amphora will get to me. This is based on awater jar on display at the Met. It makes a messy bun look quite Hellenistic, if I do say so myself.

My love for corduroy-collared jackets iswell documented, and I’ve been wanting to add a Barbour Beaufort to my collection for a few years. It’s a shooting-style jacket with a longer hem than the more popular Bedale model. My green Bedale is one size too small in a 38, which prevents me from layering during colder months, so I was looking to size up. This month, I found a waxed vintage Beaufort in a size 40 and in great condition atSu’jukin Cobble Hill, and it fit over my chunky sweater perfectly. It also has a large back zipper where I can stuff my gloves or hat. It’s been my go-to fall jacket.

I’d been looking for very basic, straight-leg blue jeans that are on the more affordable side, and I came across this pair from Linder Sport after my colleague Hilary Reid introduced me to the brand, which opened its store in the West Village in the last year (we also included the brand’s crewneck sweater in ourHoliday Gift Guide). They fit just the way I’d hoped: not too relaxed that they billow, yet not too skinny.