Hi everyone! I have been keeping busy this week, as usual visiting relatives, having the dickens scared out of me at this haunted house/hayride, and preparing for a jaunt to Austin Texas. Here’s what I’ve been reading in between.

I’d be interested in reading this book about beauty and success, this illustrated encyclopedia of lady-things, and this book on writers tales of loving and leaving NYC.

People always guess that I am from California instead of upstate New York. While I like to attribute it to my sunny outlook on life, it could be the dialects I use. Find out what area of the country your dialect comes from with this quiz.

It makes me a little sad that less than half of all adults read for pleasure these days.

I really love this red dress, this ring, and this faux fur clutch.

Healthy snacks categorized as sweet, savory, salty, creamy or crunchy. Brilliant.

What your go-to coffee order says about you. I DO like straws, and the blueberry beer in my fridge in October will tell you that I don’t let the seasons dictate my life.

Usher sings the ABCs on Sesame Street (probably because his boys are big fans). Too cute.

I have always loved having yogurt for breakfast. It was only in the past few years that I realized I should avoid the kind full of added sugar. Here’s how to find the right yogurt for you.

When you go see the new Hunger Games movie, now you can wear makeup to match Katniss!

The freedoms that being a financially solvent woman can grant, including ignoring those annoying pickup artists.

For all my Scandal fans, ways to be more like Olivia Pope.

What have you read this week?