What prompted this fixation was a poster I saw at Starbucks while waiting in line for my soy chai latté . It read: "Here's to shorter days, longer nights and not minding it one bit." Underneath, a beautiful woman, dressed in a chunky beige knit sweater, both hands encapsulating a steaming hot beverage (something undoubtedly sprinkled with cinnamon and frothed to perfection), dons an expression of quiet euphoria.
Walking the block and a half down Bathurst to Richmond with latté in hand, I was a far less picture-perfect version of that poster – a woman reveling in the delight of sipping a warm drink on a chilly day.
Later on, I decided to forgo the subway in favor of a long walk home. Thankfully the bursts of sunlight between buildings offset the cold nipping at my bare ankles. By the time I hit the Annex I was famished, so I stopped at my favorite Thai restaurant (where I sat solo at a table for two, devouring my mango salad, veggie pad thai, and October issue of Chatelaine). The magazine proved to be the perfect companion: engaging and thought-provoking – especially its extravagant “book club” section, which included reviews of several books (the names of which have been transplanted onto my reading list) and a page-turning interview with Vanity Fair editor and author Elissa Schappell.
Here’s an excerpt of the latter:
Chatelaine: What attracts you to these complicated situations?
(Re. her new book, Blueprints for Building Better Girls)
Schappell: That feeling of being uncomfortable and going to those uncomfortable places is where I feel most comfortable. …from the time I was very small, I felt I was different. I felt I was out of step with people around me. …I wanted to say the things people weren’t saying. I’m someone who wants people to really look at stuff. And I feel the best way to get people to listen to you is to be funny. If you’re funny, you can seduce people. Once you get them close enough and laughing, they expose their tender white underbelly and you can drive in the sword of truth.
Everything – from the beautiful walk home to the promise of delicious books aluded to by my dinner date – left me in eager anticipation of the upcoming season. Instead of mourning the loss of freshly cut grass and street festivals, I’m now pining for tranquil nights spent cozied up on my couch, warmed by my blanket, kitten, the green tea at my side, and the Virginia Woolf, Allison Baggio, or Johanna Skibsrud novel I’ll be have on my Kobo Reader.
*Sidenote: My cousin Rebecca Sternthal is in the October issue of Vogue. The piece (Gagosiennes, p.348) offers a rare glimpse into the exclusive world of the high-powered women behind Larry Gagosin’s global art brand. I highly suggest you check it out.
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