Issue #163: Day in the Life of My (Much-Needed) Fall Reset

And a list of seasonal intentions and 3 essential fall pieces.

This is my last week featuring guest recommenders—and who better than

Hunter Harris

? Hunter’s Substack Hung Up is the first I ever paid for (!) and remains among my favorite reads. The first two recs this week come from her!

🎥 ‘Out of Time,’ available to rent: Denzel Washington and Carl Franklin made an electric neo-noir movie in the 90s called ‘Devil in a Blue Dress.’ It's the kind of movie where, in a just world, we'd have gotten a half-dozen sequels and spinoffs. (Don Cheadle is particularly good in a supporting role, too.) Denzel and Franklin linked again for ‘Out of Time’ about a maybe-dirty cop trying to cover up his involvement when his girlfriend turns up missing. It's not as good as ‘Devil in a Blue Dress’ but it's so fun to watch Denzel skate past the law on charisma alone. - Hunter

📚 Intermezzo: A Novel by Sally Rooney: I wasn't enthusiastic about the last Sally Rooney title, Beautiful World, Where Are You. It somehow made the best parts of Conversations with Friends— women's friendships, growing into yourself, anxious people emailing one another — so dull! At the center of Intermezzo is the relationship between two brothers who've grown apart. I usually find the way Rooney writes men to be sort of flat and unconvincing. But these brothers both reflect each other and reinforce each other. It's a really lovingly rendered knot of a relationship. I can't wait to discuss it into the early mornings at a dinner party soon. - Hunter

📺 “Nobody Wants This” on Netflix: I am obsessed with this show, based on creator Erin Foster’s real-life love story with her husband. Set in Los Angeles, Joanne (Kristen Bell), who hosts a dating podcast with her sister, falls for a rabbi (Adam Brody). They hit it off, to the loud disapproval and skepticism of their respective families. It’s incredibly cute and funny, and I was impressed by the ways it navigated common rom-com tropes, with realistic dialogue. One major caveat: The depiction of Jewish women plays into stereotypes in a way that I found disappointing and surprising. I recommend listening to

Emma Gray

and

Claire Fallon

’s discussion around this on their podcast,

Rich Text

! - Leslie

A wave of giddiness passed through me when I pulled the curtains back my first morning home and realized it was still dark out. My six weeks away had abridged the transition, making it feel as abrupt as a scene change. I could practically envision the title card over my morning: FALL.

I pulled on my favorite college sweatshirt and put on an album I last listened to in my dorm room,¹ lulled into a cozy sense of nostalgia as I made breakfast. When I finally opened my email, for the first time in a month, I was unsurprised to see a cascade of references to the season—fall “edits,” boot and book roundups, Fitzgerald quotes, soup recipes. It all felt custom-curated for where I’m at right now.

When I took this year off from my graduate program, it was with the intention of slowing down enough to hear myself and recalibrate my energy, centering the things that matter to me. I wanted to settle in after several years of chaos that included my move from Los Angeles to Portland, the launch of this newsletter, graduate school, divorce, a house purchase, and book edits. Instead, I found myself consumed by the project of settling into my new home, supporting the launch of my book, and traveling abroad. You may have noticed that the daily practices I so carefully honed went out the window, as I grasped for easier solutions—an Oura ring, an Instagram-fueled shopping binge—to taper my anxiety.

As I head into fall, I’m recommitting to the project I began at the beginning of the year, taking time to recenter before I begin seeing clients for my grad school internship in January. I’m clearing my calendar of huge projects and travel plans (with the exception of a wedding later this month!), being hyper-selective about who I spend time with, and leaning into a new daily routine (more on that soon!). This shift has been a long time coming and I’m excited to see, and share, where it leads me. To commemorate my change of pace, I decided to spend a solo day this weekend recuperating from jet-lag and leaning into fall rituals that honor slowing down. Read on for a replicable day in the life that, I hope, inspires your own fall reset, as well as a list of intentions and three wardrobe essentials: