Health, happiness, and love of my family and friends go without saying. That is what I am the most thankful for in life. But here are a few additional items I’m grateful for this holiday season:
• The inventor of oat milk. Thank you for forever changing my coffee for the better.
• Christmas music that starts playing on November 1. And Lea Michele for creating a Christmas album this year.
• Rent the Runway, Daily Harvest, and anything else I have delivered to my door that keeps me well dressed and as healthy as possible while navigating a busy schedule. I couldn’t do it without you. I may not have an assistant, but I do have these delivery services.
• “The Real Housewives” and “The Kardashians” for being my preferred choice for reality TV escape. Watching the national news is like being stuck watching an endless MTV marathon of “Floribama Shore” but instead it’s our government and Bravo has become a ray of hope in this crazy world.
• I’m grateful for a platform to help people, to help charities, and to raise awareness. November is all about giving and you can always find a way to give back in The Independent.
• Billy Joel, for being a national treasure. Nothing feels as right as a drive on the LIE while listening to The Piano Man.
• My dog Clementine, our 13-year-old cocker spaniel we adopted from the Southampton Animal Shelter last year. She is just the light in all of our lives.
• Lizzo.
• Wine. Particularly, $15 bottles of French reds, where the quality far surpasses the average $40 bottle. They do exist.
• Journalism. And readers who know the difference between fake news and the real thing.
• The Wing, my workspace in Soho, for giving me a creative space to write. It’s filled with wonderful female energy and boss babes who get things done.
• My wonderful group of rockstar co-workers who also get so many things done in a day. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with.
• Our oceans. Let’s make sure we keep them safe and clean for future generations. When the subject is water quality, we need to pay attention.
• People who don’t insult other people on social media. I’m very grateful for you.
• Travel. I’m thankful for $39 flights to Miami and $300 flights to Paris so I can live that broke and bourgeois lifestyle this winter.
• The Greek salad at John Papas. I’ve searched the world and never found a Greek salad as good as this one.
• The fall season. And all things basic fall, like apple picking, pumpkin picking, apple cider sipping, hay-riding. Hold the PSL, but I’ll take everything else that goes with this fantastic season.
• The coffee at Golden Pear. It speaks to my soul.
• Handmade pasta from Sant Ambroeus, Tutto il Giorno, or Dopo La Spiaggia. Because sometimes you need to (hashtag) treat yourself.
• The hamlet of Mattituck, for being the most adorable. And while I’m here, a shout out to Love Lane Cafe.
• Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon for giving us “The Morning Show,” because it’s brilliant and I can’t wait for Friday to see what happens.
• Levain chocolate chip cookies.
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