Chaletmomma

Hi Friends as we all gear up for Thanksgiving this week I’m sharing my annual installment of Thankful for the Written Word. Last year I wrote about Books I was thankful were in my permanent collection. This year I’m sharing titles I was fortunate to enjoy in 2018.

This is a building which holds a special place in my heart. I grew up visiting the Library weekly with my mother. Rita was a avid reader and would read multiple titles a week. If my mother wasn’t doing laundry or cooking - you found her reading.

I volunteer and am treasurer of the Libraries Friend Group - we work to defray costs and purchase materials that are not in the Municipal budget. A library is the cornerstone of any community. I sincerly hope you have a library card.

I have a basket under my desk filled with books I want to read - lent to me predominantly by my sister - in addition I’m borrowing from the library and if anyone sees me with my earbuds in - I can pretty much guarantee I’m listening to a book through the app Hoopla.

So let’s get down to the list: all titles are linked to Goodreads.

Mrs. Queen Takes the Train: What might happen if the Queen wandered off for a day.
Secrets of a Charmed Life: Makes you think about history on a personal level. Hard to put down
Commonwealth: Stirs caring for these souls in a profound way. Hard to put down
️Stars over Sunset Boulevard: A not always friendly look at friendship.
️Brain on Fire: A riveting true medical mystery. Hard to put down
What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love: She lost her best friends and husband within weeks of each other. Hard to put down
️Daughter of Empire: Enjoyable memoir of Pamela Mountbatten Hicks childhood growing up in England and India.
The Little Book of Hygge: I always thought we lived Hygge in the Chalet and we do!
️A Man Called Ove: He pulls you in just as he is pulled in by those around him. Hard to put down.
The Paris Secret: A hunt for the truth about priceless Art.
Library at the Edge of the World: I felt myself rooting for Hanna to claim her place.
The Hidden Kennedy Daughter: Without this tragedy the Special Olympics would not exist.
️Killing Monica: I have always been a Candace Bushnell fan. This book did not disappoint.
White Chrysanthemum: I was unfamiliar with the history of Japans invasion of Korea and of girls stolen from their families. This story is gripping and hit home with me as a sister and a woman. Hard to put down.
Lady Fortescue Steps Out/ Miss Tonks Turns to Crime/ Mrs. Budley Falls from Grace/ Sir Phillip’s Folly/ Colonel Sandhurst to the Rescue/ Back in Society: These six titles are The Poor Relations Series A delightful series of books taking place during Regency Era London (1811–1820 ) I equally enjoyed listening to the British accents and their escapades.
Fortune's Children: The Fall of the House of Vanderbilt This is an all encompassing history of the Vanderbilt family: I found very interesting.
The Glitter and the Gold - Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan: After reading Fortune’s Children it was interesting to hear directly from a daughter of privilege.
️What Alice Forgot: What would you do if you woke up and had lost ten years of your life?
️Every Crooked Nanny: Detective book with a softer edge.
️Revenge Wears Prada: hum…. I found myself thinking “What happened to Andy Sachs???”
️The Shoemakers Wife: I can’t express how much I enjoyed these characters. I listened to this on Hoopla and was really sad when it was over. (I was sad when I finished The Perfume Collector and Rare Objects last year too.) All three are Hard to put down.
️Benjamin Franklin Autobiography: I enjoyed hearing his take on himself - I also watched the History Channel’s documentary to fill in missing details and learn more.
Capital Gains: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff: Chip Gaines is a very motivating personality. This book should be shared. So enjoyable.
Mary Poppins: What I know - is Mary does not suffer fools gladly; at times she’s a bit callous and Mr. Disney definitely softened her. It’s an interesting read - that’s for sure!
Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune: A fascinating story of the reclusive heiress - daughter of copper magnate W. A. Clark, she owned mansions she never set foot in. It’s a mystery that I’m still reading!

I continue to recommend my Top Pick from 2017:

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper: A sweet tale of discovery.

Also, I would be remiss if I failed to mention my most beloved title from Childhood:

The Christmas Mouse: This lovely tale still enchants me about the best in human nature.

Happy Thanksgiving - I hope your time with loved ones is wonderful and filled with fun!

Til next time!

If you follow along on IG and of course you do - haha! than you’ve seen the new additions around the Chalet livingroom. In today’s post - I’m focusing on arguably the largest and most important element in the room. The Couch. I will forever say Couch because I looked up the definition of Sofa, Davenport and Couch and discovered the first two both state they may be convertible into a bed. So Couch it is!

This is the best image I could find of our now discontinued old couch The Goodwin from West Elm. It served us well for 10+ years and will continue to; now that we’ve moved it into the basement playroom.

You’ll notice a theme - I like simple 2 cushion - clean lines.

Because I am a realist - even when it comes to decor I won’t let myself fall in love with something I can’t afford. My list of new couch options was short. While we do have Pottery Barn rugs in our livingroom - and that room is even featured on the Pottery Barn site - I only liked one option from them the Carlisle - but, the very low arms which I thought I loved on-line didn’t work well when I saw it in person.

Onto my go-to retailer for many items in the Chalet over the years - Crate & Barrel and they did not disappoint!

Petrie Midcentury Sofa

Jenny Green Velvet Sofa

Rochelle Midcentury Modern Apartment Sofa

Torino 3-Seat Sofa

After researching on-line these were my top picks … I know they are all mid-century in feel and I wasn’t sure how that would play out with the other pieces we have but, after taking a single turn around the Mall at Short Hills location my heart and my behind quickly fell in deep love with - the Montclair!

We also bought the matching ottoman. Our livingroom is too tight for a sectional - so having an ottoman against the couch offers that functionality and the ability to move it out of the way or to be used as extra seating.

The other important point that made Crate & Barrel rise to the top is how customizable the pieces are. You can choose arms type, leg finish and fabric.

Its a cotton poly blend fabric with a herringbone pattern mix of beige, white, taupe and grey mixed in. I’m in heaven! I’ll write about the rest of the changes in a future post!