The November Edit

What we read, ate, wore, watched, and listened to this month.

Joanna Goddard and Kaitlyn Teer

Nov 26, 2025

How’s your week going? Hope you have cozy plans for the holidays. My dad arrives in a few hours!

This month, we sent four Big Salad issues:

When we invited the restaurant waiter to Thanksgiving dinner and a fun reason to add a seat to your table
Our holiday gift guide, with 35+ ideas from tastemakers Ali LaBelle, Liz Libré, and Shannon Maldonado
My favorite small stores in NYC, plus the personalized Google map I text my friends when they visit
A fun relationship question

We’ll be back next week with much more, including my own holiday wishlist (like, plum cheeks and a brush, quiet time at my own house, and a book that apparently rivals Gone Girl). What’s on yours? xoxo

“This gold-plated heart ring from Sézane is so pretty. I’d love to wear it over the holidays with a cool shirt or sexy sweater.” — Joanna Goddard, Big Salad founder
“I recently started using this root lift spray. It’s half the cost of a blow out, but gives you that blow-out look every day for months (plus, you can get it for 20% off right now). I’m really into the whole brand.” — Joanna

“I have multiple pairs of Uniqlo’s jersey barrel pants. The fabric looks dressy and has just the right amount of barrel structure. Today I’m wearing them in navy and get complimented every time I do.” — Shannon Maldonado, founder of Yowie
“I just discovered that Audible has a free Beatrix Potter collection narrated by Andrew Scott (!). I listened to it with my daughter, and, um, the Hot Priest reading Peter Rabbit is...good.” — Kelsey Miller, Cup of Jo writer and novelist

“This Is Happiness is the perfect book to curl up with on chilly nights. It’s narrated by a septuagenarian who witnessed the electrification of rural Ireland as a teenager. I read aloud to my kids the remarkable scene when the lights come on and, for the first time, people see their own reflections clearly in mirrors (as well as the cobwebbed corners of their homes). My kids couldn’t believe there was a time before electricity.” — Kaitlyn Teer, Big Salad editor
“We love how our house smells warm and sugary whenever we bake the Eleven Madison Park granola (NYT gift link). It’s easy to make, and I’m planning to give it to family and friends this holiday season.” — Kaitlyn

Artifact Uprising is easily my favorite place for photo gifts — we always order our photo holiday cards from them, too. So, since I want to give something meaningful and heartfelt to my sister and parents this holiday, I’ve designed three photo-wrapped hardcover albums with some favorite family snapshots from the past year.

Artifact Uprising makes lots of photo gifts, like ornaments, framed photos, and calendars (which you can refill year after year). Have you created anything with them? The beautiful designs are made with high-quality recycled and reclaimed materials. I recently gave Freddie 10 photo prints of us, along with a wooden block, which he now displays on his school desk. I also made a print set for my niece, with snapshots of all the cousins together. I’m so happy with everything we’ve made through Artifact Uprising and would highly recommend them.

Bonus: Right now, they’re also doing the biggest sales they’ve ever done. See everything here, if you’d like.

What photo gifts would you make? Who in your life would love to unwrap one?

Here are the links the Big Salad community clicked most in November:

My favorite neighborhood restaurant, where I ran into Nick the waiter
The gorgeous pleated heels that Loeffler Randall is famous for
The funniest story about an animal fact Freddie and I learned together
Holiday wrapping paper that creative director Ali LaBelle swears by

Says Maryn on We Invited the Restaurant Waiter to Thanksgiving: “While walking our dogs, my husband and I would frequently come across an older woman in our neighborhood. One day, we stopped to chat, and Thanksgiving plans came up. She didn’t have plans, and neither did we. So, I got brave and asked if she wanted to have Thanksgiving together! Now, a few years later, we count her as one of our dearest friends.”

Says Andreea on What Fun Things Have You and Your Partner Taught Each Other: “Joanna! PLEASE write a post teaching us all what your ‘fighting fair looks like.’ If it’s good enough for Freddie, imagine the impact on the rest of us!!!”

Says Lauren O. on The Gift Guide: “Renaming thumbprint cookies ‘raspberry caves’ is such a metal vibe upgrade and I must make them NOW. ‘Oh, me? I just brought these RASPBERRY CAVES’ ::Kirk Hammett guitar solo::”