November in NYC is a study in soft shifts—shorter days, layered style, slower weekends. The BKLS Bookmarks curates where to eat, sip, reflect, and savor this season.
A monthly curation of what I am loving, using, sipping, and wandering toward in New York City and beyond.
The city leans inward, and so do we.
November arrives softly—quiet mornings, bundled walks, steam curling from coffee lids. It is the beginning of the city’s inward turn, where conversations stretch longer and tables fill with stories. Plans slow down, but meaning gathers. This is the month of rituals: slow cooking, sweater weather layered with intention, and gatherings that feel like home.
As autumn deepens, we return to what grounds us. Here is what I am bookmarking as the city folds into something more soulful.
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☁️ November Weather Notes
Average Temps: Highs of 48–57°F [9–14°C], Lows of 38–46°F [3–8°C]
It is coat season—crisp, not cutting. The kind of chill that calls for layers you have been waiting to wear: structured wool, leather gloves, scarves that feel like memory. The trees are barer now, the sidewalks quieter, and the air has that unmistakable edge—fresh, full of possibility.
📍 Place We Are Visiting
The Met Cloisters – Fort Tryon Park
November calls for quiet adventures. I find myself drawn to hushed corners of the city—places where time slows and the skyline fades. The Cloisters offers that kind of stillness. Tucked into Fort Tryon Park, it feels worlds away from Midtown, even though it is just an A train ride uptown.
There is something about medieval stone, golden gardens, and the hush of the Hudson that feels cinematic in late afternoon light. The art is beautiful, yes—but it is the silence, the height, the air, that makes you want to stay awhile.
💼 Thing We Are Buying
The Totême Scarf Jacket
Last year, I splurged on something beautiful while trying to figure out my style—yet again. I was at a crossroads, dressing for a body I am still learning to honor. The Totême Scarf Jacket felt like the right kind of investment: Swedish minimalism wrapped in NYC practicality. Oversized, wool, and quietly polished, it slips on like a warm hug—with a built-in scarf that means you are halfway dressed before your first sip of coffee.
If you are looking for something just as polished at a gentler price point, this version from Quince is worth a look.
Made for brisk walks, market mornings, and standing in line for a matcha in NoHo with cold hands and big plans.
📖 What We Are Reading
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
This year has been about me choosing a slower rhythm in this fast-moving city. I have been craving books that offer something deeper—something softer than business and branding. This one found me.
More seasonal meditation than memoir, Wintering is a quiet, elegant reminder that retreat is not failure—it is a form of resilience. May’s writing feels like a gentle conversation. It is ideal for slow Sundays and late nights wrapped under a heavy blanket.
🎧 What We Are Listening To
Golden Hours & Gathering Light: A November Playlist by BKLS
This is the sound of New York City settling into itself—fire escape jazz, distant laughter from a dinner party two floors down, the hush of bare trees against brownstones. A mood that stays with you like the golden light at 4 PM.
Layered with warmth, memory, and the quiet arrival of the holiday spirit, this playlist blends soft jazz, vintage vocals, and cinematic stillness. It is meant for candlelit kitchens, last glasses of wine, and the gentle ache of nostalgia that November so effortlessly brings.
The “Golden Hours & Gathering Light” BKLS Playlist
Available on Spotify and Apple Music.
Track Highlights:
- “Autumn Leaves” – Cannonball Adderley
- “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” – Frank Sinatra
- “These Foolish Things [Remind Me of You]” – Billie Holiday
- “Misty” – Erroll Garner
- “Tenderly” – Chet Baker & Paul Bley
- “My Baby Just Cares for Me” – Nina Simone
- “Moon River” – Audrey Hepburn
- “Night and Day” – Ella Fitzgerald
- “Peace Piece” – Bill Evans
- “The Christmas Waltz” – Frank Sinatra
- “Christmas Time Is Here [Instrumental]” – Vince Guaraldi Trio
- “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” – Ella Fitzgerald
- “Skating” – Vince Guaraldi Trio
→ [Listen on Spotify] | [Listen on Apple Music]
💄 Beauty Pick of the Month
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
Not all moisturizers are created equal. This one quietly transforms.
Though I have always had oily skin, time has shifted the balance. With each passing year, especially as the seasons turn crisp, I find myself reaching for something that nourishes on a deeper level. A friend I trust insisted I try The Rich Cream—and though it is an investment, it earns its place on the shelf and in my routine.
Developed with TFC8® technology, it is rich without being heavy, restorative without being greasy, and leaves your skin feeling subtly plump, hydrated, and calm. As the weather changes and my skin seems unsure of what to do next, this cream becomes my steady hand.
Your face—today and years from now—will thank you. Try it.
🍽️ Where We Are Dining
Sungold
📍 Location: 96 Wythe Avenue — Williamsburg, Brooklyn
This month, I am settling into autumn at Sungold, where the season unfolds quietly across the plate. Executive Chef Michael King draws inspiration from Hudson Valley farms and Union Square Greenmarket stalls, crafting an autumn menu that feels both rooted and refined.
Instead of relying on predictable autumn flavors, Chef King leans into black kale, chicories, and farro—ingredients that whisper of the season’s quieter depth. The Cavatelli with Gorgonzola Dolce is lush without being heavy. And the Pork Belly & Clams—a restrained nod to New England chowder—proves that comfort can be elevated. try.
Chef Michael King looks beyond the usual pumpkin and spice to the season’s understated stars—black kale, chicories, and farro. The Cavatelli with Gorgonzola Dolce and the Pork Belly & Clams [his refined nod to New England chowder] are proof that restraint can be its own kind of luxury.
Even the cocktails speak in seasonal tones. The Cashmere Margarita—with tamarind, toasted pumpkin seeds, and gentle spice—tastes like the hush of a crisp fall evening.
Want to know more about Sungold’s new autumn menu—read it here.
→ Sungold
Want a closer look at the autumn menu? Read our feature on Sungold’s autumn menu →
🍷 What We Are Sipping
Eve’s Tea at La Lanterna Di Virrorio
📍 Location: 129 MacDougal Street — Greenwich Village, Manhattan
I stumbled on it one chilly evening last November—right when the city turned cold and I needed something to thaw me out. The “Eve’s Tea” mixes mezcal, hibiscus‑tea syrup, water, and lime juice—a blend that tastes like crisp nights, candlelight, and conversation that lasts a little longer. In other words, it is the November sip I am chasing.
→ Visit La Lanterna Di Virrorio
November in NYC: 🎵 Vibe of the Month
Wool Coats, Handwritten Notes, and the First Flicker of Nostalgia.
I am an analog girl through and through. I still write out the BKLS articles by hand—ink smudged across pages, notes tucked into the margins. November is when I slow down even more and return fully to paper: letters to friends, lists of holiday wishes, cards with real stamps and sealed envelopes.
This month carries a quiet duality—looking forward while holding space for reflection. It is the beginning of the end, yes—but also a soft reminder that endings can be gentle. Beautiful. Full of warmth.
🚊 Bookmark This
The BKLS Thanksgiving Week Edit
From where to order standout sides to which cocktail bar is quietly mixing the best holiday pour—we have gathered the season’s essentials. Think small joys, cozy indulgences, and ways to make the most of a long weekend in the City.
Goes live November 6
→ Read The Edit
November in NYC
It is gratitude in motion.
The city slows—but never quite sleeps. Lights dim a little earlier, and there is a hush that settles in between footsteps and sirens. We trade rooftop spritzes for café booths, handwritten notes, and longer walks wrapped in wool.
November is a gentle turning. It is the beginning of endings, but not in a sorrowful way. There is clarity here. A season that nudges us inward—not only into coats and corners of bookstores—but into presence. Into quiet awe. Into intention.
You do not need to rush. In fact, this month invites the opposite. Choose rituals that steady you. Gather, reflect, rest, wander. Say yes to the things that feel nourishing. And let yourself be moved by even the smallest beauty.
I will return in December—with sparkle, celebration, and a quiet kind of luxury to welcome winter’s hush. After all, it is seasons like this that remind me why I fell in love with New York City in the first place.
Until then, take your time. Have a beautiful month.
— Nat
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