Morning Brew - ☕️ Cabincore

Good evening. Since 1989, many states, cities, and universities have used the federal holiday of Columbus Day as an opportunity to recognize and honor the country's indigenous people. If you want to celebrate with me, here's a great list of opportunities. 

— Rachel Cantor 

Eduardo Fonseca Arraes/Getty Images

A new core workout has emerged—cabincore. Think Catskills, root vegetables, foggy mornings, and your boyfriend’s flannel collection. Here’s how to hop on board the latest trend. 

• Stock up on cabincore goods from wool socks to woods-scented candles. 
• Escape to a tiny, modern cabin nestled in nature. 
• Take your mind off things and try knitting. 
• Make soup. 

In the WFH trenches: I don’t know about you, but I change my WFH setup every week. Okay, maybe every other day. For all the pajama-wearing employees out there, take advice from 11 veteran WFHers. 

Mask up: Do you really have to wash your mask after every use? Yes, you should. Have we all been doing that? 100% no. Learn why.

Safe traveling: It’s been an unusual year, marked by actually wanting to spend time with certain family members. If you’re planning on traveling this holiday season, follow this interactive guide on how to do it as safely as possible. And here’s your pandemic travel toolkit. 

Off to the polls: November 3 will be here before we know it. Here’s a lil reminder on how to vote in person, and how to cast an informed vote with NYPL’s 2020 Election Reading List. 

We’re so used to email newsletters that we forgot about books.

Now, thanks to Book of the Month, we’re back in the literary game.

Don’t get us wrong—checking our inbox is great. But we can’t deny that curling up with a spine-tingling psychological thriller for a few hours can be a lot more enjoyable than reading emails.

And Book of the Month gives you plenty of opportunities to find great reads. They sort through hundreds of new and early release fiction titles every month, curate a list of their favorites for you to choose from, and ship your pick straight to your door.

Join now and get your first book for $9.99 using the code “ESSENTIALS.”

Barefoot Contessa

Cookies: Ina’s new cookbook arrived last Tuesday, and the first thing I did was bake her black & white cookies. My boyfriend and I ate all of them while downing a bottle of wine as we watched the VP debate. 

Books: To quote my mom, “readers are leaders,” so I’ll lead you over to the National Book Awards finalists.

Tunes: If you miss the days of being packed like sardines in steamy concert venues, add Billie Eilish’s livestream concert to your calendar on Saturday, October 24. 

Walks: Admire the small wonders of the world with an “awe walk”. They can do wonders for your well-being. 

Stay warm: Let me know where I can buy one of these hot cocoa bombs. Watch till the end, trust me. 

Old school: This restoration of a 124-year-old film is seriously impressive, and the star is the guy on the bike.

The scoop: Check out this deep dive into Ben & Jerry’s flavors. My freezer is currently stocked with three pints–what about yours? 

Gameplay: Flash is dead (RIP), but take a look at how it shaped the entire video game industry. 

Trina H.

This week’s Happy Place is brought to you by Essentials reader Trina. I’m a Midwest gal with East Coast blood, so the idea of walking on non-flat land is unknown territory for me. Not sure I can resist the Grand Tetons, though. 

By the looks of the Essentials inbox, I’m not the only one who’s living in biker shorts these days. I’m heading to Austin, TX, this week, where I’ll be putting a few pairs to the test. Whether you currently live there or spent a wild weekend on a bachelor party, hit me with your recs. Yes, I’m aware of Franklin’s.