Do your part

On our morning run on Randalls Island, the pup and I found that our favorite willow tree was felled by the storm

I'm not an American citizen (yet) so I won't be out there voting tomorrow but oh, how I wish I was. Every presidential election is an important one, but this one feels more weighty than previous ones, more serious, more crucial somehow. So, I hope you'll get out there and vote!

Also, here's an ingenious way to support the victims of Hurricane Sandy without dealing with the bureaucracy of The Red Cross. Check out this Sandy registry on Amazon where you can order the exact items that the victims and agencies need and get them delivered directly to a church in Brooklyn where they will be distributed. Order sorely needed items like wool blankets, diapers, and generators. It feels lot more helpful than just writing a check.

This image depicting the electricity supply in Manhattan from New York Magazine just blows me away.

Interior design

Oooh, I really really want to win this set of interior design books being given away at Young House Love today. They'd look so pretty all stacked up in my apartment.

As usual, My Scandinavian Home finds the most appealing places for us to drool over. How much would you want to spend the holidays in this cozy home in the Swedish countryside?

Fashion/style

Victoria at SF Girl By Bay has put together a list of her winter clothing staples and I'm dying for the suede boots (yes, another pair of boots, sorry!) and the Anthropologie sailor cape that she's linked to.

Win $100 to spend at lovely store Ruche at The Daybook.

As if I didn't love Instagram enough already, now I hear that we are getting profile pages on our Instagram feeds on the web!

Food

Joy the Baker calls this cinnamon-sugar apple skillet cake the perfect cake to serve when friends drop over for tea or coffee, and I'd have to agree with her. It has a thick buttermilk base that makes me want to just lick the plate - and you get to make it in a skillet! Joy says she's not the kind of lady who has a cake to serve when guests come over, but somehow I doubt that.

My next weekend baking project will probably be these Irish shortbread toffee bars from The Kitchn.

I'm excited to add yet another tea bread to my weekly list. This time it's a pumpkin graham bread from Ashley at Not Without Salt that looks like the perfect mix of spice and sweetness.