With the turning of the calendar page from October to November, it’s time to bundle together the best products, places, media and everything in between from the last month. Here are 9 things I found myself loving in October…

1. Logitech speakers

My home workspace got even MORE swag this month with the addition of a set of white speakers to flank my monitor. I saw them featured in someone else’s computer set-up online and knew they would be perfect sitting atop my desk! Luckily, Chet was able to do a little Internet digging to track them down and gave them to me as a birthday present. I totally forgot to include them in my gift haul! Probably because they were plugged in and I’ve already grown so accustomed to having them as part of my computer. Their sound quality is fantastic and they match the rest of my desk so well!

2. Sharpie pens

I’ve loved the glory of the Sharpie pen for quite some time but I grew to love them even stronger this past month. Working from home means I’ve got to keep a running “To Do” list with all my tasks for the day. I wouldn’t get anything done otherwise. It’s all about the list! And it’s way more fun in colorful Sharpie pens. Some days I can even go full cray-cray and color code! I’ve also been working my way through a self-paced class on blogging for business and these pens are perfect for taking notes and brainstorming sessions.

3. Bamboo toothbrushes

In an effort to look for little replacements I could make to cut down on my use of plastic, I ordered this set of bamboo toothbrushes. Since you’re supposed to switch out your toothbrush every three months, I’ll be good to go for a whole year! And each toothbrush in the set is cleverly stamped with three months to make sure you don’t forget! So far I’m a fan and actually like them more than many plastic counterparts I’ve tried.

4. Homestead Bayfront Park

So, I keep bringing this park/beach up on the blog but I can’t help it! It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite places in the world! We visited twice this month (for my birthday and just this past weekend on Halloween, as well) and both times were so rejuvenating and fun. You can lay by the beach, swim in the atoll pool, watch the boats leave the marina, fish, enjoy a picnic, have dinner and drinks at La Playa Grill, or just wander about the park taking in the gorgeous views. If you drop down to Miami for a visit we promise to take you here! On our Halloween excursion to Homestead we also checked out Biscayne National Park (which is right next door to the Bayfront Park) and took a beautiful walk with views of downtown Miami in the distance across the water.

5. The Martian

This movie is definitely a must-see! In the midst of a Mars mission, a bad storm causes an astronaut crew to pack it in early and head home to Earth. However, one crew member is presumed dead and left behind. But he actually survived (!) and now he must get by with meager supplies, his own scientific-smarts and the help of a team of scientists at NASA millions of miles away. In the leading role Matt Damon is ridiculous and lovable and all the other characters are pitch perfect as well. The plot is, of course, gripping as is the case with most space exploration movies. It’s based on a bestselling hard sci-fi novel but the movie adaptation was definitely created with the masses in mind. I’m sure you’ll love it even if you aren’t a die hard science fiction fan.

6. Ring dish

I just can’t get over how cute this little dish is! This was a birthday present from Chet’s mom and it’s the sweetest little place to keep my jewelry and bobby pins at the end of the day. Polka dots? White and gold? French phrasing? I think I’m in love! This has taken up permanent residence on my dresser.

7. SubZero ice cream

Can we TALK about this ice cream for a second? OH MY WORD is it good! I thought I was spoiled in Lexington living so close to the fro-yo shop Orange Leaf but having SubZero up the street has it beat. The concept for this ice cream shop was pitched on the show Shark Tank and I’m so glad someone was like “Um, yeah. Of COURSE I’ll back this!” Basically your ice cream starts out in liquid form. You get to select your milk (you can even choose lactose free or almond–which is awesome for those of us whose tummies aren’t as accepting of dairy), flavors and mix-ins and then everything is mixed and frozen right in front of you with the help of dry ice. The result? The creamiest, richest ice cream you’ll ever taste! I recommend Nutella flavor. Yum!

8. Fargo

I recently put out a call on Facebook for binge-worthy TV recommendations. While we got a lot of great suggestions we decided to give Fargo a go. Well, just a few weeks later and now I’m jonesing for that second season. This show is SO. GOOD. The plot of the show is different from the movie while still capturing that Coen Brothers vibe of dark-funny-weird. It’s the first show in quite some time that really made me want to watch more than two episodes a night. Keep hittin’ that next button, please!

9. Moscow Mule cup

After months and months of wistfully picking up every Moscow Mule mug found in every store EVER, Chet said “enough is enough with all those copper-induced googly eyes!” and bought me one of my very own! Is he not the best at picking out presents?! *swoon* My cocktail of choice is gin and ginger ale which isn’t exactly a Moscow Mule but still feels very right served in a copper cup. Bonus, drinks stay super cold in this cup which is kind of a necessity when you live at the veeeeery Southern tip of the good ol’ U.S. of A.