December 9 Newsletter

Some Magic and a Steinway in my Living Room

Every few months, I get treated to a private concert in my living room.
It’s not scheduled. There’s no ticket. It just happens… whenever my piano tuner shows up.

He’s a pro, not just at tuning but at playing. And not just playing. Playing jazz.
Gorgeous, tingly, make-you-swoon jazz that floats up the stairs while I’m pretending to work.

Sometimes I wonder if he loves my Steinway as much as I do.
He settles in like it’s a long-lost friend. Tinkers, tunes, and then drifts into full-blown performance mode.
It’s like having the Green Mill in my living room. Free entertainment.
I swear I owe him a cover charge.

This piano has a story. It’s the result of a little magic—
and a manifestation lesson I gave my son, Michael, 25 years ago.

I had an upright Yamaha at the time. Beautiful, but I knew what I really wanted:
a satin black Steinway grand.

I could see it. I could feel it.
One day, I stood with Michael at one end of the living room and pointed to the empty space on the other: “I want a Steinway right there. It’s going to sound delicious.
You, Natalie, and Daniela are going to take lessons on it.
You’ll play for me, and this piano will become the heart of our home.”

Three weeks later it was there.

My piano teacher had a client looking to sell one. She’d just bought another and was incredibly motivated.
I got it for half of what it was worth (yes, I had it appraised). It was in my budget barely. But I knew it was meant to be. It was the most beautiful thing I owned then and still is.

All three of my kids took lessons on it. Michael grew up to be a musician and composer. One day, this piano will be his.

Maybe that’s the real magic. Not just that the piano showed up,
but that years later, it’s still filling our house with music, memories, and proof
that sometimes when you ask the universe for something delicious…
it answers with perfect pitch.

🧠 7 Truths from the Edge of Life

Every once in a while, a story stops you in your tracks.

On this episode of Savvy Talks on WGN Radio, I shared the life-changing lessons from a hospice nurse who spent years listening to what people say when they’re dying.

What she heard? Not regret. Not money talk. Not bucket lists. Just 7 truths that strip everything down to what really matters.

💬 Click below to listen — it might be the perspective shift you didn’t know you needed.

🍄 Creamy Mushroom Soup (Without the Guilt) 🍵

No roux, no flour, no fuss — just velvety goodness in a bowl.

This is the cozy, creamy soup you didn’t know you needed. It’s rich but clean, easy but elegant, and ready to make your kitchen smell like heaven. Part earthy, part indulgent, all delicious.

💡 Perfect for cold nights, dinner parties, or pretending you're in a cabin in the woods.
Click for the full recipe — and don’t skip the truffle oil drizzle if you’re feeling bougie.

🍲 The Soup Bowls That Make It a Whole Experience

These are not just bowls. These are statement bowls — the kind that make your homemade mushroom soup look like it belongs on a magazine cover. Designed by French genius Aurélien Barbry and hand-finished in Portugal, each one is a little bit different. Smooth curves, a soft semi-matte glaze, and just enough elegance to make Tuesday night dinner feel like a moment. I love how they hold warmth and style equally. They're exclusive to CB2 and totally worth it.

Perfect for that soup, stew, or even your fancy cereal moment.

🎁 Savvy Holiday Finds You’ll Actually Use 🛍️🔥
If you’re cooking, hosting, or simply trying to appear impressive, this list does all the heavy lifting.
Pretty things. Smart things. Things that make people say, “Wait… where’d you get that?”
Click to shop like you have your life together.

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That’s a Wrap!

If You Laughed or Got Something Out of This, Forward It:

Good taste is contagious. Send this to a friend who’d love a funnier, more nourishing and clever inbox. If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, you can sign up here.

’Til next time—
Life is short. Make it delicious.

xo, Marianne