Bri Books

Welcome to Bri Books! We're returning to our bookish roots today with a deep dive of the 5 best cookbooks to help you cook around the world in winter 2026. I don't know about you, but the deep winter temperatures make me want to run to my Instant Pot and my oven instead of the local restaurant or watering hole. In this episode, I walk through my top 5 cookbooks for winter-ready, no-fuss meals. If you're new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Please tell me where you're traveling to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter. Bri Books Top 5 Winter Recipe-Ready Cookbooks for 2026 Something From Nothing by Alison Roman -Alison Roman's latest cookbook invites us into the magic of pantry cooking, and turning store-cupboard staples like beans, olives, and pasta into deceptively simple but deeply satisfying meals. I love this book as both reading and as a reference for my ho

If you're new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Please tell me where you're traveling to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter. After the holidays, it's common to feel drained, overstimulated, or out of rhythm. In this episode of Bri Books, we focus on how to do a simple, grounded post-holiday reset that emphasizes self care, reflection, and intention (but without the pressure.) Episodes mentioned: Manifestation journaling 101 How to lock in on your goals: a gentle framework for goalsetting in 2026 How to do a year in review: what to keep, what to release, what to sow In this episode, we talk through my practical approach to a self-care post-holiday reset. Rather than pushing productivity or strict routines, this episode centers hydration, cleaning your physical space, noticing patterns, reducing digital noise, and setting intentions. Topics covered include:

Welcome to Bri Books podcast! In this episode, we explore six captivating books from 2025 that span memoir, history, culture, and personal growth. From surviving illness abroad to uncovering hidden royal power plays, from the quiet history of our homes to the question of who we're meant to become, these books invite us to see the world, and ourselves, more clearly. If you're new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Please tell me where you're traveling to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter. Books Discussed in This Episode Becoming You: The Proven Method for Crafting Your Authentic Life and Career by Suzy Welch. A practical and reflective guide to discovering your true values and aligning them with your career and life choices. Welch offers tools and frameworks to help listeners clarify who they are, what they want, and how to build a life that fits. Mastesr of th

Welcome to Bri Books! In this episode, I'm covering how to start a manifestation journal, and sharing my favorite manifestation journaling tips. Consider this your guide to manifestation journaling and morning pages. This episode will be a crash course on what exactly manifestation journaling is, where to start with manifestation journaling, scripting, and how to make manifestation journaling less overwhelming. If you're new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Please tell me where you're traveling to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter. 2:00 - What Exactly Is a Manifestation Journal: How to Start Manifestation Journaling A manifestation journal is an excellent way to describe your life story the way you want to manifest your dream life. The process of manifestation journaling not only forces you to organize your thoughts and establish paths to your dreams, but also

Welcome back to Bri Books!This episode of Bri Books is about locking in. Not chasing. Not manifesting yet. Not reinventing your entire life. We talk a lot about goals, but rarely about how to choose direction before movement. Lock-in means deciding where you're headed before you start rowing. If you listened to the Winter Reset episode, this is the natural next step. Softness created space. Now we decide what fills it. If you're new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Please tell me where you're traveling to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter.  This framework is designed to help you set goals that can be assessed and revised, not failed. If you're listening along, pause here if you need to. This episode works best with a notebook. Step 1: Choose Your Goal Areas Start by writing down three to five areas of your life that matter most right now. Not ten, not everyt

Welcome back to Bri Books! Today, we're doing an in-depth personal year-in-review. Spoiler alert: a year in review does not need to be dramatic or emotional to be useful. It needs to be honest and practical. This approach is about looking at the year clearly, deciding what is actually working, and making intentional choices about what you are carrying forward. Not everything needs to be turned into a goal. Some things just need to be named so you can stop dragging them with you. If you're new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Please tell me where you're traveling to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter.  By the end of this process, you will have clear language you can use for goal-setting, journaling, and planning the next season of your life. Start With What Actually Exists Before you reflect, gather evidence. Do not rely on memory alone. Pull together your cal

Welcome back to Bri Books — the podcast that educates, encourages, and inspires by exploring ideas both on and off the page. Today's episode is about winter lixfestyle favorites: the soft hobbies, rituals, and everyday comforts that carried me through 2025 and that I'm intentionally bringing with me into 2026. You've heard a lot about the "soft life" and the "soft girl era." I want to offer a reframing: your grandmother may be the softest woman you know. Softness isn't new. It's inherited. It's practiced. It's slow. If you're new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Please tell me where you're traveling to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter.  This episode isn't about hustle or optimization. It's about winter evenings, quiet joy, and choosing process over productivity. Last winter, I noticed myself reaching less for outcomes and more for ways of being — warmth, text

Welcome back to Bri Books, the podcast (and corner of the internet) where we educate, entertain, and feel our way through ideas both on and off the page. As we head toward the end of 2025 and look ahead to 2026, I'm sharing my best-of beauty and skincare favorites — the products I've loved all year and continue to reach for during the colder months. These are my true winter staples: products that prioritize hydration, warmth, glow, and comfort when the weather (and life) feels a little harsher. If you're new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Please tell me where you're traveling to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter.  So cozy up with your tea, light a candle, swipe on your favorite lip gloss, and let's begin. Bri Books' Winter Beauty Philosophy I always think about winter beauty through memory. Last December, I was sipping hot cider by my Brooklyn window, watchi

Ready to set your goals for 2026 and go softly into the new year? In this episode of Bri Books, we're breaking down how to. create foundational goals, mindset, and changes in your thinking, to help you start 2026 on a strong (yet soft) note. Here's how to enter your soft era and how to execute your winter arc. I'm talking about how to go softly into the end of the year. This is a Winter Reset episode focused on gentleness, language shifts, and reassessing your life without urgency or self-judgment. We're talking about how to go softly into the end of the year. We explore what it means to: Reflect without spiraling Let go of pressure-based goal setting Choose your word and 'North Star' for the year ahead Language shifts that change how we set and accomplish our goals This episode is for anyone who feels tired of "year-end hustle" culture and wants a quieter, more honest way to close a chapter. If you're new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple P

Merry Christmas! Today's episode of Bri Books 'BriCember' is an honest and loving reflection on the holiday season, grief, and where we meet in the middle. In this episode, we reflect on the experiences of people who are sitting with parental loss (or any loss TBH) during the holiday season. I'll be sharing my own reflections on my holiday memories with my mother, the feeling of an invisible missing 'seat at the table' that we may notice during this time of year, the power of reliving and remaking traditions, grieving the holidays and fantasies that never were, and the glimmer of light that's visible in our shared memories.  Listen to my Mother's Day episode of Bri Books inspired by my mother, Michele Jimerson. Subscribe to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

  Episode Summary: Madeira wine is fortified, heat-aged, and famously long-lived. In this episode of Bri Books, we break down how Madeira is made, why it tastes the way it does, and explore tasting notes from three standout producers: Justino's, Henriques & Henriques, and D'Oliveiras. Subscribe to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.  In This Episode: What Madeira wine is and how it's made Why heat and oxidation are intentional Tasting notes from three Madeira producers How to drink and pair Madeira wine Producers Discussed: Justino's Madeira Wines Henriques & Henriques D'Oliveiras (Imported by The Rare Wine Company) Subscribe to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

Welcome back to Bri Books 'BriCember' as we explore Switzerland's secretive yet spectacular wine scene. From the herbaceous Chasselas grape to elegant Pinot Noir blends, discover the best Swiss wines, top wine regions, and NYC hotspots like The Lavaux Wine Bar for tasting Swiss wine. In this episode: Why 98% of Swiss wine stays in the country The six major Swiss wine regions: Geneva, Three Lakes, German Switzerland, Ticino, Vaud, Valais Spotlight on the Chasselas grape and why it pairs perfectly with raclette and fondue Swiss wines worth tasting: Robin de Vignes, Vilette 2022 (Chasselas, Lavaux AOC) Dôle des Monts Red, Gilliard 2020 (Valais AOC, Pinot Noir/Gamay) Weingut Fromm 2018 Pinot Noir Village (Graubunden) Caves du Paradis, Avalanche Fendant 2022 (Valais) My NYC favorite: Lavaux Wine Bar, home of Swiss wine flights and artisanal cheese Links & Resources: Lavaux Wine Bar NYC: 630 Hudson Street Swiss Wine Swiss Wine Week: Official website Subscribe to Bri Books on Appl

Welcome back to Bri Books! In this episode, we're diving deep into the world of orange wine,  one of the oldest and most misunderstood wine styles in the world. Discover what orange wine really is, how it's made, how it tastes, and why Austrian and Georgian producers excel at this method. I also share highlights from the Orange Glou Wine Fair, including some of my favorite importers and bottles: D-I Wine (Alsace, France): Domaine Brand's Tout Terriblement (100% Gewurztraminer) Donkey and Goat Winery (California): Elen Ridge Vineyard Stone Crusher (Roussanne) 8000 Vintage Selections (Georgia): Nikalas Marani Rkatsiteli 2020 and Vellino Wines Kisi 2020 Plus, we explore standout Austrian orange wines: Heinrich Graue Freyheit (Burgenland) Weingut Pittnauer Perfect Day (Burgenland) from Savio Soares Selections Fidesser Orbis (Weinviertel) Weingut Schmelzer Sämling Orange 2017 Learn practical tips on how to taste, serve, and enjoy orange wine, and why it's so food-friendly. Whether you're new t

Welcome back to Wine Week on Bri Books: BriCember! In this episode, we dive into Austrian wine — one of Europe's most exciting and under-discussed wine regions. From Burgenland's signature red grape Blaufränkisch to the steep hillside vineyards of Steiermark, this episode explores what makes Austrian wine so distinctive, sustainable, and food-friendly. I shares firsthand experiences from a Wein Burgenland seminar, break down key regions, and highlight my favorite Austrian red and orange wines to know right now. We cover: Why Austria is one of Europe's best-kept wine secrets Austria's commitment to organic and environmentally conscious viticulture The role of the Austrian Winegrowers' Association and the DAC system What makes Blaufränkisch Austria's most important red grape Why Burgenland is the heart of Austrian red wine Steiermark wines: hillside vineyards, limestone soils, and hand-harvested precision Austrian orange wines and why Austria excels at skin-contact whites Wines mentioned: Blaufr

Welcome back to Bri Books! When you're hosting, choosing wine can feel daunting. Whether it's a dinner party, work event, last-minute gathering, or impromptu holiday shenanigans, here's the simple framework I rely on that never fails. In this episode, we'll cover: The three-bottle wine buying formula (red, white, wildcard) How to taste wine at home: My 4 Pillars of Place: Temperature, Terrain, Soil, and Touch How to build a wine list for parties or dinner How to Build a Wine Menu: Bri's 3-Bottle Formula To avoid overwhelm at the wine shop, use this formula: One white wine One red wine One wildcard. That's it. Simple, flexible, and stress free. Let's dig in: Crisp white as the Opener. This white wine is your opener—the bottle people drink while they arrive, settle in, chat, and snack. White wins are crisp, flexible, and food-friendly. I look for wines with high acidity and good minimality, the kind that leave you gently puckering and refreshed. A crisp white wine creates an immediate sense of

Welcome back to Bri Books BriCember, and welcome to Wine Week! I'll be breaking down the age-old question: "What makes wine good?," and sharing my 'four pillars of place' to help you start to build your good wine vocabulary.  0:39: Breaking down 'good wine.' REmember, wine is an agricultural product. Let's set the stage for practical, place-based approach to wine. 1:12: Why 'terroir' matters + the 'pillars of place.'  1:51: Pillar 1: Soil type. Soil determines minerality, texture, and structural feel. 2:31: Pillar 2: Climate. Climate influences fruit ripeness, acidity, and aromatic profile. Cool climate = fresh, high acid; warm climate = ripe, fruity, plush. 3:23: Pillar 3: Elevation and aspect. Elevation affects temperature swings (diurnal shifts). Sunlight, rainfall, and altitude shape ripeness and freshness. 4:33: Pillar 4: Vine health and farming. Farming practices (organic, biodynamic, low-intervention) matter. Yield, canopy management, and vine age influence quality. Winemakers' traditions are the key

Welcome back to Bri Books podcast! If this is your first time, WELCOME! And if you're a return listener from the last 6 (!!!!!!) years, welcome back. Bri Books is now also on YouTube: watch here. Today is November 30th, marking not just the beginning of Advent season, but the beginning of BriCember! What is BriCember? BriCember is a personal project wherein I challenge myself to produce and publish a podcast episode a day in the month of December. Not only is December my birth month, it's also the perfect time of the year to catch up on where you've been and where you're going. What's Coming Up This BriCember? In 2025, I'll be approaching BriCember through the lens of literature, with lots of recommendations of what to read. But I'm also aligning it not just with the month, but with how we think of time. This BriCember will be aligned with the moon phases. But Wait, Where Have You Been, Bri?I've spent most of 2025 in flux, in the most beautiful way. Last year, in 2024, I began a new career at JPMorganChase. I

Welcome to Bri Books, and Happy Mother's Day to the matriarchs out there. I'm excited to share this episode because I want to honor my own mother, Michele Jimerson, who passed away February 13, 2024. I have so much gratitude and humility for my mother, her story and her life. I spent Mother's Day Weekend, the second since my mother's death, at a retreat in Morristown, NJ hosted by Arthouse2b, a multidisciplinary group of artists cultivating Catholic arts renewal in NYC. Their aim is to restore culture through restoring the heart of the artist.. The retreat was centered on the hart of christ, and it came down to: God is made to endure your suffering. He specializes in broken hearts. that’s where He shines. One poignant point that struck me during the retreat, was then when I’m rebellious in my thoughts and not using my creative energy the way God has set aside for me to use it, it grieves Him. i think of all the times as a kid when I’d grieve my mother over silly things—but she never stopped loving me. Why wou

The Garden in Every Sense and Season Today’s “Bri Books”  is a conversation with ABeautifulNestTV creator Sandria Kendrick, inspired by the book “The Garden in Every Sense and Season” by Tovah Martin. Sandria is the creator behind the “ABeautifulNestTV” platform on YouTube, and on social media. In this episode, Sandria shares her story of homesteading with her family in Georgia, and how her love for the soil runs through her veins. In this episode, we’re discussing our garden struggles, how you can inject green into your life this year.  Show Notes 3:30: Sandria's gardening story, and how she built a small homestead garden for her family + Brionna recommends “The Market Gardener” by Jean-Martin Fortier.  5:00: Sandria's gardening challenges and how she overcame them. 9:00 – How book is divided: Each of the four seasons are represented, with each individual season’s different sensational gifts–sights, sounds, touches, tastes, scents– woven into a story that explores the ever-evolving garden 12:15: How ci

Welcome to Bri Books! On today’s episode, we’re talking about falling in love with the garden this spring, first-time gardening secrets, and how to get kids excited about gardening. Almost everyday, Carla of @gardenplot.57 treats us to vibrant photos of her cut flower garden, homemade skincare products, and dozens of veggies she’s growing in her backyard garden in Cornwall, England. In this episode, Carla gives tips on how to start (and maintain) a garden in a small space, and shares tips on DIY gardening projects we can do right now to get a jump on the season. Carla and I bonded over the amazing book “Floret Farm's A Year in Flowers: Designing Gorgeous Arrangements for Every Season” by Erin Benzakein, an amazing resource that’ll inspire you to step up your flower arranging (and flower growing) game. Carla also shares the secret to getting kids interested in gardening and how to lure them away from the XBox and towards the garden box.   Carla’s guide to gardening in a small space:  1. Utilize your patio by p