Gayle


I just spent the night with Andy Cohen. Okay, we weren't actually together, but curling up with his new book, The Andy Cohen Diaries, is just like hanging out with the Bravo host. Andy mixes the mischief of a boy with the insights of a man— and boy, can that man dish! Not only does he love a great behind-the-scenes story and a delicious piece of gossip, but he's also crazy for his rescue dog, Wacha; purple toilet paper; the St. Louis Cardinals; a good no-holds-barred conversation; and the color yellow, which in my book automatically scores him ten extra points.

Lavender


I love the smell of lavender and the taste of almonds, but I never thought to put them together. That is, until I had lunch at Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica, where a favorite bar snack is almonds with lavender sugar and sea salt. They're sweet, slightly salty, very crunchy and highly addictive.

Rustic Canyon Lavender Almonds Recipe

Taylor Swift


I've got a music rule. I have to like at least three songs before committing to a whole album. But Taylor Swift is one of the very few artists I'll buy without hearing a thing. Her new release, 1989, is out now, and based on the single "Shake It Off," it's safe to say I'll be shaking it for a lot more than three songs.

Bargain


Who says you can't get a bargain in the Hamptons? At this summer's Super Saturday charity event, my favorite find wasn't the clothes, but the Halo Pocket Power Starlight charger ($40; halo2cloud.com), which is a little longer than a lipstick, has a built-in flashlight, and keeps your phone juiced for hours. Now I don't leave home without it.

Oprah Tour


I was apartment hunting with my son a couple of months ago and spotted a sign hanging in somebody's home that said:

Steps to Happiness
1. Decide to be happy
2. Make it a priority
3. Let go of judgements
4. Be present
5. Be grateful


If you can't make it to Oprah's The Life You Want Weekend tour this fall, try your own life-improving exercise at home: Consider these five ideas, because happiness should never be an afterthought.

Attorney


An arrogant attorney (Robert Downey Jr.) comes home for his mother's funeral, only to get roped into defending his estranged father (Robert Duvall), who's been accused of murder. The Judge is an emotional Tilt-a-Whirl that keeps you guessing right up to the verdict. But aside from being a first-rate courtroom drama, it's about the need for vengeance, the need to forgive, the need to be forgiven and the powerful need all sons seem to have for their father's approval. Let the Oscar buzz begin!

From the November 2014 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine