What Uzo Aduba Can’t Live Without

I’ve since moved, but at my old apartment I didn’t have a fireplace. I’m from Boston so it’s classic New England, and in fall your fireplace is going, and I missed that smell in New York. My assistant found this crackling Christmasy candle, and I fell in love with it. I’m telling you, I bought a case of them. They burn very quickly is the only thing. But they smell so great even from outside the hallway of my apartment building — even when they’re not burning! It’s a light waft from the hallway in a good way. And every time someone comes over to my apartment, they’ll be like, “It smells delicious.” The candle’s so warm that it makes me wanna curl up with a great book and a blanket.

You weren’t expecting this one, were you? It’s actually the most delicious marinade I’ve ever used for grilling, ever. It’s awesome on an aged rib-eye because it has just enough sweetness in it and caramelizes on the steak. You also don’t need to marinade for a long time. You throw it on the steak 20 minutes before cooking, and it’ll still be the bomb dot com. I was actually thinking about it after deciding to put this on my list and made it last night! My local grocer actually recommended it to me, and I fell in love. I have tried the spicy version, but I don’t think I like it as much as the original.

My actual fragrance blend is a secret, actually, because it’s a blend of two different fragrances that only I know, but it’s mostly orange blossom. To me, orange-blossom fragrance doesn’t have a fruity scent to it, but there’s some power. Whenever I smell orange blossom, to me, that’s what a woman should smell like — not a girl. My stylist actually turned me onto the fragrance.

I wouldn’t be able to see without these, so of course I need my glasses if I want to watch a movie or drive. They’re actually the first glasses I’ve had since high school — I bought them in London, which felt like a very adult purchase to make. I wanted something that felt strong but still feminine. I liked that these were mature and effortlessly cool. They’re not doing the most, you know?

This bag is chic and cool but can still hold a lot of stuff. I love it because it’s the perfect mixture of style and functionality. New York isn’t like L.A. because you have to walk around so much with your stuff — you want to look cute, and this one is so gorgeous with the black. I like that the leather has some texture on it, too.

I don’t know if this is me being typically Nigerian, but in our culture, you never leave your house without something in your ears. That’s how I was raised; I feel naked if I walk out of the house without any earrings on. I like a simple piece like these because they’ve got an interesting shape on closer examination and really just go with everything. They’re timeless, and I can wear them when I’m 50 or 60.