Today I was finally back to work after being home sick for 12 days. I am pretty sure it was two different viruses back to back but I was laid out and in bed for all of it. I hope that ordeal has given my immune system a super boost for the the rest of the winter.
While I felt pretty good this morning, I made sure to add a little extra color to my face before walking out the door (mostly to convince myself that I hadn’t been withering under the covers for the last several days). A few years ago I read this from make-up artist Dick Page…
“It always boils down to adding a bit of red—it makes anyone look better...I hate to be reductive, but red is like, how not to look horrible. If you have a red lipstick you can dab it on your cheeks, your lips, even a little up above your brows. Just a trace of red—you could be at death’s door and suddenly you look better.”
“People have this fear of red. But used in a transparent way, it makes anyone look good.”
I took his advice to heart and it is a legit trick to remember. Most days I wear no makeup but I always comb my brows, curl my lashes, and press on a little red lipstick with my finger so it looks more like a stain and dab some on my cheeks. It works like magic and makes me look not made up, but more alive.
Now the main thing on my mind is prepping for Thanksgiving. We are spending the holiday with the same dear friends that we spent Christmas Eve with last year. I have a few thoughts on what I’d like to make but I delighted in watching Alison Roman cook her Thanksgiving menu in her tiny New York kitchen…
After several weeks of rain the sky has cleared and the temperature has dropped. If the forecast holds, we are looking at pretty perfect conditions for trick or treating this Thursday…
Both soups mentioned above are also pureed which means they are perfect for sipping out of a mug (which comes in handy if you want to deliver something hot to your rad construction crew on a cold day)…
I have a pair of black patent leather Loeffler Randall boots from a few seasons ago that I would like to put into more regular rotation. I just ordered these white Everlane straight leg crop pants to create the look below…
One of my clients told me about this No. Green deodorant from Corpus which is my new favorite. It smells amazing, works like deodorant should, and has no white residue…
These little Mighty Patch hydrocolloid patches are amazing. If I have a blemish that needs extracting (or I pick at my face more than I should) I put one of these on the "wound” before I go to bed. They prevent unsightly scabs from forming and they speed the healing process…
Those little patches work so beautifully I added these hydrocolloid bandages to our first aid kit…
I’ve been creating more time to read these days and recently finished Deep Work by Cal Newport. I first learned about Cal several years ago when he was an MIT student and wrote about deliberate practice on his blog. Deep Work is full of well articulated ideas that you’ll want to write down and think more about like this one…
“People who multitask all the time can’t filter out irrelevancy.”
It is December! We don’t have a tree yet and I haven’t started playing holiday music but I think today might be the day it all begins. And with that, here are some ideas for giving this year…
Billecart Salmon Champagne is my most favorite thing to imbibe ever. It is special and only makes an appearance once or twice a year around our house but I can’t imagine a more elegant gift…
Chocolate from Askinosie would make another lovely hostess gift. I have my eye on many of the CollaBARation bars and this coconut milk chocolate. If you don’t know about Askinosie Chocolate read their story here…
This delicious and assertive G. Day body wash is great and reminds me of a more unisex and a cleaner (read: no SLS, parabens etc) version of the Molton Brown Black Peppercorn wash my husband has long favored…
My brother worked on this Brooks shoe and I wore it for the first time at the studio last week and nearly every client wanted a pair for themselves. They are that cool.
My husband has a pair too that are equally as cool…
I cannot recommend Pamela Salzman’s cookbook highly enough. I’ve mentioned her on my blog many times. She has an incredibly resourceful blog and teaches countless cooking classes in the LA area (and now online classes too). She is a natural teacher and her recipes are always accessible, reliable, healthy and delicious. She is my go-to.
New this fall, Ottolenghi’s Simple is fantastic. I’m gifting it to several friends this year.
I LOVE these balm sticks from Olio E Osso out of Portland, Oregon. I have them in several colors and they give a beautiful flush of color and feel wonderful on the skin. I buy mine from Ayla Beauty in San Francisco. It’s a wonderful little shop that I like to support and they carry so many of the lines I love like Marie Veronique, BioRecept, Kosås and others.
For a young girl or boy in your life a subscription to Bravery Magazine…
I love these beautiful tattoos which are pulled from Oliver Jeffers’s gorgeous books…
I gave his book Here We Areto all the children in our family last year, though I’d recommend it for adults too…
Also, consider giving to an organization you believe in. I will be giving to On Being…
I am wrapping up the last of my two-week break and head back to the studio on Monday. It has been such a gift to have an extended period of time to slow down and recharge. I did cross off several things on my to-do list but also was deliberate about not trying to accomplish too much. I took a few naps while my son was at school, I took long walks with a friend and had an indulgent lunch at Le Pichet with champagne. I am profoundly grateful and happy to be here and am ready to get back at it on Monday…
Le Pichet
Today we all slept in and have been enjoying a lazy day at home. I’ve been cleaning out the kitchen drawers and re-organizing my pantry…
I also hope to get to my closet this evening and transfer some summer stuff over to these under bed storage cases I picked up at Ikea last week…
The weather has cooled and we’ve had some long overdue rain showers and the last of my summer crops are reflecting the change. I’ve harvested the last of my lettuce - this one was stellar. I hope to find more of that variety next year. We’ve been eating it all week tossed with this fantastic tahini ranch dressing…
Last night there was no lettuce and I was solo for dinner and lacking motivation. I ate a bowl of potato chips and a glass of wine for dinner. Keeping it real. By the way, these chips are so good. And doesn’t Heath Ceramics make everything look amazing - even potato chips?! I picked up these little black bowls a few weeks ago when we were in San Francisco…
I also bought a few new things during my break starting with this killer lipstick from Kosas. I don’t swipe it on but rather press it on with my finger (even a bit on my cheeks) so it looks more like a stain. Don’t let the bright color scare you off, it creates a beautiful flush and is incredibly flattering…
I love this look below…
I couldn’t find a similar track jacket but happily settled for this classic Adidas one that I’ll wear both at the studio and under my oversized tweed jacket…
I also picked up this cozy and crazy affordable sweater jacket…
And this one too but in the dark green (I had to size down on this one)…
The last thing I need is yet another pair of boots, but if you need a great everyday pair I think these look pretty great…
I am on a bit of a spending hiatus. Overall I am quite conscious about what I buy, but it feels like I've added quite a bit to my closet and the skincare arsenal lately. So I'm taking a break to enjoy and use what I already have. I feel overwhelmed when I have a bit too much stuff and besides, my savings would greatly appreciate the break. (This is also a good time to re-mention YNAB - go check it out.)
Even though I'm not currently buying, it doesn't stop me from looking and adding beautiful things to my wishlist.
I have long wanted a pair of these Hoffman armchairs at the dining room table...
This perfect Clare V clutch in cuoio vachetta leather that I bet ages beautifully...
Along with chocolate bunny eating and hanging with family this weekend, I'm excited to spend some quality time with my new book, Rules of Civility...
I'm also making this beautiful, herby potato salad from Nadine Redzepi's cookbook Downtime. I checked it out from the library a few months back and loved it so much I had to buy it. It's one of my new favorites...
I really hope to spend some time in the garden while the sun makes an appearance. I have seeds to plant, mostly salad greens, and my new Row 7 beets!
It is a little early to put them in the dirt, but my dahlia tubers from Floret arrived today!
I'm also going to be wearing this sweet jacket I just got from (surprise) Everlane. Seeing as I already have two army green jackets that I love, I got the black one. But if you don't already have an army colored jacket in your closet, get the surplus one. It will be a staple that you will wear year round...
Also on the fashion front, check out this recent shot of the editors at French Vogue. Perfection as always...
Last thing for now, I LOVE this mascara from Burt's Bees. (I've found it locally in Seattle at Bartell Drugs.) I'm not usually a regular mascara wearer, but I really dig this one. I learned about it from Katey Denno (celebrity makeup artist and green beauty aficionado), whom I've followed the last several years. I'll write more about Katey at some point, but I adore her. And if she loves/recommends a beauty product, I'm in...
After getting hammered with back to back bugs, the flu, sinus infections...I am healthy and thrilled to welcome the new year. My son and I were fortunate to tag along on my husband's photoshoot last week to enjoy a few days under the Mexican sun...
While it was wonderful, it feels so good to be home; my favorite place. I am excited to be back in the studio and finally back to my regular schedule this week.
While on break I've been hitting my local library hard. The two books I am currently reading and loving;The Lonely City by Olivia Lang. From the first few pages...
“Loneliness is by no means a wholly worthless experience, but rather one that cuts right to the heart of what we value and what we need. Many marvellous things have emerged from the lonely city: things forged in loneliness, but also things that function to redeem it.”
My husband gave me these perfect little earrings from Bing Bang for Christmas and I don't know that I will ever take them off. Initials for the two boys in my life. They make me wish I still had multiple holes from my 1990s youth so I could have more...
I upgraded our kitchen glasses over the holidays and picked up these bodega glasses from Food52 and am loving them. I have the 12oz size and also the squat 7.5oz size which, just like the description says, I use for everything: small dishes for mise-en-place, condiments, ice cream...
Speaking of Food52, I discovered these gluten-free and vegan spicy ginger cookies on the site and have been making them possibly a little too often...
I did reduce the cloves to 1/8 tsp and added a handful of chopped candied ginger. They are heavily spiced and delicious first thing with a cup of coffee, or late afternoon with a mug of peppermint tea.
Another new addition to my kitchen is this fantastic silicone ladle from GIR...
The GIR spatulas are the only ones I use. I have three of the ultimate size and four of the mini ones. I use them every single day for pretty much everything.
Lastly, I wrote a few months back about my favorite non-toxic deodorant and I have a new one to add to the list. AER from Vapour Beauty is fantastic. It is a gel to powder formula, super effective and long lasting. I bought it online but just saw it at my local Pharmaca.
Most of the basic personal care products I love and use everyday are easy to find. Everything below (with the exception of Cocofloss) I find at my favorite local grocery, PCC. You can also find them at Pharmaca, Whole Foods and Thrive Market. All of them are incredibly effective, non-toxic and free of all the chemicals/fillers that are in most mainstream products.
I wash my hands a lot throughout the day especially when I'm at the studio teaching so I also go through a lot of hand cream to keep my skin from drying out. This sea buckthorn hand cream from Weleda is my favorite. It absorbs right away, is deeply moisturizing and never greasy. It's the only one I use...
Also from Weleda, this sea buckthorn body lotion is fantastic. It rubs in immediately and keeps my skin soft and moisturized all day even in the dry winter months...
A few years ago, an effective natural deodorant seemed impossible to find. I've long loved this one from Soapwalla. However having to apply it with your fingers isn't for everyone. Enter Schmidt's. It is aluminum and artificial fragrance free and equally important, it really works. There are two formulas, one without baking soda which some people are sensitive to. I've used both and love the tea tree one and the charcoal + magnesium one (which my husband also uses)...
Weleda's salt toothpaste is incredibly refreshing without any minty aftertaste. Xyliwhite is my other favorite. They also make one for kids that my son loves. All are fluoride free...
Cocofloss is really great floss. I prefer mint and we have a subscription that delivers every 4 months...
I also love this mouthwash my dentist recommended from BR...
This Dr. Bronner's shaving gel is a favorite of mine and my husband's. (If you prefer a cream shave, this one from Weleda is great as well, plus it is the perfect travel size.)
The only downside to the Dr. Bronner's shave gel is it's not really the right container for the thin gel consistency so it leaks and makes a mess. I picked up a squeeze bottle like this one at PCC and decanted it which solves the issue...
Lastly, I couldn't live without Burt's Bees original lip balm. I carry it with me wherever I go. I buy a four pack from Thrive...
Now that fall has arrived, my favorite style season, I'm getting excited about dressing again. Which also makes me want to add a few new things to my closet. I'd start with this crazy cool coat from Sézane...
It is hard to believe we are enjoying the last few days of July. Our weekend plans consist of a whole lot of nothing. I feel like we've got "summering" down as we head into August. If you need something good to watch in the evenings this weekend I'd suggest The Defiant Ones. The four part series is really great.
Or if you are looking for something really good to listen to, I urge you to listen to Malcom Gladwell's podcast Revisionist History. It is enlightening and important and he is an incredible storyteller. This is the second season so if it is new to you, definitely go back and listen to season one as well. Queue it up for your Monday commute.
If you don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen this weekend, if you have a blender or a food processor you should at the very least whip up this delicious and versatile sauce that I pulled from Bon Appetit. I've made a parsley version, a cilantro one, I've left out the tahini and also included it. You can't go wrong. Truly you can use it on almost anything - salad dressing, tossed with roasted vegetables, on rice or pasta...you get the idea.
And I have a new favorite tank top. These micro rib ones from Everlane are perfect in every way...
They also make a perfect crewneck tee as well. Long enough, not too slim, no cap-sleeve business. I just stocked up on a few more for fall...
I also love this sea salt spray from local Seattle company Herbivore. I use it on both my hair and skin. My five year uses it too - "Mom, it smells like Hawaii!" He's right and it is divine...
One last thing. If you have some brown sugar and olive oil in your pantry go make this simple body scrub. Add a few large spoonfuls of brown sugar to a bowl, add the same amount of olive oil (maybe a bit more) and mix it up. It should have a consistency like this...
Then tomorrow morning, step into the shower (don't turn the water on) and scrub your body all over. Shower and rinse and welcome the weekend. Your skin will thank you.
