I love these very cool Jenni Kayne sandals with a detached ankle strap...
This multipurpose balm from Olio e Osso in currant...
And this jewelry case from Cuyana...
(All of these would make primo Mother's Day gifts I might add.)
Happy Birthday! (A Gift Guide For the Girls)
All three of my sister-in-laws (and my mother) celebrated their birthdays in August. They are some of my favorite people to shop for. Here are a few gifts worthy of a special sister-in-law or dear friend...
A canvas tote from My Other Bag. I love mine (pictured below) and have both the classic and carry-all sizes.
Or a beautiful leather one from Cuyana whose motto is "fewer, better things." Can't argue with that.
A universally flattering lip sheer from Beautycounter in Nude or Twig. I'm personally sort of obsessed with their whole line of non-toxic but high performing products.
A good cookbook.
A wallet clutch from Clare V.
Or this military jacket (another gem from the Uniqlo + IDLF collaboration).
The days go by...
I remember writing this around this same time last year:
"Then all of a sudden it's like there isn't five minutes of extra time for anything. We become busy with the tasks of daily living, the days go by, the weeks go by and suddenly it's almost April. I've realized that writing a blog keeps you accountable. It documents the days, the time spent away. The silence."
I've found myself in the same place, and feeling in a bit of a slump. Things are busy; juggling schedules, childcare and just the day to day stuff. And usually during D's nap time, I relish in some solo time to cook, clean up a bit and get things done. But this last week I've just been sitting, blank. Sitting at the dining table feeling unmotivated to do anything.
It wasn't until I was doing my daily meditation with the help of Headspace (which I mentioned a few weeks ago) when Andy addressed the "boredom" that some experience when starting a meditation practice, when I realized that that was exactly what I was feeling, not just in meditation but in life. He went on to explain that the boredom we experience, the feeling of wanting to be somewhere else or doing something else, comes from a lack of curiosity about the process and that we're not really present with what’s happening.
“The more we can be present and genuinely curious in each and every moment that’s happening, the less likely we are to experience boredom.”
"If we’re only interested in getting a result from the exercise and we’re not really interested in the journey and the process of it, then we’re never really going to find the answer we’re looking for. Because the journey and the process is the answer. It’s learning to observe with a soft focus. It is with a curious mind, with an open mind, that we start to experience a greater sense of calm and clarity in everyday life."
I didn't realize how much I was looking ahead until Andy mentioned it. Maybe it happens to all parents of small children. Maybe we do it in the interest of self-preservation - a reminder that these tough times are fleeting and it won’t always be like this. No matter how wonderful your kid is, these formative years are really tough. The demanding, near constant attention required of you as a parent, setting boundaries, battles over diaper changing and lots of "I want to do it all by myself!" make it not always easy to be fully present.
I felt instant relief when I could recognize it and wouldn't you know I came out of my boredom and got up from the dining table. It's an ongoing challenge, to be present. But it's something I work on every day and happy to say, am getting better at. Having a kid has certainly changed me in expected ways. But I do love being surprised by the unforeseen changes as well. I don't think I would have held the goal of "be more present" as highly as I do now had I not had a child. And working on that ultimately makes me a happier, well-balanced human being and it's a skill I can carry throughout my life.
And now here we are. It is already the second week of April. And there are other important things to discuss. Like rhubarb.
I am a complete sucker for rhubarb and those bright red stalks find their way into my shopping cart pretty much every time I go to the market. As Nigel Slater says, "How could anyone not love something known as the pie plant?" I'd love to make this rhubarb-almond cake from this month's Bon Appetit...
Molly's Roasted Rhubarb (which I too will happily eat straight from the fridge, no bowl required) is stellar. Or just make a simple compote to put over pretty much everything.
This sparkly top just arrived in the mail this week which I love and first saw on Le Catch. Now I just need a pair of black wide leg trousers to go with it (and a party to attend).
Historically, I am not a lipstick wearer. I love a good lip balm, or sometimes a nude gloss, but Ilia has made me change my ways. They wear like a lip balm with sheer but rich color with a semi-matte finish. I like Strike it Up and Ink Pot.
I'm also really enjoying Sarah Britton's new cookbook. I've been a huge fan of hers (you can read about her lentil salad here) and her book does not disappoint.
Now I'm going to go work on being present as I await the premiere of Game of Thrones.
Weekly Roundup
A few things I've been inspired by this week...
This whole look. I think everything about it is perfect and it reminds me of the minimally made-up, casually cool French-woman idea of beauty. "In each country, I think there is an idea of what beauty is, but for the French, it's very particular: What we want is to be ourselves-not a better version of ourselves." From here.
Since Aaron doesn't drink coffee, I usually just prepare a single cup for myself. But I just added this Hario server to my pour-over set up for when I have company (or for those days when I want to enjoy more than one cup).
This parka from Zara is rather perfect for spring in Seattle. I also have my eye on a lightweight scarf.
I put this beautiful little rhubarb into the dirt yesterday which makes me think only of making pie.
Speaking of "pie", this Pai face oil is ridiculous. I've been using it every night for less than two weeks and can already see and feel a difference. It feels amazing and I've been finding myself washing my face as soon as I get home from work since I can't wait to use it. Totally worthy of the hype.
With an almost three year old in the house, I honestly haven't picked up (or rather finished) a book since before D was born. I feel lucky that All the Light You Cannot See is the first book to welcome me back to the world of reading. As an added bonus, since I am still firmly rooted in the reality of having a toddler where time for leisurely reading is scarce, each chapter is only a handful of pages (or less) as the story switches back and forth between characters making it easy to sneak in a few pages between the recurring "Mama, watch this!"
And lastly, but most importantly for me this week is the discovery of Headspace. Thanks Liz! I am sure I will write more about Headspace later but this app is exactly what I needed right now. As much as I tried and wanted to find a few minutes each day to practice meditation, I struggled on my own to keep it up. But Andy Puddicombe's guiding voice makes it all so easy and I look forward to starting my day with it.
Kari Gran + The Best Lip Balm Ever
The holy grail of lip balm. Seriously, this is the best stuff I've ever used. It comes in a tinted version but I am partial to the naked variety in peppermint. It is also beautifully packaged making it perfect for gift giving.
Kari is a local Seattleite. You can read more about her and her products here. The Lip Whip is amazing stuff but so is her simple, beautiful skincare line. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.
Kjaer Weis
The Kjaer Weis cosmetics line is proof that beautiful design not only matters but it adds greatly to the pleasure one takes is performing a simple, daily ritual -such as putting on makeup. But the real beauty of the Kjaer Weis line, is that it's not just the packaging that is beautiful. They are incredible products that not only work, they are good for you.
"Kjaer Weis is a visionary and forward thinking cosmetics line created by Danish-born, New York-based makeup artist Kirsten Kjaer Weis. It’s a brand that recognizes health and beauty equally." More about Kirsten and the line here.
Each compact comes with your chosen color, and refill pans are available in simple paper cartons that are fully recyclable. Even the refills were designed to be beautiful. The goal was to maintain both sustainability principles and a high standard of design. “The visual and aesthetic parts of daily life are vitally important to me. Consciously or unconsciously, design affects us all,” says Kirsten
The foundation is a dream (especially when applied with the indispensible Beauty Blender sponge). As are the cream blushes. The best face products I've ever used. My skin, only better.