“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
— Margaret Mead
As many of us are spending time with our families over this holiday season, surrounded by abundance, might I suggest a small donation to The Compassion Collective, started by some very thoughtful and talented writers (Elizabeth Gilbert, Cheryl Strayed, Brené Brown, Glennon Melton and Rob Bell) to raise money for tangible relief for Syrian refugees. I first learned about it from Shauna, and want to share it here. (If you want to know more about the very specific relief efforts, see this post on Glennon Melton's site.)
How did we get here already? It's only two weeks until Halloween with the holidays seemingly right around the corner...
We spent the last week of September in Maui with our extended family. Eight adults and four kiddos three and under. It was a rather magical trip for us and a huge milestone for me as a parent. Up until now, to be honest, travel with a toddler wasn't very fun. Having to constantly entertain on the airplane, trying to "reason" with a two year old why they can't walk down the aisle when the seatbelt sign is on, managing security...and then once you finally make it, there are the usual routines you have to stick to, nap times...it is not a vacation no matter what tropical island you find yourself on.
But this trip, this trip! There were no nap times, no battles, no negotiating. Just pure joy. And I saw my son in an entirely new light. He's a boy, not a toddler. My boy that I just wanted to hang with day after day. For six days, we woke up, went to the same quiet beach to play in the waves and swim with turtles until midday, returned to the house to eat lunch, and then swam in the pool all afternoon until bedtime. D was in bed by 7:30pm and us at 8:00pm. There were no phones, no computers, no book reading even. It was heaven and I'm still feeling high from it all.
Now we're back at home in the groove, attending preschool and enjoying our finished(!) basement...
I've taken our Maui experience and applied it to our every day life, namely me letting go of my never-ending to-do list and embracing more time at the park and watching construction sites for longer than I would have previously allowed...
And though it doesn't really feel like fall yet with our still-warm temperatures, I've been happily pulling out the boots and jackets anyway with a few new additions to the closet...
I just bought these Sorels that have long been on my wishlist (sizing tip, I had to order a half size up).
And a new favorite pair of jeans from Madewell (shown above with this really great oversized cotton/linen top and my beloved Dicker boots). I also picked up this jacket from the Uniqlo + IDLF collaboration that I mentioned here and it is so good.
Life After Life has been on my reading list for a long time and I finally had a chance to read it and I loved it. Now I want to read everything Kate Atkinson has ever written.
On the cooking front, I've been wild for this super easy roast chicken and potato dish. I love Melissa Clark and trust her taste implicitly and this one really impresses. I've made it a handful of times in recent weeks and have been sharing it with everyone I know. (Cook it on a sheet of parchment and the clean-up is practically nothing.)
I first watched it a month or so ago when a client shared it with me (thanks Sharon!) and I've thought a lot about it since. Given what I do, posture and the power of posture is always at the forefront of my mind. Take a few minutes out of your day and watch her inspiring talk.
It's not even officially summer but we are already in full swing over here. New shorts have been purchased and my "uniform" hightop Vans got an upgrade in all white canvas. Rosé is in the fridge and a cold brew kit is on the way (brewing instructions from Intelligentsia here).
There have been more than a few evenings of Haagen Daaz on the front steps...
baths al fresco...
and parfaits at Trove (which I haven't been able to stop thinking about)...Rachel Yang can do no wrong.
Seattle, I love you year-round (yes, even in March) but you do summer like no other.
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).
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.
“Your professor is a terrible singer and a decent dancer. He is a movie crier but stone-faced in real life. He never laughs even when he is actually amused. He hates suck-ups, people who treat waitresses and cab drivers poorly and anybody who thinks diversity is just an academic conceit. He is a big sucker for the hard worker and is rarely dazzled by brilliance. He has little patience for people who pretend to ask questions when all they really want to do is make a speech." From David Carr's curriculum at BU published in The Times.
“Evaluations will be based not just on your efforts, but on your ability to bring excellence out of the people around you.”
I would have liked him as my teacher. His words resonate with me now as a parent and what it means to raise a kid...
“The good news is that this is the first time that I have taught this class, so boredom will not be an issue. It’s also the bad news, because even though I have done a great deal of teaching over the years, it’s the first time I’ve been an actual professor and have had to string together an entire semester. You are a beta, which means things will be exciting and sometimes very confusing. Let’s be honest with each other when that happens. If you don’t get where I am going or what I want, say so. I care deeply that I do a good job in all endeavors, especially this one.”
I don't tend to set specific resolutions for the new year. Though I've realized that I do have a specific year end ritual which involves deep cleaning at home and clearing from my mind "that which has outgrown its usefulness" to make space for the new.
Simplicity. Own less, live more. These are not new ideas for me. After all I wrote this on my about page... My mantra isn't really "less is more" but rather "get rid of the stuff that isn't all that useful or enjoyable and save room only for the things that really make you happy."
But I just got this life changing book two weeks ago that took it all to a new level.
After spending the past week going through my house, every room, closet, dresser and cabinet, I have realized that there has never been a truer title to a book.
“After all, what is the point in tidying? If it’s not so that our space and the things in it can bring us happiness, then I think there is no point at all. Therefore, the best criterion for choosing what to keep and what to discard is whether keeping it will make you happy, whether it will bring you joy.
Are you happy wearing clothes that don’t give you pleasure? Do you feel joy when surrounded by piles of unread books that don’t touch your heart? Do you think that owning accessories you know you’ll never use will ever bring you happiness? The answer to these questions should be no. Now imagine yourself living in a space that contains only things that spark joy. Isn’t this the lifestyle you dream of?
Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest.”
Unlike the usual expected craziness of the holiday season, this time of year is calm and peaceful in our house. Aaron's shooting schedule is quieter and he's home quite a lot which is wonderful. And I take more days off as my clients are traveling and involved with their own holiday celebrations. There has been lots of time for leisurely cooking, hosting friends and family and just enjoying our home life.
With the many meals shared and gifts purchased over the last two weeks, I have a few favorite things to share...
photo from Food52
I made this pretty amazing kale gratin from Renee Erickson's beautiful new cookbook (which is just as perfect, thoughtful but seemingly effortless, as her restaurants). The gratin is a breeze to prepare and so delicious. I served it alongside a braised pork shoulder and polenta. (We also served this rather perfect punch which I think I could make a tradition.)
I love our local Theo Chocolate and I think these caramels would make a sweet hostess gift.
And my love affair with Uniqlo continues. I bought this great down jacket as a gift and a smaller one for my nephew. And while I was at it I added a sweater for myself. I ordered up a size so it would be a little bit looser fit which ended up being perfect.
I could eat a whole jar of this amazing almond butter with a spoon if left to my own devices. Thankfully you can get a much larger 16oz jar at Thrive Market so that you might actually share with your family and not hide the jar for yourself. If you don't know about Thrive, it's like Costco meets Whole Foods AND they ship directly to your house!
While you're adding things to your cart pick up some of this Weleda Hand Cream. It's the best I've ever found. It smells great, absorbs quickly and really does the trick especially during this season of constant hand washing. You can also find it at Pharmaca, PCC or Whole Foods.
I bought a gift subscription to Bean Box for my father-in-law and a few coffee loving friends. There are so many wonderful small independent coffee roasters in Seattle and Bean Box makes it easy to try them all, shipped free right to your door. And if you find something you really like you can order a pound directly from them.
Lastly, I love listening to StoryCorps every Friday on NPR which honors and celebrates the stories and triumphs of our everyday lives. Without fail it always brings tears to my eyes. Being Christmas Eve, listen here how the Santa Tracker came to be in 1955.
Wishing you peace and joy through the holiday season.
It really is hard to beat summer in Seattle. The warm sunny usually not-too-hot days, the long evenings, Lake Washington and Puget Sound beaches. This year in particular, summer here seems especially good. A few summertime essentials that are contributing to the good life...
Salad greens from the garden. Last spring we got rid of our lawn and built three raised beds. It was the best decision we ever made. Not only is it fun to plant and watch things grow and enjoy in the bounty, it is incredibly low-maintenance. If you'd like to do the same, these are the guys to get you started. They make it so easy to figure it all out and get growing.
Heirloom tomatoes with Maldon salt and olive oil. (By the way, California Olive Ranch is a fantastic basic everyday oil. Delicious, not too expensive and widely available at PCC, Whole Foods and even our local Thriftway.)
These killer American made classic lawn chairs are a new addition to the garden. Perfect for lounging...
And this small but powerful fan. Thanks Omar. You really should know about Omar. He knows about all the right things that you too should have in your life. Thoughtfully designed, well made things that make your everyday life better. My only caveat is that you will find yourself buying pretty much everything he tells you to. Consider yourself warned.
