The first time I ever asked a chef to divulge a secret recipe, it was for a salad dressing. My parents had taken me out to a fancier-than-usual dinner to celebrate my 16th birthday, and we all fell in love with the house salad — which was surprising, since it was really just a simple mix of field […]
Morning y’all! Checking in with a short post today — I’m a little jet-lagged and also wanting to spend every waking second with Phoebe and Henry this weekend after being in Europe for 8 days (and traveling for 24 hours to make it back to Austin.) If you’ve been following on Instagram, then you got a few […]
The number one sign that fall has arrived? (and no, I’m not talking about pumpkin spice lattés.) The arrival of a beautiful new pair of boots on my front porch, and an absolute craving to start wearing them despite the still 90-degree temps here in Austin. I’ve always been a boot girl; once October rolls around, I pretty […]
Shop owner Wendi Koletar is a woman who inspires many adjectives: “She’s such a visionary,” “Wendi’s a total BOSS,” and “She has the best taste of anyone, ever,” are just a few of the descriptions I got when asking some of our mutual friends about the owner of style mecca Kick Pleat. With a gorgeous new 3,400-square foot […]
You know when people say that a spaghetti squash pasta tastes “just like real pasta?” I hate to be the one to break the news, but usually, they’re kidding themselves. (It doesn’t help that, by the time you read this, I’ll be in Sicily eating all the pasta in sight… So I’m a little biased […]
They say that nothing makes you feel better than buying a new lipstick, and I’d have to agree: it’s the quickest, most affordable “splurge” that can improve a bad day and make you feel instantly more confident. But it’s equally great to have one go-to lip color in your arsenal that can always be relied upon to […]
Can’t believe that by the time this post goes live, I’ll be in France getting ready for Chanel’s chateau wedding in the Loire Valley tonight. Our team has been counting down to this day for months, and I can’t wait to see the girl who started as my very first intern 6 years ago (and […]
On a routine trip to Sephora last September, I impulsively picked up a face mask that listed pumpkin as one of its main ingredients — who knew that the squash infuses your skin with antioxidants and gently exfoliates? I brought it home, opened the jar, and instantly my shower was filled with the most luscious […]
It only took Kelly’s post and about 15 episodes of this podcast to finally convince me to give meditation a try, and after two weeks of consistently starting my day with 10 minutes of Headspace, I’m already feeling more grounded, calm, and overall way more mindful as I go about my day. I think the reason it took […]
Happy weekend, y’all! I’m really excited to share a few tech updates we just launched on the site — mostly subtle changes to improve the overall experience, but there’s one that I wanted to call out since it’s in direct response to reader requests we’ve been getting over the last several months. Our slideshow format has […]
September is a month of new goals and fresh starts, and for many of us, that holds just as true in the food and drink departments. Did anyone else feel like the last half of summer held a few too many opportunities for overindulgences? I definitely hit my limit over the Labor Day weekend with 3 days […]
September feels like it’s time to get a little bit serious again: putting away the beach reads in favor of that new memoir we’ve been meaning to read or trying out the podcast that’s finally going to help us start meditating. Then again, going back to work and school might also mean that you need a few diversions that are pure […]
I have a feeling that most women’s “desert island” makeup choice would be mascara. There’s nothing that adds polish and prettiness quite like it, but there are also about a thousand different options (with new ones hitting the market daily) claiming longer, thicker, curlier, fuller, or more natural lashes. How’s a girl to choose? We polled […]
Morning, friends! Have to admit that I’m dragging a bit after a very late night celebrating a friend’s birthday — and hoping that this strong cup of coffee and a power walk around the neighborhood will help me rally and make the most of this gorgeous sunny Sunday. Do y’all feel like it’s a little […]
I have a confession to make, and it’s a real one that I’m actually a little ashamed to admit. As much as I really do care about the environment and sustainability, we haven’t been that great about recycling at our house the last couple years. (There, I said it! Glad that’s off my chest.) Two kids running […]
Eggplants are one of my favorite things about end of summer produce — I always buy way too many at the store, and then… don’t really know what to do with them. That was before I discovered THIS incredible stuff-and-roast technique, shown in the video above. It’s the perfect party recipe because everyone can build their […]
Happy holiday weekend! Hope you’re enjoying every minute of it and soaking up the last bits of summer before we embrace fall in all its glory. Around here, we’ve been swimming like crazy, hanging with my brother who’s visiting from St. Louis, grilling fajitas and corn on the cob, walking around the city, and I […]
In the spirit of transparency, I have selfish reasons for writing this post. Every year, I intend to put a little more planning into fall shopping. My imaginary plan: I build a streamlined wardrobe that’s made up of entire looks that go together, and each season I strategically add a chic mix of investment pieces and lower-priced items. What really happens: Since […]
More than any other season, autumn just has that feeling that distinguishes it from the rest of the year. Maybe it’s the invigorating chill in the air, or the memories of going back to school, but fall always makes me feel extra motivated and (like Robin Williams’ prep school students in Dead Poets Society) ready to Carpe Diem. If […]
It always happens around September 1st, just like clockwork: I’m relishing the warm weather and wishing that summer would never end, when BAM! I feel a cool breeze and leaf through the September issues of all my mags, and suddenly I’m as obsessed with fall as this guy. Without a doubt, my favorite thing about this […]
It seems like every parent I know (myself included) is frequently stumped over what to put in their kids’ school lunch box. It’s a balancing act between making lunch nutritious and interesting, while still packing items your kids will actually eat. Since Phoebe’s first day of school is today, I thought it would be perfect timing to […]
We can’t ignore the fact that summer is coming to an end, so I’m taking every opportunity to enjoy it before it’s gone. Cooking dinner while it’s still light out, eating meals outside, New Jersey tomatoes. I’m also stocking up – literally and figuratively – for the winter by eating those perfect summer tomatoes on anything and […]
You guys have probably seen my good friend Ashley Woodson Bailey’s stunning floral photography floating around the web, and I’ve been obsessed with her prints and wallpaper ever since she launched her company a couple years ago. I already own a couple smaller pieces, but I finally got my hands on one of her large format prints […]
Do you guys remember my vow to try and start eating more slowly? In the month since I wrote that post, I’ve been implementing a few changes at mealtime, so I thought it would be a good time to report back with what’s really made a difference for me. As we touched upon in the last post, […]
When it comes to beauty products, are you loyal to one brand, or are you more of a serial dater? On busy mornings, I’m generally a fan of sticking to one tried-and-true skincare and makeup routine, so I’ve always been a tad obsessed with uncovering the very best in each category. Which is why I’m so pumped […]
