Today I’m spending the day with four of my best girl friends — having lunch, laying by a pool, and most of all, just catching up on life. In our early twenties, the five of us (plus a couple more) were thick as thieves, but since half of our group has moved away from Austin, it’s a […]
Every year, I always seem to end up with one signature drink of summer that I master and then make for just about every party of the season. It usually has a few defining qualities: a propensity to be made in large batches, requires only a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, and at least a little […]
I’ve always been one of those annoying people who gets up early on Monday morning, downs a swift dose of caffeine, and begins tackling the tasks of the day with an unbridled energy that’s reserved for meeting the challenges of a brand new week. I love my job, and that passion has historically translated into […]
Happy happy! So glad it’s the weekend, though it’s a little scary to think that we only have four more of them before summer’s over. Instead of letting it get me down, I’m using it as extra incentive to make the most of these slower-paced days with some quintessentially summer activities: dinners al fresco, afternoon […]
It seems that every time I visit a new destination, I somehow fall head-over-heels for a certain scent that comes to represent the place in my memories. There were the rose gardens in Paris… the lavender in Tuscany… then the diffusers that smelled like sea salt and were placed in every corner of our hotel […]
For me, summertime and books go hand-in-hand. There’s something about settling into a hammock (or a beach chair, or a picnic blanket) with a captivating novel or memoir that symbolizes the ultimate in slowing down and savoring — what summer is all about! This month, I’m cooking (and eating) from a fab new cookbook that […]
Good morning, lovelies! Hope you’re all enjoying your weekends, savoring summer, and diving into something extra delicious on this Sunday morning (and if you haven’t decided what yet, may I suggest one of these?) Our weekend kicked off early with Phoebe’s first trip to the zoo on Friday, and since then it’s been a whirlwind […]
You guys know that I’m not usually one to post big, complicated-looking desserts, but I do think that it’s a good idea to have one or two showstopping tricks up your sleeve for those times when you volunteer to make your mom’s birthday cake or really need to get on your friend’s good side before […]
I’ve read interviews where some of the most stylish, well-dressed women in the world claim that even they have days when they look in their closets and feel like they have nothing to wear. So it probably goes without saying that most of us earthlings have moments when our wardrobes feel uninspired, yet we don’t always […]
There’s nothing I love more than inviting a girl friend to come hang out in my kitchen: cooking together, comparing recipe notes, opening a bottle of wine and inevitably sharing lots of laughs. Two of my favorite foodie gals recently got together and did all of the above, and blogger-designer Athena Calderone was sweet enough […]
Even in today’s world where you can get pretty decent strawberries, citrus, and other produce all year round (imported of course, but totally edible), peaches are one of those items that should be reserved for summertime only. The flavorless and mealy stone fruit that pop up in grocery stores out-of-season barely resemble the sweet, luscious […]
Hello, hello! It’s a big weekend around here… we celebrated Chanel’s birthday yesterday (hence the huge cup of coffee in my hand as I recover from last night’s “punch”), and now we’re all anxiously awaiting the arrival of our editor-in-chief Lauren’s baby tomorrow! Can’t believe there’s going to be a newborn in our midst, and […]
Today’s 10 Best is dedicated to my mom, the world’s biggest cherry lover. Every year for as long as I can remember, the moment that cherries hit peak-of-season, she heads to the grocery and picks up a big bag which she “accidentally” devours on the car ride home. As wonderful as they are eaten fresh out […]
I’ve mentioned before that I’m a pretty streamlined packer, and the same goes for my “personal item” bag that gets stowed under the airplane seat. The key is to strike that balance between feeling underprepared, and feeling overly laden down with a too-heavy tote (the opposite of a vacation mentality!) I actually used to bring […]
The past week has been made up of some really lovely days: working in the morning, spending the afternoons with Phoebe swimming in the pool and making popsicles, and enjoying milder-than-usual (for Austin) summer evenings sipping rosé on the patio with Adam while our dinner cooks away on the grill. I’ve definitely been making an […]
While I could find reasons to argue each season as my favorite, I have a real soft spot for summer. I love the imagery of summertime: crystal clear swimming holes in the heat of the day, watermelon out on the back porch and cracking open a few cold beers on a warm summer evening with […]
Planning our Fourth of July menu last weekend got me thinking about the dearth of really good, fresh, non-heavy potato salad recipes out there. I mean, I’m all for classic American BBQ staples (bring on the fully-loaded hot dogs!), but does anyone really love those mayonnaise-laden potato salads that become soggy (and actually a little scary) […]
With July 4th under our belts, it feels like we’re in the home stretch of summer… and if we don’t embrace the lazy, carefree days now, we’ll turn around one day and autumn will have surprised us with its all-too-sudden arrival. There are a handful of activities that only feel right in the heat of […]
As much as I love to travel, since I became a mom I’ve become much more of a homebody… and nothing feels better than coming home from a trip and having the weekend stretching ahead of me. Yesterday was all about unpacking and getting caught up on housework and emails from while I was away; […]
I have always been a huge believer in the power of the written word, and teaching Phoebe the importance of expressing gratitude through the thank-you note is something I will start from an early age. We may live in the digital age, but there is still nothing like the feeling you get upon receiving a […]
Isn’t the weekend the most wonderful respite from the busyness of the workweek? Especially in the summertime: the days are supposed to be a little lazier and more about enjoyment, yet it’s often difficult to find time to kick back and have fun until Saturday rolls around. What do all of you have on the […]
As much as I’d love to spend every summer jetting off to St-Tropez or some other fab destination for a week, some years, it’s not in the cards. But even when a summer is spent closer to home, it’s still nice to find ways to channel the breezy, relaxed vibe that comes with a great vacation. Earlier […]
Adam and I typically have a strict “carry-on only” policy when we travel, and last week’s trip to St-Tropez was no exception. Seven days at a destination that required lots of different outfit needs (sightseeing, beach lounging, dressing up to go out at night) definitely made it a challenge, but one I was willing to embrace […]
We’re back from our trip to Saint-Tropez, and I can officially report that it was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. We left just after my 30th birthday, and rang in our 5-year wedding anniversary while we were away, and the magic of the place made it an unforgettable way to celebrate both […]
Phoebe and I were so thrilled to be featured in Austin Home’s summer issue, hanging out in our kitchen on the cover! We had so much fun shooting with the amazing Casey Dunn, who managed to capture all of my favorite parts of our home and bring them to life on the pages of the […]
