Gatherings

Hosting Tips

A Colorful Summer Seafood Boil

It’s finally starting to feel like summer in Austin, which means lots of outdoor parties with light and fresh food on the menu. I love setting big platters on the table and serving guests family-style, and nothing says “help yourself” like a backyard seafood boil. I’m a sucker for themed parties and when I couldn’t find the […]

Hosting Tips

Summer Backyard Movie Night

I went to an all girls camp in the Texas hill country, and some the best memories of my summers there were the nights designated for outdoor movies. We’d hold a vote the week before, and everyone could write in whatever movie they wanted. (At the risk of dating myself, I’ll say that Newsies, Pretty […]

Hosting Tips

Dinner in the South of France

Around this time two years ago, Adam and I took a trip to the South of France to celebrate my 30th birthday and our 5th wedding anniversary, two milestones that fell within the same week of each other. It was definitely one of those bucket list trips — we fell in love with the beaches, the effortlessly […]

Gatherings

Sara Dickerman

Even though my cookbook collection keeps growing, there are always one or two that I end up actually cooking from all the time. This year, I became instantly obsessed with cooking my way through Bon Appétit: The Food Lover’s Cleanse, thanks to its beautifully seasonal approach to simple home cooking. A friend intro’d me to its author, James Beard-award winning writer Sara […]

Wellness

Inside Our First Ever Get Healthy Get Together

I’m still on cloud nine after last Sunday’s first-ever #GetHealthyGetTogether that our team hosted here in Austin at the beautiful South Congress Hotel. Earlier this year, we announced a renewed commitment to creating content that inspires healthy lifestyles, and that inspired a desire to do something IRL with you guys. As much as we love our […]

Hosting Tips

Throw an Epic Memorial Day Bash in 6 Easy Steps

Celebrate the kickoff to summer by rounding up your crew for a backyard barbecue or party on the water. We pulled together our favorite creative ideas for food and drink recipes, activities, and decor tips that will equal an unforgettable holiday weekend without the stress. Click through for your complete guide to throwing a Memorial Day […]

Design

Ready for Summer

I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, “Isn’t it a little premature for watermelon?” Well if you’d just tasted the sweet, juicy melon we brought home from the grocery store yesterday, you’d be feeling inspired too. It only took two bites for me to be transported — childhood summers spent on the beaches of Tel […]

Gatherings

Jenni Kayne’s Cali Cool Brunch

My girl crush on designer Jenni Kayne was born a few years ago — I *think* it was when I first laid eyes on her enviable Beverly Hills pad that was my ideal mix of modern and cozy. Or maybe it was when I saw the photos from the stunning holiday party she hosted there.  In any […]

Hosting Tips

A Marie Antoinette Bridal Shower

Four months into my engagement, and I’ve learned that planning a wedding is a full time job. Lesson #1: If any event — like an engagement party, a bridal shower, a bachelorette party — can be passed off to friends or family, you’d be wise to give them complete autonomy over planning. I was originally reluctant to […]

Design

Seek the Surf

When I was seventeen, I headed west with my parents to tour California schools. The UCLA and Pepperdine campuses were beautiful, but the biggest takeaway of the trip was catching my first wave on a longboard in Malibu. I ended up writing an admissions essay about the experience and submitting it (ironically) to the land-locked […]

Hosting Tips

A Springtime Aperitivo Party with Franciacorta

The art of the aperitivo. I first discovered it on my honeymoon in Capri a few years ago, when Adam and I would start each evening with a glass of wine on the scene-y terrace of our hotel to people watch and relax. We soon learned that the Italians take this ritual very seriously: not only does […]

Hosting Tips

A Laid Back Mother’s Day Picnic

I can’t help but feel the pressure when it comes to Mother’s Day. I find myself trying to plan the ideal day for Mom, and hoping to perfect every last detail — the food has to be good, the gifts just right, and the heartfelt message in the greeting card? If that doesn’t draw a tear or two, I’ve failed […]

Style

The Freshest Spring Lip Shades

I don’t want to start any fights here, but in my opinion the much-beloved fall season has nothing on spring. Those first few soft breezes on your skin, the dappled light flowing through the fresh blooms on the trees, the scent of aforementioned blooms in the air—it’s simply magic. (Plus, it means that summer AND […]