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Mr. Magpie has been making the most outrageously flavorful salsa verde this summer, and I cannot get enough. Salsa verde is a lot like Argentina’s chimichurri, but it hails from the Mediterranean and therefore involves anchovies and herbs plentiful there. Taking a bite makes me feel like I’m on a coastal vacation a la the snap above. Even if you aren’t a big anchovy lover, I implore you to try this recipe — the anchovy is undetectable, offering only an addictively briny umami flavor. Mr. Magpie has been serving the salsa verde alongside or on top of grilled fish, steak, and chicken, but it’s impossible not to drag whatever is on your plate through it, too — oven-roasted potatoes, spears of grilled asparagus, a forkful of couscous, a wedge of tomato, etc. Leftover salsa is heavenly mixed into eggs or spread across a piece of toast or as a topping for an open-faced sandwich.
This recipe comes from Missy Robbins’ cookbook Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner…Life. We are big fans of Missy Robbins, a chef and restauranteur with a James Beard award and Michelin stars under her belt. She’s best known currently for her restaurants Misi and Lilia in NYC, but Mr. Magpie and I have particular affection for her MP Grocery initiative, launched during the depths of the pandemic in NYC. You can buy fresh pasta, pantry staples, and select prepared food including the fixings for her celebrated pink peppercorn mafaldine dish — something of a menu celebrity at her restaurant Lilia. We’ve sent a few NYC-area friends gifts from this pantry/grocery/boutique, treated ourselves to the mafaldine, and then — on Christmas Eve 2020 — were able to pick up her “feast of the seven fishes” to-go package, in which she offered all of the ingredients and excellent recipe notes for an elaborate seven course fish meal (an Italian-American Christmas tradition). During a year of tragedy, anxiety, and isolation, that meal was a high point. We had not seen our parents for nearly a year and felt marooned on the 12th floor of our 86th Street apartment. Despite my fervent efforts, the holidays did not feel particularly festive. But around noon that Christmas Eve, our doorman Edwin called up to let us know we had a delivery, and we opened the door to an enormous bag from Misi on our doorstep. I saw immediately a way out of the funk. Mr. Magpie and I got dolled up, opened good champagne, and enjoyed course after course of superb seafood. I still remember the opening act: baked clams with their house-seasoned bread crumbs, calabrian chili, and olive oil; Nat King Cole on the kitchen speaker; a frosty coupe of champagne in my hand; Mr. Magpie in his apron at the stove. For an evening, the clouds parted and we all but forgot about COVID. Misi (or, more aptly, Missy) did that. Good food, thoughtfully planned and lovingly prepared, does that.
I am convinced that this salsa verde can have similar transportive properties.
Missy Robbins’ Salsa Verde.
Notes: Even Missy herself caveats that this condiment is labor-intensive (all ingredients must be cut by hand — do not try to short-cut with a food processor), but she also notes (and I can gleefully corroborate) that “the payoff is worth it.” Mr. Magpie often makes this in smaller batches, scaling down significantly as we are usually cooking for two, which might make the recipe a bit more approachable on a first go. We buy almost all of our pantry items from Gustiamo, including anchovies, vinegar, and olive oil. For recipes like this, the ingredients really matter.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup minced tarragon
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely shopped
1 large or 2 small shallots, finely diced
1 cup olive oil
3 eggs
1.5 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Mix parsley, chives, tarragon, anchovy, garlic, and shallots together in a small bowl. Cover with the olive oil. Set aside until ready to use.
Place eggs in a small pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let sit exactly four minutes. Remove the eggs from the water and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Once cooled, peel them and add only the yolks to the bowl of herbs along with the mustard. Mix together until blended — the consistency will be slightly textured, not smooth.
Whisk in the vinegar and add more if necessary. The sauce should have a bright acidic bite to it.
Shopping Break.
+This limited edition set of summer-scented candles from Diptyque would make a great gift. Note that it includes one of the brand’s new mosquito-repelling candles (!), which you can also buy in full size here.
+TB’s sport section has some great sale finds and they are currently offering an extra 25% off sale — I love these performance polos and these skirts!
+I’ve been impressed with J. Crew’s swim for girls this summer – lots of great designs. I like these rash guards and just bought mini this one-piece in the blockprint pattern.
+Another great and inexpensive pair of shades for summer. It’s all about the cateye!
P.S. Take an extra half off sale prices (!!!) at Mille with code HALFOFFSALE. This white lace dress maxi is so epic, and I was actually thinking it would be pretty as a newborn photo shoot dress given the loose fit and button front. Beyond that, this white top would get so much wear, and this black dress is romantic and sexy and (with code) around $80?!
P.P.P.S. My Paravel Cabana tote has been absolutely CLUTCH this season, and Paravel is offering complimentary personalization right now. I use it any time we’re heading out on a fam daytime adventure — to the pool, to grandparents’, to go berry picking, etc. It holds everything, has handy pockets, and is the perfect size. I have the large size.
By: Jen Shoop
I hate the freighted and co-opted phrase “self-care,” but it was the only title that encompassed the various elements of maintenance, wellness, grooming, self-nurture, etc to which I am presently attending.
May was my month of good vibrations. I award myself an A for my efforts. I spent a lot of time outdoors, learning, reflecting, aiming to refocus my energy on good things. I now see the re-boot was necessary before the fun and frenzy of June. My children were off the walls with out-of-school excitement, day-camp festivities, and weekend adventures for much of this past month; our social calendar was packed; we hosted my brother and his family in our home for ten days; and I celebrated my 38th birthday. After a May of parentheticals, June was one long exclamation point.
July is calling for something different: almost without knowing it, I have been designing a program of self-care that runs across the physical, emotional, and intellectual:
+Teeth whitening! Did I share that I have been doing Invisalign for the last 10 months? It has done wonders for my confidence in smiling openly. I had braces as a teen, Invisalign in my mid-20s, and am now on my second course of the treatment. So much has improved in the technology and patient experience over the last decade. For starters, you no longer need to have those horrible molds made of your mouth all the time — scans are now done digitally, painlessly, and in less than two minutes in order to custom-build the trays! The “nubbins” they put on your teeth are much more discreet. And the trays are thinner! I am ecstatic with the results. I am upping the “big smile” ante this month by doing teeth whitening. I have the Lumineux set in my cart at the moment – I like that you can also get a pen to supplement or “top-up” the process after. I’ve been hearing good things about this brand — specifically that it causes less tooth sensitivity than other brands — but there’s a part of me that just wants to go with good old Crest strips, which I’ve always used in the past?
+SPF! Mr. Magpie and I are absolutely obsessed with Soleil Toujours’ Mineral Ally SPF. I received some in a gift box from Haven Well Within (along with this fantastic linen dress, which I’ve set aside to take to the beach in a few weeks — it is surprisingly flattered on; the cut is feminine rather than boxy) and I think we’re ruined for all other sunscreens. It has the best consistency and goes on totally sheer, but when it says it is “waterproof,” it REALLY MEANS IT. This has offered us the best coverage of any sunscreen I’ve ever used. I say this with confidence because if you’ve applied the sunscreen and then take a shower, you really need to scrub to get it off. (LuvScrubs are great for this.) That said, it doesn’t leave skin feeling sticky or white-cast or anything. It is just an incredible product — both a workhorse and elegant?
+Bronzing! I have been so diligent about the application of sunscreen this summer that I need a little extra (fake) color. I’ve narrowed down the tanning options to either Isle of Paradise’s spray (thanks to a Magpie for this tip!) or Salty Face’s tanning water, which many of you Magpies have raved about as the all-time MVP of this category of products.
+Eyelash enhancement! I have been talking about this forever, but I had eyelash extensions earlier this spring and so had to wait until all of those lashes had fallen off before starting to use Grande Lash, which Grace Atwood (very reliable source for all things beauty!) has raved about consistently. I wish I could have eyelash extensions all year round, but they destroy your lashes. They are SO fun for special occasions. I treat myself once a year, during a density of social occasions, and I feel like a million bucks while wearing them.
+Face masks! Before any night out, while getting ready, I like to apply Clarins’ FABULOUS de-puffing mask from my cheekbones down to the base of my neck, and then Origins’ Rose Clay Mask on my forehead and nose. This combination is EPIC. Your forehead is clear, bright, smooth, soft, and your cheeks down to your neck looks nearly chiseled as a result of the Clarins’ mask. I seriously had no idea I was ever “puffy” before trying this mask. When my skin is looking dull, I will sleep with this Jet Lag Mask or this divinely-scented Sleeping Facial from Korres on. I have also heard good things about Avene’s Cicalfate, which, despite the billing as a “scar gel,” can be used on any skin to restore texture and evenness. (I love European pharmacy fixes like these!)
+Running! I already wrote a lot about this but my God do I feel like a different person on its account! So happy to have clipped back in and gotten over the initial hump of heavy-footedness. My next step is to commit to calisthenics post-run. I have been spotty on this front. The first two weeks, I would go home and immediately do a “core” fitness video using Apple Fitness+ (you have to subscribe to this service, but you then have access to hundreds of fitness videos for cycling, core, running, yoga, etc.). It has become a challenge for me to follow through on that because so often I return from my run and immediately drink about four gallons of water and then just want to sit, panting, in the cold foyer of our home, collecting myself. By then it feels almost inhumane to descend to a mat and prolong the exercise jaunt. But I really want to do this…!
+Golf! I have not lifted a club in probably a decade but Mr. Magpie have decided to get into this sport this summer by heading to the driving range or greens a few times this month to see if I have what it (even remotely) takes to play a round of nine holes. I inherited my clubs from my grandmother and they are insanely heavy — the technology then was not what it is now. So I am going to be…cautiously realistic about what I can achieve in a few sessions. We played putt-putt with the children a few weeks back and though putt-putt is an entirely different beast than actual play on greens, I was reminded of how fun the sport is, and how well-suited I am to it given how individualistic it is. I prefer sports that way — I would rather play against myself, and I prefer when no one’s success is dependent on my own (as in a team sport). Anyway, I think this will be a new intellectual and athletic challenge to tackle, and I’m looking forward to it. If I end up really getting into the sport, I might pick up a pair of golf shoes from GFore — I love their throwback Kiltie styles like this or this. (And how great are their pastel golf gloves?) TB also has a good pair. I also love some of the golf attire from Byrdie Golf, especially this dress and this skort, and the performance polos from TB and Hedge. For golf bags…wow these customizable ones from Stitch!
+Reading! I have been consuming a lot of audiobooks this summer (currently listening to Jesse Klein’s You’ll Grow Out of It after a lot of Magpie praise, and it is astute and hilarious), but just recently tumbled into Rebecca Serle’s One Italian Summer, which is totally taking me by surprise. I started it while getting a manicure last week and almost cried in front of the technician! It is honest, stirring writing about grief — at least at the beginning. Afterwards, I cannot wait to read Emily Giffin’s latest, Meant to Be, which is loosely based on JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. I have been hearing that this is just the kind of brain candy we all need this summer.
+Watching the Screen! Mr. Magpie and I have a date to see a matinee showing of the new “Top Gun” next week, which has garnered a shocking amount of favorable reviews, even from people I wouldn’t expect to enjoy it. I cannot wait. It’s been ages since we set foot inside a theatre, too. At home, we tried to watch the heavily hyped “The Summer I Turned Pretty” show, and were miserably disappointed! I feel like I am the sole outlier here but I just cringed the entirety of the first episode and couldn’t move beyond it. I loved (!!!!) Jenny Han’s previous work in “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” (even its less impressive sequels), so this came as a shock to me. I found the acting and writing clumsy and the treatment of various sensitive themes shockingly superficial, even parodied? We have been enjoying the Hulu show “Bear,” though, which is about a successful chef who returns to run his family’s beef sandwich shop in Chicago after the death of his brother. It is grittier and darker than my usual preferred fare, but Mr. Magpie and I love the cooking/kitchen elements, the insights into running a business, and of course the backdrop of Chicago, all of which feels remarkably well and truthfully captured. The main actor is exceptional, too — highly believable. Good script-writing. Not for everyone, but it’s sustained our interest for the past week! We also loved (!) the movie “Hustle” with Adam Sandler — a feel-good sports movie that felt of-a-different-era in a good way.
+Limiting Phone Time! Mr. Magpie has been on a rage against the machine this summer. He has been trying all sorts of tacks to reduce the amount of time he spends on his phone, and the degree to which it invades his life. He puts limits on his apps, uses DND, analyzes his screen usage, puts his phone in a different part of the room, etc. He now prefers calling people in order to make plans (versus the inevitable protracted back and forth over text), and adheres religiously to the one-screen-at-a-time rule. (If we’re watching TV, we both put our phones out of our lines of sight.) I share this hope for the summer, especially when with the children. I majorly unplugged when my brother and his wife were in town, and I realized during that time a few things that may at first seem dissonant with the general goal of limiting phone usage. The first was that I found that the longer I went without my phone, the longer I’d let messages and emails sit in purgatory, even when I did have my phone with me. It was strange — almost as if not checking my phone for a few hours made me less likely to respond to things when I’d resume use. As a result, I implemented a rule for myself: respond to texts as soon as I see them. Too often I let things just hang out for a few hours for no real reason — and it is not only impolite but counter-productive, as I then have the invisible burden of responding to those messages hanging over my head. (Has anyone else struggled with this?). In general, my hope now for the summer is to keep my phone away from me (not always in my pocket!) and to check it during appropriate times, i.e., when the children are already engaged in something and I will therefore have time to actually respond to whatever is waiting for me. When I am checking my phone, I aim to respond promptly to everything received. This reminds me in general of a strategy I heard about in my former career: my boss used to try to only check emails at morning, noon, and night, and to otherwise stay focused on the work and conversations with his team instead. I loved this idea, because email can easily control the pace and flow of work if you let it. Of course, this does not make sense for all jobs or positions, but I liked the strategic approach to email.
What about you? Any goals for the month — intellectual, emotional, physical?
A few completely random recent finds I also wanted to share…
HAVE BEEN GETTING SO MUCH USE OUT OF THESE FROSTED REUSABLE PLASTIC CUPS — GREAT WHILE SUPERVISING KIDS IN THE BACKYARD, WALKING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ETC
SPEAKING OF SUMMER SWEATERS, DO I NEED THIS LOBSTER ONE?! HAVE ALSO ALWAYS LOVED RL’S CLASSIC FLAG STYLE, AND THIS LESS-EXPENSIVE LOBSTER CARDIGAN IS FUN…IMAGINE THROWN OVER A DRESS LIKE THIS (<<OWN AND LOVE THIS EXACT STYLE) ON A CHILLY BEACH NIGHT
*Image via Juan de Dios featuring their adorable lilac swimsuit, currently steeply discounted!
Today, some absolutely fabulous finds for under $200. Some of these are heavily discounted designer duds (this Saloni!!!) and others are well-priced basics.
We are beach-bound the end of this month and I have socked away this suit for mini and these matching boardies for micro — I rarely buy things full price for the children, but I just loved the print! I also set aside matching jammies (these for mini; these for micro — both currently on sale for $30 a pop) for the trip. I’d like to find a few other cute outfits for them to wear anew on the trip and will report back with my finds.
PORTABLE MOSQUITO WIPES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY — A POCKET-SIZED LIFESAVER ON WOODED HIKES AND CAMPING TRIPS
LIGHTWEIGHT RUNNING SHORTS WITH WIDE ELASTIC WAISTBAND IN A BEAUTIFUL LILAC
LEAKPROOF FIVE COMPARTMENT REUSABLE SNACK DISPENSER FOR THE LITTLES
SMOCKED DENIM MAXI DRESS WITH TIE STRAP DETAIL — SUCH A SIMPLE, YET CHIC EVERYDAY FROCK
OLIVE POINTELLE-KNIT SLEEVELESS TOP WITH SCOOP NECKLINE AND RIBBED HEM
CRAYOLA COLOR CHEMISTRY SET WITH 50 EXPERIMENTS TO KEEP YOUR LITTLES BUSY ON A RAINY DAY
Weekend Musings: Resisting the Drum Roll.
There was an interesting anecdote in Dave Grohl’s memoir in which he shared that the bassist from his first band sat down to play with him and told him at the outset: “No drum rolls for the next thirty minutes of playing.” About a minute into the session, Grohl reported an irresistible urge to do a drum roll, but he locked eyes with the bassist and persisted in keeping the beat. A minute later, he again struggled through another urge — then another, then another. At the end of the session, Grohl reported himself a changed musician. He had learned to exercise restraint, to sit in a groove, to maintain.
The anecdote bordered on the philosophical for me. I have been carrying it around since — in what areas of my life could I bring this less-is-more mentality to bear? It certainly adjoins the “confidence is quiet” framework. Creatively, there is a lot for me to unpack as well: how I might resist the drum roll in my own work? (Mark Twain: “If you can catch an adjective, kill it.”)
What do you think? Are there ways to resist the drum roll in your own work, life, etc?
Shopping Break: Tons of Fourth of July Sale Finds.
+My best sale discovery this week: a set of three Hanky Panky undies for $28 (when added to cart). Less than $10 a pop! Ordered immediately. I like the colors of that set, but there is also a set of three in a darker color combo for about the same price here.
+Speaking of good deals on underpinnings: ThirdLove is running an up-to-70%-off sale! I know there are a few big fans among my Magpies. Right now, you can get a three-pack bundle of their seamless bras for $30 — usually $135?!
+This is an excellent, well-priced Vitamin C serum, and it is currently discounted. I still think Biossance’s formula is my favorite, followed by Ole Henriksen’s, but if you’re looking for a wallet-friendly option, I can’t rec this one enough. I find a lot of the less expensive Vit C products smell badly — this one does not, and it yields that great glow we all love. If you want to try the serum but want to add enough to your cart to hit the $35 free ship threshold, toss a few of these into your cart! Would make a great stocking stuffer or party favor — or just keep it on hand when you need to de-puff!
+Perfect beach shorts. Get the look for less with this pair — currently $15!
+This fun tiered midi dress is on sale! Such great patterns!
+If you like the look of Supergas but are hoping for something with a bit more comfort/support, check out these chic and simple canvas sneaks from Cariuma. They have a memory foam footbed and come in tons of great colors.
+This fun SEA blouse is $115 when added to cart. Imagine tucked into these shorts.
BLACK WOVEN STATEMENT SANDAL WITH OVERSIZED CHUNKY PLATFORM SOLE…SUCH A UNIQUE AND BOLD TAKE ON THE ESPADRILLE
RUCHED LEATHER TWO STRAP FLAT SANDAL IN WHITE — IN A NEUTRAL COLOR WITH NO HEEL, THIS SANDAL IS EASY TO THROW ON AN WILL INSTANTLY ELEVATE ANY SUMMER OUTFIT
SIMPLE SUEDE SANDALS WITH ANKLE STRAP AND SCALLOPED DETAILING FROM MANOLO BLAHNIK
PASTEL PATTERNED TWILL SLIP-ON SANDALS…THE ORGANIC SHAPES IN THIS PRINT ARE ABSOLUTELY TIMELESS
HANDWOVEN RAFFIA BACKLESS LOAFERS — AN ESSENTIAL SUMMER PIECE YOU CAN DRESS UP OR DOWN EFFORTLESSLY
NEUTRAL-TONED RAG & BONE RETRO-STYLE SUEDE SNEAKERS…SUSTAINABLY MADE TOO!
*Image above via Dondolo featuring their precious bubble – 40% off with code FIREWORKS40.
First: Frances Hart is running 40% off its entire site — discount automatically appears in cart. I wore this dress a few weeks ago, and you can see me in it here. All of their dresses are designed for all stages of motherhood but would be great investments during pregnancy!
For children:
+JojoMommy has a great sale section on classic pieces up to 60% off. I specifically like this boutique for their collection of Sal E Pimenta pieces, a great Spanish brand that normally charges $15 or $30 for delivery to the US (versus JojoMommy, which charges something like $7 to ship domestically). A few great finds from their sale section:
+Dondolo is offering 40% off a selection of their pieces with code FIREWORKS40. This bubble is BEYOND. For expecting mamas, check out their range of maternity-and-post-partum-friendly dresses, like this and this.
P.S. NOT child or maternity-focused, but Shopbop marked its sale on sale — use code SUN25 for an extra 25% off sale items. This includes a perfect fair isle sweater to sock away for fall (under $100, orig close to $400!), the cutest striped maxi skirt, this insanely chic bikini, and PERFECT espadrilles.
*Image via the delightful Instagram account @whereiwouldliketoread featuring the home of George Nakashima, 1946.
My first meaningful professional job was copy-editing for an academic press while in graduate school. I’d held many prior positions, mainly intern-level, that had not called upon any differentiated skill. Most of my high school and college summers involved manual data entry into database systems at various cultural institutions. Just after college, I took a full-time position at a small government consultancy, but the tasks there were simian, too: my principal responsibility was calling government agencies asking for details on bid opportunities for potential contractors and filling out various fields in a database with the information gathered. The only positives I can offer about the work I performed over the course of that year and the summers prior were that they cultivated work ethic and humility. It was probably also a blessing in disguise that I’d had to actually call and speak with strangers on the phone while working for the consultancy, as I was horribly shy at the time. These were not just any strangers, either. These were terribly bored and unimpressed contract officers responsible for terribly boring contracts — like phone systems for government buildings downtown, and obscure parts for aircraft — and our interactions ran across a narrow gamut of tones: from arid to prickly. Still, this was the first instance I can recall in my life in which I’d really had to put myself out there, and it was then I began to develop the armor plating I would later need while dabbling in entrepreneurship.
In graduate school, I applied for and earned a position copy-editing an academic journal on Middle Eastern affairs. The work was tedious but I took pride in it. It felt good to be needed for a very particular, niche prowess: I was viciously attentive to MLA (a set of formatting and style standards exercised by many professional journals), and was quickly recognized as a gardienne of its guidelines. I would later take on other copy-editing roles, eventually expanding into line-editing and even a bit of ghost-writing working from the notes and outlines professors provided me in a small editing practice I ran on the side.
I was reflecting on this the other day, and the fact that I recognize this role as the first meaningful bit of work in my career feels slightly ironic, as these days, I spend as little time as possible in editing. I estimate I spend about 90% of my time in a creative or generative mode, and maybe 10% in revisions. This is in part the blessing of my medium (academic journal writing it is not) and in part the near-frenetic pace of publication I’ve arbitrarily set for myself. I’ve written about this elsewhere, but my writing goals at Magpie have always prioritized practice over perfection. I would rather write voluminously, make mistakes, test new techniques than produce one high-stakes piece. I think I developed this orientation while teaching writing to college undergraduates, who tended to flail against a deadline for a paper that would constitute a third of their grade for a given course. If I communicated anything at all to them, I hope I encouraged them to think about writing as a process that can be improved with time and repetition rather than a series of static productions around which we hover like fruit flies. Then again, perhaps it has always been my way to be profligate with words: I have been writing things (books, poems, screenplays) since I was a child. In this way, it is fortunate that my medium is so forgiving. (What if I had been born a sculptor, for example? I can’t fathom the patience.)
The other day, I was reading about the way Frances Potter structures her time, and she shared that, in the mornings, “I prioritize the obligation that requires the most attention or is the least pleasant to fulfill. The goal is to get the hard stuff out of the way while my energy is fresh and I am least apt to cut corners or make mistakes.”
This made me pause and think about editing, which is certainly less pleasant for me than writing. When I edit my own work seriously, I read the essay from top to bottom at least five, six, ten, twenty-two times, line-editing my way through at each go. It has to be done wholly, in full gulps, because sometimes the rhythm of words at the top echo something at the bottom in either a pleasing or displeasing way, or the last sentence simply does not hang right, and I would never know if I did not read from start to finish each time. This repetitive process does not account for the hours of inactive thought between readings. I was made aware of this earlier this week while editing (for the thousandth time) the short story I just published. My creative fiction is invariably subject to editing — serious editing — for weeks and even months on end because it is not my native medium and it requires much more of me. When I am writing fiction, it is as though I am a golfer with a new set of clubs, or perhaps a ballplayer asked to bat left-handed. The movement and environment feels natural but there is something uncoordinated about my navigation of the space. Editing assuages the yips that can develop when I begin to contemplate publishing my work. Anyhow, as I was editing this most recent piece of fiction, I realized that while I had spent hours at my desk engaged in line-editing, I had also accomplished a lot of the work extra-curricularly, while doing the dishes, taking a shower, driving, even eating dinner. I found myself sprinting from the shower to make an edit that had been nagging me while shampooing. When I am engaged in this kind of focused editing, I can often recite word for word the entirety of the essay or story, and will then rehearse it in my head while falling asleep, while laying in bed in the morning, while running, etc. It is as though the words must run through me over and over again, even without my conscious convocation of them. When my sister was learning sign language, she would often rehearse the movements of the alphabet beneath the dinner table. I one time asked her what she was doing, and she looked surprised. “What do you mean?” she asked. “What are you doing with your hands?” I prodded. She looked down in shock. She hadn’t realized she was practicing, so fluid had the movements and the instinct become. I used to do the same thing rehearsing piano exercises. I would be sitting in the car tapping out the scales or drills on my legs without even thinking. Editing calls forth similar, almost “background” recitations.
In writing this piece, I have learned something new, though. I edit more than I think. It may not be the all-consuming line-editing that accompanies fiction-writing, when I sit down with intention, but I have gone back recursively re-reading each paragraph as it’s emerged from my finger-tips as I’ve sat here at my desk for the last two hours, dropping in new punctuation, dividing sentences, extracting the superfluous. In fact, perhaps it is fairer to say that I spend 60% of my time writing and 40% of my time editing. Or maybe even half and half. The fact that I was not fully aware of this extemporaneous style of editing until writing this piece about editing makes me realize how much I owe to my earlier career in professional editing. Here, again, another moment in which the discordant jags of my life dissolve into a smooth narrative. Here, again, a case of generative archaeology: the longer we look at our life experiences, even the ones we discarded as “steps” or “interims,” the more we find trapped in the amber.
Today, I want to invite you to reflect on your first meaningful job — maybe even your first non-meaningful job. What did you learn? What did you carry with you?
+This terrycloth romper is adorable. Don’t miss this brand’s epic sale section, which is currently an extra 30% off! Consider this reversible suit — I own this exact style in two colors and LOVE the fit. This knit dress is also a total score!
+These Natives in the hot pink are on sale for $14 when added to cart! The entire sale is section is an extra 30% off and worth digging through — I also found Kissy Kissy for around $20 and a Petite Plume nightgown for $25 (worth buying now and stowing for next winter).
+Chic white shirtdress (under $100). The longer back hem makes it feel higher-end / designer.
+Fun $30 tote – love the stripe of course, but the patchwork feels very Ulla / on-trend.
+Great pair of raffia mules for under $100 — wear with absolutely everything this summer.
+I own this dress in a different pattern and it is SO flattering. This brand is brilliant at silhouettes. Speaking of Saloni, this exceptionally chic, straight-forward LBD is currently on sale for around $200 — run!
+Another fab LBD to have on hand — this one under $100.
+Grace shared these over-the-shower hooks — clever solution if you’re short on towel storage or need a spot to hang loofahs! Can’t believe the price.
+On the subject of hooks: every time I share these lucite robe hooks, they are very popular.
+This blouse is crazy chic, and on sale for $112. Love the idea of tucking into a white pencil skirt.
+Hard to estimate how much time I’ve spent in stain removal on my hands and knees on our rugs. This Bissell contraption has helped.
One project I have been continuously deferring since moving in last August (!) is organizing my closet. It is currently under-optimized — there is an entire shelf that runs around the top of my closet that is completely empty, while bins around the baseboards are overstuffed. I would like to get into a tidy habit of placing all my out of season clothes at the top of my closet in bins but have been too distracted for a full year by higher priority items! Anyhow, my goal is to tackle the closet this summer. Below, sharing some great organizational gear for the task…
HANGING GARMENT BAGS — I LIKE THE IDEA OF GROUPING OUT OF SEASON AND/OR IMPORTANT DRESSES IN THESE — PROTECTIVE, ORGANIZATIONAL, AND SLEEK LOOKING
SLIM VELVET HANGERS — THE BEST, AND COME IN TONS OF COLORS; THE VELVET FABRIC HELPS KEEP EVEN SLINKY MATERIALS ON THE HANGERS
PURSE STORAGE BIN — A GOOD WAY TO KEEP HANDBAGS FROM JUST ENDING UP IN A HEAP ON A SHELF
Publishing two posts bright and early this morning! The first: a bit of fiction. The second, here: my favorite ways to nail all the prevalent trends this season…
2 // PATTERNED PAREOS — Agua Bendita is the lustworthy label in this category (<<currently on sale for about $100 off!), but you can find lots of affordable similar styles on Etsy and Amazon (<<this last one recommended by Magpies!). If you’re not into pareos as a general proposition, I shared a ton of affordable cover up options here!
5 // CROCHET TOP AND SKIRT — Just so chic as a pair. Crochet is back in such a big way!
6 // RAFFIA FLOWER EARRINGS — Under $10 and perfectly pitched for the season. Raffia has been everywhere; here’s a great way of adding an inexpensive exclamation point to your outfit.
7 // CANDY STYLE NECKLACES — Maison Monik has so many fun pieces in this vein (e.g., this pink one and this green one seen above), but another slightly higher end brand that a lot of chic peas seem to be gravitating towards in this category is Theodosia. I’ve been seeing ladies layer two on top of one another! For a big investment in this trend, Irene Neuwirth is leading the way, but to get the look for less: check out these fun ones at Anthro!
8 // SEASHELL EARRINGS — Sea-life inspired pieces have been all over the place this season; these are a recent discovery I can’t stop eyeing. Love the combo of raffia and seashells, and you can get these for an extra 20% off using code YOUROCK. (I have also been getting a lot of mileage out of my dramatic seashell necklace!)
12 // MATCHING TOP AND SKIRT — Matching sets have been everywhere this summer, and I love the idea of this high-waisted maxi skirt on its own or with the matching top. The pattern is bold and unexpected — bold colors are big this season in general.
13 // WOVEN DUMPLING BAG — Under $200 and will go with everything in your wardrobe, whether casual stripes or a cocktail dress. This style reminds me of the more expensive variation from Mansur Gavriel.
14 // STRAPPY AND PUFFY SANDALS — Strappy sandals AND puffy sandals have been very in this year — this pair combines the best of both worlds with strappy laces and a puffy footbed. Under $100!
15 // LINEN MINI — Simple and elegant. An answer to the puffed sleeves that have been dominating the dress market for the past few seasons.
16 // WOVEN WEDGES — This pair from Staud has been selling out all over the place. I love the unexpected polish of the leather upper at the toe!
17 // STRIPED TOP AND SKIRT — Another impossibly chic matching set. I love the skirt by itself, too! More great statement skirts for this season here.
*Image above via Mango featuring their knit dress, part of the crochet trend raging this summer, but well under $100!
Mid-summer sales are raging this week — I had to share some especially good finds from Mango’s sale section first. They offer an affordable way to get in on some trendier looks, and the pieces I’ve selected below would make for an epic vacation wardrobe…
Two fun finishing touch accessories that would round out this “capsule wardrobe” nicely: these Castaner espadrilles and these under-$15 gold hoops (which I own and love).
Nantucket Kids Swim Sale.
I also HAD to mention that Nantucket Kids is offering 40% off all swim with code SWIM. I have bought so many adorable pieces from this brand — the prints are adorable, the cuts traditional, and yet I find them a lot less common than Minnow and TBBC, which I tend to see a lot more children wearing. (Still adorable, of course!). I’m very tempted by the seahorse suit for mini and matching trunks for micro. I also have to share that this classic white unisex rash guard is included, and these hooded towels would make such a cute gift!
P.S. Nicola Bathie is offering 20% off sitewide! No code needed! I have a few pairs of flower studs like these that are total workhorses for me. I love a statement stud like this – has a perspective but not as intense as a drop earring for daytime.
Over the course of the past couple months, I have put a bold intention out into the universe several times: “I want to get back into the kitchen.” This is in large part because I find myself with a little more give in my schedule than in years prior. I can’t say I’ve made entirely good on this initiative yet, but I did squeeze in some baking for my son’s birthday and my brother’s visit from Norway, and then I made Mr. Magpie a modestly elaborate dinner from Paul Kahan’s cookbook for Father’s Day: a whole-roasted bronzino with romesco sauce and a red pepper-shrimp salsa. As I’ve dipped my toes in, I’ve been reflecting on lessons learned while cooking and entertaining over the years —
Always select a bowl/cutting board/pyrex one size up from the one you think you need. About 50% of the time, I misjudge and end up needing to clean two separate dishes. Funny how accurate the sentiment of “measure twice, cut once” has proven in matters big and small in my life.
Don’t be afraid of serving items at room temperature. You can drive yourself crazy attempting to have every dish on the table piping hot. In my opinion, dressed vegetables, potato salads, and rice and couscous dishes are lovely at room temperature. In Chicago, we had friends from Italy who served a number of dishes intentionally at room temperature, including a chicken-in-vinegar dish that I still daydream about. This opened my eyes to not only the practicality of the room temp dish but its occasional sophistication in the design and consumption of a dish. Cold dishes can suppress/mute flavor, for example.
On that point: if you find yourself with sub-par wine (we euphemistically call it “joven wine” or, when really bad, “airplane wine”), throw it in the freezer for awhile — ice cold wine is surprisingly palatable, as the chill seems to suppress whatever acrimonious flavors pummel the tongue when warmer. Alternately, make wine spritzers by adding club soda or Italian soda and citrus.
Make the stove wait on you — not vice versa. How often in my younger days did I frantically finish chopping in order to deposit the mirepoix into hot oil, or did a pan come to smoking point while I, flustered, attempted to finish prep? You can always turn the heat off, reduce the heat, or fully move a hot pan off the burner if you are not ready for it. The pan should wait for you. Do not let your stove be a bully!
Gleaned from my mother-in-law: never apologize for the food in front of company, even if over-seasoned or under-dressed. I mean, don’t let your guests eat raw chicken or fully burnt bread, but, in general, it’s best not to draw attention to your perceived shortcomings. This is in part because few people are as critical of your own food as you are, and sometimes what you consider to be a gaffe will go entirely undetected. (So why draw an enormous arrow?) But mainly, criticizing your own food is an awkwardness for your guests to endure, as they will inevitably feel required to shower you with “Oh no, it tastes great!” to varying degrees of authenticity. The older I get, the more self-aware I have become about over-apologizing. It might feel like humility, but it actually garners a lot of attention and draws down the energy in a room — in other words, it can have the opposite effect of making it all about you.
When in doubt, add salt. I am convinced that one of the principal differences between restaurant cooking and home cooking is seasoning.
When estimating how much alcohol to purchase, the best rule of thumb we’ve come across: two drinks per person for the first hour of the event, followed by one drink per person per hour for each subsequent. This rule holds valid unless you have your college friends over.
Bar snacks are my favorite way to ensure guests will not be famished by the time dinner rolls around. Of course I love to serve a canape or substantive appetizer in addition, but I have observed that it is rare for guests to have more than one or maybe two of these kinds of bites, whether because the offering is awkward to eat, guests feel impolite asking for more, the serving logistics are encumbered (i.e., the tray is on the coffee table, and your guest is sitting on the outskirts of the room), or perhaps it simply feels too gluttonous to have a third crab cake. If you scatter inviting bowls of bar snacks around the room — at the bar area, on side tables, across the coffee table — guests are never more than an arm’s reach from a nibble and able to serve themselves comfortably. I like serving cheese straws, cheez-its, mixed nuts baked with herbs (Giada has a delicious recipe), homemade chex mix, sesame sticks, wasabi peas, fancy potato chips (think truffle), marcona almonds. If serving olives, I always have a tiny dish for pits and make sure each of those dishes has a “sample pit” deposited in it before guests arrive. This is usually one of our last “before the bar opens” activities: dashing around, eating a sample olive so people know where the pits go.
Expect to spend the first hour of a cocktail party circulating to refill glasses. After that, you can assume the room has sufficiently lubricated itself to the point that wine will not be as in demand and/or guests will feel comfortable seeking out their own refills. But for that first hour, you will be shocked at how quickly the wine appears to evaporate. I hate looking around and seeing empty glasses! When we stayed with friends in the Hamptons, our hostess would absolutely never let our glasses go dry or even quarter-full — she was insistent on this front. It was a dangerous weekend — ha!
Related to the above: if at all possible, position the bar in an open room / open area, or distribute different types of refreshments in different stations, i.e., my husband will often keep a cooler or ice-filled tub full of beer at one corner of the patio and a wine station at the other. Otherwise, you will wind up with a bottleneck.
Dim the lights and aim for a lot of candlelight. Everyone looks better!
Squeezing citrus for cocktails takes a very long time. I nearly always do this the morning of an event. Mr. Magpie and I usually put our heads together to “par-mix” planned cocktails ahead of time, i.e., we estimate the total number of drinks needed, then pre-squeeze the exact amount of citrus needed, pre-mix any liquors that can be pre-mixed (for example, if making a batch of margs, you can pour the cointreau and tequila together in a Pyrex so it’s one less thing to measure out, ounce by ounce, at cocktail hour), slice/chop any garnishes, including lime wheels/wedges, strawberries, etc.
Garlic and nuts burn very easily over heat. You might be able to get away with other things in the kitchen, but burnt garlic will destroy a dish. Faire attention!
Salads are always more elegant and better-tasting when prepared by somebody else. My sister recently told me that “A salad is the ultimate gesture of love.” You can use these insights to your advantage by serving salad to your guests — homemade dressing in particular is a surefire way to impress. My favorite recipe is: 3T vinegar (I like to mix vinegars — red wine vinegar is particularly acetic to my palate and so I often cut it with champagne vinegar), 6 T oil, 1 T dijon mustard, 1 T honey, salt, pepper, and a clove of crushed garlic. Whisk or shake vigorously in a mason jar.
Adding fresh herbs to any salad is an “x factor” you won’t regret. A handful of dill, parsley, chives, cilantro, etc will take an average salad to new places and sophisticate the flavor.
In case of dessert catastrophe, make sure you’ve stowed a pint of sorbet in the freezer and a bottle of champagne in the fridge. Scoop sorbet into coupes and top with a float of champagne. Elegant and easy as can be. Alternately, I’ve literally never met a guest who doesn’t love an ice cream sandwich or a Snickers ice cream bar. We usually have both on hand in our freezer.
You eat with your eyes. Mr. Magpie’s favorite rejoinder. He is passionate about serving every dish in the proper plate, with the proper garnish, even if it’s just the two of us. Sometimes when we are very hungry, he will be briefly tempted by the idea of eating directly out of a delivery container or tupperware, but then he says: “No, we can’t eat right out of the bucket.” This is not snobbery or putting-on-of-airs — this is his way of finding joy and intention at every meal time. I admire this tremendously about him and it has changed the way I approach food and think about dining. Before we have guests, we always circle up about which dishes will serve the food to its best effect — e.g., would an endive salad scattered across a long, thin white dish be more dramatic than a heaping bowl? Would serving family style versus plating in the kitchen be more inviting or challenging for guests? Etc.
Know your limits. I will not touch a recipe that asks me to debone a chicken or butterfly a fish. Anything with a food mill in it will require some soul searching, and deep frying is also to be undertaken sparingly. Thankfully, there are usually alternatives (a good butcher/fish-monger can often handle the deboning / butterflying — as was the case when I made Paul Kahan’s bronzino dish! I would have wimped out otherwise!). But if it’s going to be more off-putting than fun, and more likely to end in failure than success, just say no. Maybe one day I’ll be a butterflying pro but right now — well, I have other fish to fry.
Select recipes that look like fun to you. Every now and then, I wax poetic about working my way through old French cookbooks, but — while I love the food — the idea of poaching fish does nothing for me. I’m sure I would enjoy eating said dish, but the preparation does not inspire me. So what? Pick something that does.
Preparing food for people is a gesture of love. Earlier this year, we had dinner at our friends’ home, and the husband had gone so far as to “do a dry run” of the sauce the night before because he wasn’t sure how it would turn out. I was tremendously moved by his care. It has forever changed the way I see him. Over the course of my life, I have leaned on food as a means to communicate love and concern frequently — when in doubt, send comfort food.
+J. Crew has some fab new arrivals – these platform sandals are SO chic. Sort of a more accessible version of the fisherman sandal trend. I also love this cable knit cashmere tee (perfect if you have a chilly office environment) and this top in the pink floral.
+Summersalt is offering 30% off sitewide — I know many of you swear by these suits! This one is so cute, and this one gives me Agua Bendita vibes.
+Doen’s new arrivals are dreamy, too — I love this dress to wear around the house or over a swimsuit. Boho dream. I know so many of you love their Jane blouse, which is out in some fabulous patterns and colors this summer.
+Get the Jane blouse look for less with this steal.
+Have I been in la-la land? Have suddenly heard a lot of people talking about this mustard bath as a long-standing cult-following must-have, especially if you are feeling under the weather. (My sick day essentials here.)
+Adore this OTS top with high-waisted white denim or shorts.
