Over the weekend, we attended a birthday party, and one of our friends asked the birthday girl what her “jewel” from the year was: what had she learned?
On the eve of my fortieth, I find myself drawn to similar introspections and accountings, and they all seem to loop back to the mantra: not everything resolves to a fine point. The tender-footed awareness that I must find ways to let go. That I must cease fishing from obstinate isles, as Ezra Pound put it. What energy am I displacing by waiting for the explanations, the apologies, the endings, the final words? At some point, I must find peace by releasing those misplaced expectations. The agonizing truth is that the letting go isn’t a spectacular one-time drop. There is no ceremonious toss into the water, no burning of the artifacts. Letting go is in fact a series of intentional goodbyes. A building up of muscle. The recurring chorus: “That hurts // it’s OK // I’m still here.” The plodding, near-invisible way we develop strength by repetition. A friend told me that it took her a year to grieve the ending of a relationship: 365 days of slow, considered letting-gos.
But, take heart: everything is a flowing. Panta rhei. I press this to my cheek when I re-live Tilly’s final days, and flail against hurt, and equally, when I watch my children playing in the front yard. In ways good and bad, nothing will be the same in a year. So instead, we dive into the present, and we look at it as a beginning rather than a middle or an end, because is there any other way to live where our feet are?
Here, right now, are the blooming front-door hydrangeas, and the dog in our lap, and the chorus of children’s voices through the screened door, only this-young today:
life re-making itself.
Post-Scripts.
*Panta rhei is a quote attributed to Heraclitus, meaning “everything moves.”
+If you like the Reformation look but not the price tag, check out these cute pieces from new-to-me label VRG GRL: this linen floral ($111!) and this gorgeous linen maxi skirt.
+I love body oils on my shoulder / decolletage during the summer — just ordered this shimmery formula from European pharmacy brand Nuxe to try. My go-to must days is Osea though! (More of my summer skin prep favorites here.)
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I love testing new beauty products, but last week, I sorted my top drawer and removed all of the products I don’t love or haven’t been reaching for as often so that I have only my day-in-day-out favorites on hand versus the clutter I was facing each day. Below, the cream of the crop —
01. Goop Colorblur Blush. I find these have more staying power and pigmentation than Merit, and they come in the most gorgeous shades. I especially like Afterglow and Slipper.
02. Cle de Peau concealer. The OG. It is painfully expensive but the absolute best at true, skin-like coverage for any red spots, blemished, dark undereye circles, etc.
03. Ilia Liquid Powder Matte Eye Tint, specifically in shade “Cork.” I swipe this on my eyelids with a finger everyday. A cinch to apply and looks very natural — just evens everything out. I know the color looks dark brown but it applies semi-sheer and makes your face look evened out, polished, without the fuss of actually applying eye shadow with a brush.
04. Kosas AirBrow. Still my favorite brow tool. Shapes, colors, fills all in one magical, easy little swipe. The applicator is tiny so it’s hard to mess up!
06. Saie highlighter. This is my favorite of all the highlighters, and I’ve tried many, many brands. I know a stick highlighter is appealing from an application standpoint, but then you need to blend/buff anyway. I love to put a tiny bead of this on my fingertip and then dab onto cheekbones, brow, cupid’s bow, and tip of my nose. One tube of this lasts a very long time — good value.
07. Merit Lip Gelee in Les Deux. I love this stuff! I apply as a final layer over my daily lipstick (currently, Trish McEvoy’s lipstick in the Gentle color — a perfect everyday pink). I know many of you are enormous fans of Dior’s lip oil. Going to try that next.
08. Charlotte Tilbury lip cheat lipliner. WOW is this product incredible. I was loathe to introduce a lip liner to my beauty bag because it felt like one extra step, but this magical product makes my lips look fuller yet so natural. I use this with lots of different lip colors and it blends in really well.
09. Nyx Ink eyeliner. The best way to make your eyes pop. So inexpensive, with an ultra-fine felt tip. Have been using this exclusively for years now. Dries matte.
10. UBeauty lip plasma. If I don’t have the time or inclination to do liner, lipstick, and gloss, I just swipe some of this on and call it a day. It really plumps and fills the lips! Rose is my favorite color.
11. Westman Atelier Foundation Stick. Just the best. This blends beautifully and really looks like skin while providing a decent amount of coverage. I apply with my Merit brush, but this $8 Amazon brush is a seriously good dupe for the Merit one. All my favorite makeup brushes here.
12. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray. OMG, where has this been all my life?! This actually works. I used to feel like my morning makeup had faded or disappeared by around 3 in the afternoon — now I rarely touch up! I’m linking the trial/mini size here so you can test in a small format first, but trust me — you’ll end up purchasing the full size in good time.
Side notes: my makeup bag in the above photo is Weezie! And based on several responses to my “What are your grooming routines?” post, I know several of you are big fans of the Nuface — and I found it on sale here!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
A few of my favorite daytime dress finds for summer —
01. Julia Amory’s Betty. I was wowed by this dress when it arrived. It’s a heavy-duty, structured cotton with incredible attention to detail, including a wide row-stitched hem and deep pockets. It looks like a million bucks and feels like something that was made years ago — the quality is absolutely incredible. The fabric is a cotton-spandex blend that gives shape and stretch and does not wrinkle easily. I have it on good authority that these dresses are running very low in stock, FYI. (I’m wearing above with my Dans La Main bag! And, heads up, the Dorsey Clemence necklace I wear daily — you can see it in the last photo above — was just restocked! I love this style so much. I find it easy to dress up and down and wear it around the clock to layer with one or two other necklaces.)
03. This breezy Marea. Love the shape and the sweet print! Adorable!
04. The HHH Cosima dress. Try to get your hands on one of these! Each time they’ve launched this early summer, they’ve sold out. The silhouette is so flattering and easy to wear. Currently available in a tile / floral situation, and limited sizing of the seashell print I own here, or hold out for restocks of some of their more mixable pieces, like stripes or the solid brown I really wish I’d snagged. HHH also released the dress in a limited edition coke bottle red lace that would be spectacular for a dressier event (only a few left). You can get a similar look to the Cosima for less with this Madewell.
05. Doen’s Marianne dress. I’ve been noticing a micro-trend of drop-waist dresses and I love this one, or the sister style, the Mallory, which is sold out at Doen but still available in a few sizes in trending gingham at Saks. Look for less with this Gap x Doen dress in denim or white eyelet.
06. Mirth Vienna dress. Can be worn with or without the belt — so easy but pulled-together. J’adore.
07. Mille Saffron dress. I own this in several patterns and frankly wish I could wear them daily. They are ultra-light and comfortable and Mille has the best patterns. I like these dresses styled with either my Ancient Greek Eleftherias or Birks. Mille also has a mini version of the Saffron, and I also adore their Garden dress. This brand runs really big, so go down a size. 15% off with JEN15.
08. Printfresh x House of Lars caftan. I own this in the blue/red pattern (but all three options are SO fun) and cannot wear it without receiving questions and compliments! Such a head turner and so easy to wear. Not exactly the same, but this $140 dress gives me a similar vibe/feel in terms of bold pattern and easy shape.
09. Cleobella Ingrid dress. I absolutely love the pattern and sash waist. So chic with leather sandals (<<reminder that MAGPIE35 gets you $35 your first order — this code is only valid through June 14!), tortoise shades, and a big straw basket bag.
10. Jenni Kayne’s Day dress is quiet luxury / minimalist chic / elegance personified. I’d pair this with a trendy raffia sandal. You can get the Jenni Kayne look for less with this or this.
11. There’s something about this vintage-inspired Ciao Lucia dress that has my attention. It’s sold out once already and is currently available in very limited sizes for pre-order. It looks so effortless but fashion-y, like something Alice Pilate would wear while vacationing somewhere in the Mediterranean. This J. Crew linen mini is similar in ethos.
12. Anything by Juliet Dunn (more styles here). They are spendy but so, so comfortable (lightest, airiest, softest cotton — I save these for the dog days of summer) and beautiful. I love the tie-shouldered midi (20% off with YOUROCK) best.
13. Emerson Fry’s Frances dress — universally flattering and elongating. I adore this dress. I find it so easy to style up and down — could wear to a child’s graduation just as easily as a backyard hang.
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I returned to my poetry-reading habit this week. It invites — demands — stillness for brief periods of 10, 15 minutes — another way of practicing yutori. Any more and my mind fizzles, an overheated engine, before wandering the back roads. Which is to say, I begin to drive through non-poetic parts, like logistics for school pick-up, what’s for dinner tomorrow, did I switch the laundry?, etc. I read Wendell Berry this week. I’ve loved his poem “The Peace of Wild Things” for some time now — Mary Oliver-esque, and his Asphodel phrase “the forethought of grief” impressed itself so firmly on me that it gave shape to the ache of knowing Tilly was going to die, and soon — but didn’t know much about him or his back catalog. He has an interesting personal history, having gone from prestigious fellowships at Stanford and in Paris to cultivating corn and raising sheep on a 117-acre farmstead in Kentucky. I love the embedded naturalism of his writing — his poetry is a palmarius of place-feel. But the lyric that resonated most with me this week was “Be Still in Haste,” a still-waters-run-deep ode to present-mindedness:
How quietly I begin again
from this moment looking at the clock, I start over
so much time has passed, and is equaled by whatever split-second is present
from this moment this moment is the first
The line breaks and syntactical inversions suggest the impermanence of time, the way past, present, future collect and overlap, but mainly reminds us that we have today. That we can start a new 24-hour period at any time. That yesterday was not the final draft. That nothing changes if nothing changes. That the whole sky is ours. That we can change right now, today, and with nobody’s permission. I must often remind myself of the latter, inclined as I am toward self-imposed rules and people-pleasing. I can read this book, prefer that order, skip this song, change my mind just because.
Also this week: my baby turned five. We had the best, simplest birthday at home — he requested steak and fries for dinner followed by an ice cream cake. Mini decorated the patio table with crepe paper, party hats, and swizzle sticks, and we listened to the “Trolls Band Together” soundtrack on repeat (his favorite). Mr. Magpie caught the photo below of him looking up at me — a golden moment if I’ve ever had one.
On Saturday, Lan and I went out to dinner at Aventino — IMO, the best restaurant in Bethesda. Sophisticated menu, beverage program, interior. Great waitstaff. We sat at the bar (our preference) for an early dinner, and were home and in bed by nine. Perfect.
We continued to celebrate our five year old with a snakes and cake party on Sunday. (If you’re local, you must check out The Reptile Guys and specifically request Walter — he was incredible! He brought by tons of lizards, snakes, and other reptiles and offered a funny, interactive, and educational performance that transfixed twelve 5 year olds for 45 minutes. No small feat!). Below: Hill with a spiny-tailed lizard and Cheetoh fingers/mouth. It was beautiful out, so we spread a few picnic blankets on our front lawn and had the “show” outside, which suited everyone (including the animals) just fine. I was neglectful of photo-taking, but there were some fun details I wish I’d snapped, including these adorable snake cups, these sturdy leaf-print plates and these metallic leaf-shaped ones, this enormous stuffed boa (my “centerpiece”), this “pin the tongue on the cobra” game, and these inflatable snakes. For party favors, I filled a basket with various age-appropriate/early reader snake books (like this and this) and let each child pick one. I know it’s not as exciting as a proper goody bag (several of the kids asked where they were), but I am personally tired of throwing away all those little plastic toys in periodic purge-fests. They just clutter my home! Books never go to waste! I made Stella Park’s chocolate cake and milk chocolate frosting from scratch (labor of love – I’m pretty sure none of the kids would have noticed if I’d used a boxed mix, but we enjoyed them for days afterward), and mini helped me put together this playlist for the party. Sharing here, because it’s full of party music that your kids will know and love (with a few of my favorites sprinkled in), but it’s none of the Cocomelon/Kidbopz drivel!
Hill is of course wearing Oso and Me top and shorts — my favorite! Below, Hill dutifully working on his favorite gift he received: this Lego space station set. He worked on it around the clock for several days, waking at 6 to get started and sprinting upstairs after school to continue. I can’t believe how focused and determined he was — he completed the entire thing himself and then beamed as we descended on his room to analyze and ask questions.
Also this week: enjoyed several veggie and havarti sandwiches, availing myself of bounty from Mr. Magpie’s garden. There is something deeply satisfying about clipping some lettuce and herbs for lunch from our own backyard. Landon has the happiest bed of lettuce in particular — deer tongue, romaine, green leaf. The secret to a great veggie sandwich is Duke’s mayonnaise, in case you’re wondering.
Above and below, wearing pieces from Sezane’s short-lived collection with Momoni (this dress, these shorts). Most of the collection sold out so quickly but sometimes they do restock with returns, so keep an eye out if you liked either of these pieces, or you can shop the remaining items here — such great tile-print patterns in fun summer colors. You could just dive right into them! Major Mediterranean vibes. Wearing my favorite reasonably-priced raffia fisherman sandals above, too!
Currently hooked on Dr. Diamond Metacine’s Instafacial plasma. They generously sent me their full skincare set, which costs a pretty penny, but I was dying to try after Courtney Grow insisted it’s as effective as Botox. I don’t know about that claim, but I can say it has noticeably firmed my skin and shrunk my pores since I started using two weeks ago. I use in conjunction with Vitamin C in the morning, as I don’t think it delivers much glow/vitality but it does firm things up.
Lastly, beautiful hydrangea in the neighborhood (I just learned that the color of the buds relate to the acidity in the soil!) and homemade pina coladas. I used the recipe 2/3 of the way down in this article. They don’t specify how much ice to use if blending (which I strongly recommend), so my contribution: I used about 2 cups for a single cocktail, and it turned out perfectly. Blend for longer than you think you need to.
Onward into the week!
P.S. I’m always updating my shop, Shopbop hearts, and Amazon store.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation. Image via.
What Inspired Me This Week…
+BEFRIENDING YOUR BODY: This 60-second “compassionate body scan” immediately relaxed me and made me think differently, more gently, about my body and its abilities. “Can you be in compassion for what’s here but also perhaps just a little bit of awe?” she asks. I had been feeling frustrated just that morning with my shoulder — it’s been acting up a bit after runs (I think I run with my arms too tight to my sides) and while lifting in my Heather Robertson training sessions — and the next morning, I thought instead: “You’ve been working so hard! No wonder you’re cranky.” It found myself modifying the workout to accommodate. (Realted: approaches to self-compassion.)
+A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE: I loved Barbara Kingsolver’s tribute to her recently deceased father. Gorgeous, loving, carefully-chosen words, and how lovely to end with: “He saw me into this world and I’m thankful I could help see him out, holding onto the seeds he planted in my soul. Wendell Kingsolver, 7/21/1928 – 5/30/2024. A big life.”
+LR GETS INTO THE JELLY GAME: Were you one of the lucky few that snagged a pair of these rhinestone jellies when they launched and immediately sold out earlier this week? Jellies are the shoe of summer, anchored by The Row’s Mara (look for less with these) and Ancient Greek’s offerings.
+MINETTA TAVERN COMES TO DC: Keith McNally is bringing NYC’ storied Minetta Tavern to Union Market. Woohoo! A few of our favorite DC area restaurants and attractions here. I should also mention that we finally found a favorite date night spot in Bethesda proper: Aventino. We’ve been twice and mean to make a habit of it. Outrageously good with a sophisticated menu, elegant interior, and interesting cocktail program. (I don’t mean to be a snob, but I am kind of a snob about cocktails since we’ve made a study of them at home — notes here — for the past few years. And Aventino has drinks that really piqued our interest — stuff we’d never had or seen before.)
+A CHIC COUPLE: I fell down a deep rabbit hole looking at all the beautiful outfits (and backdrops) from Instagram super couple Nicolas and Laura. I think Landon needs a white linen blazer.
+ON THE SHOPPING FRONT…01) I snagged these earrings for everyday wear — I’ve been looking for more simple, everyday earrings to alternate with my pearl studs and my Dorsey leverbacks. Aurate is offering us 30% off (!!!) with code JENSHOOP. 02) I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of this gorgeous silk skirt. I love the way La Ligne can make a maxi silk skirt seem approachable for everyday. They have such a great knack for implicit styling — the casual-chic outfit, the easy vibe just suggest themselves. 03) Intrigued by Hill House’s new swim collection. Founder Nellie Diamond described it as “lots of coverage, just the way I like it,” which isn’t far afield from my own preferences when we’re at our pool with the kids! I specifically like this cover up skirt. 04) Showing a bit more skin, I found some stock of the wildly popular Follow Suit Floras here! Use code YOUROCK for 20% off. These keep selling out — I think Tuckernuck has more stock than Follow Suit does! 05) Eyeing these hiking boots for Colorado. Of course, these boots would also be perfectly at home in my Aspen wardrobe. (More ideas on what to pack for an adventurous/outdoorsy summer here.) 06) Crown Affair now offers their products in travel sizes! I know several of you prefer to buy travel/trial sized versions of your favorite stuff when traveling as opposed to decanting / dealing with the wrong bottles. (More thoughts on this here.)
+STYLING ANTHRO’S COLETTE SHORTS: (This is a sponsored mention.). Anthropologie sent me their Colette shorts and I styled them three different ways. Note that the shorts run small/snug – I’d go a size up in these – and are short. But, vive la leg this summer, my friends! My mantra.
+A WALDEN STATE OF MIND: A lot of generous words on my Walden post this week. One Magpie wrote me after and said: “Walden is a state of mind,” and I couldn’t agree more. It’s about finding little ways to capture the quiet, the natural, the peaceful in your own home. How might we create a lakehouse vibe at home? Candles, open windows, a cozy quilt, an early bedtime…I was also fascinated by Jaclyn’s comment that she finds “staycations” more effective for productivity sprints than actual out-of-house writer retreats. And she’s a published author! (Read her books here and here!)
+BESTSELLERS: This shirt continues to reign supreme. Never seen more Magpies buy a single item in the history of this blog!
and we watch its slow, rolling approach across the epilimnion,
until it finally anoints our feet, then shoulders, then hair with rainwater:
a lazy concatenation of the senses.
Later, a sun-warmed deck chair embraces my cold bathing suit clad body,
and the torpid buzz of cicadas circles our unhurried conversation.
You brush away the sand on my arm through the gilt mantle of the mid-Atlantic air,
and we lose track of time in its heft and hush:
Aergia and Somnus in their untroubled dwelling.
You bring me a palmful of cherries, and I find a bowl of peaches on the unlit kitchen counter,
behind the patched screen door,
past the beach towels over the railing, undisturbed by breeze,
through the hum and click of a fan.
Summer is one long whisper:
listen, while I sigh against time.
Post-Scripts.
*This musing was partly inspired by a poem by Raquel Franco titled “Slow Girl Summer” in which she writes: “When it rains stroll the aisles of an old bookstore and strum the spine of stories yet to be ventured. Lose time’s phone number. Slow dance through summer to the percussion of your own pulse.” I found the image of tucking into a bookshop to avoid a summer storm evocative and found myself lost for a few minutes in sister memories of summer languors past, and the above tumbled out.
+I love reading about your favorite parts of winter. The pleasantries of summer suggest themselves much more readily for me. What are a few of yours?
+”You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.” This poem still puts a shiver straight down my spine.
Shopping Break.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
+I’ve noticed a micro-trend of drop-waist / elongated waist silhouettes on dresses lately. Love this one.
+Loewe-inspired sunglasses for under $15. I own these in a few colors. I find it handy to have a few of these inexpensive sunglass cases on hand — the cheaper shades never come with boxes/cases and sometimes the ones from my higher end styles don’t fit in my smaller bags!
+Magpie readers LOVE Dior Lip Oil (so many upvotes for Dior lip products in the comments section here), and I found them on rare sale!
+All the cool girls are wearing boxer shorts this summer.
+Under-$50 blockprint tablecloth for your summer tablescapes.
+Just ordered my daughter a few things from J. Crew: this strawberry bikini, a few of these tanks, these shorts, and rose gold Birks!
A few years ago, my mother gave all of the men in our family Faherty pullovers for Christmas, and they’ve become something of an informal family uniform. I learned afterward that Faherty is itself a family-run business “all about good vibes and making things better” and it made immediate sense: their pieces are designed for ease in everyday family life, whether you’re in the phase of running after young children or hosting your grandchildren at home for the holidays. I snapped a few pictures of Mr. Magpie in some of the pieces from Faherty’s Father’s Day collection last week, and his outfit was perfect on a strangely chilly but sunny summer morning as we went from school drop off to a coffee run and then straight into the weekend. Everything he’s wearing would be perfect for Father’s Day gifting, and Faherty is offering us 20% off with code MAGPIE20. (Plus, free shipping through 6/10 so you can receive in time for Father’s Day.)
I had specifically selected the backpack for upcoming vacation plans — it will be ideal for travel days, but also for the light hikes and other family outings we’ll be taking in Colorado and Deep Creek Lake. It’s made of an ultra-light material, has an interior pocket for a laptop, and a side slot for a water bottle, but it looks rugged rather than performance, which appealed.
He’s wearing the All Day shorts in the 5″ length (but longer lengths are available if your man is more thigh-shy — ha! — Lan is 6’0 tall, for reference). He specifically mentioned he plans to wear these golfing since they come in a water-repellant, technical performance material, but I like that these “crossover” for everyday life, too. They do not look like an athletic short, but they perform like them. He’s wearing with their movement polo, which has the feel of a lived-in t-shirt, and this amazing needlepoint belt. (Mr. Magpie actually came home from the golf course one day a few weeks ago and asked me to find one of these after seeing it on another player! I was ecstatic when I discovered them at Faherty.) He took his true size in everything except the belt, which you are meant to go up 2″ in — so if your man is a size 34″ waist, you should order the 36″.
Lastly, a moment for this terry cloth striped pullover! He was glad he had this on hand since it was 50 degrees out in the morning. Perfect top layer for summer, and so handsome in the stripe. In the middle photo below, you can see his foldable sunnies tucked into his collar — another great buy for summer adventures outdoors.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation. Image via.
Q: Outfit for casual daytime winery hang with girlfriends.
A: I would wear a loose, breezy dress like this, this (look for less), or this with a big straw bag, raffia fisherman sandals, and sunnies.
Q: Nice/cute blouses for dinners out.
A: I just ordered this $30 top to try after seeing it on a few chic peas on Instagram! I intend to pair with trending shell earrings. And I think all of us Magpies own this striped top (perfect with white jeans). I’m also loving the trending crochet look — something like this or this. Different direction: a white waistcoat style top (or my taupe colored one). And of course any of the dreamy, airy blockprint styles from Alix of Bohemia! I always get compliments on mine!
Q: Dress for my engagement party, late July, outside in Tennessee (hot!).
A: Fun! A Julia Amory husband shirt, fun piece of jewelry from Notte or Hart, a splurgey beauty gift like this UBeauty lip plasma trio or one or two of your favorite products from Goop, an Alice Walk crewneck.
Q: Black tie optional wedding guest dress in late June in Tennessee.
A: My big lesson from this past year: don’t be a martyr here — this is one realm where I have learned I must dress practically. There is dirt, mud, sweat, gnats, grass…I like to wear my Beyond Yoga sets or Lululemon athletic dress (look for less with this) with a top layer like one of my Alice Walk sweatshirts or Spanx sweatshirt (10% off with SHOOPXSPANX), fun sneaks, and always a ballcap (I like the ones from Clare Vivier, and the ones from Merci Paris are fun). Don’t forget bug spray and a practical tote like a Naghedi (neoprene, so pretty sturdy!).
Q: Pillow inserts for my family room sofa.
A: I use these Amazon ones several places in our home — decent fill and the price is right. My main tip here is always to size up 2″ from the size of the pillow sham. So if the sham is 18″, buy a 20″ insert; if 20″, buy the 22″ insert. Trust me! Nothing sadder than a deflated sham. Buying the 2″ size up will fill out the case properly.
Q: Flattering athletic shorts that aren’t bike shorts.
A: I like the ones I have from Tracksmith, Sweaty Betty, and Beyond Yoga. Even though I’m short (5’0), I prefer a longer inseam for running and find them more flattering, too. Go up a size in the Tracksmiths — they run really small. Love their vintage styling, and they are top of the line in terms of quality and functionality IMO.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
01. My cousin asked me for pillow recommendations for a family room and I pointed her in the direction of either Pepper Home (especially love this pattern) or Pop o Color on Etsy. Both carry great fabrics/patterns but are much less expensive than the ones we’ve had custom-made via our interior designer. In making the suggestion, I discovered these cute Danika Herrick pillows in red, white, and blue and I can’t stop thinking about them…
02. It wouldn’t be summer without some fresh Lake Pajamas. I now have these blue pointelle ones in my drawer (seen at top) — ultra-lightweight and the blue color called my name. While I was daydreaming about the lake house writing haven yesterday, I thought of this set and how perfect they’d be for our trip to Deep Creek Lake later this summer…
03. Sephora just began to carry Fara Homidi’s viral lip palettes. I must admit that I am intrigued by the buzz and hype! Has anyone tried?!
04. Can’t stop thinking about this striped top and these matching striped pants for a major summer evening moment. Just so impossibly chic, I can’t deal. N.B.: I find Sezane’s pants run really small. Go up a size.
05. Net-A-Porter now carries Rue de Verneuil, and a great assortment of it. Perhaps this is because of my line of work, or my past as an entrepreneur, but any time I see a smaller brand make its debut on a big retailer, I find myself cheering. Like, big time! Big leagues! Also, I absolutely love this cherry red RDV tote — in line with my new red obsession. This particular shape/style reminds me of Hermes’ Garden Party bags.
06. I mentioned this recently, but this candle has been garnering quite a bit of positive attention. I love the idea of my home smelling like The Hamptons (!) I was just texting with some of our NYC friends, and we were reminiscing about one house we rented together in the Hamptons back when we lived in the city, and one of them said: “But remember how bad the cell service was?” and I said: “Part of the appeal, TBH!”
07. A great, well-priced bin for beer and soda during backyard hangs this summer. I also find these types of bins/buckets helpful for birthday parties and other miscellaneous children’s events, e.g., when you sign up to bring snacks for a sport or school event, or want a spot to toss lots of party favors, etc.
08. Clever little frosted cups for neighborhood walks and hangs. Would also make a great summer hostess gift. Conveniently 20% off right now!
09. The prettiest blouse. These are not inexpensive, but I have a few items from this brand and they are all spectacular. The patterns, the details, the heavenly airy material.
10. This white eyelet dress arrived and is absoluteperfection. I feel so sexy in my Rixo pieces! They’re so beautifully cut.
11. Mentioned this collection quite a bit, but want to make sure you get your eyes (and possibly hands) on Doen’s red gingham pieces. They’re sure to fly.
12. I had the wrong link to this fun tomato necklace in Monday’s post — here is the correct one. Love all the whimsical pieces from this small brand.
Side note: I just updated my promo codes page with some really good discounts at Spanx, Aurate, March Hare and more! Don’t forget I have a 15% off code to Mille, too!
Last year, I briefly contemplated applying to attend a weeklong writer’s retreat held at a lake house in the strip of Maryland that thinly divides Pennsylvania from West Virginia. It sang out because, for years now, I’ve cultivated a fantasy of absconding to a cottage to write. The dream is realised enough that I can hear the creaky pine steps in the morning, feel the cotton midweight of the navy quilt over me in the evening, and fall asleep to the cricketsong and starlight at nightfall. There are lunches of farmstand peaches and cherries with fresh bread and Emmentaler cheese enjoyed on a slatted balcony in the sun when I am hungry, and walks down to the lapping lake, with Tilly at my side — because this is a dream after all — when my writing sticks in mud. There is honeysuckle, an old bike with a basket, the sound of my feet running the mountain trails, and I sit at a worn desk with windows open to let the air in, and I find words that communicate before they are understood. Time slips by like a field mouse, disturbing no one.
The vision is a far cry from my daily footfall, where, despite my focused efforts, my maneuvers are time-boxed. Even my roundest writing has grown between tight hedges. I have thirty minutes to ____; I must get ____ before ____; can I squeeze in _____?
But I was listening to Elizabeth Gilbert last summer, while sighing at the delta between my daily life and my would-be Walden, and she said (paraphrasing): If you’re waiting for there to be some summer of untrammeled time to write, some period in which you have nothing to do but craft, you’re dreaming. There’s only today, right now. Get started! If memory serves, she also made the point that Toni Morrison wrote several of her best novels while maintaining a nine-to-five. So, yes. Write now, even if you’ve only got margins to work with.
I love her get up and go. It nests neatly with my own philosophies on writing, which are, in short: 1) publish frequently; 2) what the reader thinks of your writing is none of your business; and 3) inspiration will not always find you, so you must learn to be disciplined. Elsewhere, Gilbert has written about an exchange between a filmmaker friend of hers and the German filmmaker Werner Herzog. Gilbert says her friend was complaining how difficult it was to create as an independent filmmaker, and Herzog wrote: “Quit your complaining. It’s not the world’s fault that you wanted to be an artist. It’s not the world’s job to enjoy the films you make, and it’s certainly not the world’s obligation to pay for your dreams. Nobody wants to hear it. Steal a camera if you have to, but stop whining and get back to work.” Oof! I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that note, but I can’t disagree with the medicine. “It’s not the world’s fault that you want to be an artist…now get back to work.” Amen, amen. And so we continue to write without the worn pine underfoot and the lake breeze in our hair and the sainted Tilly at our feet.
But there are a few things I have braided into encouragement as I’ve internalized Gilbert’s, and Herzog’s, wisdom. The first is that I can find small ways to welcome Walden into my daily life, and it’s always by doing the narrowest, almost stupidly simple things, like sitting outside for ten minutes without my phone in the morning, watching and listening to my backyard. The bees in the climbing hydrangea, the cardinals’ whistling, then trilling, call and response: cheer, cheer, cheer / birdie, birdie, birdie. The way the forenoon sun feels on my skin, the smell of dew-kissed grass. A suburban sinfonia. As Mary Oliver put it: pay attention, and be astonished. The other tack: I wonder sometimes what I would actually feel if I did abscond to a cottage for a week. If I press my face to the glass, I think I would be lonely, and miss my husband and children, and the clatter and comfort of their feet in my orbit. I would be so far from my source material that I worry my writing would suffer, too. And so I think the grass is always greener (the lake always bluer) and I return with congeniality to the starts-and-stops of my everyday.
+The quilt in my imagined lakehouse….there would also be sconces like this.
+Lewis has some really cute clothing finds for kids, like these strawberry shorts and this seahorse-print dress. I’m a longtime fan of this brand — I have some of their sheeting for my son! The best patterns.
+My son loves fact books — prefers them to fictional ones! — and I know this encyclopedia will be up his alley.
