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I can’t stop with red this summer — a few recent finds I’m loving, starting with my red shorts (15% off with JEN15) and ladybug suit (seen above). More below!
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
I wake up at seven when Mr. Magpie springs out of bed. We take turns “getting up with the kids” — two days on, two days off — and this is one of my “sleep-in” mornings, which feel deliciously slow during the summer, as we have nowhere to be until we leave for the children’s camp drop-off at 8:30 a.m. It’s astonishing how baggy an extra forty-five minutes feels in the morning. I send off a praying hands emoji to the digital prayer circle (text thread) my mother, sister, and I participate in daily, and then check my emails. Then I’m up for my A.M. skincare regimen. I get dressed (today: Sezane button-down, Madewell shorts – go one size down; run big, Hermes Orans, By Pariah earrings), put on makeup and perfume, and head downstairs for the day. My children greet me the same way they always do as I descend: “The. great. mamooooo!!!!”, as though tiny announcers for WWE. (If it’s Landon coming downstairs, it’s: “The. great. dadoooo!”) I ask how they’ve slept, ruffle their hair, and assess how much they’ve eaten of their breakfasts. Then Mr. Magpie hands me a green smoothie (kale, banana, avocado, OJ) and we slip outside to the back porch to have an impromptu huddle about whether we’re going to send our son into camp today. (These deliberations must be kept out of earshot to a) complete the conversation without immediate interruption and b) prevent little ears from taking information and using it against us. My daughter is an expert litigator at age 7 and will use any “but what about…” musings as incontrovertible evidence to be lobbed against us.) My son was under the weather over the weekend, and here is one of the ongoing shocks of parenthood: that no one is going to tell you what to do with your kids in these situations. I still find those calls complex, even 7.5 years into the practice of motherhood. He seems better today (eating a full breakfast, chipper!), but do we keep him home just in case? As always, I err on the side of “keep him home” and Mr. Magpie on the side of “send him in,” but we both agree it’s better to let him rest. Immediately after announcing he won’t be going to camp, my daughter demands to stay home, and my son starts ping-ponging around the house, all traces of illness absent. Onward.
I manage to settle my son into an armchair with a stack of books while accommodating my daughter’s hair style request (a braid today; space buns yesterday). I submit an absentee form for my son online, pack my daughter’s water and snacks for the day (lunch provided at camp — praise be), supervise her shoe-tying (a new skill), finish my smoothie, send off a few texts to one of my Magpie team members (I have a few contractors who help with various aspects of my blog), and then we scurry out the door. I placate her huffiness (“it’s so unfair he gets to stay home”) with “you can pick whatever music you’d like in the car ride.” (A constant battle site between the two of them.) She requests Family Dance Party Playlist and off we go, blasting “Cake By the Ocean” at 8:33 a.m. After drop off, I switch to “Fleetwood Mac” and collect myself on the short ride home.
Back home, Mr. Magpie and I launch into a few urgent STPs (Shoop Talking Points) we’d been putting off, mainly around travel logistics for two upcoming trips, over coffee. It’s like threading a moving needle as we evaluate his remaining PTO, flights, credit card points, loyalty programs at various airlines, other happenings on our calendar, etc. My son chirps interruptions every 3-4 minutes. “Can I have a coloring page?” “Can I have Cheetohs?” “This is what a polar bear looks like,” “Remember that time on the ride?” At a good breaking point, we pause our conversation so I can go down to the basement to focus on him for a little bit. “Let’s play a game. It’s called family,” he announces. He’s arranged various stations around the basement — magnatiles in one part (“the restaurant”), a tent with Go Fish in another, a pile of “snacks” (more magnatiles) guarded by a tiny Buzz Lightyear figurine, and a big map spread out on the ground that he in turn uses to guide our movements on an imaginary plane. I love the idea that “family” to him is one big adventure: the two of us moving around from station to station, seeing alligators, eating magnatile hamburgers, and then playing a full round of Go Fish in a tent. I am so deeply relieved that he seems to feel better today, and I interrupt his imagination several times to squeeze him. “Mamaaaa,” he protests. I spiral when my children are unwell, worrying about having missed a symptom, anxious to make them comfortable, and can’t suppress my relief at his rebound.
I then go upstairs with my boy at my heels to finish the travel logistics conversation with Mr. Magpie and get some of the details off to our travel agent. This is the first time we’ve ever used a travel agent and her counsel has been welcome and relieving — Landon and I are heading to Italy in the fall and there are so many moving parts that it’s been wonderful to have someone advising us on where to fly into (and why), how many days to stay, handling hotel reservations, etc. I am pinching myself as we have these conversations. This will be our first long trip abroad in a decade, and the longest we’ve ever spent away from our children. Even during this brief exchange, my son steadily drops his own requests and commentary every 30 seconds. It can be very challenging to complete a single sentence in our home.
Then Mr. Magpie digs into his work day (he is more or less on the phone at all hours of the day — the life of a remote senior leader!) and I situate my son with some coloring pages and activity books and get to my desk. I will admit I am relieved when he announces he’d prefer to work in his room than at my feet, where he normally stations himself during “sick days.” Even with him in the other room, I already anticipate today will be a choppy day of half-productivity with my little shadow at my side, and that’s OK. It’s all about headspace.
I text my mother and then clip into my workday. I write first, and then consult my ticklist of action items — interacting with brands, working with my consultants on various aspects of the blog business, and a few personal items (appointments, returns, etc). I am always the most limber and creative first thing in the morning — my mind slowly turns to rock over the course of the day. I’ve learned to carve out the early hours for “maker’s time.”
We break for lunch at noon. A year or two ago, I promised myself I’d never eat lunch at my desk again. This is one of the glorious allowances of working for myself: I can make such declarations, and see it through. I find taking a proper break for lunch sets a gracious pace for my day and introduces a needed pause at midday. It’s also a way of drawing my stated values into alignment with my actions: philosophically, I am in search of whole numbers and wider margins in my life. I don’t want to be busy. So here we are, breaking for lunch on a daily basis. We eat leftover Greek pasta salad — I used Caroline Chambers’ delicious recipe — and my son has a leftover slice of pizza, cucumbers and peppers, a few rounds of salami, and a big serving of fruit. He’s still a year or two away (in my calculus) from willingly eating a mixed pasta salad. We’ve finally crossed that threshold with mini, but are still in the “separate foods and general pickiness” phase with him. I’ve made peace with this. (If you’re in the weeds with this, you might find comfort in the wise comments and suggestions in response to my post titled: “How do you get your children to eat?“)
Midway through lunch, my son notices a red-bellied hummingbird in the kiwi vines behind us. Incredible how children are naturally adept at things like noticing birds. I have been making a mild study of birding myself (with this book and this one) and some of the literature is almost embarrassingly basic in the sense that my son could teach me this: to be a good birder, you must stay still and watch, with no sudden movements. I text my sister-in-law, a more advanced birder, because she’d just messaged me about the hummingbirds in her mother’s garden the night before, and here one is, at my porch, reminding yet again me that our lives become mosaics of the people we love.
After lunch, I clean the dishes and eat one of the black and white cookies from the brand Oh My God that my girlfriend brought by the other day. They’re shockingly good — fresh, and just like the ones we used to get in NYC — and I will be ordering them as gifts. Then I retreat to my office to edit an essay and adapt some of my writings to share them on Instagram in appropriately-sized slides. (I use Canva.) Somehow, my son entertains himself quietly with Legos for most of this period. Then I pack up my daughter’s bathing suit and goggles in my new Bogg bag and make her a snack — a mini bagel and cream cheese alongside some cut fruit; these are my favorite little post-camp snack containers as they feel like the perfect size and I like the way it invites me to serve her fruit or veg alongside something with protein — as she is routinely ravenous after camp, and will need the sustenance before swim team starts at 4. As I walk out the door, I learn swim practice has been canceled owing to rain, so I pick her up and take her with me to the grocery for a few ingredients Mr. Magpie needs for dinner. More Family Dance Party, several dispatches from my daughter’s day at camp, then home. I make my daughter and son yet another snack, as both insist they are starving, and then negotiate with them about getting into the bath. One of my biggest parenting “hacks” (hate that word) is to bathe them before dinner. One less hurdle at the day’s finish line. Both routinely protest getting in and then promptly refuse to get out. I am happy to acquiesce on the latter. I let both of them prune in the tub. After, I permit them time on their iPads. My daughter is still patching for her amblyopia, and we find it’s easiest to let her ease into her two hour patch session with iPad, especially after a long day of camp and swim.
I return to my desk to edit a few photos and work on a shopping blog post before “closing up shop.” I close most tabs, clear my desktop, turn off the lights, stack my notepads. Then, I switch into a Mirth Caftan dress (past-season print, but I think this is the current version). One thing I’ve noticed about their dresses is that they pay a lot of attention to fabric — I find I want to live in them in the evening hours. They are all soft, brushed cottons in loose and drapey fits. I also own and love this striped style I just received a few weeks ago — it’s almost like a triple gauze robe material? Absolutely divine. I touch up my makeup and spritz on some perfume. I normally do this little refresh around this time as a way to toggle between my writer self and my mom self — a way to buffer! — even though the summer’s schedule has been more mottled than usual. It feels nice to officially mark the end of the day, or the start of the evening wind-down, by switching into something else.
Back downstairs, it’s five o’clock somewhere. Well, technically, it’s 6:05, and we mix up a batch of La Bombas as a prelude to the the absolute feast Mr. Magpie has been working on for several days now. He purchased the Maydan cookbook during Prime Day and has been speaking in exclamation points about it as he’s pored over it since receiving. (If you’re local to DC, you must visit Maydan — one of our top five favorite DC restaurants.) We have the music going — right now, the routine seems to be Carly Rae Jepsen (or other female pop) while prepping dinner, and then a fade into Frank Sinatra during dinner. Around 6:30, we decide that dinner is going to be too late to serve the children, so I make some buttered noodles, freezer meatballs, and edamame and cut up some fruit alongside. We try to eat the same meal, all together, as often as possible, but sometimes it’s too difficult to get the meal on the table by the time Mr. Magpie finishes his workday. So the children eat separately while Mr. Magpie mans the grill and I work on cleaning the kitchen, which is a Thanksgiving Dinner-grade amount of bowls, tools, and cutting boards owing to the massive undertaking happening in our kitchen. Mr. Magpie apologizes for this, saying “I know your time is occasionally collateral damage when I get into these cooking moods,” but I am quick to wave him off. I do close to zero cooking and meal planning thanks to him; cleaning is a lean pittance given how well I eat.
Normally, we have this system we love where one of us is “on” for two days with wake ups and bedtimes, and then “off” for two days while the other spouse handles those parts of the day. This enables us to both take breaks and also have one-on-one QT with the children. We love the feel of this. On a logistical level, since it’s one parent on deck at bedtime each night, this means he or I put down our son first and our daughter next, separately and in tandem — which also works with their ages / bedtimes and prevents them from squabbling at a time when everyone is already a bit over-tired. My son has not napped since he was three on the dot and he is still (at just-five) exhausted by seven p.m. My daughter routinely stays up reading until 8 or 8:30. We are pretty lax with her about bedtime, and generally give her the responsibility of putting herself to bed when she feels ready. This occasionally backfires but has been a great way to teach her to listen to her body and to give her a long leash in a low risk area. (Independence goals!)
Tonight, given that Mr. Magpie is at the grill, I tap in for bedtime. We generally follow the two-nights-on-two-nights-off pattern but are fluid with it depending on what’s happening. When my son is “down” and my daughter is nestled in her room with her audiobook on, we plate up the Maydan Feast and sit at the kitchen counter to eat and digest our day together. We sometimes watch TV after or during dinner, but tonight, we linger over our plates before deciding, around 9:15, it’s time to turn in.
We put the house to sleep — lock all doors, turn off all lights, turn on the dishwasher — and run through our nighttime skincare routines. I read a few pages of my book on Kindle and fall asleep immediately.
+I’m telling you, this is the best sweatshirt for lounging on a Friday night — feels vintage right out of the box and has a perfect loose boxy fit with the unrolled hem. This is one of those products I 100% know you will write to me about after receiving.
+This dress arrived and OMG. The fit is insanely good. You can see me trying it (in motion!) on here. I have this set aside for an event I’m attending in a few weeks!
+We met up with some friends at the adult pool last Friday and my girlfriend was wearing one of these iconic Eres suits. Incredibly chic. I wore my Follow Suit Flora (in this exact color combo) — these sell out SO fast and have sold through multiple times this summer. You can find a few more here and here. Run TTS and I find very flattering — a perfect fit. Full coverage in rear, a little saucier at the bust. You can see me in it here.
+I can never have enough striped sweaters — these are on super sale at J. Crew and come in the best colors! Love the navy and especially that athletic green!
+Updated my Shopbop hearts! My $42 earrings arrived and they look much more expensive than they are (and are lighter weight than anticipated), and I’m loving these striped lounge pants (La Ligne vibes).
+My sister brought me this lip balm from her recent trip to France and I know have it sitting on my desktop — great moisture and also a sweet reminder of my thoughtful sister. More of my European pharmacy favorites here.
+Have been using this body wash and it smells absolutely divine.
By: Jen Shoop
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
I’ve been inspired by all the chic peas sporting statement pants this summer — the look is effortless yet pulled together. Frankly, I’ve surprised myself by becoming more of a separates gal this year. For as long as I can remember, I’ve reached for dresses day in and day out — but now I find myself branching out into shorts and pants with fervor. Maybe an age thing?
Anyhow, this summer’s offerings have made the transition to separates easy, because there are such great options. A few of my favorites below:
01. Seen above: These eyelet pants paired with my Sezane bag (sold out in mini, but larger size here), Hermes sandals (look for less here), and La Ligne sweater (look for less here).
04. I also ordered these — $55 and so fun in the navy! (Ed. note: I received and had to return because the sizing is very idiosyncratic here! Check the sizing grid!)
05. Similar style but with a bit more polish/finish thanks to the belted waist here and on sale.
07. Leg-lengthening stripes here. Dress up or down!
08. La Ligne’s can’t-keep-in-stock Colby pants were just restocked (use MAGPIE10 for 10% off). Get the look for less with these from J. Crew.
09. Gauze pants from Alice Walk — the stuff of dreams. I just received these last weekend and they are officially my new favorite thing. You know how after being at the pool / beach, you have a shower and then you don’t want to get in pajamas but you also don’t want to wear a full on outfit? These pants are the answer. I paired mine with this striped tank from Sezane and felt so comfortable but pulled together. I shared a photo of myself wearing them here with the caption: “The best lounge pants known to woman.” But truly they are more than lounge — you could also dress up with a button-down or dress-down over a suit.
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
My must-haves for summer —
01. Osea Marine Cleanser (10% off with MAGPIE10) — just totally obsessed with it, as is Mr. Magpie. A lone Magpie reader recommended it this past winter and I’m so glad I followed up on it! It’s light and refreshing with a pleasant salty citrus scent. You feel cleansed but not stripped dry. It’s also not as steep in price as some of the other cleansers I’ve used in the past, which appeals — I read somewhere that you should avoid splurging on cleansers since it spends so little time on your face (and instead invest in serums and moisturizers).
02. InnBeauty Extreme Cream — I’m new to this much-buzzed-about moisturizer, which has often been likened to Augustinus Bader, and I love it. I prefer this to A.B., as does Mr. Magpie (he’s started testing a lot of the cleansers / moisturizers I bring home). A great texture, quick absorbency, and instant plumping/hydrating result. Hooked. I’ve been focusing the past month or so on upping my skin hydration (both drinking more water and applying more moisturizers) after the aesthetician at my facial at Keswick Spa pointed out that my skin looked dehydrated, and that my wrinkles would be less noticeable if I used more moisturizer. I think she’s been right! Makeup also goes on much more easily.
03. BeYou Wrinkle Eraser Eye Cream. I completely finished my tube of this brand’s Caffeine Eye Cream a few weeks ago and went to re-up when I saw they’d released this new eye cream and decided to give it a try. Also excellent. I went back and got the caffeine version and alternate between them based on what I need. I’d been finding my eyes were really puffy in the morning this spring — I’m now realizing a combo of allergies and sleeplessness — and the caffeine formula REALLY WORKS WONDERS. For more general/everyday use (when I’m not puffy!) I really like the wrinkle eraser formula. I don’t think it erases anything, but skin does feel firmer and smoother after use. Plus, you can’t beat the prices!
04. Chantecaille Sheer Glow Bronze Face Tint. I’m nearly done with this pot (and it comes with a lot of product in it!) after daily use most of this summer. It’s THE best way to paint on a convincing tan. I love to apply with this brush. On super lowkey mornings (especially in Aspen), I’d put on SPF, swipe this on, and finish with mascara.
05. Byredo Blanche Hair Perfume. A total luxury splurge that I’m obsessed with. Maybe a strange fixation, but I hate the smell of “old hair,” as in when I’m going on day two or three without a shampoo? It’s not a bad smell, it’s just a…lived in smell? I also absolutely detest what Landon and I call “restaurant smell,” which we use specifically in situations where fry oil perfumes your entire body after a visit — it’s the worst on the hair. This handy little hair perfume changed the game for me. I spritz on most mornings and feel like a million bucks.
06. Charlotte Tilbury Makeup Setting Spray (still a Nordstrom sale deal — get two full sizes for less) — I was dubious of this product category until I tried Tilbury’s formula, which actually works and actually keeps makeup in place, even in peak midAtlantic humidity.
07. Osea Undaria Body Oil (10% off with MAGPIE10) — I use this in lieu of lotion. The smell is divine and it absorbs instantly, with no greasy finish. I’m on my second bottle. I love it so much I bought the travel size for Aspen, feeling I couldn’t go a week without it! Gives you great, touchable, glowy skin. Nordstrom is offering a great beauty bundle on this product right now as a part of its sale!
08. Vegamour’s Dry Shampoo (20% off with HELLO20). The absolute best — Emese Gormley turned me onto this product a few months ago and I’ve not looked back. An upgrade from Living Proof IMO.
09. Chantecaille Rosewater Spray (at time of writing, on slight sale at Bloomie’s) — love using this before applying moisturizer at night and to refresh or soften makeup after application. Several of Glamsquad’s makeup artists have come with their own rosewater sprays, insisting it’s the best at “softening” and “hydrating” after makeup application.
10. Dr. Diamond’s Metacine Plasma. Completely hooked on this. I noticed an immediate difference in the texture of my skin, and find it shrinks pores and evens out skintone. I use this after cleansing and before vitamin C and moisturizer in the morning, and after cleansing and before moisturizer in the evening. It’s pricey but now I’m pot-committed…have used daily for two months now!
11. Sonsie Multi-Hydrating Mask — Mr. Magpie doesn’t love the texture of this product (you have to work it into your skin / it’s thick) but I swear it truly works. I usually apply at night, especially on wrinkle areas, and wake up with soft and happy skin. From Pam Anderson’s new skincare line, which turned my head because it’s all about taking care of the skin you have vs. “rolling back the clock” / “getting rid of wrinkles” / etc.
12. YSE Your Favorite Ex Exfoliating Pads (15% off with JEN-15) — Hooked / in love / can’t stop using. I find I have to actively tell myself not to use this nightly because a) I don’t think I need that much exfoliation and b) I don’t want to run through my supply too quickly. But the squeaky clean, fresh, rejuvenated feeling is hard to beat.
13. Ilia Multi-Stick in Poppy Red. Another lowkey summer makeup favorite — swipe onto cheeks and lips and be on with it! I really, really like the formula. It’s longer lasting and more deeply pigmented than Merit, but glides/blends a bit more easily than Goop Color Blurs (and I love all three of these products!)
14. Iris & Romeo Weekend Skin. My only complaint is that I went through a tube in about a month flat! It really does create a dewy, balmy glow, just like you’ve slept in and are bathed in flattering sunlight. This product is interesting because it includes “stabilized, time-release vitamin-C” — normally vitamin C is fairly fickle (you need to apply to completely dry skin, it cannot be exposed to sunlight, etc). I find it works beautifully. I just wish the tube lasted longer! This is one of those great “throw it on and run out the door” products — it makes your natural skin just look a little happier / more glowy. I alternate between this and RMS Beauty’s SuperNatural Serum Sunscreen — they are similar but I use them differently (see next point).
15. RMS Beauty’s SuperNatural Serum Sunscreen — Like Weekend Skin, a great option if you don’t want to wear a lot of makeup / want to roll out of bed and slather on SPF that does a little extra. Both leave skin dewy and glowy. I find RMS is as an ideal primer, though, so if I want know I will later layer on concealer, blush, foundation, etc, I usually go with RMS Beauty. BTW, RMS Beauty is celebrating its 15 year anniversary with a different deal each day of this week!
16. Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. Use nightly to remove every last speck of makeup. I love the experience: you slather it on and remove with a warm washcloth. Very relaxing. Your skin looks like a glazed donut afterward.
P.S. Loved your thoughts / intel on how to handle skincare while traveling! Folded in a lot of your perspectives when I went to Aspen for eight days. For example, I bought the travel sizes of my ride or die favorites (many of you advocated this approach vs decanting because the brand’s know the perfect applicator for the product and offer them in convenient shrunken sizes). For shorter trips (1-2 nights), I LOVED one of your recs to use a contacts case to stow small amounts of serum! Brilliant!
P.P.P.S. Was so thrilled to see Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead (my full and effusive review here) on the new NYT best books of the 21st century list! I’ve read a chunk of them but there were definitely some new discoveries (and some oversights — how is it possible Bel Canto made it onto the list, out of all of Patchett’s ouevre? Commonwealth instead IMO!). What were your thoughts?
By: Jen Shoop
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
I can’t tell if it’s the midsummer malaise (several of you pointed out last summer that the final week or two of July is the nadir of summer energy — camp fatigue, lack of motivation, intense heat!), post-vacation-of-a-lifetime blues, or just a run-of-the-mill mood, but I’ve felt bleh this week. Even trusting that everything is a flowing, I’ve been frustrated by my own alien listlessness.
Have you been feeling the same way, I wonder?
On Monday night, we watched Mother Nature unleash her fury in sheets of driving rain and gales of forceful wind. (I write that with a smirk: while birding in Aspen, our guide chastened us against foisting human narratives on the natural world after my SIL made a snarky comment about male ducks “loafing” after procreation.) It was a classic D.C. midsummer storm — the kind that never actually breaks the humidity, but rather angrily shuffles around the furniture before returning to its original, thickly hot state. The lights flickered, then went out for the rest of the night. We didn’t let the outage interrupt us: Mr. Magpie lit the stove by matchstick, we ate outside in the crepuscular post-storm light, and I read the children their bedtime stories by electric lantern. After, Mr. Magpie and I drank wine on the front stoop, talking nothing and everything into our unlit street. Photos throughout this post taken without any light the night of the storm!)
Even this reminder to unplug, to let be, did not fully perforate my haze —
I kept wanting to shake myself by the shoulders! To galvanize myself!
But I was reminded of Morgan Harper Nichols’ words:
“Let July be July. Let August be August. And let yourself
just be even in the uncertainty. You don’t have to fix everything.”
I couldn’t have written more nichely-specific words for my state of mind myself — !
I felt a coolness wash over me. Aha. You don’t have to fix everything.
I saw in the Monday storm my own reflection: a great movement of energy achieving no ending. No break in the heat, no pause in the mood.
So I tiptoed away from the loom, I shut the piano fallboard. I reminded myself to stop fishing by obstinate isles. Sometimes we need time to do nothing at all.
July feels ripe for it.
Post-Scripts: A Shopping Poem.
These cropped Nantucket red jeans have my attention; I can’t stop thinking about them. // La Ligne launched a collection of featherweight silk/cashmere blend knits for summer — the kind of thing you’ll buy and wonder how you got through life without before? This one’s a classic. // It “felt like” 110 degrees on Tuesday, and yet I found myself looking closely at these Toteme boots for fall. Hard to buy out of season but they are smart and polished and I know my future self will thank me. // Our favorite “lazy girl body care” brand, Hanni, just launched a new product: The Fatty, described as “lip balm for your skin.” A hydrating stick — lotion in a tube! I can’t wait to get my hands on one. A reminder, this splash salve (moisturizing balm you apply in the shower) is an Everything Shower essential for me. They offered us 15% off with JEN15. // 25% off sitewide at Mille. You need this dress. // I can’t stop blabbing about this linen tee (15% off with JEN15). I love her. Perfect level of burnout — semi-sheer and pretty sexy. Surprise yourself and try it — your husband will approve, especially layered over one of these. // Bought my son these Sambas with the red stripes – he’s going to flip out. We’re in our red era. // Speaking of my son, he’s wearing these adorable sailboat pajamas in the photo above, clinging to Mr. Magpie. He usually likes to sleep in his boxers, just like his dad, so this was a rare moment for him — and seeing him in that matching set reminded me of him in his toddler years. Matryoshka moment. // These earrings look way more expensive than they are. Going to order to try! They’re reminding me of the way Brent Neale sets her stones. (More classic jewelry for less here.)
By: Jen Shoop
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
+STYLING THE BASIC TEE: Another Ines Cuens style moment I could not get over! This is exactly how I want to look right now. This snap led me to wear my linen tee (similar to the one she’s wearing) twice this week, once over a swimsuit with my red shorts and once with my white eyelet maxi skirt (still a handful left, and on sale!). I also ordered my favorite t-shirt in gray (already own in white and black). I’m telling you, these shirts are IT. Perfect weight, polish, length. The best. 15% off with JEN15.
On the skirt front: she’s wearing European brand Zottier (style now sold out), but similar here. Also still have my eye on this more tailored / streamlined Byrdie (you can remove the train).
+A LAUGH: Do you follow Liam Stapleton on Instagram? Some of his impressions (Harry Potter, Borat) made Mr. Magpie and I laugh so hard we had to pause — especially set against his wife’s obvious “over it” eye rolls.
+FERAL MOM SUMMER: Thanks to a Magpie reader for sending this amazing musing on embracing the chaos of summer with young kids. I related to so much of her described experience — the tangle of sandals at the door, the caked-on sunscreen, the repeated meals of hot dogs and buttered pasta! It’s OK, friends. Lean into it. We’ll get back to discipline in September.
+PASTA SALAD SUMMER: I saw this recipe from Caroline Chambers and my mouth was watering. This is not the kind of food my husband typically enjoys but I am going to be preparing it for some girlfriends this weekend as a part of a little girls’ night at home. (Will supplement with delivery pizza and rose!)
+EYEING + BUYING + WEARING: A shortlist of some of my favorite recent buys and finds: 1) Been wearing this hat constantly — offers such great sun protection and very on-trend. The look for less is back in stock! 2) My sister brought this hilarious game to Aspen and we were crying with laughter by round three. Sort of a twist on charades? Very funny. I bought as a gift for Mr. Magpie’s aunt and cousins, who we’ll be seeing at Deep Creek Lake in a few weeks — they love games! 3) Currently testing this mousse for a little volume. 4) My fun new cherry clip (inspired by Emi Jay’s). 5) Green pants – love this color! I’ve ordered several pairs of statement pants — these, these, these — for summer over the past few weeks, but these are fun and very affordable. I’d pair with a denim button-down. 6) For my burgeoning birding hobby. 7) I did order this Bottega-inspired bag! 8) My current favorite lip/cheek color. 9) I just ordered these Adidas sneakers — the colors sang to me! 10) Viral jellies, restocked!
+AN UNDER THE RADAR BEAUTY BRAND: If your lashes are looking a little sparse — you must consider this Queen Musia growth serum mascara. I’d never messed around with any of the lash-growing mascaras before but this one is clean and features plant-based ingredients. Most importantly, it really works. I’ve used on and off over the past six months when I feel I need a little extra volume / fullness. Has a natural look as a daily mascara. I also absolutely love their lipstick in the Madame Bovary color! One of my summer go-tos. Really pretty.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
A lot of outfit changes this week! It was hot, and we were busy spiders! Also, a reminder that I’ve recently updated and alphabetized my promo code page — check there for codes!
HILL HOUSE MARGO DRESS — MY STYLE SOLD OUT BUT THIS FABULOUS PATTERN (MY FAVORITE HHH HAS EVER DONE!) AVAILABLE IN THIS STYLE OR THIS ONE // LA LIGNE SWEATER (MAGPIE10 FOR 10% OFF)
RICKI BEACH CLUB SWIMSUIT // ALICE WALK GAUZE SHORTS // LOEFFLER RANDALL JELLIES (LOOK FOR LESS HERE)
LAKE PAJAMAS (COMES SOLD AS A CLEVER BUNDLE, WITH SHORTS!) // BED WINE, MODEL’S OWN
You just can’t go wrong with red/white/blue during these peak summer months, and is there anything more iconic than RL’s classic flag sweater?! (BTW, the fit and feel of this sweater is a 10/10 — they’re classics for a reason.) A few of my favorite recent looks…
JENNI KAYNE HAT // HILL HOUSE DRESS (EXACT STYLE SOLD OUT, BUT THIS INSANELY PERFECT PATTERN IS AVAILABLE IN A DIFFERENT STYLE HERE) // LA LIGNE SWEATER
Some mood boards to spotlight a few other favorite finds…and I really must wax poetic about this perfect HHH pattern. It is my favorite pattern they’ve ever released — unusual, punchy, with the absolute best color combos.
One thing I observed about my parents while in Colorado was that they persisted in their daily routines even while traveling — both of them exercised in the mornings, took rests in the afternoons, read the newspaper, and drank no alcohol before dinnertime. This led me to look inward and wonder about my own non-negotiables — what are they, and why do I hold them sacrosanct?
To be honest, I was hard-pressed to come up with anything interesting, which made me think, with a little ping of surprise, that maybe I am less devoted (or more flexible) than I think I am? Or perhaps I am still in that heavy-on-the-vine season of life where I am constantly negotiating with what I can realistically accomplish in a day, and forced to shuffle between priorities. Or maybe, in this phase of life, I have been conditioned to think in terms of longer units of time. (I’m thinking specifically of the many Magpies who suggested you evaluate how much your children eat over the course of 48 hours vs 24 hours, or think in terms of a week’s pattern in toilet training.) For example, in the two months leading up to this trip, I was locked in on my fitness routine. I worked out five or six days of the week, alternating between running and Heather Robertson videos, and sometimes doubling up on the two. However, I knew that my regimen was not going to be permanent. I have observed that over the past few years, I have had to take breaks from exercising owing to injury, ailment, particularly busy times of life, and travel, and I’ve made peace with those hiatuses: a feature, not a bug, of my fitness routine. Accordingly, I went into the trip actively planning not to exercise daily so I could maximize time with family and have more space to experience the uniqueness of a place I love and will only visit for nine days this year. But I am leaping back into my regimen now that I’m home. (Similarly, sometimes I am in a heavy reading groove, and yet I know that I will not always be there. I know I’ll come to a book that leave me parched and languishing in a book hangover, or that I’ll half-read a handful of smeh books that I’ll give up on, and that’s OK, too.) I guess this suggests I’m thinking in cadences of a month rather than day-to-day. I don’t know what this says about me? I consider myself a highly motivated, commitment-comfortable person, and yet my comfort in zipping into and out of routines makes me wonder about that whole “it takes 21 days to start a habit” adage…
Still, the things I do the most consistently, on a daily basis (or pretty damn close — hard to think of a single day I haven’t done each of these things):
Write — to really know what I think; as instinctual to me as breathing
Wash my face A.M. and P.M. — the world could be crumbling and some days it feels that it is, and still I will be at my sink with my cleanser
Make my bed
Get dressed, and really — I don’t feel ready for the day until I’ve put on a full outfit
Say “I love you” as often as my family can stand it
Put the house to sleep — clean the kitchen, corral the mess, run the dishwasher, turn off the lights
Try to pray — I’m in a digital prayer circle with my mom and sister and each morning, we text each other the praying hands emoji. Some mornings, the prompt is more yielding than others.
Cuddle with my children and husband
Listen — I think I do a good job of paying attention to the people and places in my daily life
As I put this together, I realized that I’d like to add “get outside” and “move by body” to the list. Losing Tilly has meant that I must be much more disciplined about walking outside in the mornings and evenings. I fall into and out of this habit, but I find my entire day changes when I take even a few minutes to stand outside in the backyard, or walk to the end of our street and back. I’d say I do this about 2/3 of the days of a given week, but couldn’t in good conscience add it to my non-negotiable (daily) list above. A good prompt to draw my day into better alignment with my values.
+Chappywraps are on sale! I was just chatting with my mom about these and I think she’s going to gift one to each of my siblings for Christmas. My favorite prints: this, this, this.
+I just updated my promo code page to organize from A-Z and include some incredible new codes (YSE Beauty, Julia Amory, Aurate)! Don’t miss the Aurate code for 30% off — use JENSHOOP.
+OK, this $25 denim popover dress is SO cute in either wash. Feels sort of Veronica Beard to me (they do such great tailored denim pieces). Wear now with netted flats and later with boots. While there, grab this quilted popover for your son!
+Speaking of polished denim, these are already on my radar for fall.
+If you like the Dorsey tennis bracelet but are looking for something more affordable, you might consider Aurate’s version! I’ve been impressed with the quality of this brand. I actually gave my sister-in-law this necklace when I saw her in Aspen, and she said she’s been wearing it daily and thinking of me! I like its chic simplicity. This brand is beautiful to gift — everything comes packaged in gorgeous green substantial boxes. Feels like fine jewelry!
+Love these eyelet shorts from hot label Parke. It’s hard to get your hands on their pieces — they sell through so quickly. (P.S., they combine two of my favorite trends this summer: boxer shorts and eyelet.). This pair from LR is a tad longer on the leg and a bit more Doen-like.
+In my constant quest for better hair — looking for a mousse to help achieve more volume at the crown. I ordered this to try first, in the travel size. Will report back, but let me know if you have a mousse you love that doesn’t leave hair crispy or weigh fine hair down? (I also dug into a few Reddit threads on this subject, and this and this came up as recs, too.)
+I’ve just noticed several women wearing these sandals around Bethesda / Chevy Chase recently. Love them. (More chic things I’ve seen worn out and about this summer here.)
+New label I’m obsessed with: Toccin. Veronica Beard vibes. Love this and this!
+Now here is a fabulous evening out / formal look for summer. Wowza!
+This new-to-me skincare brand keeps popping up on Instagram. I’m intrigued by these micellar pads for travel – I usually just order a pack of the Neutrogena wipes because I don’t want to have to bring a bottle of makeup remover / micellar water and pads with me; these appeal.
By: Jen Shoop
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
A handful of great day-two finds below (day one picks — many still available — here; you can also shop all my Prime Day finds here, on Amazon!) —
+The best scalp scrubber to use in conjunction with the Goop Gtox salt scrub shampoo we all bought yesterday (now sold out on Amazon, but you can still buy here — well worth the full price IMO). I swear by this little tool in the dead of summer, and also for situations where you’ve used too much product in your hair (this happened to me with a protein shampoo I just could not get out of my hair!)
+My favorite way to display memorabilia: little prayer cards, children’s artwork, handwritten notes or recipes, special photos, ribbons! I have these all over our home.
+The peplum tank I wore earlier this summer for date night (seen here) is now $20!
+Highly tempted by these bone-conduction headphones for running — so many Magpies have recommended, and my best running buddy swears by them. Safer, as you can still hear the noises around you (cars, dogs, other runners, bikers!)
+My SIL had an Osprey-brand backpack she wore all over Aspen — she’s in-the-know about cool gear. I found this belt bag by the same brand and have it in my cart for her as a Christmas gift.
+Picked up this brush pouch for travel on the rec of Mackenzie (she advised the larger size). And this incredible makeup brush (always a great deal at around $8, but an extra 20% off right now) is a great partner purchase. This brush was a bestseller among Magpies for weeks — it’s a lot like Merit’s brush but a fraction of the price. (All my favorite makeup brushes here.)
+Chic stick lamps for tabletop or outdoors. I wished I had these earlier this week when our power went out in the storm!
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
We just returned from eight days in Aspen, Colorado, and I could have easily stayed for a month and fully occupied each and every morning, noon, and night. I grew up spending my summers there, and not much has changed, so I recognize there’s an element of nostalgia here, but I’ll say this nonetheless: there is nothing like a Colorado summer, and Aspen has its unique charms to sweeten the pot.
Getting to Aspen, CO.
Most of us on the Eastern seaboard (where the bulk of Magpie readers live!) will need to fly to Denver to get to Aspen. You can then rent a car and drive four hours, or connect in Denver and fly to ASE — a charming, postage-stamp-sized airport whose runways are cluttered with private jets. We have done both. After driving from Denver to Aspen on our most recent trip, I’d suggest connecting flight in Aspen if you have children under, say, 8 or 10. It’s a long last leg, and the roads are windy (both of my kids got carsick! My sister’s kids were so sick from the ride, they had to find dramamine and drove a different, longer route back). Otherwise, it’s dealer’s choice. I will say there’s something nice about driving since you don’t need to worry about making the connection (for some reason, I always find that the timing between flights is irritating for that last leg — either too little time or way too much), and the drive in the summer is spectacular. You cross Independence Pass (the Continental Divide!), drive through banks of snow (even in July), and generally feel on top of the world. I also spotted marmot, deer, and elk on our most recent drive, and there are sections with street signs to look out for Big Horn Sheep! The timing didn’t work out on this trip, but there’s a BBQ restaurant called Smokin Yard’s BBQ about 1.5 hours outside of Denver that is supposed to be excellent and would make a great late lunch pit stop to break up the drive.
Note that you will lose phone service for a good portion of the Independence Pass drive — be prepared with directions!
Where to Stay in Aspen.
For my entire childhood and every visit since, we have stayed at The Gant. It’s a development of privately-owned condos that offers a lot of the amenities of a standard hotel (daily housekeeping, pools, a concierge, a van that takes you wherever you want to go, common areas, a nice coffee shop/wine bar on premises). The units are not luxurious, but they are comfortable. And I am obsessed with its location. You’re a short walk into the heart of town (maybe 5 minutes to City Market / Paradise Bakery), but you’re at the base of Aspen Mountain and can walk onto Ute Trail within minutes. Personally, Landon and I have fallen out of love with AirBnBs/VRBOs in recent years — so many rules, random fees, and we’ve heard too many horror stories from friends — but having access to a kitchen, common living space, etc when you’re traveling with kids makes a world of difference in terms of everyday comfort. The Gant is perfect from this standpoint: no sketchy interactions with a private owner, most of the comforts of hotel living, and lots of space. That said. If we return just the two of us (and I think Lan and I will be going back to hike the trail between Crested Butte and Maroon Bells next year), we plan to stay in one of the hotels, and would consider 1) The Hotel Jerome (an Auberge property with beautiful Western style — we used to go to breakfast here once a week when growing up, and will visit for cocktails every time we’re in town); 2) The St. Regis (probably the premiere luxury option in town); or 3) The Little Nell (an Aspen classic popular among skiiers because you more or less ski in and ski out — it’s right at the base of the lift — but would also be a great pick regardless of season because it’s smack dab in the middle of town).
Unit at The Gant, Aspen
The Gant, Aspen
What to Do in Aspen.
Our rafting guide on this most recent trip said: “If you don’t love the outdoors, Aspen is a hard place to live.” He was right. Aspen’s principal charms, IMO, are its spectacular views and wealth of outdoor activities. Below, a few of my family’s favorite things to do in summer:
+Go horseback riding. We had a fantastic experience with Maroon Bells Outfitters on this most recent trip. They have lots of different offerings (including dinner rides, multi-hour rides, etc), but the one hour option was perfect for all of the little cousins on this most recent trip. My son (5) was too young for this, but we were able to sign him up for a 30 minute pony ride, which he loved. It was much more interesting than just a walk around a paddock — they took him to a little pond and then a field, and he had a ball.
+Walk the Rio Grande Trail. This starts down in Herron Park and is an easy, paved route if you’re traveling with young children, elderly, strollers, etc. It’s one of my favorite ways to start the day, and will take you across and along the Roaring Fork. Another easy, family-friendly walk runs along Ute Drive, crosses the Roaring Fork, and ends on 82 (easy walk into the center of town).
+Go birding at Hallam Lake with a guide from ACES. (I wrote about my most recent experience here.) Be sure to check out the calendar — while we were in town, we were able to attend a Raptor Fair geared towards children that they loved and included being within a few feet of a bald eagle, an osprey, several types of owls, etc. They have lots of great nature programming and excursions and even a summer camp for kids that I used to attend (still in operation, but didn’t work with our scheduled this year).
+Go rafting. Blazing Adventures is the group to use for this. You can meet them at their shop at the base of Aspen Mountain and they bus you out to your put-in point. The guides were phenomenal and were able to tailor our ride down the Colorado River to perfectly accommodate the interests and capabilities of our 5 and 7 year old. This was one of the most memorable parts of our trip! The views are breathtaking, and the guides point out all kinds of local, natural history. Very entertaining. (They provide all the wet suits and gear you’ll need, FYI.)
+Go fly-fishing. My Dad is an avid angler (there are many stories from my brothers-in-law about the humiliation of trying to fish next to my dad — he’ll cast once and reel in a 14″ rainbow trout while they’ll be out there for hours in vain) and likes to fish the Roaring Fork, the Frying Pan, and several of Aspen’s lakes and reservoirs. Many of these are stocked, some are hike-in, so depends on your comfort level. I do remember my dad shopping at Taylor Creek Fishing quite a bit in my youth — I think he liked the flies they carried and trusted the clerks for insider intel on what the fish were eating at the moment — and would start there if you’re looking for a guide.
+Ice cream and live music at Paradise Bakery. Every night from 7-9 PM, a small concert takes place in the small square in front of Paradise Bakery! Truly romantic.
+Rent bikes. We did not do this (not big bikers in our family — yet!), but the Aspen Bikes shop on E. Durant street is always (and always has been) abuzz with activity.
+Take in the Snowmass Rodeo. We had a lot of fun here this most recent trip! Even the people-watching is fun — a lot of cowboy cosplay — and they have a decent “saloon” (bar) with passable margs and other fare. We ate dinner here (BBQ) and it’s sort of part of the experience but it’s nothing to write home about either — just FYI. Lines for food can be long, too. The website makes a big deal about limited parking, so we took two public buses to get to the rodeo from Snowmass and then found there was ample parking after all…? Take that for what you will. (At the same time, the Aspen/Snowmass buses are clean and well-run, so no complaints.)
+Take the Gondola to the top of Aspen Mountain. You can buy tickets the day-of at the base of the mountain. (Kids 6 and under are free.) Lots of fun things to do at the top — play structures, an enormous chess set, and musical instruments for the kids; disc golf for adults; and general wandering around what feels like the top of the world. There is also a small cafe, and it always feels like something’s happening up there — live music, Mass on the Mountain (for fellow Catholics!), etc.
+Go hiking. Probably one of the main draws for me — lots of great, advanced hiking in the area. My favorite trails are Cathedral and American Lakes (start at the same trailhead — both lead to spectacular lakes), Ute Trail (rocky switchbacks), and the Independence Lake Trailhead (you get pretty close to 13K feet on this trail). Weller Lake Trail is an easier hike that ends at a beautiful lake — worth considering if you’re with mixed skill levels.
+Attend a performance put on by the Aspen Music Festival + School. I have great memories of an evening listening to Chopin a few Aspen trips ago. Check out the calendar!
+Visit Maroon Bells. The most-photographed mountains in the the U.S.! Breathtaking. Note that you now must buy a pass in advance to park here. Some of the outdoor outfitters offer shuttles, too.
+Storytime at the Aspen Public Library. We loved this as kids!
+Play golf at Aspen’s public golf course. This is unlike any public golf course you’ve been to before. Beautifully maintained with spectacular views. My husband, brother, and brothers-in-law had a blast playing this course this summer.
+Visit the Aspen Art museum. Small but packs a punch – great to pop in while wandering town or on a rainy afternoon.
+Wander through the Farmer’s Market (Saturdays). The line for doughnuts is insane! We loved the kettle corn stand.
+Visit one of the incredible local playgrounds — my kids loved the one on the edge of Wagner Park and at the base of Aspen Mountain, close to Ute Trail, called Ute Playground. Next level! There are also fountains the kids (and dogs) love to run through just down the way from Wagner Park. Grab a coffee at Unravel and let the kids loose!
+Specific to the Fourth of July: attend the parade (so charming!) and run or walk in the Boogie’s Race.
Where to Eat in Aspen.
Despite spending a lot of time in Aspen, because we’ve always stayed in condos, we’ve cooked in more than eaten out! This most recent trip, my parents hired a private chef to prepare all of our meals, as we had so many people (20!) with different dietary needs/preferences and various schedules owing to all the little children around. However, these are places either I’ve been or that people I trust recommended:
+Paradise Bakery – best breakfast pastries (cinnamon roll!) and evening gelato. I’d skip the coffee. For coffee, go to Unravel or Origin (at The Gant and surprisingly good — my brother-in-law and I were both obsessed with a cardamom latte they had). Paradise opens at 6:30 a.m. and there’s usually line by then — but it does move quickly.
+Ajax Tavern. Sceney in a way that might make you think you’ll get overpriced, underwhelming food, but the food is legitimately good, and the location is fun — right at the gondola/lift. A good place for a burger, glass of wine, and truffle fries. Kid-friendly!
+The White House Tavern. This was the place to be this past trip — never without a long wait. We tried to go twice but were turned away on both accounts! Modern American fare that looked delicious. Maybe next time…
+Casa Tua. An Aspen staple — refined European-meets-local cuisine.
+Meat and Cheese. In spite of its non-descript name, great carry-out options for a picnic or lunch for a group, and a cute little restaurant, too. Very busy while we were in town.
+Prospect at Hotel Jerome. We used to come to the Hotel Jerome once a week for breakfast when we were kids, and my dad and brother still talk about the huevos rancheros.
+Cache Cache. My parents’ favorite Aspen restaurant from back in the day!
+Clark’s Oyster Bar. I walked by here several times and my mouth watered at the plateaus of shellfish each time.
+Poppycocks. Full disclosure: my husband would hate this restaurant, but it’s a classic diner spot (think carafes of coffee and packets of butter) that all the locals love. Great for families. Usually has a line.
+Cocktails: Bad Harriet at the Hotel Jerome. Such a cool, cozy ambiance with a very interesting cocktail program.
Where to Shop in Aspen.
OH the shopping…! One thing I love about Aspen’s shopping is though you will probably be able to visit these boutiques elsewhere, they are all curated and merchandised so well to the Aspen context. For example, the Ralph Lauren there carries such a specific assortment of products tailor-made for the environment, the vibe, etc.
+Pitkin County Dry Goods. It’s been around for ages and carries lots of on-trend brands, from Cara Cara NYC to Emporio Sireneuse, alongside smaller brands I’ve never heard of. This place is always packed with stylish women from all over.
+Miron Crosby. To splurge on beautifully-made boots.
+Aspen T-Shirt Company (407 E Hyman Ave). You need the sweatshirt! I think this little stand has the best Aspen swag.
+COS Bar. This retailer now ships nationally, but started here in Aspen! Great curation of beauty brands, perfume lines, etc.
+Carl’s Pharmacy. Carries lots of fun novelties, toys, beauty brands, etc. Fun to wander around in. Kind of like a European pharmacy.
+Monkees Aspen. Fun, spendy, trendy kids clothes and toys. I almost bought a $70 intarsia sweater with ASPEN on the front…
+Ralph Lauren. The O.G. As noted above, an exceptional curation of their pieces tailor-made for the Aspen experience. While we were there, they put a small Ralph’s Coffee cart out front offering passersby free cold brews!
+Aspen Eclectic. An institution in our family. My parents used to give us each $20 to spend while in Aspen and we’d agonize over what to buy at this little toy shop. We took our kids there on this most recent trip, too.
+My mom and I also enjoyed popping into and out of several of the designer boutiques there — Bottega, Prada, etc.
What to Wear in Aspen, CO.
Layers! It is 45 in the morning and 75 at high noon. Most days, I’d start in athletic wear for the outdoorsy potion of the day (leggings or shorts, hiking boots, tank top, long-sleeved top, sweatshirt, hat), then switch into Birkenstocks for post-adventure lounge, and change into a casual dress for afternoon/evening. The vibe is upscale casual. I saw a lot of “cowboy cosplay” — boots, hats, turquoise belts around little white dresses — but you won’t feel out of place wearing pieces from Veronica Beard, La Ligne, or Doen that read classic Americana, but a little un-done or with a little extra interest.
What I’d pack (basically, what I did pack, or a version thereof — a few photos of me in my Aspen wardrobe here) below…
I also shared a mood board on what I’d want to wear in an ideal world on my various trips this summer here.
Final Notes / Tips on Travel to Aspen in Summer.
+The adjustment to the altitude is significant. It took us about 48 hours to fully acclimate — you’re at nearly 13,000 feet on the top of Aspen Mountain! Air is thin and we often felt dizzy and out of breath. Take it easy the first day or two (no big hikes — better to schedule horseback riding or rafting one of these days). Drink lots of water.
+My skin was so parched and dry while there — be sure to pack lip balm (I love this) and heavy-duty cream (I used this as a moisturizer).
+Paradise Bakery is the earliest spot open for breakfast/coffee if you’re trying to hit the trail early — opens at 6:30. (We did a thorough scan.)
+Sun is intense. You’re much closer to the sun! Be sure to pack sunscreen.
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
Prime Day officially started this morning! I shared a few of my favorite finds already here, but our living room speaker (seen above — mirror will soon be installed behind this console!) already arrived and is perfect. Aesthetically pleasing (the brass detail works with the hardware in the room / overall it does not announce itself as technology as loudly as other designs) and integrates with AirPlay so I can put the same music on in our living room as we have streaming on the HomePods elsewhere in our home. This speaker was specifically well-reviewed by Rtings.com, one of my husband’s trusted review sites for tech. Our living room is close to being finished — we had window treatments put up last week, painting completed a few weeks ago, and are still waiting on a few pieces of furniture / the mirror — but as soon as the speaker went in, we immediately started using the space officially! Isn’t that funny? We were just waiting for that element to make it feel like an official living space.
A few other great new Prime Day deals (also updating this Amazon shop link as I find items):
MY TOP PICK:Our beloved Technivorm coffee machine. Sort of automates the pourover process for you? Mr. Magpie is a big coffee guy (has gone so far as to hand-grind his beans, which coffee purists insist is THE best way), and this machine is the result of a lot of research and trial and error. Yields a superior, smooth cup. We still grind our own beans (just not manually) using this Fellow grinder. Trust me, this duet of products will be a great gift for your coffee lover spouse.
GOOP BEAUTY: (Worth its own category — now is the time to buy!). I’ve written extensively about all my favorite Goop products here, and am a huge fan girl. Don’t miss…their 72-hour water cream (30% off! — worked wonders in Aspen); their scalp scrub (30% off — I literally cannot live without this, especially in the summer months. I probably use it 1-2x a month, after a few weeks of sun / sand / SPF / sweat / etc and it feels like a big cleansing reset); their Clean Nourishing Lip Balm Trio (20% off!) I love these colored lip balms — glide on like chapstick and leave the prettiest color. The pink is a staple, but I’ve been wearing the tomato red a bit more this summer, a la the “strawberry milk makeup” trend.
+BEAUTY: the WOW dream coat blow-dry primer, rec’d by Julia Amory (hair queen); Supergoop Glowscreen; Kristin Ess travel shampoo set (thanks to a Magpie reader rec, loved this while in Aspen – also 20% off in full size); our favorite sunscreen (we buy these pump bottles in bulk whenever on sale and station by the back door, keep one in pool bag, etc) and facial sunscreen sticks (every time a parent sees me use these, they ask what they are! glide on effortlessly and provide incredible coverage); my favorite product to use between manicures (looks polished, but fool-proof to apply — like a little extra glow on the nail).
Meanwhile, Shopbop is offering 25% off a selection of its pieces in honor of Prime Day, too. This includes Hunza G suits. One of my girlfriends texted me about this promotion because she’s been looking for everyday huggie earrings, and the sale includes a lot of Shashi and Adina Eden options at very reasonable prices. (P.S., these drops — $41 with code — remind me of the My Pariahs I’ve been wearing so much lately!)
Finally, Doen’s Warehouse Sale started today, and includes this easy-breezy striped dress for only $116. You will wear it all summer long. Super lightweight and comfortable. I also really love this romantic dress — it’s currently in my cart as a possibility for my 14 year wedding anniversary in August! This is my favorite time of year to stock up on everyday dresses, usually as low as $120-ish, and they go fast — all my picks here.
Happy shopping! Why does it feel like Black Friday?!
