Site icon Magpie by Jen Shoop

Jen’s Weekend Drafts: Helen Frankenthaler, Courage Bagels, + More.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.

+HELEN FRANKENTHALER: I have been learning about the American abstract expressionist Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011) this week. I came across some of her quotes about art via Instagram and was pulled in, but now I’m transfixed by her story, her process, her art. I must go see her best-known piece, Mountains and Sea (seen below) — it’s here at the National Gallery in DC! Planning a day date with Mr. Magpie around it. Two of my favorite quotes from her: “I’d rather risk an ugly surprise than rely on things I know I can do” and “There are no rules. That is how art is born, how breakthroughs happen. Go against the rules or ignore the rules. This is what invention is about.” It reminds me of Anne Lamott’s “don’t look at your feet; just dance,” and the general adage, when it comes to creativity, not to seek permission.

+EYEING + BUYING: One of my favorite accessories brands, Clare Vivier, launched a collab with my favorite running wear brand, Tracksmith! Love the tee, singlet, and shorts! // At the time of working on this post, Doen just released its fall collection, and I’m drooling over this dress, and will probably have purchased by the time this goes live! // Loving this clean mascara and primer wand. // This boot may lead me to break my heel embargo. // Love these shoes from Free People’s collab with On.

DOEN LACE DRESS // HONEST PRIMER AND MASCARA WAND // LE JOGGING TEE // SHORTS // AQUAZZURA BOOT // FREE PEOPLE X ON SNEAKERS

+JFK JR / CBK: Their style remains fresh. These old photos are in conversation with my thoughts last week about feeling like I’ve been undergoing a major evolution in style. I don’t know if it’s turning 40, or the ambient retail shift away from grandmillennial and ruffles?

+COURAGE BAGELS (at top and below!): My mouth is watering just looking at these everything bagels. I sent this photo to Mr. Magpie and he replied: “Just booked us tickets to LA.” If there are any Angeleno Magpies, thoughts?! Worth the hype? D.C. is sadly lacking in good bagels. Even Bread Furst’s version is middling, and I’m not a big fan of Call Your Mother.

+REMEMBER WHEN YOU DREAMED OF WHAT YOU NOW HAVE?: I loved this reflection Ina Garten shared on Instagram: “In doing research for my upcoming memoir, I discovered a letter that Jeffrey wrote to me in high school. He said, “I want to take you to Paris. In the beginning, we won’t be able to afford much so maybe we’ll go camping. Hopefully, the next time, we will have enough money to stay in a hotel and maybe someday we’ll even be able to rent an apartment.” We actually did go to Paris in 1971 on a four-month camping trip. If someone had told me then that 50 years later I’d come back with the Today Show to report on food at the Paris Olympics, I would have thought they were crazy!” Related: this sweet and whimsical carousel of illustrations from Sunlight After Dark, which concludes: “I still have a lot of dreams to chase, but today I’m just enjoying the view.”

+SALES TO SHOP: (1) Don’t miss Alice Walk’s sale on their dreamy gauze shorts and pants (both run TTS), as well as (2) Julia Amory’s sale on Coatue shorts and coordinating tops (perfect daytime outfit for a LDW trip!) and caftans (this one will transition well into fall / could work with suede boots or mules). Reformation also marked down a ton of its wedding-guest-ready pieces — love this simple but sexy linen number. On the beauty front, (3) Elemis is offering 25% off some of their best products — can’t wait to try this cleanser and this pro-collagen moisturizer; I already have and love their resurfacing pads — and (4) UBeauty is offering all of us (not just first time buyers) 20% off sitewide with code JENSHOOP — usually, they only offer this promo to first time customers, but it’s currently available to all! I know so many of you were curious about the lip plasma!

+MY SON’S BIG BOY BED!: We let him squish into his toddler bed for as long as possible, but as a newly minted five year old heading into Kindergarten, it was time. We bought him this PBK bed (full size, brushed fog — currently on sale!), a Saatva youth mattress, this duvet, these pillow inserts (the best inexpensive sleeping pillow), this bed blanket (look for less for our Boll and Branch ones), and a few fun sheet sets, including these and these. These cute maritime sheets were sold out in the full size, but I have my eye on them, too.

+BESTSELLERS: The perfect fall wedding guest dress. So many of you bought this!

01. BEST FALL WEDDING GUEST DRESS // 02. STRIPED POPOVER DRESS // 03. MADEWELL DARTED BARREL JEANS // 04. CLASSIC NAVY SHIRTDRESS (20% OFF WITH JEN20) // 05. CHIC DATE NIGHT TOP // 06. BEST SHOE STORAGE // 07. NAVY BOXER SHORTS // 08. FEATHERWEIGHT CASHMERE POLO SWEATER (I WANT THIS IN ALL THE COLORS) // 09. MY FAV COLORED JEANS FOR FALL (SEE ME STYLING THEM HERE) // 10. GAP STRAIGHT LEG JEANS // 11. BEST SCALP SCRUB // 12. HAIR CLIP

Exit mobile version