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+SUPPORT FOR LA: All our love to California this week; like everyone else, I’m in disbelief at the devastation. I can’t process what I’m seeing; I can’t imagine how residents must feel. I checked in with one of our Magpie Angelenos and she wrote: “There’s a specific trauma in watching your hometown burn and not knowing when it’ll be over. Aside from donations (clothes, supplies, support to our fire foundation), the emotional support and holding space are of great comfort. Sometimes, we just need to know that others are collectively rallying around us, I think. Add that to the list of kindnesses from strangers?” Holding a space for her and anyone else in this community impacted by the fires. My sister works for Doen, headquarted in LA, and has said many of her colleagues have lost their homes and are still in a situation of deep unknown.
Please send me an email or leave a comment if there is something we as a Magpie community can do to help any Magpies impacted. There are lots of resources online on how to support, so not sure how helpful or redundant this is, but my family and I contributed this week to World Central Kitchen, Baby2Baby, and a restaurant called Le Great Outdoor, which is delivering meals 2x a day to firefighters.
+BE LIKE THE FOX: Thanks to Magpie reader Jessica for sharing a Wendell Berry poem in response to my post about the fox as my personal avatar for the 2025 year! I was completely charmed by the poem, but especially its concluding couplets:
Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.
Oddly prescient, as I was just looking out the window this morning, noticing the fox tracks through the snow. At one part directly below my studio, it appeared as though they’d run in circles with one another. “More tracks than necessary, some in the wrong direction” — yes! Whether drawn by curiosity, play, or perhaps just error, I was charmed by their wayward paw prints. I was reminded in turn of an Anais Nin quote: “In life, you will make mistakes. And those, too, are correct.” I was also reminded of a fabulous snippet of an interview with Elizabeth Gilbert in which she asserts that in any creative life, one must “routinely choose the path of curiosity over the path of fear. Not like twice or three times or four times, but daily.” This is likely true of any life artfully lived, not just the life of a practicing artist, by the way. Whether you’re contemplating a big life change, confronting a difficult problem, even just reading a book that challenges you — the creative spirit will lean forward with curiosity versus shrinking back in apprehension. It will ask questions; it will meet the text or the problem or the person where it is; it will say “well let me take a look.” Of course the admonition also had fine-fingered resonance with my experience of writing: be weird in your expression; let the language loose; reach for specificity.
+MY SON’S FOX DRAWING: We are just a den of fox lovers over here. My son painted this watercolor of Frederick this past week and I’m going to have it framed:
+MORE ON THE IMPERFECT NOW: The theme of this week was: meet yourself where you are. I wrote about this vis a vis the concept of fractionality earlier this week, and then I begrudgingly went downstairs that same day and my Peloton instructor said: “Be proud of the version of you that showed up to this ride.” I had been feeling unsatisfied with my fitness — getting back into the swing of things post-holiday, at the age of 40, has been neither easy in undertaking or fleet-footed in progress. I feel slow, cumbersome, creaky in new and jarring ways. And yet here was this stranger telling me: “The current version of you is just fine. She’s here, and she’s trying.” Later that day, I came across this quote by Anne Lamott:
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. Stop. Rest. Breathe. Start again. Each day is a reset, a clean slate, and a chance to meet yourself exactly where you are. You don’t need to fix everything today. Some things will untangle themselves when you stop pulling so hard.”
I was struck by the language around “not fixing everything today.” I mean, maybe we don’t need to “fix” anything tomorrow, either, you know? Maybe the current model is doing exactly what it should be doing. Food for thought!
+BESTSELLERS: So many of you bought my favorite swimsuit this week — just in time for winter getaways! You will love it. Flattering, comfortable, sexy, fun. Run — nearly sold out! A lot of you also bought my favorite Clemence necklace. I wear this in the 16″ length daily with my heart ID necklace. It’s my signature stack!
01. FOLLOW SUIT SWIMSUIT // 02. DORSEY CLEMENCE NECKLACE // 03. MY FAVORITE JEANS (RUN TTS) // 04. ANN MASHBURN DRESS (ON SALE!) // 05. BEST WINTER LIP PRODUCT // 06. MOTHER SCIENCE SKIN BARRIER REPAIR MOISTURIZER (OBSESSED) // 07. VARLEY HALF-ZIP (STILL ON SALE) // 08. J. CREW NORDIC BOOTS // 09. BEST VITAMIN C PRODUCT UNDER $30 // 10. NIACINAMIDE EXFOLIATING PADS (FOR SKIN BRIGHTNESS! I AM LOVING THESE) // 11. J. CREW SHERPA HALF-ZIP // 12. AYR EARLY MORNINGS TEE
+ONE HOUR UNTIL YOUR FRENCH IN-LAWS ARRIVE: I found this video by creator Ainsley Du Rose absolutely charming. A reminder it doesn’t need to be an elaborate, complex meal with lobster and homemade, hand-rolled pasta for it to be elegant and delicious and in its own way impressive! Bread, raclette, a simple dessert! I’m into this! Kelly (of Kelly Stop Worrying), I was thinking of you while watching this! P.S. Easy, elegant happy hour snack ideas.
+ON MY RADAR: Just restocked the greatest concealer of all time, Cle de Peau. I use the ivory shade. It is $$ but the absolute best. I use it as a “top coat” to completely conceal any final bumps/rednesses after applying less expensive concealer/foundation. This and a few other items on my radar…
FRANK + EILEEN EFFIE CAPELET (LIVED IN THIS ALL WEEK) // CLE DE PEAU CONCEALER // DESIGNER BUY I’M EYEING // TRIARCHY JEANS // LE MONDE BERYL LOOK FOR LESS // SOEUR SHERPA VEST // NEW MERIT FLUSH BALM COLORS (I ORDERED SHADES BONBON AND POSTMODERN)
+DESIGNER SALE: I’ve never shopped at Luisa Via Roma before but my head has been officially turned as they are offering a private 40% off a selection of high end designers with code LVR40. The sale includes high-end ski brands like Bogner and Goldbergh, which almost never go on sale — invest in a top of the line ski jacket or long-line puffer. The sale also includes fabulous cashmere pieces from Guest in Residence (Gigi Hadid’s brand) for peak, luxe winter hygge: consider these cashmere track pants or this quilted cashmere jacket, paired with some shearling-lined winter boots from Aquazzura or Bogner or layered with this sherpa vest from Soeur.
BOGNER PUFFER // GUEST IN RESIDENCE CASHMERE QUILTED JACKET // GUEST IN RESIDENCE CASHMERE TRACK PANTS // TODS TOTE // SOEUR SHERPA VEST // AQUAZZURA BOOTS
The sale also includes an incredible assortment of designer handbags — again 40% off. Everything from the trendy asymmetrical Little Liffner tote to this iconic Tod’s and this quiet luxury Bally clutch. Use code LVR40.
Ahhh, once again, I’m so honored to be included in this! As someone who loves signs/symbols/ “myths” in the manner of Joseph Campbell, I was compelled to look up what the fox represents in other cultures. One of the first things that came up was The Little Prince! Apparently in that story he represents (and I’m cobbling together a few sources here)..
.This conversation with the fox symbolizes the importance and at times the necessity of human connections. However, the bond between the prince and the fox is not instantaneous. Much like real life relationships, it takes time, patience, and a growing mutual trust between the two participants.
The little prince encounters the fox and the fox tells him that love is when you care enough to tend to someone who needs care.
And maybe my favorite insight… the fox is both the teacher and the student.
WOW! I so love doing deep dives on subjects like this…. rest assured, I will continue to read more about the fox in other cultures!
And that painting that Hill did…. I DIE!! A framer, for sure. xoxo
Aw thanks so much for taking the time to look this up! I love the idea of the fox as both student and teacher — requires such humility.
xx
A kids’ TV aside! The Bluey episode “curry quest” follows the hero’s journey structure. Wonderful. And there’s an animated French kids’ show called “Le Petit Prince et ses amis” and my son looovvvvveeeessss the fox.
Love both of these suggestions!! TY!
Oooh thank you! xo
Thanks so much for thinking of me! I loved that video. And Manon LaGreve’s “Host like a French” series, though the simple lunches she makes are even more inspiring;: https://www.instagram.com/manonlagreve/reel/DEQFrdRoAAF/?hl=en
Obviously we’re on the Riviera and Parisians are their own thing, but I think the simplicity is the point! This great book points out that Americans would rather choose an ice cream shop with more flavors, whereas French customers tend to believe a place with fewer flavors does them well. https://www.amazon.com/You-May-Also-Like-Endless/dp/0307948595
My French friends often have dauphinoise potatoes from the Carrefour traiteur (ready to eat) section at dinner parties, or the homemade version, or pasta, a simple salad. I do think beautiful plates and glasses are part of it, whether new or thrifted. It’s not so common to eat much meat at dinner time in our area, that’s more something you would do at lunch and then dinner is lighter. Simple soups and vegetables, fish. My friend’s baby shower was during the time of goûter (always sweet, never savory) and she had loaf cake, tea, juice, and champagne. And my most glamorous friends always have a black turtleneck and a mini skirt with tights this time of year, or a mini dress with boots for going out; a party at someone’s home is universally a white button down over jeans with gold jewelry and a bold lip.
I’m actually usually a little unsure of the exact social codes so I give something an American spin rather than try to out-French the French. I usually serve a gluten free Detroit pizza (or my local spin, topped with pissaladière rouge) and simple salad or two, and perhaps a fruit crumble or loaf cake.
I was watching a French mom at the playground today. French parents sometimes have a reputation for being strict. I think the thing that got me were she gave her daughter many many more instructions than I gave my kids, but they were so simple. A word or two, repeated over and over, mixed with an endearment, also repeated. In the same calm and level tone. How relaxing for the child, to not have so much an instruction to follow, but rather, a course correction? Much simpler to parse than how I was coaching my two! And that’s the norm. There’s less choice in general, which can be hard for American expats to swallow, but I really love the norms we’re exposed to here.
Thank you so much for sharing these rich details! I thought your observations of the mother at the playground were fascinating. And the descriptions of your chic French friends made me want to throw out all patterned and bold things and just wear jeans and a tee…
xx
Beautiful Post, Jen. Keeping those impacted by California close in prayer. Thought this was a good article with practical tips for those struggling to help little ones understand and be assured. Such a scary and uncertain time.
https://www.mother.ly/parenting/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-california-wildfires/
Thank you so much for sharing this, Anne. xx
Would you please let me know which side of the numbuzin No.5+ Vitamin-Niacinamide Concentrated pad you use first? I’m still confused on how to use this product. Thank you in advance for your help.
I agree – it is confusing. Right now, I use the softer side all over my face because I find it is easier to swipe across / glide across the skin. Sometimes I’ll really try to exfoliate a certain spot (I have more dark spots on my cheeks) with the nubby side. I also will press the pad to my forehead/cheek/wherever (it sticks on!) while I’m making the bed to give it a little extra soaking time into the skin.
xx
What is “Kelly Stop Worrying” you referenced above…an instagram account? Book? Can you please link. Thanks.
Just me, a little old Magpie commenter! I did have a Kelly stops worrying blog in the 2010s but I had about 3 readers probably. I’ve had and discarded several blogs since I was about 11, and a semi-popular Tiny Letter newsletter in the pre-Substack days! My husband jokes it should really be “Kelly’s top worries”
Def. a blog I could identify with. Thanks.
Love this, and the many permutations you and your blog concept have undergone over the years! xx
Your self description reminds me of the story Jen shared meeting Caroline Kennedy. You are not just a little old Magpie commenter, you Kelly are a woman of substance!
♀️ joining the Stop Worrying Club. Also agree re the woman of substance comment!!!
Love this!!