*I always get a lot of questions about the print on the pillow above whenever they’ve made a cameo in an Instastory/post — they are from this Etsy shop, one of my favorite sources for throw pillows!
Listening to…the new Maren Morris album (not as good as her prior one, but I just love her), H.E.R., and Madeleine Peyroux.
Reading…Michelle Obama’s Becoming. Next up: this palette cleanser. (I already finished the March book club pick!)
Eating a lot of…recipes from Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables. Very impressed with this cookbook. The recipes are approachable (and, for the most part, not too involved for a weeknight meal), but I’m eating a more varied diet of vegetables rather than reaching for old stand-bys that I tend to roast and dress simply in olive oil and Maldon salt (<<such a good addition to your pantry if you don’t have it! I sprinkle it on everything from avocado toast to pan-seared steak). This week, we ate turnips with fra diavola butter, baby artichokes, porcinis…all out of the ordinary for us and such a fun departure!
Drinking a lot of…Soba tea from Harney & Sons. My sister turned me onto this and I am obsessed! It’s roasted buckwheat and, when steeped in boiling water, it tastes like delicious, toasty rice water. I can’t explain it compellingly, but it has a delicious postprandial chew to it. A sweet member of my book club brought me two of these oversized mugs in the pink color and I love drinking my evening soba tea out of them.
Ordering too many…cookies from Milk & Cookies. I wish I hadn’t discovered they were on Postmates, but I am hopelessly devoted to their sprinkle cookies and chocolate-peanut butter ones.
Watching…Billions. We’re late to the game but very into this show. Mr. Magpie is far more paced than I am when it comes to something he’s interested in, so we’ll watch one or two episodes per week even though I have the appetite to binge the entire series, like, yesterday. I find the acting quality uneven but Paul Giamatti is INCREDIBLE. We’ve also been catching up on all the Oscar nominees that we’d not seen. I hated Bohemian Rhapsody (horrible screenwriting; I feel like I knew less about the band after seeing the movie than I did before) and thoroughly enjoyed A Star Is Born. Bradley Cooper is magnetic.
Indulging in…an oat milk latte every now and then. I love the ones from Irving Farm and Blue Bottle.
Craving…fruit and red meat. I was like this with my first pregnancy, too, oddly enough; I obviously need the vitamins and iron they provide. (Incidentally, I am mildly anemic, so this makes sense to me.) I eat an apple after dinner almost every single night and a banana as a snack almost every day at 3 P.M. But all day long, I’m a fruit monster — give me all the berries, melon, and pineapple in particular. Back in Chicago, I used to force Mr. Magpie to drive me all the way across town to our favorite Vietnamese restaurant (Tank Noodle) for a mango bubble tea every weekend. I don’t have a solid bubble tea/smoothie spot on the UWS so Mr. Magpie recently went out and got all the ingredients to make one for me at home! Heaven. We’ve also been eating more steak than usual (though in small portions — we tend to double up on veg and starch and eat just a tiny serving of steak) and probably once every two or three weeks I cajole Mr. Magpie into getting a burger with me. The baby wants what he wants — and sometimes that’s a Shake Shack burger, delivered to our apartment in under 30 minutes. (<<This has happened at least a dozen times since we moved to NYC. Not mad about it, but probably should be embarrassed by it.)
Prime-ing…My most recent order: a new bottle of The Laundress Crease Release (I use this between launderings/ironings to keep our bedding looking tidy), some almond body oil (my skin is SO DRY after showering and I’ve heard great stuff about this inexpensive oil), a Mo Willems book for mini (on the recommendation of so many of you wonderful magpies mamas! — MINI LOVES IT), and a new dog toy for Tilly. I like this brand; they tend to last a lot longer than most others. (Also love the Fluff N Tuff stuffies, which tend to last longer than most as well.)
Obsessing over…Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum. This product had a ton of hype and I’d been writing about it for nearly a year (or so pointed out a reader in a comment on a recent post!), so when my last bottle of Truth Serum ran dry, I gave it a go. It is heavily (gorgeously, in my opinion) perfumed, so not for the faint of heart when it comes to scented products — but the results are crazy. My skin is smooth, clear, soft, and bright. I’ve struggled with breakouts for the past few years, and, just like that, my skin went clear. I am truly astounded. I don’t think it has the same immediate “the light switch has been flipped on” effect that my beloved Truth Serum (or the Mario Badescu Vitamin C serum — which I think is just as good as the Ole Henriksen formula, and it lasts longer) has, but using it over the course of the past few weeks has completely shocked me.
Wearing…My pregnancy uniform: leggings/maternity jeans (I am loving these coated ones, which multiple fellow pregnant women have stopped to ask me about!), a Gap or Ingrid & Isabel maternity tee (love this exact style — on sale!), an oversized sweater, duster, or sweatshirt (I have been wearing this super casual/oversized/balloon-sleeved one in white a lot, though the bump is making it increasingly short), and interesting footwear. (I wrote more about my minimalist approach to pregnancy style in this Q+A if you’re interested.) Honestly, I’m pretty sick of winter because I’m so rutted by maternity fashion, which I feel like I’ve been wearing forever. I did just order this as an option for Easter, when I’ll be ENORMOUS (less than a month away from my due date) and in desperate need of something fresh/new. In the meantime, my saving grace has been all of the fun hair accessories in vogue right now. So fortunate that these are trendy at the moment, as you’re never too big for a hair clip 🙂 They add a little interest to any old look — including an uber-basic combo of black leggings and a white maternity tee. I especially love my pearl hair clip, my Gucci dupe hair clip, my Lele Sadoughi headband, and my LSF scrunchies.
Buying…Starting to stock up on my hospital bag essentials (#planner) and have decided to include some new treats for myself, like new nursing jammies (I recently bought these and a fourth one of these — I’m actually already wearing these nursing nightgowns; they are sooo soft and comfortable!), a new nursing bra (thanks to all the readers for this rec!), and some fun new travel-sized cosmetics (just ordered this!) Beyond that, I am having a hard time saying no to additions to micro’s wardrobe and am trying to buckle down and buy cotton basics this go around rather than frou frou rompers and bubbles. I found some great Polarn O. Pyret pieces on sale on Amazon (like these and these), some discounted Kissy Kissy jammies, and — yes — a couple of ridiculous items for summer, like a Pixie Lily sunsuit. Also just ordered mini some new spring jammies: this, to be paired with this on Easter morning. (More Easter picks.)
Coveting…Literally everything in yesterday’s post. More likely to order given my pregnant state: the Pam Munson Isla Bahia Lady Bag (and this coordinating style for mini…!), a new pair of Hunter boots (mine finally bit the dust after over a decade of service), this timeless Sezane dress (could possibly work with a bump?), and everything from the latest La Coqueta collection for mini (but especially this and this).
Curious about…What childbirth will be like this time around (will I need a c-section again?! Will I experience matrescence differently?) and, more frivolously, cleaning up my beauty routine. Is it time to switch to a natural deodorant, for example, as my sister has? (This has gotten good reviews.) I was so intrigued by some of the comments on my recent post on great beauty buys under $50 — several of you mentioned that you’d “gone clean” in the cosmetics department and it’s been on my mind since.
Thinking about…So many of the generous and thoughtful comments in reaction to my post on getting engaged and being a huge brat about it. I loved especially this from Anna — “What a beautiful reckoning with your own past missteps. Are any of us our best selves at 24?” — and this from Joyce: “I got chills reading this! Thank you so much for sharing your story so openly. The only thing I want to say is I do not think you were pathetic, even if you acted in less than ideal ways. You were doing the best that you could in the moments that you were in. How beautiful you can look back now with the wisdom of experience.” I read both of these, along with snippets of others, aloud to Mr. Magpie over the phone. I have since found myself pondering how many of us went through a similar stage of emotional upheaval waiting for our men to propose to us. Such a peculiarly common experience — one so at odds in some ways with the fact that all of us (yes, I can safely say that) are smart, independent, driven women. Sending a lot of love to those of you currently lumbering in that tricky phase of life.
What’s new with you lately??? Eager to hear what you’ve been coveting, eating, drinking, discovering, musing about!
P.S. Parenting advice I love, a mini tech detox worth trying (have you given it a go?!), and some musings on self-care.
These are some of my favorite posts you do.
In Korea (I lived in Seoul for a year), there’s bottled wheat water and it was always a favorite of mine. I’m glad to hear of a way to recreate it in the states.
The husband and I LOVE Billions and the new season is out on Sunday. In so many ways, I wish I was a “Wendy” (even with all her flaws and complexities, I find her electric). I’ve been telling so many to watch this show, but I also throw in a caveat about the opening scene of the first episode haha!
Also re: megababe, I actually love it and have begun to hoard it. It’s essentially a family owned business and I’m so scared it’ll get discontinued.
Thanks for the cookbook recommendation–ordering now.
HAHA — YES to the caveat on Billions. I can’t in good faith urge my parents to watch the show without first telling them to skip the first few minutes of the first episode. I mean WHY do they have to have that part in there?! That sub-plot illustrates the power dynamics between the couple but UGH did it have to be so explicit?
Anyway, yay! Glad you enjoyed this post and thanks for the tip on megababe.
xx
I recently went green! I visited a boutique here with my makeup bag in tow, and they completely redid my whole arsenal. (Aillea, in Atlanta, although I am certain New York has plenty of options!)
I have been relatively pleased with everything, although I keep going back to my Glossier highlighter! Specifically, Kosas is a wonderful brand.
I also made the switch to this cheap-o natural deodorant:
https://www.swansonvitamins.com/alvera
It certainly isn’t an anti-perspirant, but its easy on my skin (hard to find in an all natural deodorant for me) and smells great!
Oo thanks for these tips!! Not familiar with Kosas — will check them out for sure.
Thanks for sharing these!
xx
I was a loyal Soapwalla deodorant user for years, but it was kind of a pain to travel with because it turns liquid-y in heat. And while I didn’t mind applying it with my fingers, some people don’t love that. In an effort to try to find a stick that was easier to apply and travel with, I tried Schmidt’s, but I really didn’t like it. Recently I’ve been using Follain’s charcoal deodorant and I have been quite happy with it! I also bought a travel size of Type:A The Visionary to test, but haven’t gotten around to it.
There’s definitely a detox process involved, but I really love the all-natural deodorant now. The chemicals just creep me out and it was interesting to see what my armpits were releasing those first few weeks — apparently residue from the toxins — eek!
In general, I have just found that my skin behaves so much better with natural products. It’s been a fun journey!
WOAH. Did not know any of this about the deodorant situation — a detox?! Who knew! Thanks for the heads up!
xx
HAHA not as crazy as it sounds! Didn’t mean to alarm you 🙂 But your body definitely takes a little time to adjust (more sweating in the beginning, for instance, but that evens out). And some people experience irritation with the natural deodorants that have baking soda.
Ohh — I was like “what’s going to come out!??” HA. xx
Brigid, thanks for the tip on Follain’s charcoal deodorant! I love Follain and didn’t even know they made deodorant 🙂
Yes to the irritation! I tried Schmidt’s last summer and hated it. My armpits were raw and it was so painful to just be. I don’t have sensitive skin and had never experienced anything like it. I’d like to try another one, but I’m still having natural deodorant PTSD!
MK — I like the Follain deodorant! I haven’t lived through a hot, humid summer with it yet, but I think it’s worth a try!
Sarah — I definitely experienced some irritation when I first started using all natural. I shower at night, which helps gives my skin some time to settle before putting on deodorant the next morning. I also would recommend either shaving with coconut oil or something very clean and moisturizing (nothing abrasive). It gets better! Or look for some of the alternatives that are free of baking soda!
Yes I experienced this detox process too and was totally unprepared for it!! But it only lasted maybe 2-3 days, if I remember correctly. I’d suggest scheduling it during a time when you don’t have to be around a lot of people, or not studying yoga like I was 😉 I swear by the Crystal stock (available at Whole Foods and CVS). It may sound weird to be rubbing a stone against your armpits but it’s very smooth and non-irritating. I think it’s around $5 or so and it lasts FOREVER. I can’t even remember when I purchased it. When I feel the need to be “drier” I use Schmidt lavender & sage (available at Target for $6 I think), but it doesn’t glide as smoothly. I’m curious about the Native brand, also at Target but about $12.
I love how Prime-ing is a totally acceptable verb now. I so relate to this!
Haha, it’s a clutch neologism 🙂
Ahhh I am now overwhelmed by the transition to natural deodorant. Need to read every comment on this post like 234 times to understand what’s going on. Thanks for weighing in!
It’s funny, Bohemian Rhapsody was Not A Good Movie by any stretch of the imagination, but I had more fun watching that movie than any other movie I saw this past year. I guess I just really like Rami Malek and also the music of Queen? And outrageous 70s style? Anyways, it got me thinking about how “is this book/movie/show good” and “did I enjoy it” can be two totally separate things sometimes! Sometimes trash is fun. Conversely, sometimes High Culture is not fun.
This is SO true — i.e., why I have from time to time binged Bravo 🙂
xoxo
I love this type of post! I, too, am mildly anemic and occasionally crave red meat — my mother has always told me that I’ll crave it intensely when I’m pregnant. Haha!
Have you seen Roma or The Favourite? Those were my two favorite Oscar contenders this year. Love me some Cuarón, and Rachel Weisz is one of my favorite actors.
Ahhh, so maybe Vintner’s Daughter is worth the hype! I’m intrigued but cringe at spending nearly $200 for one skincare product. But then again, if it works…
So curious to hear your thoughts on Becoming!! <3
As for me, I have been drooling over this year's Kitty dress from the latest SZ Blockprints x J.Crew collection. I'm reading The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai and it is gripping and lovely. In terms of food, I have been traveling a lot (with no end in sight until April) but in New York, I discovered an amazing Thai restaurant in Nolita — Uncle Boons. SO GOOD. Highly recommend.
I also have 1,000 thoughts about your "musing" section re: proposals. It's such a struggle because I do consider myself an independent, modern woman, but I'm also traditional in certain ways (and being proposed to is one of them, apparently!) Ahhhh. So much to say on this.
xoxo
Hi MK! So much to comment here. Favourite is next on our list; it looks delicious. I don’t know about watching Roma — a fellow pregnant friend of mine advised me to wait until after baby is born for some reason so I think I’ll wait. Don’t need anything messing with my current pregnancy zen 🙂 HA.
Uncle Boons! You know what’s so funny? Landon just went there with a few of our friends a few weeks ago but I was wickedly under the weather and had to sit it out. And then had to listen to them rave about it. Pout. Next time…
xxx
OMG — your friend is 1000% right about Roma; best to wait until micro is born! Eeek. I am cringing at myself, recommending it to you while pregnant! I should have thought more about that. It is a gorgeous film, though, despite the emotional/heartbreaking aspects.
So funny about Uncle Boons! I think they have a sister location nearby as well. xo
I love Juicy Cube for Smoothies, they have a location at 72nd and Broadway 🙂
Great tip!! Thank you!
Hi Jen – such great stuff here, as always. One thing though, the Etsy link goes to a “Page Not Found” screen. Maybe the link was for the specific pillow that is discontinued? Or maybe my computer is acting up?
Oh SHOOT! I guess it was a link to my personal order from like two years ago. This is a super similar print from the same Etsy shop that should work:
http://bit.ly/2F7ZnPk
xx
I have been on the fence about the Vintner’s Daughter for so long! I am intrigued by all the obsession around it, but I have started getting cystic acne after two babies and stopping breastfeeding. It’s like my hormones completely shifted and left me with this delightful gift. My derm says that any oil is a big no-no! I tried the Megababe natural deodorant, and it smells lovely, but I just hate the feeling of being sweaty at work, and I always return to the toxic aluminum variety!
Meredith, I discovered just the other day that Megababe does NOT work for me when I have the “nervous sweats”. I have never felt so self-conscious about my body odor! Ha. I typically use Malin & Goetz’s eucalyptus deodorant and will be adding a second stick of it to my travel bag. It doesn’t contain aluminum but it works for me! Thought I’d mention it in case it works for you, too.
Good tip!!
Ugh, I know — my skin has completely changed over the last few years between pregnancy, breast-feeding, and then getting pregnant again. It’s a journey. My hair has really taken a beating, too. I lost soo much after mini was born and have this awkward patchy hairline that I need to conceal in various ways by shifting my part, etc. The many treasures of motherhood…HA!
xx
Meredith, I experienced cystic acne too in my 30s… ugh. What has worked for me is Renée Rouleau’s anti bump solution/treatment (used to be called anti cyst treatment). Pricey, but I only use a little bit so it lasts a long time. I apply it at the first sign of a tender/painful bump and it alleviates the bump significantly enough that it doesn’t become really inflamed.