William Wordsworth described “the first mild day of March” best: “there is a blessing in the air.” Everything is new again!
Today, a propos of that energy, sharing some March discoveries and dotings —
01. Last Saturday afternoon, my children flung themselves despondently onto my bed after their friends had left from a morning playdate. They brought with them that curious listless-bordering-on-angry energy. They were a powder keg of “What can I do?” and heaving sighs and jostling one another just to jostle one another: a study in storm clouds gathering. I was folding laundry on the floor of my bedroom, and without saying anything, I put on the audiobook of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows. I’ve never done this before, and have no idea where the impetus came from, or why I chose that title. It just surfaced out of the dead blue. And the strangest thing happened: my son crawled onto the floor and began matching socks next to me, and my daughter curled up under our comforter and listened on her back, eventually bringing her notepad and marker set beside her, so she could draw while listening. We stayed like this for 30 minutes, a fresco of docile domesticity, and afterward, they disappeared into their rooms, all signs of their piquing angst fully ebbed. I will be trying this again, but sparingly, of course — lest the magic of its rarity erode.
02. Focus Features is re-releasing the Keira Knightly version of “Pride and Prejudice” to theaters starting April 18th. I just checked some of our local theaters (you can check here) and a lot of them are already fairly booked! Going to see if I can coerce Landon into a date night to see it. This is one of my top repeat comfort watch movies, and I listen to the soundtrack weekly.
03. I’ve written a few times about True Botanicals’ new Bronzewell drops (out of stock at TB, but available at Nordstrom!), and I know a lot of you have purchased, too. I bought both them and the Westman bronzing drops and find the TB easier to incorporate into my routine, but I do layer them if I have enough time/energy. TB is more skincare; Westman is more cosmetic, so I apply the latter with a brush or fingertips after moisturizing, etc, but TB I just drop right into my moisturizer. I love it — no smell, no fake orange color, and it washes off so it’s low-risk if you go too heavy-handed. Several of you have asked whether it transfers to white tees. I have not noticed this, but I will also admit I routinely get concealer/foundation smudges onto my white tops while removing at night, so it’s possible I mistook the usual smudgery for the TB? I do notice that right after I apply, there is a little bronze residue on the towel I use to wipe my hands. Take that for what you will!
04. As I wrote on Sunday, I’m deep into my spring self, and have been purging and organizing every nook and corner of my home. I recently pruned the skincare and hygiene products I keep on the bathroom counter, and decided Landon’s side deserved an upgrade — I put this gorgeous Kassatex tray and this matching lidded q-tip jar on his side of the bathroom counter (seen above — and temporary co-opted so I could photograph the drops). Chic!
05. Currently reading The Borrowers with my eight-year-old daughter. We’re enjoying it — my daughter for the clever home furnishings Norton dreamt up (cigar box for a bed; postage stamp for wallpaper; thimbles for cups) and me for its whimsical, frothy wordplay and the way it creatively mirrors the misfires associated with “borrowings” of all kinds. (I.e., The book includes malapropisms like “human beans” instead of “human beings”). It’s a book that makes you think about the leaps and gaps we make when observing other people.
06. Speaking of wordplay, did you know a group of panthers is called a claw and a group of ladybugs is called a loveliness? I’m forever charmed by coinages like these.
07. Just discovered a very chic new e-boutique called Casalina with a great curation of brands and some styles I’ve not seen elsewhere, too. You could craft the most epic spring or vacation wardrobe with their new arrivals: a spectacular caftan, a gingham swimsuit, a patterned pareo!
08. Current favorite lip color combo: Soshe’s soft-glide lip liner in Desert Rose paired with Trish McEvoy’s lipstick in Gentle. I’m wearing in the photo at top. The lip liner glides on beautifully and is more deeply pigmented than my usual go-to, Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat in shade pillow talk. BTW, I was not a lip liner girl until about six months ago and now I wear it daily; I find it lasts a long time and really defines/fills the lip.
09. My kids loved “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” — ! See my son, below, completely locked in. We watched it as a family last Friday, and they went over to our neighbors’ house the next morning and begged to re-watch it again! Thank you for all the great family movie recs here!
10. CurrentBody sent me their series 2 LED red light mask and I love it even more than the first one. If you already have the first one, there’s no need to buy a second, and it’s absolutely incredible too, but if you’re in the market for one, let me briefly explain the virtues of the series two: 1) the series 1 has two clinically proven wavelengths: red (633nm) and near-infrared (830nm); the series 2 has those as well as deep near-infrared (1072nm). All of these wavelengths boost collagen production and reduce fine lines, but the deep near-infrared work on areas where signs of aging are more pronounced. I have yet to really observe these differences (just upgraded a week ago) but I am encouraged. I’ve already seen such a big improvement with the series 1. 2) the new mask is much more comfortable and stays on my head more easily thanks to a better-designed back-of-head strap. This is not sponsored in any way; I absolutely love and swear by this gadget though and truly think it’s made my skin brighter and clearer. (BTW, if you do buy, they gave us a code – JEN10).
11. My husband made a batch of these delicious mezcal-spiked daiquiris on Friday! A kiss of spring! In general, though, we’ve been dramatically limiting alcohol lately in pursuit of better sleep and more water and all that good stuff. This was a fun Friday night treat.
12. Cherry blossom season! Just the best. Supposed to peak in DC starting March 28, according to Linda Carducci of WETA Classical. (We listen to this channel every morning while the kids are getting ready for school — it generally sets a calming, soothing tone for the day. However, Landon and I always grumble when the lineup oversamples baroque music — our least favorite. I find the harpsichord grating! I mentioned this offhandedly to my brother-in-law — he and my sister also frequently listen to WETA Classical — while he was visiting, and he said: “Totally. Any time there’s a harpsichord on first thing in the morning, I say, ‘OK, so it’s going to be that kind of day.” We all affectionately call the host “the Cardooch.” She has the perfect tone for classical radio commentating; I could listen to her read the phone book.)
Anyhow — the locals drive through Kenwood for cherry blossom viewing instead of schlepping downtown, although Kenwood has become a zoo the past few years, too. I find myself instead rhapsodically studying the handful in our own neighborhood. We have a lot of apple blossom trees, too, which I think are just as beautiful.
13. Chappywrap has some gorgeous new patterns in their spring collection! I think we all know these are the most elite throw blankets on the planet. We probably have five at this point. I think the patterns have grown so sophisticated! I just added this one to our front living room. It was too perfect a match! (Use code JEN15 for 15% off.)
14. Currently reading…and how charming is my new teacup!? Will be using this every Saturday just to mark the day. On this particular Saturday, I was wearing my Lake robe and these jammies beneath. I just felt like the picture of a happy weekend morning! (Any/all of the items pictured below would be great for a Mother’s Day gift, fyi!)
What’s new in your neck of the woods? What has March brought you?
P.S. We’re not far from April agita.
P.P.S. Places that turn into people.
P.P.P.S. Some of my favorite audiobooks.
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I cannot wait until audiobooks hook my kids — that moment sounds magical! What’s new in my world? Sleeping Queens of course, thanks to my the Magpie rec!!! My son is 5.5, and the game says 8+ but we play with open hands, so it’s a lot of fun for all. A very imaginative card game he loves! Thanks, magpies!
So glad to hear this!! Yay!
Really enjoyed this post! Would love to hear more about your decision to cut back on alcohol. It seems many of us are doing that these days! I always appreciate hearing how you make decisions because you put so much thought and care into them.
Thank you! Re: alcohol — it’s been sort of an organic outgrowth of our focus on exercising this year and trying to get more, better sleep. Lan and I both notice we feel better and sleep better with less alcohol. I really think it has to do with aging — my body feels less able to process it in some way? Even just a glass of wine can give me a headache and disrupt my sleep. I’m also working really hard on a big creative project and am trying to move mountains so that I get good sleep and wake up fresh as a daisy in the hopes of leaping right into a creative headspace.
Anyway, I’m tampering with the dials and seeing how I feel. I don’t personally do well with hard and fast rules in my own life — I do better with general, forgiving guidelines — so I am trying to avoid or limit wine during the weekdays, and enjoy it intentionally on the weekend.
How about you?
xx
my kids LOVE audiobooks! We love to have a book going in the car at all times – i find it especially calming to have an audiobook on when i pick the kids up from school. They eat a snack, quiet their bodies, and then are back to bounding energy by the time we get home. Current favorite is the Ramona Quimby collection.
I’m wondering whether anyone else has had their color analysis done? I did it recently and the results surprised me and sent me in an entirely new direction! I used to believe I looked best in fall tones, but turns out I am a very bright spring. It has been such a fun exploration to look at my closet with fresh eyes and has helped massively with shopping for new items.
OMG! I remember my mom and her friends “having their colors done” at Elizabeth Arden while growing up but I didn’t know this was still around! So interesting!! Where did you go?
Love the idea of post-school audiobook and the general vision of the kids “quieting their bodies.” Going to see if this will work with my two. Right now, they’re so locked into the routine of putting on a playlist they love that I don’t know they’ll accept change…
xx
House of Color in Lincoln Park. But there’s a ton of virtual options now too – Color Key on instagram for starters. It has been such an interesting adventure moving all clothing and makeup from head to toe black and into bright spring. like a big breath of fresh air.
Thank you! Wow!! Big change for you — it sounds joyful! xx
What a great photo of you! You’re beaming.
My folks always played audiobooks on the drive to and from church! We also listened to radio plays like the old Batman recordings, The Cinnamon Bear, or Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy. My kids are littler than yours but I play them Frog and Toad a lot, or the Missy Piggle Wiggle books.
Love this! Frog and Toad would be another great one!! Thanks!