This week was a deeply generative one for me. I met up with two fellow D.C. area creatives on Tuesday, participated in a writer’s workshop on Friday, and was deeply engaged by all of the rich and insightful conversations that spun out of this post on motherhood and balance. I also discovered a new band (details below), listened to a fascinating podcast on creativity with music producer Rick Rubin, and tore my way through this novel, which intrigues me because it is frothy but also bears the hallmarks of truthfulness in its portraits of the inner workings of its protagonists (yes, plural — interesting in and of itself) and the complex dynamics of family, race, and class.
01. MILLE BLOUSE + CITIZENS CHARLOTTE JEANS. I just loved this outfit from earlier this week. I now own this exact top in two patterns and they are just SO fun and dramatic. Size one or even two sizes down. I take an XXS and it is still enormous. I legitimately think a size small could wear an XXS. I also did order these Gucci dad sandals in the perfect bubblegum pink and can’t wait for them to arrive. I’m thinking I’ll primarily pair with floaty sundresses but kind of like the idea of wearing with this denim moment, too. Fun to play around with color and style. (More dad sandal picks here.)
02. I had two really lovely meals at neighborhood restaurants this week. The first was at Takoma Beverage Co. with two fellow D.C. area creatives, Heather Bien (you have to check out her beautiful cottage on the Rappahanock, which you can rent!) and Maggie of Green Beauty Guide (a lawyer turned sustainable beauty expert). We talked about all things creative and entrepreneurial but we kept coming back to the awkwardnesses and opportunities of transitioning from more traditional career paths to creative ones. I left inspired. I’d never (ever!) been to Takoma or Takoma Park despite growing up in D.C. and currently living in Maryland, and I was blown away. It is such a charming little pocket! I got there by way of East-West Highway and some parts of that drive felt entirely different from the D.C. I know — I almost felt like I was in the Pacific Northwest for stretches? There are so many charming craftsman homes and rolling hills and everything is verdant and green. And then I wound my way into the cutest corridor of shops and restaurants and — wow. I really felt like I was on vacation. The food and drink programs at Takoma Beverage Company were delightful — perfect fare for meeting up with girlfriends or fellow creatives to enjoy french fries and sparkling (which was our stated intention). The second meal I thoroughly enjoyed this week was at Muchas Gracias on Connecticut Avenue, close to Politics and Prose. Mr. Magpie took me there for a mid-week, midday date, and the food was wonderful — light, authentic, fresh, homemade. Normally I side-eye blue corn chips, but theirs are rustic and home-made and salty and satisfying and they serve them with unusual but delicious oil-based salsas that I cannot get enough of.
03. H&M has THE cutest footwear for children out right now. I bought mini these sandals and these gingham sneakers, and micro these sage green sneaks. There are so many adorable things for children at H&M in general right now — I also bought mini this $5 easy throw-on dress, this SEA-esque shorts, and these shortalls, as well as these swim trunks for micro. More of my favorites from their current spring collection for children here.
04. There are so many spectacular eyelet dresses out right now, but I especially love this shirt dress and this spectacular Zara find. Look at it on the site — it even has pleating at the waist. A perfect engagement/rehearsal dinner/bridal shower piece.
05. We ordered this gorgeous outdoor bench from Carl Hansen and Son for a little nook of our front lawn that backs up against a bank of trees and flowers. I am SO excited to enjoy coffee there while watching my children scoot around the driveway. Mr. Magpie discovered this furniture brand and we both fell in love. I love the way our bench in particular combines both clean lines and curved ones — it has a sense of both tradition and romance while also somehow feeling fresh? Plus, teak is SO good for weather like ours in swampy D.C. Can really stand up to weather, humidity, etc. I also love the matching chairs. We talked about buying the matching side table but I think I want a ceramic garden stool in either a solid or pattern instead.
06. Do you watch NPR’s Tiny Desk series? Mr. Magpie and I love tuning in and catching up every few months to discover new artists. This week, we fell in love with Hermanos Gutierrez while watching their performance on Tiny Desk. It is SUCH a vibe. I already added a few songs to my “dinner party playlist” (easy but cool music for evening guests), and I’ve been working/writing to it, too. The music just has a textured, soulful energy to it that I love. Some of it reminds me a little of The Eagles, but there are so many inflections.
07. Do you know about Poppy Gifting? I enjoyed the loveliest conversation with one of its founders, Willa, and she told me all about their concierge gifting service. If you are one of those Magpies who finds gift-shopping a drag, or immense challenge, Poppy Gifting is the answer. You pay them a fee to present you with various options customized to your description of the recipient and occasion and then they gift-wrap and ship it for you. A nice way to outsource a time-consuming element of all of our lives. Though I love buying gifts for other people (and I shop for a living), I am planning to use this service for my mother-in-law, who is, like, impossible to shop for. I adore her, and she has so many varied interests, but she is also exacting and knows what she likes and seems to have everything already. I really struggle with finding her anything at all that might surprise or tickle her. I think I will let Poppy Gifting step in for me.
08. I am in love with Appointed’s new Origin Series of paper products. I’ve written about this D.C.-based paper goods brand many times, but they make spectacular and thoughtfully-designed notebooks. I especially love their Reflections notebook for my drafting/doodling/note-taking/gotta-write-this-phrase-down pre-writing processes, and their Tasks notepad has become my new home for the endless lists I’m producing. I’m a leftie, so any notebook with top binding has my immediate heart. (Did you know it’s hard for us lefties to write with the binding in the center of the page?!). Finally, their Plans notepad features gridded/squared pages, which I absolutely love. I prefer it to lined paper. This is hangover/affectation from my time studying abroad in Lyon. All the French students take notes on gridded/squared paper! One thing I really love about these notebooks is the weight of the paper. Pens never bleed through.
09. I wrote awhile ago about this fabulous “nail concealer” product from Londontown. I use it when between manicures, as it covers up a whole manner of sins and makes your nails look buffed/polished with close to zero effort. (You really can’t mess it up!). Londontown reached out and sent me a whole box of goodies and I was absolutely gleeful! I now have a whole kit of polishes, top coats, nail concealers, and more for when I can’t make it to the salon. Which, honestly, has been a challenge for me lately. I usually look forward to my weekly manicure but between all of the illnesses floating around our home (when will it end…) and a dense period of productivity, I’ve found it really hard to map that time into my weekly routine. Thank you Londontown! I felt like a million bucks when I opened this box of goodies!
10. Finally, special shoutout to this adorable Cara Cara reversible quilted spring jacket. I shared a bunch of my favorite spring outer layers a few days ago, but just can’t get over the pattern and colors on my Cara Cara. Funnily enough, any time I post a photo of this little hanging garment rack from my studio, Magpies ask after it! I have been surprised at how much fun I’ve had arranging current favorite pieces / color stories on it. It’s like a real life clothing mood board? Also handy for packing for trips. I’m using it that way right now, as I’ll be in New York later this week. Anyhow, the rack is this inexpensive but surprisingly sturdy one from Amazon, and I use these acrylic hangers on it.
What’s been on your mind this week, Magpies?
P.S. Are you good at negotiating?
P.P.S. If not, or even if so, what are you secretly good at?
P.P.P.S. All my favorite recent Amazon finds, and the most popular items I’ve shared so far this year (2023 is off to a hot start!).