Happy Sunday everyone! Well, the best news is that we have our gal Caitlin is back and have been hearing all about her incredible adventure! Don’t worry she’s already agreed to write a whole post on it:) Otherwise, we’ve all been busy (in a good way) and can’t wait to show you the fruits of our labor. Until then let’s talk links!
This week’s house tour is the home of the incredible David Flack (Flack Studio) and his partner Jason Olive. So not only was the home beautifully re-designed (while still maintaining the integrity of the structure), but the most beautiful part is that David described the project as a love letter to Jason who bought the home before they met. You just need to go look at it🙂
From Emily: Caitlin mentioned her favorite podcast is Pivot and while I had listened to maybe 1 or 2 in the past I am now a convert and it’s a part of my routine now. Entertaining, educational, opinionated, and very current on all things culture, politics, and society. The dynamic between the hosts is endearing despite them often arguing. If you like to stay up on all the things but want it to be entertaining we like these (note: I do not agree with all opinions and I have not fully vetted them completely, I’m just currently enjoying it A LOT).
From Caitlin: After a few months of trying on about a million pairs of wide-leg jeans, I’ve finally found the best loose cut for my larger hips and thighs. (And I know that they’re pretty cute, because two women at the mall asked me where they were from!) It’s always tricky to find trendy jeans that don’t cling, but I am officially swearing by these ones – they come in 13 different shades (some with additional details) and they’re under $100! What else could you ask for?
From Mallory: So I may or may not have accidentally dropped a bunch of my makeup out of my apartment window last week (long story). So this was a great excuse to replenish my makeup bag with some new goodies. I went to Sephora and got a new foundation that I am loving (and comes highly recommended on TikTok lol). It’s not a crazy thick coverage but it’s the perfect amount for me (I don’t love wearing foundation typically so I like that it’s lightweight but still evens out your skin). Also, while I was replenishing my fallen makeup items I snagged another mascara (this one is the absolute best ever because it voluminizes and combs the lashes at the same time) and another brow brush (if you’re blonde and need a brow gel that’s not too dark try this one!!)
Looped Mirror | Ridged Bed | Task Lamp
Velvet Occasional Chair | Bouclé Ottoman | Table Lamp
Have you seen the Kaite Hodges for Anthropologie Line? It’s described as a blend of modern and traditional with heavy California influence which we totally see but we also notice a good dose of French/Italian inspo too! These pieces were some of our favorites but you should check out the whole collection:) How cute is that mirror? Or that task lamp?!
From Jess: Now that it’s been a couple of months, I wanted to wholeheartedly recommend my Saalt menstrual cup. A handful of years ago I used the Diva Cup but wasn’t totally in love with it so I stopped. But then recently after hearing great things about the Saalt Cup, I decided to give it a try. I was told it was more comfortable and I can absolutely say that it is. I actually forgot I was even on my period yesterday which wasn’t something I ever did using the other cup. So not only does using a cup massively reduce waste (which was my main reason for wanting to try again), Saalt also is passionate about helping girls and women around the world get to access period supplies. It’s a win-win and I promise once you get used to putting it in and taking it out, it’s so much better than having to use tampons or pads.
From Gretchen: I love a good beanie (or stocking cap, as my mom likes to call it) and once swore by Carhartt’s version, but since buying this one from Columbia, I haven’t looked back! It’s become my absolute favorite! The shape is great, giving just the right amount of “slouch” up top, plus it’s not too tight, and not so loose that you constantly have to re-adjust. The ribbed material is so soft and stretchy, but really holds up–I’ve seriously worn one almost every day for the last few weeks (mostly because I don’t feel like doing my hair, but also because it’s cold out, and DEFINITELY because they’re just so cute), and they haven’t pilled or stretched out at all! They come in a bunch of colors (I bought five of them) with a variety of patch styles. The best thing is, they’re on sale right now for half off! Might need to add the Stone Green one to my already robust collection…
From Arlyn: Before I recommend what I want to recommend, I need to ask you all a very serious question: Do you buy yourself gifts for occasions such as Christmas and birthdays? I’m a huge proponent of it and have been doing it for years. You ALWAYS get what you want when you buy it for yourself. 🙂 My birthday was this past Friday, and at the time of writing this, I’ve yet to pick out my present to myself. For Christmas, though, I picked up the most darling bowls from East Fork and they bring me immense joy. Until now, I’ve only had their mugs and Everyday Bowls (THE BEST BLATE THERE IS!) but I saw the Breakfast Bowl and it seemed like a good addition to the crew. What a pure treat when I opened the box and saw their size IRL. They are the perfect size for two scoops of ice cream, oatmeal, cherries, yogurt…all the small things. I’m not kidding when I say I find things to eat in them just so I can experience their pure delight. If you have an occasion coming up, I highly recommend a set of 4 as a gift to yourself.
Thanks for reading and see y’all tomorrow! xx
Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Styling To Sell: How We Staged Our Dining Room And Kitchen (With The Changes I Should Have Done Years Ago!)
Totally agree on East Fork.
Top notch products .
Thank you for your work.
Came explicitly to ditto the East Fork love. Also buying gifts for yourself. I bought the itty bitty bowls (4) when they had a pre-holiday sale and at first thought they were ridiculously small. but now find they are perfect for a teabag, small portion of chocolate chips when I have to have something chocolate and keeping my rings when showering or washing dishes. They kinda work all over the house and are so cute. That said I also LOVE the soup bowls for soup, noodles or Mac and cheese. Our other bowls just weren’t;t deep enough. My favorite thing beyond the rustic beauty is that they are HARDY. My boys have chipped many a porcelain plate and so far these have held up to man handling. Over time I hope to get the everyday bowl and the popcorn bowl, but its nice to acquire over time as their color options do change from time to time,
I second how hardy (and beautiful) they are. It was easy to retire the dumb plastic bowls my kids were using when I saw how East Fork could survive just about anything. And I love the itty-bitty bowls too, I have them sprinkled all over the house as a resting place for airpods.
Just clarifying my comment to say that the specific plastic bowls my kids had were dumb, but no shade to plastic bowls for kids generally, a practical and affordable choice!
I love East Fork and have a few of their tiny cups for my kids, but wanted to find a similar meal-sized bowl that was fully-glazed (without the bare rim). I found this small, local – to me, Bay Area – women-run ceramics studio through a friend and have just gotten a few of their grain bowls. Such an awesome shape and size, beautiful glazes, and so sturdy! They have occasional online sample / seconds sales, which is when I got mine. Thought some of you might like them, too! https://www.sarahkersten.com/products/grain-bowl?variant=44005604163813
College-age niece just bought the Women’s Pull-On Cargo Denim Shorts in Brown by Wild Fable from Target (very cute shorts but confused about the “pull-on” part of the title).
100% agree with the East Fork recommendation. Their dinner plates are the perfect weight. The mini cup and cake plate are perfect for my toddler. Bitty bowls are the best kosher salt pinch bowls. The mugs are our go to each morning. Everything piece I have bought makes the very day super special.
Been buying east fork since 2019, love their dishes. The breakfast bowl is our favorite bowl, and we are team large mug
Guys!! If you live in Orange County, CA, I saw 4 Cherner chairs yesterday at The Find Consignment located on Superior Ave. in Newport Beach. They aren’t padded like Emily’s, they are all wood and gorgeous! They were either $2600 or $2900 for all four. I don’t know if this is a reasonable price, just wanted to put it out there for you all. And they are surprisingly comfortable to sit in. Though they do creak as Emily has noted.
Pivot is fantastic and Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway are the real deal. The best part is they don’t always agree but have thoughtful debates and both bring unique perspectives.
re: the saalt cup of it all – i also switched to the soft saalt and love it (i was having issues peeing with my diva cup in) THAT BEING SAID – there’s a website called putacupinit.com that has a ton of resources and a quiz to figure out what cup is best for you if anyone is interested!
Arlyn – (hope it isn’t too late for you too see this) yes, I buy myself a present for each of the holidays (birthday / Christmas / sometimes Valentines or anniversary). My husband and I usually talk it through – sometimes we give each other gift cards to help with that and so you kinda get a gift from each other. Also, my mom sends a check for Christmas and my birthday is just a couple of weeks later. This year I combined the two checks and bought an antique oil painting. Monday is tight right now (property taxes went way up, we have a kid in college, medical bills are high at the beginning of the year before deductibles are met and I’m working so hard to pay off the last $3000 of my credit card debt that I got a second weekend retail job in addition to my full-time job) – there are a million places that gift money could have gone. But everyone else in the family gets gifts they want and now I’ll have this lovely work of art forever, and long after I forget how tight the bills are right now (I mean, we can… Read more »
Good for you for getting a gift for yourself AND still working on less fun goals. It’s not easy to confront scarcity but reminding yourself that your are working on all of those things AND you will appreciate this art just feels like the right balance. So bravo! I’m a believer that we should give out more gold stars for adulting moments so here you go.
I saw an idea that we implemented this year with my husband’s family where there are no young kids. You buy yourself a gift, wrap it, and then bring it to the family gathering. Each person then opens their own gift and explains why they wanted it. It’s such a cool way to get to know people, no budget issues, and you get what you want!