Here is what I am loving this month! And as always, please email / text / call / message me with everything and anything you love — I truly love hearing the little snippets of joy that you enjoy, too!
1. Manet x Degas Exhibition at The Met
Here is what I am loving this month! And as always, please email / text / call / message me with everything and anything you love — I truly love hearing the little snippets of joy that you enjoy, too!
1. Manet x Degas Exhibition at The Met
This past weekend was the most rainy and depressing weekend in NYC in a long time. There was not a minute of sunshine and it absolutely poured rain for 99.9 percent of the time. That said, we had committed to volunteer with NYC Parks doing a park cleanup on 114th Street at Thomas Jefferson Park and we did not want to cancel just because it was raining. Despite the bad weather, the four of us had a great afternoon and loved giving back to the parks. I hope to do this more often — they need all the help that they can get.
I posted this a million years ago, but they are SO good that I wanted to post them again. Lalo cookies from Gwyneth Paltrow. Everything about them I love — a bowl mix recipe, wholesome ingredients, delicious for breakfast / dessert / snack. They are so good that you cannot just eat one.
Ingredients:
This past weekend, we were in the city with no plans on Saturday night. Although I love nothing more than a night in, we decided to go on a field trip to Long Island City, where I had not been in years. And HOLY COW — it is SOOOOOOOOOOO different and a city in itself (hence the name). It was super easy to get to in the car (just over the 59th street bridge) and fun to explore a new part of our backyard. I can’t wait to go back there and eat at different restaurants, see the sights, and experience a different part of our eclectic city.
It has been a good long while since I have listened to a series on a podcast — 2014(!!!) with Serial. So when a friend told me that I had to listen to The Retrievals and I finally found a big chunk of time (urgent care waiting to be seen after a stray cat bit me), I started. And once you start, you cannot stop.
The series is composed of 5 episodes produced from Serial Production and The New York Times. It is the story of dozens of women who went to Yale Fertility Center for their egg retrievals (egg freezing or IVF), and endured incredible pain, as a result of their nurse swapping their pain medicine with saline water to feed her own drug addiction. It is an incredible series with all sides looked at and examined.
I know school just started, but man, how is it already mid month??? Here is a list of things I want to do in the next couple of weeks!
1. Visit Picasso in Fontainebleu at the MoMa
2. See Manet / Degas at the Met
4. Watch Jaja’s African Hair Braiding on Broadway
5. Read a book
6. Make something at the Brooklyn Craft Company
8. Watch Taylor Swift Eras Tour Movie
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What do you want to do in the next couple of months? Do share!
I realize that August is practically over, but wanted to squeeze in with some of the things I love right now!
2. Nike
Yesterday, after my long run, we had a lull in what activity we were going to do. I was not highly motivated to get the kids on a bike or take a hike (and they surely didn’t want to do it unless I encouraged them to do so), so my mom asked if we could drive out to the McKenzie River Highway and pick up some lavender buds to make some lavender sachets. So although I hate to drive, we have been LOVING listening to Taylor Swift in the car, so we jumped in to the car and went on our adventure. We went to get the lavender buds in order to make homemade lavender sachets (thank you, Mama for the great idea for the afternoon!).
The Oregon Coast is one of the most majestic and unique places to visit. It is not tropical or very warm, but it is a scenic escape from inland. On very hot days in Eugene, we love to go to the Oregon coast where it will easily be 30 degrees colder. Also, when it is smokey in Eugene (which unfortunately it has been the past week due to the wildfires), the coast is a nice relief with the wind and little to no smoke. If you ever go to Oregon, I highly suggest visiting the coastline and seeing all the natural beauty the state has to offer.
I copied a dear friend who makes biscuits for her dog — and now you should do the same! They were a fun (and easy) activity — and healthy and delicious for the dog! They are vegetarian (not vegan as they contain milk) and not gluten free because they have flour! But come on, still good and yummy for the dogs!
I can never own too many hats — I wear them all day, everyday during the summer, every summer. And this summer, when in Provence, we stumbled upon a french store that had the cutest straw hats. I went to get my mom and I both hats, and then I loved my mom’s style so much (we got different styles), I went BACK to get the same style. They are versatile, light, fashionable, and will never go out of style. So yes, although it is almost the end of the summer, I am telling you about these two hats from Souleiado because they are that good. (Souleiado is a local Provence store with many locations all over France that specializes in “Provence lifestyle.”
STRAW BOB
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Anyone else have other hat recommendations they love? Or a travel solution for hats? Hope you have a great week! And I am back with my 3 times a week posting dont you worry! So many ideas right now!!!
After our gulet trip in Turkey, the kids and I returned to the United States, whereas my parents continued to travel around in Turkey for another 9 days. One of their favorite stops was the spice market in Istanbul. My mother, an incredible cook, got suckered into spending a fortune on spices (more on that in a future post) — and yet, they have not gone unused. Quite the contrary, we have been using them daily since she returned to Oregon. Our favorite, is a Turkish crystal / spice that you put in a cup with hot water and inhale. It is like Vicks Vapor Rub — but natural. My mother was told that it was a cure all for everything — congestion, cough, sore throat, depression, anxiety, you name it. And I have to say, that it feels AMAZING when you inhale it.
Yes, it happened. I went to a Taylor Swift concert. And it was better than I ever imagined — and I can NOT wait to go again sometime soon (world tour 2024, here I come!). I went in excited but not knowing much, and came out a total Swiftie. I am 100% more obsessed than I thought would be possible. Taylor Swift is incredible — talented, musical, beautiful, genuine, authentic, and a total rockstar. I love her so much — a new love!
OOPS sorry for that hiatus — it was not my intention to go rogue on the blog, but I was in Europe traveling around, and even though it was relaxing and not busy, I didn’t have the motivation to put these together. I apologize! But now I am in Oregon and am MOTIVATED and ready for so many great posts — so BE PREPARED. THE BLOG IS BACK. I already have so many ideas to share with you all! First up, is my new favorite floral hat. Years ago, I purchased a pair of floral shorts made in NYC (as seen here) and I have worn them and loved them oh so for the past 3 years. I finally purchased another item from KasMaria, and this time, my floral hat.
There is nothing more summery to me than a flower chain — fresh weeds / flowers picked from a meadow AND the time to just make a flower chain. I love it.
I know everyone has their list of favorite places in Paris and what’s the best thing to do, but here is my current list of favorite activities I did this past month while in Paris.
Restaurants:
Hello! Or should I say Bonjour! I am so sorry for the lack of posts in the past two weeks — it has been a whirlwind of 10 days of sightseeing and being a tourist in Paris, and am now finally in Provence with a slower pace of life. So much to write on all different subjects (the best Parisian restaurants, French beauty products, must do’s in Paris, etc…) but as I ease my way back into connecting with the internet, and with the posts, I thought it would be best to write a post on Games! We picked these two games up in Paris and we LOVE them so much that we cannot stop playing them. I highly suggest getting them for all your summer fun — they are quick, easy to learn, and fun for every age group.
HOLY CRAP IT IS JUNE AND I AM IN DISBELIEF AND SO BEHIND IN EVERYTHING WITH LIFE. Including blog posts. Apologies, here I am! It is one thing after another and next week, I have to take my dog to Oregon and the week after, I leave NYC for the summer. Gulp. Lots to do. So without further ado, here is what I am currently loving!
Inspired by a Tik-Tok trend, my daughter with her friends planned a “board night.” Basically, a fancy rebranding of a “potluck,’ The girls with their partners created “boards” with different themes — dessert, movie, candy, drinks, savory dip, sweet dip, and sushi. Then, they all came together to assemble the boards and have dinner together. It was a perfect way to celebrate the end of school — truly a great night.
I absolutely love the Brant Foundation in the East Village. Years back, they featured Brant’s collection of Basquiat, and it was so amazing that I went back 3 or 4 times (with my girlfriends, kids, my brother, etc…). The space of the foundation itself is magical and beautiful, and the artwork itself is incredible. So, this past weekend, I went with my son and his brother-from-another-mother (aka his best friend), and we visited the newest exhibition, Andy Warhol. This collection contains over 100 pieces of artwork — all but one personally owned by Peter Brant. The only piece of art not owned by Brant is this huge Mao silkscreen on loan by The Met (and Brant donated it to the Met years ago). This exhibit is open to the public until July 31st and I HIGHLY recommend going. Plus, there are so many fun and different restaurants nearby, that you can make it an extra special outing!
Thank you for tuning in to see what else I am loving this month! So here it is! What I am loving!
2. Inspirational quote
Over the weekend, we wanted to eat a delicious sandwich (any kind of sandwich, just delicious), so I did some research (thank you google) and came across the BEST FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH in New York City. It was absolutely incredible and warranted this title. So if you are in NYC, crave a fried chicken sandwich, then I *HIGHLY* recommend traveling to the Upper West Side and going to Chick Chick.
I feel like we just got back from Spring Break, and now it is almost May. How does that happen? Literally time flies after the last school break and wooooooshhhh almost summer. Here is what I am currently loving this month.
1. Poems in Central Park
For the first time in my uncle’s life, he recounted his Holocaust stories publicly this past week. Every year for the past 24 years at my daughter’s school, there is an Upper School assembly for Holocaust Survivors to share their stories. After a discussion with a faculty member of the school on my father’s family’s history, a call was placed in early March, inviting my uncle to speak to the school. Even with such short notice, Dr. Wlodek Proskurowski (my uncle), at the age of 87, decided it was time for him to speak so flew from Los Angeles (where he lives) to NYC. And what a memorable event, it was!
Last year during the Spring/Summer/Fall seasons, Wollman Rink turned into a rollerskating rink from its original ice skating. This year, during the warm months, Wollman Rink has become a Pickleball Haven! 14 courts of pickleballs on real pickleball surface for open play or full court reservations. So of course we had to go play (and we will be back!)