Fun

Gjelina Warm Date Cake

Josie Girl 5 Comments

A month ago when I was in Los Angeles to run the marathon, I dined at Gjelina not once but twice. It quickly became my favorite restaurant with the most scrumptious veggies, pizzas, sides and desserts. Immediately upon returning to NYC, I bought the Gjelina cookbook. This past weekend, I decided to make the warm date cake and HOLY SHMOLY HOT DAMN this cake is amazing. It is sweet, moist, and oh so delicious. I highly recommend this cake and can’t wait to eat it all up (and to make it again shortly thereafter).

 

Ingredients:

 

 

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How I Sleep Really Well

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Guest post from friend and ultra chic interior designer, Lucie Ayres! How I Sleep Really Well (can’t wait to read her tips because I don’t sleep really well!!!). Thank you, Lucie!!

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HOW TO SLEEP AMAZINGLY WELL – EVEN DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

 

Some of you may know I’m an interior designer  but many of you don’t know that I am an unofficial expert on sleep.  Why? Because I sleep well pretty much every single night. Even through this crisis.  I realize I’m in the minority – so I thought I’d share with you how I do it and why I do it.

 

First and foremost, it’s a decision you have to make and you have to stick to it – pretty much like any other goal you’d like to accomplish.  But in my opinion, this is not a painful process -it’s actually incredibly pleasurable. And it starts the minute you wake up.

 

ONE: (a) MAKE YOUR BED – and don’t half-ass it, make it like it’s going to look like a hotel room bed when you get ready to get into it later.  Fluff those pillows, the comforter, whatever you need to do to make it look delicious.

 

Photo credit: 22 Interiors shot by Amy Bartlam

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COVID Running Playlist

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Although I am not currently training for a marathon, I am running as if I were. Not at the same high intensity, but as my only form of exercise, I am running everyday, a lot……I can’t wait to start back at my training to give me some variation in speed / miles / direction….but for now, it is just a lot of miles for a lot of days….so here is my COVID running playlist. Enjoy!

 

Sometimes I run along the ocean, sometimes on a path, it’s not a lot of variation but MAN is it pretty!

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Wiggle Your Toes

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Congratulations to all of us for making it through another week of this pandemic. I know it is not easy on anyone. And like everyone, I oscillate between tears / anxiety and laughter / savoring the quiet simplicity.  For us Natori Family, I am struggling with the fact that the kids and I are currently in Florida away from our own home and more importantly, without Ken. Ken has been at home in NYC dealing with business and as soon as he was planning on driving down to Florida to get us, the board of the building forbade him from coming as he was coming from the epicenter of the COVID crisis. So, here we are; managing, trying to get through one day at a time. It has not been easy on ANYONE — all the uncertainties, fears, unknowns. Running helps me. Talking to friends and family. Laughing with the kids. Mint Chip ice cream. Rollerskating with the sunset. Hot baths. Survivor on CBS…..But what has helped me most is advice my father told me — WIGGLE YOUR TOES.

 

TOES!

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Lounge Bottoms

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Right now, most everyone is hunkered down at their home and not going out. As much fun as it is to only wear the same thing over and over again, it also gets tiring and boring. And who wants to wear jeans while helping your kids get homeschooled?? I have been scouring the internet for lots of loungewear bottoms and here are my favorites. So many good ones!!!!

 

1. Natori Winter Peony PJ

 

These are technically pajamas but they are so pretty and happy. They brighten any day or night!

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Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys

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Time is flying by and my ten year old soon will soon be a teenager (yes, I know, in a couple of years, but still…..) but I want to be prepared for discussing puberty and the physical – emotional – mental changes that take place during this time. Thankfully, a good friend told me about this book, Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys, and I immediately bought it online. She suggested reading it out loud with my son, and although there are awkward moments, it is something we have been doing (and enjoying!).

 

Guy stuff. They also have another one for girls, too.

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Madewell x Warm Jean Shorts

Josie Girl 4 Comments

One of my favorite clothing lines is Warm. Not only is it my favorite store in NYC (it carries all different lines not just Warm) but I am also friends with the designer, Winnie, who I love, respect, and adore. Everything Winnie does is GOLD and her style is impeccable. When she launched a collaboration with Madewell, I knew that I would love everything. Sure enough, I do. But especially the high rise denim shorts. LOVE oh love! They are so comfortable and the perfect fit. It comes with a belt that you can tie, but I prefer it without…. If you are looking to support small businesses, smart people, and a good look, then these are the shorts for you!

 

Shorts. Perfect color and fit.

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LA Marathon 2020

Josie Girl 3 Comments

On Sunday, I ran my first LA marathon and my 15th marathon overall. I decided on the LA marathon as one of my close friends from Ken’s Business School class lives there and we decided to run it together. It was a glorious day — made even better to be with a good friend in a spectacular setting. WHY DON’T I LIVE IN LA????

 

Bib pick up downtown. All I wanted was a shot with some palm trees, and my friend, Katie, was a good Instagram Husband and took a million shots for this one. YOLO.

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Donald Judd @ MoMA

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Yesterday was one of those rare days where both kids were gone from the house for a big chunk of the day. So, I decided to take advantage of it and go see the newly opened Donald Judd exhibit at the MoMA. Although it was opening day to the public, I arrived right when it opened and there was no line whatsoever, I literally waltzed in solo to the exhibit.

 

I was first introduced to Donald Judd’s work when we went to Marfa in 2014 and have been a fan ever since. It is simple, geometric, different, and a statement.

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Spring Sandals

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It is not yet Spring in NYC, but I am already creating my spring slash summer sandal wish list as I DESPERATELY wait for Spring and Summer to arrive. Here they are (and obviously I have a type of sandal that I like to wear….):

 

1. Birkenstocks x Il Dolce Far Niente

 

Don’t you love? I actually bought these a month ago as they sell out very quickly and I knew I had to rush to get them. I know that I will wear them everyday all day.

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Goodbye, Barneys!

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Over the weekend, Barneys New York finally closed. After months of staying open despite a change of ownership, it closed its doors forever over the weekend. Truth be told, I did not visit the store in the past several months as it was too depressing and nostalgic. When I first moved to NYC, Barneys was my favorite store to shop for new dresses and clothes  and, ultimately, where I fell in love with fashion. And not only was Barneys an important part of my life, but the restaurant Fred’s was truly our second kitchen and a part of our everyday life. The matire d, waiters, staff, had been family to us and we felt truly at home. Although Fred’s is still currently open, it no longer has the ambiance and vibe of the past and it is too hard to visit. We spent countless Sunday night Family dinners, nacho parties, birthday parties, friend lunches, drinks, so much more…

 

Iconic building, no longer…..it will be interesting to see what replaces Barneys. It will never be the same and I will miss everything about it!

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Grimm Artisanal Ales

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Happy Tuesday!  Hope you all had a restful long weekend.  We stayed local and despite some health issues in the household, we had restful days in the city with little excursions here and there (and lots of movie watching when the stomach bug hit).  One of the highlights was a Sunday excursion to Grimm Artisanal Ales in Brooklyn.  Every time we go back to Oregon or Seattle, we end up drinking a lot of sour beer, a new hipster craze, especially in the Pacific Northwest.  The trend is starting to pick up elsewhere, so we were excited to check out this local brewery, which had a bunch of great beers, both sour and traditional.

 

The outside. 990 Metropolitan Ave in Brooklyn, an easy drive from Manhattan, or just off the L.

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Casamigos Mini Bottles

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I love tequila. Always have, always will. When I turned 25, the only drink served at my birthday party was tequila. I claimed that it is because I am half Mexican (true). Now a days, it is EVERYONE’S favorite drink and I am so glad that it is mainstream and you can find good tequila anywhere and everywhere. Even in tiny little airplane sized bottles!

 

A teeny tiny bottle with loads of fun as a result.

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Josie Natori FW20 RTW

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Last Thursday, Josie Natori presented Fall/Winter 2020 Ready To Wear. Unlike previous seasons, my mother in law decided to do a show/ presentation at her home versus renting out a space. The most fun and chaotic part about it is that the models were housed in our apartment to get dressed, hair and make up done. From 10 in the morning until 7 pm at night, our house transformed into a backstage of a photo shoot and runway show. In addition to the show itself, the highlight was having my son and his friends come over in the afternoon to get ready for their dancing school amidst a flood of models, hair and make-up artists, and show staff.

It looks calm at this very moment, but there were 40+ people there. Hair, make up, people who ironed, photographers, etc…

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The Brown Paper Movement

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I realize that it is February and so we are already 1/12th of way through the year, and so you might not be interested in buying calendars, but I am here to tell you that my mom just sent me a calendar from The Brown Paper Movement, and it makes me SO happy that I had to share with you all. It is not too late!

 

Don’t judge my mess. It is unorganized and not very representative of my OCD organization, but regardless, I love the look of my little clipboard calendar. It is neutral and classy.

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Coolhaus Ice Cream

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Hands down, my favorite ice cream of all time is Coolhaus Banana Foster. Decadent, rich, creamy and oh so delicious — it tastes exactly like Banana Foster (my all time favorite dessert) but in ice cream form. Then I found out, *ALL* of the flavors Coolhaus makes are incredible, and that you can’t go wrong. Right now, I am especially fond of their ice cream sandwiches aka “sammies“. And believe it or not, they have dairy free sandwich options so vegans and lactose-intolerant people can still enjoy these scrumptious desserts.

 

You should see my freezer — I like to hoard ice cream. But we also eat a lot of it — 4 pints, 2 boxes of Ice Cream bars, and multiple sandwiches PER WEEK.

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Green Pancakes

Josie Girl 3 Comments

I realize that blogs are a dying breed and have been replaced by instagram, tik tok, snapchat, twitter, etc….That said, I still read two blogs on a daily basis and I love them dearly. I dropped most other blogs when I realized most of their content was sponsored or no longer of interest. But I am thankful for Cup of Jo and Cupcakes and Cashmere that continually publishes authentic, honest, beautiful, helpful, and interesting content. Earlier this week, I found a post on Cup of Jo about green pancakes and I knew immediately that I had to make them. So glad I did because they are DELICIOUS. So whatever you are doing right now, stop, and make the green pancakes. Thank you, Cup of Jo!

 

Ingredients:

 

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Winter To Do List 2020

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I know Winter is almost over (or is that wishful thinking?) but here is a list of activities that I want to do in NYC in the next couple weeks (doesn’t winter feel like eternity?)

 

1. Groove (in my seat) at Hip Hop Dance Performance Off Broadway, Beyond Babel

 

Read about this performance in the NYTImes and I canNOT wait to go. I am buying tickets STAT.

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Cheer

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Like everyone else in the US, I can’t stop watching and talking about Cheer — the mini series on Netflix. It is a highly addictive 6 part series that follows around nationally ranked 40-member Navarro College Cheer Team as they prepare for the Nation Cheerleading Championship in Daytona. Five of the members lives are highlighted and you get insight into what makes them who they are — and you will fall in love with Jerry, as I did. You will laugh, cry, cringe, and binge watch the show. I guarantee you that if you start watching the show, you will finish it in a matter of days. I highly HIGHLY recommend it and can’t wait to discuss with fellow watchers.

 

Part Friday Night Lights (Tim Riggins, #33, I love you), and part Real World.

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Park Lane Pantry Granola

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A self proclaimed snob (and expert) on granola, I recently sampled Park Lane Pantry, and I can’t get enough! Wholesome, delicious, nutritious. And on top of that, the back story of how the granola was created is truly inspiring — read about Elaine here and how she decided to create her own granola after her experience with cancer.

 

Granola perfection. Small batch

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My New Favorite Podcasts

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A New Year and a new commitment to listen to more podcasts instead of music. I love music and therefore listen to it on every run, workout, errand, subway ride, basically anytime I am in the house or walking somewhere out of the house. And although I love this, I also want to become smarter and interested in other things. Several years ago, I was a dedicated podcast listener, but then, I fell off. So now, it is time to get back on the podcast train! Here is a list of my go-to-podcasts as well as ones I want to start listening to more frequently.

 

1. Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations

 

Every person Oprah interviews, no matter if I am interested or not, I leave feeling smarter and more informed. Yes, everything Oprah touches is gold to me, but this podcast is my ultimate favorite.

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Natori Obsession Convertible Bra

Josie Girl 3 Comments

You all know that my favorite bra of all times is the Feathers Bra — it is truly the perfect bra. Yet, in an effort to try something ew, I just purchased the Natori Obsession Convertible Bra. Although it is not an everyday bra like Feathers, it is a great bra and I am happy that I have it in my collection. So if you are looking for some va-va-voom and added oomph in your life, the Natori Obsession Convertible Bra is right up your alley!

 

Thank you, beautiful Natori model!

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