How To Make Your Own In ‘N’ Out Burger (Except It’s BETTER)

December 2, 2021

Oh my god, you guys, I have unlocked the code for how to make an In 'N' Out burger at home. This is excellent news, because the closest In 'N' Out to me is at least fifteen minutes away, and when I want In 'N' Out I want it NOW, and without having to interact with other humans in the process, thank u. Also, you can see I didn't take very good pics of this particular recipe, because I was busy eating it. Will update later.

OK, let's break it down. Please go for the highest-quality ingredients you can find; it really makes a difference. (Also, it should go without saying, but this isn't In 'N' Out's *actual* recipe; this is my own take on it, but honestly, I can't taste any difference other than liking mine even more. Which is crazy.)

What You Need:

Holiday Gift Guide (For Everyone!) 2021

November 24, 2021

Courant charger | Dosist Passion pen | State glasses | Herbivore Botanicals balm

Presenting: Gift ideas for literally everyone on your list, from the very small to the very picky (and everyone in between). And bonus: Nearly everything you see below is from a small, woman- or family-owned business.

Courant Valet/Phone Charger. I am so in love with the look and functionality of these chargers for bedside tables and entryways - I'm giving my parents a matching pair for Christmas (and I told them not to read this post, don't worry). The classic saddle leather style - which allows you to organize your knickknacks while charging all your devices - is my personal favorite, but this smaller style runs a close second. Oh! And they were one of Oprah's Official Favorite Things this year, so you know they're good.

Listen: Birth Story Podcast

November 21, 2021

In this episode of Birth Story Podcast, host Heidi Snyderburn and I talk the entertainment industry, the occasional bliss of divorce, and how mental health intersects with parenting. It's a fun one.

Just A Few Beauty-Centric Holiday Gift Ideas

November 10, 2021

Six fun ideas for your holiday gift-giving (or receiving).

Breaking News: Children Are Annoying Sometimes

November 1, 2021

Everyone in this family has an unfortunate Sugarfish habit.

When I was about thirteen, I announced to my family that I was a vegetarian. I'm pretty sure I gave them a song and dance about loving animals, cows are our friends, etc etc, but really: I was mostly just trying to be irritating, because thirteen.

A few weeks ago, my ten-year-old announced that he is a vegetarian, and shan't be consuming meat anymore. "No meat at all?" I inquired.

Lifestyle

10 Best Amazon Purchases Under $50

October 28, 2021

Over on SundayRiley, the 10 best Amazon buys for less than fifty bucks (including, ahem, this).

P.S. I want these candles.

Decor

Slow That Roll

October 15, 2021

Time to go!

My financial advisor gave me a bit of a talking-to the other day. I totally deserved it.

See, I close on the new place in five days. She is perfectly aware that I am spending the bulk of my money on the down payment, but also knows me well enough by now to know that my Amazon cart is, at this very moment, stocked with copper drawer pulls and such for an apartment that I do not yet technically own. She knows this because we first started working together right after I moved to Woodland Hills, and she set me up with this software that's sort of like Mint, but actually functional - it puts your expenses into various buckets, so you can see what you're spending on, and where you seriously need to cut back - and quickly discovered that my top expense was home renovation and decor items. For a rental.

DIARY

Cagey

October 10, 2021

I have big news. (Well, in my world. There's probably bigger news in your own, and also on your news app.) I've been cagey about it over on IG, though - and not because I'm trying to annoy you - I'm aware that hinting at something without just saying what that something is is, indeed, annoying - but because I've been on this particular merry-go-round before, and I know that it doesn't always work out, and I don't want to write about how it didn't work out but "tomorrow is another day!" Or whatever.

Also: Whatever. I can just tell you.

You guys, I'M GETTING MARRIED!

Lifestyle

Everything You Need to Get In That Halloween-y State Of Mind

October 3, 2021

This year, the Halloween plan is four all four of us to do...something. Involving trick-or-treating. (I know; I've given it a lot of thought.) Our son will be Wolverine, and our daughter will be Lydia Deetz, and I will maybe be a gumball machine (more on that later) but will probably be a cat.

Before we get to the roundup of all the things you need to get yourself into the spirit of the season, let's do a little retrospective of Halloweens from Years Past.

Eat

Sick Day Soup: New and Improved

September 9, 2021

Me, sick.

One of the first recipes I posted way back in the day was for something I called "Sick Day Soup" - basically just a half-assed semi-homemade chicken noodle soup that I made for Kendrick whenever he was feeling bad. In keeping with most (all?) of the recipes I posted back then, it was full of shortcuts (using store-bought broth, pre-shredded chicken, whatever), and while I continue to think those shortcuts make sense for everyday cooking, sometimes - like when a person you care about is sick - it's nice to level it up and make something really warming and healing and special.

Enter: My new and improved Sick Day Soup. It takes awhile to make, but actually requires very little in the way of effort - most of it's just letting the ingredients cook themselves down on the stovetop while your home fills with wonderful smells. And the results? Are spectacular, and 100% worth the time. (I delivered a big jar of this stuff to my sick friend, and then polished off the rest - literally all of the rest - myself.)