August 16, 2018

You've seen most of my house at one point or another over the years, but as I do not own a wide-angle lens, it's been tough for me to get shots that really show you what the spaces look like as a whole, and how they fit together.

The photographer who came over to shoot the house for the listing did have a wide-angle lens, though, and so I now present to you: A bittersweet little house tour. The only room missing is the master bath, which I'll be photographing myself tomorrow after I put a few finishing touches on it. (As a recap, here's what the house looked like on move-in day three years ago.)

I didn't include product info because there's just so much, but you can click through to the links below for details on each room, or just ask away in the comments.

Just A Little Career Evolution

August 14, 2018

As a wise woman once said: Let's do the damn thing.

...Because why change just one part of your life, when you can change them all? Simultaneously!

So here's my news for today: I'm starting (technically *have* started) a new business strategizing and developing content for consumer brands. I've been circling the idea of pulling the trigger on this for a long time - a couple of years, at least - and finally decided to go ahead and do it. And I have to say: I'm PSYCHED. Because RG has been my focus for nearly a decade now, and I love it so, but I also feel like I've learned a whole lot from running this site, and it's time to expand and learn something new.

On to the Next

August 13, 2018

I never intended this house to be our "forever house." I never even really intended to have a "forever house" at all. My parents moved into our Hell's Kitchen apartment when I was two years old, and they live there still, so you'd think I'd have some visceral desire for permanence - but I've had many apartments, and many houses, and all of them have felt, to a greater or lesser extent, like home. I put up the pictures that I've carted with me back and forth across the country over and over again, and drape my favorite throw blanket over a bed, and all of a sudden even a temporary corporate rental isn't just "where I'm staying"...it's where I live.

When we decided to move to San Jose for Kendrick's new job, I knew so little about the area that I told people I was headed to San Francisco - as opposed to a major city that may be adjacent to San Francisco, but most certainly is not a part of it - and people on the Internet made fun of me. I'd say it was terrifying moving to a place that I knew so little about, and that was so far away from my friends and my parents, but it wasn't, not especially. Because whatever was going to happen, we were going to be together. And so at least there'd be that.

So I flew out to California with my four-year-old son to look for a house, and we both got viral gastroenteritis and ended up in the hospital, and so we did not find a house on that trip. I did eventually find a house, though, thanks to a broker who was willing to take me on countless virtual FaceTime tours of available properties while I sat on my couch in New York. We bought the house we live in now having never actually stepped foot inside it. I thought it was fine, but probably not *perfect,* but I also thought it didn't really matter, because it's not like we couldn't move if we wanted to one day.

Come Glamp With Me

August 9, 2018

For those of you who've thought about coming to the MTHR Collective retreat this October, excellent news: they're having a flash sale through Friday night offering Bunkmate Passes (basically: bring a friend to bunk with in a luxury Airstream settled in the Northern California redwood forest, and save money).

As a recap: MTHR Collective’s 4-day, 3-night retreat in Russian River – at which I’ll be one of the speakers – is specifically for mothers who are interested in exploring their creativity in an intimate, informal environment…that just so happens to also be one of the coolest campgrounds (if you can even call it that) I’ve ever seen.

What the long weekend – October 11-14, 2018 – includes:

Makeup & Beauty

I Did Not Like This At ALL

August 8, 2018

#glam

Let me start by saying that the results of my Zoom whitening treatment were excellent. My teeth, which were starting to appear more than a little jaundiced after many, many cups of coffee over the years, are now a solid two shades whiter. So I guess it was worth it?

But oh my god, it was miserable while it was happening.

Makeup & Beauty

Essential Oils: The Essentials

August 7, 2018

Every night of my life, I take a bath. But for the past two or so months, I have added several steps to this habit, because I have finally, at the tender age of 37, decided to try to actually put this whole "self-care" hoo-ha into practice.

And so every night, here is what I do:

Dry brush my entire body. (If you have never heard of dry-brushing, allow Gwyneth to explain it to you. It's great.)
Microplane my feet. This sounds disgusting, and is disgusting, but is also the single best method I have found for dealing with my horrifying foot situation. The first time I did it, I removed a shot glass's worth of dead skin from my feet, revealing all the baby softness that had apparently been there all along, and it was mayyyyybe the single most satisfying thing I have ever done in my life (ok, after this).
Run a bath, into which I add a couple of drops of frankincense oil, and about 1/2 tsp rosewater.
Exit the bath, and (while my skin is still damp), coat myself from neck to toes with coconut oil into which I have mixed another drop or two of frankincense oil. And if you think frankincense oil will make you smell like a cathedral, let me tell you: it's this odd blend of musk and freshness, and it's definitely unique, but I love how it smells on the skin.
Apply yet another oil to my face (either Superfood or prickly pear oil).
Add yet another coat of coconut oil to my feet, and then put on socks to a) lock in the moisture and b) enable myself to get from bathroom to bedroom without breaking my neck because oil on the body is one thing, and oil on the soles of the feet is another, far more treacherous, situation.

If you're going to say that this all sounds like a whooooole lot of work...I mean, yeah. It is. But I also do it while catching up on The Bachelorette on my computer, and it's my Me Time. Non-negotiable.

DIARY

What To Do: When You’re Newly Separated and Your Husband Has the Kids

August 6, 2018

via

Remember the other week, when Kendrick had the kids and I was all I have no idea what to doooooo? Well, he had the kids again this weekend, and I went ahead and figured that one out.

So, because these are the big questions in life, here is what to do if you have found yourself newly separated, and do not have your kids for a bit. (I put in step-by-step format, because I consider everything here to be essential.)

Home

Loungin’

August 2, 2018

I had never heard of a Baja Shelf - or Ledge Loungers (which are the ridiculously glamorous chair you see me and Erin sitting in above) - until about six months ago. And now I am not entirely sure how this was so, because it seems to me that every pool-owning person should prooooooobably be on the receiving end of this info.

I've talked about the Baja Shelf before, but since the concept of one was totally new to me, I thought it was worth revisiting. When I decided to redo my pool (not really an option, actually, since the plaster was cracking all over the place), the guy who came over to help me plan it said "Hey, what about a Baja Shelf?" Cleeeeeearly an attempt at upselling me, but once I saw what it was I was all hook, line and sinker. Would I also like to have a built-in hole in this shelf for an umbrella? WHY NOT. Because seriously, if you're going to do a project as massive as a full pool renovation, you might as well do it right.

And "right," to me, means being able to be in the water without actually having to, you know, expend any effort to do so. (BTW, just a recap, if you're curious how we paid for our renovations.)

Lifestyle

Required (Beach) Reading: Summer 2018

July 31, 2018

My children go back to school in less than a month. (Much less.) I am confused by this, because I distinctly remember school starting in September when I was a wee one, but apparently either the days are shorter or the vacations are more abundant, or we're just sending kids to school for (much) more of the year, because August 15th it is.

Which means we have just a little over two weeks left of for-real summer. And since this summer has been less-than-restful so far, I've decided to do my best to make these last few weeks as fun and peaceful (and SIMPLE, please) as possible. My mom is coming out, which is nice, and means that a pedicure is probably in my future. And my daughter's birthday is soon, so a rainbow cake will be made (or at least attempted).

But mostly, what I want to do with these last few summer days is read books. By the pool, in the sand, while hiding in my car during gymnastics classes (who was the genius who decided that nowadays parents must physically watch all of their children's after school activities?? Didn't parents used to...drop kids off for these things? And then go do their things - such as read books while hiding in their cars - while their children were safe and otherwise occupied? Just wondering).

A (Bittersweet) House Tour