A Few Pretty Great Things

My friend, the artist Laurie DiBiagio (who runs the gorgeous boutique sirena + the sea), sent me these hand-sculpted stacked rings – pictured on me above – and I haven’t taken them off since the moment they arrived. Every single set of rings is made to order – and at just $110 for a full stack of one-of-a-kind pieces, I couldn’t recommend these more highly.

These ’90s staples – which I was never cool enough to wear the first time around – are back. So back, in fact, that they keep selling out over and over and over, so click that “Shop Now” link up there quickly, before they’re gone (again).

P.S. If you still have trouble finding a pair in the size and color you want, here’s a suggestion for you: You know those random sneaker stores located in the back corners of malls? Famous Footwears and such? Go there. They have them in massive, massive quantities – and I know this because that’s where I got my own.

P.P.S. Go for navy.

This children’s book is the rare treasure that adults and kids will find equally compelling. The story of how the panda bear Stillwater meets three children living in the next house over is sweet and charming and funny, but also teaches lessons that I’ve personally found difficult to put into words when talking to my children: why giving to others is the greatest gift of all; why “good” and “bad” are relative concepts, and – perhaps most importantly – why holding onto anger hurts no one more than yourself.

The stories are simple, beautiful, and surprisingly non-preachy; they contain layer upon layer of important truths, but nowhere in them is even a grain of judgment or preachiness.

If you have children, or if you don’t: You need to own this book.

On the advice of US Weekly – really – I downloaded the kids’ version of this meditation and mindfulness app, fully expecting my five-year-old son to be completely bored with it after three seconds and go back to Minecraft. Except…that’s not what happened. A few times now he’s specifically asked to borrow my phone so he can use the app, and I’ve walked into his room awhile later only to find him inhaling and exhaling in time to the instructions, or carefully moving each of his body parts, one at a time. He also sometimes uses it so he can watch the rocket blast-off that happens during one of the meditation activities, so, you know, baby steps. But still: I love this.

(There’s a version for adults as well.)

The latest addition to my collection of oils (which are religiously applied to various parts of my face and body each and every night ever since I discovered that they are, in fact, the answer to everything): Castor oil. This anti-inflammatory and antibacterial oil extracted from the African and Indian castor beans has been said to do everything from heal sunburns and acne to promote hair growth (one common practice is to use a Q-tip to apply a small amount to eyebrows and eyelashes, sort of like an extremely inexpensive take on Latisse).

I initially found the oil way too thick to apply solo, and preferred to dilute it with a little coconut oil, but have now discovered my personal favorite use for the stuff: On parts of my body that are especially dry or wrinkle-prone (my feet and my chest, specifically), I first apply a layer of cocoa butter, and then use the castor oil to seal it in so that the cocoa butter continues moisturizing the skin all night long.

P.S. Francesca is the one who told me about this stuff. Credit where it’s due.