Hi there,
Happy post-Fourth of July! We were up in Maine with my parents and sister and it was, as my mom says, #thewaylifeshouldbe. Lilly couldn’t stay out of the water even though it was still goosebumpy cold, and we ate all our meals on the porch. Now we’re back in Brooklyn and I’m starting the week with some very necessary post-vacation life organization.
Here are a few things I’m liking these days.
Because Lilly can’t float yet: Funny thing about our little Moana: She loves the water but doesn’t realize she can’t swim yet, which means she tries to jump into any body of water she sees. We are restarting swim lessons this fall but in the meantime, her auntie Annie got her this excellent Puddle Jumper floatie vest (also comes highly recommended from several parent friends). It took her a minute to get used to it but then she was gleeful with her water freedom. (Bonus: this Flaphappy hat isn’t terribly cute but stayed on Lilly’s head despite much splashing and wave jumping, and kept her from getting burned.)
New addition to our cookbook collection: I picked up Everyday is Saturday at Books are Magic, our local and amazing bookstore, and was immediately hooked by author Sarah Copeland’s easygoing but aspirational approach. The recipes are simple but not spare, healthy-ish but not diet-y, and full of color and texture. I immediately made her toasted many seed muesli and ate it for a week straight (she suggests topping it with watermelon, which was revelatory).
Glowing skin, seriously: A former Birchbox colleague, Rachel, just opened Glowbar, a new facial spa in Tribeca (full disclosure: I angel invested in the concept!). All the treatments are 30 minutes and designed to give you visible results—think something in between a spa facial and a dermatologist appointment. I love how efficient it is—you wash your own face at their well-stocked sink so that your esthetician make the most of every minute. My skin has been extremely dry and patchy (so much so that I’ve haven’t been able to wear even BB Cream because it would crease and flake) but after my treatment (dermaplaning, lactic acid mask, LED healing light), my face was smooth and soft, and has stayed that way for over a week. If you’re in New York, highly recommend checking it out.
Remedy for ragged summer feet: I’m a fan of walking around barefoot, especially in the summer, which means my feet get vaguely troll-like without regular upkeep. Pedicures are great but I need something I can do at home, which is how I found myself Googling “best callus treatment” and buying two picks off NY Mag‘s Strategist: this scarily effective callus remover gel and this equally terrifying but does-the-trick foot rasp. I’ll spare you the before-and-after pictures but trust me, this duo works.
Two for the grill: While we were in Maine, my dad banned us from turning on the oven so we cooked almost everything outside. I brought back this grilled halloumi and fregola salad, which I’m sure I mentioned last summer but is so good it bears repeating. I’ll be making it on repeat until September. Rob also made this Bon App grilled salmon, which has a perky sauce featuring an entire lemon—the trick to extra crispy skin is making sure the grill grates are super clean and well-oiled, and getting your fire very hot.
Another summer read: I’m almost done with Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere and it’s been a wild, fantastical ride—the type of book you can slip into and forget about NYT news alerts and your mounting to-do- list. It takes place largely in London Below, a parallel world filled with fantastical creatures and characters and plenty of danger.
A better way to tote snacks: We’re trying to be more conscious about how much plastic we use, which means always carrying reusable bags (can’t beat Baggu) and storing food in glass containers or ball jars. And for an alternative to Ziplocs (very important for toddler and pregnant snack-preparedness), I picked up a few of these Stasher silicone bags. They’re not inexpensive but they are sturdy, easy to clean, and come in a range of useful sizes.
Have a wonderful week!
Mollie