Eat: eggs for breakfast (I think it’s required to work eggs into your Easter celebration in some form? I love this frittata from Lauren.)
Drink: Easter mimosas (This version is actually called the Fizzy Bunny. It includes carrot juice. Don’t hate me.)
Wear: Floral flats (I’m not usual that into florals, but these shoes have just the right touch. They remind me of the Easter Sunday dresses I would wear as a child. Luckily we’re past that stage!)
How will you be celebrating this weekend?
This week was all about getting back into my routine, on all fronts. Being out of my routine makes me realize how much comfort I get from my daily rituals. Things like my quiet coffee time in the morning or nighttime skin routine seem so trivial in everyday life, but when I’m away from those patterns for an extended period of time it becomes very clear how important they are to me. Does that ever happen to you?
Beyond that, it’s Easter! My family’s coming down for an early Easter brunch this Saturday. I’m making this swiss chard and egg casserole, a tossed green salad, and this blueberry coffee cake. Are you guys cooking anything special? I’ve got a few recipe recs below if you’re in need of some! Let’s get to it:
Have a great weekend friends, see you on Monday! xx
Image Source: Camille Styles
At the end of last year, and from time to time over the years, we’ve shared our best reads and favorite picks when it comes to our bookshelf. I love these posts, largely because it helps me get amazing book recommendations from you all, but more importantly because truly, isn’t a good book just one of the best things in life? Whether you’re curled up on the couch during winter, or soaking up the hot sun in summer, a good read kind of always feels like a little vacation… don’t you think? We do! So in light of that I decided to make ‘On Our Bookshelf’ a monthly series, which features not just mine, but the entire team’s current favorite reads. Just preparing this post has already given me so many must make purchases on my Kindle. Check out our six picks below and be sure to provide your recommendations in the comments!
Clara
The Fault in Our Stars This book possesses one of the most touching love stories I’ve ever read. The fact that the love is between two teens with terminal cancer, makes it that much more incredible. Yes, it’s a bit of a heartbreaker in the end, but the author’s overall take on being alive and in love is nothing short of heart warming. I promise, this one won’t disappoint.
Summerland Do you have a guilty pleasure when it comes to reading? Elin Hildenbrand’s books are totally mine. They’re all set at the beach, they all involve beautiful people, and there’s always a happy ending. I believe they fall into the not so glamorous “chic-let” genre, but I’m still addicted to them. I’ve decided to kick off my summer reads a little early this year in order to combat this annoyingly long winter we’ve, and am starting with one of Elin’s more recent pieces- Summerland. No judging!
Sarah
Me Before You: This book captured me in a way that I wasn’t expecting- and I loved every minute of it. I honestly had to pace myself so I wouldn’t read too much at once! I’d describe it as an unexpected love story that will leave you with a new outlook on life. It definitely proves that you don’t need a happy ending to make a great story.
One Day: This certainly isn’t a new book, but it’s one that I recently got around to reading. I never saw the movie, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I think the character development is what makes this book so special. You get to see many facets of each character over a long period. At times you may not even know if you love or hate them, but in the end you just want them to end up together!
Lauren
Daring Greatly: If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I’m not [good, perfect, successful, thin, etc.] enough,” this book is for you. In Daring Greatly, Dr. Brené Brown encourages us to embrace our vulnerability and imperfection, to cultivate our worthiness, and to courageously engage in the world. One of my favorite excerpts that really resonated with me: “When we spend our lives waiting until we’re perfect or bulletproof before we walk into the arena, we ultimately sacrifice relationships and opportunities that may not be recoverable, we squander our precious time, and we turn our backs on our gifts, those unique contributions that only we can make. Perfect and bulletproof are seductive, but they don’t exist in the human experience.”
It’s All Good: I’m a BIG fan of Gwyneth’s previous cookbook, My Father’s Daughter, so naturally I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of her second book next week. After seeing this preview in the latest issue of SELF, I was even more sold. The recipes are not too far off from how we normally eat in our house anyway, and I’m excited to find some new go-to dishes to lean on when we’re feeling we need to “clean up” our diet a bit.
Image Source
It’s no surprise we’ve got quite a few blogger crushes around CC headquarters. We’re constantly inspired and in awe of what our internet gal pals are cooking up online. In order to channel that admiration, we’ve dreamed up a new monthly series, ‘Girl Crush’, which will feature our favorite online ladies and allow us all to get to know them a bit better! We’re kicking things off with the lovely Christin who pens With a CH.
Where’d you grow up? I grew up in a suburb of San Francisco called Danville. Our claims to fame include Captain Sully and Bridges, the restaurant in Mrs Doubtfire.
What do you love most about living in NYC? That my groceries are delivered to my apartment. More seriously, there is so much to do, always. And I love that I live so close to Central Park.
We love With a CH- especially your whit and humor. What made you start blogging? One of my best friends told me I should because I was living in LA at the time and doing all these really outlandish things on the regular. So, I took her advice and started my blog. It’s changed a lot since then.
You work for Baublebar! What’s your current role? How’d you get your start there? I do! I’m the Social Media Manager. Grace and I actually met through blogging and that’s how I got the job.
How do you balance work and blogging? That’s a tough one, especially since I also blog for BaubleBar, but I try to keep a running list of ideas and get through it all on the weekends otherwise I won’t get it done.
What’s your morning routine like? Like the Tasmanian devil…
What’s your evening routine like? I usually get home around 7:30. I’ll make dinner and watch one of “my shows” with my boyfriend.
How do you decompress? Cooking, actually. Or slothing around in my USC sweatshirt and Hello Kitty PJ pants.
Your dream weekend involves…naps, naps, a picnic in central park followed by a nap.
Three products you can’t live without: my clairsonic, my all clad pans and my hot tools curling iron. I’m all over the place.
TV addictions: 1600 Penn. Skip is effing hilarious. Best character ever. “Barkeep, I’ll have a bowl of your fruitiest pebbles”
Your guilty pleasure(s): This is hard, because I really don’t care what anyone thinks of me but if I had to pick, maybe how much I love really terrible reality television like the Geordie Shore which is the UK version of Jersey Shore.
Most recent happy purchase: A new vacuum. Yep.
Plans for this summer: I am purchasing all the tickets for Central Park’s summer stage and we’ll do picnics all the time.
Something about your most people wouldn’t realize or know: This is tough, especially since I’m such an open book on my blog. However, I may be excellent at cooking and baking but everything else, I’m not great at. I don’t DIY anything and I cannot sew. I’ve ironed like twice in my life.
Thanks, Christin! We can’t wait to follow your Central Park outings this summer.
This cozy reading nook. I think a space like this would remind me to unplug, and read a book more often. Speaking of which, we have some fun book ideas coming your way later this week!
Boots in the perfect mossy shade for spring. I’m usually the first to dive into sandals, but these short boots might make a more seamless transition.
Fresh flowers and picnics! Two of my favorite things to look forward to from the latest Marais campaign.
I’m feeling especially drawn to bright, simple spaces recently. The chandelier is the perfect finishing touch.
These metallic leather pouches from Cisthene. All their products have a sort of enchanted feel to them.
This picture from Caitlin pretty much sums up the ideal summer day.
I love the idea of adding custom upholstery to make a unique piece even more special.
What’s been on your mind, as of late?
Sweater: Central Park West (only available in navy), Jeans: LOFT (similar), Necklace: Banana Republic (old), Shoes: J.Crew (old), Glasses: Urban Outfitters, Bag: Boutique in Brooklyn, Bracelets: BaubleBar
Happy Monday, friends! Mixing things up a little today and subbing out food for some fashion. While I’m so ready to throw on fun pastels, prints, and neon shades for the warmer months, this sweater has been the best addition to my winter wardrobe this year. I so rarely shop in actual stores these days but I have an amazing boutique in my hometown upstate (Rhinebeck), that I visit almost every time I go home. The owner curates the most gorgeous selection of pieces. It’s so good I’ve actually thought about doing a blog post on them (on my to do list for this summer…). I picked up this white sweater last time I was home. It’s a little bit hard to see the sheer detailing across the shoulders and neck, but it really makes the whole piece. I love the slouchy feel and the slits on the side. Is anyone as obsessed as me with side slits on tops or sweaters? Oh and it must be said- these are not real glasses, I totally purchased fake ones a few years back and have fun wearing them from time to time. I’m sure all of you who actually wear glasses think I’m quite nutty! Here’s to a great week!
Photos by Lydia Hudgens
Find: your spring polish (All my nail colors at the moment are dreadfully dark- the opposite of what the season demands. I’m thinking OPI’s My Paprika is Hotter than Yours might spice things up!)
Mix + Match: your wardrobe (I’m planning to sort through my clothes this weekend, before starting spring shopping. While I’m at it, I hope to be inspired enough to try some new combinations with what I have.)
Add: color! (Spring seems to be dragging it’s feet this year. Maybe if we go ahead and pretend it’s already here, it will feel more welcome? A girl can dream..)
What are you up to this weekend?
The last week has taken me from NYC to New Mexico, to Arizona, and now to Chicago! Not gonna lie, it was pretty tough going from 80+ degrees to 30 and below. I’m in Chicago for work but am having fun meeting up (and crashing with!) a few blog friends. That said, I cannot wait to get home. The last few weeks have involved so much running around and with warmer temps on the horizon, I couldn’t be happier to have zero weekend plans (outside the city), for the next few weeks. I’m looking forward to lots of gym time, home cooked meals, and dinner parties. In the mean time, here’s what went down this week:
Here’s to a wonderful weekend. Be sure to follow along on Instagram as I document my adventures throughout the windy city! xx
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Flats. They are one hundred percent my thing. Sometimes I have visions of myself rocking a great pair of heels but it’s totally just… a vision. I like a wedge here or there but when you’re 5′ 9″, I much prefer a flat. And I pretty much want every single one J.Crew has right now. How gorgeous are these guys? I’ve currently got a rewards card burning a hole in my pocket and it’s no doubt going to number four, though I have a sneaking suspicion number five… and one… ok and maybe six is going to make its way into my cart, too! Which ones are you guys loving? Any other must have flats?
It tends to drive me nuts when people talk about how busy they are, how much work they have, and so on. In my mind- everyone has work, and everyone is busy- we need to just deal. But the last few months have felt unbearably busy for me when it comes to work. On the one hand- it’s great. I’m thrilled to have a constant stream of clients. On the other hand, it’s taken some of the joy out of the work. I’ve been exhausted, generally more irritable, and starting to resent the tasks I used to enjoy. Clearly, I’m really fun to be around right now!
I knew in the back of my mind I needed to get help in some form or fashion, but the decision to bring someone on felt really daunting. Hiring someone would require up front work in terms of getting that person set up. Up front work is more work, so add that to the pile of tasks I already had and well, it sounded even harder- so I kept trying to push through. But week after week I was left feeling miserable, like I couldn’t rise above it all. I finally bit the bullet, and decided to bring on part time support (our girl, Sarah, in case you’re curious!). I’m now (of course) kicking myself for not doing it sooner!
Once I made the decision, getting things set up wasn’t as difficult as I anticipated. These are the steps I took:
So far these steps have made bringing on help and outsourcing my work a pretty smooth transition. And, most importantly, work is feeling much more enjoyable, and I’ve personally experienced a complete resurgence of energy. I’ve still got a lot of growing and learning to do when it comes to managing help and handing off my responsibilities , but I’m headed in the right direction. It’s one of those things that, I now realize, I had to start in order to even start learning. I only wish I had made the decision to do it sooner!
Small business owners and freelancers- do you have support? Are you thinking about it? If you do, how did you decide to bring people on? I would LOVE to hear your tips!
Image via The White Ruffle
