My Favorite Things

a list of recommendations

I thought I’d switch things up this week and share a list of my favorite things. I love these kinds of posts from others, whether it includes recipe recommendations, TV shows to check out, or even a favorite pair of jeans. So read on for what brings me joy and is in my constant rotation. (And no, these aren’t affiliate links. Who do you think I am? Someone who knows how to monetize stuff??)

Closet staple: The perfect T-shirt. Coyuchi may be best known for their linens, but somehow I stumbled upon their t-shirts when they were on-sale. For $8, the perfect shaped tee in the softest fabric can be yours. Right now they don’t have the specific one I’ve bought available (of course!). But you can try their boxy-tee, right now on sale for $14.50. I’ve also gotten this nightgown, only $21!

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Self-care: Dip powder manicures. I used to be a horrible nail-biter. I mean, nails so short they would bleed, cuticles destroyed, hands always in my mouth. Then, about a year and a half ago, after some comments from the nail technicians at my salon, I decided to try tips, which would a) prevent me from being able to bite and b) allow my nails some time to grow. They also did the dip powder manicure which makes the nail really hard. Well, I have never gone back. Yes, it is an investment ($55) but they last about 3 weeks and I don’t bite my nails anymore! It is a pain to have to go get them done consistently (because you cannot remove the polish at home), but the alternative is going back to biting my nails, which I do not want to do. I’ve tried downgrading to gel, but it doesn’t work for me. I somehow find myself peeling the polish off with my teeth (I know, it is gross). To have finally figured out how to kick this habit at age 44 feels quietly revolutionary.

Vacation spot: Lake Michigan. I grew up in the Midwest with extended family in Michigan and thus we often went up to the lake in August when my dad had his break from his professorial duties. We would camp and have family come and meet us. My #1 spot is Sleeping Bear Dunes. But Saugatuk, Manistee, Grand Haven, all wonderful. The water can be freezing, and other times it feels pleasant. You never know what you are going to get and it changes day to day. But Lake Michigan is my #1 happy spot in the world.

Makeup: Milk Lip & Cheek Cream Blush in Werk. I don’t use a ton of makeup but this I use daily. Just a quick swipe on each cheek instantly wakes me up and you can use it on your lips as well for a quick pop of color. (Am I now a beauty influencer?)

In other makeup recs, I splurged when Selena Gomez’s makeup line, Rare Beauty, did a day in October where all proceeds were donated to mental health. I love her All of the Above Weightless Eyeshadow Stick. I have it in Champagne and it is the perfect color to spread a bit on your eyelids.

Recipe: Pinch of Yum’s Coconut Curry Salmon. When my girls aren’t home, and I feel like cooking instead of Girl Dinner, I cook this delicious and easy Coconut Curry Salmon recipe from Pinch of Yum. I love anything with coconut milk, and this recipe doesn’t require too much out of the ordinary (yes, you need fresh limes, and bonus points if you have cilantro - lots of times I don’t). Instead of lemongrass paste (which I’ve never had on hand), you can use lemon zest. Honestly, the first time I cooked it, it was so good I felt like it was yummier than anything I had eaten in a restaurant.

Household splurge: Jenni Kayne candles. I love Cedar, Ash, Currant, and Hamptons.

Fiction from the last year: Time’s Mouth, Edan Lepucki

Non-fiction from the past year: This American Ex-Wife,

lyz

Movie from the last year: Past Lives. A beautiful, nuanced, quietly devastating movie about all the paths your life could have taken. I was not prepared to have the final scene totally gut me. Sobbing. So poignant. So beautiful. And Greta Lee is utter perfection (I love her in The Morning Show, too).

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Substacks: One of the hardest parts of trying to make $ from Substack is, for every Substack I pay for, I feel like I’m canceling out one of my own paying subscribers. I honestly wish I could pay for all my subscriptions. Alas, right now, I’m a paying subscriber to:

• Amanda Montei
  and Mad Woman

• Virginia Sole-Smith’s Burnt Toast

• Joanna Goddard
  and Big Salad

• Kimberly Harrington
  and Honey Stay Super

• Rebecca Woolf
  and The Braid

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For other book recs, visit my BookShop page which includes a list of my favorite non-fiction books on motherhood, my favorite novels on motherhood, Feminist Must-Reads, Grief Reads, Divorce Reads, and more. Or read this post on 9 titles to make you feel less alone in motherhood.

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More to come in the next few months including installments of The Divorce Diaries, Do You Need a Post-Nup?, The Math of Motherhood: The Motherhood Penalty, and much more. Let me know what topic you’d love for me to explore in the future, or any other questions you want me to answer in the comments below!

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