heather & olive

1.25.2023

a couple of condo things.

moved my mirror from the corner and mounted it on the wall, with a peek at my new dresser.

new dresser.

new hardware.

I hadn't made a ton of changes to my place in the past year or so, and I recently got the itch to made some improvements. First up was getting a new dresser (this one from West Elm)--I have a pretty large walk in closet and haven't needed a dresser the whole time I've lived here, but I'm finally putting in a washer and dryer and need the extra closet space. My building has laundry in the basement and there is a laundromat a block away, but I'm at the point where I've had enough. I'm honestly surprised I made it this long without one, and I'm super excited to get this taken care of.

I also added new hardware to my kitchen cabinets--when I moved in the cabinets were basic wood and my mom painted them which made a huge difference (thanks, Mom!) and I finally installed hardware last weekend. I went this these knobs, these pulls for the cabinets and these pulls for my drawers (not shown) from Rejuvenation, and it's crazy how such a little thing can make such a big impact. After I figured out how to correctly use a drill (clockwise, not counterclockwise) it was easy.

There are still some things I'd love to upgrade, like appliances and a bathroom redo, but these small changes are already making be very happy.

1.23.2023

new year, same me.

a january mood.

Hello! Yes, I'm still here, and I'm fully embracing the concept of a gentle january (which honestly, is so much better than trying to attack a new year with aggressive energy and being burnt out before the month is over with). That's not to say I don't have any big plans--I definitely do, and some are already being chipped away at, but I'm also giving myself a little grace. January through March are tough months, and if I need to sleep a little longer in the mornings and maybe not have a smoothie for breakfast, that's okay.

The end of 2022 was a whirlwind, but was really nice. I spent the holidays with family, and was able to make it up to Quebec between Christmas and New Year's, which was perfect--so cozy and so many croissants.

I'm working on some condo updates and also am trying to figure out travel plans--I'm definitely going to Colorado this summer but might need a bigger trip. Europe? We shall see. And I'm also trying to get back into running shape--I ended up deferring the Chicago marathon last year due to multiple injuries and have been going to PT, so I'm hoping it's in the cards this fall.

In case there was any doubt, Mabel continues to be a delight and an absolute sweetheart.

I'm hoping you're being gentle with yourself as we start 2023, and I promise to not be a stranger.

9.19.2022

a summer well spent.

weekend trip to Miami.

a cousin trip to Chicago.

sibling weekend visit which included an amazing dinner at fore street.

covid!

york harbor weekends.

a visit to prince edward island.

a trip to quebec city.

dinner at twelve.

sister surfing lesson on scarborough beach.

mabel and her favorite daycare friend, leonard.

hello! as we start the first "official" week of fall (although I always go off of September 1st) I figured it was a good time to brush off the ol' blog and get back into it. We'll see how long this lasts, but it's my blog and I'll do what I want.

I had a very good summer--there weren't any major trips but the long weekends I took and week I spent in Canada were all pretty perfect. In May I went to Eden Roc Miami Beach with my dearest friend Sarah to celebrate our 40th birthdays. Miami Beach is typically not my scene, but it ended up being a really relaxing three days and I would totally go back. It was a great way to unofficially kick off summer.

I then spent a weekend in Chicago with my sister and cousin (always a great time) and my sister and brother came to Portland the following weekend to see the Head and the Heart--we were supposed to go in 2020 but, covid. And then I got covid--it didn't end up being terrible (thanks, vaccines!) but I tested positive for eleven days which was a pain in the buns.

In July my family traveled up to Prince Edward Island to celebrate my grandfather's life and then my sister, mom and I headed to Quebec City to spend a few days at my parents' place. It's nicer than my condo, and I cannot wait to spend more time there (and I desperately need to learn French).

In August, my sister came up again and we had a jam-packed weekend of dinner at Twelve, which is a new Portland restaurant that I highly recommend, a surfing lesson where I was completely tossed around but definitely want to do again, and a Leon Bridges concert, which of course, was amazing.

Mabel and I are in a groove, and I credit a lot of that to the two days a week she spends at day care. The socialization is really good for her and she gets all her crazy puppy energy out. Also, my 73 year-old neighbor has been taking her for evening walks (she recently had to put her dog down) and there is nothing cuter than seeing them saunter around the neighborhood. She is truly a sweetheart of a dog, and I'm so glad I have her as a four legged companion.

I'm probably missing some things, but I think that's the gist--I am very much looking forward to the cozy days ahead, and I'll be popping on here again very soon.

6.21.2022

meet mabel.

Meet Mabel! This little lady came into my life in the beginning of February, and truth be told, it has taken us until now to finally get into a groove. Having a puppy is way harder than I remembered.

I knew after Olive died I would get another frenchie, and Mabel came from the same breeder. I think part of me anticipated having an Olive 2.0, but Mabel has proven to be anything but (aside from being a total sweetheart of a dog)--where Olive was a really low-key, cuddly potato, Mabel is super dramatic and super energetic. Her nickname is the bug (because she is a lovebug but also looks a bit like a bug with those bulging eyes), and I'm so grateful to have another little dog in my life.

1.18.2022

weekend in pics.

detroit-style vodka pizza

press on gel manicure

scratch-made pasta

I have to say, this long weekend was exactly what I needed. I traveled to Arizona last week for work and between the time change and stress I was pretty exhausted by the time Friday rolled around. The extra day was much appreciated.

On Saturday, I managed to venture to the grocery store but otherwise hunkered down with the most delicious pizza from noble bbq -- I'm so glad they're open again.

Sunday consisted of an at home manicure using manime stick-ons--I typically do a dazzle dry manicures but my cousin told me about these after she got them for Christmas, and I decided to give them a try. It's only been a couple of days, but so far, so good--they're staying on and they look professional aside from my learning curve with trimming them down. I also made grossy pelosi's marina and meatballs (so tasty, but be forewarned that the meatballs are absolutely massive).

And on Monday I was a slug aside from making homemade fettuccine. My parents gave me a kitchenaid pasta attachment for Christmas this year, and I used a recipe from Love and Lemons. The hardest part was kneading the dough, but it turned out great--cannot wait to make again.

Here's to a short week!

1.10.2022

olive.

Gosh, this is a tough one to write.

On November 2, 2021, I put Olive down. She had suffered a number of seizures that couldn't be controlled with medication and the vet thinks it was a brain tumor. While I didn't realize it in the months leading up to that day, it's clear now that something was up and she wasn't her usual self. Putting her down was both the hardest and easiest decision I've ever had to make: I'm so grateful I was able to take away her pain in a humane way but it was so incredibly difficult.

And that's the thing about having any pet, isn't it? You know your life with them is finite, but it's still such a massive gut punch when their time is up. I'm so, so lucky I had the ten years with her that I did. She was such a funny little dog--she loved to sleep, was always up for a snuggle and there was nothing she enjoyed more than splaying in a spot of sun or lying up against a heater to get cozy. She was with me through five different living situations, four jobs, a couple of breakups and every major and minor life event in between.

I still feel like a piece of me is missing--December was a really hard month and there continue to be times where I find myself looking for her or wondering if there's anything I need to grab for her when I'm running errands. And it’s just so quiet.

I miss her so much.

So here's to Olive: the sweetest, noodliest dog I've ever known. She will always have a piece of my heart.

9.08.2021

an amped up caesar salad.

everything you didn't know your Caesar salad needed.

Judie's Restaurant in Amherst, MA was the best. Known for its giant popovers and extensive menu, it was the go-to spot for me and my sister the summer of 2016--we made a bunch of trips to western Massachusetts to visit my grandmother since she was sick, and Judie's was a comforting spot to get nourished and reset.

I'm super bummed that they've since closed due to the pandemic, but I've been recreating one of my favorite things on the menu at home: the Caesar salad. Judie's Caesar isn't your typical Caesar--the basic version includes the addition of artichoke hearts and hardboiled eggs (which is delicious on its own) but I always loved to order the stuffed portobello with bacon version: it took the salad to the next level with the addition of grilled portobellos, roasted red peppers, bacon and warm gorgonzola. While definitely not traditional, this combo of flavors totally works together and will keep you full for a very time.

And if you're really feeling ambitious, make your our dressing: you can't go wrong with Julia Turshen's.