...and a peep.
I lost internet one night which forced some pre-dinner reading, and I wasn't mad about it.
the magnolia tree behind my building is starting to bloom, and it makes me so happy.
Levain cookies (using this recipe) and they were amazing.
With swim season right around corner, this year I decided to be proactive. I usually wait to start looking for suits until we're in the throes of summer and by that point my size is sold out and I'm wearing the same sad suit of summers past. But not this year! I recently bought J.Crew's long-torso ruched femme one-piece (what a name) and it is absolute perfection. I dig the ruching, the long torso fits perfectly (no wedgies here) and it's also super classic and chic.
If you're looking for the perfect one piece, this one checks all of the boxes.
It's no secret that my condo is rather small--it's definitely a one-person, one-dog space. Thanks to the super high ceilings, it doesn't feel that tiny, but the appliances in the kitchen are...not big--there's definitely no room for a french door giant fridge, which is actually fine because it makes me a little more mindful when I shop for groceries. When I do my upgrades, I'm going to be getting another small fridge (leaning toward the SMEG) but that means no ice maker, and I'm a lady who requires her beverages to be ice cold. In the past I've tried a variety of ice trays, but I recently picked up the lekue ice box which has become a total game changer. It saves so much space vs. the hodgepodge of silicone trays I was using before, and I love that the cubes are on the smaller side so they easily fit in my water bottles.
Although this is probably only of interest to the population of people who live sans automatic ice maker, I highly recommend the lekue ice box.
I spent the weekend doing the usual (aka nothing), but I've got a serious itch to do a refresh in my condo. I'm already planning on replacing my kitchen appliances at some point and I also want to add a washer and dryer to my unit (there's laundry in my building's basement but it's kind of scary and I usually go to the laundromat that's two blocks away--I know, I lead a very glamorous life).
This weekend, I started small(ish)by ordering new bedding from West Elm--they were having a sale but it was still quite the investment. I bought a new set of their Belgian Flax Linen sheets and also got their European Flax Linen Linework Quilt and Shams. I'm excited for a more luxurious bedtime (and I seriously need a new mattress but that's a problem for another day). Another small change I'm planning is to add new hardware to my kitchen cabinets--I have my eye on the Massey collection from Rejuvenation...one thing at a time.
Looking forward to a short work week--happy Tuesday!
Jeez, that weekend went by fast--I'm constantly amazed that every weekend seems to fly by, but I don't really do much of anything. Friday was low-key with leftovers and on Saturday I ventured out for a quick Trader Joe's run and picked up a delicious breakfast sandwich from Ramona's, which is fast becoming my breakfast/lunch go-to (also, I'm officially on board with every breakfast sandwich containing broccoli rabe--so good).
Sunday morning consisted of laundry and exercise and I spent the afternoon with a couple family FaceTimes and making The Best Bolognese Of Our Time. Honestly, I wasn't that mad about the quietness of it all.
So here's to Monday--I think I'm going to start the 3rd season of "Killing Eve" this week (speaking of series, I watched "The Undoing" last week and it was so good) and I'm definitely looking for the long weekend ahead...not that I'll be doing anything.
The Thursday Special this week consists of the best purchase I made in 2020: the Peloton. And before I start, I would like to preface this by acknowledging that I have turned into that person--the person that gets all starry eyed and won't shut up about how amazing it is and who their favorite instructors are and how it has changed their life and all the little anecdotes that make you want to strangle someone until they finally shut up about a damn stationary bike.
Oh, how I used to cackle at the Christmas commercial from 2019 and roll my eyes at all of the converts and fanatics.
How the mighty and self righteous have fallen.
Prior to this, I wasn't big on spinning--I had taken a handful of spin classes at my local CycleBar and I enjoyed them, but I wouldn't say I was obsessed: I thought it was a good workout and I appreciated the amount that I sweat.
Then, the pandemic arrived. I went from walking around 4-6 miles a day and taking Pure Barre classes to barely leaving the house and it showed--I needed something that would motivate me to workout, and it just wasn't happening with streaming workouts online or making myself go for a run. I ended up ordering it in the end of July and it arrived mid-September, and I've been riding it consistently ever since.
I think what I like most about it is the variety of the classes--not just cycling but strength and stretching. Also, the fact that it's in my bedroom means that it stares me in the face the second I wake up and there are literally zero excuses (and I'm the queen of excuses)--if I'm pressed for time I'll hope on for a quick 20 minutes and feel like I got a solid workout in.
All this to say: I love it, I used to be a major skeptic, and if you get one we can talk about it for hours.
