Pages

8.27.2020

the thursday special.

 

Ilia mascara

The Thursday special is a new weekly post where I highlight something (anything) I'm loving. Will it really be weekly? Will this be a one and done like so many of my other posts? Only time will tell.

Even though I'm working from home and my human interaction is severely limited, I find some comfort in 1) putting on normal-ish clothes and 2) putting on a bit of makeup. Pandemic or not, I don't typically wear a lot of makeup, but most days I'll usually slap on some tinted moisturizer, mascara, my beloved eyebrow gel and a little blush. 

A month or two ago I bought Ilia's Limitless Lash Mascara from Sephora and have loved it ever since--it's not clumpy and while I don't necessarily see a difference when it comes to eyelash curl, it definitely extends them in a major way. What really sealed the deal on my love for this mascara was when I had a socially distant outdoor drink with a dear coworker and friend, and the first thing she said to me was "Your eyelashes! They're insane!", which is never a bad thing to hear. It comes off easily with makeup remover but really does a superb job of making your eyes pop. I recommend it most enthusiastically. 

8.25.2020

life lately.

 





Hello! I'm kind of in shock that in spite of the fact that we're in the midst of a global pandemic, the weeks are somehow flying by. How is August almost over? Truthfully, I'm very much looking forward to fall and the cooler temps--it's no secret that I run hot. Last week we were in the low seventies and dropped to the high fifties at night and I was in heaven. I so prefer sleeping with the windows open and a fan on as opposed to a/c that cycles on and off. And I know in the grand scheme it's not that big of a deal but I'm all about celebrating little happinesses right now--including buying fresh flowers every week. Small things make a huge difference in my psyche. (And I recently ordered 4 of these candles from Anthro so come September it will be pumpkin soufflé city in my condo).

The past couple of weeks have been filled with wine and couch time. I started and finished Killing Eve which I LOVED (can't wait for season 3 to come to Hulu), and I think I might tackle The Crown next. I made Jon and Vinny's Fusilli alla Vodka with Basil and Parmesan and I'll definitely make it again--super easy and good, and I just halved the red pepper flakes but it was still plenty spicy. And, I finally got my hair done--last time I got it cut/colored was December, and to say I feel like a new person is an understatement. Olive continues to be a velcro dog and I'm in serious trouble when I go back to the office...but that's a problem for future, 2021 Heather.

I hope you're continuing to stay safe and healthy and you're wearing your damn mask. 

8.20.2020

the thursday special.

 









The Thursday special is a new weekly post where I highlight something (anything) I'm loving. Will it really be weekly? Will this be a one and done like so many of my other posts? Only time will tell.

Have you heard of salt straps? Launched by two friends in 2018, these straps are handmade by Colombian artisans and a portion of each strap sold goes to Nest, which is "a non-profit dedicated to the advancement of global artisans through transparency, sustainability and advocacy". 

I can't quite remember where I first came across these, but I received one for Christmas last year and I fell in love--I've since bought another, and these interchangeable straps go perfectly with any bag with removable straps, from L.L Bean to Chloé. I especially love them with my Cuyana carryalls, (not that I'm really going to the office) but the thickness of the straps make them super comfortable and they're really chic.

If you're in the mood to switch up your standard bag with a new strap, I highly recommend salt.

 

8.10.2020

weekend things.



Hello! Did you have a good weekend? I did my usual Saturday/Sunday routine of laundry and grocery shopping but I mixed things up and got real crazy by walking down to The Highroller Lobster Co. for a takeout lobster roll and Frosé on Saturday. So good.

Aside from that, I rented You Should Have Left (it was meh) and read my current book, Friends and Strangers. I ended Sunday by making what has become my most favorite recipe of the summer: Bon Appétit's Broccoli Bolognese. It's really easy, veg-heavy, healthyish, and makes for very tasty leftovers. While the recipe calls for Italian sausage, I've always made it with Seemore Broccoli Melt Sausage--highly recommend.

That's all I've got. Here's to Monday. 


8.06.2020

the thursday special.


truff hot sauce

The Thursday special is a weekly post where I highlight something (anything) I'm loving. Will it really be weekly? Will this be a one and done like so many of my other posts? Only time will tell.

Coming in hot (see what I did there? ) to feature Truff Hot Sauce as this week's Thursday Special. I've never been the biggest hot sauce person, but God knows I cannot pass up anything truffle. I grabbed this at Whole Foods recently, and yes, it's pricey, but man is it tasty. It's hot but not too hot, with a subtle sweetness and a divine truffle flavor. So far, I'm loving it on eggs, breakfast hash and cauliflower tacos. Go get some. 

8.04.2020

gluten free sweet lavender scones.





I am most definitely not on a gluten free diet, but my dad and my sister are, so whenever I'm at my parents' house I've been known to dabble in gluten free recipes for the benefit of my gluten free family members. 

My dad is a huge fan of lavender and I usually make a batch or two of lavender honey ice cream for him every summer. I ordered a bag of edible lavender from Amazon for this very purpose when I went to visit them and decided to see what else I could use it for--he's a scone aficionado so sweet lavender scones it was. 

I used this recipe from Bon Appétit and they ended up being delicious. The only change I made was subbing regular flour for gluten free (either Cup-for-Cup or Bob's Red Mill 1-for-1) and while I think adding lemon curd would be great, it's totally not necessary.

So if you're gluten free (or not!) and enjoy lavender-flavored things, go forth and make these scones. 

8.03.2020

hey, it's august.





Hello! What a crazy few months this has been--I can't believe it's already August. It's really been a bit of a roller coaster and I think I've settled into somewhat of a routine...kind of? I had been hunkered down in my place in Portland since March, but I spent the last two and a half weeks at my parents' place in Massachusetts. My sister came up for a visit from Pittsburgh, and it was a nice little vacation for these strange times. We played ping pong, had a couple of get togethers with my brother, had a socially distanced visit with my grandmother, played golf, and just hung out which was really, really needed--and, since we had all been quarantining at our respective places I felt okay expanding to this little familial pod. We have tentative plans for an outdoor Thanksgiving this year (with heaters) and I'm really hoping it all works out.

As great as the past couple of weeks have been, May and June were tough. My maternal grandfather passed away from Covid-19 in May--he had been in assisted living and was in his 90s, but it happened really quickly and it was pretty shitty to have to mourn solo. We did have a Zoom memorial that ended up being wonderful, but it wasn't the same. 

Olive had some stomach issues, and after multiple trips to the emergency vet and a ton of stress she was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. I changed her food and she's now getting a small dose of steroids but she seems to be on the mend. She turned nine at the end of July, and I want to have many more years with my tiny little friend.

I've also been dealing with condo issues--the joys of home ownership coupled with dealing with an association has been a giant headache (and I recognize in the grand scheme of things, totally not that big of a deal). I think that there's a path forward but it's been one more "thing" to worry about. 

Work, on the other hand, has been great--I've continued to stay busy and the transition to working from home has been pretty seamless. I did decide to invest in a new office chair, and while I kind of want to puke with how much I'm spending on it I know it's a good investment. I'm going to be working from home until at least January 2021, and who knows if I'll even be back full time. My buns and my back will thank me.

And in other investments, I bought a Peloton. Again, big money, but when I think about what I was spending for a Pure Barre membership that wasn't being totally utilized, this made more sense. It doesn't arrive until September but I'm pumped.

And that's pretty much all that's been going on in my world over the past few months. I hope you're staying safe and healthy and having the best summer you possibly can.