Nine Favorite Things.

Welcome to this week’s Nine Favorite Things.

Hey, hi from Julian, California! Wow, you guys were not kidding when you said this town is small, it’s adorable, but not too much around outside of town. I got in Friday afternoon and we’re staying in a little cabin outside of town. My parents arrived Thursday night, so when I walked into the house I was met by Asher and her “I should warn you’s…” Of which consisted of freezing cold bedrooms, an even colder bathroom, and a shower with no door. It seemed everything she said, she followed up with, “I should warn you”. Thankfully she’s pretty darn cute, which sort of softens the blow.

But even though the house is well…interesting, the town is really sweet and so cute. I love little towns! Now, before any of you ask, no I haven’t tried the apple pie…yet. It’s currently Saturday morning so I just haven’t had a chance. More on the apple pie and wedding to come next week!

I’m heading to LA on Sunday morning. l will say that I’m looking forward to a nice shower and some warmer temps. I’m staying at the 1 Hotel West Hollywood. This is a new hotel for me, but I’ve heard really nice things about it. It’s been nice to get out of Colorado, it’s been a long, long while.

The last time I was in LA was just a couple of weeks before this time last year. Right before everything shut down. So crazy that it’s been a whole year! And wow, things are different, but we’re making do with our “new normal”.

Soo, that means my visit here in LA isn’t nearly as jam-packed as my trips usually are. Just a small shoot tomorrow, then actually nothing but zoom meetings from my hotel room on Tuesday, and a quick stop at the Home & Family set before heading home Wednesday night. Different kind of work trip, but thankful to be getting back into things.

And aside from that, not too much to report…at least yet. I’m going to try to keep this post fun and entertaining, but shorter than my usual mile-long Sunday post! Because we are at a family wedding. As you guys know, my mom, who is the other side of HBH, copy-edits every single blog post before we push them live. She has since day one of HBH, crazy, right? And if she didn’t, you guys wouldn’t have a clue what I was trying to say. Grammar has never been my strongest trait.

Coming up this week, lots of recipes with Easter in mind! Starting the week off with a new sandwich that’s my personal favorite recipe of the week. Then something sweet for Easter (that you’ve all been requesting). An easy, easy, Easter dinner. And we’ll be ending the week with a spring breakfast recipe. Oh, and then a cocktail too. It’s time to bring those back for spring and summer!

Lastly, I do want to say something about the horrible shooting this past week in Boulder, CO. It’s hard to ignore and not speak on. I wasn’t aware it had happened until a follower alerted me. Even though we are not located near Boulder, this one hit close to home. Immediately I was hit with the horrific thoughts of “what if that was dad in that store shopping”, “what if Asher had been with him”, just so many scary “what ifs”. I can’t even imagine.

It’s so scary, incredibly sad, and just something I can’t begin to wrap my head around. My heart goes out to the families and friends affected by the shooting. My family’s thoughts and prayers are with you all right now.

Hope you guys enjoy this week’s favorite’s post and enjoy the final Sunday of March. It’s April next week and blooming spring days are ahead!

Question: what are you looking forward to the most in April? For me personally, I’m finally wrapping up a looming deadline at the end of the month and while it still feels daunting, I know the end is near and that’s exciting. Also, spring styles and spring flowers!

1. things i’m loving, wanting, and excited to try…

watching…Operation Varsity Blues on Netflix. This follows the college admissions scandal. And while I don’t normally watch shows about this, I am really curious. Has anyone watched it?

burning…Diptyque Mimosa Scented Candle. Love this one for spring, it reminds me of Easter and Mother’s Day.

listening to…Secrets To Personal Growth Time Management, & Productivity on The Skinny Confidential. This is SO interesting. If you struggle with time management, I recommend listening to this. Not everything is super doable, but I took away a lot from this.

reading…Clique Bait. If you have younger kids, Asher is loving this book.

loving…La Casa Rosa a stunning home in Sydney, Australia. The marble island along has me sold on this house. So unique and timeless.

ordered…Magnesium. I have seen so many articles on magnesium recently and how so many of us are lacking in it. Finally ordered some. If you struggle with sleep, I’d read more about magnesium and how it can help with sleep disorders.

baking…. this Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. It’s just like a giant peanut butter cup, but so much better.

loving…this Simple Black Dress. The detailing on the back is so pretty. It’s the perfect linen dress for spring and summer.

drinking…these fun Creamy Coconut Lime Mojitos. Always a hit.

reading…Nomadeland as recommended by my cousin Ethel. This sounds super interesting. A riveting account of resilience and efficacy of Americans that live on the road.

2. Easter Recipe Ideas…

Drinks:

Creamy Coconut Lime Mojito

Spicy Cucumber Margarita

(extra) Dirty Horchata

Breakfast/Brunch:

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Coffee Cake

Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake

Raspberry Lemon Brioche Rolls with Whipped Ricotta Cream

Cinnamon Sugar French Toast

Cinnamon Sugar Brown Butter Popovers

Easiest Cinnamon Crunch Knots

Berry and Cream Cheese Croissant French Toast Bake

Ultimate Spring Brunch Board

Herby Everything Cheddar Swirl Buns

Roasted Mixed Potatoes with Spring Herbs and Burrata

Sesame Roasted Asparagus with Whipped Feta

Asparagus and Brie Puff Pastry with Thyme Honey

Lunch/Dinner:

Roasted Turmeric Chicken Pitas with Garlic Lemon Tahini

Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Lemon Butter Potatoes with Whipped Feta

One Skillet Cheesy Cuban Chicken Rice Bake

Garlic Butter Creamed Spinach Salmon

Roasted Lemon Artichoke and Browned Butter Pasta

Greek Lamb Meatballs with Avocado Goddess Sauce

Herbed Garlic Butter Scallops with Lemony Feta Dressing

One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Butter Orzo

Desserts

Easy Vanilla Earl Grey Crème Brûlée

Coconut Pecan Caramel Butter Cake

Simple Lemon Sugar Burnt Basque Cheesecake

Gooey Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

Vanilla Tiramisu Cake

Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Custard Cake

Milk Chocolate Stuffed Peanut Butter Bunny Cookies

Strawberry Chamomile Naked Cake

Lemon Coconut Naked Cake with Whipped Vanilla Buttercream

Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

3. Asher’s Favorite Home Picks…

We’re having an Asher-themed Nine Favorite Things. Today, she is sharing some of her favorite product finds!

4. Favorite Questions of the Week…

q: What is your go-to karaoke song? 
a: honestly I’m horrible with music and don’t listen to it much. But the first thing that came to mind was “Hit Me Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears. I feel like that’s a classic, right?? That’s got to be good for karaoke!

q: What movie could you watch over and over? 
a: Harry Potter 100%. it never gets old.

q: How do you always making everything look so perfect?
a: Thank you!!! but you’ve got to know I am far from perfect. Sooo far from it. There are days I truly go around like a chicken with her head cut off. It’s messy ? I think Instagram can paint this perfect picture but you’ve got to remember you’re only seeing maybe 1/4 of someone’s life!

q: What are your favorite baking sheets?
a: I love the Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch baking sheets.

q: What are your favorite kitchen gadgets?
a: I am super simple with kitchen gadgets. I honestly only have the basics and nothing more.

Stand mixer, food processor, blender (but I use my food processor more), cast iron everything, cutting boards, sharp knives, cookie school, and bench scraper for quickly cleaning counters.

I can’t think of anything else other than my espresso machine, good knives, cutting boards…oh, and skillets are key!

q: Did you always want to work in social media?
a: haha! no! growing up social media was MySpace (do you remember MySpace?) and not even a thing yet. But I’ve always loved to be creative and thought I’d do fashion styling. I even moved to LA for a hot second to do so when I was 18. I never thought I’d be doing what I’m doing today!

q: What is your favorite gluten free cookie?
a: Gluten free or not, these tahini cookies are my favorite I’ve ever shared.

5. Photo I Loved most This Week…

6. Inspiring Me this Week on Pinterest.

The spring/summer travel edition…

As things slowly start to move again in the world, I know so many people who are planning trips for the late spring and summer months. Here are the places inspiring me on Pinterest. Some are close to home, while others are dream destinations I hope to explore someday!

The Lost Coast: California Redwoods + Oregon Coast

The 9 Absolute BEST Beaches in Thailand

Hiking Opal Creek (Oregon)

Amalfi Coast Travel Bucket List

Seychelles Island, East Africa

Paris