Nine Favorite Things.

Nine Favorite Things – lilacs are my favorite

Happiest Sunday, happiest Father’s Day, and geez happy summer! Hope you all are able to celebrate your dads in some way today, whether you’re together or far apart. I think we all know how much we love my dad over here. He’s a real special guy, truly one of a kind. He’s quirky, smart, hard-working, and I swear with every year that passes, he gets odder and odder. And you know, we only love him more because of it. He’s unapologetic and says whatever’s on his mind. Sometimes it’s scary, but in today’s world, I appreciate his frankness. He doesn’t care what others think, he’ll let you know exactly how he really feels, which can be a rarity.

He’s not big on celebrations, so we keep Father’s Day pretty low-key. When the weather’s so nice, as it’s been, all he wants is to spend the day outside hanging with the people he loves.

And on that note, happy summer! Well, it officially starts Tuesday, but close enough. We had the nicest weather this week, and as I said last week, the sunshine, warmer temperatures, lush green trees, and wildflowers make me the happiest. These are the days I really love where we live. No place I’d rather be when the weather is this nice and the lilacs are blooming.

I worked on the computer all day Friday. Had an amazing design meeting for our renovations. And then ended the day with an early evening walk around the neighborhood with my mom as the sun set. It’s one of my favorite times of the day, even when it’s cloudy. It’s stunning right now, everything is blooming!

What else, all good things to report. It’s been an awesome few weeks since we’ve been back from Miami. Work-wise, I’m really focusing on only doing things that excite me and passing on everything else. As someone who has had a “yes, yes, yes”, mentality for the last 9 years, it’s empowering to have the ability and confidence to say no. I love the things we’re working on and the small team we’ve built. We’re working hard on improving the website and have a few fun projects for the fall that I’m so excited about. I have a quick trip at the end of the month for something we’re launching in September that I cannot wait to share with you guys. It’s new, it’s fun, and I think you’ll all really like it!

On the family front, it’s nice having Creighton here right now, he’s always fun to cook for. His requests can be a little out there and he’s always wanting these exotic meats, so I just adapt them to how I want to cook.

Asher is officially on summer vacation. She and mom are focusing on planning our family vacation, which sounds like it’s coming up quickly. I guess we have an updated location (and timing). Yes, the location and times continue to change. Welcome to the process of putting together a Gerard family vacation with upwards of 18 people, it’s chaotic. At this point, the location is going to be a surprise for us all, myself included. No matter where we end up, I’m looking forward to some time off. I’ve been cooking nonstop in prep for travel days!

So those are my updates. Nothing super exciting, but sometimes life is just life. Things are good, and you live it day-to-day. Thankful for these warm sunny days.

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

loving…legs up the wall + dry brushing. I have been really making an effort to take care of my body a little more at night. Throwing my legs up the wall + dry brushing has been a game-changer. Legs up the wall for 15 minutes helps drain the body of excess fluid, reducing toxicity in the body, increasing circulation, and reducing inflammation. And I think it’s helped my energy too. Then, dry brushing. The skin is our biggest organ, so treating it right is important! I’ve been religiously dry brushing before hopping in the shower and it’s made a huge difference (love this dry brush). My legs feel baby soft. Still working on my feet however. I need a foot scraper if anyone has any good recommendations! Especially ahead of vacation.

listening to…Simon Huck on Move with Heart. I really enjoyed this conversation between two incredibly close friends. It was a nice light-hearted podcast with good values and business talk mixed in.

dreaming of going…Planta Luxury Boutique Resort in Indonesia. Well, this place looks magical. I hadn’t considered Indonesia before! So many places I have never been to!

crafting…pressing summer flowers. I LOVE this idea of drying out summer flowers and then using them as decor. Such a fun idea. And since we have many wildflowers throughout the yard, I’m looking forward to spending a Saturday getting creative with this project.

wearing…Ariel Gordan Jewelry. All of her pieces are stunning, I am loving the teensy pear diamond ring especially. The sherbert bracelet and strawberry necklace are so super sweet and playful.

reading…3 Easy Sheet-Pan Recipes for When You Can’t Be Bothered. Hilary Kerr’s newsletter never disappoints. She was so sweet to include the tzatziki bowls in her latest letter.

loving…Hailey Bieber + her new skincare brand, Rhode. I’ve followed Hailey for a long time, but more for her style than anything else. I think her looks are simple, but with an interesting, chic element. It’s very much my vibe. She just launched her skincare brand, Rhode and after listening to her speak on a podcast, I’m excited to test out the products. Just like her style, it’s the basics but elevated, and it’s sold at an affordable price point too. Each product is under $30.

loving…Staud Clothing – still. I know I talked about the brand last week, but their summer collection is so fun. Love this beaded bag in the soleil flower pattern, it’s fun and cute – definitely a summer bag. This crochet bag is great for beach days and I love this bucket bag for exploring a new city or summer market. I adore this mini dress. I’m thinking about ordering the black, but actually love the grapefruit shade too. And you can never go wrong with white either. Also, loving this Saybln skirt + tube top look, but the not the price. Found a similar super cute tube top (with a cardigan!) over on Abercrombie and Fitch. This black Donni tube top is cute too.

wanting to try…the new MUTHA exfoliating body bar. I already love their body butter (I’ll use it after dry brushing), so I am sure the body bar is just as amazing.

ordered…TAN-LUXE The Water Hydrating Self-Tan Water. After you all recommended this new TAN-LUXE product – and then my mom commented on my pale skin – I ordered this immediately. 

loving…Brinker & Eliza jewelry, Just came access this necklace, I know Asher and I would both love it.

ordered…Zara vacation finds. Or just some summer pieces. I love to mix high and low and Zara has been a go-to source lately. Packing this satin cutout dress for a night out paired with a blazer or cardigan. Picked up this silk bandeau bra for all the strappy dresses. Also, just discovered Zara Jewelry. This earring pack is the perfect base set (ordered it) and this playful beaded necklace is fun for vacation but great for all summer days.

loving…Necessaire neck cream. The brand just launched a neck cream and it’s so good you guys. It feels very luxurious and I love that they now have a product just for the neck! Use HBH10 for 10% off the treatment collection.

loving…Ilia limitless lash mascara. Have used this for years. A tried and true favorite.

taking…Seed probiotics.

curious about…Stoney Clover Lane. I keep reading about this cute, but affordable travel bag brand and am so curious to try a few bags. Especially love this cute duffle. And since I don’t own a makeup/skincare travel bag, their popular Classic Small Pouch is in my cart. So many color options and you can customize the bags too!

carrying…beach bags. Excited to take this Ancient Greek Sandals Demijohn Bag on vacation in a couple of weeks. Also love this beach tote from Clare V.

baking…my Blueberry Chamomile Galette. A tried and true summertime staple. It’s so easy and one of my favorite summertime desserts.

making me happy…the blooming lilac trees. I’ve been picking branches and they make my house smell wonderful.

2. Dad’s favorite recipes for summer.

Crispy BBQ Salmon Tacos

Skillet Creamy Cajun Chicken Lazone with Herby Corn

Sheet Pan Cheesy Poblano Corn Enchiladas

Detroit Style Tomato Herb Pepperoni Pizza

Honey Mustard Chicken Avocado Sandwich with Tahini Ranch

Homemade Chocolate Frosty

Peaches and Cream Pretzel Pie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake

3. 4th of July entertaining.

4. Favorite questions of the week.

q: where do you shop for clothes? Great style!
a: mostly Shopbop and Revolve. they make it so easy for me to be able to order quickly and return if needed (they always send a label). it just makes my life so much easier. and the selection is exactly what I’m looking for. I order from Reformation, Zara, Aritzia, and Nordstrom a lot too. for higher-end items, I’ll use Moda Operandi, Net-a-Porter, and FWRD.

q: what’s your pet peeve?
a: this can’t be my biggest, but at the top of my mind is chipped nails. if I have polish on and they’re chipped it drives me crazy.

q: how to transition from being an on-the-go mostly eating out to mostly eating in? 
a: start slowly! don’t expect yourself to eat at home every day right away. start with making it a goal to only eat at home 2 days a week, then slowly build on that. do everything you can to keep that goal. grocery shop, prep vegetables, find a recipe that excites you, invite a friend over, whatever will help you to succeed. do your best to make eating at home fun, enjoyable, and delicious (:

q: do you feel like people judge you for not having a boyfriend? I’m 28 and get this 🙁
a: yeah, I do. but you do you!! try to block out the haters or the people who are judging. if you’re happy where you are in life that’s all that matters. our time will come! enjoy life as it is.

q: what do you admire most about your mom?
a: there are so many things. her generosity and kindness for others is amazing. she’s always thinking of ways to give back and she really ingrained into me that if you lead with kindness, you’ll get kindness in return. I haven’t always, always found that to be true (…the world can be harsh), but it’s served me so well to live life that way. I can’t regret the things I say if they’re kind. but there isn’t anyone more willing to help others than my mom. she goes the extra mile for everyone she meets. and I mean everyone.

q: what’s always in your purse?
a: sea salt. and it’s empty! haha. you just never know when you’ll need sea salt. I use this all the time when traveling.

q: favorite summer outfits this year? 
a: I’m really into skirts, mini and long are my favorites. I love a shoulder bag, and I’m very into dresses with blazers or skirts with blazers. slides of course. not that into the sneaker trend or shield sunglasses.

q: random, how much water do you drink a day? Thanks for all the inspiration!
a: so much water. it’s been the best thing for my skin and energy. I go through at least 4 of these 30-ounce Yeti mugs a day. I don’t like cold water so I like the insulated mug instead of a water bottle to keep it warm ??‍♀️ I’m weird.

q: I notice you use a ton of spices in your recipes. How important are the spices?
a: I use soooo many spices. spices are everything. I love them because they’re the easiest way to really add flavor to dishes. they’re also a pantry staple so you shouldn’t ever have a recipe that tastes boring! a little pinch of paprika or chili flakes goes a long way. plus dried ginger, garlic, and onion can be really nice on those weeks when you didn’t make it to the store for fresh ingredients.

q: best products for under eye?
a: I’ve really been loving the Dr. Barbara Sturm anti aging eye cream. I use it in the am + pm after a serum. also, a great vitamin C. I love Dr. Sturms’s GOOD C serum in the am (before the cream).

q: do you listen to podcasts? If so, which are your favorites? 
a: I love podcasts. I’ve been listening to The Skinny Confidential podcast for the longest time. I find so much value within their episodes and always learn something new, it’s never boring. I’ve been listening to Melissa Wood’s new podcast, The Move With Heart Podcast, and love it. Livv Perez’s podcast, Friend of a Friend, has become a new favorite. I love her variety of guests, and again, I always learn something. Armchair Expert, of course, I think this was the first podcast I ever listened to and it’s still a favorite. The Second Life is always great too! I’ve also been listening to Emma Chamberlain’s podcast, Anything Goes. Molly Sims + Emese Gormley’s, Lipstick on the Rim, is fun for all things beauty (I’ve learned a lot). also love the Life with Marianna Hewitt podcast. I’m forgetting some for sure though.

q: I see you toss in olive oil on the baking sheet. I usually use a bowl – extra dishes ?
a: haha! yes! if I can, I always toss ingredients together on the baking sheet. when recipes call for mixing in a bowl I simply add the ingredients to the baking pan. then mix everything on the pan instead. one less dirty dish!

q: a piece of clothing you’ve had forever and could never part with?
a: a sweatshirt of my moms that she used to let me wear to school when I was having a lot of anxiety about going. this was in kindergarten and she still has the sweatshirt. don’t think either one of us could get rid of it. I used to take it with me and it felt like I had some of my mom with me at school too. sounds so lame but if your kid is struggling with separation anxiety, this helped me sooo much when I was younger.

q: can you give me baby girl name ideas?
a: Khai (love this spelling for a girl). my brother’s name is Kai and it’s always been my favorite name. Khai so so pretty for a girl, I also like Zephina.

5. Tieghan’s house update.

I shared mock-ups that, Katie, our designer, made of the studio last week. This week, I have mock-ups of my house. I’m so excited for this new space. It’s going to feel so much lighter.

living room

chair options

1st option

2nd option

3rd option

Which chair is your pick?

bedroom

kitchen

1st option: short island

2nd option: long island

bath

6. Photos from the week.

fresh herbs from the garden

Ariel Gordan teensy pear diamond ring + pave rope band + sherbert bracelet

lilacs blooming

Ariel Gordan Jewelry strawberry necklace

couldn’t have been gifted a cooler dad. we love him 

7. Favorite links i’m loving.

Don’t Forget to Pack These Vacation Makeup Essentials

A Long Weekend in Oaxaca City…where to eat, stay, and shop.

Jonathan + Zooey’s New Home…such a cute feature.

Steve Cordony’s Kitchen Is a Lesson in Luxe Country Design…what a pretty kitchen.

15 Shaving Secrets to Help You Survive Summer…good to know.

5 Summer Home Décor Trends of 2022 That Will Last Beyond the Season

9 Destinations Perfect For Your First Solo Trip…I’ve never done a solo vacation.

8 Easy Tricks to Take the Best Travel Photos on Your iPhone…good tips.

This TikTok-Famous Color Corrector Made My Dark Circles Vanish

An Awkward  Top-of-Stairs Space turned Into a Chic Playroom

Non-Toxic Cleaning Products for Spring Cleaning Your Home

How to Make Produce Last Longer…good to know if you stock summer produce.

Everything You Need to Style an Outdoor Table for Summer Entertaining…cute finds.

6 Tips For Sustainable Gardening In Small Spaces…garden lovers.

8. Favorite summer denim.

9. This week’s dinners + weekend eats.

Monday: Crispy Honey Ginger Salmon Bowl

Tuesday: Summer Chicken Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

Wednesday: Browned Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Cheese Ravioli

Thursday: Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo

Friday: Strawberry Watermelon Salad with Burrata

Saturday: Iced Strawberry Milk Matcha Latte

Sunday: Blackberry Lavender Ice Cream Sandwiches