TheHappyGirl Experiment

My favorite chill playlist

2024-01-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

Other than when I am sleeping, I listen to music all the time. I have two playlists that I listen to the most. This one, Nantucket Beach House Sunset, is perfect for when I want to relax.

It's cold and raw here in Seattle right now but when I listen to this playlist, I think of warm nights on Nantucket, with a group of friends joining us on the terrace. The air is salty and humid and laughter floats in the air, I look at the people I love enjoying themselves as my favorite music flavors our background. I hope you like it too.

My favorite Disney item for our 5 year-old

2023-07-11T09:07:00.002-07:00

Of all of the Disney items we have bought our five year-old, this is the one that is her favorite. Five Disney Princess shirts all in one package. Each shirt looks like a Disney Princess dress. With five shorts, and five pairs of colored bike shorts, this would be the perfect set of outfits for a Disney vacation.

Our daughter wore a different Disney Princess outfit every day at camp last week and when we visit Walt Disney World next, these outfits will be coming with us. The shirts are high quality, thick and wash and dry well (dry inside out).

If your daughter loves Disney, this pack of five Disney Princess shirts is a steal at $34.79.

My Favorite Bronzer

2023-06-30T08:57:00.004-07:00

I love bronzers. I love the feel of air dried hair, tan skin and rosy cheeks. This means that I have tried every bronzer from the department store brands including Chanel to the drugstore brands. I've tried creams, powders and gels. None of the brands I have tried gave me the perfect look. Until now.

I just purchased the e.l.f. Putty Bronzer in Golden Daze. I used their putty brush and applied it over my sunscreen. I am in love. It's even better than the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream. This e.l.f. product is actually not just an excellent dupe for Chanel but on me the color is more of a true tan and the application was much smoother. I added the e.l.f. putty blush in Tahiti across the bridge of my nose and cheeks and I looked like I had spent the day on the beach without the sunburn. This is it. For $14 total I achieved the exact look of a healthy summer glow that I always wanted. I can't recommend this enough. I'm heading back to buy a few more for my handbag and carry-on bag.

My Favorite Travel Mug

2023-06-02T10:03:00.007-07:00

I can't seem to log on to Instagram without seeing ads for travel mugs and while I've tried others, I keep coming back to my 40 ounce Simple Modern tumbler. I drink mostly iced tea and iced espresso with nugget ice and this mug keeps my iced drinks cold for more than 24 hours.It also fits perfectly in my car's cupholder and I love the way it feels in my hand. This ombre color is sold out but I'd buy this a thousand times over in any color.

happy food: French onion chicken

2022-11-03T08:15:00.002-07:00

Last night was cold and perfect for trying this new recipe. While the ingredients are simple, the longest part of making this dinner was carmelizing the onions. It's worth it though. It was perfect for a cool evening.

Ingredients

2 cups of shredded chicken

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, cut into slivers

1/2 cup white wine

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme (to taste)

2 tablespoons of shredded gruyere

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Shred store-bought rotisserie chicken and return to fridge while you prepare the onions.

Add olive oil to pan. When oil is shimmering, add the finely sliced onion and wine. Heat on medium. Cover and stir every now and then. It should take approximately 45 minutes to achieve that perfect caramelized consistency. If there is little liquid left, slowly add chicken broth to keep the onions moist.

Once the onions are caramelized, add flour, stir and add chicken broth, heavy cream, thyme, gruyere, salt and pepper. Cook until bubbly.

*Notes

- I used a Costco rotisserie chicken or sauté chicken breasts, cooled then shredded

- You can substitute apple cider vinegar or chicken broth for the white wine

- You can substitute cream cheese for the heavy cream

- Trader Joe's currently carries fresh thyme. I bough the thyme, rosemary, mint and basil plants. They line my kitchen window. In this recipe, the fresh thyme really brings a perfect balance to the richness of the onions and cream flavor

- The flavors are very smooth and rich. The serving should be small. This pairs well with white wine and a simple salad

happy food: Emma Leigh Plant Based Mini Empanadas

2022-07-05T12:01:00.001-07:00

Having a four year-old, I'm always exposing her to new foods. While I don't cook red meat, I do prepare chicken and fish dinners. I also try to serve as many different foods from the world as well as plant-based products. Recently, I tried Emma Leigh's Plant Based Mini Empanadas which I found at Costco.

Made with Beyond Beef, these empanadas were spiced perfectly and had a meat-like texture (if you're vegan, the beefy texture might put you off. It threw me a little. I haven't eaten beef since I was child.) They are packed with flavor but a little dry. I served them with freshly made guacamole, salsa verde and Greek yogurt. Dipped in the sauces, they were great. This was our main meal, which I served with a salad. While this gets two thumbs up from Larry and I, Waverly was a little more trepidatious. She liked the pastry but not so much on the filling.

If you're trying to live a more plant-based lifestyle, these little pockets might be just what you're looking for.

The Bounty of Summer

2022-07-01T05:00:00.003-07:00

Last week Waverly went to a farm to pick strawberries. The farmstandd we went to was overflowing with the bounty of summer, even with all of the rain we've had in Seattle over the past few months. In addition to the strawberries which literally melted in your mouth with sweetness, I also picked up some corn on the cob, warm biscuits, eggs and a marionberry pie (which made a lovely breakfast the next few mornings.)

My favorite way to eat strawberries is fresh from vine while sitting in the sun but strawberry shortcake is a close second. It's such a simple recipe. Wash, hull and slice strawberries and set aside. Slice a biscuit in half. (It's best warm so either serve immediately after baking or toast lightly.) Top with spoonfuls of strawberries and sprinkle with a quarter teaspoon of sugar and pile high with vanilla whipped cream. Top with more strawberries. I could honestly eat this for breakfast. lunch and dinner all summer.

I purchased this strawberry huller and slicer and this $9 gadget was a game changer. I don't usually like to buy kitchen gadgets that do just one thing but thing one made hulling the strawberries a cinch.

Available on Amazon for $8.98.

Nantucket Beach House Sunset Playlist

2022-06-03T11:29:00.004-07:00

I love summer. White linen, languid mornings watering the plants in the garden and days spent by the beach.

Music is such a part of that whole summer vibe. This playlist, Nantucket Beach House Sunset, will remind you of that perfect summer evening outside with your favorite people around you, cool drinks in hand and laughter hanging in the warm, salty air.

I hope you enjoy this playlist as much as we do.

And so the summer begins

2022-05-31T04:00:00.002-07:00

I love this first weekend of summer. It's just so full of promise. I think of summer mornings in a beach town, with its cool mornings, ponytail, sweatshirt, cardboard cup of coffee in hand. I love the way people in a beach town always say hi or nod or smile as they pass by each other. Is it something in the water or in the air that generally makes people happy or friendlier or more content?

I love that desire to eat clean, simple foods like vegetables fresh from the garden. Oh, that perfect ear of Butter-Sugar corn from the farm-stand, strawberry pancake dinners at the firehouse, languid days sipping sun-brewed tea by the pool.

This year feels almost normal again. I hope that you feel that sense of excitement for this summer too.

Here's to summer!

waving around the world playlist

2022-02-25T11:08:00.001-08:00

I recently did something incredible. I drove across the country with our four year-old daughter, Waverly. One of the best things we did was creating a playlist called Waving Around the World. I asked our friends to contribute their favorite travel songs too, which I added to the playlist.

I hope you enjoy this travel inspired Spotify playlist and that it inspires you to pursue your wanderlust too.

Because They Need More Love

2021-10-06T13:08:00.004-07:00

Earlier this week, I was driving with our toddler when someone flipped me off. The other driver ran a red light, I beeped at them as they came inches from hitting our car. We watched as they angrily motioned at us, beeped back and gave us the finger.

Even at four years-old, our daughter understood the emotion in that moment. She asked what happened and I told her that the driver was clearly in a hurry and drove through the stoplight when it wasn’t his turn and that he could have hurt himself or us.

She said “He was mad, wasn’t he?”

“Yes,” I said. “Quite angry.”

“You know, he was just mad that he almost got into an accident and just wanted to vent his frustration,” I told her,

Waverly was quiet. Then she said “Maybe we was having a bad morning and just needs more love.”

Maybe he just needed more love.

She was listening.

As she grew and started figuring out her emotions (and others), we made sure that she understood that she wasn’t responsible for other people’s moods. We told her that sometimes people will be in bad moods but that it wasn’t a reflection on her. I remember a very early conversation with her when she told me that if someone was mean to her that she would be mean back. “I don’t like mean people,” she said.

I realized that in that moment, we could teach her how to handle mean people in a way that would hopefully insulate her feelings against someone else’s bad mojo. I said, “You know, it would feel good in the moment to be mean back but that only hurts you. Maybe they are acting our because they weren’t treated well themselves.”

“Maybe they just need more love,” she said. I loved that. Ever since we had that discussion, that is how we handle other people’s aggressions. Someone wants to be mean? Be mean but that won’t affect us. We’re just going to send back good vibes and step away from the situation. Waverly is so good at this, at keeping her confident, happy bubble around her, regardless of what someone else’s temperament is. I have been practicing this as well. It works. My first reaction wasn’t to flip the other driver off. Instead, I thought “OK, they’re clearly having a bad day. I hope they drive safely.” It felt good not to throw that negative energy back. It didn’t seep into my mood. It happened and we moved on, safely. This is considerably different than how I previously processed other people’s negative energy. I would take an aggression to heart and run it over in my head. It was fruitless and pointless and left me feeling zapped.

Now though, I know that Waverly is adding to her emotional toolbox and that hopefully flipping someone off won’t ever be a consideration. Rather, an honest “I’m sorry” will be her first reaction and hopefully driving lessons will prevent her from running reds.

happy things: 21 seeds tequila

2021-07-22T03:00:00.021-07:00

If you asked me what one meal I would enjoy forever it would be fresh, warm tortilla chips + guacamole along with margaritas, preferably served while looking out at the sea. There's something about salty air hair and margaritas that are magical together.

This summer has been so hot here in Seattle that ice cold margaritas are a welcome start to the end of the day, even without the sea. While I usually use Patron tequila, I recently ordered the trio of 21 Seeds Tequilas: Grapefruit Hibiscus, Cucumber Jalapéno and Valencia Orange. I first noticed 21 Seeds on Instagram. While I liked idea of the flavors, I loved the idea that 21 Seeds is a woman-owned company that partnered with a tequila distillery in Mexico staffed primarily by women. I ordered the trio of flavors from their website.

When the package arrived, my friend, Heidi, invited me over to try out some recipes. Her backyard is reminiscent of a home (that you never want to leave) on the Mediterranean, complete with lavender and a Labrador who just wants to lay across your feet.

We decided to start with Hibiscus Grapefruit and used the 21 Seeds Skinnyseed Paloma recipe as inspiration. The grapefruit slant to tequila was a perfect pairing. Even as shots, the Hibiscus Grapefruit would be outstanding. Adding the spring of basil at the end, though, really made this recipe sparkle.

We're poring over new recipe and in the next few weeks we'll be trying the other two flavors. Here's to happy summer afternoons!

The Happy Paloma Recipe

For each cocktail add:

1 1/2 ounces of 21 Seeds Grapefruit Hibiscus Tequila

1 1/2 ounces of pink grapefruit juice

2 ounces of seltzer (we used Polar Orange Vanilla Seltzer)

Pour over ice and add a wedge of pink grapefruit and a spring of fresh basil

* The drinkers are from glassybaby in the colors rosé and vodka.

my favorite new cleaning product: Saint Olio

2021-05-17T03:00:00.001-07:00

I used to the be the girl who thought if the wet spaces (kitchen/bathrooms) smelled like bleach, then they were clean. During the pandemic, especially, I really upped my cleaning game.While it smelled clean and I knew that bleach would kill whatever germs were living in our home, I started to think about the fumes we inhaled and the toxins and chemicals that we were inviting into our home.

I started researching household cleaners and just when I decided to make my own, I came across Saint Olio, a brand that makes cleaning products the are not only anti-microbial but they smell good too. I did a deep dive into the brand and I loved the philosophy of SD Kaven, the company's founder. I like that the cleaning products in her line are synthetic-free while scented with essential oils.

I bought the three main scents as well as the limited edition. Originally, my plan was to use the first one and then move on to the second scent when I finished the first one, but I've found that I like using the different scents according to my moods. I love how clean my kitchen is and how our home just smells wonderful.

The Originals Trio Pack (the one I purchased) is $75 with free shipping.

when this is over

2021-05-11T05:00:00.002-07:00

I have to admit that this thought has run through my mind hundreds (thousands?) of times in the past 400+ days that we have self-quarantined in one way or another. When I just couldn't face making another breakfast, I would close my eyes and think about brunch, marvelous, delicious, heavenly brunch. Bellinis, crispy bacon, a delicate omelet with goat cheese, avocado toast drizzled with chili-infused olive oil, bright red, perfect strawberries the size of a baby's fist and lemon blueberry pancakes. I would get happy just thinking to myself, "Oh, when this over, I am going to go on a tour of my favorite brunch spots. Soon. Soon."

I actually can't remember the last time I went out to brunch. I think maybe January, 2020? It isn't only brunch that I miss but flights. I miss the long six-hour flight from Seattle to Boston when I would relax, sip something sparkling and read Elin Hilderbrand's latest book about Nantucket. I would be offline for a glorious few hours and have nothing to do but think about what I would be doing when I landed in Massachusetts. I miss that.

I miss dozens of things from watching Waverly gain confidence in swim class to the way she flings herself into the arms of her favorite people. I miss my favorite people too.

And yet.

There is something that happened that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I got to spend an uninterrupted 400+ days with my toddler. Yes, toddlers are A LOT. The questions are non-stop all day. They LOVE a food so you buy it in bulk and the next day, they can't stand the food you now have enough of to feed an entire pre-school class. Still, I look at her face and I listen to her questions which make me see the world from her point of view. I am fascinated as I watch her grow and navigate her world, as limited as it is right now.

In the normal world, my husband and I would have been on planes going somewhere around the world, either working or visiting family and friends. Instead, we have been limited to this house of ours. We slowed down. We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner together. We've built endless Magna-Tile towers. We've colored, painted and tended a garden. I've spent languid afternoons in our bed with Waverly in what is supposed to be a nap but turns into "chat chat chat" as she likes to call it. I tell her about moments in my life and what we will do in the future. Sometimes we fall asleep, Waverly's head tucked just under my chin. I listen to her steady toddler breathing and I drift off too only to wake up with a pudgy hand resting on my face. The love I have for this feral, fantastic, kind, sweet girl of mine is something I could never have imagined.

As this pandemic winds down (hopefully!) I am looking forward to expanding Waverly's world again and going back to swim classes and flights to see our favorite people but for now, I hold this little one close to my heart and softly tell her that soon we will be diving into our favorite lemon-blueberry pancakes together. Soon, my sweet girl.

An easy way to feel good: the clean fridge

2021-03-03T04:00:00.005-08:00

Not long ago, I opened the fridge to make breakfast and there were so many different take-out containers teetering on top pf other items that I decided to just take everything out, condiments included and start over from scratch. I no longer wanted to play a game of Jenga every morning when all I wanted was to make egg bites.

Out went all the take-out containers, sad forgotten fruits and vegetables, condiments that had expired or had lids that I could no longer remove. The deli/cheese drawer held the foil-wrapped remains of various cheeses and meats that should have been thrown away awhile ago. Also gone were the bottles of sparkling wine I kept on hand which I had stocked prior of 2020, before brunches with friends became a thing of the past.

The drawers themselves needed a good scrubbing too, which was easy to do once it was emptied. Then, after a trip to Trader Joe's, I carefully started adding back the items that I know we will use, rather than ingredients that I aspire to use. I can't count how many clamshell containers of Arugula I bought because I thought tuna salad on Arugula would be a healthy choice for lunch but I just never made it.

Waverly loves yogurt so we have three types - container, pouch and smoothie. We have quite a few cheeses because we eat eggs often for breakfast and I like to add goat cheese or Swiss/Gruyere to my egg bites. The produce bin has actual fruits and vegetables that we will eat as well as my favorite dip (Everything but the Bagel). Behind the bags of salad are ready to eat raw vegetables.

For beverages, I moved out the hard seltzers and made room for cranberry juice and seltzer. Every morning, I drink a 32 ounce bottle of water with about 1/4 cup of pure cranberry juice (no sugar) along with the juice of one lemon. It's wildly tart but I feel like it gets my engine going. I also found a fueled creamer that I love (Stok).

Cleaning out the fridge was such a simple thing but it gives me so much pleasure every time I open the fridge. I no longer have to check each condiment to see if it expired or balance all the take out boxes to just get two eggs. We have also decided to cook more often at home and to keep our take-out orders limited to once a week.

Next, the pantry.

My Updated Studio Space

2021-02-24T09:31:00.001-08:00

Working from home with a toddler has been a challenge. My desk is usually piled high with toys and books, in addition to papers, files, items for review, recipe ideas etc. I have always had a hard time focusing when my environment is cluttered, so last month, I hired someone to help organize my space which included installing shelves for some of my glassybaby connection.

In addition to the new shelves and room arrangement, I was merciless with what I decided to keep on my desk. I disposed of a lot of the clutter that distracted me and kept only things that made me happy like the mermaid that I picked up in Harwichport or the bowl of oranges that I share with my Waverly instead of packaged granola bars which were packed with sugar and only made me hungrier after I ate one (or two or three).

One of my favorite things about my new space is the glassybaby wall. I collect glassybaby votives which were displayed throughout our home but it didn't make an impact to me. Now with these shelves from Amazon, my collection looks organized and clean.

This new set-up makes me feel light and focused, even if just offscreen is Waverly's toddler space, complete with her own desk, a doll named Phoebe and Magna-Tiles. I wouldn't have my studio space any other way.

If you aren't familiar with glassybaby, get to know this extraordinary company here.

the breezy new song you need in january

2021-01-23T11:42:00.003-08:00

I'm looking outside on this foggy, grey Saturday morning but I can't help but feel sunny and warm. My niece, Chloe Selavka, just released her new single, "Sweet" today and I've had it on repeat since she announced its release. Listening to "Sweet" is transporting. It's a summer Saturday in June, driving with the top down while you look up at puffy white clouds languidly moving across a cerulean blue sky.

I'm reminded of riding with Chloe and listening to her sing along to whatever was on the radio. She always had an ethereal, lilting voice but today, I am in awe of this kind, smart, incredibly talented girl who wrote her own song and believed in herself enough to let the world hear her music and get a hint of her soul.

Here's Chloe Selavka and her first single, "Sweet" on Spotify. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Congratulations, Chloe!

Inauguration 2021

2021-01-20T11:33:00.001-08:00

Today, our family watched as President Biden and Vice-President Harris took their oaths. I can try to teach our three year-old as much as I can about life but sometimes, you just need to live it. I hope Waverly remembers this day that we watched history being made.

We're continuing with the inauguration celebration here, starting with this Spotify playlist we are now listening to. I hope you enjoy it too.

If you loved Inaugural Poet of 2021, Amanda Gorman, as much as we did, follow her on Instagram @amandasgorman

My favorite app of 2020: Calm

2020-12-23T08:34:00.007-08:00

For as long as I can remember, I have had insomnia. As badly as I want to sleep, the moment my head hits the pillow, all of the thoughts from my day become front and center in my mind, projected like a giant screen in a drive-in movie field. I've tried every natural supplement, pre-bedtime yoga, warm milk + brandy (which is what my grandmother gave me as a child when I couldn't sleep. Worked then. Doesn't work now) and Indica gummies (which I had high hopes for but sadly, gave me vertigo.) I tried Ambien but it had the reverse effect on me and made me want to run around in circles in the cul-de-sac.

So, I lay in bed. I count in Italian. I count in French. I list the Nato Phoenetic Alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie. . .) Then my mind drifts to thoughts of the day. Am I teaching Waverly everything I can about racism and how to be an ally? Is she going to having difficulty once she goes to school because she's been without other kids for almost a year? When will life ever be the same as it was? Did I put the leftovers in the fridge or are they still on the countertop?. . .

And on it goes until I finally drift off exhausted around 2 or 3 in the morning and then it feel like I've slept for mere minutes when I hear the baby call my name at 6am.

Insomnia and anxiety are just what I've known my entire life.

This sounds like a commercial spot, even as I write this but here we are. I discovered the Calm App (app store) or Calm App (desktop) and here's the thing - it works. It WORKS. While there are a number of different calming activities, I found that listening to the stories, puts me right out. My favorite is "An Evening in Hyde Park." I have absolutely no idea how this audio story ends. What I do know is that Ramon Tikaram's voice is like warm honey. Whatever panic fills my mind, whatever tasks I didn't get accomplished, whatever conversation from the day that nags at me, stops. I lay with my head in the cool pillow, eyes closed and listen to the story. From "Dream With Me" (Harry Styles) to "Passages From Walden" (Alan Sklar), the Calm stories are a balm to my weary, tired brain.

I've tried this with Waverly too. When we have had trying days, as only a 3 year-old can have, we cuddle on the rocking chair in her room and we listen to "Sienna the Sleepy Sloth" (David Williams) or "Bella's Bedtime Blanket" (Keegan Connor Tracy). Our breaths sync as we listen to the calm voices read to us. Often, we fall asleep under the blanket was we rock, her warm head tucked under my chin and her little fists clutching my robe close to her chest.

The Calm app isn't just for sleep, however. I have also used the Panic SOS grounding meditation (either a 4 minute or 10 minute exercise) which calmed my mind and made me conscious of my breaths. It is exactly what I needed to ground me and stop the panic that can run rampant if I don't stop it when the anxiety first sets in.

In addition to stories, mediations and music, there are also calming environmental sounds like rain and ocean. Right now, I am listening to the "Morning Coffee" playlist and I have the beach with rolling waves set as my visual background. With the stress of not seeing family and friends over the holidays and thoughts of what I accomplished in 2020 (or rather, didn't accomplish), I still feel calm, and grounded.

If 2020 has left you feel defeated or sad or if this Groundhog Day feeling has gone on long enough, get this app. Maybe what you need is a reminder to breathe and let the feeling pass.

And then, at night, when the day is done, fall into bed knowing you did a good job. You made it through what is one of the most stressful times in our lives. We've made it past the Winter Solstice. The days are getting longer and soon we will be moving closer to life the way it used to be. For now, close your eyes, listen to a bedtime story and relax into sleep. Night night. You did good today.

The Calm app is $69.99 for a yearly subscription and includes meditations, over 100 audio stories, music, calming environmental sounds, stretching videos and Calm Masterclasses. It is worth every penny.

My favorite gift to give this year: Trader Joe's L'Éclat 1990 Blanc de Blancs ($12.99!)

2020-12-09T07:53:00.000-08:00

Every holiday season I usually feel inspired when I give gifts. This year, though, I haven't been hit by the spirit of Christmas yet. While I usually like to give experiences (event tickets / restaurant gift cards), travel related gifts (miles/travel gadgets) or even glassybaby votives (they're restocking colors in 2021), none of these gifts I typically give feel right this year. I'm feeling lost.

I also miss my girlfriends who I haven't seen since the end of February. I miss flying back to Massachusetts and long brunches with endless Mimosas. A frequent topic of conversation on our calls is the hopeless feeling of wondering when we'll actually see each again. Will life on Saturday morning ever be as simple and perfect again as brunch together? The thought seems hard to imagine at this point.

This week, I was at Trader Joe's and I spotted this - a magnum (1.5L) of L'Éclat 1990 Blanc de Blancs Brut and Brut Rosé. The double-size bottles are enormous, sparkly and gorgeous. The Brut leans towards fresh fruit notes with the Rosé skewing towards a sweeter cake flavor. Both, a steal at $12.99. I picked up several bottles of both. With these in my cart, it felt like a promise of good things to come. I love these as a gift.

Wrap it, put a bow on it, add a handwritten note offering brunch nest year and this simple gift becomes a hopeful gesture, a gift of hope, of brunch mornings, celebrations and time spent together. Drop it off on someone's doorstep and you've left them a symbol of good things to come.

Giving this as a gift, I can't think of a better $12.99 I've ever spent.

L'Éclat 1990 Blanc de Blancs Brut and Brut Rosé are currently available through the holiday season at Trader Joe's store where wine is sold.

happy food: apple cider donut cake

2020-12-08T03:00:00.013-08:00

Growing up in Massachusetts, apple cider donuts were as much a part of Sundays as Sunday Mass. Early Sunday morning, my grandparents and I would attend the early Mass in French, followed by breakfast at Abdow's, then a visit to Atkins Farms in Amherst for cider donuts. We would savor them warm, covered in cinnamon sugar and if the season was right, there would be fresh, cold apple cider.

During our first visit to the East Coast when my daughter, Waverly, was six months old, I took her to Atkins and she tried her first apple cider donut. We discovered that she inherited my same love for cider donuts. It's a tradition now. Each fall we visit local farm stands during apple season and we are lucky if we manage to bring home any cider donuts and not eat them all in the car on the way home!

With apple season now over, I decided that I wanted the tradition to stretch out a little longer. I came across several recipes for baked (not fried) cider donuts and apple cider donut cakes and made them our own. Our first attempt was perfection. It's a very dense cake but it is so satisfying. I wouldn't change a thing. I hope you enjoy this taste of fall too.

the glassybaby giving glow

2020-12-01T03:00:00.018-08:00

There is something called the glassybaby glow. I've felt it every time I have received or given a glassybaby votive. It's a soft tingle when you open the simple white box with the white grosgrain ribbon. It's the way this handblown piece of art fits cool, heavy and perfect in your hand when you hold it. It's the hundreds of colors of votives from ethereal translucent sea blues to opaque, classic primary colors and wildly inspired limited editions and one-of-a-kinds (known as one of a kindness.)

I love giving someone a glassybaby that I chose just for them and watching how their smile evolves from "Oh, this is pretty!" to the way they beam when they tilt their head and take in the glow when they light the votive. That eye lock that says "You get me. How did you know this is exactly what I needed right at this moment?" I've given glassybaby votives as I love you gifts, shower and wedding presents, birthday, anniversary and graduation presents and in lieu of sympathy flowers. Each time I knew that I was giving someone not just a gift but a feeling.

It's a glow. A glow that started with the love story behind glassybaby, not romantic love, but the love of art, of creating something so wonderfully personal and the love that founder, Lee Rhodes, had for her community when she made the decision early on to help make her community a better place by donating a portion of each glassybaby to non-profits.

If you've ever been the delighted recipient of a glassybaby, you've seen the enclosure card which reads

That's the glassybaby giving glow. When you buy a glassybaby, $3 from the sale of your glassybaby is donated to the glassybaby foundation (formerly the glassybaby white light fund.) Think about this for a moment. $3 from each glassybaby amounts to millions of dollars donated to non-profits focused on people, animals and the planet. Since Lee founded glassybaby in 2001, over $10,700,000 has been donated to non-profits. It's a number that is humbling.

For the past several months, I have had the opportunity to be part of a team that helps select the baby grant recipients. The meetings included both Lee Rhodes and Executive Director of the glassybaby foundation, Eliza Cummings. Each month a different non-profit category is chosen. For October, it was health care heroes. Eliza presented the nominated non-profit agencies, including their missions and client base served. Each of the non-profits presented were all so worthy but in the end, we selected three non-profits, each the recipient of a $5,000 baby grant.

October baby grant recipients

supporting health care heroes

UChicago Medical for COVID-19, Chicago, Illinois

Provides employee with funds to help alleviate personal burdens so they can continue to serve and care for their patients.

Response: "Wow -- thank you so much! We are honored to receive funding from the glassybaby foundation! Thank you for this wonderful support!"

For the Frontlines, New York, New York

Provides free 24/7 crisis counseling for health care and essential workers on the COVID-19 front line.

Response: "Thanks so much for reaching out and thinking of our org! We really appreciate the support, especially this year!"

Wyckoff Heights Medical center for COVID-19, Bronx, New York

Provides much needed equipment and supplies for front line workers.

Response: "We are very grateful for this opportunity and for the generosity of the glassybaby enterprise and foundation, rooted in your mission to share kindness and hope to communities around the US. Thank you and we wish you much health to you and your team."

September baby grant recipients

For a Day Foundation

Creates emotionally therapeutic experiences for seriously ill children.

Treehouse

Provides youth in foster care in Washington with academic and other essential support they need to graduate from high school and pursue their dreams.

Whatcom Family YMCA

Helping families by supporting them and their individual needs, especially during the pandemic.

This holiday season, if you want the glassybaby giving glow of your own, glass blowers in the two Seattle hot shops are working hard to create just the perfect glassybaby for you or those who you will be gifting. What you are giving extends far beyond the glassybaby itself. When you purchase a glassybaby, you're keeping artists engaged in their work (especially crucial during this pandemic) while also helping non-profits enhance the lives of your community, both local and global. It's such a win all around. And there's that glow. You can't beat it.

If you know of a non-profit who could benefit from a baby grant, click here for more information on nominations.

(If you're wondering, if there is one glassybaby that fits all, hope, a creamy white, is perfect in any giving situation.)

my favorite new podcast: smartless

2020-11-23T12:16:00.000-08:00

After a day spent with our toddler, doing crafts and dancing and reading oh so many books, at the end of the day, my favorite new way to unwind is with Jason Bateman along with Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. Their podcast, "Smartless," is clever and witty and precisely what I need to feel like I'm engaged with other adults.

The concept is simple. One of the hosts invites a surprise guest on the show and discuss a variety of subjects. Past guests include Paul McCartney, Stacey Abrams, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Melissa McCarthy and Kamala Harris. My favorites so far have been Kamala and Neil. I feel smarter, and more connected just listing to them.

If you need some inspiration in the guise of three funny guys, this just might be your new favorite podcast too.

what to do when you're anxious

2020-11-03T13:54:00.004-08:00

I couldn't sleep at all last night. While I typically have insomnia, last night was something different. I laid awake after putting Waverly to bed and I wondered what today would be like. Would there be unrest, protests, a call to arms? I started reading articles about election predictions and I had to stop. My mind reeled and I felt my heart racing. I stared at the ceiling for most of the night.

I've always had anxiety and I can usually manage it well by rationalizing best and worst case scenarios. Some days (or nights) though, I need to really focus on my coping mechanisms. This morning I wrote down the things that I do to help me achieve a calmness or at least what brings me to a state where my heart isn't pounding. If you're feeling anxious today too, here are some things you can do to help calm your anxiety. (If you do have anxiety that is not event driven, I highly recommend seeing a therapist. Some of these coping techniques below are courtesy of my own therapist.)

If you are having debilitating thoughts or extreme anxiety, call or text someone. Don't do this by yourself. I checked in on a friend this weekend who was in the midst of an anxiety crisis but she was afraid of reaching out because she didn't want to burden people who were already worried about the pandemic and their own issues. Please don''t do this. Reach out. You aren't a burden. You are loved and this is a time of extreme stress. It will get better. If you are having thoughts that scare you, call 800-273-8255, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

How to Stop Anxious Thoughts From Taking Over

1. Stay away from social media. Delete the apps if you have to. I have had SO many conversations with friends lately who tell me that social media makes them feel emotionally empty. One friend who has been in the house with her kids and husband for months on end broke down on a call last week. She said she thought something was wrong with her because some of the influencers she follows on Instagram look happy and well rested in their posts about happily quarantining with their families when she feels like she is barely hanging on. Don't compare yourself to anyone else. You're the star of your own show.

2. Write down what is making you feel anxious. What is the worst that could happen? What is the best outcome? Leave it in your notebook. Stop thinking about it. The more you run through the what if's and ruminate how awful a situation may be, will just cause those neuropathways to become stronger. Running a situation over and over in your mind will make any strong person break.

3. Get outside. Change your environment. Go for a walk.

4. Pet an animal.

5. Get under a weighted blanket.

6. Write down five things you are grateful for.

7. Take a shower. (Showers bring me such clarity. I find that a good cry in a hot shower is cathartic. I come out of the shower feeling like my anxiety has swirled down the drain.)

8. Watch videos that make you laugh. I love watching videos of my toddler when she was a baby and just waking up from a nap. She was so dopey and sleepy that I can't help but be happy in those moments.

9. Avoid television shows that don't make you happy. When we were in the midst of our fertility treatments, my doctor actually said to me "Watch happy things on TV. Watch comedies. Don't watch the news or dramas."

10. Bake something. I made an apple pie last week that made me so happy.

11. Learn the Navy Seal Box Breathing Technique which allows your system to calm the fight or flight response and gain back composure.

Breathe in for four seconds from your diaphragm.

Hold that breath for four seconds while focusing on a mantra "The universe is working for me/ I am resilient / I am in control"

Exhale for four seconds

Hold your breath for four seconds without air in your lungs.

Start again for a total of five counts.

12. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant and while you may achieve the numbness you're looking for, it could backfire on you and exacerbate the anxious feelings you are having.

13. Shut your phone off or leave your phone in another room and do anything else. Color, rearrange your closet in ROYGBIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet), do a puzzle but shut down your addiction to your phone. What will shock you is how often you will reach for your phone when it isn't by your side.

14. Try the plank pose. I love this yoga pose lately because it takes all of my focus and I feel like I accomplish something when I complete a two minute hold. If you do this pose, nothing will occupy your mind other than focusing on the fact that every single muscle in your body feels engaged in this move.

15. Prepare your favorite meal from childhood. For me, that means tuna noodle casserole. There is no food on this earth that could make me happier.

16. Engage your sense of smell. Burn a candle or turn on a diffuser with a calming scent. I am currently running our diffuser with a balsam scent that reminds me of the Four Seasons Spa in Los Angeles.

17. Call someone and ask how they are doing. Really listen without talking about yourself.

18. Do something nice for someone else. Donate to a cause. Send someone a dinner delivered to their door.

19. If you can, change your sheets, crack open a window, take a shower and climb into a cool bed. Go to sleep earlier than usual. Turn on a sound soother and practice the Navy Seal Box Breathing technique.

20. Whether it's to God or the universe, hand your troubles, your worries and your thoughts over to someone else. In my therapy sessions, my therapist would walk me through a technique where I close my eyes and imagine a bubble above my head. In this shimmering bubble, I was to put my thoughts, my fears and my worries. Then this bubble rose into the sky and floated away. I still do this technique when my. mind jumps from one negative thing to another. It works.

I hope that whatever is causing your anxiety dissipates soon.

Happy Things: The Diffuser That Makes Our Home Smell Incredible

2020-10-27T03:00:00.006-07:00

If you had stopped by our home before Waverly was born, I think you would have liked our vibe. We always had a great playlist (Nantucket Beach House Sunset, Sunny Summer Mood, Breezy Summer Soul Weekend. . .). The Palomas flowed and a Tapas-style meal would be languid and lovely as our favorite candlelit scents wafted up the night in our ocean, dream and enchanted glassybaby votives. Even now, if I just take the top off the Kringle Candle Aqua votive, I'm drawn back to balmy evenings with friends. It's such a good memory.

Let's talk about scents + memory for a minute. In his novel, "Rememberance of Things Past," Marcel Proust said that when he bit into a madeleine dipped in tea, he experienced an exquisite pleasure and vividly recalled memories of his aunt giving him this sweet before mass on Sundays and thus spawned 3,000 pages of recollections in seven volumes. See, your sense of smell is closely linked with memory and often a trigger for a past event. When your nose detects a smell, the scent travels along the olfactory nerve to the brain and limbic system which controls memory, emotion and behavior. This is why when you smell the cologne your first crush wore, your stomach probably makes the same flip-flop giddy thing that it did when you had your first dance. It's also why realtors sometimes warm chocolate chip cookies in the oven when they host an open house. This scent makes you feel happy, cozy and at home.

Now, here in our home in the present day, the music is still pretty chill (thank goodness Waverly, now three years-old likes Yacht Rock), we've turned to rechargeable evie tealights for our glassybaby votives and we're more into seltzer and quick dinners before bath time. The one thing that hasn't changed is our desire to have our home smell inviting and happy. For safety reasons (a toddler in the house), we still burn our favorite candles when Waverly has gone to bed or on the kitchen island when I am preparing meals but during the day, we now use a diffuser.

When I decided to buy a diffuser, I had five requirements:

- The tank would be over 200 ml, enough so that I could let it go all day

- The diffuser had to fit into the decor since it would be placed on the console table, the first thing you see when you walk into our home

- It had to be under $40

- It needed to have a light feature

- It would need to be easy to clean with little possibility for mold

As I do for most purchases, I started with an online search for best diffusers. My first choice for product research is always Wirecutter. Their reviews have never led me astray. In this case, Wirecutter's #1 recommendation was the Urpower 300 ml Aroma Diffuser ($23.99) but while the tank was a good size, I couldn't get past the basic white plastic design that reminded me of a clinic. Also recommended was the Vitruvi Stone Diffuser which I discovered in a number of recommended diffuser lists. I loved the clean lines but the tank only held 90 ml and I just couldn't justify the $105 price point. It also didn't have a light.

I did more research and stumbled onto the one I ended up purchasing, the Aroma Outfitters Diffuser ($35.99). I've been using it every day for two weeks and here is why this diffuser makes me so happy:

- The 230 ml tank lasts all day

- The LED light allows the user to change the color to your preference or no light at all

- The stream of ultrasonic mist is adjustable. We have an open floor plan so we set it to high and the scent wafts through our entire home

- It's beautiful. The exterior cover, which fits over the white plastic tank, looks like marble in shades of white and cobalt blue

- Bonus! It comes with a remote!

I also researched essential oils and I bought several essential oils from Aromatech, including Love Affair, The Hotel and Ocean Breeze . A 10ml of Aromatech essential oils is $29.99. It's an investment but the bottles are a generous size and you only need a couple of drops to scent your home for the whole day. I also picked up organic eucalyptus, balsam and orange essential oils from Whole Foods.

Using this diffuser is easy. At 6am, the first two things I do before I wake up Waverly is make an iced espresso and prepare the diffuser for the day which is really just rinsing our the tank, drying it gently and refilling it with water and a couple of drops of whatever essential oils I am in the mood for that day. (It isn't essential to rinse the tank out each time you use it. However, because I run the diffuser for most of the day, I like to start each day with a fresh tank and a new scent.)

Since we started using the diffuser, every morning when I wake Waverly up and we toddle together, hand-in-hand downstairs, she looks up at me and says "Mama, it smells SO good in here." That is all I could ever hope for - that when she is older and she passes by night-blooming jasmine or she bites into an effervescent orange that she is reminded of how very much we laughed and loved in our home. And someday, when we have friends and family over again, I hope they feel the same way too.