I thought I never needed to “meet” another new skincare brand– what could one offer me that I don’t already have and love from Maya Chia, Josh Rosebrook, One Love Organics, Leahlani, Tata Harper, etc.? It turns out that my capacity for loving new skincare brands is like my feelings about my kids. When I had […]

You all. I think I’m finally growing up. This assignment, which used to be my least favorite because it’s so challenging has, this year, become my *most* favorite BECAUSE it’s so challenging! I might really be an actual adult at last! This is our FOURTH Annual Staff Picks Best Of roundup and I’m finally embracing […]

I don’t know about you, but, until recently, I had never given much thought to “the supply chain.” Which is strange, considering that I’ve put considerable research time into finding out where the ingredients for my beauty products are grown, how they’re processed, who formulates them, and other details like that that many consumers don’t […]

‘Ello, Gov’na! Okay, yeah, typing in a British accent is, at minimum, strange, at maximum, possibly offensive? (Sorry). So I will stick to typing as I usually do, but feel free to read this in your head with a nice, posh British accent. Greetings from Jolly Old England! Okay, fine, I’m not actually there– I’m […]

What is more delicious than slipping into a cozy sweatshirt and slathering yourself with a moisturizing balm? Add a cup of coffee and either a romance novel (don’t knock it– they’ve come a long way) or a Parks and Rec marathon (I subscribe to Peacock just for the ability to do this), and you have […]

I’ve forgotten how to travel. I mean, obviously I know how to book plane reservations and how to fill my car up with gas. I know to lock my door, get a friend to water my plants, and leave lights on a timer. But I’ve forgotten all the small details. How to pack clothes. How […]

The pandemic is over! Okay, it’s not over, but you can stop wearing masks! Well, you still should wear masks in some places, but not if you’re vaccinated! Hold on, there’s another variant, let’s see what it does…. So are masks… over? Are we still wearing masks???? Ah, the rollercoaster ride of the beginning of the […]

Many of you who read this blog regularly will remember that I was lucky enough to be in Vienna, Austria in 2017, and to visit the manufactory of one of my favorite brands, Max & Me. Tanja and Max invited my family and me into their home, their garden, and into the studio where they made their magical […]

Recently, at the dinner table, one of my kids asked me why we have hair– as in, what is the biological purpose of hair on our bodies and heads. My husband and I started brainstorming possible ideas of why– warmth, protection from the sun, eyebrows to keep sweat out of our eyes, etc.– but it […]

In the summer of 1989, when I was nine years old, I took a cooking class at famed Washington, D.C. culinary school L’Academie de Cuisine. Maybe some kids were into it. Maybe some kids got into cooking as a result of the class. But I discovered a very important thing that summer: I was not […]