I’m off to California this week to help out a friend whose husband is deployed overseas. She has a new baby and two large dogs in a new town, and wanted some holiday company. It should be a good trip, filled with spit-up and diaper changes. Welcome to the late-30s!
The Kennedy Debutante is the perfect book for a long plane ride. The book is historical fiction and tells the story of Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy when her father, Joe, was the U.S. ambassador to Britain just prior to WWII. From a star-crossed romance, to the escapades of her brothers Joe. Jr. and Jack, the book is a quick, easy read.
I wanted a new winter coat, but I wanted a statement piece, not a basic. This snow leopard jacquard coat from Michael Kors is the one I chose. The black gray palette goes with everything in my wardrobe. It dresses up a casual outfit, like jeans and a striped turtleneck. It also complements a dressed up outfit — maybe a dress for New Year’s Eve.
Other fun leopard options include J.Crew’s Crop Leopard Coat and this $50 snow leopard coat from TJ Maxx. Plus-size? Try this ASOS Curve Coat.
Lemongrass tea has wonderful health benefits. It’s anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, a natural diuretic, and may even fight tooth decay. I’ve been drinking it hot with fresh ginger and lemon, instead of my usual hot lemon water.
I buy this loose-leaf lemongrass tea on Amazon. This tea strainer is my favorite because it rests on top of the cup and doesn’t have to be fished out of the hot tea.
We’re engaged in what feels like a never-ending renovation. To focus on the positive of the finished product, I started following the #smmakebeautiful hashtag from Studio McGee where people share their interiors and renovation projects. It’s a nice Instagram follow.
Copper peptides boost collagen and elastin production. The Ordinary has added them to their best-selling Buffet serum to give an extra anti-aging boost.
I started using this serum at night before I use my GloPro Dermaroller on my forehead and cheeks. I notice a visible plumping of my skin if I can continually use my roller (I can’t use it if I have a bad breakout). And I asked for the Rose Quartz attachment head for Christmas so I can use it for facial massage. It’s one of my favorite things, and it improves the performance of my serums.
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Love the book rec! I need a fun read while I make my way through the endless waitlist for Rich People Problems.
From a fellow military wife, thank you for helping out your friend! Even just the company and your friendship goes a long way, overseas deployment is so lonely and most non military friends can’t relate (even though they may try). Hope you have a great trip and visit.
Oh my gosh that snow leopard coat is gorgeous. Limited sizes, what a find! I’ve been working on my reading and picked up a bunch of Hitha on the Go’s recommendations. Currently on “The Map of Salt and Stars” and it is wonderful. Highly recommend that and “Circe”!
Hi Abra,
If I’m not mistaken the derma roller is used before applying your serums.
With an oil serum, my aesthetician said to use it after, but that may just be her preference.
That’s really kind of you to help your friend. One of the best things anyone can do for a new mom is offer to hold her baby for a little while. Maybe she just wants to sit with you while you hold the baby; maybe she wants to putter around the kitchen or fix her hair for once or take a longer than average shower or just flip through instagram for a few minutes. These are all the things you can no longer do whenever you want after having a child. It’s a huge adjustment. Oh and someone else taking the baby for a 40-minute stroller walk is heaven.
This might be what your friend needs, but I wanted to offer another perspective. What I needed help with when I’d had a baby last year wasn’t someone to hold my baby. I needed someone to be my other set of hands and make some food, load the dishwasher, sweep, or fold a load of laundry. And your friend might not be comfortable asking you to do any of that, so please jump in!
Have a great trip and enjoy your time with your friend. I hope you get lots of snuggles and smiles right along with the poop and upchuck.
I’m basically on dog-sitting duty. You do whatever helps.
Gentle suggestion to read up on The Ordinary’s founder and his problematic behavior over the past few months. I feel like there are brands with better values that we can support in lieu of this one. Disclaimer: you may not agree and that’s fine.
If it makes you feel any better about the situation and the company, last month the problematic founder of Deciem, Brandon Truaxe, was removed from his post by court order. He has also been removed from the board of directors, and banned from any hiring/firing as well as social media posts on the brand’s behalf. They now have a new interim CEO in place and seem to be working hard to get things sorted out and back on track!
Of course it doesn’t erase any shady past behavior, but it does at least look like people are aware of it and trying to rectify it as much as possible.
Agree that that man was out of control but they finally *finally*relieved him of his duties and work with the company. Hopefully he will get the help he needs. That said: also love the buffet+copper peptides, the rose hip seed oil, and the powdered vitamin C mixed in to one of their other serums (works better than the ole Henrickson truth serum in my opinion and it’s 1/10 the price).
He’s gone. It was pretty clear once Estee Lauder stepped in he wasn’t long for the world. Glad he’s gone, it was such a distraction and a problem for a brand that is great. (Also, I highly doubt a woman behaving that way would have lasted as long…)
I’ll have to check that book out. I listened to Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter this fall, and was surprised to find out JFK had WAY more siblings than I had thought. Super fascinating family.
Hi Belle
That Michael Kors snow leopard coat is pure perfection and exactly what i’ve been looking for. Something statement but still on the subtle side of the spectrum.
How does the sizing come up?
Love you and your blog. Keep up the good work.
I couldn’t put The Kennedy Debutante down – it’s the perfect holiday/vacation read. I just finished The Silence Of The Girls (a very different, equally addictive book) and am packing a stack of hardcovers to take home to PA with me this week.
Picked up 3 copies of The Kennedy Debutante to book-club it between Thanksgiving and Christmas with my mother and grandmother. #AbraEffect