Happy Monday! I’m back (a few hours late) after a really fun fall weekend with friends and my family. We had our first real party in the new house and it was a dream to finally be able to entertain in a home that was built for it. I teared up multiple times that night and just felt so happy that we have created such a wonderful community of friends here. When we left Manhattan 4 years ago, it was a struggle to meet people and I really never thought we would make friends that felt like family. It’s a really good feeling.

I made my white chicken chili for the party and it was such a hit. I made it in advance and kept it warm on the stove until guests arrived. I let people serve themselves and put out little bowls with cilantro, avocados, shredded cheese, sour cream, and lime wedges.

We’re feeling more and more settled in the new house every week. We’ve decided to hold off on any big design decisions until 202o except for our TV room. Anel and I figured if we have at least one cozy room that feels finished and comfortable, we’ll feel good about it. We’ve also met a bunch of our new neighbors and about 4 of them have little girls Amalia’s age which is really wonderful. I’m hoping they all become a girl gang and rule the ‘hood!

Teddy Coat / Jeans / Sweater / Booties (gifted) / Belt

Around the Web

What I’m watching: Anel and I have been absolutely addicted to Money Heist and just finished part one. It’s a Spanish show but you can watch it either dubbed (like we do) or with subtitles on Netflix. Even if you aren’t into heist stories, this show will draw you in from episode one. And it just keeps getting better and better! I also finished The Politician on Netflix and was very into it. I know it got mixed reviews but I’m a giant fan of Ben Platt and the whole thing gave me Royal Tenenbaum vibes… And not just because Gwyneth is in it.

What I’m reading: I’m about halfway through Fair Play by Eve Rodsky and I have never felt more understood. For anyone who hasn’t read about this book yet, it’s written by a mom who was sick of taking on so much domestic responsibility. She created a system that divides emotional labor and the mental load in a way that works and is lasting. It was exactly the book I needed to read and Anel and I are going to start implementing her techniques this week. I posted about the book on Instagram and Eve reached out and agreed to do a Q&A which I’m very very very excited about so stay tuned for a chance to ask your questions on my Instagram stories later this week.

#LSWaterBottleChallenge: I am so excited and energized by all of the messages and photos and videos I’ve received from you guys about my water bottle challenge. Thank you to everyone who is participating!

Glass water bottles. Speaking of… A reader shared this idea with me and I loved it. She fills these glass water bottles with filtered water and leaves them in her fridge to pull out when she’s thirsty or has guests over. They make water-drinking feel elevated without buying bottled water. I bought the same bottles and can’t wait for them to arrive.

Soba soup. I saw a recipe for shrimp soba soup with jammy eggs on my Instagram feed and immediately bookmarked it. I am going to try it out this week. It looks fairly easy to make and so satisfying. I’ve never actually made my own dashi but this is the week.

Instagram for travel. Grace wrote a very helpful post on how to use Instagram for travel ideas.

Rainbow skirt. I saw someone wearing this skirt at an event last week and immediately copied her (It’s 35% off with code WEARNOW). It’s so happy and bright and swishy and colorful and I just love it.

The best non-toxic candles. Jess put together a list of her favorite non-toxic candles. It’s a pretty great list but I have to add my current favorite non-toxic candle brand which is Flores Lane. I burn their Heart Chakra candle constantly and they even have an option to customize your own!

Lucid dreaming. By now you know I am fairly woo woo and proud of it. I’ve been documenting my dreams for years and have always been fascinated by lucid dreaming. Chalkboard Mag shared 8 techniques to tap into the power of lucid dreaming and I started practicing these yesterday. I know it’s a little weird but I’ll let you know if it works!

Madewell black jeans. My Madwell jeans finally came and I wore them all weekend. My sister and Julia Dags both had them and they are the perfect high waist and frayed hem. Make sure to size down one or even two sizes though. I usually wear a 26 and the 25s are a little big. They’re now sold out on the Madewell site but available here.

The House of Noa. The woman behind Little Nomad playmats and my favorite Nama Mat kitchen mats (a CT mom!) rebranded to house all of the brilliant products she’s making. Now you can shop them all in one place. I’m a big fan of these products because they’re easily wipable and all non-toxic.

Leopard or bust. Want. This. Shirt.

Spotting Amazon junk. 7 red flag signs that could mean an Amazon product is actually junk.

Lately on Lemon Stripes

How I Got Over My Fear of the Dark
Re-Wear it: Dudley Stephens Fleece
Sustainable Kids Clothes
My Dad’s Famous Lasagna Recipe
The Ultimate Moving Checklist

Photo by Julia Dags.