Sweater / Vest / Shoes (50% off)

As you probably know by now, I do weekly Q&A’s every Monday on my Snapchat, @lemonstripes. And every week, multiple people tell me how much they love it. That, by the way, makes me so so happy because I love interacting with you guys on a more personal level! This week, I’m answering your questions here for my November Q&A post. Be sure to check out August and September if you missed them… spaced in October, sorrry about that.

Anyway, next week I’ll be back to business on Snap, but in the meantime I hope you enjoy my answers and a few unseen photos that never made it to my blog or Instagram.

Side note: Everything at J.Crew Fatory (including my shoes in the photo above) is 50% off + free shipping today only (prices as  marked). There are so many fun things like this plaid skirt for only $37 and my favorite puffer for $54 that comes in three colors. Shop the sale now.

Any tips for talking to a friend who has had a miscarriage?
I get this question a lot, and have different answers depending on each scenario but I think I answered it best in a post on my friend’s blog, The Mama Notes, earlier this week. Read the post. But one solid answer, no mater what the situation, is to talk to her. Don’t ignore it. Be there to support her and make she knows that you’re there to support her. I was so grateful for my friends who checked in everyday (Shout out to you, Cynthia!).

What is your favorite Diptque candle scent?
Oh man, that’s too hard to answer! My all-season favorite is Baies (berries) because I never ever get sick of it. The scent is distinctive but beautiful. In the winter, Feu de Bois (fire) is my go-to. It literally smells like a wood-burning stove and I just love it. In the summer, I’m into Tuberose. If you’re not sure where to start, this set of five mini candles is perfect for you.

Fave apps for making life easier?
I’m the worst with apps, but have a few that I love:

1. Uber Eats: They just launched it in my area and it has been a game-changer. There are so many great restaurants on there and you can track the driver coming to you with the food. I know it’s old news in most places but things get here a little slower sometimes so I’m pretty psyched right now.

2. Plano.ly: I pre-schedule my Instagrams during the times when most of you are online to be sure as many people as possible see it, and so that I don’t forget.

3. Waze: In the ‘burbs, we drive a lot. Pretty sure I would get lost on a daily basis without Waze.

4. Kindara: For any of you who are trying to get pregnant, or thinking about it in your near future, I highly recommend Kindara for tracking your cycles, BBT, and more. It takes the thinking out of it and makes a really annoying process much easier.

5. Headspace: I’ve talked about this before, but I use this meditation app for 10 minutes every morning to ground myself and start my day on the right foot. It’s made a huge difference for my anxiety.

6. Nest: We have a Nest system in our home for heat and air conditioning. It’s great because it learns your schedule and automatically turns down the heat at night, and then back up right before you wake up. And if we go away, I can turn on the heat or AC from my phone when we’re getting close to home. Pretty awesome!

If you had to shop at one store for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Well I could probably live without new clothes, but not without food so definitely Whole Foods! Seriously if I could get a free pass at any store for the rest of my life, Whole Foods would be it. I realize that’s not the answer you’re looking for so I’ll give you a clothing store too… Probably Nordstrom just because they carry so many of my favorite brands (including J.Crew now!) and across categories like beauty and home. Their return policy is pretty spot-on too.

How do you organize your blogging and social media schedules?
It’s a daily process! I have a Google Doc with different tabs for my blog and Instagram accounts. Each tab has every weekday of the month in one column, followed by the color-coded title of the post (e.g. all outfit posts are highlighted in pink, all decor posts are orange, and all recipes are green), followed by a bit.ly of the direct link so I can easily go back to see it or preview it if it’s upcoming. I usually plan about 2-3 weeks ahead to stay on top of it. Blogging takes a lot of organization!

What pastries can you make on a GF diet?
The possibilities are endless! Seriously. Lately I’ve been making this Paleo pumpkin bread weekly, and these flour-less peanut butter cookies always hit the spot. That being said, if you’re in the mood for something just google it with “gluten free recipe” and I guarantee you’ll find a ton of recipes.

How are you liking the Native deodorant?
LOVING it. I had raved about the Lavanila natural deodorant in my beauty routine post, but then discovered Native and have been converted. While the other one was great, I couldn’t count on it for workouts or extra busy days. With Native, I can. And PS this is not an ad of any sort, just straight up love! I use the coconut-vanilla scent.

Do you have a dentist recommendation in Stamford/Greenwich area?
So only the local people will care about this but I’m actually obsessed with my dentist. I’ve had a ton of problems with my teeth lately (long story) and Dr. Cimato at Harbor Point Dental has been just great. He makes me laugh and takes the scariness out of going to the dentist. Plus he gave me a totally painless root canal.

I’m an assistant to a teacher and we don’t work well together. Should I try to find another job?
Here’s the thing about jobs… there is always someone who is going to rub you the wrong way. Always. I’ve never once had a job where I didn’t butt heads with a boss or coworker. Instead of running from it, I suggest you try to deal wtih it head on at first. Write down a list of your problems with her and then ask her if you can take her out for coffee or lunch. While you’re there, mention nicely that you’re so grateful for the job, but you have some problems. Go through a few on your list and see how she reacts. If it’s well, have a conversation and talk about how to fix them. If she gets defensive and refuses to budge, it might be time to move on.

Shirt (similar for $69)/ Earrings (similar for under $50)

Sweater / Scarf / Boots c/o

Leopard Sweater (50% off, only $34!)/ Cardigan

Cape (similar for under $70) / Shoes

Sweater / Scarf / Bag