over the weekend, we celebrated a friend’s birthday with a proper italian dinner- think lady and the tramp, under the tuscan sun, the godfather… courtney told me to leave the candelabra at home. we ordered pasta, pizza and sfincione from felix and baked a cake for our performance of “happy birthday”. it was the best way to celebrate… with food, company and my terrible italian accent. buon compleanno dana!
ollie, checking on the pappardelle.
happy world baking day! for me, baking means spending quality time with my sister. i’m not a natural born baker… it takes effort, patience and then more patience. i really only enjoy baking when i’m baking with my sister. it’s so special to be able to share such sweet memories over the whisking, piping, burning and tasting of all of our creations. to me, she will always be my Star Baker.
fall is here! and to celebrate i headed to the mountains with some friends to welcome my favorite season (and probably yours too) by taking part in one of fall’s most famous activities…apple picking! this was our first time going to an orchard to pick our very own apples and it was almost exactly how we imagined…almost…nothing says “fall” like 85 degree weather! what i would give to experience a proper changing of the seasons…i guess the grass really is greener on the other side?? despite the warm weather, we picked our apples, got some sun and lived out my l.l. bean catalog fantasy.
i seem to surround myself with tall people and for that i am thankful as i tried to use the fruit rake to pick some ripe apples that were a little out of my reach and nearly dislocated my shoulder… so thank you leo and adriana for making up for what i lack in height.
i snapped more pictures of apple picking than i did of actually picking any apples but i think it was more fun to see how excited everyone got over picking their “perfect” apple. never have i seen someone more proud of their pick than courtney. it’s the little things in life.
podcasts! why did it take me so long to fall in love with podcasts?! while i was recovering after a medical procedure last year, i found myself exhausted by all my normal means of entertainment; television, music, movies, books… I COULDN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE! bed rest had ruined everything i loved about staying at home. i couldn’t bear to watch another episode of house hunters international so i began browsing the podcasts app. i started with comedy bang! bang! aaannnnd had to turn it off immediately. i was still recovering and i couldn’t stop laughing at this podcast which was not good for me or my stitches so i turned to a more serious and conversational podcast that would make me and my stitches cry… (terrible, thanks for asking). since then, i’ve been avidly searching for and listening to podcasts, old and new! some of my favorites are listed below. would love to know what podcasts YOU love so send me your recs!
a24 podcast: conversations between the actors, writers and directors of some of a24’s newest (and in my opinion, best) projects. i’m a big fan of a24 so i was very excited to find out they had a podcast. i loved listening to these conversations between some of my favorite creatives in the industry.
and that’s why we drink: i love a good ghost story. they scare the shit out of me but i love them. this podcast has some GREAT stories but it’s not just about the paranormal. this podcast also delves into some true crime stories… warning: don’t listen to this podcast when you’re home alone…speaking from personal experience.
armchair expert: after listening to this podcast, it inspired me to want to have more conversations like the ones dax was having with his guests. just take the time and listen to this podcast you won’t regret it.
chelsea handler: life will be the death of me: i’ve always been a fan of chelsea handler but when i listened to her episode on the armchair expert podcast, my love and respect for her only grew. she’s funny, honest and emotional, what more could you ask for??
dirty john: reported and hosted by christopher goffard from the l.a. times, this podcast is one for the binge-ing.
jen gotch is ok sometimes: i follow jen on instagram (which is how i first learned about this podcast) and what started as lengthy instagram captions turned into lengthier insta-stories eventually became a 45 minute podcast. jen is courageously open about her day to day and sometimes lifelong struggles and with this podcast, i think she accomplished what she set out to do…make YOU feel less alone.
song exploder: as a music lover, i thoroughly enjoy listening to this podcast. each episode features an artist breaking down their song. they share the stories of what inspired them to write the song, how it was made, and give some insight to their process of recording.
story corps: “stories of the human heart. a candid, unscripted conversation between two people about what’s really important in life: love, loss, family, friendship.” i copied this right from their website as it perfectly describes what this podcast is about. when i listen to these episodes, a lot of the time i’m left in tears. the dialogue between the people telling these stories is so important and especially refreshing because these are just ordinary people very much like you and me.
terrible, thanks for asking: it’s okay to not be okay. this is something nora mcinerny welcomes and encourages as we listen to strangers talk about their pain, blush at their embarrassment and sometimes (most of the time) cry at their stories.
unstyled: christene and her guests talk about aalll of the things; life, work, love and they do it with styyyllle.
why won’t you date me?: this podcast never fails to make me laugh. nicole byer is unapologetically single and i (selfishly) hope she stays single forever because 1. i can relate 2. she’s a queen who DON’T NEED NO MAN!
the wine down: i like wine and i like comedians and this podcast is the perfect blend…
why does cutting off all of your hair feel so damn good? speaking from personal experience, i just recently took off 12 inches. the last time i had short hair was when i was a kid. my brother was blowing bubbles and accidentally spit his gum into my hair, so my dad cut it out and cut it (my hair) off. my dad, Bob, coincidentally was responsible for giving me my first “bob“! isn’t that cute?
everyone has their reasons for why they’re making the drastic cut; reeling from heartbreak, feeling misunderstood, protecting your family’s honor and saving your country. for me it was a fresh start. for some time now i had been in an unhealthy headspace. i was feeling lost, frustrated and uninspired which prevented me from wanting to go out or even confiding in anyone who tried to reach out (sorry Mom). i was not myself, my ego was fragile and my self-esteem bruised. when i thought i was starting to feel “okay” again, i had a meltdown. it happens to the best of us, right? some experience it in the privacy of their own home and some (me) experience it in the middle of a live show while at work… someone had made me feel small and that was enough to derail any sense of composure or rationality, so i cried wept. this person didn’t even KNOW me and they managed to make me feel smaller than i know myself to be.
all my insecurities were re-awakened. in the most random (and inconvenient) times, i would think about this person who made me feel small and it would make me tear up in anger. i was angry at this person for making me feel this way and angry at myself for allowing them to do so… so i sulked and i sulked HARD. i’d sit in my room feeling sorry for myself and do nothing about it. it’s hard to pull yourself out of that headspace when you aren’t fully aware that you’re in it (ain’t hindsight a bitch?!). this person probably didn’t spend another moment thinking about me (dick) but i couldn’t stop thinking about them- which speaks volumes to what i was really struggling with *cough– letting go -cough cough*. i recognized this and was done wasting my energy on this person, i was “letting it go“. with this new found freedom, i wanted a change, so i booked the next hair appointment i could get and said BUH-BYE to the previous drama that was weighing me down.
i wish it didn’t sound so cliché to say how good it feels to cut off all of your hair but DAMN IT FEELS GOOD TO CUT OFF ALL OF YOUR HAIR! a fresh start and a fresh state of mind. a haircut won’t fix all of your problems but it can be a good place to start!
there are so many incredible and inspiring women that i look up to so in support of international women’s day, i’m posting a few of them here for you. you may know some of them but if you don’t already, get to know them…it will only bring you joy. happy international women’s day! may we empower, support and trust in each other! xx
I DID IT! after months of sleeping on the floor i FINALLY bought a bed frame! i was in a bit of a rut… didn’t feel motivated or inspired to do much of anything related to my room so night after night, i would go to bed, look at the sad mattress on the floor and go to sleep. for me, a bed frame made all the difference and now that my room (and life?) are back in order i’ve been looking for inspiration to freshen up my bedroom and i think i found it…PAMPAS GRASS. i love the light and subtle presence they have in a room. think i might ned to pick some up this weekend…stay tuned!
THEblog 
