Beautiful Gifts 2022

A roundup of some beautiful things that I love…

These petite (just over an inch!) bronze feet are for my beloved coach who is a fellow movement nerd and knows that feet are THE thing when it comes to moving well in one’s body…

I have this sweet little Clare V. poche below that I wear all the time. The green and black check is no longer available but I think this black quilted one is pretty great…

This No Thank You sweatshirt was my birthday gift to myself this year…

And these way high drape pants from Everlane are fantastic. I have a linen version and the black ones. They are incredibly flattering and comfortable, and they look awesome with my Nike Blazer Jumbos…

I bought this hourglass for my son…

I am giving this Gestura kitchen spoon to a dear friend who loves to cook and appreciates beautiful design…

Along with The Only Tongs from Material…

I have wanted to eat at Via Carota in NYC for a long time. I have yet to get there but am excited about Jody Williams and Rita Sodi’s new cookbook…

The Pathfinder is the best non-alcoholic spirit I’ve tried (and the packaging is gift-worthy)…

Sarah Winman’s Still Life is a book that delighted me this year…

These napkins from Cultiver are so soft and beautiful and make a lovely hostess gift…

We have an amazing little torilla shop, Milpa Masa, in our neighborhood. I bought this beautiful tortilla basket for the nights when we do the best ever carnitas…

This Super Healthy Skin body crème from Beauty Pie is so good. It might be the thing I’m gifting most this year…

I love the prints from Sandgrain Studio. This one is for my nephew…

And for several of the ten year olds in my life, a Magic 8 Ball…

When we had our neighbors over for Thanksgiving, we sat around the fire after dinner talking and I offered decaf coffee. The delight was noticeable and it occurred to me that I don’t think a lot of coffee drinkers stock decaf at home. I think it would be a treat to receive a bag of beans if that is the case and the Night Light Decaf from Blue Bottle is my go to.

Lastly, Oliver Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks is a book that changed my life. I’ve gifted it to several people and I’ve been trying to write a blog post about it since I finished it back in March but am still working on it. So in the meantime, go buy yourself a copy!

Beautiful Gifts

‘Tis the season for gift giving. For me that involves lots of homemade things - a favorite granola or an excellent box of cookies. For this year’s gift idea list I’m only including things I already own and love that also happen to make really great gifts…

This gray H&M linen tablecloth is a beautiful shade and of nice quality especially for the price…

This Lunya washable silk slip dress makes for one gorgeous nightgown (look at the back!)…

I bought myself the Oura sleep tracking ring early 2021 and it has had such a positive influence on my life. I’ve always prioritized sleep but the tracking has encouraged me to make small changes that have a big impact - being thoughtful about what and when I eat dinner, not drinking alcohol and embracing an earlier bedtime…

This gorgeous Ode Brew Grinder from Fellow is also fast and super quiet…

I love all of my Heath Ceramics but I think they look especially good mixed with other ceramics like these Hasami mugs…

And these minimal pasta bowls from Convivial…

My old Instant Pot kicked the bucket a few weeks ago and I replaced it with this new “pro” version. The much improved steam valve and the interior silicone handles are worth the upgrade alone…

For all the smaller people in my life I like to give books. A favorite is Big Ideas for Curious Minds from the brilliant people at The School of Life. It’s a wonderful one to read aloud with kids as the concepts apply equally to us adults…

This new Kids’ Encyclopedia is going to all of my nieces and nephews…

I’m giving The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Elements to my son…

Finding Muchness is really sweet…

Here We Are…

and The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse…

This Strawberry Lemon-Ginger jam from Alchemist’s Jam in McMinnville, OR is my son’s very favorite. He’s giving a jar to all of his teachers this year…

The spices from Spicewalla are so good and the little tins are adorable. They make perfect hostess gifts and stocking stuffers…

Lastly, my lovely client T gave me these beautiful chocolates from Morito Chocolates in Brooklyn. Holy smokes they are so good that I’ve hidden them from my family and will not share. Not exactly the holiday spirit but they are that good. (Aaron if you are reading this, I love you and I apologize.)

Holiday Gift Guide 2019

The sun didn’t rise until 7:44am this morning and the sun will set at 4:18pm this afternoon. It definitely feels like December and we’ve been enjoying a quiet weekend cozying up to the fire and drinking mezcal hot toddys with our neighbors. Our sweet little Christmas tree is up…

My favorite Vince Guaraldi Trio “Holiday” Pandora station is on during every waking hour…

And now I am checking off holiday gifts and making a wishlist of all the cool things I love starting with this butter ornament for my tree…

These wear-forever GOOP x Sperry boots (order a 1/2 size down). Also available here)…

I would love this beautiful Grace Lee crown bezel moonstone ring in gold or rose gold…

And these Bose noise-canceling headphones…

I can think of a number of rad women I’d like to give this “Women Supporting Women” tote to…

Ayako & Family jam is still one of the things I gift most year-round. Teachers, neighbors, hostess gifts. I got this stack of different plum jams from DeLaurenti in the Pike Place Market…

Possibly the number one thing on my list this year are these Moxi Lolly skates in clementine…

This cast iron spice grinder would find a nice home in my kitchen…

I would also love these Patagonia hemp canvas overalls for my gardening chores…

These Anne Sisteron initial studs are the ones I wear everyday and would make a sweet gift…

The only time I’m not wearing them is if I am wearing these Annie Costello Brown ones or these gorgeous Sophie Buhai Onyx sparklers in the evening…

These Cotopaxi Ara Joggers are my favorite pants to teach in and clients always ask where to get them…

I LOVE Aran’s second cookbook Cannelle et Vanille…

And the revised classic Tartine…

I just bought myself these Outdoor Research Stormtracker Sensor gloves. I love how low-profile they are and while they are not waterproof, they are well-suited for the damp cold PNW winter conditions that we’ll be in until April…

I bought this amazing jacket from local Seattle company Ebbet’s Field Flannels earlier this year. I think any of the women’s league satin windbreakers would make a pretty badass gift…

My husband would love James Turrell: A Retrospective…

He could also use another pair of his favorite Red Wing Heritage Chelsea Boots…

And this classic Carhartt Sandstone Sherpa-Lined Sierra Jacket…

I adore this Casper Glow Light which I wrote about back in September. It has been a complete game-changer especially with the dark winter mornings and I have not set an alarm since I got it. My friend Omar loves it too…

And then there is always and forever a beautiful bottle of champagne.

December 31

It has been a spectacular week of rest and celebration. And we’ve spent so much time at home, our little clan of three, finding immense joy in just being together. We’ve had more than a few days of lighting a fire and then never leaving this spot for the entire day…

On Christmas Eve dear friends joined us for dinner. The kitchen was sparkling clean and the sun was shining…

We took the kids to the park for some fresh air and then came home, opened a bottle of Champagne and our friends put together a spectacular clam chowder with smoked marrow from Ox in Portland. Even without the smoked marrow, I’d make this my default recipe for chowder or even an elevated potato soup. It has a hefty amount of cream so it is rich, but without any flour or roux it isn’t thick but instead broth-y and pretty darn special…

For dessert I made a flourless chocolate cake and my new favorite holiday cookie, grapefruit-fennel shortbread. (Side note: shortbread are incredibly easy to make gluten-free as they depend on butter rather than gluten as the binder. I subbed brown rice and oat flour for the AP flour.)

There were also small, but delightful discoveries this week like giant pyramids of Maldon in the salt dish…

And I have a few favorites among the gifts I gave and received this year, starting with these Starry Knight booties I found for my niece. My son had a similar pair that I loved. They are the perfect shoe for little feet that are just learning to feel the ground beneath them…

I bought matching Grace Lee diamond disc bracelets for myself and my bestie - a pretty good upgraded friendship bracelet if I may say so. And I love that whenever I catch sight of it, I am reminded that she’s out there in the world…

I also upgraded my rather tattered robe with this beautiful waffle weave one from Coyuchi…

I mentioned Askinosie Chocolate in my holiday gift guide. I bought a few bars to give as gifts, but to be honest they never made it out of my house. This Askinosie vegan milk chocolate is hands down the best chocolate I’ve ever had. Just incredible…

I also fell hard for these Zwilling Madura nonstick pan. (I now have the 8” and 11”.) Bon Appetit proclaims it “the best nonstick pan we’ve ever used.”

We got rid of all of our chemical laden non-stick pans years ago and had a single 8” Greenpan for the sole purpose of making Spanish tortilla. However when we redid our kitchen, that little pan was the only one that wasn’t compatible with our new induction cooktop.

I am happy to say I can once again cook tortilla española but these pans have also been wonderful for making hashbrowns and fried rice and since we don’t have a microwave, reheating leftovers like pasta…

I bought two of these extra-large LL Bean hunter totes that were perfect for toting gifts to and fro…

Plus they have a coated lining so they wipeout and clean up like a dream. I think the large size would make perfect grocery totes…

And the one thing I really hoped to receive this year was a pair of these short Hunter Chelsea boots (thank you in-laws!).

Happy 2019. Wishing you peace and joy into the New Year.

My Wishlist...Holiday Edition

I would love to open my closet and see this gorgeous Paris Jacket from Emerson Fry hanging in there…

I have long wanted a Japanese style pinafore apron and this one from Rough Linen is perfect. It even comes in a petite option. I’d love it in the charcoal…

The lovely back…

I would also like a proper waiter’s apron…

I think this Cotopaxi Kusa Hybrid Jacket is super cool…

A duffle bag is one of the few styles I don’t have and this rad Brown Buffalo Duffalo fits the bill…

I am in love with this Clare V belt bag in disco stripe…

But the truth is I already have a Clare V fannypack that I love so what I think I really “need” is the Clare V Midi Sac…

I’ve been looking at this Everlane cocoon coat for a long time…

My side table is already stacked with books but I think if I had Educated I’d move it to the top of the pile…

How to be a Good Creature would have been on my list if I could have waited and didn’t already purchase it for myself…

And I have long wanted to learn how to sew and here in Seattle, Drygoods Design is the place to do it. A gift card here might ensure that I finally carve out some time in the new year to take a “This is a Sewing Machine” class…

Holiday Gift Guide

It is December! We don’t have a tree yet and I haven’t started playing holiday music but I think today might be the day it all begins. And with that, here are some ideas for giving this year…

Billecart Salmon Champagne is my most favorite thing to imbibe ever. It is special and only makes an appearance once or twice a year around our house but I can’t imagine a more elegant gift…

Except if you brought it with a vintage Champagne bucket…

These beautiful Heather Taylor Home napkins would be a fantastic hostess gift. See all of the options on her website…

Chocolate from Askinosie would make another lovely hostess gift. I have my eye on many of the CollaBARation bars and this coconut milk chocolate. If you don’t know about Askinosie Chocolate read their story here…

I love these Maison Louis Marie candles and picked up a few at Canoe last time I was in Portland. I love No.09 and No.04…

I also love these Cotopaxi Libre socks in a variety of colors…

This delicious and assertive G. Day body wash is great and reminds me of a more unisex and a cleaner (read: no SLS, parabens etc) version of the Molton Brown Black Peppercorn wash my husband has long favored…

This gorgeous and super soft alpaca sweater from Everlane…

My brother worked on this Brooks shoe and I wore it for the first time at the studio last week and nearly every client wanted a pair for themselves. They are that cool.

My husband has a pair too that are equally as cool…

This gorgeous book from The Aviary in Chicago would be a killer gift for your food-forward friends…

A pair of these Heath Tartine stack mugs…

This gorgeous walnut rolling pin for the baker in your life…

Pair it with the fantastic Genius Desserts from Food52…

I cannot recommend Pamela Salzman’s cookbook highly enough. I’ve mentioned her on my blog many times. She has an incredibly resourceful blog and teaches countless cooking classes in the LA area (and now online classes too). She is a natural teacher and her recipes are always accessible, reliable, healthy and delicious. She is my go-to.

New this fall, Ottolenghi’s Simple is fantastic. I’m gifting it to several friends this year.

I LOVE these balm sticks from Olio E Osso out of Portland, Oregon. I have them in several colors and they give a beautiful flush of color and feel wonderful on the skin. I buy mine from Ayla Beauty in San Francisco. It’s a wonderful little shop that I like to support and they carry so many of the lines I love like Marie Veronique, BioRecept, Kosås and others.

For a young girl or boy in your life a subscription to Bravery Magazine…

I love these beautiful tattoos which are pulled from Oliver Jeffers’s gorgeous books…

I gave his book Here We Are to all the children in our family last year, though I’d recommend it for adults too…

Also, consider giving to an organization you believe in. I will be giving to On Being…

FATHER'S DAY

My son and I are getting ready to celebrate the #1 Dad in our life tomorrow. Breakfast will include a frittata with yukon golds and lots of herbs from the garden and per my son's request, "A LOT of bacon" (presumably so he doesn't have to battle his dad for it). If you need a good frittata recipe Pamela Salzman has some great ones. 

Father's Day or not, here are some good gifts to celebrate the great husband, brother or father in your life...

This beautiful low-profile wallet from Grovemade in Portland...

A pair of Allbirds...

Jim Olson's gorgeous new book...

I LOVE the Marie Veronique skincare collaboration with Kristina Holey. Marie just released a new line for men, though I would happily use it myself. I have my eye on the shave prep + daily wash as well as the shaving oil as something we would both enjoy...

This razor would be a nice upgrade to go with it...

If you're in need of more inspiration, check out Huckberry which always has a stellar collection of great stuff. I dare you not to find something there whatever your price range.

Hostess Gifts, Stocking Stuffers + More

Whether you need a hostess gift, a stocking stuffer, something special for your wife, or something for yourself, here is a round-up of some knock-out gifts for giving this season.

If you live in Seattle, these are a few of the local shops you should hit up...

Stock & Pantry on Capitol Hill

Flora and Henri in Pioneer Square

Marine Area 7 in Madison Valley

Little Lago in Portage Bay is a fantastic place to not only pick up something for lunch but is also an expertly curated shop and has you covered for the perfect hostess gift. This little Italian grocer has a lovely selection of wines, olive oils, Rancho Gordo beans and these gorgeous jams from Ayako & Family, which are my personal go-to gift for any occasion...

I also personally would love to have this tote I just saw on their site...

I'm gifting many jars of this wonderful body scrub from Seattle company Herbivore...

I love Donald Robertson and would love to spread some holiday cheer with his new book...

For the cook in your life, you can't go wrong with a beautiful apron from Hedley & Bennett (you can even order them in petite for short people like me)...

A fun game to play after the kids have been put to bed...

A sweet universal cheese knife...

I love this set of ornaments from MOMA...

A nice pair of gloves for the man in your life...

Or an equally cool but more rugged pair...

I think this scratch off world map poster would be cool for friends of ours whose kiddos are already serious world travelers...

These teakwood and tobacco candles are my go to at home...

I have loved using this beautiful ceramic diffuser this past year. It sits on my nightstand and I use it every night, almost always with eucalyptus oil blend...

The best ice cream scoop out there and a pint or two of Frankie + Joe's would be well-received...

If you don't have something in mind for your wife yet, these tiny sapphire beauties can be found at Flora and Henri. I tried them on way back in August and am still dreaming about them...

Finally, these two cookbooks are my most favorite from this year and would be a great addition to anyone's cookbook library.

Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat...

And Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden...

From My Wishlist - Holiday Edition

I hope you all had a wonderful, restful Thanksgiving with friends and family. And with that, the holidays are upon us.

The first thing on my wishlist this year is one of these grounds crew jackets from local Seattle company Ebbets Field Flannels. I just can't decide between this Seattle Metroplitans one...

Or this Portland Fuji one. (See the whole collection here.)

I think the Fuji jacket would look pretty fantastic with these silver Loeffler Randall boots that are also on my list...

I love this large barrel jug from Farmhouse Pottery...

This Away carry-on...

My friend Rita has enviable style and is a champion hat-wearer. She makes me want to be a hat-wearer as well. I can't decide but I think this one from Janessa Leone would be a good place to start...

Or this one (also available at one of my favorite local shops Flora and Henri)...

I would also love this half apron from Gjusta Goods...

And if I could ask for anything, I would love to find a place for this classic now available in MOHAIR...

More gift ideas on the way!

From my wishlist...spring edition

I love these very cool Jenni Kayne sandals with a detached ankle strap...

Image from Rip + Tan

This sweet bag in cuoio or blue...

This multipurpose balm from Olio e Osso in currant...

And this jewelry case from Cuyana...

(All of these would make primo Mother's Day gifts I might add.)