Today I’m sharing a few favorite things I’m loving lately, from milk frothers to coffee table trays, to taquitos and more.
Happy Weekend Friends!
It’s time for the weekend post with Kim and Elizabeth.
Our weekly roundup of inspiration and goings on.
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At long last our garden is replanted.
Thanks to Homestead Design Collective.
We’ve got new, beautiful plants.
And improved drip irrigation, fresh mulch and gravel.
It looks amazing and I’ll take photos this week.
Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite things, as of late.
FAVORITE MILK FROTHER
I’ve extolled the virtues of Brevelle’s milk frother for years. I discovered it early on in the pandemic and it put a swift end to my Starbuck’s habit. Prior to that I wasn’t able to make satisfactory cocoa at home … turns out it’s all in the milk frothing. But, the frother was temperamental, and I went through three before it was discontinued and replaced with a fancier model. In the meantime, Jim kept my third and final frother limping along with spare parts from the inter-webs. Last month my luck ran out and I succumbed and purchased the newer, fancier model. It was a little bit of an adjustment, but I got the hang of it and order has been restored to my morning cocoa ritual. What a relief.
I’m frequently asked how I make my cocoa. First of all … a frother is essential. And I love Starbuck’s Classic Hot Cocoa Powder. I order it from Amazon and it comes in two, large and generally dented tins. It’s not what they use in Starbuck’s stores. The powder is better. I make my cocoa with 8-10 oz of 2% milk and a scoop & three-quarters cocoa powder.
And the moral of the story … change is hard but things work out.
FAVORITE COFFEE TABLE ACCESSORY
There’s something I love about a square tray. In fact I’ve developed a bit of an obsession with this one. I used to change out my coffee table tray with the season, but no more. Well, I mean I might change out what’s inside the tray, but not the tray itself. This tray and I are going on one year together and it’s become my tray for all seasons.
What goes inside the tray is a simple formula – books, flowers (or greenery), coasters (or cocktails napkins), a candle, and a decorative object. It would be easy to toss our remotes into the tray too, but our coffee table has drawers so we keep them there. No unsightly things on the pretty tray.
I know it’s not necessary but let’s talk, briefly, about each component.
Tray ~ for reference, my tray is 20″ square, depending on your table size you can go bigger or smaller.
Books ~ choose books in proportion to the size of your tray. Duh. My tray calls for mid-size books, not the standard, big coffee table variety. I select them by color and topic, depending on the season.
Flowers & greenery ~ if you have a green thumb, more power to you. I don’t and opted for faux Cosmo stems. Friends express surprised that they’re not real. Maybe they’re just being kind. I don’t know, but I’m happy with them. The blue and white pot came from The Enchanted Home and it sits on a plate I picked up at a flea market.
Candle ~ this is self-explanatory. I like to include a pretty matchbook as well. Depending on the size of your tray/table situation those glass match containers are pretty cool.
Coasters & cocktail napkins ~ if, like me, you gasp in horror if someone places their glass down on a naked table or countertop, having coasters and cocktail napkins at the ready is essential. I hope nobody takes offense when I lift their glass to place a coaster underneath. It’s better than watching me breath into a paper bag.
Decorative object ~ again, self explanatory … something of interest, something useful, something meaningful … the options are limitless and we all have a ton of them laying around the house
FAVORITE HIGH WAIST, WIDE LEG PANTS
It’s no secret wide leg pants are my favorite. I shared this pair of blue twill pants from Loft a couple weeks ago. This week they were/are 50% off + free shipping (with code CYBER) so I ordered two additional colors … two pair were under $100! And I also just bought these summer sandals with a wedge heel … wedges are another favorite … and they pair well with the pants.
The 70’s called, and wants my outfit back.
Wide Leg Pant | Summer Sandals
FAVORITE SKINCARE BRAND IS ON AMAZON
I remember when my little town of Lafayette got its first Starbucks. And I refused to go. Before that it was Blockbuster. Which I boycotted until I couldn’t find the movie I wanted at our local video store. And then came Amazon. Let’s face it, resistance is futile. The best we can do is strike a balance between embracing the convenience of the online retailers while continuing to throw our support behind local shops and businesses. It’s not always easy but as with anything else, we do the best we can. And that brings me to … Clinique on Amazon! Yes, Clinique is on Amazon. A full Clinique Shop.
Truth be told I’ve been buying my Clinique, and other makeup and skincare products, online for eons … at Nordstrom and Sephora. Here are a few of the Clinique products I’ve loved since I was a teenager. I’ve tried other things but always come back to the familiar, tried and true.
- Clarifying Lotion No. 2 – great for removing final traces of makeup, even after a double cleanse stuff remains
- Moisture Surge – the lightest, nicest moisturizer … more like a gel. love this for travel, and hot environments where something heavier feels ick
- Spot Healing Gel – spot treatment for occasional breakouts that, yes, still happen
Are Amazon prices less expensive? Let’s see … my 2.5oz jar of Moisture Surge is $60 on Amazon, $63 at Sephora and – what – $53 at Nordstrom (they’re having a 15% off sale, the non-sale price is $63). Amazon offers free shipping with Prime, but I get free shipping at Sephora (Beauty Insiders) and Nordstrom (Nordy Club) too. And you can always order online and pick up in store. Sale notwithstanding, Amazon’s price is $3.00 cheaper. Not major, but something I’ve notice about people who are good with money is they’ll quibble over a nickel. It adds up.
Anyway, the big news here is Nordstrom is having a 15% off sale on many beauty and skincare products. Not sure how long it lasts.
When purchasing Clinique products on Amazon be sure that you’re purchasing from the Clinique storefront (and not a 3rd party seller).
FAVORITE NEW RECIPE
I LOVE taquitos but I’ve never made them at home. They seem like they’d be complicated and maybe the real ones are, but this recipe is easy … and it’s baked. It’s from Lisa Breckenrigdge’s Instagram here. She bought all her ingredients from Trader Joe’s, I bought mine at our local grocery, Diablo Foods. And I used I used a rotisserie chicken, added corn and used Pico de Gallo in lieu of salsa. Totally delish.
I don’t like avocados. I know … I can just feel the unsubscribes happening in reaction to this shocking revelation. But, calm down, we can still be friends. Anyway, Jim loves avocados so we made guacamole for him.
Odds & Socks ~
This week on the blog I shared our entryway refresh … still in progress but nearly there.
This linen, swing dress from Banana Republic has been in my shopping cart (and current favorites) for a few weeks. I’ve had my eye on it for an upcoming trip to Italy. It’s been such a popular seller I thought I better buy it before it sold out. Turns out it pairs beautifully with my new summer sandals. The also dress comes in two solid colors … vanilla custard and this absolutely gorgeous coral. Banana Republic’s Linen Shop is full of beautiful pieces and if you’re having weather like we’re having weather it’s nice to day dream about warm weather and linen dresses. The dress is generously sized and I’m wearing XS.
Speaking of wonderful dresses, Elizabeth did a round-up of spring midi’s and maxi’s which really put me in the mood for warmer temps.
Our vet recommended we provide our Jack Russell Terrier, Maggie, with some mental stimulation in the form of a food puzzle. After researching options, this one came up again and again and Maggie loves it. It took her a a little bit to work it out and she really enjoy it. Pippa, our Terrier mix, looks on askance.
Have you seen Diary of an Old Home on Magnolia Network? Fifteen minute stories of beautiful old home restorations that are just sublime. And there are three seasons available to emerge yourself in. And when you’ve finished that, start in on Beach Cottage Chronicles. Swoon.
Current Favorites ~
And that’s what I have for you today.
Let’s visit Kim and Elizabeth to see what’s inspiring them.
If you missed last weekend’s post, you can catch up here.
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