Today on Weekend Meanderings, a few books to get the year off to a great start, a fun closet edit method, my workout uniform and lots of Meyer lemon recipes.
Happy New Year, friends!
It’s Saturday and I’m joining Kim and Elizabeth for Weekend Meanderings.
Our weekly roundup of inspiration and goings on.
Did you take time off to relax, unwind, and unplug, over the last few weeks?
I sure did and it was wonderful.
This post includes affiliate links for your convenience at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
This Year’s Coronado Crew
It’s 2023 and I’m ready to hit the ground running.
So let’s get to it!
THREE BOOKS TO GET THE NEW YEAR OFF TO A GREAT START
Every January I reread Elizabeth’s Gilbert’s Big Magic. It’s a gem of a book and if you haven’t read it I highly recommend. In addition, last year I read Atomic Habits by James Clear and When You’re Ready, This is How You Heal, a collection of essays by Brianna West. Add both to my list of excellent rereads for the New Year or anytime you seek encouragement and inspiration.
Big Magic | When You’re Ready … | Atomic Habits
MY WORKOUT UNIFORM
I know it’s cliche to talk about getting in shape at the beginning of the year. Yet … here we are. Actually, I began my get-back-in-shape program last October by joining a gym that offers step classes. That’s right, I’m stuck back in the 90’s with my step obsession. For me, the key to fitting in a daily workout is to remove as many obstacles as possible. One of which is what to wear. To make this a no-thought-required situation I’ve adopted a standard workout uniform. Boring perhaps, but effective. I’ve found the pieces I love, that fit me well and acquire them in multiples. That way I can’t use the ‘oh no, my workout clothes are in the laundry’ excuse. There are so many other better excuses. My current workout uniform is pretty basic … black leggings, black sports bra (I like a high neck in case I’m out in the sun) and various loose fitting tanks in a variety of colors. I pull my hair up with claw clips to keep it completely off my glistening – ha! – neck. And I love these cushy ankle socks – I have them in white, gray and black. Last but not least my beloved Hoka’s … are you tired of me talking about them? Seriously, they’re the best which is why you see everyone wearing them. I have Clifton 8’s in two color combinations … they’re great for walking, running and pretty much anything. And I just bought this pair of the Bondi 8’s that I noticed a lot of women wearing in my step class.
In addition to twice weekly step classes, I’m in the middle of a 4-week walking program in St. Lucia. That’s right. St. Lucia. Obviously, I’m teleporting via my NordicTrack treadmill … and one of it’s many iFit training programs. Jim loves iFit’s running programs and has been running all over the world in some amazing places.
I also do a daily dog walk although its become more of a challenge as Pippa gets older. Both Pippa and Maggie are slow walkers with lots of starts and stops. But every step counts. It’s quite a change from our Sasha-the-lab years. We called Sasha our personal trainer and she dragged us along … we could barely keep up.
Sculpt Tank | Sport Bra | Basic Legging | Water Bottle | Claw Clips | Hoka Bondi 8 | Cushioned Sock
ALLISON BORNSTEIN CLOSET EDIT
Do you know Allison Bornstein? I didn’t, but I’m glad I do now. She’s a stylist and from what I can tell during the pandemic she took social media by storm helping people edit their closets with helpful videos. And conducting personal editing sessions online. I’m considering doing a session, but it’s helpful to do a good closet edit first.
Allison has a 5-step editing process, the AB method, which you can watch here. The 5-step process goes something like this.
- Identify your ‘regulars’. Your regulars are the items of clothing you wear all the time. These are not necessarily pieces you love, but they’re the pieces you actually wear day-to-day. For this process Allison suggests putting your regulars on a rolling rack (more on rolling racks in a bit).
- Identify your ‘nevers.’ Nevers are items you don’t wear. Maybe because you don’t like them, they don’t fit, they’re damaged or you LOVE them but don’t know HOW to wear them. Once this is done, categorize the nevers into three groups.
-The no’s – don’t like, doesn’t fit, isn’t repairable, etc. to donate, sell and toss.
-The not now’s – may be out of season pieces or pieces you’re not yet ready to part with. Remove the not nows from your closet and store them elsewhere (in suitcase under the bed, in a bin in the garage, etc.) and revisit them seasonally.
-The how’s. The how’s are pieces you love but don’t know how to wear. - Revival – this is the process of matching your how’s with your regulars and creating outfit ideas. Allison suggests taking pictures of the outfits and placing them in a folder on your phone. During this step you’ll identify pieces you may need in buy in order to complete outfits for your how’s.
- Categorize – place the pieces back into your closet organized by category and color.
A word on rolling racks. They’re a great thing to have for several reasons. Obviously, for use during closet edits and just having fun putting outfits together. They’re also ideal when packing for trips, especially longer trips. It’s nice to see everything hanging rather then tossed onto the bed. I use this rolling rack. It easily collapses flat to tuck away when not in use. This one is a lot more expensive but has a shelf on top and on the bottom which is ideal for trip packing because you can add shoes, bags, and other accessories on the shelves. During our nomad years when we were selling, building then selling and buying we lived in several rental homes and apartments. The closet situations were abysmal and multiple rolling racks saved us. We turned extra bedrooms into walk-in closets by setting rolling racks around the room. They also came in handy when a flimsy closet bar came crashing down under the weight of my clothes. Instead of testing the repaired bar, I slid a rolling rack underneath and spared myself the another trauma.
A few things I use to keep my constantly edited closet organized ~
GRAPPLING WITH LOSS
Just before Thanksgiving, I wrote about my friend, former boss and parental figure, Harry Parsley. Harry and his wife, Ellen (my Mother Parsley), are the proprietors of Silver Stag Winery in Napa Valley. Harry was kind enough to share his Thanksgiving (holiday) wine recommendation on the blog. Jim and I enjoyed his recommended wine – 2019 Coombsville Reserve Cab – on Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. Sadly, Harry passed away a few days before Christmas. His family shared this moving tribute.
Two years ago this week I lost my ex-husband, Al. ‘Ex’ has such a negative connotation and there is nothing negative about my feelings for him. Warm, funny, smart, kind and generous … are just a few of the words that come to mind when I think of him. Perhaps I should just say he was my dear and treasured friend.
And an incredible father to three daughters who I love and adore.
Next week will mark one year since I lost my father. My dear, sweet dad.
Losing these three amazing people over a two year period has been difficult. And I’ve struggled. I came across this poem by Henry Scott-Holland. There’s much comfort to be found in it and I find myself referring back to it and sharing it again and again. Loss is something we all experience and as her late majesty the Queen eloquently said, ‘Grief is the price we pay for love.’ I hope these words resonate with you as well.
MEYER LEMON RECIPES
Just before the latest storm hit I harvested our Meyer lemon tree. The tree is only in its second season and I can’t believe the amount of lemons it produced. Wow.
My lemon basket runneth over and sent me to Google in search of Meyer lemon recipes. Here are a few of the many I’m going to experiment with this month. Starting with the Lavender Meyer Lemon Tom Collins cocktail … you can watch my video here.
Lavender Meyer Lemon Tom Collins Cocktail
I’m not a big gin fan, but I loved this. I used Barr Hill Gin which is made with honey. The honey combined with the lavender syrup and lemon … oh my gosh. So good. To make the lavender simple syrup I used Morton & Bassett lavender, if you can’t find it locally try this.
Foodie Crush
Individual Lemon Pudding Cakes
William Sonoma
So there you have it, this weekend’s meanderings.
Let’s visit Kim and Elizabeth to see what they’ve been up to.
Odds & Socks ~
Over the holidays we watched some good, and not so good TV and movies. On the good side … Jack Ryan season 3, Emily in Paris season 3, Tulsa King, Hollywood Houselift with Jeff Lewis, For the Love of Kitchens season 2. We went to the movies to see Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody which is phenomenal. Whitney Houston was my era and I was crying by the end of the first scene … and the tears kept rolling throughout the movie. Naomi Ackie, who plays Whitney, deserve an Oscar nomination. And Stanley Tucci is excellent as Clive Davis. On the not so good side, we thought Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery was terrible. We didn’t get beyond 30 minutes and should have given up after 15.
Plotting your course for the New Year? Read this.
I ordered this versatile basket trio … they just arrived and I love them! The medium or large size basket is going to be perfect, and an upgrade, for my outdoor table umbrella pole disguise/solution.
On New Year’s Eve I made a perfectly cooked prime rib using this method. I also made popovers, but they didn’t rise. Wah wah. Last week I tried again and lo and behold they rose … but not as spectacularly as I’d hoped. Several Instagram friends recommended using a special popover pan and I ordered this one. Other suggestions included using pan liners, self-rising flour, lowering oven temperature, refrigerating the batter for several hours and leaving the batter a little lumpy. If you have any thoughts, leave me a comment. Oh, and I used Ina’s popover recipe.
We’re considering visiting London and Edinburgh in June. This blogger did just that – in December – read all about it here. And she shared her packing strategy. She even used a rolling rack!
If you missed the last weekend meanderings, you can catch up here.
And follow along for more fun on Instagram and Pinterest.
As always, I appreciate your visit and welcome your thoughts in the comments below.
Cheers from Snowberry!
HELLO!
WELL here I thought you were down SOUTH all this time!
The recess was a good re-boot!I hope to scribble something today.
PopOVERS were my MOTHER’s speciality!I never could make them either.
Closets and organization…………well if you LOVE IT you KEEP IT!The best thing I did was make outfits when we built my closet a year or two ago……….that helps a lot!Rotation is KEY!Then AGE takes over and realize what YOU LOVE YOU SHOULD NOT WEAR ANYMORE!!!That is a HARD one to SWALLOW!
THAT would make a GOOD POST!
ANYWAY HAPPY TO HEAR you are exercising……………..THAT DOES A BODY GOOD!
XOXO
Contessa! What was your mothers’ popover secret?! I suppose if you knew you’d have no trouble making them either. Did she use a special pan?!!! You’re right … there should be a ‘love but should not wear pile’ and the decision is to archive or give away. Write that post, Contessa! Happy New Year! xo
Allison is my daughter’s friend. She’s great. Just moved with her husband to L.A. So now they can see each other more. She has helped Alie but also told her to keep her own style. I need to tackle my closet.
That reading choked me up. So sorry for all the pain you have endured. Guess we will be losing more people the older we get and it’s not easy!
On a lighter note…you look fabulous on the treadmill!
Oh my gosh, Allison is Ali’s friend? You’re celebrity adjacent! If I book a consult I’ll be sure to drop your name! That was exciting news this morning … I’m still processing. You’re right, the older we get the more we begin to experience significant loss. As you have yourself recently. I love this poem so much. And, thank you for the compliment. We’re waiting for the next rain storm and I was able to get out in the real world this morning to walk Maggie. Happy weekend, happy new year! xo
The rolling rack idea, with it folding away under the bed, has me thinking! Great ideas all around. Happy New Year!
Carol … a collapsible rolling rack is a great idea for sure! xo
I had used Ina’s popover recipe for years with mixed results. This Christmas I switched to King Arthur’s recipe and they were perfection. Highly recommend!
Thanks, Laura! I’m looking up King Arthur’s recipe now. Happy New Year! xo
Great Idea on the rolling rack. I am too lazy to get it out of the attic and use it, but it would really be helpful for packing! So maybe it SHOULD live under the bed?!
I am so sorry Juliet, that you have had so much loss in 2 years. It is very hard, especially during the holidays. Thinking of you.
Also – I am harvesting my little Meyer’s lemon, that lives in the garage in the winter, one lemon at a time. So thank you for the recipes – I end up giving them to people!
Good morning, Gray! Under the bed is a great place for it … if it fits. My bed is too low to the ground so the rack lives in the garage. That said I’m never sorry when I go to the effort to get it out. Its makes a huge difference especially when packing for travel … which you do a lot of. Thanks for your kind words. You are familiar with loss and I hope the poem means something to you as well. If you enjoy a good cocktail, the Lavender Meyer lemon Tom Collins is so good … and may use up one or two of your garage tree stash. Happy New Year! xo
Welcome back Juliet!
First let me say how sorry I am for the loss of your friend Harry, he sounds like a wonderful friend and mentor. You are blessed to have had such a kind and generous friend.
The loss of your dad and Al, two amazing men. A testament to your love that even after divorce that you were still friends, that is a rare friendship indeed. The poem you shared is a beautiful reminder that our loved ones are still here, if only in our memories and hearts, but will be waiting for us. I love that thought.
On a lighter note, thankfully you survived the storms, winds and rain are always scary.
I’ve not heard of the closet makeover. If I am honest, I like all of my clothes even if I rarely wear them, it would be hard to part with the things I still have left.
The lemons are amazing! Your garden must have something the tree likes because that is a lot of lemons. The lavender drink is right up my alley, I cannot wait to make it. As does the pasta.
Off to check out your links!
Scotland is my favorite place in the world! I have been many times and I am sure that you will love it. Love London too, just a different vibe from Edinburgh.
I hope your pup is doing better.
Take care Juliet and have a wonderful weekend.
xo
Good morning, Elizabeth! Pippa is on the mend … thank you for thinking of her. I’m excited about our upcoming trip but its so hard to squeeze everyone we want to do in a limited period of time. I guess we’ll have to go back. Thanks for your kinds words … wishing you a wonderful weekend and Happy New Year! xo
Hi Juliet,
I enjoyed reading, “Death Is Nothing At All.” I understand what a difficult season can bring with the loss of one’s you loved and respected so deeply. I relate to what Queen Elizabeth said. When loved ones pass we still have a relationship with them however it’s just not the same.
The lemons are beautiful..
Good for you that you exercise and look after yourself.
Happy healthy new year.
Thanks for your kinds words, Katherine. I’m so happy you enjoyed the poem. Wishing you the happiest New Year! xo
Juliet, You are off to a great start with your workout routine already in place. Love the sort of gear you have. I need those sneakers. The books are great. I have Atomic Habits and read it all the time. Will order the others and follow Brianna on Instagram.
I’m so sorry for the loss of Harry, and your dad and Al. It’s this time of year, I think about my mom so much. It’ll be 8 years in February and I seem to miss her more each year. My grandma too. Why is this time of year so hard? Thank you for the lovely poem.
Allison is one of the best wardrobe people and I have watched her grow from just a few followers to being the style person at J. Crew and styling my favorite Katie Holmes. She’s all about California casual and basics and maybe that is why I dig her. She’s not fancy, just chic.
Love the meyers from your yard! You have so many and all the recipes look great. I need dopant more of them . We have aa lot of Eureka lemons that were here and a few other citrus.. Such a great time to use them in drinks too!
Enjoy the weekend Juliet!
Happy New Year,
x Kim
That was a meandering meanderings! So much to ponder on. I’m sorry to be reminded of your losses… the anniversaries can be so difficult.
On a brighter note, you seem off to a good start for 2023. Hope it’s a great year.
Hey there Karen, 2023 is off to a great start and I hope to hear good news on your home search very soon! xo
Happy 2023, Juliet! I am so very sorry for your loss. Wow, what a lot of lemons you have! The fettucine sounds divine. Thank you for the book and streaming recommendations! It is so nice to “see” you again!
Hi Molly, doesn’t that fettuccini look good. I think I’ll try it this week. Nice to ‘see’ you too … Happy New Year! xo
I’m really sorry about all your losses. We lost both my father and father-in-law in 2022 – their downward spirals and ultimate demise due to Covid. Thanks for all the other info. I also love Hokas and am always looking for an umbrella solution so will check out the baskets!! Happy 2023!
Happy New Year, Kim. I’m terribly sorry for your family losses. Covid has taken too many from us too soon. Glad to know you’re a Hoka fan too … they’ree a game changer. Hope my umbrella pole solution gives you some ideas. xo
hi Juliet, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
THINKING ABOUT YOU AND YOUR SEASON OF LOSS OVER THREE YEARS. I REMEMBER WHEN YOU FORMER HUSBAND PASSED AWAY. AND I THOUGHT HOW LOVELY YOU REMAINED FRIENDS- THAT IS A TRIBUTE TO BOTH OF YOU!
AND YOUR DAD.
WHERE DO I BUY A MEYER LEMON TREE IN COLORADO/
SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED THEM. WE HAVE THE SUN SO IT SHOULD WORK HERE TOO! EMAIL ME BECAUSE I NEVER SCROLL THROUGH RESPONSES ON A BLOG POST. I CAN BARELY REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE BLOG HA! HAPPY NEW YEAR, LAURA
Happy New Year, Laura … even though you won’t see this I feel I must respond! Thank you for your kind words. As for a Meyer lemon tree … I don’t know why they wouldn’t grow in Colorado unless the altitude is an issue. If you can’t find one in your local nursery, perhaps you can order online. We’ve planted citrus before and it took years for it to produce decent fruit. Our two year old lemon and lime trees have been going gang busters since day one. A lemon, or two, a day keeps the doctor away is my new motto! xo
I too RE-read Big Magic every year in January (great minds & all that, wink). Isn’t it amazing? I magically (no pun intended) get something new from this book each year. I just pulled out my dog eared, excessively highlighted copy a couple of days ago & will revisit this gem starting next week.
I’m sending you big hugs from afar regarding the anniversary of your dad passing. My dad passed away 6 years ago this past Dec. 1 and I struggle still. Crying at the drop of a hat quiet often. The entire month of December is super tough for sure.
Thanks as always for your awesome content.
Happy New Year!
~Scarlett
Happy New Year, Scarlett! I’m sorry for the loss of your dad … six years is such a short time. Relatively. We have to be gentle with ourselves … the holidays are already an emotional time. Isn’t Big Magic the best book … for January, or anytime really. Happy reading and Happy New Year. Oops, already said that. xo
I’m very sorry about your friend Harry. I enjoyed reading the tribute written about him and I hope in time the memories you have can give you comfort.
Two things I need to do but don’t necessarily feel like doing are exercising and cleaning out my closet. Once I’ve started however, never sorry I did! I would much rather read one of your book recommendations or make those adorable little lemon cakes. Our lemon tree is going gangbusters and producing a lot of lemons for a change. I definitely want to try the lemon cake recipe. I hope we can get back to walking or lunching once these bomb cyclones pass!
Happy New Year, glad you’re back.
Lemons are off the chain this year … most be ideal lemon conditions and its fine by me because I love them in everything. Looks like we’re in for another bomb cyclone tonight or early tomorrow. Great we’re getting the rain but wish we could capture it and put it to use later. Happy New Year … look forward to seeing you soon! xo
Hello Juliet, thank you for your lovely blog. I enjoy your posts so much! So sorry to hear of the loss of your dear friend, many sympathies and condolences. Grief is always hard especially so at the holidays. We all must show each other more compassion and share some happiness and smiles while we can.
Thank you for saying that about the Glass Onion! Thought I was the only one. My husband and I attempted to watch but ended up distracted and never finished the movie. I’ve been embarrassed to admit it because everyone keeps saying it’s so great. Jeepers.
Thanks again for all your work on the blog. Love the lemon recipes, yummy!
Tamara! Thank you for commenting about the Glass Onion. I was afraid I’d gone out on a limb by commenting on it. We have to call it as we see it right?! I did enjoy the first Knives Out movie. I mean it was nothing fabulous, but it was entertaining. This new one … I don’t get it. I hope to experiment with more lemon recipes this week … maybe you’ll be doing the same. Cheers! xo
Juliet that was a lovely tribute to Harry. Always remember how much he loves you.
Mother Parsley
Awe … Ellen, thank you. Love him and you too. xo
Another vote here for King Arthur popovers. They are my son’s favorite. The first time I made them, they were a little bit over done. The second time, I adjusted the time a little and they were perfect. Just saying don’t give up on them, they’re totally worth it. And my muffin tin worked just fine.
I’m so sorry for your losses. It’s especially hard around the holidays.
Thank you, Barbara … I’ve printed the King Arthur recipe and will give it a try as soon as my new popover pan arrives. Hopefully this week! Hope you’re having an amazing weekend. xo
As always I enjoy reading your weekend meanderings !
I’m so sorry these last few years have been with out some of the people you love. A few years back I lost my dad and father in law in the same year. The late Queen Elizabeth is right the sadness is the price we pay to love . But oh not too love, how sad we would truly be!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the Whitney Houston movie, it’s one I plan on seeing !
And lemons with pasta the best !!!
Happy new year!
Hi Mary Anne … and thank you for your kind words. Let me know how you like the Whitney movie … it’s one of the best things I’ve seen in quite a while. I’m going to make that lemon fettuccini this week! Happy New Year! xo
You will love Scotland!! You have to plan to travel through the whole country- not just Edinburgh . You can stay in real castles!! I have a good friend – who is born and raised in Scotland- she takes groups of LUCKY friends over and we have fabulous tours!! Last time we went to the Royal Gathering in Bramere. We sat about 100 feet from the Queen. She got us the first row of seats that commoners could sit in. It was so fantastic. We stayed at Fyvie Castle up north!! Goodale it- it loooks like Cinderella’s castle!! We had a group of 10 and we had the entire – rentable- part of the castle to ourselves!! I’ve been several times and every time it’s been fabulous!!
I am going to order that collapsible clothes rack- we do so much traveling and it will definitely make packing so much easier!! Thanks for the suggestion. I’m also going to order the tennis shoes!! I have feet issues – so they sound heavenly.
My favorite poem about death is called
“Gone from my sight” by Henry van Dyke . With my moms recent passing it brings me peace.
Hi Martha … thanks for all the great info! I’d love to spend more time in Scotland but we’re tacking this onto a trip to Italy for a wedding and the entire trip is already expanded to two weeks. I think we need to do another trip for a thorough tour of Scotland. Oh my gosh, your close encounter with the Queen … how fabulous!!! I think you’ll love the Hoka’s … my foot doctor recommended them and it’s made a huge difference. I’m going to search this poem now. Thank you. xo
I made your pasta with peas and pancetta and did not keep…please let me know how to make it. Also I found whole foods European frozen veg with sauce is a quick and easy way to make pasta. Plan to try others! Thanks Eileen
Hi Eileen … you can find it here https://makemineaspritzer.com/a-thanksgiving-outfit-fall-cocktail-prepping-for-the-holidays-more-on-todays-weekend-meanderings/
That’s a great idea to use the frozen veg + sauce … I’ll look for it! xo
So sorry to hear about your friend Juliet. I know that is tough. Love all your lemon recipes. I miss our older treesl. We have quite a few from our new trees but nothing like we used to. As always your post was filled with goodness!
Thanks so much, Cindy! xoxo
Hi Juliet,
Thanks for the wonderful content. What great recommendations to use up the plethora of Meyer lemons I have this time of year. I love the lemon pudding. It is like lemon meringue pie without the crust. I’ll have to give the pasta a try too. I have been following you via Kim, Cindy and Mary Ann’s blogs. I lived in Scotland for nearly a decade with my Scottish husband and my two young sons and have visited/gone “home” at least a couple times a year since we moved back to the Bay Area (same town as Kim). I’d be happy to give Scotland/Edinburgh site seeing recommendations any time. I think Tanya hit a lot of the high spots in Edinburgh. I’d add the Mary King’s Close tour to the itinerary. It is like the Churchill War Rooms (in London) in that it is an underground tour but going back several hundred years so much more basic. Both are my favorite tours in London and Edinburgh. If you have time there is the Georgian House on Charlotte’s Square. It is a fully restored 18th century Georgian Townhouse. Edinburgh Castle is a must too as is St. Giles and walking down the Royal Mile. We actually got married in Greyfriars Kirk, which is less grand than St. Giles but the church at the center of the Greyfriars’ Bobby legend and worth walking through the cemetery. Have a great trip!