february

pivoting, playing with clothes, and my favourite face oil

Feb 29, 2024

February felt like laying the groundwork for spring. I had one bad/sad week, but aside from that, it was low-key time with the family, a few good restaurants, parenting introspection, and tapping into my creative fashion side.

I’m also really feeling the spring cleaning/decluttering energy. This, along with thinking and figuring out how to do everything I want to with limited time, occupied my headspace. I got philosophical, then psychological, then practical because why not?

Let’s dive in!

watching

Two new shows! Who is this wild woman? We started Ted Lasso after a friend stated, “If Succession defeated your faith in humanity, Ted Lasso will restore it.” It felt like a good enough reason to watch it. It’s been a nice, short little show to watch after the kids are down without eating into my precious evening wind-down time. The second is One Day. If you haven’t read the book, I recommend it before watching the movie (with Anne Hathaway) or the current iteration. I’ve only seen three episodes of the Netflix show, and while Ali gave it a pass, I like the cadence and tone. The second episode is set in Rome, and I felt my heart catch watching the backdrop of ivy-covered, washed-out orange buildings.

My favorite family movie was We Bought a Zoo. It’s the second time we’ve seen it, but it hit differently this time. There’s something that shifts as your kids get older, and instead of raising them, you’re also co-existing with them. They’re your children, but also your people in life, and that feeling was poignant in the movie.

reading

I feel bad writing that I'm still in the middle of Hello Beautiful. I'm enjoying the plot and sibling dynamics between the four sisters. The writing flows, and I'm very curious about what happens between the central couple, William and Julia. If you like family dramas, I think you'd enjoy it, but it's too soon for me to tell you how I feel.

I also bought a few non-fiction reads. Brianna West has many books, but I chose The Pivot Year because this year feels like a personal shift. I've been exploring my love for fashion and style alongside food and lifestyle content, and sometimes, after Mikhail wakes me in the middle of the night, I lay in bed and think, "What the heck am I doing?" When I'm in this state, I imagine deleting my Instagram in the morning and retreating into my little mom life. In the morning, it doesn't feel so ridiculous. Anyhow, I need things like The Pivot Year to handhold this very traditional career girl through her online presence.

Another topic I love reading about is creativity. I think we all have a creative side and spirit, which often gets lost in adulthood. One of my favourite books ever is Bird by Bird if you're looking for inspiration around writing and creating. I read it during a poetry program at NYU many moons ago, and it was integral to getting me to write. I'm currently reading The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin. Each chapter feels stand-alone, making it easy to pick up when the desire arises for encouragement or direction.

I also purchased Deep Work by Cal Newport and Four Thousand Weeks. The former discusses the importance of creating space for deep, uninterrupted work to be innovative and original. The latter is how productivity falsely convinces us we can get everything done. Both interesting.

trying

I love using face oils as an extra layer of hydration and for face massage. I came across a cult oil used by celebrities for some astronomical price, at which point I reminded myself that you can grab beautiful oils at your local health store, and they will probably do 90% of the same thing as the expensive one! I wanted to make my own face oil during covid and even bought the vials to distribute (they're gathering dust somewhere in the basement now). I love oil, and here are some great ones if you want to try: Rosehip Seed, Jojoba, Emu oil, and Prickly Pear. A quick search will tell you which one is good for what. I've been using Rosehip lately, and it's felt incredibly nourishing. It's the final layer after my moisturizer, and I often do a little face massage after applying it. I use it on Aiza as well, explaining it may not be viral on the "internets", but it works.

Another recommendation is Dr. Jart's face masks. I got them from a Korean beauty store on Bloor Street, but they're also available at Sephora. The Brightening Solution masks leave my skin so glowy, though I hate the feeling of a sheet mask and have to force myself to put one on. I just finished my 5-pack and must drive back to grab a new box.

wearing

I had some cute outfits in February (if I do say so myself). I mostly played around with everything I already had and tried different combinations. My best tip is to rotate out ONE item of your tried and tested look. For example, If you always wear black pants with a white top and a black cardigan, switch out the white top - perhaps go all black or add a pop of color like red. Another option is switching out the black pants and trying other colors. You'll be shocked at how many new outfits you can make this way.

one pair of cords two very different ways

My favourite outfit was definitely the blazer moment below. It was the most *me* of everything I wore in Feb. Wide leg, high-waisted jeans - a fave. The beautiful gilver-coloured shoes from Italy were sentimental, and the oversized jacket cinched at the waist felt feminine and chic but not too serious. Finally, the Polène bag is such a lovely colour, and I like the lady-like shape of it. Not every outfit is a ten and that's obviously fine. But when it does feel like a ten, unpacking what you loved about it is helpful for future outfitting and purchases.

A few links:

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travelling

For a hot second, I informed/declared? to Ali we would head on a family trip to Nantucket. I've always wanted to visit, and after reading The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand last year (a great beach read), even more so. A quick Google search brought me to my senses, with homes and hotels for thousands of dollars for a family of five, sigh. If you are having or wanting a third child, be aware, it seriously impacts your ability to travel, as most hotel rooms are meant for four people max. I still remember Ali warning me that having a third was "a step change," this type of wisdom and forewarning works with me zero percent! Anyway, perhaps a girl's trip…

In the meantime, I am planning a family holiday, but I’m not sure where we'll go. It might be a road trip or somewhere close by. Perhaps visiting the east coast of Canada or upstate New York, maybe DC to tour the Smithsonian museums? Europe is out of the cards this year, but somewhere in North America is still exciting.

cooking

My pivot into more fashion content has impacted how many new and exciting things I've been cooking. I also feel swamped on any given day and make things I can throw together without thinking - meals like marinated chicken thighs, roasted veggies, and rice. Easy, one-pan, one-pot meals that require minimal thinking on my part. A few delicious things I did make are:

afternoon tea cake, recipe on my blog, my family INHALED it
lemon butter chicken and orzo via Half Baked Harvest, so good
chocolate banana bread, recipe on my IG - I would like a magical elf to bake this for me everyday
pot roast in the insta pot (first attempt)
Alison Roman’s Chickpea Stew, insanely delish

you will LOVE this - recipe on my IG feed

Side note: If you're looking for some good vegan recipes, I recommend Meera Sodha's column for The Guardian and Deliciously Ella's instagram and website. Ella has a new cookbook out that's centred around being a busy mother and wanting to eat well which would resonate with many people. Meera Sodha also has a fabulous cookbook called East, which is filled with beautiful recipes.

other favourite things in pictures: