Try Out the Capri Blue Volcano Candle - It Transformed My Apartment Space...
It’s a spring Saturday - cruising through Amazon earlier in the week, I was admittedly looking up Trudon and went to the feature where it shows you what’s most popular in a category. Topping “jar candles” is the "Capri Blue Volcano Candle - which I had always heard of as the scent of Anthropologie. It was delivered within 24 hours.
🌋 What Makes the Capri Blue Volcano Candle Stand Out?
Chic royal blue glass: an elegant glass jar that both looks and contains a candle that smells pleasing before you even light it.
Mmm…smells good: the signature “tropical fruit and sugared citrus” scent can now brighten up your space. Smells like home - if your home is sophisticated and fun.
Burn baby burn - soy wax blend, clean burn, lasts for hours. The larger candle has an extended burn time which makes it work well for larger spaces.
And… it’s large flat base means it’s stable and hard to knock over. Helpful in a household with dogs, cats or small children (or rambunctious house guests!).
Spring Kitchen Upgrades That Are Worth the Investment (Our Top High-End Amazon Finds)
Our round-up of best spring upgrades for your kitchen right now.
Spring is a time of restarting and rejuvenation - and that can apply to upgrading your kitchen appliances and tools. We used to err on the cheap side and found we were often replacing them. Now we focus on quality and look. The right tools can change the way you cook - faster, more fun, and an aesthetically-pleasing kitchen to boot.
This post is dedicated to our favorite high-end kitchen products from Amazon right now. This post is actually being created while nursing a cup of coffee made with my Breville. All are worth the money and great whether you’re a home chef, enthusiastic amateur or just someone who wants a better (and better-looking) kitchen. This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
☕ Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine
Feels like my own coffeehouse at home
If you’ve been wanting to customize your own coffee and cut back a bit on all those morning coffee shop stops - this is perfect for you. Perhaps our favorite kitchen appliance ever purchased.
What makes it worth it:
Classic and attractive stainless steel design - works in any kitchen
Built-in burr grinder (what’s a burr grinder?)
Steam wand for quality milk froth - I use macademia or almond milk and it froths up nicely
Comes with a built-in “tamper” that attaches magnetically onto the machine
🍳 The All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel Cookware Set – For Serious Home Cooks
Big investment and well worth it. The heat distribution is solid - the finish is attractive and all our pieces do well in the dishwasher. These are pots and pans that last a long time - plus, easy to clean.
Why it’s a kitchen staple:
✔️ Easy to clean (by hand is preferable but honestly I throw in dishwasher)
✔️ Oven- and broiler-safe up to 600°F
✔️ Made in the USA (Pennsylvania)
🌀 Meet the “Beast” – Your Easiest Smoothies Ever
The “Beast” lives up to it’s name - powerful, pretty - and can fit in the cabinet or be displayed on the countertop. Works well in small kitchens and large ones - handles everything from ice and frozen fruit to all my nut butters.
✔️ 1000-watt motor
✔️ Modern, minimalist design
✔️ Super easy to clean
🍲 Le Creuset Dutch Oven – Key to Your Kitchen
If you’ve been thinking about the a Dutch oven that does everything—from soups to stews - roasting to poaching - and even making bread - this is the one. Le Creuset is the best when it comes to enameled cast iron. My current one has lasted years - and I can use it for just about everything.
✔️ Oven-safe and you can also pop in dishwasher
✔️ Even heat distribution - works for everything you might cook
✔️ Wide array of colours (mine’s Cherry Red or “Cerise” 🔥)
Final Thoughts
None of these are cheap but if you cook frequently - they’re worth the money and will pay for themselves over time. Also they’re easy and even fun to cook with - and make spending time in the kitchen more enjoyable - which may help cut back on that takeout bill! 😅
All of them are linked above so you can see reviews and specs (and see exactly what a conical burr grinder is) and see if they seem right for your kitchen. 🧡
Fall Favorites You Don't Want to Miss
Fall favorites you don't want to miss from the perfect pumpkin spice tea to book-ish and Bohemian candles.
As fall is in full bloom (you can’t say “full leaf,” right?) - some of our fall favorites that will upgrade your life right now.
1- LET’S GET LIT - Two of Byrdeo’s best - Bibliotheque is like wandering into your favorite library. Bohemia - “an ode to wandering” as described the brand - has rosemary, vanilla and oak moss as part of the scene blend.
2 - SPILL THE TEA - like pumpkin spice? Try the tea. The Republic of Tea has a luscious black tea blend with seasonal spices including cinnamon and ginger. Medium caffeine - and 50 teabags, each one a little flavor of fall!
3 - MAKE THE TEA… in this whimsical ceramic pumpkin teapot. Trending in teapots on Amazon and a hit with reviewers - use to make your daily tea or put it out as fall decor. Either way - we love it!
Never too early to plan for Christmas!
Never too early to plan for Christmas!
It’s September 22 and celebrating the season feels like a long way off. Pumpkin spice has barely landed, apple picking is just revving up and it’s about time to think about your Halloween celebrations and costume(s) before Christmas.
But retailers and, frankly people who just want a break, are diving into Christmas earlier than ever. Some of the top trends for this year-
According to Balsam Hill - “Shades of red, green, gold, and silver will be the most popular Christmas colors in 2024.” Plus popular tree themes will range from “true blue winter” to mimic a starry night outside to “festive farmhouse” with plenty of greenery and more cozy ornaments.
Over on Amazon - the top trends in Christmas trees right now range from these faux Norfolk pine branches giving a realistic look that will last for the next few months to light-up birch trees that can go from October to the New Year. And prelit trees of all kinds are trending from this Dunhill fir with white lights from National Tree Company to this potted prelit Arctic fir with white lights.
Fortnum & Mason is inviting everyone to “step into the season” with a glorious glut of Christmas-themed ornaments, cookies and gifts. It just feels like Christmas clicking here. We’re especially excited about the beauty-themed advent calendar which starts shipping October 21 (a present to yourself or the beauty buffs in your life!) and the Christmas Merrilossus cookies - yummy and a beautiful tin. Hello to the Christmas peppermint hot chocolate!
Pottery Barn has just landed the holiday plane online with a festive red and white and gingerbread themed line. We are particularly excited about everything in the “Gingerbread Shop” which is already evoking the scents of baking cookies and all things winter.
Best Costumes for this Halloween 2024
Best costumes for Halloween 2024.
It’s the spooky season and Halloween is six weeks away. From “Deadpool & Wolverine” to “Inside Out 2” to the more villainous characters of stage and screen, there’s plenty of opportunity for great costumes.
The Maleficent inspired costume gets rave reviews on Amazon - it’s chic and villainous - we’re in!
This is the closest we’ve seen to a strong but easy Wolverine costume. And wait for it…you need the claws.
We loved Deadpool and we really loved Lady Deadpool. Get your version - and customize it - before they sell out.
Inside Out 2 was the monster hit of the summer - are you feeling the “Fear?”
Bring Spring In...
Snowdrops are poking through the last of the frosty ground as winter starts to turn slowly into spring. And we’re decorating a new space to turn our abode high in the sky into a spring sunroom.
We’re turning to everyone from William Morris to Jennifer Taylor to bring spring in this March and April in our perch high in the sky.
Usually blue, white, pink and gold are my go-to colors but for this room, we’re turning to greens, golds, and cream, and pink as we enter the new season.
The focal point is this Jennifer Taylor sofa - bought on Amazon and arriving pretty quickly. Note - you have to pay extra to get the legs put on. We assembled it ourselves and, so far, it’s holding steady.
Above is what we ordered and hear how it looks in the living room.
We’ve teamed it up with this Rugabe.
And added a coffee table
Year of the Dragon
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon.
The year of the dragon is upon us, starting February 10, 2024 and ending next January 28, 2025. And it’s a particular dragon - the “Wood Dragon.” The South China Morning Post characterizes this as “Wood represents vitality and creativity, while the dragon is related to success, intelligence and honour in Chinese culture. This combination makes people born in the Year of the Wood Dragon full of energy and drive.”
Years of the Dragon include this and also 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964 and on and on.
This beautiful tea set from Williams Sonoma to mark the Lunar New Year.
Amazon has a host of teas, cards and more to use to mark the new year.
Easy and Affordable DIY Framing
We've recently become a fan of hanger frames. And we were trying to find a frame that would fit this precious paper from Japan and debated whether to send it to someone to be framed or frame ourselves.
Initially we were thinking of sending to Framebridge, rated best overall framing service on The Spruce, and having the work done for us. Then we got ansy and thought we’d save time and money and frame it ourselves.
HangerFrames Picture Hanger Frame
After going down a rabbit hole (pun intended) of finding the perfect frame and realizing that our paper size doesn’t easily fit most store-bought frames, we chose this easy and affordable option: a stylish magnetic wood hanger frame here on Etsy.
We picked a stain color in walnut (6 different colors are offered), figured out which width worked for the width of the paper using their handy “How To Choose a Hanger Frame Size” guide (sizes range from 6” to 49”), received it about a week later, and carefully sandwiched the paper between the magnetic pieces at both ends. Boom - we had a hanging print!
Oh, and we rewatched To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You on Netflix and lo and behold, a pretty paper in a hanger frame was just hanging out in the background of a scene with Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Stormy (Holland Taylor). So it kind of sealed the deal that we'd gone with something that worked!
Kit Kemp's "Design Thread"
At the start of her book “Design Thread,” Kit Kemp writes about Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own” saying that it “left us with the valuable notion that, if you do not have a comfortable room and feel at ease with your surroundings, it is much more difficult to be creative.”
That sentiment is the basis of her book on “creating comfortable, functional, and well-designed interiors” - an art she calls “very often misunderstood and underrated.” For anyone who has spent time at one of the elegant and relaxing Firmdale Hotels designed by Kemp, the art of function and relaxation crossed with whimsy and ah-I-never-thought-of-those-things-together is paramount.
Her book is a tour de force of imaginative interiors from antique lamps with shades made from old maps and from “Much Ado” books to sunbursts of egg yolk yellow covering walls with “Sirenes” from the Pierre Frey Jean Lurcal collection.
For fans of The Whitby Hotel - and we count ourselves among them - Kemp lays out her design process for designing it. “New York can feel a bit like a battleground at times, so the feeling within our new hotel needed to be one that would pique the curiosity, delight all the senses in an adventurous and colorful way, and make visiting or staying with us worthwhile in every sense.” The book walks the reader meticulously through the myriad design “problems,” solutions and leaps of imagination for anyone captivated by the Whitby - including every single basket, hanging in an evocative jumble over the bar.
Celebrate Mom With This Mother's Day Cocktail
Sparkling Mum cocktail
Looking for a special Mother’s Day cocktail to make for the mom(s) in your life, or to shake up for your mom self?
We came up with the “Sparkling Mum”, a Mother’s Day drink just for you!
We got our hands on a bottle of Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin and were bold over by the purple-red color & the enjoyable flavors - with aromas & tasting notes of raspberry, pine forest juniper, and white pepper. We mixed it with some sparkling rosé (we recommend Tipp Rambler Rosé), citrus and hibiscus simple syrup - and voilà, here is our beautiful cocktail to serve mom!
SPARKLING MUM COCKTAIL
RECIPE - Serves 1
• 2 oz sparkling rosé
• 1.5 oz Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin
• 1/3 oz homemade hibiscus syrup (2 parts water to 1 part sugar and 1 part hibiscus flowers; lemon peel)
• 1/2 oz orange juice
• 1/4 oz lemon juice
TOOLS
Cocktail Shaker
Jigger or Mini Measuring Cup/Glass
Paring Knife
Cutting Board
Citrus Squeezer
Fine Mesh Strainer
Champagne Flute
HOW TO MAKE
Make hibiscus syrup beforehand (combine 1 cup water to 1/2 cup sugar in saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves; add 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers and lemon peel - 1/4 of lemon, bring to a boil; remove from heat, steep 15-20 minutes; strain out hibiscus flowers, bottle, and refrigerate for 2 weeks).
Add all ingredients except rosé to cocktail shaker.
Add ice cubes that fill shaker about halfway.
Shake all ingredients with ice until cold (10-15 seconds).
Fine strain with your mesh strainer into champagne flute.
Top with 2 oz of rosé.
Bottoms up!
Cheers to all of the hard-working mums and moms out there!
For more on the absolute essentials to have in your home bar to make a shaken cocktail, check out our post here.
5 Tiptop Teapots
It’s no joke that we love tea - morning, afternoon, a comforting pot of chamomile or fennel-mint before bed…. and with this spring weather ripe for cardigans, cozying up with a pot of tea ☕️ sounds just about right.
And if you are joining the Brits this Saturday, May 6th to celebrate King Charles III’s Coronation, you just might need a spot of tea.
We’ve rounded up five teapots to try right now. Pair with Harney & Sons Coronation Tea.
1. Wedgwood Wild Strawberry Teapot
The Pretty Teapot - a classic Wedgwood shape adorned with wild strawberries. A prim and proper English teatime teapot without being too fussy. Wedgwood’s own site describes “Strawberries and cream is an English institution; and the succulence of wild strawberries gave inspiration to the Wild Strawberry Collection.” That’s 22-carat gold around the rim of the teapot and it’s those are hand-decorated leaves, flowers and berries. Pricey but worth it!
“Authentic English Teapot” is the billing on the Price & Kensington model. I’ve owned one in royal blue for years and it’s held up very well. Since spring is coming, this new model is mint might be appealing but it comes in a range of colours to brighten up your kitchen.
Elephant Teapot - we have had this model for years and it makes us smile every time we use it for tea. It’s like Babar is joining you for the afternoon. Fun, functional, easy to clean. And amusing.
The Showstopper - both a kettle AND a teapot. We first fell in love with the olive oil “dispensers” that elegantly dress up any table - now the “Cha” Kettle/Teapot from Alessi brings a bit of mod chrome-like elegance into your evening.
The Original - the “Brown Betty” - the most “basic'“ of teapots has its origins in the late 1600s in England but came into widespread use during the reign of Queen Victoria - when tea became the predominant beverage of the British Empire. Raise a cuppa to…history with your Brown Betty.
Shaken Not Stirred - Your 7 Home Bar Essentials
The “Honor Bar” at the Whitby Hotel
We love a good bar- the kind that makes you feel you could suavely concoct and shake any drink early Saturday evening and impress your friends. Inspiration for building your home bar doesn’t have to be the joint down the block but rather the lovely “honor bar” at the Whitby Hotel here in New York.
So what are the home bar essentials to shake a cocktail?
What we use the most: cobbler shaker, jigger/mini measuring cup, small citrus squeezer, fine mesh strainer, coupe glass, paring knife, and cutting board.
These are the seven essentials to mix, shake, and serve a drink.
Cobbler Cocktail Shakers
We have this basic cobbler shaker from Cocktail Kingdom at home. It’s not perfectly leakproof but we can vouch that we’ve made plenty of drinks using it and its lasted for a good long while! Made of stainless steel, 2-drink capacity.
Alternative 1: all-in-one shaker. Light-weight budget friendly cobbler shaker with a built-in strainer and a silicone seal for shaking. If you want to save money and little space, you can skip the jiggers below and just get this with the integrated one.
Alternative 2: all-in-one roomy shaker, also with a built-in measuring lid that allows you to make up to four drinks at one time and has a vacuum insulated tumbler which keeps the liquid ice cold but doesn’t freeze your hands. So again you can skip the jigger or measuring cup below.
2. Jigger or Mini Measuring Cup
If you want to get the industry standard and what pro bartenders like, check out this Japanese style jigger that has markings on the inside. You can flip from one side that holds 2 oz at its capacity to the other size that holds 1 oz at its capacity. We have this at home and use when entertaining.
This is so easy to use with its pour spout, transparency and easy-to-read measurement markings. We use this at home frequently.
3. Citrus Squeezer
More expensive than the one below, we’ve been using this citrus squeezer for several years and like the dual-gear mechanism for squeezing extra juice out of all those lemons & limes - can also use for a small orange. So we think it’s worth it!
Alternative: smaller & cheaper citrus press for squeezing lemons and limes.
We like to double-strain our cocktails with this fine mesh strainer to get rid of any extra pulp or ice bits.
5. Coupe Glass
A simple coupe glass makes for a beautiful serve for entertaining. This is a set of four so you’re ready to entertain.
6. Paring Knife
Easy to cut lemons and limes with this paring knife. Japanese stainless steel blade with nonstick coating, comes with a sheath/cover. We love this knife and have always had at least one on hand.
Easy to wash, easy to use cutting board to prep your citrus.
Ready?! Now you’re set with the essential bar tools to make a shaken cocktail!
Welcome to Japandi...
The Japandi trend in interiors has been on the rise - a combination of Japanese and Scandinavian design. Graham and Green, on their wonderful Guru blog, describes it as “influenced by the ancient Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, a way of life which values slow-living, contentment and simplicity as well as the Scandinavian practice of hygge…blends the smooth modern lines of Scandinavian design with the sleek, functional elegance of the Japanese aesthetic.”
For our part, Japandi is all about being relaxing, soothing to the eye, comfortable for the body and soul and working well with the rest of your home. Natural colours, materials, woods and textiles are all part of the Japandi look. Here are some of our favorites!
The Welland tree stump stool is something we can’t get over. Love this for it’s functionality, the ease with which we can move it around to create a new tableau and, frankly, it’s cute. Use it by the front door as a soothing place to slip on or off shoes - creating a transition point between your day outside and coming home; it can also be a good addition to the bathroom - small enough to slip into a corner or nook with a candle or towels on top. Or as an extra seat in the living room. We move it around every room.
Jute area rugs are endlessly useful and can be layered under other rugs as you want to change up the look of your space. This version at 6 x 9 runs around $148.89 (at time of this post); a smaller version in 5 x 8 will run you around $99 here.
Vases add visual interest and personality to any space - you can layer the cream and taupe colours of Japandi-inspired style with sleek lines and textures…and move them around as your mood dictates. We love these “donut vases” that run around $31.99 (at time of this post) or check out our “10 Vase Decorating Ideas” here.
A-tisket-a-tasket-we-love-a-basket - water hyacinth is a durable and sustainable material - it grows so thickly and fast in some regions that it’s considered an invasive species so using this basket is part of finding another use for this material that helps you and helps the planet. This version runs around $55 - we have it here in the living room and it has been rotated to hold everything from pillows to newspapers to our entire few months of Book Club books.
For more baskets, our “PQ Basket Edit” is here.
Easy bowls for everything - sometimes it’s nicer to just be able to use the same bowl for cereal…or pasta…or soup…whatever you please, these Mora ceramic bowls rotate between all meals. Running $32.99 (at time of this post).
We, quite literally, burn through a lot of candles here for our monthly Candle Edit. Kyoto from Brooklyn Candle Studio is one of our favorites…and it’s right in the Japandi theme. Perhaps a little too on the nose but a lovely scent and long burn - cedar, pine, cypress. It’s a refreshing scent and never cloying. Hygge at it’s finest. Running $38 (at time of this post).
A lovely piece for use just about anywhere from an "drop-off” spot next to the front door for keys, change, and more after a long day to a centerpiece bowl on your coffee table or a serving bowl with an edge for your dining table. Multi functional - a little different - useful everywhere.
A pretty little waste basket that makes it a bit more sleek and chic to toss what you’re done with. Also try it’s paler cousin…
Also lovely - easy to use and clean.
Big fan of this all-in-one design for your front entrance.
The perfect pouf - 100% jute on the outside; poly beads on the inside in a lovely wheat colour. For resting your feet or resting your drink or books…or an extra seat when that post-pandemic dinner party gets an extra guest!
The PQ Basket Edit
We love baskets! Stylish storage that add a little personality to your space. We use them for magazines, clothes, books, pillows, blankets, and we even tried putting wrapping paper in one as a more attractive way to store it all.
From seagrass to water hyacinth, so many materials are woven into baskets big and small that can help upgrade each room. These are three we recommend!
This is the XX Large version of a durable water hyacinth wicker basket. Useful for storing blankets, books, pillows, we use this one for all of the above. Measures approximately 16.1” by 14.3” and is 17.3” at its height. Wipe it clean with a towel. Keeps your space stylish…and tidy. Selling for $54.72, as of this post.
As seen in our Japandi Edit, this tall basket with handles can go in just about any space with its swooping lines, wide wicker weave and natural look. Selling for $65.59, as of this post.
This handmade seagrass basket can be used for plants (put it in a pot first!), toys, magazines, newspapers. Pretty in a corner, even nicer “centerstage.” The large size selling for $21.99, as of this post.
9 Mugs For Mom This Mother's Day
Whether she’s a tea drinker, a coffee drinker, a hot lemon water drinker, or just likes to use mugs for writing utensils or simply to admire as decorative objects, we rounded up our top nine mugs or mug sets on Amazon to gift Mom this Mother’s Day.
Like looking at the ocean, this Denby Azure Coast Large Curve Mug with an aquamarine glaze will bring color and relaxation to Mom’s kitchen. Handcrafted stoneware made in Derbyshire, England. Pair with Harney & Sons Mother’s Day tea.
We’ve been exchanging Marimekko gifts with friends & family for as long as we can remember. And we love this classic flower print in bright red for Mom.
For the fussy tea drinker. This is definitely the one for Moms who need a little extra fancy in their cup. Pair it with this beautifully packaged (extra fancy) Harney & Sons “Paris” black tea.
For the Mom who is a cat lover and/or an animal lover. Or just a portrait of a cat to make Mom smile.
Multi-purpose (drinking and eating) elegant glass mugs with sunflower and raindrop patterns with accompanying saucers and spoons.
Mom will be reminded of how special she is every time she uses this. And she’ll remember who gave it to her!
An exquisite covered mug that will keep Mom’s tea or coffee warm. Comes with a stainless steel tea infuser both packed in a pretty Met gift box. Pair with Art of Tea’s “Earl Grey Creme” black tea.
A peaceful start to Mom’s day with a tranquil pattern in this 4-cup set. Pair with this green & cherry blossom tea from Palais des Thes.
Tea Forte does not disappoint. An entire soothing gift set with a covered mug, 10 tea bags, and a tea tray included in a lovely gift box - all in a cheerful yellow just for Mom. Limited edition set curated with New York Botanical Garden.
Give Mom The Gift of Glam
Give Mom the gift of glam this Mother’s Day. We love this matching tiger satin sleep mask and scrunchie set by Averie and think it makes a great “just for Mom” gift.
Soft and silky feeling, the mask has a stretchy elasticized head band and both have a hand-drawn tiger print on a navy background and come with a matching accessories bag.
We gifted this chic set to a friend on her birthday so she could feel a little more glamorous while she’s at home being a busy mom — hence, also a perfect gift for Mother’s Day!
Averie, a brand born during the Covid pandemic, makes a variety of luxurious sleep & loungewear with fun prints. And the idea behind the company according to their website is to treat yourself by adding a bit of luxury to your every day (heck yes)!
Buy the set here exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue.
The PQ Candle Edit: Spring 2023
Candles became a bit of an obsession during the pandemic. Lighting up the darkness during the winter months; creating new scent trails during the spring months right now in New York City.
We used to light them occasionally. After months and months home the last few years, our “occasional” collection turned into a part-time hobby.
Sometimes burning them together - trying out everything from the much-vaunted pandemic-born brand Flamingo Estate to the now-classic Le Labo Santal 26. Below are our top five favorites this spring.
When we discovered Paige’s Candle Co. which was actually born right here in New York City, we fell in love with her Earl Grey scent. A cozy fragrance for light sweater weather and the springtime, the bergamot and black currant notes smell divine together. We love it so much we’ve gifted it to friends, family, significant others, and well yes, ourselves. Available in 4 oz, 9 oz, and 16 oz here on Etsy.
A bold statement in a candle. A jet black vessel with a soy wax candle that burns clean and strong. We’re a fan. This is on our coffee table right now.
A classic at this point - you may recognize this scent from, well, all over New York City. But it holds up - smells great - a bit smoky, a bit whiskey, like a late evening in a glass…but you can burn it all day.
We love these candles so much, we can’t decide among the three of them for which to recommend. Tomato brings the garden inside; sage smells refreshing and sensational at the same time…and burn the rosemary late into the evening and you’ll almost feel like you’ve transported to your own vacation location.
For more on Flamingo Estate - a bit of an obsession for us at the moment - click here.
Like our faves from Flamingo Estate, Benevolence also hails from LA. Not so much the scents of the garden as it is of just plain relaxation. The rose gold vessel subtly brightens any room or table…perfect outside at dusk as the shadows deepen.
All The Reads: Lenora Bell
The romance novel gets a modern spin set in the time on “the ton” but the themes and characters feel modern and relatable…with plenty of rakes and delectable Dukes. Marriage-minded mamas have their claws out but no one is bossing the heroes and heroines of Bell’s books around. Reading Bell’s oeuvre was a full-blown spring binge…and a very enjoyable one. Here are our Bell favorites.
“How the Duke Was Won” - Our heroine here is masquerading as her half-sister Dorothea (who receives her own book-length story in Bell’s “If I Only Had a Duke”) and is being paid a rather high amount of money to win over our Duke. One high and mighty marriage-minded mama, one French maid named Manon, and one adorable little girl named Flor all come together around the love story to spin out a tale that will have you drinking your hot cocoa along with Charlene and James as they fall for each other.
Lady Dorothea is back, for real this time, no half-sister pretending to be her, in her own story that kicks off with a yearning to authenticate artwork. Specifically, a lost piece by Artemisia Gentileschi, the female Italian Renaissance artist who famously painted Judith beheading Holofernes on not one but two inflammatory canvases. (More here just on the “big, blood-drenched paintings” by Gentileschi.) But Artemisia is the excuse to kick off the second in Bell’s series on “Disgraceful Dukes” as our lead character is inspired by the artist proclaiming her Judith canvas one that says women’s “fingers are no less skillful, our minds no less sharp and our sensibilities, the way we view the world, no less unique.” The story of Thea and Dalton the Duke, a good romping read and a reminder to go beyond the pages for a little art history as well.
19 Mother's Day Gift Ideas From A to Z In 2023
Mother’s Day is looming and it’s time to find the perfect gift for all the moms in your life - here’s our round-up of our favorite gifts in 2023; all things we love, we use, and we recommend. Whether you go for the frame (preferably with a photo of you or you and mom) or a candle from Flamingo Estate (good gift really for any holiday!) or a special tea just for her. Here we go…
This Miko Shiatsu Foot Massager is a gift that we literally list for every holiday (and also to ourselves). It’s wonderful at the end of a long day to relax and recharge with a variety of settings. Bliss on demand - and your mother will thank you.
A throwback with a 2023 touch - we have this in turquoise but it’s just as pretty in amethyst. Add in a few records for mom and this “Now Playing” vinyl record stand, and fire it up after she opens it!
Two of our favorite products from Korres - if your mother likes luxury facial products - buy these two and bundle them together for a gift that keeps on giving.
An elegant gift for mom, this cup and saucer set tells a story of a woman in the yellow dress bidding her sailor farewell as he goes on an adventure on the high seas. Part of the Kit Kemp “Sailor’s Fairwell” collection. For more Mother’s Day cup and mug ideas, click here.
Harney & Sons Mother’s Day tea with rose petal, cornflower, chamomile, and orange peel. A floral bouquet in each cup! And bonus it comes in a lovely tin that will be a keeper for Mom year after year.
You’re always in mom’s heart so why not give her this lovely frame for Mother’s Day - if you’re trying to top your siblings in the gift-giving; frame a shot of yourself.
Flamingo Estate is one of our favorite brands - born during the pandemic, now a staple in our house. Mom will love a scent that evokes your favorite dinner dishes on a warm Tuscan night.
Featured in the fourth episode, third season of Ted Lasso (which was dedicated to Grant Wahl), “The Beckham Experiment” is a great read for the mom who’s a Lasso devotee, a soccer fan or just loves good sports journalism. If you want to get mom a “book stack,” check out our blog post devoted to all the books featured on Ted Lasso.
We swoon for Le Creuset products and adore this sea salt color. A useful and long-lasting utensil set that can be on display or tucked away in a corner of Mom’s kitchen.
Aesop makes any bathroom better. It’s a touch on the pricey side so it might be the kind of thing mom doesn’t splurge on for herself so go ahead, splurge for her!
Go big for mom - help her get ready for outdoor spring and summer dining with an outdoor set of foldable French bistro chairs and table. Easy to clean; classic look and just order more chairs if you need to expand.
We gift Caudalie products regularly to the mothers in our lives - we use it, too. Part of the expanding clean beauty movement with natural active ingredients that Caudalie says “respect the environment and your skin.” Feels good, looks good, smells good. Perfect gift.
13. COENGWO Cork Massage Balls (2-pack)
Small balls, big impact. We use these massage balls on our neck, back, feet. A useful gift for mom to provide tension and stress relief.
11 ounces of grapefruit, mint, tarragon, black pepper, and sea salt is a refreshing and energizing candle scent for mom.
Food inspiration for mom with Italian family-friendly recipes and the stories behind them in this three book bundle from Stanley Tucci.
A beautiful decorative box in Moroccan Blue for mom’s jewelry or keepsakes.
A cheery strawberry pattern and a sweet reminder of how much you adore Mom every time she drinks her tea.
We think mom will love this delicious smelling candle in an aqua-colored vessel that fills the room with a tropical citrus and sugar scent. For even more gift ideas of this Capri Blue Volcano scent, check out our post here.
We love this for its functionality - to sit, to use a side table or a nightstand, to use as an addition in the bathroom. This multipurpose Welland tree stump is the perfect small accent piece for mom indoors or outdoors. Also featured in our curated Japandi favorites list.
Mad for William Morris
Like Lilly Pulitzer said, “despite the forecast, live like it’s spring.” So we’re turning to William Morris for some of the latest spring sensations by bringing the outside in.
Morris’s influential 19th century patterns and designs have been surging with popularity as of late and we’re seeing them everywhere - on wallpaper, coasters, placemats, purses, and a divine coffee table book!
Coaster set with four different patterns including “Strawberry Thief”. On your coffee table or your desk, you’ll always have something pretty to look at!
Red Strawberry Thief-patterned placemats that are easy to clean and the cork backs help them stay in place & protect your table. Also come in blue.
36 blank note cards with six floral patterns perfect for any occasion.
Gold-trimmed rollerball pen packaged in a commemorative tube features Morris’s iconic Blackthorn pattern.
We think this would make for great floor to ceiling wall art in the dining room or behind a bookshelf. Reviewers like this peel & stick wallpaper because it’s “easy to install” and “adheres well”.
How fun would it be to hang this canvas print with the Morris wallpaper as the backdrop!
“The most wide-ranging illustrated book about Morris ever published”, a must for all William Morris fans.
Transform your space with this tapestry inspired by “The Forest”. Also, perfect for the Leo in your life!
Spruce up your kitchen or bedroom drawers with these liners.
Stylish tapestry purse that’s fully lined and zips across the top (we love bags that stay closed).
Note-taking or journaling in (Morris) style! Pair with the Blackthorn pen as a gift.
We think this “old school” way of notating recipes would make a fun gift. Cute recipe box comes with 2-sided recipe cards.