Happy Sunday everyone! We’ve got our Emily back safe and sound (and tattooless;)) Aside from that, we held up just fine and hope you didn’t feel the Emily void. How about that living room reveal huh?! We also made sure to get a lot of fun content while she was away for your blogging pleasure so stay tuned. Ok, let’s link!
This week’s house tour is more of an estate with multiple extremely cool structures. It’s a property you just need to go see to believe because it’s so unique, so collection, and full of so much soul.
From Emily: Two things I binged on the plane home from Belize (amongst others – 9 hours in the air, y’all! ). If you want to weep openly in public, if you like splashing your plane neighbor with your tears then why not watch The Life List?? It’s a new rom-com on Netflix (with Connie Britton amongst others). I loved it and even would say “enjoyed” it despite my shoulder shaking weeping, but my goodness I couldn’t stop crying (it’s about a mother/daughter relationship, TW – the mother has/had cancer and it’s incredibly sweet and heartbreaking). Of course, all I could think about was how much I hope I have a relationship like this with my daughter when she is grown (and then I would spiral about dying and not being able to see her through life challenges, etc). I’m really not selling it, but in the same world as Steel Magnolias (and yet totally different) I will TOTALLY rewatch this movie when I want a good cry (and it did make me rethink some of my relationships and life choices in a good way).
From Caitlin: When I started listening to Wednesday’s episode of The Daily, I thought I was in for a fun, light, kitschy 30 minutes. The subject? Shen Yun, the Chinese dance troupe with ubiquitous, unmissable, overwhelming advertising in every major American city. The billboards, posters, and radio ads have become a staple in urban life – they float above our freeways, plaster our construction projects, and it’s impossible to miss the calls to “experience China before communism” on any FM station. So imagine my surprise, just a few short minutes in, when I learned that Shen Yun is – and this is a spoiler art – the equivalent to a modern-day religious cult. (If that isn’t crazy enough, even Kash Patel is involved – this “dance troupe’s” international impact goes so much deeper than anyone imagined.) If you’ve also seen the Shen Yun ads coat your city streets, this is a MUST-LISTEN – it feels like only a matter of weeks before this gets turned into the next big Netflix or HBO documentary.
Also From Caitlin: Looking for a great transitional weather tee? I’ve been wearing this one for the past 5 months and I’m a huge fan – it’s light enough to replace my tanks this summer, but it offers a bit more coverage than a traditional tank top for these in-between days. (I’ve rocked it everywhere from sweltering Australia to snowing Delaware – it’s perfect for layering and made from 100% cotton, so it cleans up beautifully.) Don’t knock that sleeve cut until you try it, okay? It’s quickly become my favorite top to edge up a basic outfit (and the compliments from cool girls on the street don’t hurt, either!). I got an XL and love the slightly drapey fit – would stick with your standard size here if you’d like to try it out!
From Jess: Between Arlyn and I, we might need to become underwear influencers! Just kidding:) Now, as much as I would love to try one of the nicer brands, I can’t justify spending $20 for a single thong. And since I’m trying my best to not put my money into Amazon (my usual go-to place), I hopped on over to Old Navy. For $21 you can get a 6 pack of seamless underwear! I like the lowrise no-show thongs, but they have a ton of different types if that cut isn’t your preference.
From Arlyn: I really don’t know who I am anymore. One week I’m asking about a weight bench, and this week I’m recommending a protein powder. I’ve been using Be Well By Kelly for well over a year because I prefer a protein powder with really simple ingredients. Truthfully though, I never really liked it all that much, as the taste of monk fruit was so intense and something you had to get used to. My dietician recommended one by Just Ingredients so I ordered some samples to test out before dropping $60 on something I didn’t end up loving. Well, I love it! I got the chocolate because that’s just who I am, and while it does have some stevia and monk fruit, you really do not taste it AT ALL. It’s so creamy, mixes well into just plain almond milk or water and is super creamy and not grainy. It feels like drinking an indulgent chocolate milk!
From Gretchen: My link this week comes stolen from our sweet photographer, Kaitlin! I feel like every time I see her, she has something new and incredible to recommend. One of these days, we’ll give her a guest spot on here to tell you all about her best finds, but until then…I’m poaching! We got together to shoot a few things this week and somehow started talking about lighting. Specifically, her bedroom sconces, which are these stunning ones from Crate and Barrel. In 2023, we gave her bedroom a floral facelift (check out that awesome transformation here) and though she has loved almost everything about it, her only complaint was that the sconces were just a little too bright and exposed for nighttime reading. She tried a few different lower-lumen bulbs to no avail until it finally clicked–literally–just buy a dimmer switch! This switch allows you to plug your lamp in and adjust it to the perfect brightness. And it totally worked for her! What’s funny is I actually own the same pair of sconces (I too had them as bedside lamps in my last apartment) but I haven’t found the right spot for them in my current place because I had the same complaint–everywhere I wanted to hang them, the bulb just felt too exposed. But with the addition of a dimmer switch, my options for placement are limitless! I snagged two from Home Depot but I’m pretty sure you can find them at just about any hardware store.
From Mallory: I sampled what felt like hundreds of paint colors to complement this wallpaper before I finally landed on Shaded White by Farrow & Ball and man, it’s PERFECT. I only painted the trim so it was worth it to splurge on Farrow & Ball…but also let me tell you their paint is so thick you really only need one coat which is so ideal. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a greige:)
From Marlee: I have a shoe recc that is not for everyone but they’re definitely for me. They’re the Keen Jasper Sneakers – I’ve had them since last summer and I looove them. I’m always looking for shoes that are somewhere between a casual sneaker like Sambas or New Balances, but more sporty or athletic without going full running shoe/Hoka style and these are exactly that. They’re my favorite walking shoes – you can wear them with leggings and go for a more athletic look on a long stroll or hike, or with jeans for a day of bopping around town. They definitely have a unique look but I love that they come in so many different colors and are a fun/funky shoe. I have them in a muted pink (which might be OOS) but there are SO many other colors that I love (more options on REI) and they also have them for men! SO comfortable.
As always thanks for hanging with us today and see y’all tomorrow for another pretty exciting reveal. xx
Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: I’ve Been Secretly Decorating My Best Friends House – Living Room Reveal Today!
