Hey What’s New

by Leigh | Jan 3, 2025 | Travel, What's New

Hey what’s up?

Okay, here we are. It’s a new year. But I’m not going to talk about newness, just what I’ve been up to.

This past week:

This past Friday I went to visit my family in DC. (Actually, we got down there Thursday and saw my cousins, spending time in Georgetown having ramen at Oki and the coffee at Compass while our kids did an escape room.) It was quiet at my dad’s. Not a lot going on. We went to lunch, a very standard type place in Bethesda called Matchbox. Pizza is kind of their thing but DC pizza has a really hard time competing with the pizza where we live—NY and Philly-adjacent pizza. DC pizza can’t feel good about itself so I try not to bring it up. I ordered fish and chips. My dad got a breaded chicken sandwich with egg salad on top which I didn’t know was a thing. My son got a burger with an egg on it… (what’s with all the eggs on top of meats?) …which he didn’t know if he wanted or would like but he really did. My daughter and husband each got pizzas. There was a quick trip to Target, a drive by my old ballet studio which is now a dispensary, (boo!) and then some chillin’ at my dad’s, watching tv shows like the new Hawaii 5-0 and the new Magnum PI. My dad loves a crime drama, so that’s probably where I get it. We lounged around until my brother got off work and we all went to sushi. Now the sushi in DC “slaps” as the teens say, or did up until a couple days ago. At least the sushi at the place we go in Tenleytown, named Yosaku, is really good. The kids had been off since the previous Friday and even with all the time available, it was a real effort to get everyone together and squeeze in a visit to my family. I’m so glad we did.

We drove home Saturday in rain and dense fog, and then spent the evening recovering.

Sunday I went to my favorite yoga class, saw my favorite yoga teacher, Lisa who had been gone for a few weeks helping on her family’s Christmas tree farm. It was so good to be back. I had missed a bunch of Sundays because I decided Christmas would be more Christmassy and I’d feel more grounded if I went to all four weeks of Advent and i was right, but I do wish church wasn’t the same day as my favorite yoga class.

At some point this week i started every conversation with a confirmation of what day of the week it was so that I would know.

Monday we were STILL on vacation and it involved a lot of doing nothing in particular. Monday night I hung out with some girlfriends and we got pizza (PIZZA!) at the Colonial in Easton PA. Amazing. Also when we split the bill it was $11 per person. With tip. When does that happen?

It’s starting to look like I’m writing a food review blog. And I would be happy to.

Tuesday/New Year’s Wve was super quiet and involved ordering Chinese food and watching the last episode of Ted Lasso season 3. I spent time finishing up a website job for my friend and artist Glenn Harren.

Wednesday was New Year’s Day and we went to my in-laws to eat pork and sauerkraut. It’s not my favorite but it’s good luck. also my mother-in-law’s cheese cake is the absolute best in the whole world and I can get the recipe for you if you want it. She put raspberry sauce (?) on top and for the next two hours I tried to get the raspberry seeds out of the raspberry-seed-shaped fissures in my molars. I finally did with a sewing needle.

Thursday we all went back to our jobs and it was uneventful. my husband had a massage. I submitted a short story to www.thesunmagazine.org. I set a goal to publish the collection of stories i recently finished and someone suggested getting them published in an online magazine. I feel really good about sending something off. I also made some design updates to my website and committed to weekly posts.

And today in Friday again. My daughter had her last dermatology appointment after doing Accutane for most of the year. (last year) and i’m really going to miss her doctor. She is the best. Tonight, the husband and I are going on a date.

Eagles fan in Washington

Ruby the dog

Shopping in Georgetown

Paddleboarding

by Leigh | Jun 20, 2024 | Travel, What's New

The first time I went paddleboarding was in Stone Harbor NJ. We called a place called SUP Guy and he met us on the bay side with four boards and gave us a quick lesson. It was so much harder to stand up than I thought it would be! Eventually I got the hang of it.

Soon after, My friend invited me to go do a SUP yoga class of all things. I loved it. Check out Melanie’s website below. I went a couple more times. And then a couple more times just paddling. Often I go with a friend and it’s like going for a walk with a girlfriend. You forget you’re doing it because you’re just talking the whole time.

We always wanted to have our own boards so my husband and I bought two of them for an anniversary gift for ourselves. We’ve had them now for three years. The ones we got are inflatable and relatively inexpensive. It’s pretty easy to transport them to the lake and then inflate them. (They come with a board, paddle, pump, dry bag, and a big backpack that everything fits in.) I recommend also buying belt pack lifejackets. And remember to take a water bottle! The LifeStraw water bottle is my daughter’s favorite.

OUR PADDLEBOARDS

BELT PACK LIFE JACKET

LIFESTRAW WATER BOTTLE

PADDLEBOARD YOGA

If you’re local to Bucks County PA, or visiting, you have to book a paddle with Miss Melanie!

What I packed for a week in Mexico

by Leigh | Mar 23, 2024 | Slow Fashion, Travel

We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary with an overdue tropical getaway.

After a lot of discussion and many nights of scrolling through travel sites, we decided to call the travel agent who booked our Disney trip. Jennie designed the perfect trip for us, originally described as “anywhere warm enough in February where I can live in a swimsuit”. And is not touristy, crowded, or feels like we didn’t leave the US. Also has amazing food. And right on the beach? She came through and then some. We booked it and finally the time came, we flew to Playa del Carmen, just the two of us and it was absolute perfection.

WHAT I PACKED:

4 swimsuits: black Everlane one-piece, blue Athleta one-piece, black J. Crew two-piece, blue Roxy two-piece, and striped J. Crew rash guard
2 dresses: Madewell embroidered dress, Sundry striped dress
4 pairs of shorts: white Madewell denim cutoffs, Target white chinos, blue Patagonia baggies, black Everlane shorts
2 pairs long pants: Hudson blue jeans, black J. Crew linen drawstring pants
3 tank tops: black Banana Republic tank, navy GAP tank, blue LOFT tank
3 tees: blue David Bowie tee, gray Banana Republic tee, striped long sleeve J. Crew breton
2 sweaters/sweatshirts: black Santa Cruz sweatshirt, cotton navy J. Crew sweater
3 pairs of shoes: Nike daybreak sneakers, brown J. Crew sandals, black Rainbow flip flops
3 bags: J. Crew woven tote, Element backpack, olive green duffle
1 hat: black GAP baseball cap

I fit everything into a nylon duffle and was able to avoid checking any baggage. And I didn’t buy anything new for the trip.

DAY ONE: I wore Jeans, the Bowie tee, and a sweatshirt, with Nikes. We flew from Philly to Cancun. After we settled into the resort I changed into my striped dress and sandals for dinner.

DAY TWO: I wore my Everlane one-piece, white jean shorts, navy tank, and flip flops. We spent all day lying on a Bali bed by the beach and reading. At night there was a Mexican fiesta on the beach with an amazing buffet, dancers and a Mariachi band.

DAY THREE: I wore my black J. Crew bikini with the rashguard, black Everlane shorts, blue tank, and Nikes. The absolute highlight of the trip: a tour of the ruins at Tulum, plus a Cenote, a lagoon snorkel, and lunch at a beach club.

DAY FOUR: I wore my blue Roxy bikini, with the striped dress as a coverup. Later I changed into my black linen pants, striped breton, and sandals for dinner.

DAY FIVE: I wore my navy blue Athleta one-piece, white jean shorts, and flip flops. We went on a tour of the premium part of the resort and then went Jet skiing. I changed into my embroidered dress and sandals for dinner.

DAY SIX: I wore the black J. Crew two-piece again, baggies shorts, black tank, and flip flops. We went on a Catamaran snorkel tour. There is a world renown coral reef off the coast of Cancun and you almost don’t need a boat to get there. I saw so many tropical fish as well as a turtle and a manta.

DAY SEVEN: I wore the blue bikini again and did a lot of nothing. Really getting used to living in the Caribbean and have no plans of leaving.

DAY EIGHT: I wore my last clean outfit: white chino shorts and gray tee. We spent a little bit of time on the beach before checking out and heading to the airport to fly back.

Almost every day I woke up before the sun without an alarm and walked on the beach while the sun rose over the ocean. It was so beautiful. I cannot recommend Mexico enough. Everyone is so friendly and laidback. We did water aerobics and played volleyball and got to know some of the other guests. The food was excellent, the weather was perfect. Thank you El Dorado Maroma for the best vacation ever. And to Jennie at Evergreen Travel for making it happen.

What I Packed for a Week in California

by Leigh | Mar 30, 2023 | Travel | 0 comments

I just got back from a trip to Santa Cruz and San Juan Bautista. I have family, friends, and clients there and really enjoyed getting away for a bit.

Packing for a trip is a challenge for me, and probably for a lot of people. I want to make sure I have everything I need but I really don’t want to check baggage. I managed to fit everything into my small carryon, but then the airline gate-checked it anyway!

So, one week. 7 days. 7 outfits, right? Yes, and no. Here’s what I decided to take:

7 pairs of pants: Black jeans, wide-leg blue jeans, skinny blue jeans, white chinos, hiking pants, black sweats, white shorts
7 tees: long sleeve striped t, long sleeve black t, green t, gray t, white t, blue bowie t, gray tank
5 second-layer tops: Patagonia fleece, cable knit sweater, gray cashmere sweater, navy sweatshirt, striped turtleneck
2 pair leggings, 2 sports bras
5 pairs of shoes: Blundstone boots, Veja sneakers, Nike sneakers, Birkenstock Bostons, Troentorp clogs
1 coat: green quilted

DAY ONE: Flying from Philadelphia to San Jose. I wore my new wide-leg J.Crew jeans which I knew would be comfortable for sitting on a plane for hours, a thrifted Comme des Garçonnes striped tee, my Patagonia fleece, green H&M jacket, and my Blundstone boots because they were too bulky to pack.

DAY TWO: Walking my friend’s dog in the pouring rain, then lunch and shopping with my mom in downtown Santa Cruz. We ate at El Palomar, one of my many favorite taquerias. Then I went and bought a Santa Cruz Skateboards sweatshirt for myself and tee shirts for my family at Pacific Wave. Later that night, my mom and I met up with my brother and had dinner at The Crow’s Nest, watching the sun set over the ocean. Perfection. I wore my LL Bean hiking pants, long sleeve black tee, Patagonia fleece, green H&M Jacket, and Blundstones. (The rain stopped and the sun came out in the afternoon, so I swapped the boots for sneakers.)

DAY THREE: Dog walking, shopping, and client visit. I had so much fun hanging out with my bestie, eating at Zoccoli’s Deli, shopping at the amazing Pacific Trading Company, and then dropping in on my super cool client Current eBikes. I wore a pair of AG jeans, my oversized Bowie tee, and Troentorp clogs. My outfit may seem too casual to meet a client, but not when it’s Santa Cruz.

DAY FOUR: Drive down to San Juan Bautista. We headed south to the beautiful old mission town of San Juan Bautista. The drive was beautiful, lots of green rolling hills, cows, and fields of artichokes, garlic and strawberries. They had a ton of rain and you could see the areas that got flooded. Not good. I wore white Everlane chino pants, a LL Bean cotton cable knit sweater, and Birkenstock Bostons.

DAY FIVE: Met up with a bunch of women for our annual getaway. We hiked, talked, ate, talked more, ate more. I wore a pair of black LL Bean sweats, Everlane cashmere sweater, and Nike Daybreak sneakers.

DAY SIX: Headed back to Santa Cruz. Took a very windy bike ride along West Cliff Drive to Natural Bridges, took a nap to recover, then went out to dinner at Burger. I wore GAP leggings, my new Santa Cruz sweatshirt, and my Veja sneakers.

DAY SEVEN: Flight home. Boo. I wore black LOFT jeans, a striped turtleneck, and Troentorp clogs. I ended up borrowing a duffle bag to pack the extra stuff.

I didn’t need the shorts at all. I could have done without the white pants. Since I knew I was going to buy the sweatshirt I could have left one sweater out. And just taken the Nikes, not the Vejas. Most worn items: black sweats and Patagonia fleece. I was so glad I took my Bostons. Although they aren’t good for rain, they double as slippers. So, if you’re traveling to California in March it’s all about being warm and comfy.

I Love Japan

by Leigh | May 17, 2021 | Travel | 0 comments

You know what I love? Being able to listen to a song whenever I want. The other day I remembered a song I discovered in high school. I think it was high school. College? I don’t know. Anyway, it was Forbidden Colours by Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian from the soundtrack of Merry Christmas, Mr. Laurence. I was very into the band Japan and lead singer David Sylvian in high school. My friend Steve had turned me onto Japan. We listened to a lot of obscure music. So, I found the song on Spotify and it took me down a Sakamoto rabbit hole. I started to think about my lifelong love affair with Japan.

I suppose it has something to do with my dad’s love of asian culture. Growing up, my brother and I went to Judo class with my dad every week. I learned a few words in Japanese, but mostly how to count to ten. The Japanese family that ran the place were so warm and friendly and I was very in awe of the two teenage daughters who were black belts. I didn’t make it past the white belt. But I have such fond memories of going to the dojo, that smell of sweaty canvas…

My dad was fascinated by the Samurai ‘Way of the Warrior” and tried to instill in us the values of discipline, selflessness, honor and knowledge. I remember sitting through Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai when I was 6 or 7 years old. It was subtitled. Everything we did, or said we couldn’t do, my dad encouraged us to focus, to persevere, to approach it with resolve. That Zen mindset was repeatedly instilled in everything my dad taught me.

In addition to Judo and Samurai and Buddhism, my dad loved asian food. He still does. He taught himself to cook when he became a single father and so my brother and I grew up eating stirfry tofu and cabbage and many other things white kids living in the 70s never heard of. He cooked a variety of Asian dishes and shopped at the neighborhood Japanese market, the Mikado. We ate with chopsticks a lot of the time, and the running joke in my family is that my dad eats ice cream with chopsticks.

Later, I became more than a little obsessed with Japanese fashion when I got a book on it for Christmas that introduced me to designers like Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawabuki and Issey Miyake as well as the rich tradition and history of Japanese clothing. I almost chose a career in fashion.

I went to art school and majored in photography. It was in college that I tried Sushi for the first time. I worked for a photographer who would treat us to dinner. One time he asked me, “Do you like Sushi?” I had never eaten raw fish but didn’t want to look uncultured so I tried it. To this day, it’s my favorite food. It was also in college that I studied Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima. I read The Sound of Waves and Forbidden Colors and I saw the movie about his life, Mishima, Life in Four Chapters which was like nothing I’d ever seen.

After college I saw the movie Dreams by Akira Kurosawa. It’s a compilation of short segments based on his dreams, ranging from beautiful to terrifying. And later I saw probably his most famous movie, Ran. And I rewatched Seven Samurai. I appreciated it more as an adult. It’s so good.

My brother got heavily into Japanese anime and convinced me to watch My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki with my kids. It was a big hit. So amazing. I loved it. So was so unlike anything made for kids in the US.

That’s just a few things that I love about Japan. Now, if I could just find some way to visit.

What I Packed for Santa Cruz

by Leigh | Apr 29, 2019 | I Feel Pretty, Travel | 0 comments

Packing for a trip is a perfect way to obsess endlessly about the exact right clothes I’ll need. My OCD kicks in as I ponder what to include so that every item coordinates with every other item and I’ll have everything I’ll want, never be too hot or too cold and have it all fit in a small roller board that will fit in an overhead compartment.

I spent a week in Santa Cruz, California (and the Bay area and the Monterey Bay) back at the beginning of April. Having lived in Santa Cruz for 10 years, I knew there was a good chance it would be cool and possibly a little rainy but I was hoping for the best. I even packed a swim suit even though no one goes in the ocean in April.

I finally settled on 1 dress, 3 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of jean shorts, 4 tee shirts, 4 long sleeve tops, a light jacket, 1 pair of clogs, 1 pair of sandals, 2 pairs of sneakers. Here are some of my try on shots:

A graphic tee, J Crew jean shorts and J Crew sandals.

Comfy Gap top, Madewell jeans and white Nikes.

Comfy Gap top, Madewell jeans and black Nikes.

Banana Republic black turtleneck sweater, Madewell jeans and black Nikes.

J Crew Tippi sweater, AG jeans and Troentorp clogs.

Gap tee shirt, Madewell jeans and black Nikes.

Banana Republic sweater, AG jeans and white Nikes.

Graphic tee, Madewell jeans and Troentorp clogs.

Madewell eyelet top, Madewell boyjeans and Troentorp clogs.

Gap striped dress and Troentorp clogs.

I had planned to take my Madewell transport tote but switched it out at the last minute for a plain black backpack which I thought was really smart and much more comfortable for travel. I also swapped my army jacket for my a trench coat but ended up wishing I had brought my Uniqlo puffer. I also wished I’d brought a hoodie like my one from Old Navy. I ended up buying Santa Cruz Skateboards sweatshirts for my kids and wore one almost the whole time. I didn’t wear the shorts, the dress or the bikini I brought. Have you figured out that northern California can be cold? It did finally warm up and it was beautiful. I ate a lot of tacos, saw lots of my west coast family and friends and had a really great time.