19 Cool Things You Need to Click On Today

So...hi! I know I've been MIA pretty much all summer. And spring. (Eek!) I basically took it off, first kind of by accident, and eventually, on purpose. In the spring, I just could not focus on anything beyond virtual school since my son essentially needed me to sit right by his side the entire time and keep him focused. (Thank god my daughter is very self-sufficient with virtual school!) 

Then, in May, we moved to our lakehouse (about an hour away) and lived there until Labor Day. It was a godsend. It was so nice to get out of the city and feel so isolated from everything going on, and we got so much family time and relaxation. We've had that house for 14 years (!), but have never spent more than a single week there at a time (and rarely that). It was very much a weekend house until this year. 

I hesitate to even acknowledge any "good" things that came out of covid, when there has been so much tragedy and disruption to everyone's lives, but I'm being honest: Spending the summer at the lake was an unexpected gift for our family. We spent so much quality time together and became so much closer. I'll never forget that time. It was actually very sad to come back to our "real life" in Hoboken, even though we truly love it here! For the summer,  our real life seemed very far away. And so did this blog. 

But we're back now! And life is (sort of) back to normal. My son is in-person at his school four days a week and one day virtual. My daughter is doing a hybrid model alternating one week in-person, and the next virtual. I'm praying we can keep this going as long as we can. People, wear your masks!

Anyway, I hope everyone is healthy and safe. Whatever you're up to this weekend, I hope you make it a great one. Here's a few fun things to check out in the meantime...

• I recently bought this sweatshirt and these sweatpants from Old Navy, and I'm obsessed! So comfy, so cute, and with a very subtle, fall appropriate tie-dye, they're pretty much all I want to wear right now. They remind me so much of a Richer Poorer sweatsuit that I kept seeing all over Instagram. But they're about $100 cheaper. (And they're on sale right now!)

• I never got around to doing my July and August book roundup posts (oops), which is unfortunate, because I read 19 books and a lot of great stuff during those months! So, for now, I'll just list the very best of the best here. These are the must-read, absolutely-loved five- and very-strong-4-star books that I read in July and August:  Notes on A Silencing (in the vein of Know My Name, this memoir tells the gut-wrenching story of the author's sexual assault at a famous boarding school), The Pull of the Stars (one of my favorites of the year! The story of a nurse working in a maternity ward during the 1918 flu pandemic , The Lions of Fifth Avenue (loved this historical fiction about a family living in an apartment in the New York Public Library--an apartment that actually existed!), Good And Mad (Rebecca Traister's brilliant non-fiction take on women's anger through the years will make you want to burn it all down), Leave the World Behind (one of my favorite books of the year! Absolutely gorgeous writing combined with a can't-put-it-down storyline about a mysterious, apocalyptic event), A Very Punchable Face (I actually had tears running down my face more than once listening to Colin Jost's hilarious--and actually surprisingly touching--memoir), Caste (must-read non-fiction that compares the current racial situation in America to India's caste system. Eye-opening and mind-blowing) , and A Traveler At the Gates of Wisdom (by the author of the incredible The Heart's Invisible Furies, this epic novel is one of the more creatively structured stories I've ever read). 

• Ever since quarantine started, approximately half the things I've made have been from Half Baked Harvest. (Literally.) I'm obsessed with her recipes! Comfort food with a twist, they are all really easy to make and super delicious. A few new HBH recipes I'm planning to make soon: Pumpkin Cheese Stuffed Bolognese Bake, Cream Cheese Swirled Pumpkin Bread, and One Pot Broccoli Cheddar and Dumplings. Yum!

• I wish I had discovered them earlier in the summer, but for these last few warm days of the season, I've been living in these Target shorts. Cute, but with a forgiving, elastic waist (!), they are exactly what my quarantine body needs right now. And they're under $18!

• After hearing so many raves about the Dyson cordless stick vaccuums, I finally took the plunge and bought one a few months back. And, oh em gee! I would have never thought I could get so excited about a vaccuum, but it's a gamechanger! Infinitely lighter and easier to use than my giant honking full-size vaccuum, it actually makes vaccumming kind of fun! Definitely not the chore I used to dread. This is the one we have (V10 Animal). I love it and it's worth every penny. 

• Over the summer, I did my first puzzle since, oh, the age of 10? And I loved it! Ever since, I've been looking for another one since we're likely to be locked down again sometime this fall. And I think I've just found the one (ones?) I'm getting: Just learned that Rifle Paper Company now makes puzzles, and they are beautiful.

• If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I have been doing a lot of textbanking lately. Well, I've become obsessed! It is (truly) SO fun, and it does so much to relieve my election-related anxiety. Instead of just sitting around refreshing Twitter, and worrying, I'm actually doing something to help the candidates I care about in the states that will decide this election. If you are at all curious about texting, please feel free to ask me ANY questions. (Or go to the Election 2020 highlight on my Instagram. I have links plus a very detailed video telling you exactly what to expect from textbanking.) Bottom line: It's simple and totally non-stress. I'm an introvert who gets super nervous at the thought of cold-calling strangers, but this is NOT that. It will make you feel better and you'll be making a difference. Try it! So far, I've textbanked for the North Carolina Democrats, the Michigan Democrats, and the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. In the coming weeks, I've also signed up to text bank with Jamie Harrison's campaign in South Carolina, and Theresa Greenfield in Iowa. Good place to start: Any of the links I just shared, or check out this site and sign up to receive their volunteer emails. They'll send opportunities across the country every week. But please do sign up for something. The election is just weeks away!

• One more (easy!) way I've been volunteering: writing letters and postcards to voters in swing states! I was shocked to learn that handwritten letters have been shown to be extremely effective at motivating people to vote--even more so that calls, texts, or canvassing! And there are some great organizations that make it really simple by giving you the names and addresses, ideas, and sometimes even a form letter to print out (and then add your own touch to). So far, I've written 20 letters to Michigan voters (and am working on 20 more to Florida voters) with Vote Fwd and I'm currently working on 20 postcards to Mississippi, South Carolina, and West Virgina voters with Flip the Senate. (By the way, sharing this is not to brag. This is to show you how easy it is and hopefully motivate you to join in! If I can do it, anyone can!) 

Have you guys done an election volunteering? Please tell me below or over on Insta. I LOVE hearing about it! Have a great weekend!

13 Cool Ways To Make Nordstrom Great Again

pink cardigan // gray bag // yellow cardigan // gloves // sunscreen // bracelet // black bag // sunglasses // nail polish // necklace // self-tanner // boots // sweatshirt

Lately, for some reason, I've really felt like shopping...at Nordstrom. I mean, gee, I don't know why, but for the last few days, I've just really been wanting to spend SO MUCH MONEY there. 

If you, too, have a sudden hankering to Make Nordstrom Great Again, I've picked out a few fun things that I have my eye on and that I think you might like, too.

Now, if the idea of spending money at the failing, fake-news Nordstrom totally offends you, may I suggest holding your nose while you check out the items below or just click here to see the Ivanka Trump products Nordstrom still carries. There are currently a whopping two of them. And they're both on major sale. 

Happy hate shopping!

{top row}

Halogen Long Cardigan - This pretty, paper-thin $68 cardigan is the kind of thing I'd throw on with a white tee and skinny jeans and just live in. Bonus: The planet is getting warmer and we're doing nothing about that for the next four years, so pretty soon, this light cardigan will be able to double as your winter coat!

Rebecca Minkoff Regan Satchel - They may have named this bag The Regan, but I like to call it "The Melania." Sure, it plagarizes Balenciaga's cult-favorite City bag (one of my all-time favorites!), but it's sooo pretty that you kind of don't even care. (BTW, it's also about $1,500 less than the Balenciaga version!)

J.Crew for Nordstrom Jackie Embellished Cardigan - This bright yellow, sequined starburst cardigan is just so darn sunny and happy. I smile just looking at it! And we could all use a dose of happy right now, amiright?

UGG Tech gloves - These chic leather-and-shearling gloves are specially engineered to work with touchscreen devices. That means, when you slip them onto your tiny hands, you'll still be free to email your senators--or grab 'em by the ballot.

Supergoop Everyday Sunscreen SPF 50 - I tried this sunscreen for the first time on my recent vacation and fell in love. It's incredibly light--probably the best, most appealing texture I've ever found in a sunscreen--and it has a beautiful, fig-y scent. It's also practical. With health care being rolled back, the last thing you need is to get skin cancer--and daily sunscreen use is the #1 thing you can do to protect yourself. (And that is not an alternative fact.)

{middle row}

MantraBand Rose-Gold Cuff - This $35 bracelet is so delicate and pretty and it reads "She believed she could, so she did." I'll be wearing it until they come out with one that says "Nevertheless, she persisted."

BP Faux Leather Crossbody Bag - I'm so into crossbody bags right now! They hold the key stuff you need, but are tiny, streamlined, and cute. They're the perfect thing for those times you need a non-bulky bag whether that's for brunch, errands, or a day of protesting. (Also, this one is only $35!)

Perverse Sugar Sunglasses - Blush-pink sunnies! That are adorable! And only $40! SO. MUCH. WINNING.

{bottom row}

Christian Louboutin Loubichrome Mini Nail Color - After they repeal the Affordable Care Act, you'll be getting a FAT tax cut, so definitely use that opportunity to indulge in some Louboutin heels! Oh, what's that? You're not part of the 1 percent? Oof. You in danger, girl. Better stick to this $30 Louboutin nail polish then. All of the glamour, none of debt.

Argento Vivo Gothic Initial Necklace - This is such a cool, subversive take on the intital necklace trend. I'd love the "a" for myself. And they're under $50, so they make the perfect gift for a mom, a BFF, or an Easy D.

Lancome Flash Bronzer Self Tanner for Legs - Some self-tanners make the wearer look way too orange. Sad! But that won't be a problem with this one, which happens to be my all-time fave. The tinted gel goes on easy and streak-free and the resulting, non-Cheeto color is tawny and perfectly natural-looking. 

Sperry Saltwater Duck Boots - Think of these as a two-for-one: First, they're the most adorable duck boots ever. And second, if you buy your duck boots at Nordstrom, you won't be buying them at L.L. Bean, which means you're boycotting them at the same time you're supporting Nordstrom. Big league!

Rebecca Minkoff California sweatshirt - The beach. The palm trees. The rumors of secession. Despite its alleged scandal of 3 million illegal liberal ghosts running the joint, California just sounds really, really good right now, doesn't it?

--
I hope you liked my little tongue-in-cheek guide. If you were offended, I do apologize. (But I thought we were supposed to be the snowflakes!)

So, what was your favorite item here? Do tell me below! Don't worry: It's a safe space.

SHOP THE POST

18 Cool Things to Click On This Totally Normal, Average, Non-Special Day

Hello on this perfectly normal, nothing-to-see-here, Friday-that's-just-like-any-other-Friday day! Got any fun plans for this average day? I'll be spending it on deadline, furiously writing a story and not turning on my TV. (Well, until 10pm when my bae Bill Maher returns from hiatus).

As for the rest of the weekend: Tomorrow, I'm taking my kid to soccer. Then I'm meeting a few thousand friends to march through the streets of New York City. I may carry a sign and shout angrily. You know. Just a typical Saturday. Then on Sunday we have swimming class.

Can you tell my go-to defense mechanism is denial?

So, whether you're spending the weekend crying, cheering, marching, denying, or just living it like any other weekend, here's a few fun links to check out before the world blows up. Enjoy!

• This top is kind of perfect. Love the color, love the shape, love the subtle ruffles, love that it goes with jeans or could be dressed up for work, and LOVE that it's on sale for $41.

• These Alexis Bittar earrings are so cool. And they're on major sale right now--62% off!

• I love the new Tory Burch Gemini Link bags. I want a gray one!

• I know it seems early to think about bathing suits, but now is really when they have the best size selection. I have my eye on this J.Crew one-piece, which manages to hit that rare combo of being both a bit more covered and sexy.

• This video features a guy rapping about his cat (Ravioli!) while giving him a bath. It is one of the best things I have ever seen. I posted it on Facebook the other day and it is probably one of my most-shared posts ever. People have actually thanked me for bringing this simple joy into their lives. I am now giving the gift to you. You're welcome.

• Did you guys hear that Bobbi Brown is stepping down from her company? In honor of the moment, I wrote about her for Town & Country.com It may just be one of my favorite things I've ever written. 

• During the tail end of the election, I became obsessed with the Keepin' It 1600 podcast, which was produced by (smart, hilarious, and adorable) former Obama staffers. It's now been morphed into a new version (Pod Save America), and it, too, is just so, so good. In their most recent episode, they interviewed Barack Obama in his very last interview as president. Highly recommend.

• Loved learning about the beautiful way that Japanese women grieve a miscarriage.

• This spiralized Greek salad sounds soo yummy (and healthy!).

• Or, if you prefer to eat your feelings this weekend in a less nutritious way, might I suggest this cinnamon roll breakfast bake? #yum

• I have watched this video (featuring a guy in a polar bear costume slipping on an ice rink) about 15 times so far. And I laugh until I cry every time.

• In this crazy story, a girl randomly found her doppelganger. And then she found another one. And another one. And another one.

• I love this artist's rendition of what George Washington would look like as a hipster with a man bun.

• I thought I knew a lot about Planned Parenthood, but I learned a lot more about it in this piece by my friend Hitha. It's a good primer for people on both sides of the defunding debate.

• This essay by a mother who lost her 22-year-old son is absolutely beautiful. Whatever you do, though, do not read it in public. Because you will be ugly-crying.

And in case you missed it, I...

• Showed 9 ways to have a good hair day.

• Shared how I'm teaching my daughter to love her wavy hair. (Along with some pretty darn cute photos of her!)

• Revealed my holiday card.

What Do We Tell Our Kids?

All smiles after casting our vote

It's 2:30 a.m. right now and I am gutted. I feel like I'm living in a surreal world. Or a nightmare. Definitely not real life. I'm sitting here, stunned. The TV is on, as it has been for hours, but I have it on mute now. I can't listen to another second of the funeral march that is MSNBC. I'm exhausted, but I can't go to sleep. Yes, I am in disbelief that half of this country voted for a racist, misogynistic, sociopathic con man. But it's more than that. I'm afraid of tomorrow morning for another reason.

Because early tomorrow morning, my daughter is going to come into our room, crawl into the bed and excitedly say: "Mommy! Mommy! Did Hillary win??" And I'm going to have to disappoint her--and I don't yet know how to do that.

My daughter is only six, but she was incredibly captivated by this election. She loved the idea of a female president. She was shocked when she learned that there was a time that women couldn't vote. ("That's not fair!" she said.) She came with me to vote during the primary and she came with me to vote this morning. She asked to push the button to make the vote official. She was excited to do it. We took a smiling selfie outside of our polling place.

She also felt intuitively that Donald Trump was not a good person. "He's mean!" she said. "He's a bully!" (She also added: "I don't like his signature hairstyle. It's too swoopy!" And yes, those were all her words!)

How do I tell her that the bully won? Bullying isn't supposed to be rewarded--and certainly not in this way. How do I explain that, sometimes, bullies win? 

Tomorrow morning, in bedrooms all around the country, children will climb into beds and want to know the outcome. If you are thinking this is the point in this essay where I offer sage advice and wisdom, you will be disappointed.

Because I don't know what the hell I am going to say.

The bully with no experience who didn't do his homework won. I'm an adult and I can't wrap my head around that. So, how can I expect a six year old to do so?

If you have any advice, please share it. I'm at a loss. And I'm so, so dreading the morning. Because tomorrow morning, I'm going to have to break my daughter's heart.
___

**UPDATE**: So she woke up at 6:30--and it was worse than I had imagined. I was alone, because my husband was already at work. (He works in finance, and because of Trump's election, there is now a global financial crisis, so it was all hands on deck in his office. Fun!) Here is a basic transcript of what went down.

Her: Mommy! Who won?
Me: [takes deep breath] Donald Trump.
Her. Stop it. You're joking. Who won?
Me: Donald Trump.
Her: I can't tell if you're joking. Really?
Me: I'm not joking. He really won.
Her: [Runs into bathroom and starts bawling]
Me: [knocks on the door and enters] I know you are upset. I'm sad, too. But talk to me. Why exactly are you so sad?
Her: Because Hillary Clinton won't be the first girl president!
Me: Hillary may not be the first girl president, but now maybe YOU can be the first girl president!
Her: But now girls are not going to want to try to be president because they won't be positive about it, and they will think it isn't possible.
Me: [heart breaks]
Her: And I am sad because Donald Trump is the president! [bawling] He lies and you said the vice president is worse and now Donald Trump is going to go to jail for lying and then the vice president is going to be president.
Me: That's not going to happen. [thinks to self: "That may happen. Holy crap."]
Her: Why do boys always win? It's not fair. Even if the girls try really hard?
Me: [thinks to self: "WTF DO I SAY TO THIS BECAUSE SHE IS RIGHT?" Decides to lie.] They don't always win. In four years, we might have a girl president. The important thing to know is that mommy loves you, daddy loves you, and it's going to be okay. Your life is not going to change. 
Her: This is going to be the worst four years.

You got that right, kid.

This Vote's For You {Plus A Video!}

Grandma Kay and Grandma Eva

If you follow me on Twitter (or are Facebook friends with me in real life), you know that I am very politically outspoken on my personal social media accounts. But not here.

I have really tried to stay politically-neutral and not go there here on the blog. I'm breaking that self-imposed rule briefly today, though, because I really want to share a video project that I recently took part in. 

The video below is from #ThisVotes4U. It's a project that aims to inspire people to dedicate their vote for the first female presidential candidate to someone who, unfortunately, wasn't here to see this historic moment. I am featured very briefly towards the end around the 2:13 mark. Blink and you'll miss me! (Also, you may recognize one my blogger friends, Hitha Palepu of Hitha on the Go, in the video, too!)

I am dedicating my vote to my late grandmothers. My father's mother, Eva (pictured as a young girl, on the right, above), fled persecution in Eastern Europe to come to America with her family and build a new life. My mother's mother, Kay, (above left; I am holding her photo in the video below) volunteered for the war right after Pearl Harbor. She was immediately sent to Africa where she worked as an army nurse. Both of them were born before women had the right to vote, and both would have loved to have been here to see this day.

I am also, of course, dedicating my vote to my children. (And they are both very excited about their candidate!)

Finally, I know this post and video really emphasize the woman card, but let me just say this: I consider Clinton's gender to be a wonderful bonus, but it is not, in any way, the reason that I am voting for her. She is amazing, inspiring, and no, I don't care about the emails. I adore her, I am confident that she will fight for women, children, families, and the environment, and I am fully #WithHer. There is no "enthusiasm gap" here!

But, wherever you fall on the political spectrum, I do hope you'll vote this Tuesday. It's so important and we're lucky to be able to do it. I also hope you'll watch the video below--and that we're still friends after this post!  :)

Who else is #WithHer? And, if you are, who are you dedicating your vote to? Tell me below!

Talking To Kids About the Presidential Election

If you follow me on Instagram, you've heard this story, but I couldn't resist sharing it here, too. This past Sunday night--the day Hillary Clinton announced that she was officially joining the presidential race--I was putting the littles to sleep, when all of a sudden it hit me: My kids are young enough that they may very well never remember a time when it wasn't possible for a woman to be president. 

Thinking of this, as I was tucking my daughter in, I told her that we were going to have a new president next year, and that we had found out that day that it might be a girl president. "We've never had a girl president," I said. "So isn't that cool?" She answered: "Yeah! I mean, I like all the presidents, but it's good to switch things around sometimes so that a girl gets a turn."

Cute, huh?

Are you guys planning to talk to your kids about the upcoming elections? I hadn't really thought about it until my daughter and I had the conversation above, but now I'm thinking I'd like to involve her in the process somehow. Maybe I'll let her come along with me when I vote? I remember tagging along with my mom when she went to vote back in 1984. Coincidentally, that was the year of the first female candidate for vice president, Geraldine Ferraro. But I don't think that's what really stuck with me. What I vividly remember is the button my mom pinned on my shirt for the occasion. It said: "Out the door in '84--Dump Reagan." LOL.

Anyway, would love to hear any ideas if you have them!