While most people collect objects, I collect…Etsy shops! If you’re not familiar with the site, drop whatever you’re doing and prepare to go down the interior design rabbit hole. Etsy is my go-to not only for vintage furniture and home decor, but for everything handcrafted and, well, awesome.
And since I’ve spent more hours than I’d like to admit searching for the best shops and most interesting makers, I can’t wait to share my finds with you all in this new series! This week is all about modern lighting — my absolute favorite shops and pieces that are sure to make you swoon. (Or am I the only one who gets weak in the knees when faced with brass and a bare bulb?)
I’ve had a long love affair with trench coats. I only wish there was a longer season to wear one here! I’m happy to say that they seem to be having a particular moment again this spring—sometimes looking very classic (à la Kramer v Kramer and Burberry), but recently I’ve seen many iterations updated with softer lines and less hardware, aka “The Flowy Trench.”
Whichever you prefer, here are some favorites and some tips for wearing them…
I’m more of a baker than a cook. I like to follow instructions and make the kind of messes where everyone clamors to lick the bowl. Aron is actually the better cook: A dash of this, a measure of that: he can wing it—and fast. I like direction.
I’ve been hearing about Blue Apron—a weekly meal service—a lot over the past couple of years. I distinctly recall one of our parents’ friends singing its praises and asking if I’d tried it; I knew then that the concept had really spread.
You choose a menu each week, and then they deliver recipes and fresh ingredients. Basically, they take care of the meal planning and grocery shopping and you just have to do the food prep to get dinner on the table. I’d considered trying it, but would tell myself that all I needed to do was go through my cookbooks, pick out some recipes, and make a meal plan on Sunday to have a similar experience. I’d do the grocery shopping for the week and that would be that. And it’s true. I know plenty of families who have mastered this—usually they have that talent of seeing how one night’s dinner is the base for the next’s. For my part, I haven’t really nailed it. I need direction.
For example, after a few days, I end up making the same meals. And the new ones seem to take far longer than I anticipated—worth it for a dinner party or brunch, not so worth it for Tuesday night when you’ve got ten minutes after soccer. We also usually eat out—at a restaurant or a friend’s house—a few nights each week, so if I over-plan, there’s waste. Maybe it’s our New York habits holding strong, but we love getting take-out.
So when Blue Apron reached out to see if I wanted to try the service, I said yes. What could I learn?
