THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

VIA PENCIL & PAPER CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT CO.

FEELING: I got my nails done last Sunday for the first time in six weeks and it felt really GOOD! While getting a manicure, I witnessed a gentleman escort his 88-year-old mother to the salon to get a pedicure (she left feeling feisty and ready to hit the casino afterward to "find a new husband"), along with a grandfather who wanted to treat his 6-year-old granddaughter to an afternoon mani/pedi. Sure, it's nice to have my phalanges dipped in Clambake again, but the warm and fuzzies I left with was the real treat.

THANKFUL FOR: Jordan Ferney's creative gem The Color Factory has made its way East and will be opening in NYC on August 20th. The original install in San Francisco made me weak in the knees, but I knew I'd have to win the lottery or something to actually see it in the flesh. Now that the pop-up color experience has taken residence in The Big Apple, I've decided I HAVE to go and witness the magic in person. Now to decide on a weekend??? Thankfully it didn't take much to get Flyboy on board. The prospect of running into Jerry Seinfeld while eating brunch at Jack's Wife Freda really seals the deal.

THINKING ABOUT: We spent the past three days camping out at the house in the name of potty training, but I'm starting to get stir crazy. What's the secret to going out during this new phase? A lot of people I know throw the training toilet in the car and take it along with them in addition to a spare change of clothes. Are there any other tips and tricks I should know about? 

READING: Max can't get enough of Bees: A Honeyed History. I originally bought it this Spring, after seeing it on display at Terrain, because the illustrations are delightful. I didn't anticipate that our resident toddler would want to sit and sift through the pages on a daily basis and talk about bee factoids nonstop. I know I'm biased, but some of the details he remembers are impressive.

LISTENING TO: I could listen to episodes of How I Built This with Guy Raz for hours. His interviews are just as captivating as they are addictive!! Have you listened to the episode with Jeni Britton Bauer—the illustrious founder of Jeni's Ice Cream? Squee! I finally got around to this one a few weeks ago and was tickled to learn that it was her love for perfume that inspired her to begin experimenting with ice cream flavors. How cool is that?! If you're like me, listening to Raz's interviews will leave you with the urge to take a few more risks and be a little bolder. The moral to each episode?? Don't forget about your daydream.
 

WATCHING: A few weeks ago, while I was visiting my parents, my mom and I started watching the HBO series Sharp Objects. My mom has read the book, so she already had a good idea of what the show might entail, but I went into it clueless and immediately got hooked. This is typically not the sort of genre that holds my attention, but there's just something about the all-star cast and the way the story is piecemealed together that was enough for me to reactivate our HBO Now subscription. Are you watching?

EATING: I'm hooked on dried mango at the moment. It seems to satisfy my sweet tooth most nights, but I've also learned that not all dried mango is made the same. I prefer the Trader Joe's variety, but I've dabbled with options from Target and Safeway as well. Why it's taken me almost 33 years to discover this goodness is beside me, but I'm thoroughly jazzed to have it currently stocked in our pantry. Now, what other deliciousness do I need to know about?? I'm having a serious case of food FOMO. Go on and dish.

LOVING: These striped New Balance sneakers are going to be a momsemble MUST! How long before yours truly pulls the trigger?? 

Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!