Thank goodness it is Friday! We have been working on a few new projects and have a huge presentation early next week, so we’ve been working like madwomen in the office. I am also a huge fan of the World Cup. I am not a huge sports fan, by any stretch of the imagination, but there is something about the World Cup that I can’t resist. The energy and excitement is unlike that for any other sporting event and I love the international component with nations from around the globe coming together. I’ll likely have to squeeze in some work this weekend, but you can find me rooting for my favorite soccer teams the rest of the weekend! Here’s what has been on my radar this week…
Style: I recently came across a fabulous Instagram account to follow, @patzhunter, which belongs to Patricia Casarini, a European Interior Designer who also happens to have impeccably chic personal style.
Design: The July/August issue of Veranda just came out this week and it is filled with beautiful houses designed by friends, Suzanne Kasler and J. Randall Powers, as well as the classically elegant, yet relaxed 1910s Connecticut cottage (pictured above) of Michael DePerno and Andrew Fry whose apartment in the city was recently featured on Clever.
Watch: Younger is finally back with a fifth season! If you’re not familiar it’s a well-written workplace dramedy about a 40-something year old divorcee who pretends to be a 20-something ingenue in order to get back into the workforce after staying home to raise her daughter for 18 years. Of course, her romantic life makes her lie all the more complicated. The lead actress, Sutton Foster is very compelling and likable despite how I’ve described the premise of the show.
Travel: Have you ever wondered where the best chefs go when they want to try the best cuisine? Can you guess what their favorite cities to visit are in terms of food? Bangkok and New York are on more than one person’s list while Bilbao and Mexico City also get strong nods. You can read the full list here. On a related note, I am still so sad about the loss of Anthony Bourdain. He was such a gifted storyteller and had such a generous spirit. Fabian and I have been really sad over this. Even though we never met him, it feels like we’ve lost a friend. He was a tremendous influence and taught us so much about food, travel, and perspective. I’ll leave you with a favorite quote from Tony: “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay, the journey changes you. It leaves a mark on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
Career: As most of you know, design is my second Career. I’ve been in the design industry for 11 years now, but prior to that, I was a high school Spanish teacher for a few years. That period of my life feels like an entire lifetime ago and it feels so foreign to me now, but there are certainly aspects of my first career that have been helpful in my career as an interior designer, author, and blogger. I recently came across a wonderful series and podcast from the founders of My Domaine called “Second Life” which profiles interesting businesswomen who have pivoted from their first careers and into their true calling in the second careers. They’ve interviewed Cassandra Grey, founder of Violet Grey, Sara Panton (pictured with her pup) who dropped out of medical school to disrupt the wellness space with her company Vitruvi, along with Anna Brockway of Chairish, and Jessica Alba among many others. It is fascinating!
Shop: There are so many chic sandals out this season! The upside of living in a climate that is hot and humid 75% of the year is that it is practically always sandal season. For everyone else, enjoy it while it lasts and be sure to get some chic neutrals this season. I am currently loving this woven Carrie Forbes pair, this easy pair of gold flats that goes with anything from jeans to flowy, bohemian dresses, and these classic investment sandals that you’re sure to wear for years to come.
Finally, on a much deeper and more meaningful note, I have been so saddened and disheartened to see families torn apart at the border. Regardless of the reason, it is unconscionable to separate helpless children from their parents. Seeing the images and videos this week has driven me to tears countless times. I do not see this as simply a political issue, but rather, as a humanitarian issue. I am certainly not an authority on the topic nor will I pretend to have all of the facts. I just know that these children need to be reunited with their parents. I am not a Parent, but I can only imagine the agony of living such a dire existence that the possibility of coming to this country and being separated from one’s child is the better alternative because staying in one’s home country would mean a certain death. Can you even wrap your head around that because I cannot. I am a first generation American. My parents came to this country legally from Mexico in the 1970s as did my in-laws who came to the U.S. legally from Argentina around the same time. I understand and respect “the right way” of doing things, but I am also a deeply empathetic person and feel for the plight of these poor migrants. It is frustrating to feel like there isn’t much we can do, but Joanna from A Cup of Jo did a wonderful job with a run-down of how to help which you can check out here. I’ve made both donations to some of the organizations she lists as well as phone calls this week. Hopefully, together, we can make a difference towards helping reunite these children and in some cases, infants with their parents.
Have a wonderful weekend!
