The sequel is being released in a few days. Here are some ways you can make your own life a little bit more Practical Magic inspired:

• Garden witch hat. HEAR ME OUT. This woman who is a professional milliner, makes very nice witch hats. They’re amazing and I am logical and know there is no way am I justifying the cost per wear. So with that in mind there are several DIY tutorials that exist if you have the bandwitch (this started as a typo, but I’m leaving it in for the pun) for that kind of project.

• Candles. Little biased here, but DYK Clever Beast has a candle called Vineyard Rose? The best part is the vessel (recycled wine glass style with a cork lid) is very cute for storage after you’er done. If you’re looking for something very safe and flameless, we have used these flameless candles on timers for years to create a cozy space in the evenings as it gets darker earlier. If you’re ultra into the Craft look, there are black versions.

• Terrariums. I love the concept of these table top glass cases. A great solution to plants inside if you have kids or pets that like to eat them.

  

• Wicker/willow creatures. Sometimes you can score them vintage on eBay but I’ve seen snakes, bats, witch hats, and pumpkins available through current retailers. If you’re ultra talented, I’ve seen people DIY them.

• Mushrooms as decor. These wood mushrooms are adorable for kids, but have longevity as a fall display after they grow out of them.

  

• Attend a foraging workshop or learn about plants in your area from people like Forager Chef, or Alexis Nikole (she has a book called Happy Snacking, Don’t Die that just came out). Please do not buy random foraging plant books on Amazon. There have been a slew of AI generated ones that are leading to poisonings.

What do I need to know about in the tech world?

• We’ve discussed enshitification before, but now I have two websites for you. Worse on Purpose does brand autopsies looking into who bought the companies and what they’re doing to intentionally make the product worse. Mouseprint digs into the fine print of products including packaging shrinkflation.

• CookShelf sounds like the perfect app for those of us with lots of cookbooks but mediocre memory. Scan your cookbook barcodes into the app, search a specific ingredient and it will tell you which book and page number of recipe options in your library. Then you just grab your book and start cooking, rather than randomly looking up bad recipes you don’t trust. I’m working through trying this app now (free for 5 cookbooks, but any more you have to pay a subscription-go figure).

• Trash Talk NYC is my favorite feel-good Instagram right. This guy has taken it upon himself to clean up the streets of NYC with volunteers. And he’s doing a great job.

• As someone with a kindergartener, I am now very, very cautious about Ed Tech. This article on the Preamble is so well written and shows data on why we should be. Here’s the short version: the laptops are NOT GOOD for kids and we are getting worse at learning and retaining information. Thankfully, our school is part of a low-tech trial program that heavily delays personal laptops and screen focused learning until 3rd grade.

What do I need to know about in the food world?

• Lab grown salmon is already on menus in Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and DC. Wild Type Salmon or Cultivated Salmon = lab grown salmon.

• Purely Elizabeth granola just sold to food giant Ferrero.

I mean it started with a bird feeder, something I listed as a favorite thing so far this year, but now here I am watching bird migration maps. So, welcome to middle age I guess.

Peak fall bird migration in North America is mid-August to mid-October. It means billions of birds move for the cold weather and most of it actually happens at night (80% of migratory species).

What we’ve learned is that artificial light at night disrupts migratory paths and behaviors. Very bright beams of light confuse birds so much they are unable to leave the beam and fly until they become exhausted and die, or hit glass windows.

It’s awful, right?

But something can be done. Audubon created the “Lights Out” campaign to raise awareness of night time artificial light for migratory birds. It’s one of the easiest ways, beyond providing water and food in your yard, to help migrating birds.

How to help:

• Below are templates for outreach to your local community officials to get your area to participate in briefly turning off artificial lights at night during peak migration periods.

  • Sample Form Letter to Elected Official

  • Sample Form Letter to Building Manager

• Watch the live Cornell University BirdCast to see live migrations/forecast. This will tell you when your efforts make the biggest impact. You can also subscribe to a local tool that will ping you when it’s relevant to your location.

• Help birds avoid window collisions. If you have a specific window that has had multiple bird run ins, consider these solutions.

What do I need to know about in the health world?

• Is human consciousness connected to the lymphatic system? This medical student has a new theory that this understudied system might be the key.

• Peak hydration has gone a bit far. found this electrolyte pebble ice.

• BBC Science. “Do your kids actually age you? The answer depends on how many you have and when.”. Short answer: initially it VERY MUCH ages you. Long term, parents tend to live slightly longer than non-parents. But those with four or more kids have faster biological aging.

• In other “we’ve lost the point” news, this food company sells protein seasoning. You need TWO TABLESPOONS in a serving for a person to get 10 grams of protein. You could pick a quarter of a 6 ounce can of fish or 1/3 cup of cottage cheese or 1/2 cup of greek yogurt or several other things instead to get 10 grams of protein.

What do I need to know about in the tech world?

• “The U.S. Justice Department is prosecuting an American for allegedly providing U.S. border authorities with a passcode that wiped the contents of his phone, according to an indictment and media reports. This is thought to be the first known case in the United States where federal prosecutors have charged someone for the alleged destruction of data using a “duress” password built into a phone’s software.”

• Removal of federal funding for national parks led a scientific research group to seek funding on OnlyFans. “OnlyMarms” gives daily photos and videos of yellow bellied marmots in central Colorado in return for a monetary subscription.

• Spotify’s founder raised $700 million in funding for an hour long, non-invasive body scan that uses sensors to capture millions of health data points (think skin irregularities, early CV issues…). Ideally, (well for the ultra wealthy) this will help find potential illness before it becomes problematic.

What’s something fun I can send to a friend?

• Currently working on this felt fox project.

• For the first time, Bluey was just released in an Australian Indigenous language (5 episodes).

• DYK the Smithsonian offers free 3D print files? People are printing life sized dinosaur bones.

How can I make a change to be a little less annoyed to give me the mental bandwidth to live life for the important things?

More than anything, I’ve realized I had some lingering pre-kid routines/habits that were no longer serving me. Things I had done when I had more time/energy that were indeed efficient, energy saving, etc…but they’re not for right now. These habits were in fact, making my life a little harder in dumb ways.

Here are 5 incredibly easy things I’ve changed:

1. Muffin tin liners:

   With summer camps underway and a desire to raise a kid who is comfortable in the kitchen, muffins (banana, zucchini, pumpkin are always in rotation) are always happening in the house. I haven’t used a muffin tin liner in probably eight years in an effort to reduce waste (I mean, I was eating the muffins inside the house, not to go. I’d just put it on a plate). But you know what? I hate washing out muffin tins. No matter how well you grease the muffin tin, there’s always muffin residue. So I started buying muffin tin liners again (they now sell unbleached brown paper ones) and problem solved. The muffin tin is pretty much perfectly clean immediately, not taking up space in my sink.

2. Running the dishes, even not when 100% full:

   I have always run the dishwasher when it’s completely full. And yet, it never lines up to “meal is done, dishwasher is totally full”. Which means that I’m waiting until partially through the next meal to fill it, run it and have dishes leftover and waiting. So I’ve started running the dishwasher when it’s pretty close to full but before cooking the next meal so all the dishes are clean and out of the dishwasher, it’s unloaded and ready to catch dishes as they’re made. This has drastically cut down on the amount of dishes waiting in sink purgatory.

3. Emptying the kitchen trash before it’s 100% full:

   Again, same theme as above. It’s been drilled into me, it’s most eco conscious to empty the bin when it’s full. But you know what? Inevitably, it makes a jump to being too full and touching the bin lid and then I have to scrub the trashcan. I’m letting it be ‘pretty close’ and not punishing myself like the millennial I am for not being perfect in my trash production.

4. Preventative Drop Cloths (…but for kids, not painting):

   This isn’t just kid related. It works for a messy snacker, a dog… but definitely a kid. Throw a blanket that goes in the wash under who/whatever. Go into life just expecting a mess and it’s not a big deal because all you have to do is run the laundry if it happens. You don’t have to scrub the couch or carpet that’s hard to clean. You don’t have to police someone to be careful. This drop cloth also applies to art projects. Throw a newspaper or water proof mat under whatever potentially messy project is happening. We have had a silicon mat since our kid was born that we used as a placemat for years, and now it’s an art mat. The mat I’ve linked here is an improved version of our’s from six years ago because it has a lip that covers a table edge!

5. Finding the stain remover that works on set stains:

   I try pretty hard to pre-treat a stain when I see it. But sometimes I miss it and the shirt goes in the dryer and the stain is set. THEN I saw a highly recommended stain remover from a gardener and this stuff removes whatever weird oil based stain went through the dryer every time. No more stress the shirt is ruined if I miss it. Just use the stain remover and throw it in again. I also learned this summer that bubbles, as in the kids blowing bubbles, stain shirts and you don’t see the stain until it goes through the dryer (infuriating- I thought I was going crazy until I saw a discussion thread on this topic). So learn from this little known fact, pre-stain treat your kid bubble blowing clothes, or get the Wax-Ex stain remover.

Worth reading:

90’s parenting vs current parenting: Emily Oster is one of my favorite data analysts related to kids and babies. She’s fact and science driven and great at myth busting. This post is focused on the “90’s summer” trend being pressured on social media for moms.

What do I need to know about in the technology world?

• “The EU Commission said Meta is in breach of the Digital Services Act due to the “addictive” design features on Instagram and Facebook.”

• Netflix subscriber engagement is declining… so now they’re looking into live tv/bundles to keep viewers hooked.

• AI video product ads are coming to online shopping. Oh and also FU to companies using this and putting creatives out of work.

What do I need to know about in the food/health world?

• A cyber security incident involving ransomware caused Fairlife production lines to close. Expect to see more of this.

• Very amused by the emergence of cauldron dutch ovens and slow cookers. There’s even a black pumpkin if you’ve always liked the pumpkin ovens but are more into neutrals.

• Kohler released a toilet health sensor that analyzes hydration, stool variability, and more… Not sure how I feel about this one.

Since having a kid, I look at each year as an experiment. What went well this time around? What could have made things easier? What wasn’t worth it? Each year is data that can be used for good. So I document that data and put it in my second brain: my Notes App.

For repeat events like holidays or travel, I’ve started using my Notes app to make lists and remind myself of things that I will in no way, shape, or form remember in one year. I do this for future Carlene. Future Carlene is thus far, grateful.

It makes everything run more smoothly and it makes me look like I have things in order (even when everything felt crazy leading up to it).

Here are lists I make:

• A packing list: I have a list for multiple scenarios. Any time we take that particular trip, I update the list by removing what we didn’t need as our kid ages, and adding things that might be a good idea next time.

• To do lists before traveling: Automate your task list of all the little things you do. Washing sheets, watering plants, etc.

• To do lists when you get there: (reminders like your kid gets tired by day three and you need to have a down day, or the mosquitos are bad, make sure to spray yourself down before dinner outside, or there’s a new place that opened but we didn’t have time for this year, let’s hit it next year)

• To do lists when coming home: Your grocery list, that you need to clean out the car, etc.

• A document for your house sitter/pet sitter.

But this doesn’t need to only apply to trips. It can be for at home repeat events too, like guests who visit, or holidays.

For Holidays:

• Menu

• Decorations (and I have recurring calendar events of when to put things up and when to take things down)

• Gifts (this is where I put ideas as I hear a person say something as well as what I gave them last year)

• Traditions

• A note from the previous year of what I may need to get more of (eg wrapping paper, adhesive for hanging things, candles)

What do I need to know about in the health world?

• California is the first state to ban “sell by” dates on food. This took effect July 1st and removes sell by dates, allowing only “best if used by” and “use by” dates.

• Your Body Burns More Calories Digesting Breakfast Than Dinner, Thanks to Your Internal Clock (EurekAlert! / Metabolism, 2026-06-23)
  Summary: A study in the journal Metabolism revealed a circadian system alone (when trialed in humans) makes calorie-burning after meals peak in the biological morning (around 7 a.m. for participants) and bottom out in the biological evening (around 7 p.m.). In other words, the same meal costs your body more energy to process in the morning than at night. This helps explain why eating late may promote weight gain or hinder weight loss, and supports meal-timing advice that favors front-loading calories earlier in the day.

• Painting, Music, and Crafts May Protect the Aging Brain (Psychology Today, 2026-06-19)
  Summary: Creativity won't directly add years to your life, but strong evidence suggests it adds life to your years by protecting the aging brain. The article suggests visual arts, creative writing, lifelong learning and problem-solving, making music, and hands-on crafts like knitting or pottery, especially when done socially, are beneficial.

What’s something fun I can send to someone?

• Why pirates really wore eye patches. Mind blown.

• This cross stitch set was a perfect long weekend project. I did one of these at the beach and it was my first time with a counted vs printed needlepoint.

Virginia Things:

• One of my favorite Virginia flora and fauna artists, Pelikan Print Co, released stickers of her calendar critters!

• Our tattoo artist is back open for booking. If you’re looking for your first tattoo or to expand your art, Kelsi is forever our favorite.

• Event: Clever Beast will be at Phosphene in Fredericksburg on July 18th!

Old posts worth reading:

So much of this, of deciding what whimsy is to you, is deciding what you actually like. What makes you amused? How do you add a little more of that to your life? And why were you tamping it down before? Some deep pondering for summer, but if you have to reflect, it might as well be in a hammock looking at clouds.

How can this feel lighter?

Ask yourself how you could make something more enjoyable. How can this feel lighter? How can it feel kind (to yourself or some one else)? The dishes have to get done, but can you also play music in the background, or have your favorite candle lit at the same time?

For my birthday, I do still have that practical streak. I asked Chris to find me a pair of casual sneakers. I was thinking classic Sambas, BUT he did me one better and found the Sambas but the tongue of the shoe is caned. They’re amazing. I didn’t even know they existed and I love them. Exactly the level of whimsical I’m looking for.

What if you actually broke out the kind of crazy dishware you have and love but don’t default to? Fish shaped pitcher? Amazing. Leave it on your counter and use it at dinner. Mug with a poorly painted seagull you can’t bring yourself to get rid of because you secretly like it? Perfect.

Or what if you bought the star shaped sprinkles and put them on banana muffins? If the next time you needed to get pens you bought sparkly gel pens that you used to love? The grocery list is still getting written, it might as well be in 90’s glistening teal.

I saw a video of an adult man getting 120 pack of Crayons for father's day with a coloring book. You have the money - buy the crayons.

None of this is implying an overhaul, or going far beyond your comfort zone. It’s merely small opportunities to make tweaks to things you already do to make you like them more.

Ask yourself if your favorite color, is really your favorite color.

I’ll give an example. For over a decade, I DID NOT LIKE the color yellow. Not even for just clothing, but I did not want the color yellow in my house. It made me think of the not quite correct yellow I had in my childhood bedroom that always kind of bothered me and it made me think of the color of our house when we originally bought it and it needed major renovations.

And now that we’ve had a decade plus of yellow separation…I love yellow. We color drenched an entire bathroom BOLD MUSTARD YELLOW with Victorian checkerboard pavers on the floor. This weekend we hung a ton of art we had been collecting and lo and behold, brown and gold and yellow are the predominant colors.

For so long I wanted to make safe “correct” color choices that were very practical. Everything I bought was white, navy, and black. I don’t even look that great in black. I just knew it was a safe building block. And I don’t regret those things: they made a fantastic high quality base to build a little more personality back into.

It’s time to let myself do that (she said as she hangs the taxidermy peacock in the living room).

What do I need to know in the food world?

• Bob’s Red Mill has new packaging.

• Protein maxing comes to kids juice.

• Gum is getting a makeover. “Run Gum” and other functional nutrition delivery via chewing.

What’s something interesting I can send a friend?

• Very into the love affair of the Tartan Army and Boston.

• The Punishing Signal: how Mumbai Traffic Police reduced excessive honking.

• To middle finger Amazon Prime Week, Etsy launched their “shop other Jeffs” campaign featuring over 5000 sellers named Jeff on Etsy.

What I’m Watching:

• Widow’s Bay on Apple: A comical and creepy thriller with 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.

It’s June: half way through the year and my birthday month. Here are a round up of my favorites so far.

My 10 Favorite Things of 2026

1. open crayon container set: Of all the kid things we have, this is one that gets used every day. Sometimes multiple times a day. You can see every color, there’s no fussing with a lid so it encourages putting things away.

2. lemon myrtle topiary: I was gifted this amazing topiary from Sarah at Botanologica after a pop up and first of all I’m so proud it’s still alive (they can be notoriously finicky), but secondly, it’s sweet and cottagey and adds a softness to my counter.

   

3. niche, over the top customization of things: I am bored of seeing people who all dress the same and decorate the same. I want weird, niche decisions, and that’s why my LL Bean tote bag is covered with pewter pins my parents made over the course of 30+ years. If you have seven beaded fish keychains, I want to see them all on one bag.

4. yellow-ware, antique fox hunting bowl (below): Chris got me this for valentines day and I cannot get over the color. We live in a region with lots of foxes and horses and I love an on-theme location gift. I use it as an “outgoing” catchall by my door.

5. bunny felting kit: I’m not going to lie, I’m still really proud of how this turned out. It was 9 hours of immersive creative time. I learned something new. And now I have an adorable bunny.

   

6. Instax camera: A birthday gift for our 5 year old as a ‘big kid’ camera after his first digital only one. The entire family loves this and being able to print out pictures is so important. Chris and our son even took it to Spring Training Baseball and took a photo of some ladies who were sitting behind them and gave them the photo after. Big hit.

7. the book My Friends: After careful deliberation this has now become my favorite book of all time. I love the way it’s written. I love that it’s about a brief time period as kids and how the friendship stayed with them their entire lives. I have several other books by the author in my reading cue.

8. the show Shogun: Gorgeous scenery, solid story. I was really pulled in to this one.

9. nail stickers: I bought these from NIB after a Clever Beast pop up for our kid (big fan of flowers and stickers so I knew they would be a hit-currently sold out at NIB). I packed them for a brunch with several friends as a ‘things to keep a kid busy’ bag and he promptly bestowed everyone (and I mean everyone) with a manicure of flower stickers. Very cute for summer.

10. shibori indigo dye DIY: I mentioned this project in last newsletter. If you’re looking for a more visually peaceful tie dye project, order this set immediately. We made napkins for packing for school lunches/picnics as well as a crewneck sweatshirt and t-shirt. Very fun.

    

11. Bonus: a bird feeder: This has brought me a ridiculous amount of joy. Obviously the goal would be to hang a feeder, but our 5 year old is the one who wanted it in the first place and this is where he can interact with it. It’s great nature TV at this level. Every yard critter stops in to enjoy it. Bunnies and chipmunks included. I will watch the bird feeder for half an hour in peace if possible.

    

I started looking at things that had made the cut year after year, but weren’t getting used. I challenged myself to use the item within a specific time frame, or let it go.

The goal being to reduce unused inventory in the house to create space and find more enjoyment in forgotten or useful things.

I’ll give you some examples.

Use it or Lose it Challenge

-Cocktail Sword Picks: Purchased for a food photoshoot several years ago with so many left over. Using them up as sandwich wrap holders for our 5 year old who finds these amusing

-Loose Herbal Tea: I make a batch of this regularly for the house from a range of dried botanicals but kept skipping over it. Now, I pre fill the herbs into a teapot the night before and make this my first beverage of the morning. This will help me use up existing herbal stores before drying more plants this summer.

-Random Seeds: I had a few odds and ends seeds lingering in my garden binder, so this year I tried to use them all. One of my favorite things is to bring garden flowers/plants to people so this is an easy one.

-Mini Toothpaste Tubes: We have a back log of those little travel toothpaste tubes from the dentist. Instead of storing it, I’m trying to use up most of it before replacing my typical large tube I prefer.

-Pencils: I am a completionist and will use pens up completely. Because I make daily written to-do lists, I go through a pack of pens pretty regularly, but I have a pencil backlog in my desk. There’s nothing wrong with a pencil except I skirt away from them because during school I pressed so hard when writing I developed a callus on my ring finger that clearly has left a mental impression.

-Shibori Indigo Dye: Two summers ago I bought some awesome indigo dye/a shibori kit because I thought it would be a tie-dye like experience our kid would love, but in a usable color-scheme for the house. During that batch I use some white napkins that we dyed for packing in school lunches/picnics. I need to do one more batch to use up the rest of the dye as another summer activity.

-Sweater with Terrible Pilling: I’ve had this sweater for maybe three years, but didn’t touch it at all for the past two wearable seasons. It fits my style. It’s comfortable enough. But (and this is on me) I bought it even though it wasn’t great quality/material and so it has terrible pilling.I set aside time to fix the pilling and could make absolutely could make no progress on it. Acknowledging i wasn’t happy with how it looked and knowing I would 100% change out of it if i put it on, I let it go.

-Agave Nectar: Purchased for a recipe development project, lingering in the pantry… I’m making an effort to use it in plain greek yogurt if I want a dessert like snack and as a sweetener for lime/lemonade.

What should I know about in the tech world?

• Disney fires more artists (this round of firings mostly affected the Marvel artists) and will consider bringing them on only as contractors as needed.

• Sustainable specialist Everlane sells to fast fashion company Shein. Ugh.

• NYC Mayor Mamdani collects $9 million in unpaid truck idling fines from Amazon.

What should I know about in the food world?

• The next eating trend? “Eat Like Jesus”. Christian influencers turn the bible into a diet plan and sell coaching programs promoting “biblical eating” that includes only foods mentioned in the bible.

What should I know about in the DMV?

• “New for Summer 2026 and in partnership with The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s RiverTrends Program, Loudoun Wildlife Conservency volunteers are testing E. coli levels weekly at four stream sites in the Leesburg area from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend”. This report will let you know if it’s safe to engage in water activities.

• Q2 wine pick up event for SHIP at Walsh Family Wine is June 12 and includes our Tomato Vine Spritz from Clever Beast.

• There’s a new museum is opening in DC in June: the Museum of Exploration.

My parenting goal is be in nature often and never make a big deal about getting dirty while doing it. We go to parks, we go on hikes, we go strawberry picking, we play in the sand. This is one of the ways I do it.

Pick Your Container

Step one of stocking your car for summer fun (and beyond) is picking a vessel. It can be a giant LL Bean tote. I can be a basket. I can be a literal cardboard box. Pick something with walls that stands up on its own and provides the right amount of large scale corralling within your car and visual containment. I do not advise having something like an ikea bag or a tote with no sturdy walls. It will crumple. You will never be able to fish around inside to find what you need. Stuff will spill out.

I do not like clutter. I do not like too much stuff. So to counteract having just the right things available (but not visually), I swear by this car trunk covered tote. It hides everything away with the lid It fits the aesthetic I have going for my SUV. It has moveable dividers. I can take it out and leave it at home (with everything inside because it has SIDE HANDLES) if I need more trunk space for a bike/hauling cases of wine for work.

Find smaller organizers

Within your large container, you’re going to need smaller things you can grab based on the situation. I have a galvinized bucket with some of my garden tools for a secondary garden plot I tend. This also has secateurs which is great when I visit family or friends and they’re like “sure take this giant branch of weird plant”. But beyond the bucket, which is a very specific situation, I like these zip pouches. It lets me find the “my kid got dirty bag” quickly without sifting through other things. The most important part of your car kit is being able to find what you need or your inclination will never be to use what’s there.

While I originally found these clear ones in various sizes on Amazon, I’ve seen Target carry rainbow ones (great if you’re a color coded person), but you could also use canvas pouches. I opt for non fabric in this case because I like to be able to wipe off liquid.

What to include

Spend five minutes thinking about how you likely spend your time and the situations that arise. Then think about what you’d like to be able to do, and how you can facilitate that in a low friction way. If you sometimes wish you could spend more time walking around an area where you’re meeting a friend but you never bring the right shoes…put a pair of walkable shoes in the car. If you wish you wouldn’t stress over your dog getting dirty after visiting with friends, add pet friendly wipes/a towel/spay bottle. Have kids? Swim suit stuff.

Regardless of situation I always have hand wipes, bandaids, tissues, a phone charger, a disposable cutlery set, a plastic bag for dirty clothes, and wool blanket (for sitting outdoors and for wrapping around furniture/art/etc that’s a bit large or fragile that I might find if I go antiquing).

What’s something in the health world I should know about?

• Stumbled across these sprinkle vitamins for kids. Made in partnership with pediatric dietitians Whimsi Beans are specifically formulated to be sensory friendly and a little fun. I can’t imagine the struggle parents have with ultra picky eaters, so I’m all for a novel approach to fill a temporary void.

• The current administration just launched Moms dot Gov which is a new website with very specific biases (starting families early, no birth control, no abortion, breast feeding only without parental leave…) masquerading as a science based resource. Be on the look out for articles or experts that site this resource and be sure to do your own research.

What’s something I should send to a friend?

Do you struggle with your family knowing what you like and vice versa? My brother got our family on Giftster which is a way you can create family groups and share wish lists/ideas. You can create specific gift wish lists/size and preference lists and also tell each other what you’re getting the birthday person. 10/10 experience so far.

What’s something I should know about in the DMV?

Local friends, I have two fun places to share with you:

• Ebisu: this newly opened Japanese product shop has snacks, skincare, and toys including Gashapon machines. It’s a fun experience if you’re in the area.

• Mason Neck State Park: This absolutely massive park is in Lorton, VA (fairly close to DC). It has miles of park and lots of “beach” openings. We did the Bay hike with a 5 year old in the rain and had a blast. The path of this particular trail has lots to see (marsh overviews/bay overviews/bridge areas).

Rent a state park pass.

Some libraries offer parking passes for state parks. Our library rents passes out for three weeks at a time. To have a defined time period to schedule in a park visit that’s outside my typical routine is the perfect excuse for more nature…especially with a kid. We just visited a new 800 acre state park and did a short hike to a creek in the woods and stopped for lunch on the way home. It’s like a mini nature focused staycation.

Find a do-able nature craft.

We do nature crafts all the time, but I was looking for more of a longevity/multi day project. Every week, we go visit a local creek and when I saw this Habba cork boat I bought it immediately. It’s a win because it will float every time (not flip over like a piece of bark). It’s editable every play session (you can use leaves to make the sails, color your own piece of paper, etc), and most importantly there’s an eye hook that means you can add string so it won’t float away. The second project we are doing is modifying a $10 Target wooden birdhouse and treating it like a nature gingerbread house (instead of the painted kit it comes as). Every hike or walk, we collect fallen nature items to decorate the house: pinecones broken up to make shingles for the roof, park and twigs to make various siding textures, etc.

Create a 20 minute loop route.

Going on a 45 minute walk is great, but that is just not a regular possibility with my current schedule. What I can do is 20 minutes. And you probably can too once you find your zero resistance loop route. Ideally, find a route that requires no driving, only walking outside your door that you can do with limited frustration. Find a way to cross the fewest amount of intersections/traffic stops. Avoid the house with the annoying dog that chases you by the fence. It might take a few practice runs, but there’s usually a point where you can find your “to the stop sign and back” and feel better than when you started.

NEW at Clever Beast Botanicals!

Vineyard Rose Candle & Soap

About the product: The Vineyard Rose collection is a joint project with our friends and fellow makers at Parsonage in a scent that combines our work the Virginia wine and aromatic world their our signature soap and candles. Heirloom roses are featured alongside dewy green notes from an early morning in the vines and grounded by refined, earthy leather notes.

The tradition of planting roses in vineyards was once used as an early agricultural warning system for diseases like powdery mildew within the vines. Today, vineyards use sophisticated and nuanced tools for ensuring vine health, but the aesthetic nature of mixing vines and roses within a landscape is undeniably beautiful.

The candle is a hand poured 10 oz candle is in green glass with a natural wick and cork lid in a beeswax and soy wax base. The hand made soap bar features grape pomace: the skins, seeds, and stems that remain from grapes after they have been pressed for juice or wine. The pomace provides a light exfoliant as well as beneficial polyphenols and bioactive compounds often used for cosmetics and skincare products.

Currently reading:

My Friends is the best thing I’ve read in a while. The story of the story behind a famous painting, this book is beautiful. I almost shed tears several times. Once I finished the book yesterday, I couldn’t bear to start a new one because I knew it wouldn’t measure up.

Currently looking at:

Do you remember Jellies? Do you need adult Jellies made from hemp and recycled plastic?

Things to know in the tech world:

• FYI Google Ads settings have changed. If you got an email about “updates to our partner ads setting”, you’re going to need to go in and adjust your selections again, even if you’ve selected ‘do not share my data’ in the past.

• Meta is trying to launch it’s own Snapchat again.

Things to know in the food world:

• The Mushroom Compound That May Protect Your Brain from Parkinson’s Disease (Antioxidants, 2026-04-21, Peer-reviewed research). Researchers from Singapore reviewed growing evidence that ergothioneine, an antioxidant found most abundantly in mushrooms, may help shield the brain from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Unlike most dietary antioxidants, ergothioneine crosses the blood-brain barrier and lingers in the body for about a month. Studies in worms, flies, mice, and human neurons show it reduces toxic protein clumps, calms inflammation, and protects brain cells. Early human trials suggest it improves sleep and slows memory decline safely.

• Flavored microwave popcorn is coming.

• Solein, a Finnish company, filed a US patent for their tech that makes protein from air (fermentation).

• Cosmic Crisp apples are a household favorite, but be on the look out for Sunflare Apples from WSU which are focused on modifying features so they can deal with climate change. Apples may keep the doctor away, but WSU is leading the charge on making sure we have them at all.

I’ve written about how I’ve tricked myself into hobbies in the past by picking things that resulted in a usable end product (needlepoint but it becomes a sunglasses case, sourdough baking but it’s hello bread so no explanation needed). And as someone who will simply continue to pick away at a task list given 10 free minutes, even finding these hobbies was a positive step.

For the first time in a long time, I worked on something with zero purpose. The end product is a whimsical decor item that took me so long it better be cherished by my grandchildren when I’m dead. This is where I will introduce you to needle felting…aka cozy voodoo.

For Christmas my Mom bought two needle felting kits so we could do a project together (moral support is great when neither of you have done this before). It’s a process where fibers are matted together and layered using a giant (or several) stabby needles.

So below, here’s what I ended up making after 9 hours, having never felted before.

You can see in the above video, compared to the still image below, I added a bit more heft to his mid section to balance out how giant his head and ears ended up and I added a layer of fluffy merino wool on his stomach to add dimension. I am truly impressed by how this turned out (and according to IG messages so are you guys- no hard feelings).

How to find a for fun hobby in 3 steps

Step 1: Think back to your 12 year old self. What did you love? If you’re in your 30’s was it Pokémon, because they absolutely have rehabbed that video game. Was it horses (Admit it…were you a horse girl?)? What about going to the pool?

Step 2: Figure out how you can get back into it and ask your friends for ideas. Look up horseback riding lessons in your area. Take a weaving class. Watch DIY videos on friendship bracelets and make them for your kids.

Step 3: Search for all inclusive kits/classes. The biggest hurdle to starting a for fun hobby again is materials. If you have to figure out what you need to get started, order the supplies, measure things…forget it. It can be so hard to block off the time to even do the thing if you’re adding more tasks to your plate before you get started, it probably won’t happen. Etsy is actually a great place to find composed craft kits.

If you think therapeutically stabbing wool to produce something cute is your next hobby, I pulled together a collection of felting kits, including the bunny one I used and other kits by the same maker.

What should I know about in the food/health world?

• If you are a Costco person, go buy the Furikake Seaweed Snack Mix immediately. Everyone in our house loves it including our 5 year old who did not like seaweed before this moment. It has the horrible * mark on the price sign so they are not restocking it.

• Having some bad days recently? Bringing back my Bad Day Bag post.

What events should I know about in the DMV?

• Clever Beast will be at a Bar Takeover at Walsh Family Wine late this month.

• Glenstone museum (one of my favorite local places) has a summer music series.

• Historic Garden Week in Virginia starts soon.

• Wolf Trap tickets are already on sale. This is my favorite show venue because it’s also a national park! If you have kids, they have kid shows during the summer as well in their forest theatre.

After a year of making sourdough, these are the tools I use every time that make the process streamlined and are worth the space they occupy in our limited storage kitchen.

Bread Baking

1. bread cloche: I really screwed myself a few times early in my sourdough timeline by trying the whole ‘inverted dutch oven’ trick. It was dangerous for me to flip a 500 F degree vessel while trying to add wobbly dough to it. A bread cloche with a handle made it way more safe and provided an excellent color/crust for my loaves.

2. lame: Again, I tried to use another blade I had early in my loaf timeline and it just doesn’t work as well to get a good slash.

3. dough scraper: Try moving wet dough around without it. I have a metal straight one, but for scooping dough out of a bowl, I needed this flexible curved edge one.

4. banneton (I use ones from my grandma): Everyone has their personal theories about what works best, so you do some reading and decide what you like.

5. weck jars : My favorite vessel for my starter (yes it has a name: Lois).

6. bonus non tool but essential: Trader Joe’s French butter. Nearly impossible to catch in stock at the store (there’s always a French strike or cream shortage), but when I do, I buy five pounds at a time for my freezer.

Want to see more kitchen essential tools in other categories? See the full post here.

Easter Gift Guide

For other parents here, I curated Easter basket ideas with lots of Etsy handmade options. I am not on board with all of the mini-holiday baskets/gifts that are happening these days (I’m now told St Patrick’s day has gifts and a whole Leprechaun house visiting situation?) , but Easter is one I have always done and will always do.

See the full guide here.

What should I cook?

• Our rye bread ice cream.

• Vermouth braised leeks.

• Hot honey radishes and hummus.

What should I know about in the food and health world?

• Uncrustables (Smuckers) is suing Trader Joe’s.

• Peptides are the latest wellness biohacker craze. Here’s what to watch out for.

• ExpoWest food trend: Sensemaxxing (layers of textures for more sensory experiences in smaller bites).

How to bring nature indoors for spring

• Forcing flowering branches: Branches that have flowering buds can be brought inside and place in a vase to spur a gorgeous tall flowering arrangement that lasts for weeks. If you have forsythia or fruit trees with buds, get your clippers! Otherwise, I’ve always had success with options at Trader Joe’s.

• Growing bulbs: I like to think of indoor bulbs as month long flower arrangements. We grow paperwhites and amaryllis at Christmas, but in March I like hyacinths and muscari. You can place them in pots or shallow bowls, or use bulb vases which are a fun way for kids to see roots forming.

• Pot et fleur arrangements: This Victorian practice of putting house plants and cut flowers together feels very hotel lobby fancy. It’s a smart way to create a long term stable display that you can adjust seasonally. You can see a good example of a build out in this article.

• Lettuceware: This pottery style started in the 1960’s but it’s having a major resurgence. You can find vintage lettuceware in antique stores or in vintage shops online, but if you’re looking for ones you can use that are inexpensive, Target released a radicchio collection and Anthropologie has interesting weirdo produce tableware too like this tomato vase.

Things we love right now:

• Jumping frogs: Fun in the 90’s, big hit for five year olds today. I got this 144 pack to share with our kid’s school friends for his birthday and they were a hit. These would be perfect for Easter eggs.

• The Beast in Me (Netflix): This mini series is a fantastic short watch commitment. There are so many unexpected moments in this thriller (the writing of the main male character is off the charts creepy).

• My Neighbor Totoro & Arriety (HBO Max): I had never watched any Studio Ghibli films, but I’m now watching some of the movies with our kid. The gorgeous hand illustrated animation, calm and slow sweet stories make these a great snow day activity. Our 5 year old loved these two (especially Totoro).

• Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 and 2: Throwback memories for us, big fun for the kid (“I like this music”).

Clever Beast Botanicals on TV:

We were on FOX 5 DC and had the opportunity to talk about our perfumes and aromatized wines. You can see the interview here.

Perfumes are tricky to buy without smelling, so if you happen to live outside of the DC area, we thought a good way to share more might be through little vibe videos.

What do I need to know about in the tech world?

This is my first rodeo when it comes to raising a human, so I’m always looking for experts on topics I need help understanding. Kids and tech is one. I thought this segment was very informative if you are introducing kids to games that have micro-transactions and the actual problem they can cause later.

What do I need to know about in the health world?

Could the Chicken You’re Eating Be Causing Your Urinary Tract Infections?

(The Washington Post) “New research suggests that contaminated meat may be responsible for a significant portion of urinary tract infections, with a 2025 study finding that nearly one in five UTIs among patients in Southern California was likely caused by E. coli from meats and poultry including turkey, chicken, and pork” (E.coli can adhere to bladder walls).

RFK Jr. Says Keto Diet Can Cure Schizophrenia — The Researcher He Cited Says That's Not What the Science Shows

(Scientific American) “At a Tennessee event promoting new nutrition guidelines emphasizing red meat, whole milk, and animal fats, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed that a doctor at Harvard had "cured schizophrenia using keto diets" and that studies show people "lose their bipolar diagnosis by changing their diet." However, the researcher Kennedy apparently intended to cite, Christopher Palmer, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, says he has never claimed to cure schizophrenia and has never used the word "cure" in any of his talks or research.”

What do I need to know about in the food world?

• Ice cream novelties are having a big push this summer. New launches include Ben and Jerries Sundaes as well as Snickers mini-ice cream bars.

• My favorite sweet ever, Danish licorice company Lakrids by Bülow, launched a lime crackle flavor that I cannot wait to try.

Amidst, well everything, my brain decided this year would be the year of Extra Sprinkles. Small joys…fun little things. Ways to enjoy more in the midst of life. Nothing grand, over the top, ground breaking. Something as simple as sprinkles. And I decided I’m going to listen.

Extra Sprinkles

Personalize what you already own.

Add a pin to your jacket or bag. Embroider a tiny heart, star, or your initials on pajamas, a sweater, or even a bandana. Put another charm or pendant on your daily necklace to stack them. Let your kid put a sticker on their water bottle (our kid’s has a moth, our company logo, a chicken, a weird medieval cat, and a Pokémon…go crazy). I would always rather have something ultra personalized that no one else has than something trendy or “expensive”/recognizable. You don’t need more shi*. You just need to love what you have more.

Make it more comfortable.

I preheat my bed with an electric blanket and it brings me an astounding amount of happiness. I have a huge list of ideas on how to get cozy in a previous post.

Make the chore a ritual.

Think of the task you dislike the most and figure out how to make it better. I cook a ton so I typically unload and reload the dishwasher twice a day. Sometimes three times if I’ve baked something. I don’t love it, so I started stacking it with lighting a candle, having a coffee, a glass of wine or rye (depending on the time of day), or listening to music I like. This has now become something I really don’t mind at all.

Print the photos.

Capture imperfect shots of something you enjoy and print them. We recently got a FujiFilm Instax Mini Evo Camera which includes a cool polaroid style in-camera printer. The best part is you can send photos from your phone to the camera’s printer. We printed off shots from our five year old’s birthday together and I really love seeing little moments of a fun family day as I walk by where I have them hung up.

Buy the bird food.

For three months of the year it brings me joy to go outside and look at my plants. But right now it’s 10 degrees and there’s a foot of snow and ice and no plants. So I got bird food and I (and the cats) enjoy seeing little birds hopping around in the meantime. The birds get some help and it makes me happy.

What do I need to know about in the food and health world?

• Churro and huckleberry are two top drink flavor predictions of 2026.

• The viral (hate this word) yogurt cheesecake trend that is actually very delicious. I do it with graham crackers.

• Freeze dried candy is going to be everywhere this year.

• The Race to Measure Aging—And Why It Matters.

What do I need to know about in the tech world?

• Amazon Mandates Third-Party Testing for All Dietary Supplements Sold on Platform. Previously, only “high risk” categories (weight management and sports nutrition supplements) were required to participate in their “Good Manufacturing Practices” requirements. Now, all supplement sellers must show their products are manufactured in compliant facilities through accredited third party audits with annual facility inspections. It’s a phased rollout over 90 days to initiate testing.

• Meta’s Instagram Leaked Document highlights the main focus in 2026 is to “win back, attract, and keep more teens on the app”. An interesting move (greedy…teens are a huge percentage of potential users who they can make money on) after they recently said they would instill better guardrails for teen usage.

• Robot bag charms are coming. Mirumi charm robot from Japan plays on the over done Labubu-esque vibe blended with a Furby. Prepare to see knock off versions of this in the US in 2027.

How to use your screenshots:

• Sit down with a notepad or big piece of paper.

• Make categories: books, recipes, products, things to look into, places to go, etc..

• Go into your photo album on your device and hit the category “screenshots”.

• Put the data from each screen shot on your paper list in the correct cateogry and DELETE the screenshot. If the screen shot is an inspiration image, put it on Pinterest where you probably go to find these images in the first place. If you don’t use Pinterest, create an album category in your phone and save these images to one place to quickly access them and use them.

• Here are some examples of screenshots I had in my phone:

  • “POV” which is a disposable camera app for events where an event has a QR code that guests scan and the host picks a style/how many photos each guest can take etc.

  • A collage of recommended needlepoint tools because I am 85 years old.

  • A picture of a rattan cat bed from Ikea from someone’s Stories.

  • How to build a bird nest instructions for a kid nature project.

• Once you have your lists, go through a little of these to-do lists every day:

  • For books, I first look through my local library’s online catalogue and rent. If I can’t find the book there, I pin the books to a gift list to recommend as gifts I would like to receive when a birthday rolls around, or order them once I get through the available library list.

  • For recipes, I pin them to a ’to make’ list, but I also write notes in my iCal to go make the recipes and where to find the link. For example, there’s a gorgeous leek casserole I want to make and it’s the pefect thing for a Spring dinner party or Easter.

  • For ’to visit’ places, I rough schedule them in my calendar. This mostly applies to festivals/local restaurants.

• I’m going to be honest with you. This process probably took me an hour and a half to clear the backlog of screenshots I had from the past year. To make this more of a quick task, I added this as an appointment on my calendar and until this becomes routine. On the plus side, I have more space on my phone and it gave me ideas for household menus/gifts/and things I want to be sure to do come Spring.

Relevant past posts:

If you’re in declutter mode, especially in the kitchen, here’s our full list of must-have kitchen tools which we refreshed this fall. It has about a decade of ‘tried and true’ recommendations that we revisited from the original 2018 post.

Small purchases I’ve loved:

• Flossing is a huge difference maker when it comes to oral care, so we have worked very hard to engrain flossing into the routine of our toddler so he never has to think about it when he’s in his 20’s. I just finished the initial kid’s floss pick bag I started with him and switched to the Cocokind kids reflosser (they just started stocking at Target actually if you want to see it in person). It’s a reusable pick where you only replace the floss in the very middle. It’s very easy to do and my 5 year old does it himself every night.

• Little brass charger managers. I have a few places in the house that always have a charger and I hate the messy look of cords that either are pulled too far onto the table or are flopping over the floor. You can use a screw to connect them to the table (I did not) or an adhesive sticker that comes with the pack (yes).

What do I need to know about in the food world?

The inverted food pyramid: Like most food policy, there is good and bad. I like an emphasis on diverse fruits and vegetables over traditionally a single type of grain. I have concerns that the visual pyramid indicates support of eating foods high in saturated fat with abandon (which we know scientifically leads to cardiovascular issues). But…and this is a huge but…this concept in execution is not supported with the current structure of farming and buying for many shoppers. Growing produce is not incentivized as a commodity. Fresh produce and fresh animal proteins are not available in food deserts where shelf stable, typically highly processed foods, are the only options. There are so many reasons why the concept of a potentially good idea cannot be executed. But historically, day to day very few people even look at the food recommendations from the government to inform their choices. The problem is how this will inform budgets and policy as a whole. Switching to an animal protein and fresh produce forward diet is expensive and facilities that receive government funding will likely be forced to follow these recommendations or risk their funding being stripped. My concern is facilities that are unable to find money on an already tight budget will cease to exist. In general, this change will hurt low income demographics. If we increase the standards for food (a good thing- just look at Japanese schools!), we should fund these changes with tax dollars.

Yikes…so what’s something fun I can send someone?

There’s a video game called “Untitled Goose Game” that is fantastic. It’s simple but amusing and the style is enjoyable. The music is one of the characters of the storyline and once you watch this video on the concept of Double Groove Records that shows this game as an example, you’ll be amazed.

Cozy things we love in our house:

• Electric blanket: I cannot begin to express the unnecessary levels of mental hurdles I jumped before I went to Costco and bought an electric blanket. I already had a microwave heated rice mini pillow. I didn’t like that electric blankets don’t typically last very long. I didn’t like that they’re synthetic material. So I searched and searched and found a 100% wool heated mattress pad and a blanket version. One of which could not be shipped outside Australia and the other which was in the UK and you do not want to be using international plugs in US systems for long term for safety reasons. So I caved. I bought the Costco blanket. AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH and everyone in the house always wants to use it. Sometimes it really is that easy.

• Heated stuffed animal: We have a red panda named Rocky for our kid that is a microwave heated stuffed animal. We specifically bought it for taking with us in the car on cold mornings on the way to school, but in reality it is used every night and every cold morning and can even be used as a cool pack in summer. Warmies is a specific brand name version of this concept, but I don’t like that those get heated fully with no removable insert. So I found one where only the inside is heated and the outside is machine washable. Rocky is essential.

• Weighted blanket: Cozy is different for different people. My kid, cats, and I love heated blankets. Chris likes weighted or heavy blankets for the same effect. Prepare to fall asleep.

• Weighted pillow: For the person who works at a home desk or sits on the couch to read, this is such a delightful lap addition for feeling calm and having your arms supported.

• Wool blankets: This is the last blanket, I promise. We have Faribault Mill wool blankets at the ends of all the beds in the house. They fold really beautifully when styling a bed, but they also retain heat well in winter. And also (see below), our cats love wool.

• Cat bed: This is a felted wool cat cave and I’m not sure if it’s all tabby cats, but our tabby cats love wool and going into a cozy cave. We bought a second one for our 1 year old tabby that was immediately taken over by our HBIC stripey cat as her secondary downstairs cave. She now has two wool cat caves.

  

• Camber Sweatshirts/Sweatpants: Camber is a cult favorite US company with an extremely dedicated following in Japan. The products are made from Texas-grown cotton, woven in New Jersey, and assembled in the Camber USA factory in Norristown, PA. Their items are renowned for their durability and superior quality, with limited production capabilities, making them highly coveted in the market. They make heavy, thick sweatshirts and sweatpants that are well worth the price.

• Side lighting: Overhead lighting when it gets dark at 4:30 is not acceptable to my brain. We use the lowest setting on our overhead dimmable lights paired with side lamps and timer battery candles on wall sconces and on tables. The timer function of these candles is essential since it handles the automatic on-off to set the cozy mood by itself.

• Scented candles/incense: Having a nice house aroma is a lovely ritual. We are currently going between Parsonage’s Citrus Spice candle and PF Candle Co’s incense sticks in Arroyo Oak.

• Table candles at dinner: In an effort to burn through some shaped pillar candles that were taking up space, we started burning candles at dinner on the table. This has become a *very important* part of the dinner process for our kid who likes to blow them out and so now we light candles at the dinner table which is very beautiful and a little over the top but I love it.

• Humidifiers: Our house is from the 1800’s and it gets very dry in winter. While some homes have space to install a house wide humidifier system, our home does not. So, we found a well rated humidifier with lots of digging and research for our main living area and use an awesome small footprint one for bedrooms. This is our second year using the system and it makes a significant difference in how frequently I have to moisturize.

• A fireplace but better: We’ve been figuring out if we want a woodstove for our house for a while, but then we stumbled upon mason stoves and we are rethinking everything. It takes the Scandinavian Kachelofen concept (a tall, round corner stove covered in tile) and adds an oven feature (bread! pizza!) and makes it more rectangular in appearance. Because of the large massing surrounding the fire, it radiates a very comfortable heat for a long time to heat a space while using less wood. There are some heinous versions of this concept depending on the surface cladding, but there are also gorgeous ones too.

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What do I need to know about in the food world?

• Ben Stiller launched a soda brand. The retro vibe sells classic taste expectations with lower sugar (a blend of stevia, cane, and other sugars to mitigate calories but avoid the aftertaste of sugar alts).

• Costco is testing out a “scan and go” feature to reduce checkout lines. I’ve also seen the roll out of a little finger scanner employees use to create checkout tabs from individual carts that get uploaded once you reach the register (no more loading and unloading).

• McCormick predicts black currant will be the flavor of 2026.

• Italian cuisine was just awarded UNESCO status.

In Case you Missed It (previous relevant posts):

Last Christmas break we were unprepared for this dichotomy of needs. After Thanksgiving last year, despite our best efforts, our kid kept catching whatever was going around at school and therefore we caught whatever was going around at school. But he was still excited and still wanting to do all the things. He’s also the kind of kid that likes buddy mode with one of us. He likes to do activities with one of us or pal around, which means the ability for both of us to do things during break is impractical.

This year, we’ve attempted to “plan” accordingly with the awareness that with a kid, things rarely go to plan. So naively, here’s how we are planning to do winter break to enjoy the season, be festive, keep traditions, but stay healthy and happy. Fingers crossed.

Here’s the plan:

This year we’ve made a menu of activities that allow for a plug and play schedule dependent on energy levels and weather. We created categories (below) that make deciding easy. Are you going a little stir crazy and need a change of scenery? Pick an out of the house activity. Do you need some down time after a scheduled activity? Movie time.

• Scheduled activities already on the calendar we are committed to

These are dates that are not moveable. Times when family is coming into town, parties, plays, etc. I think knowing these dates are high energy days, and that we need to build low energy days on the other side, is important for our house.

• Activities out of the house

I start writing ideas when I see activities announced after Halloween. This could be town tree lightings, markets, parades, or festivals. This also includes tasks that are fun like shopping for family gifts, tasks that are household things that simply need to be done like grocery shopping for cookie making, or returns to favorite normal activities like hitting the playground in a snowsuit with a coffee.

• Movies to watch

Having a list eliminates the ‘what do you want to watch’ indecisiveness by having a list of options that are either completely new, or holiday specific. New or holiday makes this screen time feel special or different. You can look up lists of movies/shows coming to your specific streaming platform by month, or do some research to find where exactly “The Grinch” is available to rent/on what platform ahead of time.

• Activities at home

The perfect opportunity to start new traditions or make sure the old ones are being kept. I also use this sub-list to do any winter arts and crafts (cutting paper snow flakes, making beaded stars). We are doing a gingerbread house, making bird seed pinecones, and working on our first paint by number canvas.

But you know what they say: best laid plans and all that…I hope Santa knows we are all trying our best.

What I’m watching:

Dark (Netflix): Dark is a German Netflix show that ran from 2017-2020 and it has been a mindblowing watch. The best way I can think to describe it is serious/ominous Stranger Things meets Back to the Future. You never see any of the plot points and reveals coming. My brain is broken after an episode. We just finished the second season of the three. BUT! You cannot watch this show with the English dubbing. You have to watch it in German with the English subtitles or you will hate the show. I mean it is awful in English. The emotions are all wrong. The pacing is weird. You have to read the subtitles and be fully engaged or you will miss important things.

In case you missed it:

What do I need to know about in the health world?

• Gut Microbe-Produced Butyrate Boosts Stem-Like Immune Cells to Fight Melanoma (Immunity, 2025-11-03) (Peer-reviewed research)
  Summary: Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced when gut bacteria ferment dietary fiber, enhances the body’s immune response against melanoma by promoting stem-like qualities in tumor-fighting T cells that improve responsiveness to immunotherapy.

• Amazon Dominates Supplement Shopping as Consumers Prioritize Reviews and Price Comparisons (Nutritional Outlook, 2025-11-13)
  Summary: An interesting dive into the ‘digital shelf’ environment: Over one-third of supplement consumers in the United States purchased supplements on Amazon within the past year. Amazon supplement shoppers behave differently than traditional brick-and-mortar or direct-to-consumer website buyers, placing primary emphasis on price comparison capabilities since the platform allows side-by-side evaluation of hundreds of products showing metrics like price per ounce and price per dosage. These consumers tend to be more price-sensitive but also demand deeper product validation, relying heavily on Amazon’s ratings and reviews system which they perceive as authentic feedback from real consumers rather than curated testimonials. What I would caution however, is the imposter products that are sometimes sold on Amazon. Unfortunately, unlike other retail locations, Amazon as a marketplace is an unregulated retailer with 3rd party sellers selling unregulated supplements. It gets dicey. So I would personally be shopping for supplements elsewhere.

Holistic Vanity is a long form series that covers my personal curiosity and experiences balancing aging, having a sense of personal vanity, and the awareness of a scientifically driven wellness professional who wants to make the healthiest decisions.

In the first post of holistic vanity and aging, I worked through The Grey Hair Issue. The next logical and highly requested topic was wrinkles and skin related aging. I’ll start this journey with a caveat: I have been blessed with some Asian genetics, good cheekbones, and something that possessed me to start using sunscreen in high school (TBH a Marie Claire article asking people in their 30’s what they would tell their younger selves), so I did not have any semblance of wrinkles or fine lines until my early 30’s. And still, in the last half of my thirties, I have no deep wrinkles, although I do have fine lines appearing. That is where we begin.

In retrospect, what probably kicked it off was having a kid. If you’ve ever seen those side by side shots of presidents before and after their terms in office…it feels like that. Rapid aging in 4-8 years. I’d always been interested in skincare because I have a red-tone facial birthmark. Which, depending on how you want to read into that, means I would have either been killed as a witch in the 1600’s, revered as a shaman, or I died a horrific death in a former life that involved some kind of stabbing to the face. But either way, I got amazing at covering my birthmark as a teenager, and was always looking to learn about ways to reduce the redness and keep other parts of my skin healthy.

At the end of the day, the amount of wrinkles or how apparent they are to you is what matters. Until recently, I hadn’t given it a second thought. Like the grey hair, the wrinkle issue feels more relevant when I’m not happy with some other part of my skin. I notice my fine lines less when I have a slight tan, or when I’m well moisturized. But come January or February when I am dry, pale, and have a garnish of light seasonal depression, I see it.

I’m in the phase of aging skin where I wonder if I should be doing more than I am. I wonder if it’s time to step it up a level in terms of more medical grade topicals or an in-office service. I’ve never done any in-office interventions thus far in my life (and only have ever had one facial), so I started to research.

Click through to read the rest of this in depth research post on various treatments and my plans (and specific products) for my own aging skin.

We love our solid perfumes as an eco-conscious, ‘clean beauty’ choice. With refillable metal compacts, you can swap to another scent after you finish your first one while using the same outer container. Solid perfumes are also a great travel tool, since they don’t count in your liquid allotment for flying.

If I was shopping for a winter scent, I’d pick Gin Forest. If I was shopping for a girlfriend or someone who loved summer, I’d pick Tomato Vine. If I was shopping for someone who loved gardens and structure, I’d pick Bay Laurel.

So even though I have no intention of decorating for the winter holidays until the last week of November, I’m all for shopping for gifts in advance…especially with news of shipping planes being grounded.

I always add the caveat to gift ideas: use lists as inspiration to make your own version of something that fits, or find an artist who does it. Don’t have the bandwidth? It’s completely fine to also order something from a large retailer. We all have a lot of pressure on us. Let’s not go for the jugular if someone is just trying to do something nice, okay?

Stocking Gift Guides

I’ve taken screen shots of parts of each guide, but these links are ‘living’ and I’ll keep updating as I find more ideas throughout the next few weeks. Click each title to be redirected to a full page of ideas for each person.

For the Kid

For the Ladies

For the Guys

What I’m reading and watching:

• A new season of Great British Bake Off just wrapped. I watch every year because it is the ultimate cozy feel good show so I 100% recommend you binge it during the holidays. They also have a ’try your own technical’ section on the website if you want to give those challenges a go.

• I Just finished the final book in Elin Hilderbrand’s The Paradise series. She’s an author known for her fiction about Nantucket, but this series is about the USVI which I really enjoy during the stretch of time between our trips there. There’s something fun about seeing things you know in a book. I encourage you to find a book written about your favorite place to travel this winter to get that same fun feeling.

• I’m part of the way through Power On which is written by a technology education specialist who thoughtfully considers the most positive and constructive ways with boundaries to integrate the inevitable screens into childhood.

What do I need to know about in the health and food world?

• Drug Combo Extends Male Mouse Lifespan by 73 Percent But Has No Effect on Females (ScienceAlert, 2025-10-27)
  I laughed out loud when I read this because all I could think was “So this will be the anti-aging drug that makes it to market then”. University of California researchers combined oxytocin with an Alk5 inhibitor (blocks age-related inflammation pathways). Mice on the combination had ‘dramatic life extension plus improvements in physical performance, blood proteins, and short term memory’ while female mice ’showed no benefits at all, though treating them at younger ages improved fertility’. Since both oxytocin and Alk5 inhibitors are already used medically, it could speed development of combining them for human treatments.

• DYK the largest organic grocer is actually Costco?

What do I need to know in the tech world?

• There are thousands of pieces of content about finding ‘dupes’ for brand name items. But now, Lululemon successfully trademarked the name “Lululemon Dupe”. This is going to be, quite frankly, terrible PR for them if they start to go after influencers and I suspect will only turn audiences against their brand. As some of the comments in the video note, why don’t they focus on making better products instead?

Year one of this project is going to be, as our four year old says, “Not my favorite”. In the long run, it will make everything easier.

Part one: When you unpack the holiday box, you need to go through it. Anything broken, anything you don’t like, anything that does not have a place in your current home or does not have any sentimental value needs to be removed and donated/recycled/thrown away. It’s easiest to do this in two stages: decorate the way you normally would so you’re only making decisions on what’s left in the box. Do a pass through and make decisions. Anything you’re stuck on, return it to the box and make the decision when you’re putting things away.

Part two: As you store things back away, do it in a way that future you will LOVE. Replace any broken bulbs. Add more candles/ornament hangers/etc that you’ll need for next year. Write yourself notes on what goes where (eg: bat cut outs on chimney, use 3M stickers to fasten). If you’re really type A, you can even take a photo of the set up and print it out. Ideally, the box should be stored so if for some reason you were sick/burnt out and someone wanted to help, they could open the box and have pretty much a guide for how to accomplish it.

Part three: Leave space in the box so you don’t have to cram things in. It is such a pleasure to gently store things without struggling to shut the lid. Do not over fill the box. And if the box is getting too full, use the container theory. If it doesn’t fit in the container, something needs to be removed.

What do I need to know about in the health world?

• Certain Probiotic Bifidobacteria Strains Extend Lifespan (bioRxiv, 2025-10-17)
  Summary: Researchers at Duke University found certain strains of a ‘good bacteria’ in the gut extend lifespan and improved health via different pathways in a worm study (used because they share similar aging and stress response systems to humans). This specific strain is interesting because they’re abundant in infant guts early in life and decline in older adulthood, but persist in centenarians. Worth noting, not all Bifidobacteria strains showed meausurable benefits so don’t take this as a “take any probiotic”. And most importantly, this study is preprint not yet peer reviewed.

• Nobel Laureate Says Sleep, Diet, and Exercise Beat Exotic Anti-Aging Therapies for Adding Healthy Years to Life (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 2025-10-15)
  Summary: In a lecture titled “Why We Die: The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality” presented at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Nobel Prize winner Venki Ramakrishnan explained that aging is not a disease but an accumulation of changes and damage leading to increased dysfunction. Nearly 700 startups are currently investing billions of dollars on anti-aging interventions and therapies. He emphasized the strongest evidence for living longer with a better healthspan (vs life span) is down to three fundamentals: adequate sleep, healthy diet, regular exercise and current molecular and cellular research confirms this.

What do I need to know about in the food world?

• Hormel sells Justin’s to a private equity firm, but the original founder and former CEO are both coming back on board.

• Trader Joe’s is selling a Can of Corn Candle. Can confirm, it smells pretty great (think cornbread).

Clever Beast Botanicals Sales!

We’ve got two specials running for CBB for the holiday.

• Thanksgiving Wine Bundle Deal

Walsh Family Wine (our processing location) is bundling these three wines with FREE SHIPPING ANYWHERE until 11/19. Arcoiris 2023 Noiret Viognier, Walsh Family Wine 2022 Paeonia White, Clever Beast Semi-Sweet Vermouth. Here’s what Sarah Walsh has to say:

“Thanksgiving is about the whole day. You need a bottle while cooking, one during the meal, and another while you help with dishes (or take care of them yourself!). Our 2022 Paeonia White is my favorite Walsh wine to date – fresh, complex, delicious, and a great start to any afternoon. The Arcoiris (created by our vineyard team, and perhaps the only Viognier / Noiret blend in existence) is the ideal red for turkey, gravy, and (everybody’s favorite) green bean casserole. Finally, a splash of Vermouth at dessert helps combat post-meal drowsiness. Look no further.”

Virginia: Send Me Sarah’s Pick Shipping out of state? Please click here and we’ll pack them up for you!

• Free Perfume Shipping 11/9-11/24 code STRESSLESS

We like to encourage low stress holidays and for us that means shopping and shipping ahead of time.