My abuela’s favorite beans! When I was 5, I remember standing in my abuela’s kitchen, watching her bent over a pot of beans, stirring for hours…

Just kidding. I will spare you the details of my love affair with rice and beans because nobody wants to read a narrative on the history of my imaginary abuela and her amazing pot of beans that inspired my lifelong passion. We all know you would hit that “jump to recipe” button before you finished the first sentence. (But hi, if there are any abuelas out there who need a grandchild, I’m available).

Pauley gets the real credit for this recipe since she made it for Jake and me a couple of years ago, and as I ate it today, I wondered why this hasn’t been a part of our weekly rotation because it’s SO GOOD and SO EASY.

My favorite part…you only need 5 ingredients, and it takes 20 minutes!

Recipe:

·2 cans black beans (with liquid)
·2 cloves minced garlic
·1 jar of salsa (your choice of brand and spice level)
·1/2 c of fresh cilantro, chopped
·2 tsp ground cumin

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a pot, stir, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer for 10-20 minutes.

It’s really that easy. And you can adjust the seasonings to your preference and switch up the beans if you’d like. I’m going to try this with pinto beans next. The original recipe called for 3 cans of beans, but I made it with 2, and I loved how flavorful it was.

Eat them alone. Serve them with rice. Garnish them with cilantro, tomato, and avocado. Add a little sour cream if you’re fancy. Put all of that in a tortilla and make a burrito. Shoot, add some to your eggs the next morning and make breakfast burritos. Basically, eat them however you love to eat beans.

Don’t do what I did and forget about these. This recipe deserves a spot in your favorites!

♡

Loving Dolly was easy

I’ve heard great things

Brussels’ flower carpet woah

This looks incredible

I will always love a little treat

A Gilmore Girls documentary!

This holds a special place in my heart

Starting my fall 26 list

I love a good question

I want to go here

♡

This post may contain affiliate links. Affiliate links don’t cost you a thing but help support people like us for which we are very grateful. Thank you.

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♡

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Add this to your calendar

♡

MY #1

SWEED BEAUTY CLOUD MASCARA

Nothing beats this mascara for me. I started using it over a year ago and haven’t switched since. It doesn’t flake. It elongates my lashes in the best way. It lasts all day. And it comes off easily. All the things I want in a mascara. It’s also available in brown if you’re not into black. The absolute best.

VERY GOOD OPTIONS

HONEST BEAUTY EXTREME LENGTH MASCARA

It’s the cleanest of the clean. It has a primer you put on first and then apply the mascara. I like to leave the primer on for about 2 minutes to let it dry a little before applying the mascara. There’s something about moisturizing the lashes as a first step that feels so good. This is a great option for people with eye makeup sensitivities since it doesn’t have any common irritants. You can look at the ingredients here.

TOWER 28 MAKEWAVES MASCARA

This is another go-to. I love the wand on this one. It helps to coat and lengthen each lash. And the curve makes it easy to hit the lash line. It’s great at volumizing and lengthening, and it’s buildable. If you want your lashes to pop, it will do. When it comes to the flake test…Tower 28 wins. I have never had flaky lashes with this mascara. The wand on Tower 28 does get clumpy sometimes, which I’m not a huge fan of, but it’s easy to wipe them off on the inside of the tube before applying. That being said, this formula is nice to work with and is a great option.

THRIVE CAUSEMETICS Liquid Lash™ Extensions Tubing Mascara

If you love a tubing mascara, nothing beats this one by Thrive Causemetics. It’s kind of addicting to take it off at the end of the day. Just a little warm water and gentle pressure on the lashes and all the little “tubes” come right off. It’s gentle on sensitive eyes, is water-resistant (I know this doesn’t make sense since I just said use warm water to take off, but it’s true, it is!), and smudge-proof. It also comes in so many fun colors. It’s award-winning for a reason.

Honorable mentions:

Merit clean lash lengthening mascara. So many love this one. I personally didn’t, but it has great reviews. It just didn’t make my lashes look as full and long as I prefer. Merit is so good, but this mascara was not it for me.

Ilia Beauty Limitless Lash Mascara. I haven’t tried this but have been told by many that they love it and it’s their favorite, so I feel like it deserves a spot on the list.

What mascara are you currently using and swear by?

♡

I love a good Sézane sale!

I’ve rounded up my favorites here. Don’t forget, they sell out fast!

TOPS:

Shop everything in this collection here: https://shopmy.us/collections/6507352

ILONA BLOUSE:

MAX SHIRT:

BIANCA BLOUSE:

ABÉLIA BLOUSE:

MAELLA SHIRT:

CHLO SHIRT:

DAVY TOP:

ELISEA BLOUSE:

ANNABELLE BLOUSE:

CLAUDIO SHIRT:

CLYDE COAT:

YOAKIM JACKET:

FAREL JACKET:

FAREL JACKET:

EMILE CARDIGAN:

BETTY CARDIGAN:

AURELIEN JUMPER:

MAXIME CARDIGAN:

BRAD JUMPER:

LYSIANE JUMPER:

LE CROP:

MANU TROUSERS:

MAELAN SHORTS:

EMILIO TROUSERS:

ANCELIN TROUSERS:

DEBBIE JUMPSUIT:

AINOA JUMPSUIT:

WALLACE SHORTS:

NINON EARRINGS:

Paula Babies Block Heels:

Carla Sandals:

Isabelle Clogs:

Clementine Sandals:

Agathe Low Ballerinas:

Simona Pouch:

All items listed here are final sale.

Happy browsing.

♡

Simple & beautiful

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“Probably 30”

Enjoy! ♡

This was my first time in the Yucatán, and I’m hooked. What a beautiful part of Mexico! Our trip was the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation. Plenty of lounging, shopping, eating, and exploring is always a good time, right?! Tulum is a dreamy, boho paradise. If you’re looking for ideas on what to do, hopefully this list helps you out!

Day 1

Arrive and settle in. The Tulum airport is about an hour from the hotel district (one of the main places to stay along the beach). We rented a car at the airport (highly recommend) and drove to the grocery store on our way to our hotel.
Zorba Beach Homes was in an unbeatable location, and their villas are absolutely gorgeous. We stayed in Villa 2, which was a 3-bedroom, 3-bath villa that fit the 4 of us perfectly. I cannot recommend them enough. They were above and beyond in hospitality and were there at all times to accommodate us and answer our questions.

Dinner was a short beach walk to La Zebra, and while the restaurant has great reviews, we were there on a Sunday night with a pre-fixed “street food” menu, and it wasn’t our favorite. But I don’t feel that was a true representation of the food they have to offer, and I would love to try them again.

Day 2

Beach day. It was windy while we were there, which everyone said isn’t typical, but we still made the most of it. This was our day to chill, breathe in the fresh ocean air, walk along the water, read, and settle into settling (you know it always takes time to unwind).

Dinner was at Nü, and everything was amazing. The only thing we didn’t love was the shrimp. The cocktails were especially tasty, and Tia may or may not have created her own cocktail that they said they’re going to put on the menu called the “Spicy Tia” 😉. The Sweet Potato Agridulce, Himachi Tiradito (Japanese sashimi), and broken beet salad were our favorites!

Day 3

Wander. We started each day by viewing the sunrise and walking on the beach. (The best way to start the day!) Day 3 was all about exploring the hotel district. There are a ton of shops to walk through and restaurants and hotels to look at. We took our time wandering, which I always love. Matcha Mama was a great place to break and get matcha, coffee, or a smoothie.

Lula Kitchen was our choice for dinner, and while it had the best setting of all of the restaurants we went to, it was one of our least favorite meals. But I would try it again for breakfast if I went back!

Day 4

Spa day!! This was truly a treat! The Mayan Clay Bathhouse experience was one of a kind. Set in the jungle, we had the place to ourselves, and I have truly never felt so relaxed after a spa treatment. If you can do this, I highly recommend it. The clay body wrap and sound bath were something I will never forget. Perfect for groups or couples.

The morning started with a trip to Nimeno Bakery in town. So so good…we should have gone back! Followed by the spa, and then a late lunch at Vivo. Still dreaming about the enchiladas. Quite possibly the best I’ve ever had. (Update: Vivo is permanently closed as of July 2026 😢)

Hartwood capped our evening with our favorite meal of the entire trip. I had high expectations for this place, and it did not disappoint! The only thing I didn’t LOVE was my cocktail. Otherwise, the food was 10/10. I could have drunk the ceviche. The menu changes daily based on what they get from the farms and the sea, so it’s another one-of-a-kind experience, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Make reservations!

Day 5

Let’s go adventuring! We booked a 10-hour excursion through Boutique Tours, and we would do it all over again. You can choose from 10 different tours, and they take care of everything. We chose to visit Chichen Itza (one of the 7 wonders of the world), swim in a cenote, go to Valladolid (a beautiful colonial town), and eat a meal cooked for us at a Mayan home. Our tour guide picked us up, drove us around, answered all of our questions, and dropped us off happy, full, and tired at the end of the day. This was a splurge, but we all agreed it was worth it. Learning about the Mayan culture, making tortillas with abuela, swimming in a private cenote (just us!), and eating a home-cooked traditional Mayan meal were so special. Another 10/10 experience.

Day 6

Relax. A relaxing morning was just what we needed! And then we were off to snorkel at the 2nd-longest reef in the world. When is snorkeling not fun? The 4 of us girls have never snorkeled together, and we loved making this memory. There’s something special about being on a boat, swimming, soaking up the sun, eating fresh food, and watching the sunset. This was a day for the books. Puerto Aventuras offers a variety of packages. We did have to drive over an hour to get there so if you don’t rent a car, you’ll have to look into transportation.

Day 7

Stay in. Our last full day. Another sunrise, another beach walk, and another relaxing morning. It never gets old. The afternoon was spent exploring the hotel district even further. This day was all about enjoying the last of the sun, body surfing the ocean waves, and appreciating what the area has to offer. Basically, shopping and beaching.

Our last dinner was at Casa Banana. Another winner! We shared our dishes at almost every restaurant we went to, so we got to try a variety. I loved the roasted pear salad and wild mushroom risotto here. (All this talk of food and now I’m drooling 🤤).

Day 8

Time to go home. Sad face.

I have yet to mention that Zorba had a tiny beach shack restaurant that had the best cocktails of any place we went to. Plus incredible chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and fish tacos. We ate here quite a bit, and if I ever went back and stayed somewhere else, I would try to sneak in for a drink and a bite (wink wink). It was wonderful. Breakfast on our last day was a yogurt bowl w/granola and fresh fruit. The perfect meal before a flight.

All in all, Tulum was a Caribbean dream. I want to go back. And I want to take everyone with me.

Let’s GO!

♡

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Have a great week END!

♡

Say “Kimchi”

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I also can’t believe we’re halfway through 2026!!

Happy July friends.

♡

Living small for almost 10 years means we’ve cooked in a tiny kitchen for so long that I don’t know what to do when I’m in a normal-sized kitchen. I still find myself sticking to 3 feet of counter space. For reference, we have lived in a 180 sq ft tiny home, an 80 sq ft van, and a 400 sq ft studio. With that being said, I’ve pared down my kitchen gadgets multiple times over the years. When we lived in our “vanlife” Promaster, that was the ultimate test. No fancy anything, just the basics. And honestly, I thought it would be harder than it was. Here are the items I realized I can’t live without, no matter the size of my kitchen. I also think any of these items would make a great gift for a first-time homeowner or housewarming! (If you’d like to skip reading the article and see all the items in one place, click here.)

01. Pots & Pans

There are three basic pots and pans you’ll want to have, and the cast-iron skillet is number one.
A well-seasoned cast-iron is your go-to for every type of cooking. It’s non-stick and easy to clean. The 10.25-inch round is the perfect size for a small kitchen. Sear meat, fry foods, bake cornbread, cookies, or pizzas, saute or roast veggies, make sauces, fry eggs, or make shakshuka, and cook pancakes or crepes. The only thing I don’t cook in my cast iron is an acid-based sauce.
For that, I use my Dutch oven. Boil your pasta water, make your favorite soups and sauces, bake your bread, cook rice, roast veggies, and braise your meats. This pot is a MUST. 4.5 quarts is big enough to cook for up to 6 people.
And while you can technically cook everything in your cast iron skillet and Dutch oven, a saucepan like this makes your life so much easier. The lid helps it double as a colander for pasta, boil water for coffee or tea, cook small batch sauces or gravies, melt butter or chocolate, reheat leftovers…this will be the pan you grab the most. It’s lightweight, doesn’t take up a lot of space, and is versatile. 1.5-3 quarts is all you need.

02. Mixing Bowls w/lids

And how cute are these?! Mixing bowls also double as serving bowls and storage for leftovers, making them versatile and highly useful. Stainless steel bowls are a nice option for a tiny home or van since you don’t have to worry about them breaking.

03. A chef’s knife & a paring knife

Two knives will get it done. I live in a 400 sq ft studio now, and I still only have these 2 knives. I do everything with them and have never needed more. Even when I’m cooking with other people, it still works out. These 2 are your chopping besties!

04. Wooden spoon & fish spatula

Again, only 2 items are needed in the spatula department. A wooden spoon & a fish spatula. The wooden spoon will cover most items for stirring and scooping. It is useful when you can’t use metal in a pan or dish. It also doubles as a serving spoon. It’s a kitchen workhorse. For the fish spatula, I fear most people wouldn’t find this one to be a necessary item. However, let me make a case for why you need it. Its design features a long, thin stainless steel blade with slots to allow for draining and flipping delicate items like fish without breaking them. But its use is not limited to fish. It’s an amazing spatula for flipping eggs, pancakes, fried foods, etc. You don’t need any other kind of flipping spatula when you have one of these. I now have a silicone spatula, but I grab the fish one more often. It’s useful for removing items from the pot and transferring them to your bowl or serving dish. If it’s not your go-to now, it should be.

05. Microplane

This is another workhorse that you’ll use allll the time. It’s traditionally used as a citrus zester, but it grates many other things. Parmesan, garlic, ginger, turmeric, nutmeg (spices), or even veggies like carrot or radish. It can even be used to grate/soften butter and salvage burnt baked goods. Did you burn your toast? Use the microplane to lightly scrape off the worst of it. Its precision allows for even and fine results, making it one of my favorite tools!

06. Epicurean cutting boards

You really only need one of these in a tiny kitchen. But I currently have two sizes and use them both frequently. The main reason I love these is for how thin they are. They are super easy to store without taking up much space. They’re durable, sustainable, heat-resistant (use them as a trivet), knife-friendly (meaning the surface is gentle on knives, reducing the likelihood of dulling), easy to clean (dishwasher safe), and are resistant to warping, cracking, and splitting, making them more efficient than a wooden cutting board. You also don’t have to oil or condition them as you do with wood. I’ve had mine for over 10 years, and they’re still in amazing shape. They come in different colors and sizes as well.

07. Tongs

With over 5,000 5-star reviews, these tongs are another workhorse you will find yourself grabbing over and over again. Flip and grab, stir and turn, serve and toss (hello salads!), grill and lift and plate…they really do EVERYTHING.

08. Can opener

If you cook with canned goods, you can’t go without this. This type produces a safe, smooth cut edge, so you don’t have to risk getting cut. Enough said.

09. Chemex or French Press

Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, if you like to host friends or you like tea, you’ll be glad you have one of these. For the past couple of years, we’ve used a Chemex but before that, we were die-hard French press fans. Either one makes a great cup of coffee. A French press is also great for loose-leaf tea. And both can double as a watering can for your plants lol. Multiple-use items are essential in small spaces.

10. Nutribullet

It’s hard to live without a blender. Specifically, the Nutribullet. When we lived in a bigger space, we had a Vitamix, and I thought it would be hard to go without that, but when we moved into our tiny house, we didn’t have the room. Enter the Nutribullet! It’s just as effective at blending but takes up sooo much less space. We use it every day. Smoothies, nut milk, dips and spreads, pureeing soups, grinding grains, seeds, coffee beans, protein shakes…the uses are endless. Anything you need to blend or grind, this thing will do it. You won’t regret making room for this one. I’ve also gifted one of these multiple times, and the recipients always tell me how much they love it.

Honorable mention: I’ve always made room for measuring cups and spoons because baking without them is not an easy feat. But not everyone likes to bake, and you can easily cook without them. So they are technically on MY must-have list, but I know for many, they are not necessary.

What are your top must-haves for the kitchen? Whether you have a tiny kitchen or not, I’d love to know.

If you’d like to see everything linked in one place, you can see them here.

This post may contain affiliate links. Affiliate links don’t cost you a thing but help support people like us for which we are very grateful. Thank you.

♡

Gen See, how I love thee. It’s true. This oily-lidded gal never thought she’d swear by a liquid eyeshadow, but here we are!

I swore off eyeshadows (liquid and powder) for years because, over time, I would always develop a rash on my eye from them. But clean beauty has upped its game, and I have been pleasantly surprised to find companies that sell formulas that have staying power and don’t cause any irritation whatsoever. Amazing!

Enter Gen See. I’ve hardly used any other eyeshadows since discovering them years ago. I’m sure they are not the end-all be-all of eyeshadows on the market, but the formula really works. They have the most beautiful colors in matte and metallic. They are creamy, workable, and easy to apply. And once they dry, they stay put! Again, I have eyelids that love to crease as the day goes on, and these eyeshadows rarely do that (at the end of a super hot, humid day, they do…but I don’t know if I’ll ever find a clean beauty eyeshadow that doesn’t under those circumstances). I LOVE the color First Light. It gives your lid a subtle shimmer, which brightens up your eyes. But you can also build it up to be more of a fun, nighttime shimmery look as well. And the matte options in Linen and Plush are great for everyday use as well. I like Plush for adding dimension to my hooded lids. It creates a nice shadow.

The metallic colors also work as highlighters, and the matte as contours.

Would love to know what your favorite shadows are…please share!

This post may contain affiliate links. Affiliate links don’t cost you a thing but help support people like me, for which I am very grateful. Thank you.

♡

There are bad salads. There are good salads. And then there are really good salads. This is one of them.

RECIPE:

-8 CARROTS ROASTED W/OLIVE OIL & SALT AND PEPPER AT 400 DEGREES FOR 30-40 MINUTES
-4 CUPS ARUGULA
-FETA CHEESE
-SLIVERED ALMONDS

SALAD DRESSING
2 TBS OLIVE OIL
JUICE OF HALF A LEMON
SALT AND PEPPER
OPTIONAL: 1 SMALL CLOVE MINCED GARLIC and A BLOOP OF HONEY

Think peppery from the arugula, sweet from the carrots, salty from the feta, crunchy from the almonds, and citrusy from the lemons. The flavors really do meld into the perfect bite.

This is great for parties! Add the dressing to the salad about 30 minutes before serving to let it all mix. YUM!

Would love to know if you try it!

♡

Revisiting this…

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A great summer serum

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☀️☀️☀️
♡♡♡

I’m a little obsessed with this peach shrub. If you follow me on IG, then you might have seen my post about this. I’ve made it quite a few times now, thanks to Megan sending me this recipe. It’s something I love to have in the fridge for mocktails and cocktails. The beauty of a shrub is that you can make it however you want and use it however you’d like. It’s so versatile.

What is a shrub?

It’s syrup made from sugar, fruit (& herbs), and vinegar. You macerate your choice of fruit and sugar for a few days, then mix the syrup with apple cider vinegar, and that’s your shrub! That’s it. It’s the EASIEST thing to make.

Shrub Recipe

Mix equal parts fruit and sugar in a lidded glass container. I usually do 1.5 cups of peaches and 1.5 cups of sugar (or your choice of sweetener). You can use any combination of fruit and herbs that you’d like. Strawberry and Rosemary are on my list to try next.

Let the jar sit on the counter for 3-4 days (out of direct sunlight). Give it a vigorous shake every day to mix up the contents.

You’ll see that syrup forms after a few days. Strain the syrup into a glass measuring cup with a fine mesh strainer. Then add equal parts ACV. If you prefer less of a vinegar flavor, try 2 parts syrup to one part vinegar. Keep the fruit solids for oatmeal, yogurt, popsicles, or ice cream. Soooo good!

Mix 1-2 oz of shrub with seltzer and or spirits, and you have a shrub mocktail or cocktail! Delish!

Let me know if you try it!!

♡

HUDSON VALLEY | GARDINER, NY | WILDFLOWER FARMS AUBERGE RESORTS

ALL the star eyes for this dreamy place! It is a beautiful resort set in Gardiner, NY, overlooking the Shawangunk mountains. We haven’t stayed here, but it’s one of our favorite places to go for a drink and a quick bite or brunch. They have a unique, curated gift shop. A spa. A restaurant called Clay, which is seasonal farm-to-table, and they grow a lot of their food right there on the property. They have sheep, chickens, and donkeys that you can pet, a pool that I am dying to lie by with a dew bar for light bites and cocktails, and the coolest cabins to rent are scattered around. There are also classes and “experiences” you can sign up for. AND a space to rent for events and weddings. It pretty much has it all.

Whether you’re staying or not, you can grab a drink at the bar, order from the small menu, and sit to enjoy the view either in the restaurant or out on the grand patio. It is GORGEOUS.

We’ve gone for brunch and dinner and have sat inside and outside. Anywhere you choose is cozy and has a vibe. The first time we visited was on our anniversary, and we chose to sit at the bar inside for a drink. The bartender was so kind and informative. He also gave us our drinks on the house for our anniversary. So unexpected!

No matter what you’re coming for (even just to wander the property and take it all in), you won’t be disappointed. And if you’re going for a hike in Mohonk or Minnewaska, this is a great place to stop for a coffee and a pastry to go!

Absolutely love this place.

♡

I’m into a fidgety doodad

How to Find the Best and Cheapest Airfares Using Google Flights and Wikipedia

Lazy lunches

DRESSSSSSS

This song on repeat

His reaction to her 🥹

This Simple Salt Trick Could Change the Way You Hydrate Forever

This is the one I get and love

A case for cleaning

These are so cool

It’s Sunday!! ♡

• I’ve never been so obsessed with a candy
• Ottolenghi’s trip to Japan
• You won’t regret these
• How cute are these?!
• Little King has an online store! 😱
• 16 things to have in your emergency kit
• Japan or die
• Identify rare and valuable records
• Unusual spots in all 50 states
• Get up and do these quick minutes…feels so good

Loving these links!

Enjoy ♡