Hi! It’s great to be back in your inbox. I was out last week on vacation and have lots to share. Rather than share a list of recs this week, I thought I’d switch up the Friday newsletter format today.
I’ve broken today’s letter up into a few parts:
My best travel recs from our trip
Answers to your most burning questions from our reader AMA
Miscellaneous links and reads
But first, I’m sharing a special subscriber giveaway. Bolu Babalola’s latest romance,SWEET HEAT, has just been published and we’re giving away 3 copies! I loved HONEY & SPICE, her bestselling romance, and can’t wait to read this one.
To enter, leave a comment with what you’re watching or listening to right now. I’ll choose a winner on Wednesday evening. (Congrats to reader Aubrey, who won our last reader giveaway, a box filled with beauty goodies worth over $400!)
Sharing some snaps and things that made a positive difference on our recent trip…
The island showing off! Yes, I did feel like I was in Cousins or an Elin Hilderbrand novel.
This was our second summer in Nantucket. Last year, we arrived with a freshly minted one-year-old—barely walking, mostly portable. This year, we returned with a toddler who is fast (seriously, how are they so fast), strong-willed, and relentlessly curious. A delight, of course, but also… a challenge. The plane ride over had me sweating before we even boarded. But amidst the chaos, a few things made all the difference. Consider this my list of general travel wins and recs:
Realistic packing and outfit-planning. We stayed for one week, and I planned to take my carry-on suitcase, which meant I had to be ultra-selective in what I brought. I packed more athletic outfits this year for the more active mornings. Everything else was a capsule of linen pants, airy lightweight dresses, tees/tanks, and precisely one “fancy dress” + one “fancy shirt.” Zero heels, no jeans. It was perfect, and I didn’t overpack for once.
Comfort is key in packing and being ruthless about what gets left behind. (Left: Doen dress; Middle: Target workout set; Right: Doen top and Sezane bag)
My dream dress. Compliments from strangers: many. My at-home hemming tape job: disastrous! (Dress: Alemais)
Comfort MVP’s: These sandals and these sneakers. I liked that the sandals worked for both daytime and date nights with dresses. I could walk comfortably for about 2 miles at a time.
This lightweight travel tote, which also worked as a waterproof beach tote.Snacks, toys, diapers, water bottles, Kindle, toiletries, etc.—it alllll went into this bag. It also features a convenient loop that allows you to attach it to your rolling suitcase. *gifted
This travel capsule system. Totally leak-proof and magnetic so that you can easily keep them all together and tidy. I put my cleanser, moisturizer, and pills into these. I’ve used these for a few years and can strongly recommend them.
Travel capsule system in action
An Airbnb with a washer and dryer. This was a game-changer that helped in the packing-light department. Something to look for if you’re traveling with kids, especially.
Looking through IG’s of locals before the trip = big win! I always do a little Instagram sleuthing before traveling: find the people who know where to eat and what’s worth skipping. For this particular trip, I enjoyed recommendations from Georgie Morley and Carly Riordan (who isn’t a local, but visits often with kids).
Toddler/kid-specific travel MVPs:
A fantastic (!!!) travel stroller. Recommended to me by Downtime readers in our subscriber chat, merci! It rolls smoothly, is easy to collapse into a compact size, and is relatively light, weighing about ten pounds. (I added this stroller bag from Amazon to it for more convenient storage + cup holding capabilities.)
A travel sound machine + nightlight combo. We used the earlier version of this daily in the newborn days and were recently upgraded to this latest version, thanks to the brand. New parents and parents-to-be, this is one of my top recs for you.
This LCD drawing tablet. $10 from Target. Requires no batteries or charging. If you’ve got a child who’s really into scribbling, I can’t recommend this enough. This kept her focused and busy for twenty minutes at a time. Huge.
Mesh zipper bags + my label maker = peak mom-core. Snacks, toys, swimsuits, pajamas—everything gets a bag. (Yes, I’m that person.) I also like the travel cubes we use for her clothes and outfits.
The real secret to flying with a two-year-old: Snacks. And then more snacks. Goldfish, graham crackers, pretzels, Once Upon a Farm Wheels (help, is anyone else’s kid addicted to these?). The emergency iPad was barely needed.
Grandparents. Ha! Needless to say, having my in-laws along on this trip was a game-changer. We were able to go on not one, but two date nights, a rarity. Thank you, grandparents.
A Reader AMA: Answers to Your Most Burning Questions
Okay, maybe not burning, but just…questions! Thanks to everyone for sending in such thoughtful q’s. This one is meaty!
Below, I touch on things like:
how I budget and shop
some behind-the-scenes info on how influencer marketing really works
my daily work habits
my experience adapting to motherhood + my IVF experience
baby registry must-haves and flops
3 favorite under-the-radar newsletters
STYLE & LIFESTYLE
I think you’ve shared before, but how tall are you?
I’m 5’0”! Firmly in petite territory.
Can you share how you budget, especially for things like clothing and shoes?
Such a good question, and one that honestly made me stop for a second because the truth is…I don’t have a set monthly budget for clothes and shoes. What I do have are a couple of rough rules I try to stick to…
Paywalling the rest of today’s letter since much of this AMA is personal! Thank you for understanding and your support...
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