Things I Love Thursday // 2.24.22

I hope February has been treating you well! Here's a little recap of some recent loves.

My New Haircut

When I tell you this is the best haircut of my life, it is not hyperbole. Granted, the "before" picture is pretty awful. It was wash day and I'd been wearing it up --so don't ask me what was happening with the whole front section... but look at that "AFTER"! There is literally nothing different about my makeup in the after pic --I just legitimately look that much better. LOL! The magician who did this is Dhiran Mistry. New(ish) to Charlotte and taking appointments at Charles Proper & Co when he's not traveling back to NYC monthly to continue servicing his clients there. I'm so very sorry if you live someplace else. Call me to plan your next visit and we will work around Dhiran's schedule. ;) 

Super Bowl LVI with the Best of Friends

Over the top much? Always with this crowd! The football was amazing (though, not the outcome I'd been hoping for), the halftime show was insane, the boutique hotel was perfection, the restaurants and destinations were incredible (the WINE!)... but the laughs, late night visits in the courtyard, and CARaoke sessions with these fantastic people were the ultimate. So appreciative of the generosity and once-in-a-lifetime experiences --and absolutely grateful for the friendships.

A Well-Stocked Mini Bar

Cheers to indulgences. Did I mention the boutique hotel in Los Angeles? Well, Hollywood to be exact. The Prospect Hollywood was on-point with every single detail. If you're planning a trip anywhere near there, I can't say enough about the property, finishes, and management. They spoiled us rotten.

Visiting my Dad

Look at this handsome lunch date! Oregon is not nearly as close to North Carolina as I would like it to be. We get back as a family at least once a year but it's really not enough. I made a quick trip to visit my dad at the end of January. It's been hard on everyone since my stepmom died and I needed to spend some time and check in on Papa Clyde (as the girls call him). We walked and talked (in frigid wind), had a delicious dinner at my sister's new house with more of the family, got him his Covid booster, Wordled together, and enjoyed our favorite pastime: eating sushi! I miss him very much. We text every single morning to brag or whine about our Wordle score and lament in the fact that we can't spend more time together. Until June, Dad! I love you.

Gingery Cabbage Rolls with Pork and Rice

Wow. These are a new favorite of ours. Four out of four Joneses approve! This 5-star recipe from NYTimes Cooking is easier than you'd think. I was a little intimidated at first about handling the cabbage but the process is simple and fairly fail-safe. Even though there's a little rice inside, I've come to serve them over white rice because it's great for soaking up the velvety sauce and drizzle of sesame oil that you add to the top. Even without the rice, these are surprisingly filling and taste even better the next day. Note: assembling the rolls is simple and quick --but then they bake for 45 minutes (so plan for that, unlike me, unless you want to eat LATE).  Let me know if you try them!

The Ordinary: Peeling Solution

Don't let the color turn you off --or the name... this stuff is amazing. Technically a chemical peel, this solution is a wash-off mask that gets rid of dead skin cells and debris. When used correctly (not too often and not left on your skin longer than recommended), the result is absolutely and immediately noticeable. It leaves my face feeling fresh and bright but I never use it more than twice a week. So effective is this treatment, that used incorrectly, you might end up looking raw and red-faced (even after you rinse it off). The best part? It's like $8 at Target, Sephora, and Ulta and a little bit goes a long way. If you'd like to read more about it from the company, click here. (I find the website a little sciencey and dry.) I loved this article in Glamour which quickly convinced me to try it myself.

The Produce Box

I've done these before and they've been both great and also overwhelming (What does one do with all of these turnips?) but it was time to try it again. Piper had an assignment at school recently in which she calculated our family's carbon footprint. Turns out, the Joneses behave as though we have 8.5 Earths --instead of just the one. Greg's electric car arrived last week so I'm happy to check sometime big off the list. Additionally, we're making a few small changes around here to both have (a small but) immediate impact and also keep our minds on environmental issues. Two big changes (besides the car): we are going meatless on Mondays and ordering a majority of our produce (and meat) from local sources. So far, we've had 3 deliveries from The Produce Box. The best things about this service are the email reminders and ease with which I can build a box based on personal meal planning, or make simple swaps from the boxes readily offered. Everything so far has been tasty and beautiful. You wouldn't believe the strawberries we got yesterday --incredibly sweet and juicy! If you're in NC, I encourage you to look into this service --unless you're already an avid shopper of the farmers' markets. If you're elsewhere, these services are pretty easy to find!

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

I never read Eat, Pray, Love and I don't think I ever will. I'm not sure how Elizabeth Gilbert's 2019 novel, City of Girls got on my radar --but I'm so glad it did. The tag reads, "a delicious novel of glamour, sex, and adventure, about a young woman discovering that you don't have to be a good girl to be a good person." I loved listening to (on Audible) the story of 19 year old Vivian Morris in 1940s NYC --recalled by her at the age of eighty-nine. Five stars! Have you read this one?