We are writing this post two days in advance so that we cannot comment on the current status of the Los Angeles fires. What we can say is that it was absolutely devastating and terrifying, especially for those of us who live in Los Angeles. Each of us personally knows many friends and families who have lost their homes along with all their possessions. A house is ultimately a structure with things inside it but we all know that a house, in which you have created memories, which you have carefully built for yourself and your loved ones, and which gives you peace and security, is much more than that. Of course, the devastation goes beyond that with the loss of businesses, jobs, schools, you name it. Fortunately everyone here is safe and so is EHD’s extended family. If you are in Los Angeles, we are with you. And for anyone who is able to provide assistance to the thousands of people who are certainly not well off or to the amazing firefighters and dedicated volunteers, this article and this article offer a lot of great places to donate to.
While switching to Link Up is a tough turn, taking a short break from everything going on has also helped us. If you’re interested, here are this week’s links <3
This week’s home tour is a beautiful, exquisite home designed by Hadley Wiggins. Quiet, charming and just special.
From Emily: This is one of those recordings that I’ve told everyone I know personally, and all my friends know about it, but I’m a little embarrassed to put it out there on the Internet. Here it goes! I’ve been aggressively marketing on IG for wine or beer alternatives and have tried a lot in the past couple of years. I really like some of them, but it’s easy to lose interest in them and opt for soda + grapefruit water as a mocktail instead. Starting in September, I started drinking Brez, which is a THC + Lion’s Mane drink at a very, very low dose – just 2.5 milligrams (most THC drinks you buy in Oregon are at least 10 if not 20 milligrams which would shock me) on My ass). Now if you’re like me, and let’s just say, you’re not the biggest weed hater, you might be nervous because 2.5 is a lot, but it’s very little. I feel more calm, relaxed, ready to watch a movie, and then it sends me to sleep – no cravings, nothing mentally changing, no paranoia or anything – just feeling cool. I’m not here to endorse the general use of weed (no judgment at all, but just like alcohol use, I don’t think we should be so cavalier about it) but this drink is a bit more like a cocktail and more personal than just seltzer water. And it’s just relaxing (but I can still be a parent happily). Anyway, you have to order it online and it’s not cheap, but let’s just say I’ve reordered it a lot (again, I don’t like feeling weedy or stoned) and I’m a fan 🙂
From Gretsch: With the start of a new year, I like to at least pretend I have it all together, and as corny as it may sound, a new planner is a nice way for me to get started. I’ve surrendered to many nice calendars over the years, but I always kick myself when I don’t stick to them for various reasons – the sections are too organized to let me starve or pages are completely lost because I fell. The February date cannot be reused for a week in March. But it will be different this time, right?! At least I hope that’s the case with this planner I bought at a store here in Portland. With only six unlined boxes (five for the weekday and one for the weekend), a pre-listed to-do list on the side, and a smaller box designated for items to be sent to the following week, this calendar feels like Goldilocks to me – just right! It’s very streamlined and visually clean (with the cover design having me sold from the jump), but the best part is that it’s literally timeless. Take a minute to write today’s date in each corner box and circle the month from the list at the top. It’s just a week at a time, which is great for me and my fatigue, and the sheets rip as you go. I love the flexibility, as I can tear up two sheets and post them side by side if I need a longer overview, or I can go completely off track and come back again in 6 months without wasting any paper. Knowing me, there’s a good chance that will happen, but this time I’m not mad about it!
From Jess: Les Bunge (my dad, for those who may be new here) is one of the best gift givers. It’s not always a home run but he never makes a mistake (and he refuses to send him a list of ideas). Well, for Christmas this year, he got me a pair of jeans that I love and I wore them for 3 days in a row. They are The Way High Sailor from Everlane in Tint Blue and I got a longer inseam so they are full length on my 5’4″ body. They’re currently on final sale for $64, but I’m telling you they’re very comfortable, have the perfect amount of wide legs, and the two-tone hem makes them feel extra special. They recommend resizing since they run a little small but I got the same size as the other Everlane jeans and they fit perfectly.
From Mallory: It’s definitely been a wild week, so if you’re in need of a raunchy fantasy escape, read on – my sister recommended the book The Fourth Ward and it’s good. I’m usually a non-fiction reader, but I’m about halfway through the book and having the best time reading it yet. It’s a romance novel but with high stakes, lots of dragons, and a plot line between the bad boy and the boy next door that I’m deeply invested in now. Plus, it’s about to be a trilogy (the third book will be released at the end of the month) so it’s a good time to start 🙂
If you need some great wall art, Bobby Berk just dropped a really good collection! It’s full of really beautiful summaries. Go check it out!
From Arlene: It’s been a week. Not the way I think any of us expected this year to start. I had planned to film my life with my husband this weekend, but instead, we were camping at a friend’s place to get away from the Eaton Fire near our home. After days of watching all the coverage of the horrific events, my friend in Atlanta sent me a picture of a snowman she had made with fresh powder that had fallen near her, and it made me happy to see a glimpse of some normal life. Which made me remember how much I loved this sweater from Loft that I had on sale before the holiday. I literally wore it for three days in a row while I was away because it was so comfortable. It feels like you’re wearing a (soft) potato sack, but it feels really put together which is the perfect combination of words to describe the garment. It’s on a deeper discount at the moment, but it’s selling out fast.
From Caitlin: If you need a sturdy travel bag, I have a great recommendation for you! (I’m sorry. But if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry – I got an eviction warning while writing this.) Anyway – before I experience the apocalypse, Brenda and I finished 2024 with a full month to spare. Girl’s trip! She flew here for a few days, and then we spent the month of December traveling around Australia and New Zealand. We only brought carry-on luggage and my back wasn’t what it used to be, so I splurged on a new Floyd suitcase. Let me tell you: it was worth every penny. the color! (I got the blue one, but they come in many colors that are easy to spot.) Wheels! (It outperformed my mother’s bag out on rough terrain, FWIW.) Genius interior packing sections! And the kicker: there is no external zipper! (All you have to do is slide to lock. It’s incredible, especially if you have difficulty with hand movement.) We moved between towns and cities every two or three days and every time we packed up, I couldn’t stop talking about how much I loved For my country. luggage. The 11 had its fair share of black scuff marks and scratches along the way which made me nervous, but they were all smoothed out instantly with the magic eraser – and they still look like new! I’ve been really into the “buy once, buy right” ethos and I couldn’t be happier with that ethos – I’ve finally found my go-to luggage brand (you know, once I could save up the money to buy one of their products) Tote Bags ). Keep your eyes open for holiday sales in the coming months – I’ve never loved a bag like this. (Can you tell?)
Also from Caitlin: If you’re a fan of nonfiction like me, I’ve read two great reads this year that you might also enjoy. First up is Everybody Behaves Badly: The True Story Behind Hemingway’s Masterpiece The Sun Also Rises. It’s a pretty self-explanatory title – he was a wild man with a wild entourage! The second book is Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Fought Offshoring, Stayed Local—and Helped Save an American City. It’s about the Bassett furniture dynasty, and is a lot of fun to read – the title doesn’t begin to capture the larger-than-life characters within. It’s very complicated – sometimes you’ll hate the Bassetts, sometimes you’ll love them! – But the time seems particularly appropriate in light of the current political climate. (I’m very passionate about American manufacturing, if anyone has any recommendations similar to mine!)
Thanks for reading today and stay safe. See you tomorrow xx
Editorial Image Credits: Photography by Kaitlyn Green | Who: Starting fresh and simple: unveiling the upstairs laundry room at River House
