Elva Fields Blog » latest loves
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Latest Loves
A few things I'm loving lately:
1. Saving space in your toiletry bag and sailing right through TSA in a carry-on are two fantastic reasons to love this shampoo bar, but the fact that its scent is delightful and that it doubles as a body wash are two more checks on the love list. It's joined me on two week-long trips, and mine still has lots of life left. (Thanks, mom, for such a great Christmas gift!)
2. An account I follow on Instagram (I cannot for the life of me remember who posted this!) just referenced this brilliant blog post about saving kids artwork, and I can't wait to document my overflowing backlog of kiddo creations from their grade-school years. And, let's be honest, my teenagers are still making things with which I have trouble (and guilt) parting, so I may have multiple volumes on order for each of my children.
3. Our latest Spotify playlist, complete with a new favorite from Waxahatchee and an old favorite from Mary Chapin Carpenter...and a few more tunes to welcome springtime.
4. I've never read anything quite like North Woods by Daniel Mason, and it is wholly different in the very best of ways; the writing and story are inventive, curious, stunningly clever, and entirely fascinating. Layers of life and history and time and place pulled me in from the start, and I hated to see it end, though I've taken it along with me ever since.
5. On a recent trip to the Caribbean, I had the absolute pleasure of a food tour in Antigua's capital city, St. John's. Everything we tasted was delicious and everyone we met was delightful, and a highlight (in addition to our wonderful guide Tracy Anne) was learning to make an Old Fashioned Rum Punch. Not the bright pink syrupy confection with grenadine and pineapple juice you may be thinking of - this was the OG of rum punches that is full of rich flavor from spices and fresh citrus. This blog post I found shares a recipe that is VERY close to the one we learned in class - and we added some mint and a twist of lemon peel for garnish. Might be my new warm-weather cocktail. -
Latest Loves
A few things I'm loving lately:
1. After I saw the beautiful creations Joy Cho of Oh Joy! crafted with this marbling kit, I knew it would be a fun and colorful project for my favorite middle-schooler. (She may be too cool for many things these days, but thankfully not for making art with her mom.) I have so many ideas for our next attempt, and this first try at marbling was a hit. (And there are plenty of materials in the kit for future trials!)
2. Tig Notaro has been a favorite of mine since her Taylor Dane bit (I still cry laughing every time) and her new podcast, Handsome, with Fortune Feimster and Mae Martin brings so much laughter and joy to my Tuesdays.
3. Speaking of crying (though not crying laughing), that's what I was doing by the end of this beautiful (as the title would suggest) book. In the best way. I love a story of family dynamics, humans making their way among the broken bits of life, and eventually creating and finding their own wholeness.
4. I'm so excited to finally have some wearable Elva Fields merch, and especially in honor of our 20th birthday last month! It's my new favorite hat, and you can have one, too!
5. Delicious on its own or with bourbon, my most-loved of Modica's superfood goodness in a bottle is the Tart Cherry Old Fashioned (and I don't typically care much for cherry, but this is really great.) Cheers!
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Latest Loves
A few things I'm loving lately:
1. I heard this live version of a childhood favorite on our amazing local Louisville radio station 91.9 WFPK and had to add it to the latest Elva Fields playlist for some nostalgic listening, along with some other fun songs.
2. It's been a while since I've read and finished a book in just a day or two (such an indulgence!) but this one was compelling, captivating, and wholly enjoyable. Like the traditional recipe for which the book is named, I devoured it. (As a bonus, the author curates a playlist at the end of the book to accompany various scenes and characters in her novel, and I couldn't help but add one of her suggested songs to the Elva playlist this month in homage to this wonderful read.)
3. This dark chocolate bark gets rave reviews and was new to me on my last visit to Trader Joe's. I'm currently hiding the bag on a far shelf in the pantry to keep it all to myself. As it turns out, I may have to hide it even from myself soon enough.
4. Though it's billed as an overnight lip mask, I use this goodness as a regular lip gloss day AND night. Thanks to my former sister-in-law who sent it as a holiday gift, my ever-peeling lips are a little less dry and chapped these days.
5. Two shows I've loved watching lately: one with my kiddos, one without them. Both smart, funny, entertaining, and humanity-at-its-worst-and-best heartwarming.
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Latest Loves
A few things I'm loving lately:
1. One of my favorite humans ever just sent me this box of heaven, and I'm still dreaming about (and enjoying in real life) the beautiful fragrance that emerged when I opened it. Gardenias top my list of scents, and it is a wonder of our modern world that an entire box of blooms can be shipped across the country to be enjoyed. (High Camp Supply does this with impeccable style.) It's decadent and amazing, and a gift like this is remembered forever.
2. Another gift (albeit of a more practical nature) is my new favorite puffy vest by Cotopaxi. Between the unexpected color combinations AND their thoughtfully-designed and crafted "gear for good" business model, it's the perfect added layer under my down jacket on super-cold mornings (not into this 20-degree nonsense) but provides just enough warmth on its own on the spring-is-sooooo-close days it's not as frozen outside. Feels good, does good, all good.
3. On these cold mornings, a warm start is just the thing. I've officially been converted from a "I'll just pour my oat milk straight from the refrigerated carton into my coffee" to a "that refrigerated carton is dead to me, one absolutely MUST steam and froth oat milk before adding it to one's hot drink" kind of gal. I don't even recognize myself. This under-$40 indulgence whips, froths, heats (optionally) and preps with lots of available customization options, and I'm never going back.
4. Amor Towles's A Gentleman in Moscow might be my favorite book ever, so I've been anticipating (read: mildly obsessing over) the release of his latest novel, The Lincoln Highway. I adore Towles's storytelling skills, unspooling fascinating details about each character in ways both unexpected and startlingly familiar with descriptions that stay with the reader long after the book has been closed, and this line-up of memorable personages was no exception. I was along for the ride (literally, as it's a tale from the road) and sad when it ended in more ways than one.
5. Another favorite of mine (this list seems to be full of those) is the band The Head and the Heart. A new album is on the way, and their latest single is part of the latest Elva Fields playlist. (And, if, like me, you're wanting a THATH fix before you can see them on tour, their show at Pike Place Market was recorded for a special on Amazon Prime Video. I may have watched it more than twice.)
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Latest Loves
A few things I'm loving lately:
1. I'm not one for binging tv (I know, I know - I might be the only one) but this series was irresistible once I discovered it (late to the party, of course) back in January. Heartwarming and hilarious, I found myself laughing with and loving every one of the characters, and I'm so excited to see what happens to them all in Season 2, which officially kicks off TOMORROW! (But only one episode release at a time, so no binging this time around.)
2. Also irresistible, these sweet-and-savory snacks from my beloved Trader Joe's.
3. My all-time favorite denim is part of Everlane's Summer Sale, and I may have snagged another pair of my tried-and-true jeans for under $40 this week. Getcha some, friends.
4. Sunburned lips are the worst. This stuff is the best. Texture/taste/ease of application: perfection.
5. I was super sad when this magical tale came to an end, but it was a delight along the way. I listened on Audible, but I bet it would be heaven to read in hardback.
6. My new favorite song right now (and part of the latest Elva Fields playlist on Spotify!) There is nothing that José Gonzalez creates that I haven't adored (I even took myself to one of his concerts after a particularly challenging experience years ago, but that's another story) and this song is no exception. The video is achingly beautiful, too.