issue #125 - the one where I give up a little bit

How was your weekend?

Mine was uneventful (and also very eventful on the laundry and cleaning front - the stomach bug that’s been going around definitely hit our kids). And as life does, it had me feeling a lot of feelings.

Gratitude that my husband and I were mercifully spared from the bug and that we have a washer & dryer machine in our home. Helpless that we couldn’t do much more to care for our kids other than snuggle them and kept them hydrated. Weary from a lack of sleep, and distracted by Sarah J. Maas’ Crescent City series, which I read throughout the weekend and I’m still processing.

And utterly sick and tired of the Paw Patrol Movie.

Our weekends are usually spent out and about - playgrounds, the library, museums - in an attempt to make all the memories with my kids in two short days and to run out some of their never-ending energy.

But sometimes you need a weekend to sloth out at home - to watch the same comforting movies, to cook what you’re craving, to get lost in a new literary universe, and to let your kids snuggle up against you because you’re all they want and need.

As much as I love a busy weekend when we’ve been out and about all day, I want to find a more relaxed rhythm - some outdoors time, some cuddly time, some quiet time.

The time together is what’s most important - not what you necessarily do or document. I can’t wait for our next one - this time, with everyone in good health.

How I reset after a trip (sponsored by Blue Apron)

When I’m traveling, I am so diligent about sticking with a routine - waking up early, getting in some meditation and movement, eating well, going to bed at reasonable times.

I can’t seem to do the same when I get home.

My suitcase stays packed, and is only unpacked when it’s time to prepare for another trip. I stay up late to putz around - reading, watching television, mindlessly scrolling social media.

If travel gets the best of me, home gets the most chaotic version of me. And while I let myself decompress and indulge in a different kind of rest and recharging, I am finding ways to relax while nourishing myself.

Like cooking. I love getting lost in chopping ingredients, hearing the sizzle on a pan, arranging and seasoning produce to be roasted in the oven, and plating a meal. Cooking helps turn my brain off and floods all five senses with different textures, smells, sounds, tastes, and sights.

These homecoming meals are always a Blue Apron meal.

Every Blue Apron meal is delicious, easy to prepare, and takes no longer than 45 minutes to make. I love the variety of meals that are available every week.

And I love a home cooked meal, especially when I haven’t had one in a few days.

Blue Apron provides more than just delicious meals. They help me find my way back to myself, after a long week.

If you’d like to try Blue Apron, this link will get you $110 off across 5 boxes plus free shipping on your first box!

Top #5SmartReads of the Week

• ‘Double standards’: Western coverage of Ukraine war criticised (Al-Jazeera)

• Why Is This Group of Doctors So Intent on Unmasking Kids? (The New Republic)

• Let’s make sensitive the new strong (Marie Claire)

• Building Miniature Worlds with My Daughter Through the Pandemic (Vox)

• Stephanie Summerson Hall, the Founder of Estelle Colored Glass, Says to Set Every Table Like It's a "Sacred Sunday" (Martha Stewart)

The rest of the week’s reads (and conversations!) are below:

• Monday (2/28)

• Tuesday (3/01)

• Wednesday (3/02)

• Thursday (3/03)

• Friday (3/04)

What I Read (With My Ears) This Week (together with Macmillan)

Audiobooks have been such a gift these past few weeks while I’ve been traveling. I try to start every day with a coffee and a walk exploring the city, and listening to an audiobook while strolling through Millenium Park in Chicago or along the Bay in San Francisco or Uptown Dallas helped me center myself and start each day on a calm note before I got swept up in a frenzy of meetings, moderating panels, rehearsals, and the frenzy of trying to stay on top of work while on the go. I’m grateful to incredible publishers like Macmillan Audio, whose brilliantly performed audiobooks give me a moment to myself, whether it’s at ground level or 35,000 feet in the air.

One such audiobook is The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont and performed by Lucy Scott. Mysteries are a new genre I’ve been reading more of this year, and Agatha Christie is certainly one of the greatest writers in the genre. Christie’s own life is more fascinating than the ones she wrote about, and de Gramont’s novel about Agatha Christie’s disappearance for 11 days - and the woman that caused it - was absolutely stunning. “Glittering” may seem an odd description of a book, but Lucy Scott’s narration brought this book alive in such rich detail that I could see the light filtered through crystal chandeliers, the feel of the silk dress worn by Agatha, the smell of the farm in Ireland that Nan felt most at home at, and the chill of the English countryside when the authorities were searching for Agatha. This is the perfect book to listen to, especially with a cup of tea and a candle lit. Bonus points if you enjoy it while wearing to the famed murder robe from TikTok - it’s what I wear when I read my mysteries and thrillers these days!

What We Read This Week

Jessica

• All Adults Here: A Novel by Emma Straub - I just started this book and I can't put it down. It's about a dysfunctional (but likable) family and their complicated relationships as adults.

Marisa

• The Magician by Colm Tobin - Particularly interesting given current events in Europe.

Your Questions, Answered

How are you feeling?On cloud 9 and also totally exhausted!

This is truly my dream project, but i’m also keeping up with my Rhoshan Pharma responsibilities and content partnerships (with the help of my AMAZING teams), so it’s nonstop but I’m feeling so fulfilled.

I am excited to spend the first half of April at home, and travel basically over by May.

What are your go-to brands for classic blazers?Veronica Beard blazers are the GOAT, and I also love my friends’ company One/Third, which specializes in jackets and blazers.

BURU has some amazing blazers (many of them cut and sewn in their micro-factory in Los Angeles).

How are you feeling about socializing and COVID with new mask guidelines? I feel left behind and anxious being pregnant and with a too young to be vaccinated child.I’m honestly trying to reconcile basic virology and this incredibly intelligent virus with public health guidance that feels far too hasty and really centered on privileged, healthy people who have the resources to live healthfully without it being a second thought. As much as I welcome the administration’s plan on this stage of the pandemic, I can’t help but think of the people who won’t have access or benefit from them, and they are the same people who don’t have the access to fresh foods, safe parks and communities and water from lead-free pipes OR hose who are immunocompromised or have disabilities.

It’s a mindfuck, if I’m being honest.

I have extremely immunocompromised family members and an unvaccinated child, so I will continue to test regularly, mask in crowded public settings, and be careful about where I gather and how often.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best is my MO at the moment.

How to read slowly? Skimming on social media has destroyed my ability to savor words.Thatcher Wine’s book The Twelve Monotasks taught me to savor words again- Highly recommend his fantastic book!

For me, reading physical book and making it a while experience-preparing a cup of tea, snuggling under a blanket and in a tidy room is what works best for me when I really want to soak in every word.

Are you interested in doing more of this internal-style speaking, a la Taco Bell?Yes! You can find my speaker site here, for more information.

What is your favorite travel steamer?This one!

I am mildly obsessed with your hair color. Have you ever colored it? When/Why did you stop?I share my gray hair journey with Health Magazine!

Honestly, I was really tired of going into the salon every 4 weeks and figured I would try it back in 2019. It took a lot of Ranavat hair serum scalp massages to get the texture of my grays to soften and I need regular glosses to keep the grays from getting brassy, but I love it and have never felt more like myself!

Please tell us about your tennis necklace? Is that what it’s called? Yep! It’s a Baublebar one (18K gold vermeil with CZs), and beautiful quality until I earn myself the real deal!

Athletic Greens, skeptical of products like this, but trust you! Actually good for you? Thank you!I love Athletic Greens because I have noticed that I do have more energy, better digestion, and honestly my immune system has been holding strong with all his travel (And vaccines and continuing to take precautions).

More importantly, AG helps me make better nutrition choices throughout the day- it’ become a linchpin habit that nudged me to order a salad with lunch, to go for a quick walk or meditate when I need a break instead of scroll Instagram, and prioritize sleep.

There is no such thing as a magic pill for good health. But this is such a great daily foundation that has helped me build better health habits.

Take care, and I hope the stomach bug that hit our household spares you and yours!

xo,HPN