This summer, I traveled outside of California for the first time since being diagnosed with—and beating!—breast cancer. I spent three weeks making up for lost time on the East Coast, visiting family and soaking in every bit of the pure wonder of being alive.

During our trip, we stayed at The Russell—a cozy and colorful boutique hotel in the heart of East Nashville. Originally built as a church in 1904, it was remodeled a few years ago and is now a Music City mainstay. From the historic stained glass that influenced the interiors to the artwork inspired by country music legends, The Russell is a must-visit if you’re in Nashville.

Sustainable Gift Guide: Gifts for Her

The final gift guide for this holiday season!

Sisters, daughters, girlfriends, wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, neighbors. This is your one-stop-shop for sustainable gifts for her.

This gift guide features a range of affordable gifts with a few investment gifts sprinkled throughout. I want to continue the theme of intentionality in each of the guides that I post here. You’ll find a large amount of women-owned, women-made, BIPOC-owned gifts below, and each item is from an ethical/sustainable brand. You’ll see items ranging from home goods to jewelry to skincare to clothing. I hope this helps you continue to shop for the holidays with confidence, knowing that your purchases are empowering the people who make them. I hope you feel a deep sense of pride in your intentional purchases this year. Cheers to you!

Sustainable Gift Guide: Gifts for Him

Gift guide number three!

Brothers, sons, boyfriends, husbands, fathers, grandfathers, uncles, neighbors. This is your one-stop shop for sustainable gifts for him.

This gift guide features a range of affordable gifts all the way up to investment gifts. I want to continue the theme of intentionality in each of the guides that I post here. Each item is from an ethical/sustainable brand. You’ll see items ranging from home goods to jewelry to clothing. I hope this helps you continue to shop for the holidays with confidence, knowing that your purchases are empowering the people who make them. I hope you feel a deep sense of pride in your intentional purchases this year. Cheers to you!

Sustainable Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers + Gifts Under $25

This is my most requested gift guide so far – Stocking Stuffers + Gifts Under $25.

Shopping during the holidays can be pure chaos, and my hope is that these gift guides can help you find your way through the noise of excessive sales and overconsumption to a place where you can gift with intentionality.

I have compiled a list of gifts that are ideal for stocking stuffers or for if you’re on a tight budget this year – and lucky for you, you don’t have to compromise quality or sustainability to stay within budget. Whether you’re shopping for gifts for your significant other, friends, roommates, family, coworkers, or neighbors, my hope is that this guide can be a springboard for you to shop more consciously this holiday season without breaking the bank.

Sustainable Gift Guide: Gifts Under $50

My first gift guide of 2021, and this gift guide features gifts that are $50 and under.

Each time I put together any type of guide like this, I take such careful consideration into each of the items I select. I always take the time to ensure that each item is ethical and/or sustainable so that you can truly feel good and even empowered by the things you buy as gifts for your loved ones this year. From home goods to jewelry to cocktail mixes, you can know with confidence that your gifts are making a positive impact on the planet and the people making them.

My hope is that you can use this gift guide as a tool to find a conscious and intentional gift for any and everyone in your life, from your siblings, to your coworkers, to your neighbors, your best friends, and your significant others.

Here’s to consciously gifting with intentionality this season – cheers!

My Stay at The Pearl Hotel in San Diego

Every year in the spring I start to get an itch to travel somewhere warm and relaxing. I dream about driving along the coast with the windows down, feeling the familiar warmth of the sun on my skin, listening to the song of the ocean as the waves race toward the dry sand and slowly back again.

After a year spent looking at the four walls around us, being able to escape to a place like this was even more meaningful than ever. And so at the end of March (and safely taking all precautions), my husband and I escaped to the ease of southern California for a week.

I had never visited San Diego, but as soon as we touched down on the tarmac I knew it was a special place I’d be visiting for years to come. From the Sunset Cliffs and the food to the overall beauty of the landscape and weather, I was hooked. Then we arrived at our hotel which was the absolute cherry on top. We stayed at a spot called The Pearl, which served laid back mid-century meets casual surf energy until our hearts were content. And unknowingly when we booked our stay, it ended up being nestled perfectly halfway between the cliffs where we watched the sunset each evening and the coffee shop we visited almost every morning during our stay.

13 Things to Do in San Diego

A San Diego travel guide featuring 13 of the best parks, local restaurants, local coffee shops, beaches, and hotels to plan your getaway to Southern California.

The Pearl Hotel – for a stay at the mid-mod motel of your dreams. The interiors are an effortless blend of mid-century meets casual surf energy.
Charles + Dinorah – restaurant at the Pearl Hotel. The perfect spot for drinks and dinner while posting up and watching a projected film by the evening glow of the pool.
Moniker Coffee / Moniker General – coffee shop and general store with the most amazing curated selection of goods from clothing to homewares and everything in between.
Cafe Gratitude – a next-level plant-based restaurant. I highly recommend going and getting the I Am Ecstatic – their crispy brussels sprouts, and the I Am Blessed – the most amazing butternut squash pasta dish I’ve ever eaten. Both are pictured below!
Sunset Cliffs – the most beautiful cliffs where we watched the sunset every evening. Pro-tip – get take out and sit in your car to watch the sunset for a fun date night, or grab a coffee in the morning and sit on the cliffs to take in the view.

New Year. Same Basics.

Let’s face it. It may be 2021, but I’m still wearing the comfiest clothes in my closet. Not much has changed in my strategy for picking out an outfit simply because it’s a new year. I’m still spending my days at home, so I’m typically opting for my trusty sweatsuit for the ultimate cozy-chic vibes. On the occasion that I put on normal clothes — can we even still call them that anymore?? — comfort is still key.

For this look, I focused on my go-to basics and paired my softest pair of denim with my favorite fitted black t-shirt. I threw my favorite blazer on top to disguise this outfit as a chic one when in actuality, it’s just your standard jeans and tee combo. I finished the look off with my checkered bag and my go-to boots for the winter, Dr. Martens. My Docs have been a winter staple for me since 2018. I love how versatile they are, and I typically end up wearing them almost every day in the colder months.

Sustainable Gifts $20 and Under

Surprise – I added one last gift guide!

I compiled all the gifts across all gift guides that are $20 and under to make this Sustainable Gifts $20 and Under guide! This is ideal for stocking stuffers or if you’re on a tight budget this year – and let’s be honest…who isn’t after a year like this? Lucky for you, you don’t have to compromise quality or sustainability to stay within budget.