Monday Missive: February 14

Happy Valentine’s Day!

You know that I love any excuse to be festive, but Valentine’s Day can also be like New Year’s Eve to me-it can feel like a lot of arbitrary pressure sometimes. We like to keep it easy over here with simple chocolates and flowers (which are also totally fine to buy for yourself, haha! You never need an excuse for holiday candy!). I actually also love the idea of treating it as a self-pampering day, and I’m hoping to make time for a face mask and hair mask tonight, maybe while watching some bad reality dating shows? -E

(Images contain links, we may receive a small commission from purchases)

What We’re Reading and Watching

  • I don’t know about you, but even though I’m not normally into reality dating shows, I watched season 1 of Love Is Blind and was totally into it. When I saw that season 2 was out this weekend, I couldn’t wait to dive right in! It’s not quite as good as the first season, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it and now I’m waiting for the finale to come out on the 25th so we can find out who made it down the aisle! -E

  • Merritt’s spring capsule wardrobe is so inspiring. -E

  • I read The Churchill Sisters this weekend when I should have been doing productive things around the house, but it was too good to put down. A biography about WInston and Clementine Churchill’s three daughter, it’s a fascinating glimpse into that time period; from world-shaping events that they accompanied their father to, and the changing expectations for women during that period, to the glamour of upper crust British society to mental health issues. It was totally engrossing. -E

  • This parenting comic rings so true! -E

  • I was so in the mood for a light romance this week and read It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, about an Alexis Rose-type LA socialite who gets sent away to the fishing town that her father was from, only to find a steamy romance with a hunky fisherman. It was fun and light, but honestly, the sex scenes were TERRIBLE - from the dialogue to the way they described body parts and acts, I laughed my way through everything that was supposed to be steamy. - D

  • If you’re in an anti-romance mood, can I recommend The Tinder Swindler on Netflix?

What We’re Buying

  • This sweater from Tuckernuck is an investment but it also seems so versatile! And I love a cotton sweater because they’re wearable almost year round. -E

  • I love the idea of these mix and match earrings to keep things more playful and unexpected. -E

  • I finally caved and bought a nap dress from Hillhouse Home! I love their new “Victorian Romance” collection and thought the pale blue floral print would be versatile and feel a little bit special. - D

  • The Laura Mercier Caviar Stick eyeshadows are so good, and I treated myself to two new colors. They are so easy to swipe on without having a do a full eye, and I like the shimmery ones because they pop a little bit more when I am on a virtual client call and trying to look more pulled together. My favorite colors are the Rose Gold and the Khaki. - D

What We’re Making

  • I’m totally obsessed with banana bread right now and I’ve been eyeing a few of the Detoxinista’s healthy versions. -E

  • I want to try this vegan pasta with tomatoes, basil and lemon. Hadley loves the Barefoot Contessa Lemon Fusilli Pasta but it gives me a total stomachache these days, so I was thinking this might be a good subsitute. -E

  • For the Super Bowl, I made this super easy Buffalo Chicken dip! I left out the ranch powder, and it only took 90 minutes in my slow cooker (plus the time to cook the chicken breasts). - D

    Follow us on Instagram for more updates.