Happy Saturday! I always feel like I have to “pay” for a long weekend, and this week was a doozy at work. Nevertheless, we made it!
This weekend is all about finalizing everything for my trip to Europe with Michael next weekend. I’m beyond excited but I’m also feeling a little anxious, as this is the least-planned trip we’ve ever taken.
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We, of course, have all of our flights, trains, and lodging booked, as well as a few museums and such, but we’re traveling this time with less of an itinerary and more of a general idea of what we’ll be doing. It should be interesting! I’m hopeful that it will be a better lesson in mindfulness and presence, rather than a trip of ticking off boxes and finding the next thing on the list.
Other than some last-minute research, here’s what else I’ve been reading this week:
Money
The Luxe Strategist recently recommended a new-to-me cashback site called Jewel (now closed). The site has a more curated list of retailers than Ebates (which I also use and love), with clothing and beauty retailers like Everlane, Anthropologie, and Glossier, as well as travel retailers like AccorHotels, IHG, and AirFrance.
Essentially, you visit the Jewel website, sign up/log in, click the link of the retailer, and shop as usual within that same tab. After a few months, you’ll receive the noted percentage back in cash. For example, I recently placed a $168 order at Everlane, and with the 8.4% cash back rate, should receive a little over $14 in cash back deposited to my PayPal account. Gotta love a payout for doing the things you normally do!
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Food
This Cacio e Pepe technique is fascinating. We got rid of our immersion blender a while back, and I’m not quite sure how it would work with my Vitamix (things tend to get stuck under the blades when blending small quantities), but I’m happy to give it a shot!
The new season of The Great British Bake-Off (sorry, “The Great British Baking Show” here in the U.S.) is finally available on Netflix for us here in the U.S. I’m torn as I loved the original hosts and judges so much. Have you watched it? What are your thoughts on the new version?
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Travel
Bookmarking this post highlighting sustainable places in Amsterdam (site closed). We leave in a week, eek!
Here are a few tips to make flying easier (though a lot of them involve spending money…) NYT gifted article.
This parody of a New York Times 36 Hours article never gets old.
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Style
A fascinating look at beauty bloggers and the cash flow going on behind the scenes.
A new online magazine (site closed) with articles about capsule wardrobes and fair fashion is here. I’m curious to see where it goes!
I try to leave cities without a sense of regret, but oh boy do I regret not picking up these boots (no longer available) in Mexico City.
That being said, Nordstrom’s Viva México Pop-In shop is definitely perfect timing.
Things I bought this week
Ugh, more than I wanted to spend this week! But I can either return or resell everything if I hate it, so there’s always that.
I’ve wanted a few shorter necklaces since most of mine are long, and when this one* popped up on a secondhand site, I snagged it. The circle is eye-catching but not oversized, and the mixed metals will pair perfectly with just about everything else (perfect for travel!).
I also ordered another piece of jewelry, earrings from Passage Jewelry, which I first learned about from Andrea. I was equally tempted by this pair but figured that the mismatched set seemed more unique.
Still on my quest for the perfect raincoat, I decided to give the Mosebacke Jacket from Stutterheim a try after finding the Stockholm to be too large in the shoulders and too narrow in the hips for my body. I appreciate when brands offer free shipping and free returns.
Lastly, I’m going to give the Everlane Wrap Dress a try again, this time in a 00 (I’ve tried the 2 and 0 to no success – this dress has very strange sizing), and I’m also trying out their new “Authentic Stretch” Denim. While it’s not “trendy” to like stretch denim, I do like a touch of it in my jeans for days I will spend a lot of time sitting, like at work or on a plane/train.
The denim has mixed reviews, so I guess we’ll just have to see. I’ll be doing a try-on in my Instagram Stories (according to the tracking, they’ll arrive on Tuesday) and will let you know what I think!
What do you think of stretch denim? Where is your favorite pair of jeans from?
Have a great weekend!
