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This section of the city wasn’t the most ideal for the itinerary we ended up with, but it was relatively affordable and around the corner from a convenient metro stop and a truly excellent bakery. The rooms are, of course, tiny! No matter, you won’t be there much anyway. But if, like us, you realize there’s not even enough floor space for your empty bags when you unpack, the hotel was kind enough to store our empty suitcases for the week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/2509d33c-cd4a-42df-9e34-44075b5e673e/IMG_3136.jpg Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris taking in the view from Basilique du Sacré-Cœur https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/d00925f1-f609-4fac-bf7e-e5043beb6de8/IMG_2189.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris Learning to make croissants https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/3ed29059-081b-4ed5-bcb2-244102554455/IMG_2987_jpg.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out No need to go up, but you must walk by! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/74a6e763-353d-4ea0-b181-70ad280ffb5d/IMG_3177.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out We fell in love with the metro system almost immediately. Do not visit Paris and spend your whole time in Ubers! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/d9e61d7e-21fe-46be-831d-c9289cde3918/IMG_2200.jpg Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out Our friends Victoria and Lucas in class https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/22ec519c-5b75-4ca0-a690-37f2985222cb/IMG_2215.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out Are these not the most gorgeous baked goods you’ve ever seen? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/6e0bcf82-0f63-45e5-90df-2423defc15ca/IMG_2385.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/b5b92620-5481-4710-b2dc-d4b5ad665502/IMG_2332.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/36856764-977a-47f3-b0de-68d12043d6ec/IMG_2367.JPG Blog - 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A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/f63d3798-faea-457d-8dac-48f06f1fa047/IMG_3191_jpg.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/113ecedc-5bd0-4ad1-a064-0d66df015d68/IMG_3184_jpg.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1753549609979-B3BALGBHS04KP0N632IW/IMG_2487.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1753479869108-KPEDUJ584JQHKERZIS1N/IMG_2524.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1753479886899-8HYF9CJRB0FW23VY4E5Q/IMG_2534.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1753479876665-ZGXHTICL7VU22Q035UNB/IMG_2616.jpg Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1753479913666-75HUG4J6BZTZ1UFP6Q7I/IMG_2649.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1753479892728-K9FYTQ6Y7WVMO3LQ6B88/IMG_2663_jpg.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1753479895167-N6M9CUC1WY09WRJ9J8S2/IMG_2617.jpg Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1753479912482-NF7GLNJYNI0YSK68KE0B/IMG_2622.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/78ec9c23-bc1c-4776-bb51-58c685ded034/IMG_2042.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/f3989bd0-89af-4bde-9cdf-b2568d08add5/IMG_3116.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris Basilique du Sacré-Cœur https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/51a6a2f0-d5e1-4b5c-adb3-6d57f2351681/IMG_2001.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris Duck into every park you can find: you never know what might be blooming https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/92f814a6-370d-4bb0-ac08-ea6df96d784c/IMG_2260.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out L'avant-Comptoir Du Marché https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/7a861536-9421-4445-a9b0-f8aef3b08a48/IMG_3037.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out Relais Louis XIII https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/0fde00d4-7ef1-41d4-ae49-53b87b10ba5b/IMG_3246.JPG Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out Au Pied de Fouet https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/a0c69f69-890e-4f20-ad17-e9600530a06d/IMG_3048.jpg Blog - A Non-Influencer’s Week in Paris - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/host-a-produce-party monthly 0.5 2025-09-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/afad0dcd-b250-4fb8-8d9a-83c8d8f7a6ad/IMG_0481.JPG Blog - How to Host a Produce Party - Make it stand out My contributions to this year’s produce party: cornmeal cake with peach filling, an apple and caramelized onion galette, a street-corn-inspired pasta salad, and a zucchini and tomato salad with a spicy fish sauce dressing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/c89c5d32-5e89-40e9-85e8-29969eb2445f/best+of+summer+party+%282%29.png Blog - How to Host a Produce Party - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/b071b2e0-a754-448f-b812-b2f9a134af76/IMG_0558.jpg Blog - How to Host a Produce Party - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/b2a44f5f-bb5f-48a3-9edd-bb7ba3187bc8/IMG_0557.jpg Blog - How to Host a Produce Party - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1758299193951-G7HNLLV0EU9QRUDEOCLD/IMG_0484.JPG Blog - How to Host a Produce Party https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1758299194840-OGAARLAQ87R6EJX12JSX/IMG_0486.JPG Blog - How to Host a Produce Party https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1758299212449-V6FFC3S4W3IPAGU3WM0S/IMG_0487.JPG Blog - How to Host a Produce Party https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1758299212536-8W5X9WBQ6VS2S9P72R12/IMG_0472.JPG Blog - How to Host a Produce Party https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1758299231712-VBSIMZ3BCQE6VOKF5IHP/IMG_8417.JPG Blog - How to Host a Produce Party https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1758299229693-BDCAUOXCZWY1IZW100SW/IMG_5792.JPG Blog - How to Host a Produce Party https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1758299177232-D2MALAXNUOW5XL49RS0T/IMG_4154.jpeg Blog - How to Host a Produce Party https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1758299176403-6M8J2FVISIZHISORQ7PO/IMG_0282.jpeg Blog - How to Host a Produce Party https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1758299247454-UVB171L1CO5Y77ZQOP8Z/IMG_5795.JPG Blog - How to Host a Produce Party https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1758299249063-I6AU8HD933KSYG86YIV4/IMG_0275.JPG Blog - How to Host a Produce Party https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/apple-onion-cheddar-galette monthly 0.5 2025-09-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/bd8a2d1b-2d93-4ddd-bdda-aef2c3e05aba/Apple+Onion+Galette.JPG Blog - Apple & Caramelized Onion Galette Nevertheless, I expect I’ll make this long into fall, because the tangle of onions and chunks of apples create a nest of savory magic, and the sharpness of the cheddar makes everything sing. I have long loved Smitten Kitchen’s Burst Tomato Galette with Corn and Zucchini, and I’ve used her pastry recipe, which needs no improving. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/lazy-girl-quiche monthly 0.5 2025-09-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/691577e3-0d36-475f-85fa-008a10068805/Lazy+Quiche+1.JPG Blog - Lazy Girl Quiche Instead of fussing with crust, we use a large flour tortilla pressed into a 6” cake pan, filled with a cottage cheese and egg mixture and whatever veggies and cheeses need to be evacuated from your refrigerator or freezer. Lifted out of the pan and cut in half, it makes for a lovely breakfast for 2. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/83e3045d-71bb-4d7b-9665-02f093ac17d8/Lazy+Quiche+2.JPG Blog - Lazy Girl Quiche - Make it stand out I highly recommend a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/corn-fritters monthly 0.5 2025-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/072a7e1c-62fb-44e9-bd98-7aaddcc28f40/Corn+Fritters.png Blog - Corn Fritters - Make it stand out Made in one bowl and so simple that you will only need to measure your ingredients the first time, I hope these make it into regular rotation in your home, too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/73a319ef-8ad0-47b1-8473-f742dd8eeb05/Corn+Fritter+BLT.JPG Blog - Corn Fritters Smitten Kitchen makes her fritters small and almost bite-sized; I cook mine to be about the same size as a large tomato and use them to create open-faced BLTs (lettuce optional). Because there is nothing better than a sweet local corn fritter topped with a smear of mayo and topped with a thick slab of fresh, local tomato and crispy bacon. We eat these with our hands https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/ask-a-designer-lightbulbs monthly 0.5 2025-07-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/a899ede6-2ddf-4836-bddd-1ab03d0e8eae/light+bulb+package+analysis Blog - Ask a Designer: How do I buy light bulbs? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/088edba8-f843-42b7-b629-0359216ab497/Kelvin+Scale Blog - Ask a Designer: How do I buy light bulbs? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/beautiful-moments-2024 monthly 0.5 2025-12-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1735610533295-89FH0AMOKWV928DVDX5A/IMG_7883.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1735610561458-H123KXQLDWVY76CP9NBR/IMG_8769.jpeg Blog - 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Beautiful Moments: 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1735615914208-5LG3R5SH4J6S93DE7GZA/IMG_0275.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1735615895062-8UAWMWMSMOQAPB69FUIM/IMG_4721.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1735615898921-9ZB9EGICX73WX2LRIVN1/IMG_4735.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1735615902979-GPQ02I2Y8XBADCU0924U/IMG_4750.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2024 https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/gift-guide-2024 monthly 0.5 2024-12-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/b435597f-8bc1-44fd-add1-77d8ba0fae1d/Holiday+Gift+Guide+2024.jpg Blog - Gift Guide: Beloved by the Hakansons - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/2024-10-actually-easy-dinners monthly 0.5 2025-11-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/d303104a-ae13-45d2-9acd-16a412545386/Pasta+and+Chickpeas Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Smitten Kitchen | Quick Pasta and Chickpeas This is so easy that it’s really more “assembly” than cooking. Use whatever fun tiny pasta you can find; it’s usually ditalini for me. Double it, trust me; it’s so much more delicious than it seems like it should be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/0ef13659-bc07-4628-97b0-73778ae9e887/Lentil-Sausage-Stew-V2.jpg Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Budget Bytes | Lentil and Sausage Stew This stew is quick and easy with a pretty small ingredient list. I usually make it with the full pound of Italian sausage, and I cook my lentils for 20 minutes rather than 30. Makes fantastic leftovers and freezes really well! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/8c6c1c27-fec2-4919-8cba-4d460e92b38a/Coconut+Sweet+Potato+Lentil+Stew1.JPG Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Alyssa Hakanson | Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup with Rice I adore this soup for so many reasons: the cozy factor! the spices! the fact that it’s basically a pile of vegetables! If you can handle peeling a few sweet potatoes, you’ve got this. I also recommend a rice cooker; it’s the only uni-tasker allowed in my kitchen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1637210926203-UT4AKVKK04OV2WTF8TCH/Taco+Bake.jpg Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Alyssa Hakanson | Taco Bake This is basically a simple chili with cornbread baked on top. Nothing fancy, but I can clean the kitchen while it quickly bakes, and then all I have to deal with after dinner is plates and utensils! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/b11cf184-fc08-4416-ba53-493a4049710f/greens+and+meatball+soup Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Smitten Kitchen | Greens, Orzo, and Meatball Soup I make this soup a little harder for myself by sautéing onion and garlic before proceeding with the broth, but I make it easier by using store-bought meatballs. I love these ones from Trader Joe’s, which happen to be less expensive than buying a pound of beef. I use either fresh or frozen spinach for the greens https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/c0391c3b-9500-4066-9eb3-25eb04c4517c/Squash+Pizza.png Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Smitten Kitchen | Summer Squash Pizza This pizza is so simple, but every time we make it one of us says, “I can’t believe this is so good!” The only thing that might trip you up for a weeknight dinner is the yeasted dough. We tend to make a yeast-free pizza dough. (Or you can buy some at the grocery store. That works too.) For a little extra flavor, I like to add 1/2 teaspoon each of adobo and red pepper flakes to the breadcrumbs before they get sprinkled on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609397291717-LRTZILN34U16KOIJ60YQ/Chili.jpg Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Alyssa Hakanson | My Dad's Chili My husband has this recipe memorized, and it’s a reliable and cozy dinner. Three types of beans, two types of meat. And can I interest you in a Midwestern twist? Serve it on a bed of macaroni noodles topped with cheese. We call it chili-mac around here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/90c0e6fe-eafe-4f43-bbb3-3562ef7155db/e129d86dce10dcf81577d8c58f5581ac.jpg Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Smitten Kitchen | Asparagus with Chorizo and Croutons I can never believe how delicious this is. It’s a great way to use up a crusty bread that’s going stale. (Do not use a soft white bread!) I usually use a can of white beans, and I’ve made it with andouille sausage when I couldn’t find chorizo. Delicious every time, and it’s surprisingly good left over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1602181886526-2HXL2UB72897KYIGTOHG/Carnitas2.jpg Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Alyssa Hakanson | Slow Cooker Carnitas This one is for the meal-preppers. A few hours on the weekend can deliver a variety of deliciousness for the rest of the week: make burrito bowls, tacos, quesadillas, or grilled cheese or use to top macaroni and cheese, eggs, or a baked potato. Freezes so well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/9ffcf4f5-5d91-49eb-8557-ade628105b1c/chipotle_white_bean_tacos.jpg Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Naturally Ella | Chipotle White Bean Tacos A delightfully easy vegetarian taco. I always serve these topped with feta and some pickled red onions. For dishes like this, I can’t recommend this baby food processor enough. I use mine at least once a week! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/dc16a387-9f88-4d83-9790-8ae210e4a9cc/Actually+Easy+Dinners Blog - 10 Actually Easy Dinners - Need to come back later? Pin this image! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/beautiful-moments-2023 monthly 0.5 2025-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704059958443-BEZOLX1R6Y4YIUTCL0FG/IMG_0170.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704059988981-9IHEZK7PPKY3ISNZEGO4/IMG_0286.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704059988333-J3BP8D9LEBN3O87IG2AX/IMG_0292.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060023148-ZBDIREQWMOC75A950WZN/IMG_2042.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060025695-69HN23S5X8ST8MF9JY96/IMG_2200.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060130673-G90T7NTNZUI00UPL7L18/IMG_2221.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060144049-WOY782UAVZPAF7JS84SZ/IMG_2260.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060195586-F4QJS8LCLNOYH0H3BZGH/IMG_2487.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060204240-0NGCLJF15QCQGB77I0CH/IMG_2534.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060211415-7V8EZ4537MB9YK81BBGF/IMG_2957.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060233982-4VC9NTHQSCZ3TF6YNR9K/IMG_2372.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060233947-P34XTR36PNHCB6PL8APH/IMG_3361.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060246007-AQ74IVUMHBGKYD0GAMXE/IMG_3370.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060252493-F80ES28PKBAHZW2K81D8/IMG_3422.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060267297-X1PICOW90NR074W8FYBK/IMG_3483.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060274610-0FD5PIXFQU6T529AOSUQ/IMG_3612.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060280045-VO9KJWDZKUTK1PGTMQG5/IMG_3721.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060286752-5TMTLW6GR63TRIYMT371/IMG_3886.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060293593-3YS62IGJ0QV9ZFOHKC3A/IMG_3911.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060300151-S2KEI4PGLCKX1AQMQRDN/IMG_3940.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704064715311-V15CHBIZJTS7BE1CQ546/IMG_3959.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060307344-O39JRDWEC1RRJQBWGXZM/IMG_4053.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060315377-PLLVP2KKGPWW2NFLW30X/IMG_3968.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060370526-MDTGJL1GU1N5MW2HDVH9/IMG_5643.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060332041-IFLQ0HZ4BDFEYLV84RKY/IMG_5058.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060328832-YHTMFH4MTSC1AW8FHVMN/IMG_5027.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060341132-MC1SDUUT8QAA4WVYOFLB/IMG_5045.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060342167-P847JTJ9FX3XXFE09JNJ/IMG_5377.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060350043-SF596CQGB53YX9WO7DNV/IMG_5412.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060357404-6BI1MHQ1MP8752TI9Y3Y/IMG_5519.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060389319-EIYEQBKX34P2HNEZ2LRS/IMG_6807.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060396588-6XZ23AUQMNE6VL6GKM2Y/IMG_6911.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1704060407836-BS5S08JV6IV1C508B01A/IMG_7133.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2023 https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies monthly 0.5 2023-10-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1aa2531d-f7ae-4e2a-9e51-d7a77d54f980/Pumpkin+Cookies.jpg Blog - Perfect Pumpkin Cookies These are heavily studded with chocolate chunks as well as my seasonal favorite baking item: Trader Joe’s Caramel Sea Salt Baking Chips. [Note: this is not sponsored in any way! I just love these things and bought 4 bags when they re-appeared on the shelves in September.] When cookies were rapidly disappearing from the tray at a recent gathering and I had to smack some hands to make sure everyone got some, I knew it was time to share the recipe. So here it is! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/strawberry-pretzel-jello monthly 0.5 2023-07-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/21eef120-9641-4cc6-9862-b858c89098fd/Pretzel+Jello.JPG Blog - Strawberry Pretzel Jello A pretzel crust is perfect to layer a sweet mixture of cream cheese and Cool Whip on, and the whole thing is topped with a pound of strawberries and strawberry Jell-O. It’s impossible to take a good photo of this, but it really is so good. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/mexico-city-2022 monthly 0.5 2023-06-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112013232-L0HV1XYZQ2VNGKWBKXWV/IMG_4838.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/4f455486-1893-4def-aa46-43bccdd285d4/IMG_5431_jpg.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City The stretch of beach that Tulum occupies is big-resort free for a simple reason: they don’t fit. The narrow space between sea and protected jungle leaves just enough room for small specialty resorts, a two lane road, and a stretch of small shops and restaurants carved from the jungle. Wilderness takes over from there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/d6326e35-55dc-4359-bb78-37c1edc1dcde/IMG_4918.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City The street side of Casa Cleo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/41ba2e65-0de4-4d47-97df-25a166ab239f/IMG_4946.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City The rooftop pool at Xoma https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/7e3356d0-022a-4c35-9ba1-e4c9f4209643/IMG_4930.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686175212957-ZXGL66VD34UKX07N71XQ/IMG_4984_jpg.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686175306053-M6GNRRBSDRQMTI4V8ZSH/IMG_5139.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686175306846-M94OYQIVHOS69MZQTN56/IMG_5155.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686175310754-9XMPBG9Y6F9GUDDM9XAM/IMG_5400.jpg Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/73a91621-69c3-4d78-8421-5213da9f7cc5/IMG_5190.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686176653792-DM3F06WR8P8AERT7ZLVL/IMG_5170.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686175312950-XKSFNKJ7W9JHBAI8Q3D6/IMG_5402.jpg Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112094381-73I3UTP6SIY7MQXI8MI6/IMG_5207_jpg.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686094917261-39CBOUUE1B6VJNXBBITP/IMG_4906.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City - Alelí https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686094926010-HYFCVCE8E5GSGMLP982Z/IMG_4986.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City - Churrería El Moro https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686094928185-A3VM92G535Y82COJRXS6/IMG_4990.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City - Cariñito https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686094940432-NX5J1L6M8DUFXIUYQODH/IMG_5122.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City - Filigrana https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686094941343-6Z90MCI36ZOEH1VK17UF/IMG_5151.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City - Lardo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686094917515-46WAR5HL0LXVUY6ZEPAA/IMG_4921.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/61f16b42-0408-4b36-80ee-970f6bbc57e2/IMG_5287.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/a7c8fe20-945e-45ba-afd7-3952e442ecc4/IMG_5054.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City The Tulum resorts are picturesque and expensive, which is why we stayed “in town”. But this didn’t mean we couldn’t enjoy those exclusive stretches of beach. Many resorts have a guest policy: you can hang out on their beach if you’ll agree to spend a certain amount on food for the day (400-700 pesos per person, or about $20-$30). We needed to eat anyway! Staffers will come check to see if you need refills or snacks periodically and add them to your tab. Our favorite food was at Ahau, although they reserved the best spots on the beach (cabanas and hammocks) for their guests. Our favorite spot to spend the day was Villas Las Estrellas, which offered unlimited beach access and still had good food. I could have died happily in that shaded hammock. Both resorts were unbelievably picturesque. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112904041-CSJXMII822TKH8ITCY7X/IMG_4809.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112012498-9N7JWP9SH980TG9M3POO/IMG_4815.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112905611-YLFB3SE5P8G4P9RZ3EN0/IMG_4848.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686176013310-1U7MW1PBPU5HLX898JLH/IMG_5318.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686176004593-0ZBSX0LX5XSM3VCATP4E/IMG_5378_jpg.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686176007644-L1MOU5GHYHT1ZL8OOG9I/IMG_5387.jpg Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112081769-A6IRS7DFTBEJY28RG4RK/IMG_5145.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112082380-5HBXJWN6WT8P8R79KPA6/IMG_5142.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112092306-SXW6W8VO96JNKJV1QABK/IMG_5148.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686176251673-535Z574ARUBY2NRPEOG4/IMG_5465.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City - Hidalgo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112127061-UBL05DZQRH380W5O9G9P/IMG_5477.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686176251563-2B5QMPGZNQ950GX51BDB/IMG_5539.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112126975-NF0AWFSXDBVLSM16DZGV/IMG_5556.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686112135796-PHC9YHQ8WPVRKQJIP40G/IMG_5614.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686176261543-LP41NWO9XPYYRMJCLR27/IMG_5579.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686176240103-Q382A6UPJKEQZHOXXQ6I/IMG_5666.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1686176239297-S3CGJFORX8WN079CV762/IMG_5750.JPG Blog - One Week in Mexico City https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/kitchen-renovation-plans monthly 0.5 2023-03-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1679957579438-PFIO3Q4ZXCT6H1HD0CM2/Kitchen%2B2020%2B%25281%2529.jpg Blog - We’re finally renovating the kitchen! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1679957592243-F2JYQH3Y2Q9R9VX6S85W/Kitchen%2B2020%2B%25282%2529.jpg Blog - We’re finally renovating the kitchen! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1679957535959-PDDKRI9RIR6M2W68RYI5/View+from+Kitchen.jpg Blog - We’re finally renovating the kitchen! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/d5c685bf-0a91-43d9-92eb-c611529b2448/View+From+Dining.png Blog - We’re finally renovating the kitchen! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/4bcb0511-c927-4706-9c8d-18c04208b92e/Kitchen+Demo.jpg Blog - We’re finally renovating the kitchen! But then, all of a sudden (well, after two very long days of demo) the kitchen looked like this, and I thought “what would I do in this room if I were starting from scratch?” What I’d drawn up and sent to our cabinet contractor for pricing didn’t feel right once the room was empty. So I changed everything. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/9344c080-bc7c-4189-a8b5-d64d61d6bb84/View+from+Dining+R2.png Blog - We’re finally renovating the kitchen! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/a02f4d86-337d-4c01-a170-241d9ad788f8/Kitchen+Preliminary+Drawings.png Blog - We’re finally renovating the kitchen! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/776e6aa7-4372-4335-934a-ef6724e2e992/before+and+after.png Blog - We’re finally renovating the kitchen! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/2023-connect monthly 0.5 2023-12-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/5eb29876-3718-4408-acfd-77e27c93f2fc/IMG_0060.JPG Blog - 2023: Connect I want to recognize neighbors at the grocery store and know the names of the people we pass when we’re on walks. So this year, I’m both reaching out and saying yes. I want tea times and dinner parties and game nights and picnics. I want brunch with babies and casual stop-ins with potential new friends. 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Gift Guide: For the Homebody - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/how-to-grow-ranunculus monthly 0.5 2025-01-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/26bdacad-dbea-45e5-8af1-7a94a7a73ec6/Spring+Arrangement Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus As with many of spring’s earliest bloomers, ranunculus are stunning by themselves, but they play nice with just about everything. So naturally, when we started planning for our garden, I wanted to grow them for myself. In fact, they were the flower I most wanted to grow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/979c859d-602e-4d21-ab5a-ba4741977411/Ranunculus+Buds Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662265999695-GZPZK7QLHPSUI2RXDE1S/IMG_2276.JPG Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662266020911-QRCOK4F3RL3HPH1R6KE6/IMG_3463.JPG Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662266048792-RQGKZ3RCTKSPAD4B3JRC/IMG_6249.JPG Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662266078185-KQ3078I8YB70RF8BMSKE/IMG_3824.JPG Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662266090720-PE1L2C4TZQ9DDYUYQGFO/IMG_6159.JPG Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662266112741-ESBZ2AOTTPP1VRF8V6LL/IMG_3575.JPG Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662266544534-AIYBFNKT4MR4HKIT4ZCV/IMG_3930.jpg Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662266563188-72LLJN8501H7CON22SRO/IMG_3820.JPG Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662266562879-04ZKE5NGYNSRHK82IZ8W/IMG_3729_jpg.JPG Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662266617476-RP59B67Z878RVQDNZWTN/IMG_3827.JPG Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1662266622876-GU2D9DCJXBD0ZTXXO5YN/IMG_3728.JPG Blog - How I Grow Ranunculus https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/desk-roundup-22 monthly 0.5 2022-08-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/682cba80-7993-4134-8da0-7cb96c7f8650/Desk+Roundup+Writing+Desks Blog - All the Desks I Considered for Our Study - Writing Desks I love a writing desk. Clean, minimizes opportunity for clutter to amass, and generally less expensive than their executive counterparts. Parsons Desk $479 | This little desk is a great price for a classic style and was my second choice! West Elm has a whole collection in this style, and it’s all commercial grade. Sit/Stand Walnut Desk $2,435 | This is such a good looking sit/stand desk, also made by a commercial brand. I love that these ergonomic solutions are more available than ever before Granger Charcoal Oak Desk $699 | Love the grasscloth panels, love the blackened oak, love the hidden outlet for cord management. Madera 71” Desk $879 | This was the winner for our office, largely because of the hidden cord management. My goal for this office is to see as few cables and cords as possible, and this is going to help massively with that! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/b120ee95-542e-4c67-8baa-fd0366b80c64/Decor+Roundups.png Blog - All the Desks I Considered for Our Study - Executive Desks For workspace and storage in one, these desks are gorgeous 5. Quinn Executive Desk $1699 | The fluted drawer fronts! The brass details! The little gap for styling! This didn’t work for our layout, but I wish it had, because I just love it. And commercial grade! 6. Fullerton Modular Desk $1699 | I love the geometries of this one - different enough to be special, but still so functional. I love the marble top! 7. Dolores Cane Desk $1499 | Big fan of the blackened wood with the cane fronts! Such great texture! 8. Parsons Desk $1289 | Nice and simple with so much great storage. Perfect for a more minimalist space. Commercial grade is a bonus. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/plans-for-the-study monthly 0.5 2022-08-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1659403599157-AG55IL51VKR4G8GN213K/6038176141-54456388-large.jpg Blog - What I’m Planning for Our Study https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1659403562030-J9IKZ9E29A6Q81XNXWTN/2020+Study.jpg Blog - What I’m Planning for Our Study https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1658443779977-JJA56SHR585ZWRZ8M2H6/2020%2BStudy%2B%282%29-1.jpg Blog - What I’m Planning for Our Study https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1658445015478-GCGR94ITNNEG33L4883D/Screen+Shot+2022-07-21+at+6.09.03+PM.png Blog - What I’m Planning for Our Study https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1658445004456-P31VZINDPCYUF81OXPRN/Screen+Shot+2022-07-21+at+6.06.42+PM.png Blog - What I’m Planning for Our Study https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1658445013711-F99WKA8J94E8KYGMU11P/061A2623.jpg Blog - What I’m Planning for Our Study https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1658445012618-RBX17684IDVEWNBC2OZQ/23%2BKMR_49_LR.jpg Blog - What I’m Planning for Our Study https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1c2f286f-fecf-46a1-bca1-120c6d338dcc/Room+Layouts+%281%29.jpg Blog - What I’m Planning for Our Study I’ve placed the desk so that we can look out the window while we work. A low credenza with built-in filing will hide all the outlets, the router, and house the box for the Frame TV while also providing a home for our individual work items as we switch off (I get the office Mondays and Wednesdays, Joey gets it Thursdays and Fridays). We’re going to build-in an Ikea system (more on that later if it goes well) for shelving and storage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/435ee7af-8e7b-46fe-be68-da2eac90f414/Moody+Study+Selections Blog - What I’m Planning for Our Study - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/zucchini-mushroom-dill-pasta-bake monthly 0.5 2022-07-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/5f7d4aaa-9c78-4ab7-b4e8-f8a12a831774/zucchini%2C+mushroom%2C+and+dill+pasta Blog - Zucchini, Mushroom + Dill Pasta Bake Reasons I love this recipe: The mushrooms, cooked with onions, are deeply flavorful and bring an added umami so you don’t miss the meat. The zucchini is golden and jammy, and both of these get tossed with some lemon before rejoining the sauce you’ll make (all in the same pan!) If you use balsamic, the sauce is a sweet and tangy bechamel that beautifully coats the noodles and pairs so well with the dill. If you choose to make it with white wine, the dill stands out even more and the sauce is a bit more subtle. I should have chosen just one for simplicity’s sake, but they’re both fantastic and you deserve to know that you have options! Finally: the cheesy, golden top layer of noodles. Is there anything better in the world? I think not. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/403fd800-3e5a-40dc-aced-bb7f70baf244/Zucchini+Pasta+Texture Blog - Zucchini, Mushroom + Dill Pasta Bake - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/guest-house-bath-reno-22 monthly 0.5 2022-06-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/df9debca-68ca-4e4b-a903-5fc92d2c0249/Guest+Bath.jpg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1ac3b12b-fe84-437b-86f9-0296791a44c2/IMG_2379+2.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno The stretch of beach that Tulum occupies is big-resort free for a simple reason: they don’t fit. The narrow space between sea and protected jungle leaves just enough room for small specialty resorts, a two lane road, and a stretch of small shops and restaurants carved from the jungle. Wilderness takes over from there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/ac3d4415-b488-4cef-9d60-e3f71dcd999b/Guest+House+Floor+Plan Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno To get you oriented, let’s start with the general floor plan. As you can see in the photos above, the plumbing to the shower head was free-floating. The reason appears to be that the bathroom was built with just a soaking tub, and someone decided to add shower functionality after the fact. Would you believe me if I told you that this was meant to be a low-intervention project? It was supposed to be easy! Pull up some of the tile, add a plumbing wall, install a pre-fab corner shower, paint the walls, done. But, you see, I’m a designer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/47805f41-b8b5-48e6-b0c3-d6b923aa6dbf/b69494e436386f3dec3e6c8ec1c2490d.jpg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno - Make it stand out Image via Vincent the House https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/c1fcc4ef-fd57-4f7b-82c4-ad0d8daa082d/Clare+Paint+Bathroom Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno Image by Camille Lai via Clare Paint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/12ef155e-66c8-4280-a20a-8d90c41559eb/Guest+House+Bath+Sources+%281%29.png Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno Sources Paint: Sherwin Williams Rock Garden | Single Sconce | Triple Sconce | Robe & Towel Hook | Recessed Medicine Cabinet | Bath Towel | Toilet Paper Holder | Centerset Faucet | Floor Tile At this point, I’d raced way ahead of Joey, who was busy demolishing the bathroom and trying to figure out how to properly frame a plumbing wall properly. The lumber for the framing and the finishing touches all landed in the guest house at the same time, se we had the decorative items stacked in the corner for almost six weeks of the eight-week project. But I couldn’t help myself! (And besides, you never know when things will disappear from stock these days!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648948612522-0DMN5S9O1QMS8Q7J11B8/IMG_2383.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648948613181-9F012OSCILP8QVDFHC3W/IMG_2413.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648948615572-BDHF377RACY99SYLTT1J/IMG_2446.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648948617931-6P9HC012SIK72V5YAG6C/IMG_2588.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648948618303-PXAMYY0LSD5AJ8246IW9/IMG_2590.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648948740626-NHDOWEFPM40XM26Y9D6K/IMG_2635.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648948740565-LRNC47YOAM0NSUVAWTWH/IMG_2669.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648948743321-Z2BTEI9J4HMDAVYCQY09/IMG_2670.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648948743572-04YTIRO5X2EBJ3RG8OD7/IMG_2814.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648948745484-VLTWSYPV9HJDCKLV12J5/IMG_2824.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949283470-5UP5PE2OZC7945WA8RYK/IMG_2993.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949379532-I77KRE88EL2EM601PDEU/IMG_3053.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949378680-52RFDX0GISIAGEVR7EH2/IMG_3054.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949381077-C445MW0WUE820KDU5FAK/IMG_3056.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949382592-APTGXZGU4XGM4NJ2E54J/IMG_3101.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949383989-PRHCHM3DBDRNPX7U1DOK/IMG_3098.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949337307-K0P4WC7LZ11V6MC6A32N/IMG_3103.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949336389-QE0WQL62LA0YHTKKGZ91/IMG_3104.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949339140-N0VUPWTTX4Y3PQY33EKT/IMG_3111.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949341250-UG5LVS2GXCF9S1I97MAH/IMG_3122.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949341468-6HK2O9NHVNIRVNLCD0TG/IMG_3116.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949791548-12T9M9C5MCVWZGWX8OZ1/IMG_3168.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949875421-EL71ETMT2HRUKLHRS1EA/IMG_3165.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949794996-99F1TFV2LFO9D3HPHADG/IMG_3172.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1648949794896-ID78L7QNH080VVN2L5Q6/IMG_3275.jpeg Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/ecd8f114-d476-44a3-91a2-573117305a4c/1.png Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/6274ec72-bbeb-496f-973d-dd1f8cf48356/2.png Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/4c9c6487-a7af-49e6-8221-dac7b43a421b/IMG_3313.JPG Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/cb47732a-70fc-49e0-b77d-0f9bbe70dead/IMG_3255.JPG Blog - The Guest House Bath Reno - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/2022-10-vegetarian-dinners monthly 0.5 2024-01-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/8c6c1c27-fec2-4919-8cba-4d460e92b38a/Coconut+Sweet+Potato+Lentil+Stew1.JPG Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - Alyssa Hakanson | Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup with Rice Obviously I have to include one of mine. I adore this soup for so many reasons: the cozy factor! the spices! the fact that it’s basically a pile of vegetables! There is no better place than soup to hide handfuls of spinach, and the combination of sweet potatoes and lentils is so filling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/e74b1a93-091b-43e4-be88-2e1aa58c9ee5/Creamy-Golden-Rice-with-Spiced-Chickpeas-1.jpeg Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - Half Baked Harvest | Creamy Golden Rice with Spiced Chickpeas We make this dish at least once a month. It’s a Meatless Monday staple, and I think it was how I got Joey into the idea to begin with. Super cozy and again with the sneaky vegetables: there’s a fair amount of spinach in here that no one will ever notice. A few adjustments: I add 1 teaspoon of yellow curry powder to the golden rice to amp up the spices, and I don’t add the extra broth at the end. We frequently double the chickpeas because I like a higher ratio of protein to rice. Finally, she suggests serving with greek yogurt and herbs, but I make a sauce with them: yogurt, mint, cilantro, and lime juice. That brightness absolutely makes the dish sing, so don’t skip it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/b632fbb4-948f-477a-b4a5-4299226c408f/Baked+Farro Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - Smitten Kitchen | Baked Farro with Summer Vegetables Sure, a pile of baked vegetables is better when they’re all summer-fresh, but I can attest that this dish is still perfectly delicious when made in the dead of winter with well-drained canned corn. I add some extra Italian herbs to the tomato sauce and bake it in a 3 quart Pyrex, but other than that I have no notes. It is so damn good. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/8f73784d-406b-47a4-af66-d1a80a3733c8/Vegetarian-Shepherds-Pie-text.jpg Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - Budget Bytes | Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie This is a fun one for a hearty winter dinner since the veggies it uses are all still great in the winter. I did enough tweaking to this one that I may eventually post my own recipe, but here goes: I amped up the spices in the gravy and added: 1 teaspoon each of oregano and cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes Instead of pre-cooking the lentils, I added 1/2 cup of dry lentils and 1 cup water to the broth after the tomato + flour thickened. I simmered on high for 5 minutes then added the peas. They cooked up just fine in the oven. I also made my mashed potatoes right then. I’ll write that up if I ever post this recipe, but you know how to make those, right? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/29b69495-a0b4-493e-b5f5-ce1a2a39e864/Sheet-Pan-Cheesy-Poblano-Corn-Enchiladas-1.jpg Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - Half Baked Harvest | Sheet Pan Cheesy Poblano Corn Enchiladas Another one that’s great in the summer! In this pile of super flavorful vegetable filling, you won’t even notice that there isn’t any meat! But if you’re here in the dead of winter, have no fear: I make these in winter with canned corn. I just drain it very well and don’t roast it on the sheet pan with the rest of the veggies. I add a teaspoon of cumin to the vegetable mixture and I use less salsa in the pan, but otherwise make it as directed (though they never turn out as pretty!) They aren’t amazing left over, so I often make them in batches for the two of us. Once the filling is ready, it’s less than half an hour to enchiladas - the length of time to preheat your oven and bake them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/c0391c3b-9500-4066-9eb3-25eb04c4517c/Squash+Pizza.png Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - Smitten Kitchen | Summer Squash Pizza Pizza this simple has no business being so good. A mass of zucchini and some gruyere turn into something astonishing with very little fussiness. We make this one again and again, and every time one of us remarks “I can’t believe this is so good!” The only thing that might trip you up here for a weeknight dinner is the yeasted dough. You can probably make it ahead and store until you need it, but we’ve also googled yeast-free pizza dough and made it that way a few times. (Or, you know… buy some at the grocery store. That works too.) I like to add 1/2 teaspoon each of adobo and red pepper flakes to the breadcrumbs before they get sprinkled on for a little extra flavor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/03aac179-d9e3-4ec8-80e2-4e162c6f1f13/Vegetarian-Lentil-Chili_4.jpg Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - The Kitchen Girl | Vegetarian Lentil Chili I personally think that this recipe is more of a stew than a chili (this is the gold standard of chili to me), but we make this recipe a lot in winter, and it was actually my introduction to lentils! Over the years I’ve tweaked a lot in this recipe: I use a full onion and more carrots, I use an extra few cloves of garlic, I add mushrooms after the onion and garlic have softened, and I use less chili powder and salt. But it’s simple, so make it your own. Perhaps I’ll get around to posting my version sometime soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/72a4d0f5-f805-416d-a24e-c3e374a3c17f/Squash+Pasta.jpg Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - Smitten Kitchen | Winter Squash and Spinach Pasta Bake This dish is shockingly good, though it’s in the oven pretty long for a weeknight. I make mine in a 9x13 Pyrex and bake 45 minutes covered and then 30 minutes uncovered A few changes: I swap 1/2 cup of the ricotta for 4 oz of goat cheese. I also skip the fontina and use all parmesan. I add 1 teaspoon basil and 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, and I use 6 cloves of garlic instead of 3. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/88eb8b29-efe2-44a5-bc17-6a706670fa48/Creamy-Coconut-Lentil-Curry-680-3.jpg Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - The Endless Meal | Lentil Coconut Curry I love a good curry, and this one is delicious with lots of flavor in a surprisingly limited ingredient list. I sometimes add some curry powder or garam masala, but this is a great starting point for a lentil curry recipe. (Note: for a huge variety of authentic North Indian lentil recipes, check out Manjula’s Kitchen, where she has a whole category just for lentils.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/42300bb8-181a-4f2b-a64c-cea1d9d2af6a/Brussel+Sprout+Tacos.jpg Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - Pinch of Yum | Brussels Sprouts Tacos I made these tacos after I was done writing this blog post, and I came back and bumped another recipe so I could include them. They are O-M-G good. I never would have thought of sprouts as taco filling, but they are brilliant! I used Penzey’s Arizona Dreaming for the taco seasoning (not affiliate, I just love it). Changes to the sauce: all cilantro, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 jalapeño, 2 scallions, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds. It can no longer be described as chimichurri at that point, but it’s better, I promise! Toppings make the taco, so don’t sleep on making pickled red onions (slice thin and cover with a 50/50 mixture of water and white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt). If you can’t find cotija (I never can), use feta! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/e07a85f5-e372-4544-954e-20e4f9eeaee2/Pinterest+Pins+%284%29.png Blog - 10 Meatless Weeknight Dinners - Need to come back later? Pin this image! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/ask-a-designer-furniture-costs monthly 0.5 2022-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/777fcc0a-d0da-49fa-ba3b-94feceabe27c/spacejoy-IH7wPsjwomc-unsplash.jpg Blog - Ask a Designer: Why does furniture cost so much? In general, my rule is this: the more time you spend sitting, lying on, or touching that piece of furniture or decor, the more you should prioritize it in your budget. There are obviously some exceptions, but I think that’s a good starting point. I’m going to talk a little bit more about why this is the case with examples of where I’ve chosen to splurge or save, and I’ll also explain why furniture costs what it does and a few markers of quality so you can browse with more confidence. Ready? Let’s go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/8c3caaeb-fdf2-4eb1-a6f6-5a75f5465d28/minh+pham+via+unsplash Blog - Ask a Designer: Why does furniture cost so much? With soft furniture like sofas and lounge chairs, fabrics, foams, and other filling materials are a cost factor. Upholstered pieces are almost always going to be more expensive than a non-upholstered version; just go look at the dining room chair page of any furniture website. Some sofas use down filling in the cushions, which is a luxury product. Foam is less expensive, but with a caveat: some foam is great, and some foam is not, and there is no way the company is sharing what they’re using in the product description. But you can bet your bottom dollar that if a sofa is shockingly cheap, the foam is one place where they cut costs. Lower quality foam either breaks down more quickly or is incredibly firm to avoid that issue. If you’ve had a sofa that sagged after relatively little use, this is the culprit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/d0b14f62-8b1b-4d11-8ec8-cde68977c531/Furniture+Post+%281%29.png Blog - Ask a Designer: Why does furniture cost so much? These two pieces are very similar in look and size. They’re both about 72” tall and 30” wide. They both have 5 shelves. But one costs almost 3x more than the other. So what’s going on here? The top piece is the Rejuvenation Holgate. The shelves are solid wood, the side rails are steel, and the brackets that hold those two pieces together are actually routed into the wood. (Click through - it’s a beautiful piece of furniture!) The bottom piece is the CB2 Stairway. The shelves are lacquered engineered wood, the side rails are powder-coated aluminum, and the shelves have notches cut into them for the rails to pass through (no photos of the hardware connections). So CB2 saved money with the shelves: they used engineered wood, and they lacquered it, which means they can use lower-quality pieces of wood. And their frame is powder-coated aluminum, which is generally less expensive than steel. Finally, they used a much less expensive method of connecting the two (more on that in a bit) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/20bbd4b4-0d52-40cd-86c0-b35aecfc9b28/sized_C106382_Q4_201027_C1_015_C106382.jpeg Blog - Ask a Designer: Why does furniture cost so much? On two different planes of the shelf, a machine was used to make that shape at the exact thickness of the mounting hardware so that it will sit flush with the wood when it’s assembled. That’s a high-end detail. On the other two, the hardware isn’t shown. The CB2 shelf is aiming for a sleeker look, but the connection is sure to be less finely tuned than this one. (I’m not a hype girl for Rejuvenation, but this is a nice detail!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/288e401b-6e24-4e2e-913b-5403b5cccdb5/Screen+Shot+2022-01-27+at+8.14.46+PM.png Blog - Ask a Designer: Why does furniture cost so much? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/579edce9-eacf-4dc6-b8e4-e19683a01dde/nathan-oakley-UJWFy-5uzS8-unsplash.jpg Blog - Ask a Designer: Why does furniture cost so much? - Make it stand out image by Nathan Oakley via unsplash https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/490278da-32ae-4a2b-a6dd-1204c4c07a03/nathan-oakley-SkOVlcn7Ga4-unsplash.jpg Blog - Ask a Designer: Why does furniture cost so much? - How much is too much? When I “pitched” this idea to my Instagram followers, someone asked me to weigh in on how much is too much to pay for furniture. I think the underlying question there is really this: How do I know when I’m actually paying for quality, and at what point am I being ripped off? The answer to that is complicated. Like I mentioned above, the differences get more subtle as you move up the price range. I’m absolutely certain I’m about to step in it, but here are some off-the-cuff numbers for a variety of pieces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/04d266d8-b3ca-4081-bc2b-0ab85895119c/nathan-oakley-ueJ2oJeEK-U-unsplash.jpg Blog - Ask a Designer: Why does furniture cost so much? - In Conclusion! Furniture is where we live our lives, so it’s important, and I believe it is worth spending our money on. But furniture - and the industry responsible for making it - is complicated, and it’s very understandable that it’s a confusing thing to navigate for consumers. While it’s by no means exhaustive, I hope this primer was useful to help you begin to be able to see quality differences as you shop for your own home. Have any more questions? I’d love to try to answer them in the comments! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/coconut-sweet-potato-soup monthly 0.5 2022-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/8526c2ce-9b4a-4025-8840-c690883a29a4/Coconut+Sweet+Potato+Lentil+Stew1.JPG Blog - Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup with Rice This soup is such a great choice for a night when you want a bowl of something warm, but also healthy and nourishing. Sweet potatoes! Ginger! Curry powder! What’s not to love? I’ll admit that I tend to throw frozen spinach into just about everything (sneaky greens are my favorite greens), but it works so well here. This year I resolved to make 2 vegetarian dinners every week, and this recipe doesn’t even feel like trying. It’s just so good and filling. You won’t miss the meat, I promise. I recently took bowls of this over to some neighbors recovering from Covid, and it was such a hit that I bumped it up in my list of recipes to publish. (Today I’m pretending I have an actual plan for this blog. Ha!) So, without further ado: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/d253f17a-3def-431d-89f5-9bf4653f1188/Pinterest+Pins+%281%29.png Blog - Coconut Sweet Potato Lentil Soup with Rice - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/neocon-2021 monthly 0.5 2022-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633550554108-J40S6HVEUO6RRJRGIF4H/Screen+Shot+2021-10-06+at+3.01.25+PM.png Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633904514747-NTFPLOAAHMDUDA6DWUS6/National_Kimball+%281%29.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Ongoing Trend: Residential Touches No one seems sure what to name this trend; I keep hearing resi-mercial (residential + commercial), and that portmanteau makes me cringe every time. But regardless of what we’re calling it, commercial spaces are increasingly channeling the home. Commercial furniture is built differently than residential furniture; it took the furniture brands a few years to really get this figured out, but they’re now officially nailing it. More pillows, more rugs, softer lines, overstuffed profiles, lounge-y lobby pieces, and all made to withstand heavy use. I think this is a trend that will be with us for awhile, especially in the wake of many of us ditching the office for two years. Pictured here: National Office Furniture https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633905071518-YGS46SFB54590ILRYW6C/Hightower Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Title Hightower: Everything in this shot could be in your house. Commercial-grade guest chairs are famously blocky, but these could even work as a dining chair. That conference table looks like a dining table. You get it. The drapery is hiding storage, which I also really love. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633905460007-BT8E97GPPMMVIBLKLXJA/Screen+Shot+2021-10-10+at+5.37.20+PM.png Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Make it stand out OFS: A lot of their showroom felt residential, but I was especially interested in this little gallery wall, which shows how the art and accessories that finish out the space are now also really inspired by residential design. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633905815998-UZA53BM86UCXWMZQMWOD/_media_43_973_17440_m.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Title Muuto: This is a bit of a cheat, because Muuto explicitly pitches itself as residential-commercial, but as a designer who has been tugging her conference rooms toward a vibe like this, I love to see meeting rooms feel more like conversation spaces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633906470580-E4P9NZIDAINOKIAN6ET3/Three+H.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Ongoing Trend: Biophilia This trend is working its way though all our lives, showing up in fashion, “plant parent” instagram accounts, and yes, commercial interiors! For awhile there, it was pretty abstract - a carpet manufacturer would say “see, it looks like the shadows through a tree!” or furniture vendors would make cute planters that went between the workstations. But it’s starting to take a bolder turn, and I am extremely into it. So many showrooms had botanical fabrics and wallcovering on display. Some were moody and a touch masculine (like this one at Three H), some gentle, some vintage, some tropical. The overarching theme: there’s a botanical for every space. As a certified plant lover, I’m incredibly on board with this turn in the trend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633908467931-SEKU2WTUGCP23TSNH186/Momentum.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Momentum: I love this bold, jungle-inspired wallcovering. It’s monotone, which makes it feel a bit more calm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633908390236-TMVEBTUS9R0LWTCTU42V/Hightower Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Hightower: their furniture is pretty modern, but the finishes in their showroom gave everything a vintage cast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/70e9327b-9f3b-4472-9c1a-ef35a84cc6fa/Screen+Shot+2021-11-17+at+11.01.38+PM.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Slalom: this acoustic furniture piece is so fun. Taking the trend sculptural is something pretty unique. Currently trying to find a project to use this one in! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/d17b326b-228a-4fd5-932e-5c861afdcd53/NeoCon-21-27.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Emerging Trend: Evidence of the Hand I’m borrowing this phrase from design school, and it basically means that people want to feel like a human hand made their things. We’re seeing this a lot in jewelry and home goods right now, and I saw it in lots of showrooms. Here, Interwoven (a healthcare furniture company) hired an artist to install this fabulous hanging. Elsewhere I noticed furniture with exposed plywood edges. Rugs are feeling more textural and vintage. My current favorite LVT has a hand-planed look. I spotted new textiles that are cross-stitched and quilted. Commercial design is made to withstand many thousands of visitors passing through. Sometimes this results in sterile environments as facilities teams push for things that won’t show wear. But now we’re trying to get the best of all worlds - warmth, fun “imperfections,” the quirkiness of vintage and handmade things https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/60e3c898-309e-4521-aaf1-1a1a423ec15b/Maharam.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting Maharam: The textiles they were showing have a cross-stitch feel, block-printed patterns, etc. Very granny chic, and a definite nod to crafts https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/ec4c16b4-9825-4aeb-900c-822b37161eca/Hightower-NeoCon-2021-Chicago-Showroom-1.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting Hightower: What I’ve got my eye on here is the art + accessories: knots and knits that add a little bit of quirk to an otherwise corporate space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/35e7a48a-6c7a-4b64-9a6b-9b472ed1655d/Screen+Shot+2022-02-18+at+9.40.24+PM.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting Ethnicraft: Honing in on the chairs specifically, which have a hand-carved look. A bit imperfect, and that’s the charm! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/eda13eed-25ea-4a1b-ab28-0bb098a0e2aa/Haworth.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Emerging Trend: Green Green Green! So many of the trend-forward spaces were either pink/terracotta (see Hightower above and OFS below) or green. I’m guessing that green will win out in the corporate sector, and orange and pinks will continue to gain traction in spaces that can go more boho and quirky. But they’re actually complimentary, and lots of spaces are featuring both! This Haworth pergola area in the lobby of the Mart is a great example (I camped here for a few hours to catch up on work before my flight. It was great!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/7083ae80-8404-4812-8217-cae24fb750f8/IMG_0231_jpg.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Make it stand out Kimball: I love this smoky green wall color. The design team kept the rest of the space pretty neutral (including all of the upholstered pieces), which is a much safer option in terms of catching a trend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/c75886b1-6b98-4aab-9309-e1c5469e21d2/IMG_0388+%281%29.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Make it stand out Watson: I wish I could find a better photo of this furniture system, which is very cool in the green! Such a great monochromatic approach by using varying shades in the same color family. And again, a less saturated green, which makes it into more of a neutral! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/ef747381-b08c-4705-955c-9f28265b4b41/IMG_0253.JPG Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Emerging Trend: Masculine + Feminine Best for last, in my opinion, as mixing masculine and feminine elements is one of my favorite things to do! Notice the feminine touches - wallpaper, soft rugs, gentle veining in that stone- juxtaposed with the more masculine leather sofa. This is a corporate vignette, and femininity has traditionally not been a welcome design element in this environment. I love to see this developing! But this OFS space actually ties most of these trends together! Wallpaper: biophilic, feminine, and residential. Moulding/Rug/pillows: residential. Green paint! I could probably argue that the seam detail on the sofa is evidence of hand, but I won’t push this too far. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/71846de0-82cf-40c9-9a75-a1a132f07f95/NeoCon-21-34.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Make it stand out Kimball: floral art + shearling ottomans meet a plaid pillow and more angular shelving unit. I love this little nook. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1388733b-c8d6-44ff-ac4d-4fbfe855a806/IMG_0267.JPG Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Make it stand out Arc-Com: These patterns are all part of the same collection. Menswear meets florals. I am, predictably, very into it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/c5ea8e13-0c9a-461a-a455-90e346aa2549/IMG_0242.JPG Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting - Make it stand out OFS: Menswear inspired pattern and sofa profile, but in feminine colors! As an aside, menswear-inspired textiles are very much an emerging trend as well! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/9e0b5325-b8ce-4b65-88f7-c322b4457f08/IMG_6462+%281%29.jpg Blog - Neocon 2021: Trend Spotting To wrap this up, here is the only photo I have of myself at Neocon (menswear! green phone case!) Three days, many miles of walking, dozens of vendors, and 250 photos. I may be 4 months late, but I think I’m right. I had an absolute blast (not pictured: the amazing food after we wrapped for the day and the chance to be around people again). It’s a bit of cliché to say that design is my passion, but it absolutely is! If you’re a designer, I’d love to hear if you think I’m on the money with these trends, and if you’re not, I’d love to know what you think in general! I’ll meet you in the comments! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/cheddar-asiago-chive-scones monthly 0.5 2022-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/00bfd589-7e64-4156-98b9-da6ce2369b89/Cheddar+Chive+Scones.jpg Blog - Cheddar, Asiago, & Chive Scones This recipe came to me as I considered the best way to use the extra cheese sitting in the fridge after I made my cheesy broccoli casserole. I’m not sure there’s a better way to dispose of spare cheese than these scones, my friends. They are towering and savory, perfect all on their own or with a runny egg and some bacon. If you don’t have asiago on hand, feel free to sub in parmesan or use all cheddar. You could also add in some garlic powder to get awfully close to a breakfast version of Red Lobster’s biscuits. I’ve get to get a perfect wedge like a bakery scone, but no matter. I love how craggy and rustic they look. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/chicken-enchilada-soup monthly 0.5 2022-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/3f6d30b5-b618-4e65-9bf4-3826664a6c28/Chicken+Enchilada+Soup1.JPG Blog - Chicken Enchilada Soup In addition to upping the seasonings, I’ve added rice, which I love in a soup. Just a little bit makes the dish more filling, and that’s always a plus when soup is your whole meal. Bonus: this soup even better the next day, though it does thicken up because the rice continues to absorb liquid. You could add a bit more broth when reheating, but I never do. One last note: don’t skip the Greek yogurt (or sour cream) when serving - that creaminess swirled in at the end is excellent https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/976f0198-acd8-469e-bd7c-dc732a9734b2/Pinterest+Pins.png Blog - Chicken Enchilada Soup https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/10-best-books-2021 monthly 0.5 2022-01-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/376ea84c-7d4d-456e-b4d5-c01e781d1fba/Piranesi.jpeg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - Piranesi | Susanna Clarke It’s a shame that you can only experience a book like this for the first time once. And that’s exactly how I feel about it, because it’s so charmingly bizarre and haunting, unspooling on the page until the surreal world clicks into place and you gasp “ohhhh” right at the page. It’s technically fantasy, because it’s otherworldly. But get your ideas about fantasy out of your mind. I love fantasy, but it’s not that. I won’t spoil it for you, but I will highly recommend it. I’ve never read anything like this book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/90d1bd27-eeed-4746-a7c4-b90f65e27c5d/midnight+library.jpeg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - The Midnight Library | Matt Haig This book tapped into a very specific neurosis of mine, which is my near-constant rumination on all the lives I have not lived. A woman tries to kill herself. In that liminal space between life and death, she experiences the infinite paths not taken. What if she’d stuck to swimming? What if she’d married that man she dumped? What if she hadn’t gotten a cat? Wait, is she on anti-depressants in every version of her life? Beautiful, poignant, and (for me) occasionally painful. I loved it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/4889150c-2de2-4aca-ba6d-1be658663b0b/Anxious+People Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - Anxious People | Fredrik Backman I could not put this book down and found myself reading it late into the night (on my Kindle! In the dark!) Someone robs a cashless bank in Sweden. That someone realizes their mistake, runs, and ends up holding an apartment of home buyers hostage. It’s a great plot premise, but it’s really just the backdrop for layers of character studies stacked on top of each other. I loved the dark humor and the reflections on human connection. I will also admit to teary eyes in the final few chapters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/f57806d1-ca48-44ed-b599-fb7c28c47377/shadow+and+bone.jpeg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - Shadow and Bone Trilogy | Leigh Bardugo Okay, here’s a bit of fantasy! You may have seen this series premier on Netflix this year, and I’m here to remind you that books are nearly always better than the movie tv show. I couldn’t put this series down! I read all three books as fast as my library would give them to me. I loved living in this world for a little while. It was fun to read fantasy that seemed more informed by Russia than Britain, more steampunk than medieval. I also loved that the series has real stakes; it reaches a satisfying ending that isn’t necessarily happily-ever-after. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/4ed21f14-cfad-46a5-9462-c6bf1cf5aa20/Klara+and+the+Sun.jpeg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - Klara and The Sun | Kazuo Ishiguro What a strange and charming book. It’s technically sci-fi, as it takes place in a near-future where an embodied artificial intelligence can be purchased as a friend for a child. But it’s so focused on the interior life of the AI that those futuristic elements feel like background noise. It’s a really special story, interrogating what it means to be human while walking a fine line between futuristic and dystopian https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/f3ce247a-3ddd-42bf-882f-8f44bbe10ead/The+Vanishing+Half.jpeg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - The Vanishing Half | Brit Bennett Black twin sisters are born in the segregated South, their skin light enough that they can pass for white. What happens when one of them decides to? This book has such wonderfully complicated characters and a real thoughtfulness to the way past impacts future, the way our decisions spin out in unexpected ways. One of those books that made me wish for a book club, because there’s a lot to talk about here! It’s got real depth, but it’s also so compellingly written that I couldn’t put it down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/d1bf84b2-4372-4c39-b6dc-d409cf82e7df/Dune.jpeg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - Dune | Frank Herbert It had been several years since I first read Dune, and I re-read it this fall in anticipation of the new movie (which is excellent, by the way). I hadn’t realized the first time around that it pre-dated Star Wars and was the first sci-fi bestseller. Herbert was well ahead of his time in the way he was thinking about everything from ecology to heroes. At its core, most of the book is about a mother-son journey, and I can’t think of another one of those I’ve read! The series gets a little weird in the later books; this first one is by far the strongest. It’s worth a read even if you don’t want to continue on with the series. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/bd6141cd-e919-46b5-9413-7dc653e12b29/Court+of+Thorns+and+Roses.jpeg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - A Court of Thorns and Roses Series | Sarah J. Mass I loved magic and fantasy as a young adult, and it was fun to dive back into it this year. This series - a little bit Beauty and the Beast, a little bit Hades and Persephone (but fiercer and more violent than either) got my full attention this month. Great writing, great plot twists, totally worth your time. But a note for the parents: there is definitely some 18+ content, especially in the later books. A tv series is supposedly coming to Hulu in the near-ish future. Lucky for them, I’ve cast the whole thing in my head. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/10a017bc-b368-4718-9bb7-1c4098a17e58/The+Invisible+Life+of+Addie+Larue.jpeg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue | V.E. Schwab A French woman in the eighteenth century flees her own wedding and makes a desperate wish. Her wish is heard and granted by an old and cruel god. She will live forever, but she will never be remembered, cursed to be forgotten as soon as she leaves the room, never able to leave a mark. Centuries pass. She lives, sometimes thrives, makes do, learns the contours of her curse. And then someone remembers her. The pacing struggles a bit, but this book is beautifully written. It’s not quite as deep as it thinks it is, but I still had a great time reading it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/4f951045-ea4d-4d43-95e3-9ed33f799bdc/Jesus+and+John+Wayne.jpeg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation | Kristin Kobes Du Mez Du Mez is a professor of history, and this book tracing the “Moral Majority” from its conception to its current status as the base of the Trump party is careful and thorough (but not boring, I promise). For me, it was a somewhat painful read. I was a church kid in the aughts, raised in the culture wars. As I read, I began to feel like I’d been a pawn in something that began long before I was born. I’ve watched the slow motion demolition of my faith community over the last few years and grieved it deeply. (I wrote about it here, Joey added some thoughts here, and there’s more to come later.) I’ve been at a bit of a loss, so reading a book that connects the dots into a larger historical trend was so helpful for me. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/beautiful-moments-2021 monthly 0.5 2022-12-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880252320-ATIS3BHB92PTEWN1QFT2/IMG_5486.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880256831-U1YGHULK0MY94M3253NU/IMG_5160.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880164994-K4VWEXUJ51TO35JT6M04/Snapseed%282%29.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880250381-7DHH3SSNAWJ7XF5IJ5C4/IMG_5585.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880263159-YYWUFAU228XJD5FAO5P8/IMG_5627.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880228747-ZN8ERCPTFALR1TD8UW43/IMG_5696.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880229107-BC9LOA79T2OAL8Q4PTHM/IMG_5756.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880242794-05GJYR8O2NMZRUHGQ607/IMG_5709.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880431534-GH9QFKWCEGKQWULTSW0H/IMG_5764.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880218604-IHRT7R5OYT51L3B2Y03P/IMG_5806.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880213061-DB1G8HASG9I1BWNCX81X/IMG_6334_jpg.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880169033-KBKI4ERD5ACUM390DEN6/Snapseed%281%29.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880208282-EUWGHJU9VP6MEP8BXTTV/IMG_6854_jpg.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880307170-NX0WZUFISVY2OS8GLZ45/61F4E4E9-EC13-441D-8E2E-7F59471082CB.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880181957-R6UL4RD1XB5EAOBH0APW/IMG_7706.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880188910-QN87V7OP2JIYX5Z5YQ0X/IMG_7818_jpg.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880715809-8HOM0PYMHNCLJMOHOTNT/IMG_7191.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880182316-ZXGVHHLDSWN9VLDIG5RY/IMG_8351.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880767699-XVG0W35TV7G6ER3ODGOT/IMG_9045.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640881050055-ITRSZMSI5V0U3RGHO87R/IMG_8413.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880157916-DYGQWG5OT71KWW3WZSVF/IMG_9969.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880161567-C7RUWK6XR0YAT5UI68P5/IMG_9994.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880917048-EMBUD56E02ORAKN4I1RB/IMG_0496.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880318817-GZSDD6FA4V6EQV2RX6SO/IMG_0511.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880291969-U6G58SMM5DD8RMGIEKTD/IMG_0903.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880292600-1OUKQ383CTL3JMNK4WRU/IMG_1299.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880304626-7Z7JQAVBJYISAVCIO944/IMG_1360.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880268945-ROVNVRDH3UJPDIL1GHCN/IMG_1741.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880278182-LEDWSU1TI6J0NW9SX006/IMG_1688.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1640880270016-XYRA4GIG29GDVNT3APW7/IMG_1743.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2021 https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/taco-bake monthly 0.5 2024-10-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/ef397273-0e4b-40ce-97da-01325174bda1/Taco+Bake.jpg Blog - Taco Bake I’m not sure of the origins of this dish. I just know that it appeared on the table throughout my childhood, albeit a touch more simply prepared: my mom emptied a packet of taco seasoning over ground beef before adding the rest of the ingredients. If you want to do that here, I won’t stop you. (But I will say that my seasoning blend is much better. Okay, I’m finished.) It’s not a beautiful dinner, but it’s delicious. It also keeps fairly well for a day or two in the fridge should you have leftovers. Enjoy! PS if you just want a classic chili, might I recommend this award-winning chili recipe? https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/gift-guide-2021 monthly 0.5 2022-11-21 https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/everything-on-my-shelf-2021 monthly 0.5 2021-11-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1632859183445-JOWNAMP0EHM76R8QVKSK/Medicine+Cabinet+2110.JPG Blog - Every Product on my shelf right now It’s no secret that I’m product-obsessed. My lineup of skin care is held in check only by the force of my relentless hatred for clutter and wasted Last year, as part of my never-ending quest to simplify (and reduce my own waste), I nixed the subscription beauty boxes and reevaluated my skincare routine. I generally limit myself to what will fit in this medicine cabinet. It’s a pretty great lineup with some real star players, so I thought I’d share. Quick note on skin type: mine is combination and acne prone, so I aim for products that deeply moisturize but won’t break me out. My hair care routine is simple, because I’m lazy; I just keep my fine hair tamed and the dry shampoo within easy reach. Okay, this is going to be long, so let’s get started! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/thai-red-curry-sweet-potatoes monthly 0.5 2022-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1632856913535-KKQZCH1NHWDD5AGODP8D/Thai+Red+Curry.JPG Blog - Thai Red Curry and Sweet Potatoes Spice level will vary depending on what curry paste you use, but I don’t consider this to be a spicy dish. It’s very fragrant - Thai red curry paste is made with lemongrass, kefir lime, garlic, and ginger along with other ingredients - but it’s not necessarily hot. Don’t skip the fish sauce! It adds a really important umami depth to the curry. It’s also salty, so adjust accordingly. You can always find it at an Asian grocery store, but in the last few years, I’ve been able to find the Thai Kitchen version everywhere from Publix to Target. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/spooky-not-scary-2021 monthly 0.5 2021-10-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633970169609-M88THVRV8I5SQFQLR2V5/Midnight+Mass Blog - 10 Spooky-not-Scary Things to Watch This Fall - Midnight Mass (Netflix) This is truly a horror, but if I could get through it with just a few peering-through-my-fingers moments, you can too! There are a few jump-scares in the first few episodes, but they’re all very predictable. This mini-series (7 episodes) is about a small island town, the Catholic church, addiction, the force of community for good or evil, and the nature of death. It’s heavy stuff, but the show really feels like it’s wrestling with these things rather than making pronouncements. There’s lots to discuss once the final credits quietly close, and to me that made it worth the few shrieks (again, I am a baby about this stuff). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633970462474-Y2FEFT2AM3XF77NZ8INU/Over+the+Garden+Wall Blog - 10 Spooky-not-Scary Things to Watch This Fall - Over the Garden Wall (Hulu) This was Cartoon Network’s first animated mini series, and it’s both charming and creepy. It’s a show that really feels like fall: the animation is quirky, and the music is vaguely folksy. There is a strong fairytale atmosphere in a very good way - don’t ask why the kid has a tea kettle on his head or how the pumpkin people exist. Just take it in. The episodes are only 12 minutes long, so the show in its entirety is about 2 hours long. Those bite-sized episodes would be good for kids who can’t sit still, but nothing here feels too cutesy for adults either. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633970902981-JZPEX5DMEK9NVOOH5SLR/Nightmare Blog - 10 Spooky-not-Scary Things to Watch This Fall - The Nightmare Before Christmas (Disney+) I can’t really get a handle on if this delightfully creepy movie is as widely loved by others as it is by me, but I adore it. It’s weird and ridiculous - the king of Halloween is bored of scary and wanders over to Christmas land and thinks “that looks fun!” and, well, you’ll see. The vague creepiness of stop motion animation is so well suited to Tim Burton’s aesthetic, and the music is also very fun. There’s just so much to love, and I try to watch this one every year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633974748009-OO9DIT5K1RFWOXO2Q1BB/Unfortunate+Events Blog - 10 Spooky-not-Scary Things to Watch This Fall - A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix) This was one of my favorite book series as a kid, and I was thrilled to see Netflix pick it up for adaption. A trio of orphans continually dodge and thwart a cartoonish villain who dons a multitude of transparent disguises as he tries to get his hands on their fortune. The adults surrounding them are no help whatsoever. The Netflix version is pretty true to the books’ plot from what I remember, but what it really nails is the tone, which is vaguely absurd and mildly menacing all the way through. There are 3 seasons on Netflix which manages to (quickly) make it through all 13 books in the series. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633975600933-6PNNNVRJ1RP1FUQ7Z1JO/Pan%27s+Labyrinth Blog - 10 Spooky-not-Scary Things to Watch This Fall - Pan’s Labyrinth (Netflix) This movie almost crosses the line into “too weird” for me, but my husband loves it, and it certainly qualifies as spooky. This Guillermo del Toro film is in Spanish and is a fairy tale in many senses: weird creatures, mystical realms, sadistic villains, virtuous heroine. In a media realm where so many things are spin-offs and sequels, this movie still feels very singular and imaginative. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633971471948-LI2G1KI1XLOB7K2SUVV9/Coraline Blog - 10 Spooky-not-Scary Things to Watch This Fall - Coraline (Prime Video, Apple TV - paid) This is a genuinely unsettling and bizarre movie, but that’s what makes it great! A girl is exploring her spooky new house and finds a doorway into an alternate world where this an “other” version of the people in her life. It’s all creepy fun and games until they try to keep her forever. This is the best kind of spooky-not-scary; it won’t give you nightmares, but you’ll definitely be holding onto memories of those button-eyed weirdos long after you’ve finished watching. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1634091799568-7G4F0SSMG6LE2QOQCT2H/only+murders.jpeg Blog - 10 Spooky-not-Scary Things to Watch This Fall - Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) In this Hulu original, three residents of a building in New York City investigate a murder of one of their neighbors with the aim of producing the next big true crime podcast. This show is honestly a pretty smart skewering of the genre. It’s wry and smart and really well done. I also love their approach to the age difference in the cast, which is to poke fun but not weaponize generational differences. In one episode, Martin’s character wonders if he should text or call Mabel, played by Selena Gomez. Short’s character says “… they don’t like phone calls” in a gentle, baffled tone. My husband and I (both about Gomez’s age) lost it. Funny but mildly ominous. We loved it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633977807357-V1C9HIOEUMF0S64DDTHZ/511JEPNGDNL.jpg Blog - 10 Spooky-not-Scary Things to Watch This Fall - Edward Scissorhands (Hulu) Another Tim Burton, because no one does spook-not-scary like he does. This one is a little bit sweet and stars the creepy king and queen of the 90’s: Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder. In this movie, a partially-constructed Edward (with, yes, scissors for hands) is discovered by a suburban woman and taken in. What follows is housewife gossip, satanist hysteria, suburban montages, and moody teens pining for each other. It’s such a Tim Burton thing to have this creepy character be so sad and gentle, and this is a weird little fairy tale that I did not realize got Depp a Golden Globe nomination! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1633976240732-5DUQNPQ8LDQKC4U2FKWC/Hocus+Pocus Blog - 10 Spooky-not-Scary Things to Watch This Fall - Hocus Pocus (Disney+) I think of the 90s movies I watch from pure nostalgia, this one is the most decent. Witches vs adults, parent-free shenanigans, our perpetual fascination with Salem, Massachusetts. It’s all there. Is it good? Not really, but it’s not bad either. It played every year on Disney Channel through my entire childhood (entire! it’s a year older than I am), so here I stand. Joey and I watched it last year while we handed out candy, and it made for a nice family-friendly backdrop to the evening. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1634092665461-CVBPLVGWJDQ8Z1X5ZFO7/Mindhunter.jpeg Blog - 10 Spooky-not-Scary Things to Watch This Fall - Mindhunter (Netflix) This Netflix psychological thriller about the creation of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit in the 70’s is dark. But that’s what makes it good for spooky season! It’s very disturbing, but not scary. There are two seasons, and unfortunately it seems Netflix is leaving us hanging, but it’s still worth the watch. It’s not about solving the murders, but understanding the murderers. And since it’s technically based on true events, the show features “real” serial killers, and they really nailed the casting and acting for those. The acting, sets, details, and pacing are all phenomenal. It was getting a lot of buzz as one of Netflix’s best dramas, and that was all deserved. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/for-further-reading-sept2021 monthly 0.5 2021-10-01 https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/not-a-decorator monthly 0.5 2024-09-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1621021237767-S20X7AW7SJXQT7T64O55/Not+a+Decorator Blog - Not a Decorator! - Make it stand out image from Not a Decorator https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1621021971142-ORNJ87RPPKDDKESC09UL/Interior+Design+v+Architecture Blog - Not a Decorator! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/9-things-bought-and-loved-july21 monthly 0.5 2021-11-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626043622354-R282T2TYTEH8WJPZ72UI/Swimsuit.jpeg Blog - 9 Things I Bought & Loved Lately - Title Description https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626044468205-HDUDP74B0195ZBKPIDR1/Water+Shoes Blog - 9 Things I Bought & Loved Lately https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626044886484-RUIQ5T7IAV1Y09U4KBV4/Screen+Shot+2021-07-11+at+6.04.28+PM.png Blog - 9 Things I Bought & Loved Lately https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626044219013-YJSQ928EY4R33U5C7AAQ/Offline+Legging.jpeg Blog - 9 Things I Bought & Loved Lately https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626047889770-3CSVJCPG7Y4L59EB81PQ/Screen+Shot+2021-07-11+at+6.09.45+PM.png Blog - 9 Things I Bought & Loved Lately https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626047902006-TATMY8FTXC3CLFIDPE9P/Casaluna+Candle Blog - 9 Things I Bought & Loved Lately https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626043716488-LT60W7UGMZ729B0IXHBA/Neogen.jpeg Blog - 9 Things I Bought & Loved Lately - Title Description https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626043740757-U1UPQGROVJMAT4AXL4X2/Planter.jpeg Blog - 9 Things I Bought & Loved Lately - Title Description https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626044913666-VJGLPJC2D69FW36G4C95/Closest+Box.jpeg Blog - 9 Things I Bought & Loved Lately https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/st-martin monthly 0.5 2025-07-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1625427944516-DILI2CDISCHZQIBZTJWR/IMG_7943.jpg Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island - Make it stand out Grand Case Beach Club https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626040360857-C6KKZMBBLH373N1N6SQS/Sunset Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island - Make it stand out Sunset in Grand Case https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1625434897732-F5OKWJ5Y8LUVWO25WXRU/IMG_7468.jpg Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island - Make it stand out Philipsburg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626040440251-31SPD6F157QT5OS2RDAE/Bananaquit Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island - Make it stand out Pinel Island (Ilet Pinel) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1625425581246-0YBZTRUEBGH1MO9PYUJ1/St.+Martin+Airbnb Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island - Where to stay: The first choice to make is whether you’d like to be on the French side or the Dutch. We wanted to be in a quieter area with easy access to the best restaurants, so we stayed in Grand Case on the French side. This is the Airbnb we booked, and my review is on there if you want to see my thoughts. Here’s the list of properties we considered. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626039238870-952TAYZMOP9PRH31C1D6/IMG_7254_jpg.jpg Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island - Make it stand out Orient Bay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1625433696099-F14S80GW79VZ6M6YLTC7/IMG_7307.jpg Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island - Make it stand out Rainbow Cafe https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1625427136674-S6IZ6YLGIDE1HQ80I9ZE/IMG_7228.jpg Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island - Make it stand out Kontiki: Curry Shrimp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1625427081577-XAYQJ5SSEX0C8PTBUIPO/IMG_7324.jpg Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island - Make it stand out Rainbow Cafe: Caribbean Salad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626023031585-QC5AVT5RBJNRPWXB198C/Rainbow Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island Rainbow Beach https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1625434323198-517JCFY24VHYU2VRT88U/IMG_7706.jpg Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island Random Winds Paradise Day Sail https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1625434378155-EXYMXENTUTE8O3WM0XF3/IMG_7818_jpg.jpg Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island Random Winds - anchored in Mullet Bay https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1625434802435-NBLW62UC2N5FVTIGWEBW/IMG_8249.JPG Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1625434902345-45D9WK0OZLT7GWI19K0T/IMG_8246.jpg Blog - St. Martin: The Friendly (Foodie) Island - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/chocolate-chip-cookies monthly 0.5 2021-12-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1626016378278-IY8SZEL3U2ZV1WVAMA8N/Chocolate+Chip+Cookies.jpg Blog - The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies The key to one-bowl baking recipes is to understand why you normally need two bowls: to make sure you evenly distribute the rising agent (in this recipe it’s baking soda). But here we mix the baking soda directly into the puddle of butter and brown sugar to ensure it’s evenly distributed before we add the flour. This method hasn’t failed me yet. (I also used it to make my chai sugar cookies one-bowl) And the secret to just a spoon for mixing? We melt the butter instead of creaming it with the sugar. You’d think it would compromise the texture of the cookie, but it doesn’t. There you have it: one bowl, and no mixers to clean. You can be eating these in less than an hour and have hardly any dishes to do. Let’s get to it! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/miso-ramen monthly 0.5 2021-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1620001459787-1LJ608B6WMFBIZAUKVAS/Miso+Ramen Blog - Miso Ramen We’ve also topped this ramen with carnitas rather than chicken, with excellent results. Carnitas are pictured here. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/garden-march-2021 monthly 0.5 2021-11-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1617419634501-F58O4H3DIAFS7J1U9HLY/File_000.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1617419454044-5C43I73IO9X09K10VKP1/File_001.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1617419892459-8QTVX08SZBFJVBU0GG9H/File_002.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth In the next few weeks, my seedlings will start to be planted out. Our zone’s average last frost date is April 3, and we’re right on target for that this year. In March, we finished preparing for spring. Our seedlings were growing indoors, our beds received their spring compost, and our yard is finally relatively tidy. We’ve been spending as much time outside as we can before the heat sets in. We take our weekend meals on the deck when it’s warm enough, and I sometimes save up my emails so I can spend an hour outside, wiping pollen off my screen and enjoying the sunshine and birdsongs. (Sources: table, chairs, basket, liner) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860723209-X4VI4VFKRI2EAHNX71PJ/Ranunclulus-Champagne_V3A5560-2_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860836054-VTE1ORDE6UDLM1G68KUK/Anemone-GalileeBlackandWhite_V3A5701-2_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1617423672347-0H1H8DOXZP5A33RUH6RS/Stock+Apricot+copy.jpg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1617421937269-YKV5F700NQQ2M6LVQ2WS/Bells+of+Ireland.jpg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861355859-P23BR72ECMHC48CR4A2M/Chantilly_Light_Salmon_Floret-3_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1617421928849-2698N50JL27G2DLO1VVA/Iceland+Poppy+Sherbet+Mix.jpg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860591072-PA5WP54JP0OGHP0EYIZ4/b801e76b100ed44ae2766c068d101ce9.jpg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1617421932153-DDOMZT7NZO5WP3THRF13/Peony+Coral+Charm.jpg Blog - In the Garden: First Growth https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/the-lost-year monthly 0.5 2021-03-10 https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/starting-seeds monthly 0.5 2021-11-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614660506020-XUBFLE1041GQCGEXB0T3/IMG_4728.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds The setup before the mess began - I have my planting calendars and notes about each variety taped to the wall https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614660512723-R9PMUBOSIS6ZWGOFNP9P/IMG_4749.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds Lights on! They are very pink https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614660532661-TXDB07S9B9BPWIR46GM6/IMG_4737.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds A few varieties I planted. Floret’s packaging is so beautiful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614661133455-DBPY9I712UIW5EO0PCBJ/IMG_4741.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds My seed storage - alphabetically by species https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614661239953-E0VF8UOGR1ALL8JA0N1R/Screen+Shot+2021-03-01+at+11.00.33+PM.png Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds My planting calendar for the garden, January - June https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614661011399-DWFD1KPYN76YUD34Q373/IMG_5404.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds One page of notes, February 28. I’m tracking the growth of the seedlings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614663327614-8JBPZXZ6HPRBJPY1C15D/9EC43C30-FC09-4E87-9A1C-DFDE5D625B46.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds Ranunculus - I started these indoors just to see what would happen. They outgrew the tiny tray pretty fast while we were waiting for the winter weather to pass. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614663550123-OIENY81NEUSNMMY4S7TI/IMG_5327+2.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds Dahlias - 3 days after planting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614663331754-YFD4536PJ5PVC451CF5L/IMG_5346.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds Dahlias - 4 days after planting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614663555106-MT4FZPLVPN4YTFJUTH01/63553796997__4B26DE8C-7ABF-4EC8-8552-AB3A906D8F4F.fullsizerender+2.jpeg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds A mix of snapdragons, china asters, and more. Ranunculus at the back waiting to go into the ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860591072-PA5WP54JP0OGHP0EYIZ4/b801e76b100ed44ae2766c068d101ce9.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861415722-2DFQGSNMCY8J7K5LGN0P/Sutton_s_Pam_Floret_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860723209-X4VI4VFKRI2EAHNX71PJ/Ranunclulus-Champagne_V3A5560-2_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860936181-CAWVSG2VO9JWL4U1NAVO/MotherOfPearl0357_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861155894-ID3UK00H3DYWVHSZRO33/Texas_Plume_Vintage_Rose_Floret-2_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860836054-VTE1ORDE6UDLM1G68KUK/Anemone-GalileeBlackandWhite_V3A5701-2_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861028391-7P30E2BA27PHDHPR4W1E/Feverfew_Vegmo_Single-7026_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861219400-YL00GG3J5SA6C6JRGF39/MahoganySplendor7443_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861355859-P23BR72ECMHC48CR4A2M/Chantilly_Light_Salmon_Floret-3_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861127833-0DWOYZN8QNU2B4AX33ZW/Larkspur_Earl_Grey-8340_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861289198-S2UD5UWHXLS6TV9XKMF5/Cosmos_Purity-2_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860642304-DIONQGOZ53T1OKP2AZCI/Strawflower_Dragon_Breath_Floret-1_768x.jpg Blog - In the Garden: Starting Seeds https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/how-i-learned-to-roast-chicken monthly 0.5 2021-09-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614224631303-RYQ9IC27JXH440L0UI6W/SK+Chicken Blog - How I Learned to Roast a Chicken So I did (a month later; I have to work up to these things). I read at least 3 articles and 4 more recipes to consider all possible pitfalls. I discovered that people argue over all sorts of things - must you truss the legs? which is best - brine or dry rub? is it necessary to set it out an hour before it goes in the oven? should it be basted? (More on all of this later!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1614224816353-Y1Z6SJ5JABM0HT4CSMNB/61257893154__C5085F60-DEAD-4116-9EFF-2FC5E3F18A5E.JPG Blog - How I Learned to Roast a Chicken The next time I roasted a chicken, I added some more herbs and spices to the overnight rub (I particularly enjoy the Penzey’s Galena Street blend when I’m feeling lazy). This process went on every few months throughout the summer, each attempt a little different but ultimately successful. I eventually realized that I didn’t love cabbage, but brussels sprouts are like baby cabbage, and I like them better. Totally worked, and I haven’t looked back. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/10-great-movies-to-stream-for-valentines-day monthly 0.5 2022-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613252691381-0THEYF6VOJ6O1KX7XT8H/Pride%2Band%2BPrejudice Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - Pride & Prejudice (HBO Max) My favorite of the Pride and Prejudice adaptations is this 2005 version, which I think must be my favorite movie. Fun fact: because I was so young when this movie was released, it was my first introduction to both period pieces in general and Jane Austen specifically. Did this movie change my life forever? Maybe. Knightley and Macfayden are the perfect Elizabeth and Darcy. Macfayden is so good here that I almost cannot enjoy Succession, because what is Darcy doing acting like a moron? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613252747504-SKI6ODIW36PBCW9WWKLW/Save+Yourselves%21 Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - Save Yourselves! (Hulu) Onto the indie side: an Extremely Online couple heads to upstate New York to completely unplug. While they’re gone, the world ends, and they don’t know until it’s too late. This movie is ridiculous and has no business being as good as it is. It’s essentially a gentle roast of the Millennial generation wrapped in a low-budget apocalypse film. It’s not overtly romantic, but it centers on a couple, so I’m including it! It’s smart, funny, charming, and so well acted. We loved every minute. (I even put my phone down to watch it.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613253019454-UB7WVWQ1OJ9CN3LZT2Q3/Always_Be_My_Maybe_poster.png Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - Always Be My Maybe (Netflix) A true romcom, and a truly good romcom. Childhood sweethearts that reconnect after not seeing each other for 15 years. Do they even still like each other? (Obviously yes - it’s a romcom.) Park and Wong are great on their own, and together they’re amazing. I don’t want to spoil anything, but there’s also a truly incredible Keanu Reaves appearance in here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613253487845-8PAL1QODMX26IXD8V7PV/About+Time Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - About Time (Netflix) I’m mad at the world that I didn’t discover this movie until yesterday! A man finds out that all the men in his family can travel through time, but only to the past, and only in their own life. (So they can redo a bad date, but not go back to kill Hitler.) It’s a British comedy, so the humor is a little darker and is more situational than jokey. It’s a love story, but mostly it’s a reflection on life and happiness. It’s super sweet, but so good. In a world where it feels like we’re always waiting for the bad twist, I loved disappearing into this for 2 hours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613254118381-C0R0RVFRILUKDO6V1OWO/Palm%2BSprings%2BMovie%2BPoster.jpg Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - Palm Springs (Hulu) This is a Groundhog Day timeloop situation, but the main character isn’t alone, and his never-ending hellscape is someone else’s wedding day. I thought this would be predictable and derivative, but it’s funnier and more clever than I thought it could possibly be. I don’t want to give anything away, because there are a few good twists, but this is a very good romcom! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613254671113-HRNXYZABQI7EPPE7Y4CY/The_Lovebirds_poster.jpg Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - The Lovebirds (Netflix) This one is more of a straight comedy than a romcom, but I thought it was great. The plot is all over the place, but Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjaiani are so funny that it didn’t bother me at all. You’re not here for the murder mystery; you’re here for their chemistry. It’s similar to the Tina Fey / Steve Carrel Date Night in the off-the-wall caper of it all, but The Lovebirds rises a couple notches above it in my opinion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613255340699-A293MWUVOV4UVS2HVSRO/Emma.jpg Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - Emma. (available to rent) I’m back with another Jane Austen period piece! This one didn’t get the attention it deserved upon release last year, because it premiered right as the whole world was shutting down. But this movie deserves praise for its fresh take on the novel. Jane Austen was so funny, and a lot of adaptations don’t take enough advantage of her wit. This one does. It’s also so well acted that there are a few scenes that inspire intense second-hand cringe. Finally: yes, that is Anna Taylor-Joy from The Queen’s Gambit, and yes, she is just as amazing here. My husband will never share my abiding love for regency romance, but he had fun watching this one with me. His review: “Yeah, I really liked it.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613256078746-YZY3YXS0JYLDBSQPIULG/Holidate Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - Holidate (Netflix) I will admit that this movie is borderline bad. I also must acknowledge that it’s technically a Christmas movie (in that it starts and ends on Christmas). But the premise is that the leads are each other’s plus-one to every holiday for a whole year, so Valentine’s Day is in here! It’s predictable and relies on too many tropes for me to even bother critiquing, but there are some A+ scenes in here. If you like cheesy things, this one is for you! Not highbrow, but highly enjoyable regardless. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613256431866-HX01J83DIOMFAM2J6CME/Crazy+Rich+Asians Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - Crazy Rich Asians (Hulu) Based on the bestselling novel by Kevin Kwan, this movie is Blockbuster-level good. It broke the internet when it came out a few years ago, for lots of good reasons. It’s fun to watch rich people be rich (there’s a lot to look at here), but there’s so much great chemistry in the different character pairings. Yes, you’ve definitely seen a commoner-in-love-with-a-prince story before, but Crazy Rich Asians brings a lot more to the table. We’re still waiting for the sequel, but in the meantime, I guess we can all re-read the second book? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613257080976-XKDVNP13752CCXL4FTOJ/10+Things+I+Hate+About+You Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - 10 Things I Hate About You (Disney+) An oldie but a goodie. This one is a classic for so many reasons, and not just because it’s based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of The Shrew, I’ve always loved an acerbic female lead, which Styles absolutely delivers. And Ledger is at his best as the charming bad boy here. I won’t go on and on. It’s 20+ years old, you’ve heard of it. But if you’ve never watched it, now’s the perfect time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1613260349549-8SFLVE2F4W14MPZE1S34/Blog+Image+Vertical.png Blog - 10 Great Movies to Stream for Valentine’s Day - Pin to come back to this later! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/our-backyard-part-2 monthly 0.5 2021-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610846303416-Y34YLLCCIFZUG3SYP686/6a00e554d7b827883301a3fcf3ad40970b-800wi.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610846313217-3INBPHL6VQY5SQA9CRIG/ec3362ff22560de32e1a14748645c309.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610846507448-XNJPQ2JEP5JE368N37DO/IMG_0430.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610844811427-WFKTJGRPCZCILIBFKMC8/Jardins+anglais.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610846674197-R1DKMDXRUQ7F1P7U7C0Y/img_9626.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610846341670-6NUN2B4C9D34UNW29K6Q/Beautiful-Cottage-Garden-Design-Ideas-For-Your-House-14.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610862154056-WKW2M96GRFCVXPI8PB6H/Guest+House Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future The two beds in front of the guest house/workshop are the smallest ones we have. They’re also on the north side, so the area doesn’t get much direct sunlight, though it’s bright. Since this photo was taken, Joey removed that bush on the left. I’d like this spot to have more permanent landscaping. As a start, this fall we planted peonies (1, 2). Peonies prefer full sun, but, well… I have my fingers crossed. If they fail to thrive there, I’ll move them and plant something else. When he was digging around in the yard this summer, Joey found a bucket’s worth of mystery bulbs. We saved them and planted them in the fall. Time will tell what they are, and they’ll be something to look at this spring while we make firmer plans. The Fence Line https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1612132089578-N6QZVCGCQFVDWK1NJK00/IMG_1786.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1612132081620-L6KE7B9NUBIVJUM32H4M/IMG_1785.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1612133135224-1BHJ4K0419LLPOQ2MR3Q/IMG_4892.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1612133145439-0XEVRFO0U9WCUIWHL4G0/IMG_4894.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1612133156497-MD1TC5WT4KIUWWDVEX8K/IMG_4901.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860591072-PA5WP54JP0OGHP0EYIZ4/b801e76b100ed44ae2766c068d101ce9.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861415722-2DFQGSNMCY8J7K5LGN0P/Sutton_s_Pam_Floret_768x.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860723209-X4VI4VFKRI2EAHNX71PJ/Ranunclulus-Champagne_V3A5560-2_768x.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860936181-CAWVSG2VO9JWL4U1NAVO/MotherOfPearl0357_768x.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861155894-ID3UK00H3DYWVHSZRO33/Texas_Plume_Vintage_Rose_Floret-2_768x.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861028391-7P30E2BA27PHDHPR4W1E/Feverfew_Vegmo_Single-7026_768x.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861355859-P23BR72ECMHC48CR4A2M/Chantilly_Light_Salmon_Floret-3_768x.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861127833-0DWOYZN8QNU2B4AX33ZW/Larkspur_Earl_Grey-8340_768x.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610861289198-S2UD5UWHXLS6TV9XKMF5/Cosmos_Purity-2_768x.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610860642304-DIONQGOZ53T1OKP2AZCI/Strawflower_Dragon_Breath_Floret-1_768x.jpg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1612135409434-K8JCGK1IMAENOIJG3JV3/IMG_1787.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1612135418254-4LPK0AR5AXCH7URP6YLD/IMG_9842.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1612135401752-VFWVL1GCPFB7SEVEKJ47/IMG_9840.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 2: Dreams for the Future https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/our-backyard-part-1 monthly 0.5 2021-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608707791183-BES4JLLKF4CIR1JJ46ID/Guest+Entry+Summer.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609221774925-GU47PHZYHQ4XUSN9JIPF/IMG_9828.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608707984073-WA198KTU1GKC1AT60SOP/IMG_2174.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609221706325-HN5EDY6G6K4ES398BM0W/61879129419__09088C5D-76B5-4AF2-9B32-A9C0953C24D3.JPG Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609222099953-MW9SIY5596XAJQ3T8LNZ/IMG_9827.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609222234661-UJMN06MQ81IQQ1S2K4T8/IMG_9830.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609222222927-KKS3UU70NT9P8NNGOJ2D/IMG_9831.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609222099573-K8K8C1SG8KO8459N2GWE/IMG_9835.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609222113557-MEN20BLWG6WSX0LP8QI8/IMG_9832.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609222425879-V4UHIMVM0FWFYRE26UMP/IMG_9833.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609222446118-VLJF75P6TZE9BUI4EQ5J/IMG_9841.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609222457765-6R75X5WWOGWG8W4CPSPY/IMG_9840.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609222990937-MUTVV1EMWN2XWQS4FFKY/IMG_2027.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With After we moved in and got settled, Joey turned the focus of his labor toward the backyard. And here, I want to take a few sentences to acknowledge the incredible amount of labor he’s already put into this yard. He’s dug up hundreds of pounds of overgrowth and more monkey grass than makes any reasonable sense to exist in a single suburban backyard. He worked holes into a pair of work gloves in just 6 months. It’s my job to strategize and prioritize, and then he starts the labor. I keep us fed, the house cleaned, the clothes laundered, the meals planned, and the groceries stocked (perhaps another day I’ll muse on us falling so tidily into gender roles). While I’m doing all that, Joey puts headphones in and listens to hours of podcasts while he transforms our little kingdom. He swore he wouldn’t resent the yard work, and so far that seems to be true. I couldn’t tell you how many times we’ve stood back there and said, “Can you believe this is ours?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609222961137-H1A1ZUQVE9OYLIYF6WRO/IMG_0834.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608707978963-23VZX5W43M5EPQH14N51/IMG_1785.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608707959721-TKLTTH2JKLXIVY56HWHD/IMG_1788.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609049361080-Z7JP92KIGQARRZLKJTOY/IMG_2333.jpeg Blog - Our Backyard, Part 1: What We’re Working With https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/curried-chicken-and-barley-soup monthly 0.5 2022-02-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609617692131-ESMU2YD59OSCJ0P9FP4X/Chicken+and+Barley+Soup.jpg Blog - Curried Chicken and Barley Soup The result is a sort of curried chicken soup, and it’s great! It’s still delicious the day after, but the barley will continue to absorb liquid in the refrigerator, so it will be a thicker soup on day two. This recipe makes about 4 adult servings. If you’d like dinner for 2, go ahead and halve it. I give you permission to use the full onion, carrot, and celery stalk; it will still be delicious, and a few extra bites of veggies won’t hurt anything. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/reject-christian-nationalism monthly 0.5 2021-07-15 https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/how-i-meal-plan monthly 0.5 2025-11-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609805403605-VQHIELDI7SFZ5HU9SCGC/Shopping+List.jpg Blog - How I Meal Plan - The Best Shopping List in the World In 2019, I made a custom shopping list with the things we buy the most frequently. I searched around for the best price and ended up getting them printed at Office Depot. It was about $12 for 4 pads of 50 sheets each, which is the minimum order. I love having this on our counter - when one of us notices that we’re running low on eggs or milk, we just check the box and move on with our day. When I have our recipes for the week, I’m able to make quick work of the grocery list. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s made the mental work of grocery shopping a lighter load. I’ve had people in the store ask me where they can buy one. Well, you could buy one - here’s one from Wal Mart; here’s one from Target - or you can download this one. Here’s a pdf file. Here’s the template if you’d like to customize your own. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1610261333046-26I567U7GR0UCVKHDNA2/Blog+Image+Template.jpg Blog - How I Meal Plan Want to come back later? Pin this image! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/beautiful-moments-2020 monthly 0.5 2021-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609305953092-8JPJAHW19G0TULOH30MP/IMG_9556.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306139264-WA7SQ8KZ82AHIV01EUF6/IMG_9719.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306141965-SVQ3QL3430EQ0070W5NV/IMG_9653.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306104519-95RHFLGWQV02ET96ZLV6/62084777013__5DF34F48-D5DE-4887-ACC5-0FD7BA2377AF.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306181521-C1SHWQDEL7JSA3M91RUG/IMG_2582.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306189584-XSOF2C17DUL8NDZG2GRR/IMG_2580.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306214123-PJNRE3PAOWK5L9EF9MJG/IMG_2572.JPG Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306528037-4W8BD4J56SYT2V64TDUL/IMG_2424.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306513478-YRR1XA9RSRGMNB6UB89L/IMG_2433.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306222942-0NRS8EA77BWP4BF9BRS1/IMG_2532.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306243125-MLQEJACBWXR46CB5JZE6/IMG_3398.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306698100-KYJVQDMX7KBTCX715GO4/IMG_3389.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306260685-YN5H74EBDDO5OX2D0PHB/IMG_3593.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306316767-V759XY6O6G4FRVH8BOQ1/IMG_3548.jpg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609306409732-GQR0XDG0A6CYZLVEA0K1/IMG_3766.jpeg Blog - Beautiful Moments: 2020 https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/my-dads-chili monthly 0.5 2022-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609397249512-7AX67IQ0K5IKN0C488BQ/Chili.jpg Blog - My Dad’s Chili Fun fact: a few years ago, this chili won me second place at an office chili cook-off. There were more than twenty entries, and I was more proud than I should have been. But really, it’s that good! Every region and family has their own favorite chili, and this is mine: a thick consistency, a little sweet, heavy on the meat and beans. This is an easy recipe that is great leftover. I’d like to recommend that you make at least one leftover session the Midwestern way: chili mac. I didn’t realize this was a Midwestern thing until I suggested it to a room full of Southerners in Atlanta. Absolute crickets. But I stand by it - cook some elbow macaroni to al dente and add them to your chili. Top with whatever your heart desires. It’s good, I promise! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/our-house-right-now-2020 monthly 0.5 2021-11-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606286149547-96B6LQBU4H7CU2MD8B3E/At+Home Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608677740291-W4SCS1U2TYJGLM3VMNDC/Plan.PNG Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now Welcome to our place! It was built in 1950. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, around 1400 square feet plus a guest house. We’d been hoping to find a home that was older but not ancient; that needed some work but not a gut job; that had mature trees but wasn’t way out of town; that had a workshop that was more than an unconditioned shed; that had the potential for a garden - both cut flowers and vegetables. It was a list of asks that we weren’t sure we’d be able to meet, and this house had all of them (it was also way out of our budget, but we obviously decided to go for it). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605850108479-R74PI3QACR3N0F7G7MTT/8138176141-54456388-large.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605850140249-77P2CEXOV5WBNRY6NAY8/54456388-large.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608678120014-M86UZAO8EFOX3K63NR8U/IMG_3205.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605851728622-858U5S7F8A9S638ZHS5B/2928176141-54456388-large.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609109388392-Z1XH01YMLK91LBUV15DE/2020+Living+Room.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608674709864-HFG8S7MNEJ1GY7YMJ9X4/2020+Living+Phase+1.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609109394951-RO2T93N0ESO9OV0TXOQ6/2020+Living+Room+%281%29.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609109382935-DVS07FFM0PX4N0NDOTV0/2020+Living+Room+Mantle.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605852074546-BNISZE5UOMHM2DDPASIZ/4928176141-54456388-large.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605852118809-VA8MWN1MD0MM66UL643F/6928176141-54456388-large.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605851990282-PDAB08524V6XEY3FZ4FE/3928176141-54456388-large.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608673159557-N840RAJFOPNZV9T6MYFP/2020+Dining.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608673148247-ZXZIX6924DG89G2FCOZX/2020+Dining+Joey.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606287920280-Y0SYSIAUXSBBGXW80HMQ/6038176141-54456388-large.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608619312709-44EU1LIZCMWVNA0JSG10/IMG_9570.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608619312850-MX1EG53E488W8PLU90DE/IMG_9571.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609019424373-UYN3MQ05JCQ07V58INI9/2020+Study.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609019444977-P740MLJQO4JSJSRQ0U8Q/2020+Study+%282%29.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609019458253-DKLT1J75Q0YMXLDZN4X0/2020+Study+%283%29.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608683143329-JFHEA8QDULMLYPZAZTVD/0038176141-54456388-large.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608673566887-588XDDBKNWPOF637N19Q/IMG_1735.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608673389268-DDTN59GWVHZ1SN52KVDC/2020+Guest+Phase+1.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608673408072-YL2F6TMKYZIWVLQQMWV8/2020+Guest+Phase+1+%282%29.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609110284807-HDBZYN20UE2PSKZ22AGI/8038176141-54456388-large.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608682947367-ADOLRCCS7SRY9591CL3I/IMG_9646.jpeg Blog - 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Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608707964616-8N95N5NC7BDXI0W3ET85/IMG_9833.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608707959721-TKLTTH2JKLXIVY56HWHD/IMG_1788.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608707971787-GI9EFZ48WH93JDIOXKTS/IMG_9827.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608707978963-23VZX5W43M5EPQH14N51/IMG_1785.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609049361080-Z7JP92KIGQARRZLKJTOY/IMG_2333.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1608707984073-WA198KTU1GKC1AT60SOP/IMG_2174.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609050071550-J8I5U8YFISWVHECA64YZ/Guest.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609050040744-3APZNBIDH7L801RMQSIT/Guest%2BKitchen.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609111125073-E450DVUAQHU2IC93SU4S/Guest%2BBath.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609050103974-BIF52QT5FM1OU5LVMFGZ/IMG_E9443.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609112892808-UW4SANGUFZX4FD1OFMQC/Guest+House+Plan.png Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609049844061-7QO8WW1NM0WAQ7MVUPGL/IMG_0022.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609049846710-X7CTN7UCWM9BLDHFTNBC/IMG_0025.jpeg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609049757771-OL3LWSS1O9VN41E895UJ/Bed+%2B+Living.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609049774739-A8PNQJXZ71Y6U8SHGTB4/Kitchen.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609049763810-XPJOUHWPD965WQARUBK5/Entry.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609049768884-KLY9FWPL5IRCX728VBTZ/Kitchen+%2B+Entry.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1609049995223-AONMOSM13ABPOXC9MFDY/4138176141-54456388-large.jpg Blog - Our House, As it Exists Right Now https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/cheesy-broccoli-casserole monthly 0.5 2021-07-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607576197486-K23Z4JQOE15272EU5YDT/Cheesy%2BBroccoli%2B3.jpg Blog - Cheesy Broccoli Casserole That top layer of cheese gets golden and slightly crispy in the oven. Every bite here is a cheesy, broccoli-filled dream. You’re going to love this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607575968833-MNACVW49N8OEJ0PW8SK6/Cheesy+Broccoli+2.jpg Blog - Cheesy Broccoli Casserole https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/best-books-2020 monthly 0.5 2022-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607399971165-J3TQF88FO295XEN7ZBWV/Crawdads Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - For Those Who Like a Slow Burn Part whodunit, part survival story, part love song to North Carolina’s Outer Banks, this coming-of-age book is beautiful and poignant. There’s a little bit of everything here: an abandoned child, a murder, a love story, a courtroom drama. It’s slow going, but not too ponderous, and there’s a nice little twist at the end. The plot is a little contrived (a six-year-old surviving on her own? Sure.), but the prose throughout is gorgeous. I really liked this one - it made me miss the days of discussions in English class. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607401240991-IBSE4K6H1QCD4KNEYGRQ/51oTzUGhPjL.jpg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - For the Cloak-and-Dagger Fan This book’s chapters alternate between the World Wars. In 1915, a network of women spies work in France to defeat the Germans; in 1947, a mismatched trio searches France for a young woman who went missing during the war years. I stayed up all night reading this one. It’s fast-paced and suspenseful. There are real stakes here as well - the book draws on the true story of the covert Alice Network, which you should definitely spend some time Googling after you’ve finished. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600138134352-8VVLFURHGREFKB107V9O/Homegoing Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - For the History Lover (This write-up is from my previous roundup, because this book deserves to be on both lists!) Homegoing follows two branches of a family tree, starting in Ghana in the 1800s. One sister will marry an Englishman, the other will be captured in a raid, sold, and taken to America. It’s a novel that leaves many stories unfinished as it moves from one generation to the next. Gyasi’s characters are so vivid that any chapter could have been its own book, and I would have loved it. This book is not just good - it’s excellent. I’m not the person who gets to decide, but it should become a classic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607402301584-CJMIXHZB3L0X1ZDRW9IH/Overstory Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - For the Fan of the Classics I read this book because it won the Pulitzer for fiction in 2019, but I fell a little bit in love with it. It’s science paired with prose. It’s a reflection on connectivity: on one level, it uses loose human connections to build a winding plot; on another, it explores forest and ecosystems, waxing poetic about communities of trees (not boring somehow). The science behind the book is very real. It was featured recently on the NY Times Daily podcast (which name checks the book). Listening to it, I felt the same thrill of happiness I always did when subjects lined up in two of my classes at school. A book where the trees are the real protagonists has no business being so good. It’s a little bit different, and probably not for everyone. But it feels like a new classic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607363392824-Y32241KHO0GSNN72XWF5/white+fragility Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - For Those New to Social Justice I’ve spent the past 6 years learning and reading about racism, and I found this book helpful, if only to put words to observable phenomena. I read it and promptly passed it to my husband; we now keep a copy on hand to lend out. DiAngelo’s sociological observations on race, power, and relationships are so important. The way she writes is straightforward in a very good way: this is why we feel x, then we say y, and we struggle with z. It’s not an easy read, but it’s a pretty quick one. You don’t have to agree with all her prescriptions to find it useful! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607404080946-3KJFMH336WNSTZHXM1T3/Compassion Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - For the Christians I’ve been thinking a lot about politics lately (more on that later, but you can read some of my thoughts here). This short, non-partisan book is invaluable. It’s a must-read (here’s another) about Christianity in politics; not so much policy as rules of engagement and motivation. I could go on and on, but I’ll just say that I underlined about half the book and plan to force it into the hands of as many people as I can. You certainly don’t have to be a Christian to read it. If you just want to find common ground, I think it would be useful for you as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607405041427-I0T2DB0I2HYSEXXVSQVY/Everything+I+Never+Told+You Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - For Fans of a Family Drama Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere was on my previous list of favorite books. After I loved it so much, I wanted to read this, her debut novel. It has the same strengths as Little Fires: deeply human characters and beautiful explorations of the human condition. She’s particularly masterful at the art of the omniscient narrator (the opening line: "Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.”) Here, she spends time with grief, assimilation, and the little familial secrets and resentments that compound over time. I will read absolutely anything Ng writes. She is spectacular. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607405981117-0I6QY58CYP8A5TIURWH6/71i0zsTBPbL.jpg Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - For Those Who Like a Throwback This book was on my reading list for years, and I finally got around to it this year. It certainly stands the test of time as a piece of religious satire. It takes a minute to adjust the the idea of demon “protagonists” - it’s written as letters from a senior demon to an underling - but it’s richly written and as relevant today as it was in 1942. I underlined half the book and plan to return to it every few years. I’m still thinking about this line: “Your patient has become humble; have you drawn his attention to the fact? All virtues are less formidable to us once the man is aware that he has them, but this is specially true of humility.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607403516031-99OA59K1H5MQUPMS9CBB/Educated Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - For the Memoir Lover For me, memoirs are tricky. So many feel ghost-written or precisely engineered to evoke outrage or sorrow or sympathy. Educated could have struggled with that - it’s a story that features abuse, neglect, and dangerous survivalist-fundamentalism. But Westover isn’t going for the gut-punch. She’s just telling her story, the way it happened to her. She writes in a very straightforward way; I got the sense a few times that she’d held back some details, smoothed things over to make them a little less dramatic. The result is a beautiful reflection on grit and community, the power of education, and the unique pain of loving the people who have damaged you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1607388145795-4FEK39B2OF7J4EZHVS20/Such+a+Fun+Age Blog - The 10 Best Books I Read This Year - For Those Who Love a Little Drama An influencer, a young Black nanny, a potentially viral video, an unexpected love triangle. Kiley Reid is a genius at characters and dialogue (truly the best toddler dialogue I’ve ever read), which makes this piece of empathetic satire fun to read while you cringe at the characters. Issues of race, class, gender, and young-millenial adulthood tumble along in familiar and painful ways. I didn’t want to put the book down and found myself wishing for a book club as I mulled it over during the weeks after I finished it. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/our-thanksgiving-dinner-2020 monthly 0.5 2023-11-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606459356218-1HE86Z4PKFYNIJICGRJJ/IMG_3614.jpg Blog - Our Thanksgiving Dinner https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606460666681-PFW62ZS1SDZJBV5TVUFZ/IMG_3627.JPG Blog - Our Thanksgiving Dinner Most of the recipes I used can be found on my roundup healthy(ish) recipes for holiday side dishes. I loved spending time in the kitchen with Joey. We had a blast hanging out and cooking on Wednesday and Thursday. I enjoyed every bit of how impressed he was with what I’d created during all our chopping and chatting. My favorite part of the day was watching him eat the first bite of each dish and then making him rank them (his side dish rankings: miso potatoes, sprouts salad, broccoli slaw, mushroom casserole). This year was different, and sometimes not easy. But I’m thankful for him and for our time spent together. For the blessings of food and home and comfort. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606461297823-1KS0HLBKWW2WH4SRP0AP/IMG_3613.JPG Blog - Our Thanksgiving Dinner https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/gift-guide-2020 monthly 0.5 2021-11-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606273922958-KSAZ356PXD9XEWIJWMYP/Sage+Pan.png Blog - Wish List: Upgrade Your Life - A Fancy Pan | Our Place I cook a lot. Currently, my most-used pan is an aluminum Aldi pan that is deep enough for soups, stews, and curries of all sorts. I love it, but I think I’d love this one more. I’ve heard several rave reviews, and I think their colors are gorgeous. It’s beautiful enough to cook in and serve from when entertaining. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606274425163-F9ULC0HNTKU6H81I5YGN/PearlDropEarrings-PLPHover.jpg Blog - Wish List: Upgrade Your Life - Special Jewelry | Gldn I’m working on upgrading my jewelry box, and I asked for any of Gldn’s interest earrings. I’m not quite to the solid gold phase of life, but I plan to hold onto my gold-fill pieces for years and years (read about different metals here). I love everything about Gldn: their jewelry is made ethically here in America, it’s a great balance of quality and affordability, and their designs fit my style perfectly (I call it feminine minimalism). I’ve received a few pieces as gifts, and they all became fast favorites. Bonus: each piece of jewelry comes in truly beautiful gift packaging. (Here are the pieces I’ve been gifted so far: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606274767149-22JQXAY7A6PTC460KUZD/Shoes Blog - Wish List: Upgrade Your Life - A New Pair of Kicks | Allbirds If these are waiting for me under the Christmas tree, I know I’m late to the party! So many people love these shoes. And what’s not to love? Stylish, machine washable, and sustainably made from wool and sugar cane. Very cool. (They also make men’s! I put them on Joey’s list too.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606274945835-U8SK5SUECZTKBZNWLF0K/image-asset.png Blog - Wish List: Upgrade Your Life - Wireless Earphones | Beats by Dre I forgot to add these to my list, which may have been a mistake. Due to my embarrassingly tiny ears, I am picky about my earbuds; most hurt after just a few minutes. I’ve heard these are great for tiny-eared people, and we all know Beats can be trusted to offer high-quality audio.. (Also - and this is perhaps a story for another time - a rat got into our office during the first few months of the pandemic and ate my old pair of wireless ear buds… and all my Kind Bars.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606275416741-S9CCC41CVHWTCQHMZXK7/chelsea.brandy_1100x.png Blog - Wish List: Upgrade Your Life - A Beautiful Pair of Boots | Nisolo Nisolo has been leading the way on sustainable fashion and accessories for years. They offer crazy-beautiful shoes, ethically and sustainably made by artisans in South America who are paid a living wage. Well-made leather shoes are an upgrade you’ll never regret; take good care of them, and they’ll last a lifetime. I especially love the detailing on these Chelsea boots, but really, I’d wear anything Nisolo makes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606276170213-9XZEP2Q5250ZA2K9Y161/61fMlK6JtOL._AC_SL1500_.jpg Blog - Wish List: Upgrade Your Life - A Fantastic Knife Set | Wustof We received this knife set as a housewarming present from my husband’s parents. Good knives had long been on our list of items to upgrade in the kitchen. If you’re going to be doing any real cooking, this is where to start: a great cook’s knife and paring knife. Joey and I fight over who gets to chop with the 8” knife; it’s the perfect size for basic kitchen tasks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606278691673-R0RSP1R403XAB4XYN2Y5/kindle Blog - Wish List: Upgrade Your Life - A Kindle I swore (swore!) I would be a paper-only reader for life. The smell, the touch, the visible progress! But after a trip to Mexico (this one) where I lined the bottom of my suitcase with library books, Joey asked me if maybe I would consider an e-reader? I scoffed. I was wrong. I’ve read so much more since getting it last year! I exclusively read library books on here, and I download my holds directly to the Kindle. That was a benefit even before a certain pandemic made me never want to leave my house. It’s backlit and waterproof, which makes it the perfect travel companion - whether it’s to the bathtub, our bed at night, or the beach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606280705349-RHH4K0KBYJ9TPJ11MTNS/kind_heart_mini_gift_box_main.jpg Blog - Wish List: Upgrade Your Life - Some New Spices | Penzeys Historically, I’ve been anti-seasoning blends - why bother when I keep an absurd amount of herbs and spices on hand? Well, I received a gift box of Penzeys blends last year, and I’m a convert! My absolute favorite was this curry blend, which I use for meats and soups and curries. Their adobo is used on anything and everything around here, but most often roast vegetables. They have a whole bunch of boxes around the $40-$50 mark that would make awesome gifts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1606283636526-W7I092PPK0L1WETBKVUT/Girlfriend.jpg Blog - Wish List: Upgrade Your Life - A Great Pair of Leggings | Girlfriend These leggings are phenomenal. I got my first pair in early 2016. They were my go-to pair (several wears a week) for four years before they wore out. These leggings don’t pill, don’t fade, and the crotch seams won’t give up on you. Oh, and they’re made ethically and sustainably from 25 recycled water bottles! (Read more about that here.) When your pair wears out, you can send them back to be recycled. I’ve now bought two pairs of the black, but their limited edition colors are always so beautiful. Did I mention they’re available in size XXS - 6XL? Yeah. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/healthyish-holiday-recipes monthly 0.5 2022-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605714792787-ZDWOQSVYPB3NBMF03BRV/roasted-root-vegetables-miso-2.jpg Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - The Woks of Life | Miso Glazed Roasted Root Vegetables I love the idea of injecting some new flavors into a holiday feast. Miso is such a good place to start. (Yes, it’s worth the trip to an Asian supermarket!) One of the best things about this recipe is the opportunity to swap in your favorite root veggies. We’re going to do butternut squash, colorful potatoes, and carrots. An aside: The Woks of Life has a whole collection of Asian-American Thanksgiving dishes on their site, including a honey glazed Cantonese turkey and a five spice turkey. If there’s ever a year to mix things up, this is the one! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605661395005-5NGMXMQSX9T4CCC7V9P8/Cranberry%2BSalsa Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - Home Made Interest | Fresh Cranberry Salsa This recipe is a great pre-dinner snack. In a normal year, it’s what you pull out to munch on while you wait for your always-late relative. This year, it might be what we’ll be nibbling while we cook. When I make it, I use 1/4 cup of sugar, ditch the green onions, and double the orange juice. But you do you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605665273557-JU8OUOROGEEEE5FNRZPO/broccoli+slaw.jpg Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - Smitten Kitchen | Broccoli Slaw Buttermilk dressing and dried cranberries make this broccoli slaw sing. I made this for Christmas Eve dinner last year, and we didn’t have many leftovers to bring home. Which was a shame, because it allegedly keeps very well in the fridge for up to a week (read: make ahead)! It’s easy to halve, and it’s served cold, so it won’t take up space in the oven. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605662036235-DYMEC1NUEDYFDQY0IG2A/Tots Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - Half Baked Harvest | Baked Sweet Potato Parmesan Tater Tots I’m not going to lie: these are kind of a pain to make. It’s not a difficult recipe, and the ingredient list is short; they’re just fussy. However, they’re very fun, and they store and reheat really well. Very beginner-friendly if you’ve got the time. Pro-tip: don’t make individual tots. Roll the mix out like a thick play-dough worm (we all did that as kids, right?) and then cut into tot-sized pieces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605662431228-Q804KPWTTDERUXMQHXJ4/Cauliflower Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - Bon Appétit | Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seeds, Brown Butter, and Lime I haven’t made this one yet, but roasted cauliflower is such a favorite around here. Add in the brightness of cilantro and the nutty crunch of brown butter and pumpkin seeds? I may eat it all myself. This is on our menu! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605664036745-KGVY7NGECKYS723N43FP/WGC-Brussles-copy.jpg Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - What’s Gaby Cooking | Sautéed Brussels Sprouts I think brussels sprouts have been sorely mistreated by the public at-large, and I wish nothing more than for them to receive the same magnificent PR that kale got. I usually love to roast sprouts, but this recipe sautés them, which appeals to me, because my oven will be very occupied during the holidays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605664762737-BAT1UOG9RX6J12IIV5UK/Roasted-Cauliflower-Salad-in-Bowl-Recipe Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - Pinch of Yum | Autumn Glow Salad Roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes meet the grain of your choice and a lemony dressing. Sounds wholesome, right? Right. It’s a greens-free salad! I haven’t made this one yet, but I will. I bet it’s great left over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605663633969-05JUX7OV069E52XV3DO0/unstuffed-mushroom-casserole.jpg Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - Smitten Kitchen | Unstuffed Mushroom Casserole Okay, this one is definitely the “ish” in healthy(ish), given all the cheese and such. But it’s unfussy, make-ahead friendly (she has a note for that), and I love mushrooms! I’m planning to halve it for our dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605752744513-BYBMRIAOQ03SFN7T90ZP/brussels-sprouts-apple-and-pomegranate-salad.jpg Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - Smitten Kitchen* | Brussels Sprouts, Apple, and Pomegranate Salad I made this last year for Christmas. Shredding sprouts isn’t the most fun (I used a mandolin, but if you have a food processor, that would have made life easier), but it’s worth it. This salad is delicious: complex-tasting with a pretty simple ingredient list, and it would be easy to adjust to your tastes. *Yes, another Smitten Kitchen recipe. I won’t apologize! She’s great! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605666498327-OPUU2C6TUL5RXR4D17B6/Cranberry-Crumble-Bars-4-932x1024.jpg Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - All The Healthy Things | Gluten-Free Cranberry Crumble Bars This is another “ish”, because it’s still a dessert and gluten-free doesn’t necessarily make things healthier for those of us without dietary restrictions. But these bars look simple and lovely and like a good treat to nibble on post-feast. I didn’t used to like cranberries much, but I’ve really come around to them over the last few years and can’t wait to try these! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605754547485-FSSJFD18HGDSNTRZHC4K/Holiday2.jpg Blog - 10 Healthy(ish) Holiday Dishes - Need to come back later? Pin this image! https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/chai-sugar-cookies monthly 0.5 2021-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1605581796577-1HZ58XWHB5WB9JP4JY1S/ChaiCookies3.jpg Blog - Chai Sugar Cookies I’m not a coffee drinker (“Gasp!” Yes, I know), so chai is my favorite warm drink year-round. These cookies literally taste like chai because we are literally dumping bags of tea into the mixture. My favorite is Tazo’s Classic Chai. You may well be thinking, “Are you sure I should put two bags of tea into this cookie dough?” My answer is, “Yes, you definitely should, because I tried this first with one bag of tea, and it was not enough.” There’s no bitterness or grittiness here, I promise! I know cardamom isn’t the most common spice in American pantries, but it’s a great one to add to your shelf. With great success, I’ve been adding a little bit of cardamom to any recipe that calls for cinnamon. It’s strong, so I use it in roughly the same as I would nutmeg or allspice. You can skip it here, but you’ll be missing out just a little bit. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/the-truth-is-a-thing-we-can-know monthly 0.5 2021-03-05 https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/carnitas monthly 0.5 2021-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1601670455112-913NWC9AJI6CMSZKHRE3/Carnitas+Vertical Blog - Slow Cooker Carnitas Our carnitas nights usually begin with burrito bowls. We make several cups of rice, cut up a few heads of romaine, and head into the week knowing that easy meals are in the future. My burrito bowl pro tip is to start with hot rice, then put shredded cheese on top of that. The cheese gets melty and delicious as you pile more toppings on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1601671097835-FIGQN07C18QCPITOWTKR/Carnitas+%281%29.jpg Blog - Slow Cooker Carnitas It doesn’t make for a good photo to showcase the recipe, but this is how our burrito bowls look when they’re done. The sauces make it sing. Featuring: pickled red onions, Greek yogurt, queso, our favorite tomato-based salsa, and Traders Joe’s Green Dragon Sauce (my favorite hot sauce) and Corn and Chile Tomato-less Salsa (I don’t recommend you buy it on Amazon since it’s much less expensive in store, but that’s what the jar looks like, and it’s delicious). https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/long-weekend-boone monthly 0.5 2021-07-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1601676151081-5I7CRIRQ9TB2OTRNL7SW/IMG_2572.JPG Blog - A Long Weekend in Boone, NC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1601675246978-L8KFKIHM6LVGKRHPRXUD/Mountain+View Blog - A Long Weekend in Boone, NC - Where to stay: The area is a busy winter ski destination, so there are a lot of homes listed on Airbnb. As we drove around, I also noticed quite a few motels and small ski resorts. Here’s an Airbnb wishlist of some of the properties we considered in the area. We stayed at OConnor’s Retreat, which was chosen primarily for its generous cancellation policy (again, pandemic) and hot tub. The view from the deck was nice, but we probably wouldn’t choose it again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1601678473544-TX5XJMY22B534M74F5DV/Moses%2BCone Blog - A Long Weekend in Boone, NC Moses Cone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1601678419186-YC12I8ADRN4N9NZAW26J/IMG_2561.JPG Blog - A Long Weekend in Boone, NC The Lump, featuring my mom! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1601678696430-O36JHU0UNWLKYFCB9JVA/Cascades+Fall Blog - A Long Weekend in Boone, NC Cascades Fall https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1601678910367-NWGGTQN60A80PSTWBQKX/Rough%2BRidge%2B-%2BUs Blog - A Long Weekend in Boone, NC Rough Ridge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1602001200660-NBKLNG12PK2CFD3RVNXX/Rough%2BRidge%2BBoardwalk Blog - A Long Weekend in Boone, NC Rough Ridge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1602001105821-W03V0AV11VDKT2KOIKXN/Joey+Looking Blog - A Long Weekend in Boone, NC Joey https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/corn-shrimp-chowder monthly 0.5 2021-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1601663762746-UT8D32968M5BAUO84W81/Corn+Chowder Blog - Corn and Shrimp Chowder https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/Maskne monthly 0.5 2021-11-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600050145346-IYKABCZEMIBFQCD0JPIP/mask Blog - How to Fight Maskne I do not actually have perfect skin. (No one does.) To this day, my skin remains incredibly dramatic. My joke is that it’s always looking for a reason to be mad at me, and Covid masks have given it a reason to be furious. As I started going out more over the last month or two, the bottom half of my face erupted in acne. I had spent the last few years coasting along with a pretty consistent skincare routine, but now I’ve had to re-work it to deal with the constellation of new pimples. Exciting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600051118604-YNLFO02OP06DGHEFRCRW/Banila+Clean+it+Zero Blog - How to Fight Maskne - An Oil Cleanser Banila Co - Clean it Zero Original* ($19) is a cult-favorite oil-based cleanser. I use it any time I wear makeup. It really dissolves anything. For those with oiler skin or who never intend to double cleanse, I like the Neutrogena - Fresh Foaming Facial Cleanser* ($8), which removes makeup really well and has a neutral smell. I usually keep a bottle of it around; the price is so good! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600051619829-ABHIWN2ZRZ9AQBQP3WU7/Korres Blog - How to Fight Maskne - A Foaming Cleanser Korres - Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cream Cleanser ($26) is gentle on the skin and non-drying. I’m personally of the opinion that your foaming cleanser can be anything decent and gentle. Nevertheless, this is the one currently on rotation for me. When I’m out, I plan to replace it with the Good (Skin) Days - A New Leaf Cream Cleanser ($16). I’ve also really liked the Dr. Jart - Dermaclear Microfoam* ($24) cleanser, which is very gentle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600054119836-0BHE6T8519VG2HV3V5LB/Paula%27s+Choice Blog - How to Fight Maskne - A Daily Exfoliator Paula’s Choice - 2% BHA Liquid Salicylic Acid Exfoliant* ($30) is another cult favorite. I don’t tend to believe in miracle products, but this stuff is the real deal, and I would give up any product in my routine before this one. I’ve used it nearly daily for more than 3 years, and if you get one thing on this page, this should be it. Salicylic acid (a potent acne-fighter) and Green Tea (a soothing ingredient) are a winning combination. It’s both gentle and powerful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600054292646-FD1S7WUWCZVYZV1STVW1/Ren Blog - How to Fight Maskne - A Weekly Exfoliating Mask Ren - Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask* ($58) is a little splurgy, but worth it to me. It’s a powerful mask that uses fruit-derived acids to exfoliate. I use it once a week for 10-15 minutes. I don’t use the Paula’s Choice on days I use this mask. One exfoliator at a time, folks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600055410230-U3GBNOWOP4Z34F5QSE4P/Biorace Blog - How to Fight Maskne - The Brightening Mask Biorace - Pore-Tightening Pearl Clay Mask ($25) has been this month’s favorite. It arrived in my July Birchbox like a beacon of hope for a maskne-free future, and I really like it. It has some exfoliating beads in it, but I’m not sure they do much. I used it twice a week for several weeks, and I felt like it really helped with skin texture and evenness. It didn’t dry me out at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600056247950-1IOU8YOZLNE7R9EHFT0J/Versed Blog - How to Fight Maskne - The Purifying Mask Versed - Find Clarity Purifying Mask ($10) is a mask I’ve been hearing buzz about, so I picked it up on my last Target run (Target link). For the price point, I think it’s great. My skin is combination, and I don’t find it to be drying. It’s a very silky-feeling clay, and doesn’t feel tight as it dries. I’ve used clay masks at various price points, and in a blind test I wouldn’t be able to tell that this was a budget pick. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600699870446-ZDY80DJZMX77OY8S8YX7/Evologie Blog - How to Fight Maskne - The Best Spot Treatment Evologie - Intensive Blemish Serum* ($28) I’ve stopped looking for another spot treatment, which as a product-lover is the highest compliment I can give. This serum is potent, but it never dries me out. It helps get rid of the pimple, but it also helps fade the dark spots and scars that are left behind (a good chemical exfoliator will help with that, too). I’m basically using it on my whole face right now. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600056792163-BGT37C88Q8KH6SLKF6FM/Cosrx Blog - How to Fight Maskne - For Normal to Oily Skin COSRX - Oil Free Ultra Moisturizing Lotion* ($24) is a permanent fixture on my shelf. It smells amazing, is 70% birch sap, and a bottle lasts forever. My husband loves it, and so do I. He uses it as his only moisturizer. I have switched to something a little more intense for nights, but I use this every morning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600057092056-F8DS58DV6EMDQ7U2R1D8/Cosrx Blog - How to Fight Maskne - For Dry to Normal Skin COSRX - Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream* ($35) is a godsend. Finding intense moisture for acne-prone skin is tough, but this stuff is amazing. It’s great for nighttime use, and if you’re someone who gets dry and flaky as the weather cools down… well, winter is coming, my friends. You should have this on your shelf. Belif - Aqua Bomb* ($38) is another great option and was the “moisture bomb” that launched a thousand knock-offs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600057497350-B55678ZW4C78Y7X9HXAK/Neutrogena Blog - How to Fight Maskne - For Dry Skin Neutrogena - Hydro Boost Water Gel ($17) is my current nighttime moisturizer. Another dry skin option, this one at Target. It’s less expensive than the COSRX cream, but the cost per ounce is similar and so is the performance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600058126226-0G5WYEG4JWM7A2PA555S/Pimple+Patch Blog - How to Fight Maskne - The Pimple Patch COSRX - Acne Pimple Master Patch* ($12 for 96 patches) are the best matchup of price to quality. They’re cheap enough that I’ll slap them on any whitehead but effective enough that I’m constantly impressed. If you want to upgrade, the Mighty Patch pimple patches* ($12 for 36 patches) allegedly absorb 50% more gunk. I’ve tried both; the mighty patches are more invisible on the skin, but I’ve never felt like I needed more absorption than the COSRX patches offer. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/chicken-and-dumplings monthly 0.5 2025-11-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600134574217-VEQMPV8GKO50PPZBDXI4/Chicken%2Band%2BDumplings Blog - Chicken and Dumplings Rather than rolling dough and cutting dumplings, we’re making drop dumplings. The sticky dough won’t work itself into a nice round ball. No matter - the fluffy, craggy texture is perfect. You’ll make them while the chicken cooks and plop them directly into the stew, where they will double in size. These dumplings are definitely best fresh, but they’ll survive a a day or two in the fridge. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/10-books-i-love monthly 0.5 2022-11-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600136292804-NRGQ9PKQXMLJKZN2N93D/just+mercy Blog - 10 Books I’ve Loved Lately - For Those New to Social Justice This book is a must-read, especially if you’re operating under the assumption that the American justice system is, in fact, just. (I sure used to.) Stevenson writes with a moral clarity that is deeply needed in today’s world, weaving together stories of injustice, pain, and hope during his work founding and running the Equal Justice Initiative here in Alabama. This book was the gateway to a lot of learning for me. If you’d like to support EJI in its efforts to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the US, you can do so here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600137182296-F0R0IOWUROY58J9FJED6/Circe Blog - 10 Books I’ve Loved Lately - For the Mythology Lover I’ve always loved Greek and Roman mythology. While I’ve never gotten too deep into the specifics, there’s something so fascinating about the breadth of stories. I love the way they overlap and interweave; the petty fights and brutal revenge are what the best dramas are made of. This book takes a minor mythological character and puts her at the edges of millennia of mythological drama. I couldn’t put it down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600137642825-2FUZXV5M7CTUWTXTYH5F/Salt+Fat+Acid+Heat Blog - 10 Books I’ve Loved Lately - For the Home Cook This one stretches the definition of “lately”, because it’s been on my shelf for almost two years. But I return to it often, and I want everyone to read it. It’s part textbook, part cookbook, and full of joy the whole way through. (Have you seen her Netflix special? The book radiates that happiness.) The choice to illustrate rather than photograph food makes the whole thing more approachable. I credit this book for teaching me the fundamentals of cooking - not just what food is good, but why it’s good. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600138134352-8VVLFURHGREFKB107V9O/Homegoing Blog - 10 Books I’ve Loved Lately - For the History Lover Homegoing follows two branches of a family tree, starting in Ghana in the 1800s. One sister will marry an Englishman, the other will be captured in a raid, sold, and taken to America. It’s a novel that leaves many stories unfinished as it moves from one generation to the next. Gyasi’s characters are so vivid that any chapter could have been its own book, and I would have loved it. This book is not just good - it’s excellent. I’m not the person who gets to decide, but it should become a classic. Gyasi’s new book Transcendent Kingdom, was recently released, and it’s on my list to read. I’m looking forward to many years of reading her books. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600138866702-6IQ9YQTCVJYYELBS7GWT/Mastermind Blog - 10 Books I’ve Loved Lately - For the True Crime Fan Murder, drug cartels, weapons deals, mercenaries, hit men, and more. The story of international criminal mastermind Paul Le Roux is so bonkers that I frequently forgot that this is a work of journalism, not fiction. I don’t want to give too much away, because as it unspools, you’ll be Googling for more details. It’s a wild ride. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600139307786-BGSKJC70I1P8WIWUVRK2/Hazel+Wood Blog - 10 Books I’ve Loved Lately - For the Fantasy Lover This book is a fairy tale all grown up. Or, maybe more accurately, it’s a fairy tale returned to its creepy origins. The story sits right on the edge of magical realism, bending reality into something spooky and dark. It’s probably just what you want to be reading as we head into spooky season. The sequel was released earlier this year, and I’m just about ready to step back into this world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600139757523-15JG3VNNA82UNUF9NAB9/Evvie+Drake+Starts+Over Blog - 10 Books I’ve Loved Lately - For the Romance Lover When you pick up a romance novel, you know where you’re going to end up. But it’s the middle part that makes for a good romance story. I love the middle part of this book. It dodges a lot of cliches, leans into a few more, and is both fun and funny the whole way through. I think Linda Holmes (a co-host of Pop Culture Happy Hour) hits the perfect tone, and I can’t wait for more of her books. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600140335496-J7X8BIXWZFKUW8JJIMEX/The+Queen%27s+Fortune Blog - 10 Books I’ve Loved Lately - For Royal Fans + History Lovers I used to read a lot of historical fiction novels. Many play pretty fast and loose with the facts. Given the cover and the subject matter, I assumed that would also be the case with this novel, but I was wrong. I kept Wikipedia open while I read, and I could not believe this story. The author was fascinated with her main character - Napoleon’s ex-girlfriend (yes, that Napoleon), who kept showing up as a secondary character all over European history. The drama is fun, but the book is an interesting reflection on the power of women, the making of dynasties, and who gets to tell the story. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600140732716-P4DPUOIXRCSXPXHY8INI/End+of+Policing Blog - 10 Books I’ve Loved Lately - For Those Who Would Like to Reimagine Public Safety I believe in engaging with the best arguments of both sides of an issue. This book was oft-cited in the early weeks of the current debate on defunding the police, so I picked up the ebook from the publisher. Vitale goes into great detail about specific issues in policing such as policing homelessness and the school-to-prison pipeline. He also discusses specific reforms that have been attempted around the US and why many of them haven’t succeeded. I think the book falters a little in addressing how policing presence affects crime, specifically violent crime. I found this critique and rebuttal by Matthew Yglesias very useful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1600265226616-LF58SV7YPYQE2C0L91JS/Little+Fires+Everywhere Blog - 10 Books I’ve Loved Lately - For Those Who Love a Drama It’s possible that everyone in the world has read this book, especially since it was adapted into a Hulu series this year. But I would be remiss if I didn’t include it, because it’s one of my favorite books ever. The nuances of class, race, motherhood, and belonging are all masterfully woven here. Ng excels and writing every character in a way that feels fully human and complex. I wish this book was being read and discussed in every high school. And by you. Even if you’ve seen the series, read the book! They’re beautiful companions. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/lemon-lavender-blueberry-scones monthly 0.5 2022-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1599662924274-29KX13VNJ7R0PIXWSY4B/IMG_1327.JPG Blog - Lemon Lavender Blueberry Scones Your goal here is not perfection. It’s deliciousness. The berries will leak and turn jammy during baking. This is normal. I never manage to cut the dough into perfect wedges. I like to pretend this is also normal. https://www.alyssahakanson.com/blog/one-week-in-tulum monthly 0.5 2021-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1599455676600-40CG86DYA3F4DZ0PGAFO/Holistika Blog - One Week in Tulum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1599447209103-HVHJJ0J9LGRI3FG0R6TQ/Tulum Blog - One Week in Tulum The stretch of beach that Tulum occupies is big-resort free for a simple reason: they don’t fit. The narrow space between sea and protected jungle leaves just enough room for small specialty resorts, a two lane road, and a stretch of small shops and restaurants carved from the jungle. Wilderness takes over from there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1599448898386-VOGGPSQDPWTUM1GOWZ79/Airbnb+Tulum Blog - One Week in Tulum - Where to stay: If you want to go for it on the resort side, you should! (Read on for the ones we scoped out.) But we are budget travelers, and the town of Tulum is vibrant and fun as well. We stayed at this Airbnb, which was an excellent option. It did require that we rent a car to get around, but our rental was only $100 for the week and allowed for easy out-of town excursions. We enjoyed the freedom, though parking was often tricky. Be aware that plumbing is finnicky throughout the whole area, so you’ll be putting your toilet paper into waste baskets. It’s also an eco-aware area, so access to air conditioning isn’t guaranteed. Many resorts only allow AC during sleeping hours, and our Airbnb only had AC in the bedrooms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1599455764923-B26IV960T7VRL6JI5138/IMG_4735+%281%29.jpg Blog - One Week in Tulum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1599455837652-YIW5FG66U7JGH7JBFQCY/Ahau Blog - One Week in Tulum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1599455921098-LZD4UYM5L9XVUFKKWZ0U/Tulum+Art Blog - One Week in Tulum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1599453547888-YV1KELJCSVWL0M964NTK/Kitchen+Table+Tulum Blog - One Week in Tulum Kitchen Table https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1599448089007-ISV5AZOZDLN0LJ85YWJD/Resort+Food Blog - One Week in Tulum Ahau https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f5410b116fb5f57ab8adb69/1599454485730-NER6U6P8QAWNER2RG5RB/Azulik Blog - One Week in Tulum 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