JUNE R.E.P.O.R.T
A recap of everything beautiful about June:
Reading: The Personal Librarian byMarie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
A historical fiction novel about J. P. Morganâs personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to survive and leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation. Belle was considered one of the most prominent career women of her day - at a time when women couldnât vote, much less hold prominent working positions. Belle, born Belle Marion Greener, the daughter of the first Black man to graduate from Harvard, struggles with her identity as she navigates as a colored woman passing for white in an increasingly hostile, segregated America. A beautifully researched and incredibly nuanced must-read.
Eating: Tuscan Kale Salad with Lemon-Walnut Gremolata
Summer is in full swing here in Texas and the last thing I want to do is heat up the oven or cook over a hot stove. This Kale Salad has all my favorite pantry goodies: sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, protien-packed beans - all coated in the most delish Lemon Walnut dressing (though in a pinch Iâve used pre-made vinaigrette!)
Originally I found this recipe on Tiktok by user FoodiefromVT - the recipe is written out in her instagram reel here. I donât know about you but I find so many great recipes on Tiktok - something about the visual medium makes it so easy for me to follow along - and the fast pace means most of the time the recipes canât get too complicated.
Playing: Texas Sun by Leon Bridges and Khruangbin
Truly the superior summer vibe. Listen with me on Spotify.
Obsessed with: Mexico City
This month we managed a quick getaway to one of my favorite cities. Mexico City has what feels like endless world class museums, some of the best food on the planet, and layer upon layer of history to explore. This is our second trip to Mexico City so we got to dive a little deeper this time. Iâm working on Travel Notes as youâre reading this and they should be up later this week.
Recommending: Making your Yard Whimsical
If you follow me on instagram or tiktok you will know that Iâve been working on our yard and garden with some gusto this year. The borders are filling out really beautifully and I can NOT wait until the fall to do some more planting (planting in Texas in the middle of summer is just not the best idea - you have to baby the plants like crazy, water constantlyâĻand they will probably still die. ALL OF THAT TO SAY: I have been working on adding more lighting to the garden since after dark is the only time itâs comfortable to be IN it. These little solar bobble lights have been making me SO happy - and they last for HOURS. I recently had to leave the house at the ungodly hour of 5 am and they were still softly glowing.
A bonus: this waterproof rechargeable lamp I drag out into the yard with me to read by.
Treated Myself: Silver Sequin Pants
Maybe this is out of character but I have been wanting these wide-leg silver sequin pants for going on two years now and i finally pulled the trigger. I have had the red ones about that long and have worn them to many holiday parties, but I love that the silver are a little more accessible - I canât wait to bust them out for dinner parties, Houston Rodeo, concerts, you name it! We could all use a little more sparkle these days?
Canât wait to do the July R.E.P.O.R.T with even more goodies! What else is coming down the pipeline? My very own kitchen remodel plans, the Roundtop Fall Show, and maybe the most fun - a whirlwind trip to the Big Apple to see some beautiful showrooms!
FEBRUARY R.E.P.O.R.T.
A recap of everything that was beautiful about February:
Reading: Lucy Scoreâs Heart of Hope
Love is in the air and this cozy small town romance is just what the month of love called for. I laughed, I cried (a shocking amount of happy-sad tears), I got a little hot and bothered. Itâs fun and heartwarming.
Eating: Creamy Veggie and Tortellini Soup
There is nothing quite like tucking into a warm, steaming, bowl of soup on Sunday evening after a long, fulfilling weekend. This soup from Brita Cooks is packed with veggies (I found the parsnips at Whole Foods - though you could sub potatoes too) and Iâve been using bone broth for an extra punch of protein. Two other substitutions Iâve enjoyed: Silk non-dairy cream in place of the heavy whipping cream and Ranaâs Chicken and Mozzarella tortellini instead of just cheese! Tuck into a bowl here for your next Soup Sunday!
Playing: CAZAYOUX
In line with the New Orleans recommendation below is the band CAZAYOUX. Sadly we missed them when they came through Houston in February but Iâve been jamming out in my headphones while I walk, clean the house, work. Perfect music for having playing in the background or dancing to in the kitchen. Listen along with me here on Spotify!
Obessed with: GINGHAM
This quintessential spring pattern is everywhere these days - on dresses, lampshades, skirts. I love that you can vary the scale of the print for different impacts. I love it in every color and size. Right now I have olive green gingham bedding, a brown and tan gingham skirt, a large scale gingham linen table cloth. I think I would love it on just about anything these days. Some favorites from around the web:
Recommending: A Weekend GETAWAY at HOtel Peter and Paul
Hotel Peter and Paul is located along the river in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orelans and I havenât been this excited about a hotel since the first time I stayed at The Carpenter in Austin. The vibes are immaculate, every detail was thought of, and its walking distance from Frenchman St. where live music is always happening. This collection of church and school buildings was first built in 1886 to serve the English speaking immigrants in the Marigny neighborhood. Each building (The Schoolhouse, the Rectory, and the Convent) house impeccably appointed rooms of all sizes. Their restaurant and bar are just as beautiful and absolutely delicious (highly reccommend brunch). And speaking of gingham - they really did it right!
Treated Myself: TWO NEW COFFEE TABLE BOOKS
This was the month of inspiration and these three books are dishing it up in spades. Stephanie Sabbeâs Interiors of a Storyteller (heck yes I did preorder!) and Banjo Bealeâs A Place in Scotland: Beautiful Scottish Interiors. Both are huge inspirations of mine and I canât wait for them to get here so I can dive in! I still regret not saying hi and fangirling over Stephanie when she was on my bus to Highpoint from the airport. In the meantime you must absolutely go listen to her podcast episode on Business of Home - youâll see immediately why I adore her!
Canât wait to do the March R.E.P.O.R.T with even more goodies! What else is coming down the pipeline? More gingham, the Roundtop Spring Show, and a new series Iâm calling âVocabulary Lessonsâ all about words we use in the interior design world! OH! And possibly a brand new project reveal!
JANUARY R.E.P.O.R.T.
Some of the best things from the first month of the year (because we have to look for joy or Iâll cry):
Reading: Ina Gartenâs Memoir: Be Ready When the Luck HAPPENS
Have you ever wanted to live in Paris? Host your friends in the Hamptons? Before reading I honestly knew nothing about Ina Garten outside of her drinking giant Cosmos during the pandemic. Her writing voice is so authentic and entertaining and her life story is as fabulous as it is incredible. Not to mention it will make you want to book a trip to Paris immediately. Bonus: she includes a few of her favorite recipes too! Find your copy here!
Eating: One Pan Creamy Lentils, Japanese Sweet Potatoes, + Kale
We have been making this almost every other week since I saw Gathered Nutritionâs recipe come across my FYP on TikTok. How are there still potatoes I havnât tried? Japanese Sweet potatoes are key - we find them regularly at Whole Foods. I tried the recipe the first time with yukon golds - good but not great - the Japanese Sweet potatoes were life changing.
Playing: Dopamine by Madeline
This song has big cool french girl vibes. I especially like the âSplit Brainâ Version where she sings in French and sings in English over it at the same time. Tres chic. (Can you tell I have Paris on the mind?)
Obsessed: Ruffles and Skirts
I canât stop adding skirted sinks to my instragram and pinning ruffle edged pillows and pleated skirt sofas. Striped ruffles, floral ruffles, give it all to me. It softens a kitchen, adds another texture or pattern.
Recommending: Create Academy
If youâre an Anglophile and life long learner like me youâre going to love this one. I joined in January of last year and have taken several courses. One of my favorites was Dan Pearsonâs Naturalistic Garden Design Masterclass, which, in addition to endless valuable takeaways it has the most beautiful imagery of the English countryside. Currently Iâm taking Tess Newallâs Introduction to Decorative Painting. Iâm seconds away from painting flowers on every surface in my house (tastefully of course). It feels good to stretch that learning muscle.
Treated Myself To:
New kicks! Spring is already kicking down the door here in Texas and these Vince sneaks have been haunting me. I finally pulled the trigger and I canât wait to wear them with skirts and light wash jeans and dresses. Next on my list is a fun colorful pair (sambas? goyas? alohas? âĻred? burgundy? cobalt?).
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MEET LAUREN LOUISE â
An alum of the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture, Lauren has been working in the design field for over a decade. Lauren carries her passion for construction and sustainability into the interior design space with holistically created interiors that play off of the existing architecture of a home. When sheâs not in her home office she is enjoys evening walks through her historic Houston neighborhood with her husband, planning her next trip (London or Rome are long-time favorites), or digging around in her yard in an attempt to cultivate a green thumb. Read More
