The Catch-Up | Vol 8
A trip out west, favorite lip products, a guide to LA, the most beloved museum in the world, Easter baskets and more.
Hello friends! Thank you for being here to read the eighth edition of The Catch-Up, my weekly column that arrives in your inboxes every week. In The Catch-Up, I share what has caught my heart, imagination, interest, and family this week. I’m an open book - a person who finds joy in sharing and chatting about the things that make my life better or a little bit more beautiful, the things lingering in my heart, and the things I keep going back to. Whether it is a thoughtful reflection on motherhood, an inspiring take on travel, an interesting bit of culture, or a gorgeous fashion + beauty recommendation, it’s all rotating through here week after week! Thank you for being here and for reading my thoughts, inspirations, and obsessions. P.S. If this post is ever too long for email, simply click through to read it in Substack.
In other news, my boys are out for spring break tomorrow and we are heading west. Edwin has been in California for a week for a documentary shoot so we are flying to meet him. It will be my first time flying solo with all three boys but I am going into it very optimistically that it is only a day and we will get from A to B in one piece ready to have some fun. We have a wedding in Scottsdale over the boys’ spring break so we are leaning in and making it our spring break trip by bringing them along. The boys are so excited for the desert and are convinced they are going to be casually seeing rattlesnakes, tarantulas, and scorpions, ha!
what caught my eye
what caught my heart
We’re planning our summer time out in California and I’m already so looking forward to it. When we are in California, I feel as though I have tapped into an alternative life where we live there and seeing all of our California family and friends is the norm. It feels like I fully unplug from our life in Charleston and move through the world with a whole different viewpoint (West coast, best coast? I am such an East Coast person but I love nothing more than extended periods of time in our former home!). Which brings me to what caught my heart this week: a really really really great guide to Los Angeles.
I was on the phone with Edwin two days (he is in LA/SF right now for a documentary shoot) and I was remarking about the beautiful sunny 70 degree Charleston day I was having - a slight breeze in the air, azaleas blooming every which way, and boundless positive energy. He laughed and said he was freeway adjacent, driving by the LA River, and in very gloomy weather. I said, “Nothing like gorgeous Los Angeles!” All jokes aside, I love LA and would live in Pasadena so happily. It’s the best of the best. All I have to do is watch Father of the Bride and I’m picturing how it would all be. So, this LA guide spoke to me. It is super in-depth and has it all - restaurants, coffee/tea/pastries, bars, shopping for home, shopping for clothing + accessories, shopping for books, arts/architecture/gardens, and hotels. The guide notes what part of LA every single place is so it’s really easy to navigate. I agree with everything and can’t recommend enough that you save this for your next trip to La La Land.
what caught my interest
Merit, you have my attention! Do you wear lip liner? I admit, it’s never really been a beauty product I have gotten excited about. Maybe I’ve never felt super confident applying it? Maybe I’m a creature of habit and stick to my favorite lipsticks and balms time and time again? I’ve made it a point to try more beauty and skincare related products in the last year and have been so pleasantly surprised by many of my discoveries. It is fun to say yes to beauty!
When I saw that Merit, one of my most trusted brands in the beauty space (think of them as a clean beauty brand with effective products in line with Westman Atelier but much less expensive) released a brand new lip liner this month that they are touting as “the lip liner for people who don’t wear it,” I knew I had to give it a try. Because, yes, that’s me! I feel seen. Can you guess how I’m feeling about it? Really, really good! It goes on sheer but with a satin finish to the eye, giving a subtle lip line and soft definition without looking harsh. The harsh lip line is what I have been scared of all these years so this lip liner solves my main painpoint! It’s so beautifully natural that it can be used across the entire lip for hydration and definition. I’ve been wearing the ‘Beverly Hills’ shade because I love the way a soft peach pink color looks on my skin when it is both looking fair and in need of vitamin D as well as when it is more tanned and sun kissed.
Here’s a beauty trick I learned: Merit designed their lip liner to pair perfectly with their tinted lip oils in the new sheen colors. I saw a video of someone applying the lip liner and then adding on a swipe of the lip oil and was convinced to give it a try. I was influenced. I got the ‘Pointelle’ color as it compliments the ‘Beverly Hills’ shade so well and it is the loveliest color combination. Trust me on this one - the combo creates the prettiest, easiest, freshest, minimalist, no-makeup makeup look we all want to achieve! It is such a brilliant pairing that they are selling it as a duo!
what caught my imagination
The grand reopening of The Frick Collection is finally upon us. Oh my goodness. It has been five long years since The Frick closed its doors to undertake the impressive expansion and renovation and, I don’t know about you, but I’ve been waiting with bated breath. Rapid fire things you need to know: The second floor will be open to the public for the first time ever. It was the Frick family’s former private quarters but will now serve as a series of intimate galleries, which has allowed the museum to increase its size by 30% (!!!). Also, at the top of the stairs, you’ll find a new reception hall and the museum’s first permanent café. I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this moment to remark on the staircase - perhaps you’ve seen the photographs of it by now circulating Instagram? The stunning staircase is a Breccia Aurora marble showstopper. Wowza (Google it if you haven’t seen it). There’s also a brand new auditorium for concerts, talks, and events that looks spectacular. I just can’t wait to see the museum’s marvelous collection again, the ornate ceiling murals, the Fifth Avenue views, and the Beaux-Arts mansion itself. The Frick Collection is undeniably one of the most beloved museums in the country the world. It’s time!
The Frick Collection officially reopens 3 weeks from yesterday (4/17) but you can buy tickets ahead of time, now. It feels like the world has been buzzing about the museum this week after it reopened for a special preview. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m so excited for those fortunate people who got to pull back the curtain early! Mark your calendars because The Frick will reopen with three special exhibitions including an exhibition of gorgeous life-like porcelain flowers by Vladimir Kanevsky and an incredibly special exhibition titled, “Vermeer's Love Letters.” What a dream. I can’t tell you how much I’m anxiously awaiting my next visit to the city so I can head straight to The Frick. It is absolutely worth a quick trip just to see the museum. I’d be so tickled to make it happen (a combo trip of The US Open and The Frick would be my dream reality). Once, my sister and I walked into The Frick at the same time as Carolina Herrera. It felt like such a New York moment. More of that please.
Also important to note: Printemps officially opened their first US store in the city! The design of the store (by Laura Gonzalez) is très chic. So incredible to have this piece of Paris in New York now. Another destination in the city that I can’t wait to visit.
what caught my kids
Easter! Maybe next week I’ll include an edit of children's Easter outfits but, for this week, my boys are obsessed with talking about their Easter baskets and their guesses for what the Easter bunny is going to include in their baskets! All the items I included this week for the above Caught My Eye round up are Easter basket filler ideas for your littles. I created an even bigger Easter basket edit here for more ideas! All of us mothers are in great shape right now because Easter is a little over three weeks away so we have time; however, now is the time to start thinking about it and taking action! I am always so incredibly grateful to myself when I tackle these things ahead of time instead of scrambling at the last minute. I am here to help you with these ideas!
For the Easter baskets themselves, I rounded up a handful I love. You are still within the windows of time to personalize them so use this as your reminder to order and do so now…
Wicker Basket with Lining (can be personalized)
Peter Rabbit Printed Baskets (can be personalized)
Hand-Painted Heirloom Custom Easter Basket in Blue and Pink (can be personalized)
Small Children's Heirloom Easter Basket with Embroidered Ribbon
Wicker Picnic Basket with Gingham Liner and Personalised Bow (can be personalized)
Name Bunny Ear Easter Baskets (can be personalized)
Gingham Seersucker Easter Baskets (can be personalized)
Scallop Edge Easter Baskets (can be personalized)
Thank you so very much for reading this week’s edition of The Catch-Up. I’m so grateful you are here. Feel free to drop a comment below and we can chat if anything catches your attention. If you made it this far and feel so inclined, I’d be grateful to you if you give the post a heart just below here. It helps others find me on Substack. Thank you so very much! I love and appreciate each one of you for reading. See you next Thursday with vol 9!
