Wimbledon Whites

1954 couple in Vogue

As Wimbledon heats up across the pond, Mornings with Fox 43 invited me on this morning to talk about rocking the strictly white look. The idea of “Wimbledon Whites” stems from the club’s strict rules that players wear predominantly bright white on the court–no cream, no off white, and not more than 1 centimeter of trim in a single accent color. (Click here to read more about the fuss that Roger Federer’s red soles made a couple years ago. Scandolous!)

So watch below for a few of my ideas for both men & women on how to own this sporty style.

Finding a Realtor

What? You didn’t make your realtor take a selfie with you at closing?

I’ve never had to date as an adult, but I’m pretty convinced that finding a realtor was a similar experience. Think about it.

There are two ways to meet your realtor. One is through the introduction of a trusted friend. The second is by noticing that you frequent all the same places. (i.e. You see a lot of their signs in your favorite neighborhood.)

Next, you vet them online. Who are they friends with? What have people said about them?

Finally, you start analyzing the details and looking for common interests. Do they specialize in a certain style of house? Have they sold several houses in the same neighborhood you want to be in? Are the pictures they’ve taken up to your standards?

When people found out we were looking for an old house, they’d say, “Oh, you must meet Jessica! That’s what she does. You’ll love her!” And they were right. We’d already picked the house we wanted, but we called Jessica because of her expertise. For instance, because she deals with old houses regularly, she hired an inspector who lived in an old house himself and would know what to look for.

Also, as a side note, her website was beautiful. I know I’m a bit partial because of what I do, but the real estate agents I’ve enjoyed working with in the past have easy to navigate, beautiful sites. They know I’m going to be searching listings at midnight in my pjs, and they’ve chosen to make the experience a good one. Plus, if they’ve taken the time to take good photos of the houses they’re listing, it says that they care that much more.

But, be prepared. Once we found the one, the dating feeling only got stronger.

4 Ways It Will Feel Like You’re Dating Your Realtor:

1. You have to find someone that “gets” your vibe.

2. You spend a lot of time talking about your ideas for the future.

3. You sometimes avoid text messages you don’t know how to answer.

4. You can spend an entire weekend with them and still not get lucky!

So hopefully this has given you some points to ponder if you’re searching yourself. The important thing is to find someone that you relate to and trust… because it’s gonna get personal.

How to Care for Butcher Block Countertops

Today we’re going to talk about how to care for butcher block countertops. The main reason for this is because I’ve gotten a lot of questions about how to care for butcher block countertops. But the real reason is that we’ve been in the new digs for about a week, and I really miss my kitchen. Like OMG with Barbra Streisand singing “The Way We Were” miss my kitchen, you guys.

There are two parts to caring for butcher block countertops: conditioning the wood and cleaning the wood.

To Condition:

You’ll need to season the countertops when you first get them–much like you would an iron skillet. This means sealing them with several coats of oil until they are well-conditioned. When the wood is raw it is super thirsty and will soak up several (I believe ours took about five) coats of oil. However, when the wood is conditioned it looks rich and beautiful and drops of water should bead up on the surface.

Once your counters are seasoned initially, you’ll only need to oil about once every two to three weeks. We alternate between the mineral oil and the oil with beeswax. The beeswax just adds an extra layer of protection. Our brand of choice is Howard but just be sure that whatever oil you choose is food safe.

Generously apply the oil at night, wiping in one direction with an old, clean tshirt. Tshirts work best because they don’t leave any fuzz behind like you’d get with a rag or paper towel. Then, wipe off any excess that’s left in the morning. That’s it!

To Clean:

Wood has natural antimicrobial properties so most of the time, I just wipe the counter down with a damp cloth. When you really want to sterilize, I suggest filling a spray bottle with a mixture of 1 part water, 1 part distilled white vinegar, & a few drops tea tree oil. Vinegar is a cleaning agent (& the smell dissipates quickly so no worries!) and the tea tree oil is antibacterial.

That’s it! Pretty easy, right? Over time, the wood counters will get a couple stains or dings. That’s just the nature of wood. The main thing to remember is that you never want to leave a cold beverage on your butcher block. It will leave behind a ring just like it would on any other piece of wood. But I have to tell you that I loved how much the wood warmed up the kitchen. (Click here to see the before and after pics!) And yes, I have already started doodling plans for the new kitchen! More on that to come.

Poetry Reading List

Isn’t that quote just perfect? It is from the poem “Evangeline,” and was written on the chalkboard at the entrance to one of my favorite bookstores: Sundog Books. Wooden floors, tall shelves, and tables stacked high with books make it the perfect early morning stop in Seaside. Plus, there are giant mimosas next door to sip once you’ve found the book you’d like to spend the afternoon with. So today, inspired by Sundog, I’m sharing my poetry reading list.

“Evangeline” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I’m familiar with this title because my favorite aunt’s name was Evangeline, and she had a beautiful antique copy of this epic poem. But I confess, I never read it. So after the chalkboard’s gentle reminder, this one has gone to the top of the list! The plot follows Evangeline in her search for her long-lost love, Gabriel.

“Telling the Bees” by Faith Shearin

Garrison Keillor has read several selections from this poetry collection recently on the Writer’s Almanac, and I have loved the subjects Shearin chooses to write about. There’s something about the sense of place she describes in her poems that I find incredibly comfortable. My favorite was “My Grandparents Generation”…

I am going to miss their attics,
their ordinary coffee, their chicken
fried in lard.

“O, What a Luxury” by Garrison Keillor

Garrison Keillor’s poetry, much like his radio show A Prairie Home Companion, is just fun. There’s a chapter in this book titled “Was Ethel Merman a Mormon?” because sometimes alliteration is awesome. Among odes to Minnesota and the Lutheran Church, he even writes his own “Thong Song.” It’s definitely worth a read!

So tell me: Do you read poetry? If so, what else should be on my list this summer?

The Summer of Yes

For us, this summer has been the season of saying, “Yes!” In the past week we closed on our new house, took a trip to the beach with my in-laws, moved into the new house, and spent an afternoon in Virginia partying with the prettiest bride I ever did see. When asked last week about our crazy schedule, I just had to reply, “Life’s short! Who wants to miss out on anything?” So, if you’ll humor me, I must share a few pictures.

This is a selfie in our new living room a few hours after closing. We can’t brag enough on our real estate agent, who I’ll talk about more later this week. At closing, she brought us a bottle of champagne with a teal bow to match our new living room.

The next day, we drove to the beach, and I bought a new hat. It was at that moment, that I started to sense I may have a teal/aqua addiction. Are there groups for this sort of thing?

While at the beach, James grew a beach beard and I wore a lot of turbans (please see The Platinum Blonde Commandments for reference). I’m posting this picture to remind you that you’re not the only one who looks a little wacky on vacation.

Back in Tennessee on Thursday: moving day. And the rain came. At points, it came down Noah style.

Friday, we cleaned up and drove to Virginia for a wedding. I have to tell you, it was the most stylish wedding we’ve ever been to! I sense a summer wedding style post in the near future.

Here is the beautiful MRS! Julie and I were best friends in elementary school and had summer camps every year til we graduated. It was such a special treat to be able to share her big day!

Naturally, the MRs needed a picture too!

And then we came home to unpacking. We are officially moved out of ye olde house on Nobel Street where we spent the last 9 years. But I must tell you, the family that bought it was so wonderful that saying goodbye wasn’t really that hard.

On to the next adventure!

Common Conversation

Me: “I know you’re right. I just don’t want to.”

Husband: “Welcome to marriage.”

The Platinum Blonde Commandments

Before we get to The Platinum Blonde Commandments, here’s a joke that my mom used to tell when I was little…

She’d ask my dad, “Honey, will you love me when I’m old & grey?”

To which he’d reply, “Beth, I’ve loved you through 12 colors already.”

By the time I reached my mid-20s I’d been a number of colors myself. There was the sun-in phase at 15 and the stoplight red phase at 22. The latter was quickly followed by that time that I tried to go blonde from auburn and ended up looking like Lucille Ball. (Pro Tip: Going from fake red hair to fake blonde hair is lunacy.)

But the week before my 28th birthday, I decided to try blonde. Platinum blonde to be exact. I decided that one should probably make any really crazy hair decisions before 30 and 28 was nearly 30 so if I completely botched the whole thing, then I could go pink and probably not be judged too harshly for it. (And yes, as I near 30, I’m recognizing the flaw in this theory.) So my lovely stylist friend and I set out on our mission. She lifted the color twice over the course of a few weeks, and there I was.

I now truly can’t imagine myself going back, but it was considered several months ago. While I’d cut back on shampooing, I hadn’t really changed my hair routine, which was inadvertently causing a lot of damage. Luckily, around that time, I learned some tricks to keep my platinum ‘do in tip-top shape. So today, I present to you…

The Platinum Blonde Commandments

1. Thou Shalt Not Over Wash.

Lifting my hair to this extent really dried it out so I wash my hair every five to seven days. I’ve learned to embrace the messy with funky updos and boho style braids because letting my natural oils do their thing seems to be best.

2. Thou Shalt Deep Condition.

This is THE BIG ONE. This is the one I didn’t know to do in the beginning. I have used a leave-in conditioner or oil from day one but deep conditioning treatments are what really bring my hair back to it’s natural texture and shine.

3. Thou Shalt Practice Color Theory.

The question I get the most often is about the shade of my hair. I’m happiest when the blonde is white and violet so I was thrilled to learn this trick. The nature of fake blonde hair is to get brassy, orange & yellow tones. My friend Lynsey informed me that stylists use the color wheel all the time. To balance the brass, just use a purple shampoo!

4. Thou Shalt Protect Thy Locks.

Here are a few things to remember:

Use a heat protectant every time you style. No exceptions! This means putting a spritz on before blow-drying, straightening, curling, or rolling.

If you’re going out for a day in the water, cover your hair with leave-in conditioner first. This acts as a little shield for your hair. Then, rinse thoroughly as soon as you get out of salt water or chlorine.

Finally, take extra precautions to protect your hair from the sun. I wear a lot of scarves and wide-brimmed hats in the summertime… and that’s not just because I’m Southern!

The Boxes Are Winning

There is a scene in the 3rd season of West Wing where Donna is looking through boxes and talking a little crazy. I have assumed throughout the process that eventually this day would come and this weekend–packing, thinking about our crazy schedule over the next two months–I got very close to this point. The boxes are winning. They are taking over every inch of our house.

We’ve been able to take our time packing (quite the luxury), and WE CLOSE ON FRIDAY! So it’s probably time to get this blog back on schedule, right? I’m currently working on a couple posts about finding a house and a realtor as well as some non-move-related summery things. But right now, I’m going to go back to the Beach Boys and my day job. Talk soon!

The 10 Stages of Moving to a New Place

Moving is a cold, cruel lover. I know more about contracts now. I have a better grasp on the power of social media than ever before. And, most surprising to me, I can tell you exactly how a septic system works. (*Knowledge is power, y’all!) So for those of you that have never experienced this little tango for yourselves, today I present to you: The 10 Stages of a Moving to a New Place.

And you wait.

There are negotiations.

Your offer is accepted.

(source)

You start packing.

(source)

You move.

Marriage Advice Courtesy of Binge-Watching Ina Garten

Today I was reading this post (which is great btw: “Ina Garten On How to Run a Business and Do What You Love”) on Forbes.com. This inevitably led to a YouTube search that ended with [Ina on] CBS Sunday Morning as YouTube searches often do. I think it must have been because it is Friday, the day that ushers in the weekend, but this time I noticed something new. So here is my “Marriage Advice Courtesy of Binge-Watching Ina Garten.”

You know how Ina is often waiting for Jeffrey to arrive at the end of her shows? “Roast chicken… Rosemary… When Jeffrey gets home… I hope Jeffrey likes it… Pours white wine… Jeffrey!” He’s practically become a character himself.

Did you know they met when she was a teenager? She quotes him with a smile and a laugh anytime she’s interviewed, which today made me think…

Marry someone you can’t wait to come home to.

Also, it doesn’t hurt if they do dishes.

Hannah and Husband

Main menu

Wimbledon Whites

Finding a Realtor

4 Ways It Will Feel Like You’re Dating Your Realtor:

How to Care for Butcher Block Countertops

To Condition:

To Clean:

Poetry Reading List

“Evangeline” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Telling the Bees” by Faith Shearin

“O, What a Luxury” by Garrison Keillor

The Summer of Yes

On to the next adventure!

Common Conversation

The Platinum Blonde Commandments

The Platinum Blonde Commandments

1. Thou Shalt Not Over Wash.

2. Thou Shalt Deep Condition.

3. Thou Shalt Practice Color Theory.

4. Thou Shalt Protect Thy Locks.

The Boxes Are Winning

The 10 Stages of Moving to a New Place

You find the perfect house.

You make the decision to rent/buy/lease the perfect space.

You put in an offer.

You play it super cool.

You wait.

And you wait.

There are negotiations.

Your offer is accepted.

You start packing.

You move.

Marriage Advice Courtesy of Binge-Watching Ina Garten

Marry someone you can’t wait to come home to.

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