OK readers, I am finally sharing with you my pick for the best read of the summer. And, it is Fitness Junkie: ANovel by my friends the AWESOME Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza. I loved their first book, The Knockoff and was waiting with bated breath for this new one. I just received an advanced copy. Thank you so much Doubleday Books!!!!!! And I read it from cover to cover almost immediately!!! Here is the story (you are going to LOVE it)…
I had an awesome Fashionable Friend Friday post in the works for you but I needed a little bit more time to perfect it, so I am doing a post on something that has been a HUGE “thing” around here. My girls have been BEGGING me for a dry erase/whiteboard wall. They use whiteboards in school and really wanted one at home to help them with their homework and to study. Of course, I said no about a million times. First of all, I could not imagine anything worse in the middle of our living quarters. It would just look ugly and always be an eyesore, especially with all the writing and erasers and everything else that comes along with it. However, at Christmastime I finally broke down and designated a back hallway (completely out of site from our family, visitors, actually pretty much out of site for anyone) for the whiteboard wall. I purchased removable whiteboard wall stickers (HERE) which are easy to apply and remove, in case I really regretted my decision. I got a nice container to hold all the markers and erasers and a Chinese stool for my girls to sit on or climb up on to reach the top. Well, that white board wall is such a hit. They use it for every test. They write out their notes, organize information, work out tons and tons of math problems and the list goes on and on. As much as I hate to admit, it was a huge win win and my girls tell me it helps them sooo much and takes a lot of the stress out of preparing for tests.
I am starting to plan my Father’s Day menu and I stumbled upon this awesome recipe from the Barefoot Contessa. This Slow-Roasted Filet with Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise is so delicious and easy to make, that Dad will think he is at a 5 Star Restaurant!!! Bon Appetit!!!! Also, click HERE for my Father’s Day gift guide for all you last minute shoppers!!
- 1 whole filet of beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied (4½ pounds)
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 10 to 15 branches fresh tarragon
- Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise, for serving (see recipe)
- 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup vegetable oil, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup good olive oil, at room temperature
on summer bags. I have seen photo after photo on
social media of the cutest outfits styled with the
most adorable straw and wicker bags. Here are
some of my favorites!!! I love each one. It’s so
hard to choose!!! Happy Shopping!!
I recently learned about a very serious issue plaguing our water supply. Millions of American homes are not safe from lead contamination in drinking water and many of these homes are right here in New York and Connecticut. In fact, 20% of the lead blood levels found in our children come from water AFTER it enters our properties (EPA). I did some research and found a company to test our home pipe lead levels!!!!
Today’s Book Club Monday choice is Mistakes Were Made (Some in French): a Memoir by Fiona Lewis. I interviewed Fiona last Friday and was soooo impressed. Fiona is an actress, model, author and all around “It” girl. Her memoir is chock full of Hollywood stores, did I mention she was a Bond Girl? But probably the best parts of the book are her tales of the run down Chateau in France that she renovated that truly “rescued” her. Here is the summary of this book from Amazon:
Having lived a perfectly satisfactory life in California for over two decades, Fiona Lewis wakes up one day in her fifties and asks herself, Is this it? Is this the existence I’m meant to have? She can hardly complain. After all, her life has been full of adventure and privilege: London and Paris in the ’60s, Los Angeles in the heady ’70s. Now, however, she feels lost, as if she were slipping backward over the edge of a ravine, abandoned not only by her old self, but by that reliable standby, optimism. Realizing she has to find a way to reinvent herself, she impulsively buys a rundown chateau in the South of France. (Her husband is not pleased.)
Alone in the depths of the countryside, she contemplates her childhood, her affairs––Roman Polanski, Roger Vadim––her years as an actress in some good and some questionable films, and her first Hollywood marriage to the damaged son of a movie star. As the renovation drags on, fighting with a band of impossible French workmen, she is forced to battle her own fears: her failure to become a real success, her inability to have children, and her persistent fear of aging.
And she has to contend with her husband, who has no interest in the French countryside. In fact, he resents her obsession with France, with the house, with the renovations. The house seems to have a hold over her, and he’s not wrong. He reluctantly visits and is annoyed by the cost of the renovation. Was she not content with him in LA? Why can’t she just be happy?
It’s an age-old question and one every woman must confront, along with aging, lost love, and missed opportunities. Yet, Fiona’s wit and wisdom prevail. And this provocative, brave memoir takes a stunning turn when all those unanswered questions develop into a tender and unexpected romance.
To purchase this incredible summer must read, click HERE.
AND to hear my interview with the AMAZING Fiona Lewis, click HERE