Dear Frances Shoes: I’m not usually someone who’s typically swayed by advertising (I blame my Sociology major//dearfrances.com/collections/pre-fall/products/luna-mule-linen”>slingback sandals pop into my InstaStories feed, I bought them on the spot. They’re the exact height I’m always looking for, with a chunky tortoise heel that’s balanced by a linen strap across the foot that would look great with a summer tan. That specific shoe has since sold out, but the entire collection is both wearable and gorgeous. – Emily
Pantry Can Organizers: Earlier this month, inspired by an arborio rice landslide, I went on a major pantry-cleaning kick. I took everything out and set about obsessively measuring and planning a pantry worthy of The Home Edit (or as best as I could approximate it!). One of my favorite under-the-radar finds, discovered after hours of Googling variations of ‘can organization,’ are these. I bought a set of four to keep my cans neatly stacked and organized by coconut milk, beans, nut butters, and miscellaneous (think: olives and preserved lemons). The best part? Most can storage systems are the depth of a refrigerator (13 to 18 inches) and intended for soda cans, but these are wide enough for irregularly shaped cans and jars (hence, nut butters), and shallow enough to fit in most pantries and shelves! Is this a safe space to admit can organizers are my new pride and joy? – Leslie
Fringed Geo Coasters: I love giving gifts (and receiving them, hint, hint) so I almost always have something on hand when I go over to a friend’s house for a meal or gathering. A simple flower arrangement that I make and put into a mason jar is my usual go-to hostess gift, but I like the idea of giving something less temporary which is why I’m all about these fringed, neutral coasters. I have yet to meet someone with too many coasters and I get selfish happiness out of seeing a gift be put to use immediately so it truly is a win-win situation. – Marilynn
Maapilim All Purpose Oil: I’ve been using this oil for the past month and it’s quickly become a staple in my routine. My skin reacts poorly to the change of seasons, often getting too dry and rough, but using this oil at night has relieved a lot of those issues, plus it smells amazing. I also put a few drops in my hair after shampooing, since I really don’t like how my hair looks/styles when it’s freshly cleaned. – Geoffrey
goop Nurse! Bath Soak: I discovered goop’s bath soaks a couple of months back, when I brought one with me during a Santa Monica staycation with G. But it wasn’t until a recent cold that I came across the Nurse! variety for when you’re under the weather. While the scent isn’t one I would have normally chosen (with mustard powder, manuka, and eucalyptus), once added to a hot bath, my bathroom transformed into a therapeutic spa. Whether or not it was placebo effect is irrelevant; I felt like a new person by the time I slipped into my robe. – Emily
Granola Butter: Since ruthlessly editing my pantry (sense a theme?), I’ve been extremely selective with new products I add back into it. So it’s really saying something that this ‘granola butter’ made the cut. It’s essentially oats blended with coconut butter and maple syrup, but it’s delicious. It’s not exactly healthy, but thanks to the coconut oil, it has about the same amount of fat as peanut butter, so I like to add it to smoothies and swipe it on muffins when I need a calorie boost after workouts. (Though it’s also fantastic eaten with a spoon straight from the jar.) – Leslie
Kid&Coe: We started planning our European summer vacation roughly nine months too late, hence why we pivoted to a much simpler Hawaiian getaway, at a hotel, at the last minute. After we’d finalized our plans though, a fellow parent at school told me about KidandCoe.com, a booking service similar to Airbnb that focuses on kid-friendly places. Beyond getting to see tons of pictures of each property, it’s broken into sections like “Perks for the Parents,” “Why Kids Love It,” and “Accommodation Details.” Needless to say, we’ll be trying it out the next time we’re looking to book a trip with Sloan! – Emily
Better than False Eyelashes Mascara: Little known fact about me—my mother trimmed my eyelashes when I was a baby (while I was napping, thankfully) because she thought they would grow back thicker afterwards. Turns out, they never grew back, which is why I’ve tried the gamut of lash extending tricks over the years. When I saw my sister-in-law earlier this month, she had ridiculously long and thick-looking lashes so I automatically assumed she had just gotten extensions (which I’ve also done). To my surprise, she said it was a three-step mascara product that she’s added to her daily beauty routine (as have I). – Marilynn
Measure What Matters: As our team and business have grown, one of the skills I’ve been focused on is improving and refining my management skills and trying to outline our team’s path to success. Renowned venture capitalist John Doerr provides a roadmap for building objectives and key results (OKRs) which can be applied to almost any aspect of your life. – Geoffrey
– I’m not sure if it’s the warmer weather or the fact that I got my hair colored recently, but my hair has definitely been acting up lately. And by acting up, it’s been very oily, so much so that I’ve skipped using hair conditioner altogether. Although this tempers oily-looking hair, it also means having extremely tangly tresses. Somehow, this product (which I spray on while my hair is still wet) detangles knots in 7 seconds or less, minus the weight of a traditional conditioner. – Marilynn
Year & Day Dishware: When Jonah and I moved into our first apartment together, we accepted any/all dishware donations. The result is an amalgamation of chipped hand-me-downs I’ve been itching to replace someday (again, can you tell I’m on a major ‘spring cleaning’ kick?). I recently came across this article on Year & Day Dishware, and was pleasantly surprised to discover it’s not only the exact shade of blush-pink I’ve been looking for, but it’s also affordable. We’re planning on swapping out our plates for their ‘Big Bowls’ before summer (because, is it just me, or does dinner taste better in a bowl?). – Leslie
Navy Seal breathing technique: This may be the single most random thing I’ve included in this series, but when I read about this Navy Seal breathing technique for reducing anxiety (and found it enormously helpful), I had to pass it along. You can read more about it here, but here’s the how to do it, from Time.com: To begin the practice, expel all of the air from your chest. Keep your lungs empty for a four-count hold. Then, perform your inhalation through the nose for four counts. Hold the air in your lungs for a four-count hold. When you hold your breath, do not clamp down and create back pressure. Rather, maintain an expansive, open feeling even though you are not inhaling. When ready, release the hold and exhale smoothly through your nose for four counts. This is one circuit of the box-breathing practice. – Emily
