Originally, the headline for this post was “Get Ready With Me,” as a spin-off of Emily and Leslie’s posts, until I realized that it would be about a paragraph long, and only include brushing my teeth, a skincare routine, and perhaps a pour-over coffee (…aka not interesting, whatsoever).
My mornings aren’t luxurious or structured, and without a commute the past few months or kids to take care of, I’m lucky enough to be able to roll out of bed about 30 minutes before I begin the workday. And because I’m a night owl, I generally feel more productive and prefer to power through work in the evenings, so my schedule looks a bit different than most of the team.
I love the moment when Slack and email go quiet, phone calls cease (aside from daily check-ins with my sister and/or mom), and my circuits start firing up in a way they just don’t earlier in the day. I tend to pack in a ton since I head to bed on the later side, and I’m excited to give you a glimpse at how my evenings have looked recently:
The majority of our team, including Kelly, start signing off around 5:30 or 6 PM, so we’ll cap off her working hours with a 20-to-30-minute virtual walk. We FaceTime and talk about both work and non-work-related topics, and take advantage of the sublime Los Angeles weather.
I get a burst of energy right around this time each day, so I try to take advantage of it by fitting in a bit of exercise. I alternate between Obé yoga classes with Beth Cooke, various IGTVs I’ve saved and loved, and Peloton rides, the majority taken with Cody Rigsby.
I turn to Cody when I’m searching for a stress relief, when I’m in need of a good laugh, and when I’m looking to get my ass kicked. You’ll usually achieve all three in any of his classes, set to the catchiest pop playlists (my genre of choice). Spending a half-hour with him is, in my opinion, the best way to make the most of the final sun-lit hours.
To cool down from the ride, I’ll do another lap around the same loop I walked with Kelly, but this time with Justin. Even though we’re both working from home, we rarely see each other during the day, so we usually have quite a bit to catch up on. We’ll chit chat with our neighbors, wave to the familiar pups, and reflect on our days as the sun sets. And, since they’re usually awaiting our arrival at the front door, we’ll also feed the cats (we’re kitty-sitting my sister’s boy, Bo, for the month of October!) when we get back.
Since we started working from home, I’m typically the last one to make my way onto Slack and into my emails each morning, around 9:30 AM. I’m less creative in the early hours and into the afternoon than I am around 7 PM, so I’ll pick up a project that requires more ideation or attention to detail. I treasure having this uninterrupted time to feel like I can accomplish a ton without distractions.
We went through an intense cooking phase the first few months of sheltering-in-place, and recently burned out. I’ve been ordering from smaller, local spots to support them while the state of the world remains unstable, alternating between Roberta’s (seen above!), Little Fatty, Gjusta, the Win-Dow at American Beauty,…and the occasional In-N-Out.
I have absolutely no idea if the touted benefits about dry brushing are actually accurate, but I find this ritual to be soothing and have noticed smoother skin since starting. I use the brush on my arms, legs, and stomach, and swipe softly with quick strokes in an upward motion towards my heart.
My time in the shower is one of my favorite parts of the day, mainly because it doesn’t involve screens.
Next up is my skincare routine. I take great pleasure in the 10 to 15 minutes after the shower that involve an embarrassing number of products, but I indulge in what feels like a spa treatment each night. I start with a few spritzes of Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir, then apply a serum (usually Maelove’s Glow Maker, but I’ve been testing out Caudalie’s Vinopure Skin Perfecting Serum lately). I layer The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, Paula’s Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant, and Maelove’s Love 31 on my face, then move on to my body with Flamingo’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion. I finish it off by running some Kérastase Elixir Ultime Oil Serum through my damp hair, and though it’s not pictured, I add a dropper’s worth of
This is around the time I’ll light my “evening” candle (current favorite is Byredo’s Woods) and brew a cup of Public Goods’ Chamomile & Spearmint Tea. It’s herbal (no caffeine!) and absolutely delicious. I’m a dessert-every-single-night kinda gal, and will mix it up to keep things fresh for my sweet tooth. The past few weeks, I’ve been alternating between Pillsbury Ready-To-Bake Sugar Cookies (featuring Scooby Doo), Halloween Oreos (which obviously taste better than regular Oreos), and my date/nut butter/chocolate combo I mentioned here. While I’m still wide awake at this hour, I’m not as sharp as I was back at 7 PM. I’ll jump back on my laptop and get through some of my more “mindless” tasks like design projects or social scheduling, which allow me to multitask. Usually, there’s an old favorite movie or beloved TV show on in the background almost as white noise, as I find it to be a therapeutic way to wind down and simultaneously knock some items off my to-do list. At a certain point, I’ll close my laptop and watch something new with Justin (right now it’s Veep!). It’s fall in most parts of the country…but still summer in LA. We’ve had quite a few heat waves over the past few weeks, so until the temperatures drop, I’ll continue making my spiced cold brew (but with most of the typical pumpkin spice components!). It feels just seasonal enough to put me in the autumnal spirit without immediately making me sweat, like a piping hot cup of coffee would. Justin (understandably) enjoys waking up to a clean house, so we’ll wipe down the countertops, fold any laundry left in the dryer, and load and run the dishwasher before heading to bed. Even though I do it begrudgingly (can you tell I’m the messier one?), I always appreciate walking into a sparkling kitchen the following morning. After a day on screens, I like to carve out at least 10 minutes to read, even if it’s after midnight. I’m currently flipping between two books: They Wish They Were Us, a YA novel by my friend Jessica Goodman, and Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which has been recommended to me by approximately every single person I know. I’m not really into essential oils, but I do enjoy rubbing a drop of lavender oil between my palms and inhaling just before turning off my lamp each night. It feels like the closing of a chapter, and allows me to drift to sleep quickly and easily. P.S. See what Emily and Leslie’s morning routines look like lately. 
