Nine Favorite Things.

Nine Favorite Things

It’s officially SUMMER! Y’all, I am so excited! It’s such a fun time of year! Everyone I know is taking advantage of summer, traveling, hosting backyard dinners, daytime BBQs, planning weekend getaways, attending weddings, and really leaning into “summer Fridays”. It’s a nice feeling to know more laid-back days are ahead.

Of course, I say that, but it’s actually been so busy, but all good things! I think it’s just the idea of summer, it’s very chill and that’s so inviting. Is there anything you all are looking forward to in the coming months? I know not all of us are traveling, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have an incredible summer. See lower down, number 5 on our list today, of fun things to do at home!

Let’s see, what’s new? Not much, so a quick recap of the week. It was a busy week of preparing for about two weeks of travel starting today! I’m so excited to go, but wow last week was a lot. There’s always so much to do to prepare before heading out on any trip, but especially a two-week trip.

My personal goal for the summer is to step out of my comfort zone and embrace doing different things. Starting with more travel, since I tend to be adverse to travel and am definitely a creature of habit. I’m someone who loves a routine and could do the very same thing every day. In general, it works for me. But I’ve realized that it’s really, really important for me to have new experiences. Not only to spark new ideas and stay creative but also for my mental state. My last trip to LA, then Miami, really showed me that travel can actually be something I enjoy.

I’m currently en route to one of my favorite cities. Then off to meet my family for our summer vacation with the whole fam (see last year’s vacation highlights here). I think mom said there’s a total of 18 people this year, so a full crew. I’m sure I’ll have many photos and stories for you guys come next week.

We’ll be celebrating Red and Creighton’s birthdays while we’re there, so there won’t be a lack of activities!  I’m excited to reveal the location to you all! What’s your final guess on where we’re headed? It’s changed probably 5 times, but the spot we landed on is going to be beautiful. My mom did an incredible job planning this one!

So I’ve got work to start the week, then chill time with the family. I’m really excited for both adventures!

My highlights for the past week include a day of exciting calls on Thursday. Followed by a walk around the block with my mom. I know this doesn’t sound like anything special, but I love the time I get to have with her. And then our lilac tree is in full bloom right now. The vibrant branches make me so happy. I’m not sure there’s a better summer fragrance than fresh lilacs.

Lastly, every time I travel, I always pull new outfits for the trip. I did a serious last-minute clothing haul for this trip and spent way too much. I’m curious, do you guys enjoy seeing the pieces I order, even if there’s an expensive item? Or would you prefer I only share the more affordable pieces? I love to share them all, but I also want to share what you’re all most interested in seeing.

Plenty of fun “things’ below. Hope you all love this week’s favorites post!

mom’s new Maya Brenner ring I love so much

1. Things i’m loving, wanting, and excited to try.

loving…the new Necessaire new neck cream. Use HBH10 for 10% off the Treatment Collection.

reading…Tour Nancy Meyers’s Newly Revitalized L.A. Home. So peaceful and welcoming. I love the outside, the kitchen, and the magical secret-garden-like front door.

loving…Zara summer vacation finds. So many cute things for vacation. This sweetheart dress screams tropical weather. Love this fun satin cutout dress, or this satin dress in black is cute too. Obsessed with their basics. Ordered this spaghetti strap tank, then the wide strap tank too. And you can never have enough basic black/white knit tees. Also, this basic knit sweater is great too. Very into these menswear style pants. I can see Asher wearing this textured jacket. Just added these wide-leg pants to my cart, perfect for bed time. This ruched bikini in blueish is super cute. And I’d put this linen shirt over it as a cover. Love this beaded crossbody bag (super cute). And how fun is this quilted neon toiletry bag?

listening to…Closet Need An Upgrade? Learn How To Build A Timeless Closet with Arielle Charnas on Lipstick on the Rim. I listened to this while walking around the block the other night. I put it on in a rush and ended up really enjoying the conversation on fashion and styling a classic outfit. It’s a good listen for anyone who enjoys fashion.

dreaming of going…Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. What a beautiful Canadian destination. I would love to visit!

ordered…cocktail glasses from Joss & Main. Got these whisky glasses, and then these drinking glasses, and then, these Belmont drinking glasses.

loving…claw clips for easy vacation hair. Taylor, on our team, sent these over to me. I love this set of octopus claw clips, these seashell clips are perfect for a beach vacation, and of course, love these Emi Jay (they’re my favorite clips).

curious to try…Pai Skincare the impossible glow bronzing drops. I can’t sit in the sun, but these sound like the perfect way to still get a natural-looking glow. I want to try the bronze and rose gold shade.

watching…Hailey Bieber’s Date Night Skin Care & Makeup Routine. I LOVE watching these Vogue beauty secrets, but this one is especially good.

loving…Maya Brenner Designs. I recently received a few pieces and they are now some of my favorites. These are investment pieces, but so pretty and they’ll last a lifetime. I got my mom the black diamond Pave ring and it is perfection. So stunning.

following…HandelsMann + Khaw. For the prettiest interior spaces.

loving…Pepper Mayo European towns linen mini dress. Casual enough for daytime, but dress it up with fun sandals for night.

want to order….Cuyana travel bags. I have their leather laptop case and now I feel like I need one of their travel bags too. Eyeing the leather overnight, canvas overnight, or possibly the larger leather weekender. Also, their cosmetic travel cases look really nice too. I know so many people love them.

following…Teressa Johnson. She has the prettiest florals. She’s based out of Seattle for anyone local.

loving…Vintner’s Daughter. I’ve used use the brand for years. But they re-launched their very popular active treatment essence in a spray bottle and it is a game-changer

loving…overalls. How cute are these Levis overalls? Our social manager, Mckenzie said she has been living in these. They’re cute for laid-back summer days and hanging in the garden. These Good American overalls are super cute too.

loving…Olive & June social studies shade. A pretty sun-kissed navy blue for summer.

testing…Method hand soap. I love fancy hand soap and apparently, this smells just like Le Labo’s famous Santal 33 scent.

wearing…new APL slides. Just got my dad their zipline shoe and also ordered another pair of slides, this time in chocolate. I love the color.

the new Necessaire neck cream

2. My favorite summer cocktails.

Frozen Aperol Peach Margarita

Strawberry Mojito

Firecracker Champagne Paloma

Frozen Peach Rosé Slushy

Frosted Watermelon Rosemary Frosé

Blackberry Champagne Mule

Salted Spicy Watermelon Margarita Popsicles

3. Summer vacation travel bags.

Also, I don’t use packing cubes, but if you do, here you go, 12 Packing Cubes That Will Keep You Organized While Traveling.

4. Favorite questions of the week.

q: did you go to high school or were you home-schooled?
a: a little of both except I wasn’t ever home schooled. I did 2 years of normal high school. I then switched and took classes at Colorado Mountain College for both high school and college credits and graduated a year early.

q: what is your opinion on truffle oil?
a: it’s not my favvv ??‍♀️

q: are you particular about the bowls/plates you use for plating? Or grab whatever?
a: I’m very particular. It takes me forever to pull dishes.

q: do you ever get an idea that doesn’t turn out? How do you prevent wasting time? 
a: all the time, but you never know until you try, so you have to try! It’s never a waste of time trying something new.

q: did you decide on your hair after that poll?
a: probably just getting a trim! y’all are very opinionated about my hair!! Many suggested highlights, but coloring scares me more than cutting! I’ve never colored my hair! Honestly not sure ??‍♀️

q: what motivated you to finish high school early and have such a different experience?
a: I was never someone who enjoyed school. It caused me so much stress/anxiety since I was really little. By the end, I just wanted to be DONE and start working right away. I wanted to move to LA and work in fashion. I was so eager and excited that it was easy to push through school.

q: I feel like you are so humble with such a big following, is it hard to stay grounded?
a: I don’t think so! I don’t live in LA or NYC. I’m pretty small town and I don’t feel like I’m anything special!! Very, very average/normal!! My family would set me straight if I ever got too annoying to them anyway. Haha, lots of brothers, remember (:

q: would you ever do diet-specific recipes? Like keto?
a: no, that’s really not my thing. I’m all about eating real foods, limiting processed foods, and cooking at home as much as possible. I don’t like to put labels on foods or how I eat.

q: when you’re not cooking, or with the family, what’s your go-to thing to do?
a: if it’s daytime, anything outside in the sun makes me happy. I don’t get to spend enough time just chilling in the sun or being outside. I’m pretty simple. If it’s late at night, I’ll sometimes online shop and have a lot of fun with that ? If I’m not working though, I usually spend my free time with my family.

q: tips for feeling less travel anxiety? I love to do it, but hate breaking my routine!
a: Do everything you can to take the stress out of traveling. For me, that’s arranging travel plans that work best for my schedule. Making sure I have a hotel that I’m excited to stay in and know I will feel comfortable at. Know what your limits are. If you know something will really stress you out, don’t do it. If you’re able to spend money on things that will help, do it, and don’t feel guilty. Whether that’s scheduling a shuttle for an airport run, or splurging on a hotel. Make the travel experience as fun and comfortable as possible and you’ll learn to love traveling.

Also, I had to accept that travel is unpredictable, delays happen, and flights get canceled. When it’s out of my control I just have to say to myself, there isn’t anything I can do. Find the next best solution and take things by the hour. It’s easier said than done, but learn to let go of some of the stress.

q: what’s your favorite animal?
a: I don’t know really, but a giraffe came to mind immediately. There’s something so beautiful and unique about them. I also love butterflies ?

q: what does your social life look like? do you ever feel isolated where you live? 
a: it’s verryyy mellow. If I’m not working, which I consider being “social” for me, then my social life is my family for sure. With 8 siblings + super close cousins, it’s never lonely. That’s the best part about having such a huge, close fam, there’s always someone there to talk to ?

q: what does it take to succeed in your industry?
a: the willingness to really put in long hours, do the actual work, and dedication. A love for the content you’re sharing, a willingness to open parts of your life up to the public, and kindness. Know what makes you unique and have tough skin!

q: why don’t you move to LA? You love the west and the weather is good year-round!
a: I don’t think I could last longer than a few weeks. While I love to visit, I think I enjoy it more for work than anything else. I’ve kind of decided I’d like to do longer trips to LA, stay in my fav hotel, and work/play while there. I love a packed LA trip. But then I also love heading home and getting back to “normal”.

5. How to have the best summer at home.

Not all of us can jet-set off to Europe, so I thought it would be fun to share a bucket list of ideas for summer days and nights closer to home! Here’s a fun list of mine, but guys! Please share your ideas within the comments too!!

1. Plan as many weekend/day trips as you can. You might not be going to Paris, but you’ll be surprised to find all the hidden gem locations within driving distance. It will take some research, but worth it in the end.
2. Spend your days outside when possible. The beauty of so many of us working from home is that we can easily make it outside our office.
3. Make fresh-squeezed lemonade. I have a new recipe coming!
4. Make a summertime playlist. Nothing gets you in a feel-good kind of mood quite like a good playlist. Curate the list to include all of your fun, laid-back summer favorites.
5. Wake up early and soak in that summer morning sun! The sunlight that comes into my room in the early morning gives me so much energy. It makes getting out for a hike so easy. Plus, I always feel ahead of the game on days when I’m out of bed even just a few minutes early!
6. Have an outdoor movie marathon. I’ve always loved this idea! Or just watch a good summertime movie. What are your favorites? I could use some ideas!
7. Don’t wait until Friday and Saturday night to “relax”. Long summer nights are meant to be spent outside enjoying the sunset. Make fun dinners throughout the week and maybe even a cocktail or two.
8. Get off Instagram 1 to 2 days a week. Trust me, you will be happier because of it.
9. On nice evenings, walk around your neighborhood with a friend or give your mom a call. It’s a great way to enjoy the warm nights and decompress from the day.
10. Make homemade ice cream sandwiches. These blackberry swirled sandwiches are a current favorite. And then continue to make and enjoy ice cream ALL SUMMER LONG.

11. Find a local farm and pick fresh summer produce. Then challenge yourself to make a new recipe that night.

12. Spend rainy days organizing and decluttering your home. Come fall you’ll feel ahead of the game and ready for some new cozy fall decor.

13. Go Swimming whenever possible.

14. Don’t put pressure on yourself to have exciting plans every single day. Summer is about fun, but it’s also about relaxing and just enjoying the season for what it is.

 

6. Self-doubt and overcoming the “second-guessing”.

I struggle with self-doubt and have perfected the art of second-guessing. I’ve done this for most of my life. But as we continue to grow HBH and reach into more areas, it’s becoming hard to know the right moves to make in all aspects of life.

Sometimes the right move is very clear. But most of the time every major decision I make comes with too much thinking and then overthinking. I was experiencing this with our studio and home updates. I loved everything, and then all of a sudden I didn’t. After a long call with Katie, our designer, I feel so much more confident about how we’re moving forward.

Our call made me really want to learn how to be more confident with decisions. Confident in myself, and confident enough to go with my initial thoughts and stop overthinking my every move. It’s way easier said than done, but I hope that with time I can learn how to do this. Not only is this going to free up space in my brain and allow for even more new ideas to flow, but my gosh it’s going to help me work so much more efficiently.

I just wanted to put this all out there. I know I can’t be the only one who struggles with this or has asked the question “but what’s my gut feeling…I have no idea!”. Really though, what does that even mean, go with your gut? I have not a clue, but hopefully, with time, I can grow into a more confident me.

No real point in sharing this other than to put it out there. But if you have tips/tricks that help you, please share them!

7. Favorite links I’m loving.

Step Inside the Ken Fulk–Designed Nantucket Dream Home…simply stunning.

The Best Hamptons Hotels and Homes to Book This Summer...I have never been, but maybe this is the summer I make it to the Hamptons.

Trader Joe’s Summer Essentials You Need To Try ASAP…because we all love TJ’s.

The Studio McGee Office Photo Tour…such a creative space.

What To Bring On A Picnic…really cute picnic essential finds.

Need a New Hobby… 31 fun ideas to try this summer.

Favorite Books We’ve Read This Year…if you need some summer beach day reads.

8 Moving Hacks That Will Make Packing Up So Much Easier…for everyone on the move.

21 Healthy Eating Habits for Lifelong Wellness…love these.

9 Genius Tips I Learned From Studying Hailey Bieber’s Beauty Routine…take notes.

7 Summer Trends from J.Crew’s Head Designer…love that J.Crew is making a comeback.

Zara Said Let’s Party…30 pretty going-out shoes. Got to love Zara. 

A West Marin California Family Retreat…what a cozy California home.

The Best Flea Market in Every State…fun for summer weekends.

For Longer, Thicker Hair, Try This At-Home Practice…need to try using hair oils.

48 Hours in Seattle…where to eat, shop, and find inspiration.

8. Red, white, and blue for the 4th.

9. This week’s dinners + weekend eats.

Monday: Chicken Fajita Tortilla Bowls

Tuesday: Summer Coconut Chickpea Curry with Rice

Wednesday: Korean Grilled Steak

and Charred Peppers with Marinated Feta

Thursday: Grilled Caprese Pesto Chicken Skewers

Friday: 20 Minute Lemon Butter Pasta with Ricotta and Spicy Breadcrumbs

Saturday: Frozen Aperol Peach Margarita

Sunday: Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Bites