JUNE R.E.P.O.R.T

A recap of everything beautiful about June:

Reading: The Personal Librarian byMarie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray

A historical fiction novel about J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to survive and leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation. Belle was considered one of the most prominent career women of her day - at a time when women couldn’t vote, much less hold prominent working positions. Belle, born Belle Marion Greener, the daughter of the first Black man to graduate from Harvard, struggles with her identity as she navigates as a colored woman passing for white in an increasingly hostile, segregated America. A beautifully researched and incredibly nuanced must-read.

Eating: Tuscan Kale Salad with Lemon-Walnut Gremolata

Summer is in full swing here in Texas and the last thing I want to do is heat up the oven or cook over a hot stove. This Kale Salad has all my favorite pantry goodies: sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, protien-packed beans - all coated in the most delish Lemon Walnut dressing (though in a pinch I’ve used pre-made vinaigrette!)

Originally I found this recipe on Tiktok by user FoodiefromVT - the recipe is written out in her instagram reel here. I don’t know about you but I find so many great recipes on Tiktok - something about the visual medium makes it so easy for me to follow along - and the fast pace means most of the time the recipes can’t get too complicated.

Playing: Texas Sun by Leon Bridges and Khruangbin

Truly the superior summer vibe. Listen with me on Spotify.

Obsessed with: Mexico City

This month we managed a quick getaway to one of my favorite cities. Mexico City has what feels like endless world class museums, some of the best food on the planet, and layer upon layer of history to explore. This is our second trip to Mexico City so we got to dive a little deeper this time. I’m working on Travel Notes as you’re reading this and they should be up later this week.

Recommending: Making your Yard Whimsical

If you follow me on instagram or tiktok you will know that I’ve been working on our yard and garden with some gusto this year. The borders are filling out really beautifully and I can NOT wait until the fall to do some more planting (planting in Texas in the middle of summer is just not the best idea - you have to baby the plants like crazy, water constantly…and they will probably still die. ALL OF THAT TO SAY: I have been working on adding more lighting to the garden since after dark is the only time it’s comfortable to be IN it. These little solar bobble lights have been making me SO happy - and they last for HOURS. I recently had to leave the house at the ungodly hour of 5 am and they were still softly glowing.

A bonus: this waterproof rechargeable lamp I drag out into the yard with me to read by.

Treated Myself: Silver Sequin Pants

Maybe this is out of character but I have been wanting these wide-leg silver sequin pants for going on two years now and i finally pulled the trigger. I have had the red ones about that long and have worn them to many holiday parties, but I love that the silver are a little more accessible - I can’t wait to bust them out for dinner parties, Houston Rodeo, concerts, you name it! We could all use a little more sparkle these days?

Can’t wait to do the July R.E.P.O.R.T with even more goodies! What else is coming down the pipeline? My very own kitchen remodel plans, the Roundtop Fall Show, and maybe the most fun - a whirlwind trip to the Big Apple to see some beautiful showrooms!

Click here for the last R.E.P.O.R.T. if you missed it!

ON THE BOARDS: THE REDWOOD RETREAT KITCHEN

Would you believe I had written this entire post just before quarantine? I was going to release it the following week knowing that in just about a month I would be flying back to San Jose to shoot this kitchen with Madeline and revealing the finished product to you shortly thereafter (we were planning to shoot this brand new bathroom too!). Instead, as we all know now, all of our flights were cancelled and life was put on hold. This project was one of my favorites from the last year not just because it has come together beautifully but because on the surface it appears we kept the original footprint of the kitchen. In reality there were a ton of seemingly small changes made in plan and in function that completely transformed the way this family can cook, enjoy and entertain in their home.

1 | Over the window sconces 2 | Chelsea Fly painting one & painting two 3 | New wood flooring 4 | New quartzite counters 5 | Benjamin Moore Classic Gray 6 | Cabinet Pulls 7 | Demijohn Pendants 8 | Storage Canisters 9 | Faux Piliea 10 | Delta Trinsic Faucet 11 | Farmhouse sink || Beautiful inspiration image credited to Park & Oak Design

As with any functional space, the real genius shines through in the floorplan. We swapped cabinet doors for drawers everywhere we could. At the peninsula we added an extra foot of countertop in both directions - adding bar seating on one side and book shelves on the end. We traded a standard depth fridge for a counter depth, and got rid of a weird shallow closet in the master bedroom hallway to add an extra foot to the kitchen overall - a seemingly small addition of square-footage that made a huge impact. Previously the homeowners kept a dog food container, a trash can AND a recycle bin out in the walkway - we tucked them away, each with their own cabinet.

S H O P K I T C H E N F A V O R I T E S

TRAVEL NOTES: TODO SANTOS

Image credit: Hotel San Cristobal

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When Patrick and I started dating (7 years ago last month!) we promised each other that we would travel every year - domestic or international - and miraculously we have managed to keep that promise by making it a priority. We FINALLY booked our summer trip: Todo Santos, Mexico. I’ve been to Mexico a few times, most recently Mexico City (which Patrick and I LOVED). This time though we checked another Bunkhouse Hotel off our bucket list and headed to The Hotel San Christobal - outside of Cabo. Hotel San Cristobal is a design lover’s dream: this hotel is my aesthetic. Do not hate me for saying that, because look at it.

THE HOTEL

The design of the hotel is textural, layered, simple and perfectly imperfect. It feels warm and inviting, like summer personified in a place. The spaces are minimalist without feeling cold or impersonal - the sparseness contributes to the feelings of ease you have immediately upon arrival. The Bunkhouse Group achieves this so flawlessly at every one of their properties but Hotel San Christobal has left me reeling with inspiration - that effortless minimalism is exactly what I love to impart in my client’s homes.

Patrick and I kept saying that this was by far our favorite trip we’ve ever taken. The pictures are fabulous but can’t tell you how perfect the weather was (highs of 85, lows of 65 and not a cloud in the sky), they can’t tell you how kind and attentive and honestly fun the staff is, the pictures can’t introduce you to all the interesting guests you’ll meet and share a delicious drink with. And the pictures can’t begin to illustrate all the little details that went into making this vacation one for the record books.

FOOD & DRINKS

THE POOL BAR - the food at the pool bar was so good I would have probably been happy eating every meal there. Think: octopus or steak tacos, fried calamari, ceviche, quesadillas. Everyday they have a new food and drink special on the board - it’s worth partaking. I would say just about everything is split-able. The drinks are all excellent - you have to try the Pina Colada at least once. I had no idea they could taste so good when they’re made with fresh ingredients! After trying all the cocktails we settled back into our favorite poolside drink: mezcal, soda, and a generous squeeze of lime.

On Fridays the pool bar has a happy hour on drinks and ceviche and a live band comes to play as the sun sets. We only stayed for a little while because we had planned to go out for dinner but next time I won’t miss it - and I would suggest you plan accordingly. 

BENNO - The hotel’s restaurant is just as well designed as everything else here. This is where we ate breakfast  every morning and endeavored to try just about everything. You can’t go wrong and the portions are hearty. They also make a variety of fresh juices - I really loved the Pina y Verdes and the Christobal Heat: carrot, orange, lime, cilantro, tumeric, jalepeno.

Our last night we ate dinner here and the sashimi was maybe one of my top 5 dishes ever. They bill as a Mexican-Medditeranian-Asian fusion. Sounds crazy and it is crazy good. The menu changes but honestly you can’t go wrong.

HIERBABUENA - about a 15 min cab ride from the hotel (note: not towards Todo Santos) this restaurant is a true farm-to-table expierience. As with everything around here it’s down a dirt road, and when you arrive you walk through a gorgeous garden to the open air metal building. Everyone we talked to suggested this place and for good reason. The catch of the day was perfect, the papaya salad was everything we needed after a hot day by the pool, and the fig pizza was outstanding. I highly reccommend ordering a side of grilled veggies. Everything comes fresh from the property. OH GOSH and how could I forget the flan? Do youself a favor and save room.

JASMANGO - this one is in the town proper of Todo Santos (about a 15 minute cab ride from the hotel). We didn’t make it in town this time but Jasmango is another farm-to-table gem that we constantly heard great things about.

PACKING

Disclaimer: I’m a minimalist packer. You may very well want a different pair of shoes for every single day - and you do you! However, I am a card carrying member of the Carry On Only Club™ so I kept my packing list short, well-designed, and sweet.

I live and die by my Away suitcase when I travel - and after this trip I ordered their packing cubes to make my packing even more organized and efficient. If you’re in the market for a great suitcase you can get $20 off your order by clicking here. P and I each own one, they’ve taken a beating and the ability to charge a phone is so good, especially when you’re out of the country. The necklaces and dress I own BOTH and they’re by an amazing Houston designer who I love very much. I plan to buy ever color they ever make of this dress. And finally the sunscreen. I’ve started using Supergoop (female entrepreneur what-what!) but this sunscreen is honestly like wearing a real life instagram filter on your face. Not kidding. I’ve been wearing it without makeup and it’s just too good. I’m a sunscreen junkie - I don’t go a day without it and I’m telling everyone I know.

SHOP THIS POST

PACKED, AND SO GLAD I DID:

• Loose-fitting but chic clothes: aside from swimsuits and one coverup I packed 2 dresses and a jumpsuit. You want to look comfortable but put together when you’re not in the pool and everything I brought was perfect for either wandering the town, dining in the hotel’s restaurant or lounging by the fire.

• A light sweater: I threw this in last second after checking the temps. Todo Santos is farther north than Cabo and gets beautiful cooling breezes that have the temps in the mid sixties in the mornings and evenings.

• Easy to throw on cover up: for walking from the pool to the bar or the beach

PACKED BUT DIDN’T NEED

• A turkish towel: this place is wonderful and so relaxed walking around barefoot in just your swimsuit is not at all unusual. Plus there are towels everywhere - on lounge chairs, in beautiful baskets, you will never be left without one nearby when you really need it.

• An extra pair of “beach sandals” - the sand feels glorious on your feet and it never gets hot enough to hurt. The beach is impeccably clean and I felt fine walking around barefoot - my one pair of nice leather slides was just fine.

DIDN’T PACK BUT WISH I HAD:

• Hiking shoes: I brought tennis shoes thinking “how hard can hotel trails be”. Mistake. There are gorgeous rocky trails all over this remote location and we could have gone further and enjoyed it more with the appropriate shoes.

• A refillable water bottle: this is a super active hotel. Yes, you can do nothing and be completely happy, but there is hiking, and yoga, and so many guests get up and run the beach in the morning. Plus the entire property has these absolutely gorgeous water jugs you can fill up from that they fill with filtered water throughout the day. Even if you’re just rehydrating from Happy Hour the night before it’s worth it to throw one in your bag.

• One more set of workout clothes: the hotel offered yoga almost every day of our stay and I would have liked to have one more leggings-and-sport bra combo since the set I brought got very dirty on the hike.

• 1000% more sunscreen. Honestly I didn’t pack any besides my face sunscreen and we bought a (completely overpriced but worth it to not check a bag) bottle there. The first thing we noticed when we got to the pool that first day was that everyone was fried to a crisp - so red. The Mexican sun is no joke and we were constantly reapplying.

Clockwise from upper left: Yoga platform, walking through the old sardine cannery, view from the hike

I would love to hear if you’ve been to this part of Mexico and your favorite places to see, hangout, eat and shop! I’m hoping it won’t be too long before we’re headed back and this time we will build in more time to see the surrounding area.

And please, leave me a message letting me know if this was helpful! I would love to continue to document my trips here and answer any questions I can!