Style Review: Houndstooth Dress at the Kennedy Center

The dress: Houndstooth Skater Dress

I hold a lot of memories that have taken place in that bright, red hall at the Kennedy Center. A handful of New Years countdowns and ballets with girlfriends make it one of my favorite places to go in Washington, DC. 

The Event

Occasionally, the National Symphony Orchestra offers a sensory-friendly performance for families. Meaning that during these performances some lights stay on, parts of the music do not get as loud as it normally would, and it's okay to make some noise. So, Miles' babbling and singing was very much welcomed! At eight months old he sat in awe of the stage but this time- standing skills acquired, he had his arms reached out toward the musicians nearly the entire time. The music went on for an hour and Miles loved it so much! The theme was "Let's Go to the Moon," so the songs were all space-themed. Think: songs from space movies, a piece titled "Libra," and Debussy's Claire de Lune.

Each time we've gone to the Kennedy Center with Miles I bring some puffs, a pouch of food, and an extra bottle in my bag. The second row of the box seats is my ideal because there is more space to move around and less people which feels way less stressful with a baby. And you can see the entire stage easily with a baby on your lap.

The dress

After an entire season of wearing black jeans on a near constant basis, I have been dying to get into some dresses! I was skeptical about this $25 dress but as soon as I put it on I was so glad I ordered it. There's a side zipper, tie-neck, and the material is silky smooth making it appropriate for spring, fall, and layered in winter! My favorite part is that it's not the typical black and white houndstooth pattern: where it normally would be white is actually a very muted shade of pink. The softest feminine touch + a bold pattern? Seriously, treat yourself to this dress!

It was easy to push a stroller, hold Miles on my lap, and I also felt super cute and put together (despite my hair needing a wash, ahh) which is always nice! Don't get me wrong- I wouldn't let an outfit get in the way of enjoying this kind of time together but style has always been something that makes me feel whole.

In order to have time to get ready, I did a little bit of makeup when Miles took a nap around 10am (the event was at 2!), and I had chosen 1-2 things to wear in advance and put them aside in my closet so they wouldn't be sitting in the laundry basket the day I wanted to wear one of them. I guess I share this because there are times I would see other moms dressed and I'd wonder...wait, how?! It has taken me awhile not only to feel more rooted in my own style but to let go of the idea that I need or have time to get ready at the last second. It seemed straight up silly to put aside two dresses three weeks ago, but seriously that saved me so much effort later on.

My favorite...

The most incredible part of all of the day was holding Miles and sensing all the ways he was feeling the music. The highs and lows, the sometimes booming scary sounds and the light and happy ones. It is amazing to watch the world through his eyes.

wishing you joy on your journey,

kristen

Mornings with Mozart (+ Miles!) at Nook in Merrifield, VA

Miles tried the ball pit for the very first time and he had the funniest reaction! He wiggled himself until he was comfortably propped up and reclined, and just chilled there while watching the bigger kids go down the slide. Later, he kept going to the coziest nook to lounge around! His other favorite was the wooden kitchen (first birthday gift idea, perhaps?). 

With each passing month of growth I'm left utterly astonished. Saying, "my son" still gets me every time and the bigger he gets, the more our life together expands to make room for more fun, more learning, and more adventure. I know most children love music, buuut...Miles really loves music and has shown a fond appreciation for it. He even has a way he communicates to us throughout the day about what kind of tunes he wants to hear. Most recently, my husband did all the wiring so that we can play audio over surround sound in our house! A few weeks after moving in we discovered speakers in the ceilings on our first floor. We had no idea they were even there! So now, we really jam out together. This Mornings with Mozart event at Nook was perfect for Miles and we had a great time. He played and played and saw these beautiful instruments up close. Afterwards, me and Max devoured a butternut squash pizza while baby snoozed in the stroller. How that worked out so perfectly was pure luck, and I'll take it!

Let's chat style for just a sec. What the heck do you wear when you're playing with your baby for 2 hours and then having a rare day-date lunch with your hubs? Well, whatever you want! But in my experience some things work out better than others in terms of getting that comfort and cuteness. On this day I wore leggings and a stretch fabric, sleeveless knit top that completely covered my chest. (I find it way easier to manage leaning/bending/lifting constantly.) The leather jacket served as the perfect layer to add style and personality. I don't always care or get the chance to think about what my outfits look like but when I do, I find it feels so good to express myself as a mother and individual through some statement pieces. So, the outfit was perfect for playing around and then grabbing a bite. You get super warm keeping up with a mobile baby so the whole sleeveless thing came in handy. 

Fun fact: if you remember to wear deodorant and don't find yourself using a baby wipe on your armpits, you are better than I! :D We really can't have it all as moms! If we get into a cute outfit something else has got to give, I swear. With only so much attention and energy to spare, we are only human. And not letting some sweaty armpits get in the way of fun is really the way to go. One of my biggest takeaways in life since becoming a mom is to not take myself too seriously.

Things to Know

You have to sign up in advance on the Nook website. There's plenty of parking in the parking garage nearby. And my favorite part about the Merrifield location is that there is so much to do right near Nook! We could run an errand at Target, shop at Anthro (maybe next time...), and grab a bite. My personal favorite is True Food Kitchen. More specifically: Medicine Man tea with the butternut squash pizza I mentioned. Ah, amazing!! (That's almond ricotta on top!) 

wishing you joy on your journey,

kristen

Beautiful Japanese Lifestyle Books

Shikara go mai - Accept what cannot be helped, Kansha - Cultivate sincere gratitude. These and many other Japanese principles make up the framework of Kitsungi Wellness.

To new friends, welcome to Swann Street! 

Lately, I've been writing posts on topics outside of style because I've come to learn that style is influenced by so much more than what goes down any runway. Our style is derived from- among many other things, the season of life we are in, the demands of our daily routines, and our evolving self growth. The books I'm sharing today are ones I would pass on to my son, that's how much I love and cherish them. Always, always on this blog I want to honor your time. I don't blog for monetary gain, I blog to for meaningful connection and to share my journey. These books are ones I truly believe you may fall in love with.

Kitsungi Wellness is a powerhouse, a guiding light, and truly an all encompassing lifestyle book. It's all about finding strength in imperfection. Candice Kumai includes recipes- new and passed down, along with numerous, digestible summaries of the ancient Japanese approach to living. Kumai is a prolific Japanese-American author but Kitsungi blends her strong women-can-do tone with another deeper, reflective side of herself that we can all relate to. This book is influenced by deep, familial traditions along with inspiration straight from her time spent living and traveling throughout Japan. 

Green Tea Living is completely dedicated to all the small ways things like green tea and other simple Japanese wellness ideas can be integrated into the every day. I cannot say enough good things about it. The hand drawn graphics are simply adorable and the tips are so useful. You'll find the tone in each book to be calm, purposeful, and dignified. Self-care and making the world a little more beautiful doesn't have to cost a lot or be complicated. Warm foot baths, natural cleaning, and stretches are some great of examples of what you'll find.

Marie Kondo's Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up has swept many of us off our feet with her radical instructions of thanking our homes and folding our clothes into tiny squares. Woven into these concepts is the Shinto belief that everything around us has an energy. Going beyond the Netflix series, I highly recommend the book. It will speak to you directly and if anything, truly complements the concepts presented in the Tidying Up series. Tidying little things like credit card statements and the kitchen sink are explained in much greater detail than the show.

At the most challenging times in my life I have turned to Japanese philosophy and way of living. It has become so close to my heart they feel almost tangible. At this point the concepts are woven into my foundation for how I strive to live. We each connect uniquely to new, different, or revisited ideas. And sometimes simply knowing  there are other very real ways of thinking about the world around us and how we can respond is a real comfort. I hope you enjoy these books! Please let me know if you give any a try,

wishing you joy on your journey,

kristen

Impress Yourself with Japanese Umami Ingredients Under $6 Each

Japanese cooking is well within your reach and ability. So much in the world of cooking is spun to sound more challenging than it really is. The kind of simple. everyday meal preparation I prefer is forgiving, and the flavors, manageable. Japanese cooking has given the world the sixth taste of umami- a mysterious, savory, addicting flavor found in countless broths and protein dishes and incorporated into many cuisines. It originates from fermented vegetables as well as shiitake mushrooms and dried fish. 

If that made you take a step back: keep in mind the taste behind many dishes you find irresistible may in fact be these seemingly off-putting ingredients. For instance, the sour zing in pad thai comes from splashes of (very pungent) fish sauce. Our tastebuds are curious things. If you would like to add some umami to your life, there are certain ingredients you can use at home to satisfy your craving. It's a comforting, nourishing flavor that you will turn to again and again. The ingredients that make it possible can be found at a variety of grocery stores, but definitely at Hana Market in Washington, DC. The price tags are insignificant for how long they last and the punch of flavor they add to any dish. 

Miso paste

Miso, of the ever-popular miso soup, is made from fermented soybeans to form a sticky paste. Packed with gut-friendly bacteria, miso soup is a major comfort food for me. I use instant packets but there's nothing like scooping miso paste from the container and slowly dissolving it into hot water, making it as salty and flavorful as I feel like. It comes in a variety of options. You will see red miso and white miso being two common ones. However, my favorite is miso-dashi because it includes dashi stock which makes it extra flavorful. If I am hungry for a late night snack I will make a miso broth (miso + hot water) and then add a scoop of rice. You can also add things like dried seaweed, thinly sliced shittake, or cubed tofu if you like.

Instant Dashi

Dashi is a broth made of dried fish and dried kelp, and sometimes also shittake. Dashi stock is the base for countless Japanese recipes. On its own, the flavor is subtle, only to be brought out by the vegetables and proteins you add. Hon-Dashi is a popular brand of instant dashi and that is the best place to start. It is sold for about $4 or so, and it can be easily mixed into hot water. Dashi is regarded as the most important flavor in Japanese cooking. If you fall in love with it, you can start developing your own dashi mixture by individually selecting the combination dried seaweed, mushrooms, and fish you like best.

Kosho 

Kosho is made of fermented chiles, citrus zest, and salt. Kosho is sold in a small bottle and has a texture similar to that of a relish or finely grated onion. The flavor, however, has diverse uses. It is often added to pasta sauces, chicken, pestos, cashew butter, sashimi...really anything that you want to give a bit of a kick. (You can add it to your dashi stock!) It sounds pretty unbelievable, so I'm linking this list of recipes to put into perspective how helpful this little jar will be in your cooking adventures.

Furikake (a bonus!) 

Take a bowl of plain white or brown rice and turn into a full blown, satisfying dish with a few shakes of furikake. This costs about $3-5 a bottle and comes in sour, sweet, and sinus-clearing wasabi flavors. It adds a minor crunch to your rice by way of sesame seeds and dried seaweed. It quickly becomes addicting and I have found myself craving rice just to enjoy the furikake flavor. 

There are many free, accessible avenues to venture down if you would like to learn more about Japanese cooking. The greatest recommendation I can offer is the NHK Japanese Food website. You can also download the NHK (Japanese state run news channel) for free and watch Dining with the Chef and other Japanese cooking classes. Fun fact: Max and I got to sit in on a live recorded episode of Dining with the Chef! I never did find it online, but maybe one day I will.

Locally, the Japan-America Society offers Japanese cooking classes a few times per year. You get way more for your money than the class costs and the benefit of hands on learning. 

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post and that you give some Japanese dishes a try. I am not a food blogger but I am someone who loves to cook and bake. I spend a lot of my free time reading recipes, thinking of meal plans, and trying to cook. At the very least, I hope you will consider a visit Hana Market for some snacks and treats! It's well worth it and great to support our local Japanese market. 

wishing you joy on your journey,

kristen

Heart Shaped Chocolate Pancakes for Valentine's Day

These dark chocolate pancakes, raspberries, and maple syrup are a perfect Valentine's (or anytime) Day treat. We made them over the weekend because I wanted to test out the heart pancake molds before I shared the link with you guys. The reviews were really mixed but the ones linked below work really well. And the dark chocolate Kodiak cake pancake mix made these extra addicting! 

We cooked these in our cast iron pan and saved a bunch in the fridge to warm up later. They warm up really well in the toaster and the heart size is perfect for on-the-go.

One year for Max's birthday, I made him a pancake-cake for breakfast with candles on top. It was a hit! And our very first breakfast as a married couple was homemade lemon-ricotta pancakes with raspberries on top. And here we are making more pancakes and this time for our baby, too. True love!

link love

Heart Pancake molds // Kodiak Cake mix

wishing you joy on your journey, 

and Happy Valentine's Day this week!

kristen

Why I Decided to try Hair Painting

The moment I saw a post about this new salon and healing studio, I was intrigued. Back when I first emailed Sense Studios (six months ago!) I felt like I wanted a change but I still was not sure in what way exactly. Who reading this has ever felt like you wanted a major boost physically and emotionally? That's been me a lot the past year. Some self-reflection led me to the conclusion that at that time, just changing my physical appearance was not going to bring me the confidence I was seeking. It was a time of shifting and adjusting. I went back to work full time and Miles started daycare. My daily life as I knew it was fragmented and begging for my full attention. I decided to wait, and give myself some time to reset my everyday foundation for living and being.

In Katie's description of her own exhibit, shown above and titled: Merry-Go-Round, she writes about the calm and the chaos. The constant shifts. Is it any wonder I felt so compelled when I saw her work this weekend? I relate to that so much. The feeling comfortable, like I've got this, and then faced with some setback or challenge. We all go through these feelings. Some are bumps and some knock us down hard. It's tempting to want to stay in the calm but the chaos is where we refine ourselves and experience the true depth of what it means to be human. 

By total mistake, I arrived at my appointment a whole hour earlier than scheduled. Everyone was so nice about it and I felt more than okay with a bonus hour all to myself. The day was one of those absolutely frigid but supremely sunny winter days, and when I walked upstairs to finally see the healing studio I had admired for so long, I had Katie's exhibit all by myself. 

It was just meant to be that I would get so lucky to see her beautiful work on the very day I finally felt ready to let my external self change to match my internal state: a place of light, a place of calm, and a place of chaos.

Erin did my hair painting. She listened to me intently and extended a great deal of respect to hearing what I wanted my hair to look like. My original intention was to go big and bold: a short cut and super blonde tones. After chatting I agreed, it was good to take it a step at a time, see what feels right. In the end, she gave me a combination of hair painting with some foils throughout, plus a toner at the end. The hair painting leaves a blended look and looks much softer has hair grows. It is subtle and gentle compared to what I've had done in the past, but those are also the personal qualities I am trying to embrace the most these days. And the amount of upkeep required is perfect for the time I am willing and able to commit to right now. My haircut was with Leigh and I'm still thoroughly enjoying the superb blowout she gave me. 

To add to all of this, when I went to pay, the woman helping me said, "Happy Birthday!" How did she know?

My sister had called and treated me to this for my birthday coming up next month (the big 3-0). 

All around, this is a memory that will always stand out to me as a reminder of the transformation I have embarked on this past year.

Link love

Sense Studios // Katie Pumphrey Art

wishing you joy on your journey,

kristen

The No Weeknight Cooking Meal Plan // How to make it happen!

Last week I attempted a no-cook weeknight meal prep and it turned out way better than I expected. The goal: avoid cooking at all during the week and not buy or order food out. Obsessed with analyzing, I love to assess outcomes and evaluate. (I'm real fun at parties.)

It was and is astounding to look at just how me and my husband, and baby Miles (11 months old) eat in a week! The photo of our full fridge was taken Sunday night. By Saturday afternoon the entire fridge was empty. We ate every. thing.

Dinners are a time I prioritize comfort food. The days are dark and cold, so it only makes sense that in the evening we would want something substantial and warm. The BBQ chicken worked perfectly for this! It's so tasty and goes with anything. You can throw it on top of greens, with rice, mashed potatoes...I just love shredded, flavorful chicken.

The trick to a no-cook weeknight meal prep is to 1. be prepared to buy one meal out just incase and 2. have one extra back-up meal ready to go, again, just incase. The back up meal should be easy and simple. On Wednesday night, I defrosted turkey meat. This way if needed, I could make meat pasta sauce with pasta, meatballs and pasta, OR ground turkey with mushroom and bean soup (comes in a packet, easy peas-y, ha).

So disclaimer: I'm no pro food blogger but I cook a lot. And the only recipes I ever post here are ones that I have made and trust. So many recipes you'll find online are poorly written and result in awful, wasted food. I hope you enjoy what I've shared here and that it saves you some time. If there's a better way I could share this info or you have any other questions, absolutely let me know by emailing me or commenting. I am more than happy to discuss. 

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MAKE IT HAPPEN

• If you're going to chose ONE meal to prep for the week, make it dinner. Dinner is the most expensive to order out, and comes right when everyone just wants to relax at the end of the day. Knowing you have a meal to enjoy at the end of your day is very satisfying. Personally, I like making sure we have a comfort food for dinner. The BBQ chicken worked perfectly.
  
• However, mornings were so easy and fun with one giant breakfast casserole to enjoy. But, I will say the carb (in the form of protein pancakes) was necessary to stay full.
  
• The lunch salads needed grains otherwise, they're just not quite filling enough. We both got our own dressing to bring to work to cut down on any spills during our commutes.
  
• The average lunch in DC costs $12-15 easily. This week, counting Sunday to Saturday, we spent $18 on two food truck lunches, $5 in random snacks, and $15 in coffees. (Yea, the random snacks are my work stress-induced vending machine visits.)
  
• When you do this prep, you just have to focus. There's a lot of multitasking. The plan below is a 2 hour version of what I did last weekend. 

THE MEALS

Breakfast
Piece of breakfast casserole (see step 5 here)
Protein pancake (I used dark chocolate Kodiak cakes)
Slice of turkey bacon (Bake 1lb in the oven. Instructions here.)

Mid-morning snack
Overnight oats with chocolate chips, berries, and peanut butter
(I put 1/3 cup oats, 2/3 cup milk of choice and mix in a small jar. Add toppings! They stay good all week.)

Lunches
Chop't style salads with chicken, veggies, cheese, and grains (Chop't is a salad place that chops up every single part of the salad, including the greens, into bite size. Every bite is packed with flavor!)
Protein packed quesadillas with chicken, beans, and salsa

Dinners
Instant pot BBQ chicken with roasted sweet potato and salad
Chipotle-style bowls with chicken, rice, and beans (Toaster Oven and Instant pot)


Late night snack
Deli meat, nuts, cheese, apples, chocolate chips, tortilla
Slice of turkey bacon
Leftover couscous with some shredded cheese (Couscous is the easiest grain to cook, use goat milk feta on top for an extra zing)

THE PLAN

This is organized so that by the end, you are simply assembling everything.

Preheat oven to 450

Make the Instant pot rice and beans (I usually double it)

Prep the breakfast casserole completely so it's ready to go into the oven later

Once oven is preheated...bake turkey bacon in the oven for 25 minutes at 450 degrees

While bacon is bakin' make your couscous on the stovetop. I do 2 cups liquid to a boil, add 1 cup couscous, turn off heat and let it sit with the lid on for 7 minutes.

Remove turkey bacon from the oven, lower oven temp to 350, start your chicken (make half of your total chicken)

Start Instant pot BBQ chicken

Make 6 boiled eggs on the stovetop or in your Instant pot

Arrange salads (chop everything up, put into tupperwares!)

Make the overnight oats (these jars are perfection for the oats)

Place breakfast casserole in oven for 45 minutes

Assemble and make the quesadillas by warming them in a skillet (I press on the top with a lid from a smaller pot. FANCY.)

Assemble the burrito bowls.

THE  LIST

2 dozen eggs

arugula

+ other green of your choice

kodiak cake protein pancake mix

1-2lbs turkey bacon

stubbs bbq sauce

goat cheese

dry beans

brown rice

cherry tomatoes

bottle of dressing

block of cheese for quesadillas

oats

milk

chocolate chips

can of chipotle pepper in adobo

tortillas

collard greens

2 cans of canellini beanns

salsa

lime juice

cilantro

paprika

peanut butter

berries

nuts

frozen organic veggie mix (for baby)

sliced deli meat

sliced cheese

3 lbs chicken breast

2-3 lbs russet potatoes

red wine vinegar

1 white onion

dairy free sour cream

extra virgin olive oil

Valentine's Day + Chill // J.Crew Wishlist

1 // I've been eyeing this romantic maxi skirt for months. Literally months! I can't get over the color or the silky wide waistband. If I could have just one of these picks, the Point Sur maxi would be the one. 

2 // Did you know collars are my pet peeve in style? It makes this collarless sweater a total win. I love the way it drapes but at the same time it's incredibly practical. The pink tone softens any look to add that wispy, romantic appeal.

3 // Cute socks to bring a little whimsy to that sweatpants and wearing-my-husband's t-shirt life. 

4 // Another pick from the Point Sur collection: these seaside pants are perfection. Tailored enough to wear out but easy to move in. They really do look adorable with sneakers and with all the walking I do on a daily basis, I'd end up wearing these constantly!

5 // I've had nothing but great bag purchases from J.Crew over the years. The Harper crossbody is a dream come true in terms of color, design, and function. It has gone on sale up to 40% off, too! 

Honestly I'd love to see all of these in my closet, and stat! What makes your wishlist lately? Have you been shopping at J.Crew much? I've read a bit on the shifts in their design and whatnot, which has left me a little worried. J.Crew has been a standby for me since I started caring about clothes so I hope they stay on point with the styles they offer. (Fun fact: my wedding dress was J.Crew and I visited the Georgetown wedding suite to try on dresses! I'll always be a fan.)

happy shopping. and wishing you joy on your journey,

kristen

Be Inspired and Relax a Bit

A super cute video by Joy Cho on Valentine's Day gummies and cookies

DIY turmeric face mask -much needed right now!

Photography of meals eaten around the world presented by National Geographic.

Ah, a new episode of LORE is out. This is a podcast I absolutely love.

The Smithsonian has compiled a fantastic website with portraits of women who have done incredible things. Click their portrait to read a blurb about each of their lives.

All for now, goodnight!

kristen