Happy Friday and happy Maycember! It’s been a busy (but really good) week over here.
This weekend is full in the best way…we’ve got a fun couples margarita tennis mixer tonight. Tomorrow we’re taking 15 girls out for hibachi for Caroline’s birthday party! Sunday, Caroline has a tennis match, and we’re ending the weekend with birthday cake at Mimi and Grandad’s house.
PS — I’ve shared some fun content this week…what mom really wants for Mother’s Day, a margarita round-up for Cinco de Mayo, and this week’s newsletter covering irish goodbyes, paradise, crepey skin and more! Don’t miss it!
1. I’ll Never Buy These Again
I’ve been making my own pickled red onions lately and they are SO much better than store-bought. Like, not even comparable. They’re super easy to throw together and add the best tangy crunch to everything—tacos, burgers, sweet potato bowls, you name it. I’ve even started gifting them because I’m so into them right now.
The trick is slicing the onions really thin so they soften and soak up all the flavor quickly. I use this spiralizer I’ve had since 2014, but you can also use a mandoline or your veggie chopper.
Here’s how I make them:
- 1 large red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup hot water
- 1.5 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
Pack the onions into a mason jar. In a small saucepan, combine the liquids + sweetener + salt and simmer for a few minutes until everything is combined. Sometimes I just use my hot tap water to skip the simmering step. Pour over the onions and let cool to room temp (about 30 minutes). Once they’re bright pink and tender (about 1 hour for thin slices, overnight for thicker), they’re ready to eat!
These last a couple weeks in the fridge, but we go through a jar a week, so they’ve officially become part of my weekly prep.
2. Girls Mahjong Night + A Random Find
Last week Cristina hosted Supper Club mahjong night at Gourmand Market in South Park and it was such a fun spot! If you haven’t been, it’s definitely worth checking out. The downstairs is so cute with a full cocktail bar, coffee bar, and tons of snacks and cooler drinks, plus a full food menu (we ate dinner there, and the truffle fries are SO good).
The upstairs is perfect for mahjong with lots of tables and lounge seating. They also host weekly open play mahjong nights with an instructor, which is such a fun option if you don’t have a group.
Also…in true girls’ night fashion, Emily told us about a $10 body lotion she’s been using for smoothing her skin and we were all immediately influenced. She’s been using it for a while and her skin honestly looks so smooth and tight, so of course we all ordered it before the night was over.
If you’re starting to notice crepey skin, this is such an easy one to try. It’s one of those random finds that feels too good not to share.
3. A Lunch Idea I’m Stealing
My friend Lyndsey had a few of us over for lunch recently and did a build-your-own açaí bowl bar, and I thought it was such a fun idea. She picked up açaí locally from Nautical Bowls and set out all the best toppings—raspberries, strawberries, granola, chia seeds, almond butter, sliced almonds, coconut flakes…we fully devoured it.
Caroline is obsessed with açaí bowls, so I’m already trying to think of a time to recreate this for her and her friends. Such a fun, easy, and different breakfast, lunch, or brunch idea.
4. Worth The Hype
I was gifted this Perelel hydration powder and ended up loving it so much I’ve been repurchasing it. I like that one scoop combines electrolytes, hyaluronic acid, and collagen, which I was previously taking separately.
The mango lemonade flavor sounded questionable to me at first, but it’s actually really subtle and refreshing with no weird aftertaste. It is a little spendy, but it’s kind of replaced a few things for me, which makes it feel worth it.
Also recommend checking out the reviews on this one.
5. A Margarita You Need To Try
Just in time for Cinco de Mayo…sharing my favorite lemon basil margaritas because they are so fresh, light, and good. If you’re looking to switch things up from a classic marg, this one is such a fun option for spring and summer.
