-
citrus salmon
wow i have been making this simple “salmy” for YEARS, and never put on the blog. that’s because it didn’t start as my own recipe, but it has slowly evolved over the years into my own version of alison romans original recipe. hers is a slow roasted salmon that is delicious, but i never end up starting dinner in time to doing anything slowly, so i started doing at a higher temperature which works fine for us!
i’ve tried lots of other recipes and variations, but this has been my go-to because it is insanely effortless and quick for weeknight dinners, and it’s always good!
personally, i don’t like the taste of wild salmon whatsoever, so i always use atlantic.
citrus salmon
i make this citrus salmon all the time because it's so effortless, quick for weeknight dinners, and always good!Ingredients
- 1-2 lb salmon (you can do skinless, but i like the skin!)
- 1 lemon
- 1 blood orange (or any orange will do)
- fresh rosemary sprigs
- fresh thyme sprigs
- fresh cilantro
- salt
- pepper
- herbs de provence
- olive oil
Instructions
- preheat oven to 400°. in a baking pan, lay down a piece of parchment paper if you’re using salmon with the skin. this way it won’t stick!
- wash off your salmon and pat it dry with paper towels. i personally like to really rinse the crap out of it and find it tastes a lot less fishy that way. lay in baking dish.
- season liberally with salt, pepper, and herbs de provence.
- slice lemon and orange slices about 1/4″-1/8″ and lay on top of the salmon, spreading and alternating around so you get a little of both all over.
- cover with the rosemary and thyme and stick in oven. bathe in olive oil, like i pour a lot all over so that it’s swimming in the oil.
- cook for about 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of your filet.
- i check it around the 15 minute mark, and then usually kinda push some of the lemon slices in the center off to the sides so the center (thickest part) can cook.
- once it all looks nicely cooked, pull out of the oven. squeeze lemon juice all over and top with roughly chopped cilantro.
Notes
if you only like crispy skin, maybe use skinless salmon. i don’t mind it not getting super crispy, but i have experimented with turning up the temperature really high at the end or pan frying at the end etc. sometimes the oil at 400 gets hot enough that the skin does get a bit crispy, but if i’m looking for a crispy skin salmon i’ll usually make a different recipe! i typically don’t do the smaller pieces of salmon like in the picture because i always order my groceries and it’s always one big piece. once cooled after cooking, i just use a spatula to cut into individual servings. but i love to do it with individual portioned pieces because i find the skin crisps up a little more! i almost always serve it with microwave jasmine rice and roasted asparagus. the asparagus is so easy to do with the salmon because i cook it at the same temp/time right below the salmon. i’ll finally share that easy recipe asap too! -
my favorite things this month : august
izzy’s walker
omg i was not expecting this to be SO important to her — but wow it’s pretty much all she wants to do hahah. she walks back and forth and back and forth in the living room all day, so glad we have it (and that i registered for it!)
drop stop
we had this in our old car and just got another pair for our new car– it fills the gap in between your seat and your center console and stops items from inevitably dropping down into the dark abyss under the seat. we’d already lost two things down there before we bought it, it’s amazing (and practically invisible once it’s installed)
amika dry shampoo
omg. i went to sephora and asked what their favorite dry shampoo was and this was recommended, it’s definitely the best one i’ve used. you know that familiar dry shampoo smell and when you use it, you assume people will just be able to smell that your hair has dry shampoo on it and is actually very dirty? this one doesn’t have that smell.
and it works SO well on my thick hair, this might sound terribly gross but it works so well i realized i hadn’t actually washed my hair in almost 2 weeks and it looked and felt fine!!! hahah ew. (ps i use a nice shower cap but it’s been kind of denting my forehead too much so i might get this one)
silicone baby food containers
i got these for izzy’s food and little snacks and they’re SO CUTE. i love all the colors. they also have vent holes and they’re freezer/microwave/dishwasher safe
glazed donut lash curler
i got this eyelash curler when my other one broke recently — and i love it! i love a handled lash curler, i don’t know why they’re not more popular. it makes the biggest difference on my lashes, plus it’s $10!!!
la apparel crop tank
i’ve shared this countless times but it’s just the best tank in the world! the cut and neckline are so flattering and i love this “dolphin blue” color with everything.
londontown polish
i finally got some new nail polish colors (i bring my own to the nail salon) and this color is so pretty — it’s called cactus coral. also in love with nail veil #3 which is a sheer mauve color that conditions your nails while it’s on!
minna bath towels
the cutest towels! i like the pattern so much that i actually am just using as pool/beach towels right now, but they’re soft and absorbent and a mix between terrycloth and turkish towels. use code ALMOSTMAKESPERFECT for 15% off!
air mesh fanny pack
i’ve been using this fanny pack constantly and it’s super convenient for throwing my keys wallet and lip balm into for school drop off. it has convenient little pockets in the front and the back for things like just your license and credit card and a key clip.
-
almost monthly 8/23
listening to: “what was i made for” by billie eilish from the barbie movie. i can’t stop listening because it’s like, always in my head haha
watching: bupkis, it’s so weird, but we’re enjoying it
eating: greek yogurt with breakfast and lunch — still on a protein kick and i eat it with eggs in the morning and with salmon or a veggie burger or chicken and butter lettuce for lunch (i mix it with lemon juice and garlic powder when i do that!)
wearing: my overalls again! i haven’t been because of breastfeeding but i feel the most like myself in overalls and it hides my mom pooch lol. these aren’t the exact ones i have but they’re very close.
this was a challenging month — arlo was mostly out of camp and school and poppy was visiting for a while and we are just so out of a rhythm, but at some point in life i’ll be back into one. arlo started school last week and the summer felt so long and so short.it was our first summer that arlo wasn’t in preschool straight through, so obviously it felt much more like a legit summer break! and IT WAS LONG. but we had some very good times.
we capped off his summer break with some super fun activities, we went to legoland and spent the weekend in carlsbad, and drove to the aquarium in long beach (it’s the best!) we took him to a horror museum and finally let him get a ghostface mask he’s been wanting hahah. poor izzy! she’s going to be so brave!
our weekend in carlsbad was great, we just ate around the town (love campfire and shorehouse kitchen) and arlo swam in the hotel pool all day with poppy.
we also went to the magic castle one night and it was sooo much fun. if you live in LA and you haven’t been, find someone to get you in!! you have to be invited and you have to wear fancy clothes, so it’s a very special occasion for us. you can’t take pictures inside, which makes it all the more intriguing. basically it’s a club for magicians and there are shows, magicians all over the place doing tricks at the bars and a restaurant with very expensive food where every person is required to order their own entree haha.
we got our own special little show from this one mind reader guy blew our minds. he had me draw something and not show anyone and he knew i drew boobs (i’m a 12 year old forever.) he also said that i like things very orderly, but my bedroom is super messy (true) and he did all this other crazy stuff that isn’t worth me typing out because you had to be there haha.
izzy has been teething this last week and it was really gnarly! the worst she’s ever felt for sure. she was barely eating, sleeping a ton and smiling like 30% less! but today she’s seeming back to normal, except now she has fangs just like her brother did as a baby haha. i guess it’s a family trait.
she is also obsessed with walking and we feel like she’s definitely gonna be walking by her first birthday if her tiny feet don’t stop her!
i should be starting to think about her birthday party but i have a problem where i must procrastinate until i’m scrambling to go way overboard very last minute. i did decide the theme would be smiley face but that’s as far as i’ve gotten really! debating if i should do soft rentals if there are only going to be a couple of other baby friends there (we don’t know that many!) should i do it anyway??
i also bought her halloween costume, i can’t decide if i should share what we decided for our family costume or if it should be A FUN TOTAL SURPRISE. i guess stay tuned on that as well haha.
we also celebrated my sister in law with a lovely little high tea sprinkle in her backyard. she’s due in october with a girl, a cousin one year younger than izzy!
overall this was a very unproductive month for me, but i know i mentioned last month that i was kind of thinking about a move out of LA for us. well, we are still thinking of it quite a bit — it’s been at the top of my mind A LOT actually, so i’m going to write all about it in another post. gid made me realize that i was obsessed with moving after we had arlo, then i became obsessed with having a baby and now it’s back to moving, i so wish i could just be content with everything we have, but i can’t help who i am! once we move and fix up our future house, i just wonder what i’ll become obsessed with– doing a dollhouse!? -
cute halloween decor (that’ll last)
i love to decorate for halloween almost as much as christmas — but it’s hard to find halloween decor that’s good looking/modern/not super cheap & tacky. even some things i’ve spent a decent amount of money on have ended up breaking quickly, so i put together some handsome halloween decor that seems like it would actually last for years and years.
click directly on the collage to shop the products!
and more things below because i can’t stop finding stuff once i start!
eyeball orbs
glass pumpkins
terracotta hanging skeleton
ceramic lantern
cotton napkins
frosted glass pumpkin
lit mr. bones
frame tv ghost art
solid wood pumpkins
rattan bat
reusable bamboo pumpkin plate
spider web brass trivet
ghosts holding hands
pumpkin accent
terracotta skull vase
hanging witch hats
3D bats
lit broom
grinning vinny vintage style figurine
spider web garland
slate coffin serve board
ps — you can find tonnnnnns more halloween decor on my amazon storefront!
-
grilled chicken kabobs with bok choy
ok these are not my prettiest food photos ever, but i loved this meal so much i thought i should share! the recipe is pretty simple but felt fancy (for me!) i served it with corn on the cob and jasmine rice.
grilled chicken kabobs with bok choy
these grilled chicken kabobs with bok choy are pretty simple but feel fancy (at least for me!). i serve it with corn on the cob and jasmine rice for an easy summery meal.Ingredients
- 1/4 c hoisin sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 piece ginger grated or minced
- 2 cloves garlic grated or minced
- 1 lb chicken thighs cut into 1″ pieces
- 1 lb baby bok choy rinsed, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 bunch scallions cut into 2″ pieces
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- kosher salt + fresh ground black pepper
- toasted sesame seeds (i used black sesame seeds)
Instructions
- in a medium bowl, whisk together hoisin, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic until combined. set aside.
- in a large bowl, add chicken, bok choy, and scallions. drizzle oil, season thoroughly with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
- preheat grill to medium-high for 3 minutes. if you’re using wood skewers, soak them in a shallow pan filled with water for 10 minutes to prevent scorching. once soaked, thread chicken, bok choy, and groups of 3 scallions onto skewers.
- transfer skewers to the grill and cook for about 4 minutes, flipping occasionally. after the first 4 minutes, begin brushing the skewers with the hoisin mixture after each flip. cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, or until the thickest piece of chicken reaches 165ºF on thermometer.
- transfer to a platter, sprinkle on sesame seeds and serve.
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM DELISH
-
pretty everything : cozy lounge chairs
because summer is basically over, i thought a roundup of big cozy lounge chairs to curl up in would be fun! disclaimer — there is a lot of boucle on this list!
benson chair
hero lounge chair
celeste accent chair
giddings swivel chair
bleecker down-filled slipcover chair
overstuffed swivel chair
malta chair
corroy linen chair and a half
kaila media lounger
chenille oversized armchair
donita armchair
aiden swing chair
benson leather chair
vittori boucle chair
nolan oversized swivel chair
jazmere armchair
bacio boucle lounge chair
james accent chair
tufted leather armchair
modway down-filled overstuffed chair
harper shearling chairs
union armless chair
bellatrix chair and a half
sophie chair
brodie chair
harmony chair and a half
-
legoland – things to know before you go
we just got back from a weekend in carlsbad, california and had the best first time going to legoland. it was weird going to a theme park for the first time ever because we’ve been to disneyland and universal so many times, so we googled a bit before entering so we knew what to expect. i thought it would be helpful for other first timers if i shared our tips and experience.
the park is designed for smaller kids, i wanted to bring arlo this summer because i was worried he’d age out of it soon and he loves legos so much. i think he would probably enjoy it for a couple more years, but 6 seemed like the perfect age. there were some more baby-ish rides he wasn’t interested in, but he was old and tall enough for everything (most of the bigger kid rides are for 40″ and up!)
also, if your kid doesn’t play with legos, they will still have fun! we went with arlos bff and she doesn’t, but loved it. it’s definitely not a requirement!
general park things
first off, if you’re used to disney and have small kids, you’ll love how small and manageable the park is size wise.
the park is one big circle, so you can choose either direction and just go the whole way around, i read that a lot of people go right, so we went left!
download the legoland app in advance, you can see wait times and for a first timer it makes it easier to know what rides are and where they are. there were still a few things we missed because we didn’t see them in real life!
they have different tiers of reserve n ride if you want to skip lines. we went on a busy summer friday, and it was still not crazy crowded when you’re used to disneyland.
watch the lego movie (and lego movie 2) before you go because there’s a whole land for the movies and it was very exciting for arlo!
if you’re going to want any pictures, spring for the photo pass. i think it’s $30 and you get as many photos as you want (a bunch of the rides take pictures so it’s worth it!)
for the park hopper tickets — it seems like they don’t really allow you to not get a ticket for either the aquarium or the waterpark. both are small and doable within one day, but we didn’t end up doing them. the aquarium takes about an hour to walk around the whole thing and has a restaurant inside i heard was good.
the waterpark is in the top corner of the park and has some “wet” rides i would have loved to do if we had had the time. i don’t think you would really need an entire day for the waterpark but having a second day to devote to it would be nice!
the food
get the apple fries — they invented them, so it’s worth trying (we thought they were ok 😆)
for restaurants, i read a lot that the knights bbq was the best restaurant and it had lots of seating for our large group (and beer). the food was fine hahah.
they don’t let your refill your drinks unless you buy the refillable cups, but they have machines all over the place and it’s a real tease. so if you’re going to want refills, get the cup!
the shops + staff members
if you buy anything in the shops you can have it waiting for you at the exit when you leave, but they make you buy a bag lol. our bag cost $1. it was very convenient though!
they have free badges for kids at all the shops.
some staff members have mini figures to trade with kids if they bring them from home. we didn’t do this but it’s very cute. look for elaborately decorated name badges!
the rides
if your kid is neuro divergent/has sensory issues and you are worried about waiting in lines with them, the park makes it very easy to get a disability pass at the guest services office when you walk in. the pass allows you skip the lines, but in between each ride, you have to wait the amount of time you’d have waited for.
we went on mostly everything, our highlights were:
walking around the lego movie land was so fun.
emmetts flying adventure was like soarin’, we loved it.
arlo enjoyed driving school (the kids drive a little lego car around a track) i thought it was way too quick but i guess thats how they keep the lines short.
the roller coasters were surprisingly intense, i assumed they’d be kiddy rides but we had fun on all three (coastersaurus, technic coaster, dragons apprentice)
deep sea adventure was so good! arlo kept saying “this was so much better than i thought it would be!” because they had REAL SHARKS so he was ecstatic and running around the submarine the whole time.
everyone loved fairy tale brook because it was nice and relaxing for the parents and grandparents.
and i loved skipper school because watching arlo repeatedly crash a boat in every direction was a pleasure hahah.
the ninjago ride is an interactive 4d ride where you “shoot” but just with your hands, but tbh it was confusing and janky and i probably would have been annoyed if we’d waited in a long line for it lol.
the playgrounds
the kids will want to go to the playgrounds which is annoying because they can do that at home, but to be fair, the playgrounds are actually amazing. if you have small kids, this can be a great way to break up the day and get a little rest for your legs.
mini land
designate some extra time to walking around mini land. there is so much to see!
they have san diego, vegas, DC, new york, los angeles, san francisco and more. it’s incredible!
how long to stay?
one day there is sufficient, we did a ton, but if you want to take it slow i actually think 2 days would be nice because we could have explored a lot more of the little stuff besides the rides. everywhere you walk, you’ll see little activities and areas for small kids.
is it good for babies?
there were actually a few rides she could do! izzy had a good day, but it was super convenient that we went with family and friends because when we wanted to go on rides she couldn’t come on, someone could stay and wait with her.
where to stay nearby
the legoland hotel is right next to the park. it’s expensive and it felt like overkill haha, but arlo would have LOVED it. we would probably try staying here once to get the full experience. you can also enter the park earlier than everyone else if you stay here, which is nice because the park hours are actually pretty short (again, compared to disney)
the sheraton carlsbad resort & spa is also right next door, and looks pretty good if you’re not into ODing on lego.
we stayed at the hilton cassara carlsbad. it was convenient, and i chose it because it had a 2 bedroom suite so izzy and arlo could have their own room. it was walking distance to the park (10-15 minutes). i wouldn’t say i would recommend it highly, the free shuttle never worked out for us, the food was terrible and the room was a kinda dirty. but it was fine for our trip.
the mission pacific in oceanside is a 13 minute drive and VERY cute! i’ve always wanted to stay here.
the alila marea in encinitas is an 11 minute drive and it’s not the most family friendly but i did see kids here, we stayed for our babymoon and we loved it!! cozy rooms, good food, a nice spa and the staff was incredibly sweet to us.
places to eat nearby
we had a few great meals so i thought i’d share those places too in case you’re staying for the weekend.
campfire restaurant we’ve eaten here before i love it for a nice dinner. it’s family friendly and i like that they actually have kids meals with vegetables on them because that’s way too rare! the broccoli and the yams were the best things we had. they also own a french restaurant down the street called jeune et jolie but it seems a lot less kid friendly!
shorehouse kitchen i’ve stopped here many times when i’m in the area! i love the food and it’s super easy. delicious breakfasts and salads.
the goods is an amazing little donut shop. the brown butter is my favorite!
beach plum kitchen a good breakfast + lunch spot but it’s not in the town, it is family friendly and inexpensive and they have new england lobster rolls 🙂
k i think that’s about it for my tips! please let me know if you have any questions i didn’t answer!
-
cute first day of school signs
some cute first day / last day of school signs for your kids! most of these are usually pretty corny looking in my opinion but i think i found some good modern ones!
1st day of school pennant $5
personalized acrylic first day of school sign $18
first day of school printable sign $8
dry erase school sign $27
custom wood first day of school board $22+
first day of school sign $5
back to school sign digital download $10
this one has interchangeable names for siblings $8+
wood first day of school sign $26
printable back to school pennant $6+
custom wood back to school sign $26
circular peg letterboard $21
wooden letterboard $13
10×10 felt letter board $12
wood letter board $20
-
some very cute backpacks
a lot of schools are starting in california already, but in case you’re still shopping — a bunch of very cute kids backpacks! -
our kids 5 year age gap, so far
i’ve been asked about their relationship and age difference a lot so i thought i’d write a little post about our experience with it, at this point.
it’s been a wild ride these past 10 months, having two kids is, in fact, a lot more than having one! just the mental bandwidth alone, my brain is basically mush. even with childcare a few days a week, i still feel as though i get so little done every single day!
getting arlo to actually like izzy
arlo has mostly surpassed all our expectations of how he would adapt and their relationship is so sweet to witness. it took a while for him to adjust. you may remember, he wasn’t super into the idea when we first told him he was going to have a sister. but little by little he got more invested emotionally, throughout my pregnancy he was so excited. he’s always loved being around family so i think to him, it was just more people in our family, which was awesome to him.
when we actually had her and brought her home, the first couple weeks were rocky. he was obviously being extra needy, he finally understood how boring she was at first (despite us repeatedly reminding him how boring she would be, to not have high expectations of a newborn!). but we were definitely like oh crap, this is not good.
i made a giant effort to do mommy arlo dates on weekends, i would take him out to just have breakfast the two of us and focus on him as much as i possibly could.
we made sure to constantly compliment him, like anytime someone would comment on how cute izzy was we would try to divert it back to arlo being cute too.
“izzy is definitely going to be the
funniest baby that i’ve ever seen.
even if i don’t like her, she’ll still be the
best baby that ever exists.”
-arlo, age 5and lastly, we were always telling him how much izzy would idolize him, and luckily that came true. as soon as she started looking around and laughing, she wanted to look at him and laugh at him and i know it made him feel good. he loves how much izzy loves him. he loves her too, sometimes too much, despite us telling him he can’t he still says he wants to marry her haha.
BUT IT ALL HELPED! it took him a few months but he felt special and loved, and cute still! even now to this day, i notice myself making sure he feels loved by me if i’m holding izzy or feeding or paying attention to her, i subconsciously make an effort to hold his hand or talk to him while i do it.
he still grabs my hand when we’re walking and i’m so sad that might end soon.some of you may remember for many years he wanted to be a daddy when he grew up and have four babies with nora, he even had names for all of them but after izzy he changed his tune lollll.
“i’m just gonna have one baby now
instead of four babies, because
all those babies would ruin my house
and i don’t want to have to
keep getting new houses.”
-arlo, age 5there are definitely still times when he loses his patience with her, and sometimes he can be way too rough, and i’m assuming all of that that will only get worse when she’s bigger and fights back!
there are also weeks when he’s completely obsessed with her and wants to hold her first thing when she wakes up, and weeks when he doesn’t pay that much attention to her and would rather just play and is probably resentful that he can’t bring all his tiny toys to the “LILING ROOM” because they’re dangerous now. (not looking forward to him saying living room properly!)
but for now, i feel very fortunate about how much they seem to love each other. it’s heart melting!
my experience with their age gap
most of you know that a 5 year gap was not my plan, but hey, that’s how it turned out. i spent a lot of those years dwelling on how their ages were drifting further and further apart. but at a certain point, it finally clicked that that was unproductive thinking and things were going to be different than i pictured, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be beautiful.
side note : still, anytime i see celebrity kids or siblings with a 5 year gap i’m like ohhhh hey look at them thriving! haha
5 years is not what i pictured, but i feel so lucky when i look at her and think about how hard i fought to get her. and there are so many beautiful things about their age difference.
the pros
- getting to REALLY soak up the newborn days. i mean, this is still hard with two kids, but because arlo was in school most of the time, i got to really enjoy those early days because it’s only with the perspective of having done it before that you realize how short they are.
- appreciating all of the baby-ness in general. when they get big, you forgot how tiny they start out! all of those amazing memories and milestones we got to experience with arlo, we get to do again.
- watching arlo become a big brother, it’s been really amazing to see. i wasn’t sure how he’d embrace his new role and his new sister, but he has fully embraced her. even in all hypothetical situations, she is always included and has been since in utero. the other day he told me i was the best mom ever, and someday izzy would be the best mom ever which would mean i was even “gooder” because i was the mom of the best mom. haha.
- arlo is (mostly) independent. he could definitely improve a bit for his age, but he’s still old enough to be able to go turn on the tv himself, figure out things to play with on his own, get himself snacks, etc.
- he’s old enough to help out when i need him to. it’s pretty amazing to have a tiny helper! again, he could improve in this area, but just having someone to help grab/carry/find stuff is really nice.
- i get more one on one time with both kids. i feel like i still get to spend a lot of solo time with arlo, especially because izzy sleeps a lot.
- everything seems more chill. as a first time parent, we sweat the small stuff more, but now that we’ve been doing this for 6 years it feels like everything is less scary and daunting.
the cons
- it’s definitely hard getting so far away from the baby years and going back into it. there was baby gear we didn’t keep because it had been so long. i forgot mostly everything, and we were at such an easy stage with arlo where could finally be pretty spontaneous and now we’re very far from that point again. but i know how quickly it all goes!
- they won’t be in the same school. this will end up being inconvenient but i know it’s a common problem, and not a huge one. i mean my brother and i were 3 years apart and we mostly always went to different schools too. luckily izzy qualifies for TK so she will get to be in arlos school for ONE year when he’s in 5th grade, which will be so cute.
- they won’t have the same interests. he’s getting so big and won’t probably be interested in going to baby places with her (but he’s actually pretty into playing with her toys sometimes so i won’t jinx it lol) so there might be a lot of splitting up and doing things with the kids separately, which isn’t the worst thing. if she’s anything like i was, she’ll probably just like whatever he likes and that will make it easier!
overall, things have been amazing. having two kids is definitely a lot of work and can be very hard sometimes, but i feel so lucky when i look at her, and them, and that i get to call this cute little family mine! please let me know if i missed mentioning anything you wanted to know!
photos taken by ariel cannon,
a los angeles maternity, newborn, and baby photographer - getting to REALLY soak up the newborn days. i mean, this is still hard with two kids, but because arlo was in school most of the time, i got to really enjoy those early days because it’s only with the perspective of having done it before that you realize how short they are.
