Outfit details here in my 5 Running Tips for Beginners post
Hi friends!
I have been hard at work behind the scenes over here working on my Quarantine Cooking and Cocktails e-book (make sure you’re on the pre-launch email list here!) Thatttt I’ve been falling a little behind on posting. ????Go me. I’m really killing it over here. Concentrating is harder these days.
Today, we’re back with another Ask Jess post, diving into four more reader questions you submitted over on IG stories.
Does Neal have a skincare routine? My bf has a sudden interest since quarantine, ha!
Great question! Neal loves Counterman and Everyman Jack products and uses both! There’s a post on his Everyman Jack favorites here that we did over the winter, so definitely give that a read for a more specific product breakdown. Their products are super budget-friendly and clean! They also have these great travel kits that allow you to try out a ton of products for just $15!
Counterman (Beautycounter’s men’s line) products are also clean and a bit more upscale, but he really likes the aftershave, the charcoal bodywash, and face wash!
Any good home workouts you’ve been doing? I’m in a rut! It’s so hard to get motivated!
I could not agree more. Just pushing myself to work out for 30 minutes is hard these days. But I’m always SO glad when I do!
If you are looking for an alternative to a virtual studio workout, I recently started P.Volve and I LOVE it. I actually bought it off of a targeted Instagram ad and it’s 100% the best random ad purchase I’ve ever made. ????
To be honest, I don’t love working out in and of itself. I love the whole experience of taking classes at a studio. But when that’s all taken away, all that is left is the not fun part. ???? So it’s been hard to motivate myself at home. I love that P.Volve, in contrast, is very effective, quick, low-impact, and something I can actually do on my own and not dread.
I feel like I can already see results and I’ve only been doing it for three weeks! The moves are so small and there isn’t much traditional cardio. So it feels deceiving, but I know it works because I’m so sore for DAYS afterward!
If you like low-impact workouts like barre or pilates, you’ll really like this! They make both workout equipment and have a streaming service, so I purchased this bundle, which is on sale for $159, and includes equipment and one month of streaming.
After that, you just pay for the monthly subscription to the streaming classes (if you want), and right now they’re all 25% off, so it’s very affordable! A three-month subscription, for example, is $40!
I think my favorite part is the equipment. It’s different and challenging, and the moves are small but very targeted–so it’s something that is doable on my own.
Again, it’s kind of similar to a barre type of thing, but with different equipment. I like that there are a ton of workout videos to choose from and they vary in length and level of difficulty. I’ll definitely do a full blog post review soon!
How would you describe your interior design style in a few words or sentences? Any good tips for curating a well-designed apartment?
I guess another silver lining of spending so much time at home is that you have more time to decorate, right? ????Hmmm. I’m not really sure how I would describe my interior design style. To be honest I don’t really have a huge passion for design. I like looking at pretty pictures and concepting, but I hate making design decisions and actually implementing the projects. If I had tons of money I would definitely pay a designer to do everything. ????
I definitely would say that Neal and I drawn to Midcentury design specifically, with a love of vintage pieces. A large portion of our decor is vintage. (Both because we love the character of vintage pieces, they tend to be higher quality, and because you can get them so much cheaper than new.)
I think the key to any design (whether that’s related to clothes, interior design, etc) is to not have too much of one style. I love an eclectic, lived-in, collected feel. The juxtaposition rule definitely comes into play when curating a home design you love!
For example, in our living room, we have a vintage, thrifted, Midcentury bookshelf with a refurbished antique coffee table from MegMade, an eclectic Moroccan rug, a traditional slipcovered sofa from Pottery Barn, a Midcentury design (but new) dining table from West Elm (which is on major sale! I love it but do be warned it’s not scratch resistant!), paired with a mix of vintage and new chairs.
To me, decorating is like putting together a really good meal. You need something salty, something spicy, something sweet, with some acid, some fat, some crunch, etc to make it all sing together! If you get everything matchy-matchy and all in one style, it feels too one-note and doesn’t have that character that a more curated home does.
What’s that chicken noodle soup recipe you shared awhile back? I can’t find it anywhere! It seems like the perfect comforting thing to make right now!
I wish I had invented it!! It’s Baker by Nature’s “Flu Fighter Chicken Soup” and it’s the best chicken soup ever created and I will never make any other chicken noodle soup! The key is to roast the chicken with tons of spices. Then the other secret ingredient is lots of dill and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end. SO GOOD. You must, must make it! Highly recommend making extra so you have leftovers to eat all week!
