Zest & Aplomb

Lifestyle

Coffee Shops And Community

This is a piece I wrote before the shutdown and it hasn’t felt relevant…until now. I’m feeling so hopeful that we can get back to this:

I’m writing this from my favorite coffee shop. They play the right music at the right volume and the temperature is almost always perfect. I like the food options and the people that work here are friendly and kind to everyone.

Fingers crossed that one day I’ll get a real office but in the meantime the hum of voices, sporadic laughter, and loud phone talkers – ok not loud phone talkers – makes me feel connected.

There is a rhythm about it, from harried commuters and moms with small children to retirees and lunch seekers. Everyone is welcome. The afternoon rush greets high schoolers testing their independence and 2nd round caffeine seekers all mixed with the scattering of working hustlers hunched over computers.

March 27, 2021 by Cheryl Ryan

Design

Farmhouse or Traditional, Home Is Where Your Heart Is

By Cheryl Ryan

For me, home design is an ongoing project. When it works it’s so fun and when it doesn’t it’s frustrating. I’ve been working on my upstairs landing since we moved here. All of the pieces that I couldn’t part with are there, waiting for me to find their perfect spot but I don’t think there is one for all of them.

I know I’m going to have to part with something but before I do I’m waiting on the arrival of a new sofa. Before the shutdown, I had my eye on a small couch but found that furniture shipments from overseas were postponed or canceled entirely. So I pivoted and found Cre8 a Couch which allows you to design a custom sofa fairly reasonably. They build and ship from LA. Mine should be here any day. Hopefully. I’m optimistic that once it arrives things will fall into place.

March 22, 2021 by Cheryl Ryan

Lifestyle

Jessica Bandy – Prioritizing Emotional, Spiritual & Physical Self Care

By Gwen Dawkins

Jessica Bandy, 48, is one of those women everyone wants to be: whip-smart, gorgeous and hilarious –– and she makes it look easy. Despite outward appearances, this single mom to four boys (littles to teens) has also faced major challenges, including multiple across-country moves and a painful divorce. She claims to yell, cuss and cry a little too much, but this optimist knows happiness is an inside job. She makes self-care, in all its forms, a high priority –– so she can be a great mom and stay on her game with ‘dignity and grace.’

How do you describe your style?

Ummmm, Target meets Athleta? I like to wear clothes that are functional but look smart and pulled together. I am very frugal, though. So while I might have five of the same pants from Athleta that were $109 each, I’ve never spent more than $300 on a single item –– shoes, bags, wedding dress included.

What is your beauty philosophy?

Botox? Ha! Actually, since my young adult years, I have been diligent about sunscreen on my face, neck and chest. I do peels and laser treatments in the winter when I don’t have much sun exposure. But in the summer? I have four boys (ages 10, 12, 16 & 18) and a lake house, so I do my best to try to stay out of the sun, but it’s hard. As for my overall philosophy, I take good care of my skin by sticking to my routine, and I do whatever the aesthetician tells me –– to the ’T’ like the good rule-follower I am.

March 18, 2021 by Gwen Dawkins

Create

Spring Fashion, Gardens And Activities

By Cheryl Ryan

Spring hasn’t quite sprung but it’s definitely on the way. If you’re planning a garden, there’s no time to waste according to this spring planting schedule.

I’m going to try a no-till garden this year, mainly because our planter box was built with toxic redwood and nothing grew last year. So I have to disassemble it and I don’t have time to rebuild. But it also turns out that it’s fast becoming a vogue gardening style for soil health. Hopefully, I don’t find out what our local garden pests are.

And to coincide with your planting mojo I absolutely fell in love with this charming The Biggest Little Farm documentary.

March 14, 2021 by Cheryl Ryan

Travel

From Palm Springs And Joshua Tree To San Diego

By Cheryl Ryan

Can you feel it? Travel is within our reach. I’m daydreaming about some fantastical travel excursions in our future. But because of my latest (and hopefully last) Coronavirus breakdown, my husband proposed a trip now. All of our travel this past year has been driving to join in limited family gatherings. But this past week we took a road trip and it was our first time in a hotel since 2019. We headed to Palm Springs to stay a few nights and golf – trying out my latest hobby – then on to Joshua Tree National Park for some hiking before our final stop in San Diego to visit our kids.

Palm Springs is about a seven-hour drive from our home and as soon as we set out I instantly felt better. We were assured that the hotel was taking ample precautions and golf has already proven to be a safe outdoor activity. The drive went great. We even brought our own food this time so that we weren’t limited by some of the less than appetizing offerings along the freeway.

March 12, 2021 by Cheryl Ryan

Design

Indoor Plants Are Thriving

By Cheryl Ryan

Remember when macrame plant hangers were a thing? I bought my first plant, Devil’s Ivy, and hung it in the bedroom of my first apartment. My roommates and I all brought different varieties of Coleus plants that we put in our kitchen window and took turns watering. Whenever I moved, which was a lot in those days, I carefully packed up my plants and took them to each new apartment.

Years later, when we bought our first home, my Grandma gave us a beautiful ficus tree. She grew them in her outdoor covered patio and gave us one as a housewarming gift. It thrived in our home for about 15 years and grew close to seven feet tall. It must have been a very hearty plant because with three kids and all that goes with that I’m sure that my watering was sporadic at best and nonexistent at worst.

One day a green cricket took up residence in our tree. It used to love to sing in the evenings. It was actually really cool and the kids were thrilled. So I left it there for about 3 months until one night it just didn’t sing anymore. I honestly can’t remember what happened to that tree. I would not have given it away so it must have fell victim to my poor care. And then we went plantless for many years.

March 7, 2021 by Cheryl Ryan

Lifestyle

Lists Are My Jam

By Cheryl Ryan

I love the days when I feel accomplished, precisely because of all the days that I don’t! For the last month, I’ve been winging it without a list. I kind of rebelled against all the structure but things haven’t been going well these last couple of weeks. So as of today, I’m back to my lists.

Someone once told me that creating a to-do list the night before made him most productive because he could get right to work first thing in the morning. It really does work “if” you are organized enough the day before to make a list “and” nothing derails you during the day.

Whether making a list the night before or not, my preferred lists are in a lightweight spiral notebook. They’re easy to carry and I can put them into a backpack or take them into a store. I’ve tried beautiful leather-bound notebooks but I think they’re too formal for me. Many people love Moleskin notebooks and like leather-bound, they look much better on a shelf or desk.

March 4, 2021 by Cheryl Ryan

Lifestyle

Guilty Pleasures; I’m A Fan

If it brings you joy can it be that bad? The short answer is yes. If it’s too much gambling, drinking or excessive porn it can definitely bring you trouble. But all work and no play is a real thing too. Let’s be honest, there is a tinge of excitement when you’re doing something that you know you’re not supposed to do and are getting away with it.

As the monotony of this pandemic has worn on. I’ve really had to consider ways to break up my day. Meeting friends at a wine bar after work, eating out, having dinner parties, joining friends at regularly scheduled monthly meetings kept me going. All these felt pleasurable and I’ve really missed them. I’ve been forced to consider pleasures right here at home. Right here from my home office, my home movie theatre, my home restaurant. So. Much. Home.

March 1, 2021 by Cheryl Ryan

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