Week 51: a twist on forest bathing, luxury hand soap dupe, soothing TV, and more.

plus, some personal news.

Welcome to this week’s edition of Five Favorites! A newsletter that’s big on small moments.*

*Still sent from my couch with a sleeping baby on me.

Recommendations are served weekly and vetted by a real person, not an algorithm. I appreciate your support!

January 21, 2025

Well, friends, we made it to 2025! I hope you’re enjoying the start of the new year and generally not hiding under a rock (as the news these days makes me want to.)

I’m still in the fog of postpartum and it isn’t the purpose of this newsletter to comment on current events, but I’m rolling my eyes at all the recent drama with Tik Tok. I love a scroll there as much as the next Millennial, but I’m thankful that it isn’t my primary platform for creating. How are you all feeling about the antics of the “ban”?

In the event you’re also looking to reduce social media use, here are some favorites that are alternatives to scrolling.

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On another note: In support of the families suffering due to the LA wildfires, all paid subscription funds this month will be going to Baby2Baby to help provide essentials for young children affected by the fires. Upgrade by the end of the month for a double dip/win-win or donate directly.

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daydreaming of/daytripping to 🧖‍♀️

New parents (and anyone with back pain) know the yearning for a spa day or relaxing massage that can come with daily aches and pains, and/or lack of sleep. Lately I’ve been thinking back to one of my favorite day spas, Osmosis located about 1.5 hours from SF in Sonoma County.

Their special offering is a “cedar bath,” a warm and fragrant soak in actual ground wood that isn’t typically found outside Japan. When I visited last, I began my stay with a private tea ceremony overlooking their Japanese tea garden and stream that shifted my mind from anxiously chaotic into meditative.

ahhhh, take me back.

Calling themselves a sanctuary and spa garden sounds like wellness jargon, but to me, it felt accurate. There is also a “field of hammocks,” in case you needed another reason to go. Highly recommend an outdoor massage under the trees, allowing enough time for the meditation garden, and stopping by Wild Flour Bakery across the street.

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watching 📺

When we had my son a few years ago, we were so busy making bottles, trying to get him to sleep, and generally living in survival mode that TV took a major backseat. Now as a 2.5-year-old, he sleeps beautifully (phew,) and since we’ve had a much easier time with my daughter, we’ve already added some post-bedtime TV back into our evenings.

It’s not every night, but most, we turn on the kettle and make tea. Once my daughter is sleeping in one of our arms, we fire up House Hunters International and it’s become a soothing part of our routine. It’s a fun, low-drama watch. Highly recommend if you’re looking for something short, sweet, and simple to put on that indulges the part of you that’s curious about living abroad. 🙋🏼‍♀️

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sipping 🍵

Speaking of teas, I’m loving the specialty Japanese ones I got for Christmas from SF-based Tekuno Tea. Sadly, their online shop just closed :( but I still want to recommend the types of Japanese teas I learned about from them. I especially appreciate the low and no-caffeine teas for evenings or sipping throughout the day.

• Kukicha (low caffeine)

• Hatomugicha (no caffeine)

• Sencha Satsuki (excellent green tea)

• Hojicha (low caffeine)

• Genmaicha (green tea with roasted rice)

I’ve loved the last two since I discovered them in Japan but the others were new to me and very much worth tasting if you’re into tea. Psst, if I find a new suitable replacement Japanese tea retailer, I will share here.

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reading 📚

I started reading All Fours this week, which I feel like everyone has read but me by this point. The House on the Cerulean Sea is my current middle-of-the-night pick when I’m up feeding my babe.

Here’s what else I recently added to my reading list:

• Good Material by Dolly Alderton

• The Idiot by Elif Batuman

• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

• The Hypocrite by Jo Hamya

• Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Have you read any of these? Let me know if there’s one here you read and loved! I’ll spotlight any that become favorites in future newsletters. (An aside: since when are hardcovers less expensive than paperbacks?)

I also enjoyed reading this Vogue piece on the joy of being a working mother…much as I dread the balancing act that will be going back to work soon.

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lathering 🧼

You may be thinking: more soap recommendations? Really?

This time it’s a hand soap that punches above its weight. It’s a standard liquid soap sold at Target, but it feels comparable to high-end soaps that cost 10x as much. (The Internet says it’s a dupe for Le Labo Santal 33.)

I love using it myself for a little luxurious lather and guests have commented on how great it smells. It’s the little things, folks.

and…some personal news! an update

Our family is making a big change (tbh, it’s not one that’s great timing for having a newborn, but what can you do) and it’s one I have conflicting feelings about. Mostly excited, but also, there are things that will change that I’m resisting.