FROM: STELLA

TO: LAURA

1. I made these Lemon Raspberry Almond Crunch Muffins last week and oh my they are super delicious and really easy. I am not much of a baker (I hate measuring and timing things… more of a freeform cook over here!) but these made me really want to pick up the habit.
2. I loved this old episode of the Choose Fi podcast about perks of being a government employee. Since I work for a public university, I found a lot of great perks that I can take advantage of and really encourage anyone with a 403b or 457b account to take a listen!
3. I am a huge fan of the Kiehl’s line of face products and love that they have a recycling program for empty bottles where you can return your empties to the store and build up credit to use toward a free travel product. It certainly takes a long time to get all the way to the free thing but I like the concept.
4. I’m constantly battling with the idea of buying a house vs. renting and what makes the most sense for us now and also long term. It’s a hugely daunting project to tackle. I loved this article about how to buy a house while keeping up with your other financial goals.

FROM: LAURA

TO: STELLA

1. I loved Julia’s list of ‘29 things to do in your twenties‘ she wrote up to celebrate turning 29. It reminded me of our bucket list week and definitely prompted me to pull my list out and add a few things!
2. I’m so glad it’s (finally?!) cooling down in Los Angeles, as my favorite time of the year is hot toddy season! Loved this winter tonic recipe from I’d Rather Be Meryl that is reminiscent but more in the wellness corner.
3. So. On. Board. With this study that Microsoft did in Japan about a four-day workweek. I’ve been working three-day weeks as an ease back into my return from maternity leave and I have to say that I often feel more productive during those three days than in a regular workweek previously. I hope the trend of flextime and creating your own schedule as long as you’re getting the work done is here to stay.
4. Lots of good tips in this ‘Win at the Grocery‘ post! I especially liked the section where Mollie lists out what to be on the lookout for during certain holidays.