I was going to save this post for a later date - thinking our first post of the New Year should be all “yay, 2025!”. However, after a chat with a customer (Hi, Charlene!) and the both recent and near passing of some team members' grandparents, this conversation feels too relevant to skip at this moment.
On Halloween, as our 6 year-old son was sorting through his candy, he paused when he found a Snickers bar and declared “Mom, I got one of Gigi’s favorites!”. I couldn’t help but smile.
Gigi was Matthew’s great-grandmother. He was 4 when she passed, exactly 2 years ago this month.
And when, on November 20th, I shared that it was Great Papa’s birthday - they all knew how we should celebrate. With vanilla ice cream and hot fudge - Great Papa’s favorite. And that’s just what we did - candles and all.
If you know the story of our brand, or you know me, you know just how important Buddy & Claire, a.k.a Grandma and Papa, a.k.a Gigi & Great Papa, were and are to me. I count loving them, and being loved by them, as one of the greatest blessings of my life.
Both of them lived long, beautiful lives - they were both in their nineties when they passed. It’s not lost on me how lucky we were to have them all that time. But that long, wonderful life certainly didn’t make the sting of losing them any easier.
What I’ve learned about grief, is that it’s not a straight line. But somewhere along that line, when I struggled to wrap my head around living without these people whom I loved so much, I decided the only way forward was to actively live with the memory of them. A lesson I learned from my Gram, herself.
When she spoke of her family, her parents, her siblings, her Aunts, Uncles & cousins - her face always lit up. You could see in her eyes just how much she loved them - and you could feel how much they loved her. In her final days, she shared with me that she was so afraid that with her passing, their memories would be lost forever. I promised her that while we may not remember all of their names or their exact stories, what we would remember forever is just how much she loved us. And that, because her love was a direct reflection of how they loved her - the memory of them would live on in all of us forever.
And so, we talk about them. We talk about them all the time. The memories of them, their names, their likes & dislikes remain seamlessly intertwined with our daily lives and conversations.
So much so that recently at bedtime, Eila said “I hope Great Papa had a great day today! I wish I got to meet him, but Mom, I know he loves me so much!”.
What I’ve come to realize is, the more you talk about them - the more you live in the light of their love. And when you live in the light of their love, you smile big when you think about them, you feel their presence and perhaps the greatest gift of all - you make room for their love to live on in others.
And for the kids, what a lesson it is for them to learn, that in moments where you feel great sadness, you can still look for and find love.
Don’t let me fool you, I still feel desperate to give them a hug. To call them. To see the joy in their faces. But when Matthew smiles while eating a Klondike Bar and says “Gigi would love this!”, it is starting to become easier for me to recognize, that while it may look and feel different, their joy most certainly continues to live on.
Now, on to -
what we’re reading…
I’ve always wanted to be a person who meditates. The problem is, I am decidedly not a person who mediates. Sitting still is not my strong suit. That being said, this past Summer I read Into the Magic Shop by James Doty and thought it provided a fresh, attainable perspective on meditating that felt like it might click with me - think meditation meets manifesting. The roadmap to Doty’s meditation felt a bit more defined, rather than the typical (impossible) “empty your brain of all thoughts” route. Important to note, I have yet to “practice”, BUT I’m not throwing in the towel just yet. I am now reading his book Magic Mind which dives deeper into his concepts and I’m loving it so far.
what we’re lusting after…
This Rails Nevina jacket recently made Who What Wear’s Editor list and for good reason. The clean lines, whip stitch detail and super soft faux leather make this a closet staple that your favorite black bodysuit is sure to become best friends with. We have two left (at 30% off!) and one will be finding a home in my closet if it's still in stock after this weekend!
what we’re making…
Another week, another Defined Dish Soup. After all, it’s freezing here and soups really hit the spot. This one is a classic spin on Chicken Noodle soup. Chicken soup, in its own right, is pretty simple to make but this recipe results in its most perfect version. I follow the recipe in her book, which differs slightly from the online version. Rather than add rotisserie chicken, I cook chicken breasts directly in the simmering broth for 15-20 minutes and I use ½ pre-made chicken bone broth and ½ chicken stock. I also omit the turmeric, ginger and paprika so my kids will eat it and it still comes out great! Don’t skip the addition of lemon juice at the end - it draws out all the best flavor and ties the soup together deliciously.
what we’re thinking about…
The people and communities of Los Angeles. We love Los Angeles and have spent a significant amount of time in that area over the years. Nearly all of our dresses are manufactured in L.A. and the areas surrounding it. This week, we’ve reached out to our community both as an effort to replace any Mahi that customers may have lost in the fires and as a way to find people we can directly help. If you, or anyone you know, was directly impacted by the fire - please reach out. We’d love to help purchase items you need now, send you clothing or make a donation.
We’re sending our love.