Friday Favorites: Twentysomething Edition

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To ring in the big 3-0, Todd and I are heading up to D.C. for the weekend. The weather's looking rather dismal on Saturday, but I'm still excited to stroll around Georgetown, see the National Christmas Tree, and eat some good food (reservations here and here).  Here are a few other things I'm liking during my last few hours as a 20-something.

• The renovation of this Brooklyn townhouse is pretty perfect. 
• I love all the end-of-year best book lists coming out now. Time to load up the ol' Kindle!
• The New York Times wrote about one of my favorite Richmond neighborhoods, Church Hill.
• I would love to do this with River. He's already grown so much!
• We're having a few people over for a holiday open house and I definitely plan to do this.
• Christmas is making me feel extra crafty. Love this gold DIY garland.
• This garlic cheddar beer bread was a big hit — and super easy to make.

Thirty-something: 7 Things

I'm turning 30 in a few weeks. I haven't really thought too much about this milestone, but every now and then when I say it out loud or write it down, I start to feel like ... an adult. This means I can no longer make fun of my husband for being "old." I can no longer call myself a twenty-something.

I'm happy with where I am at almost-30, but I have been thinking about who I've always imagined I'd be as a 30-year-old. Who would have thought I'd still be feeling like an awkward teenager every now and then? Here are a few 30-year resolutions I'm keeping in mind as I enter this new decade.

1. Get comfortable in the kitchen. As much as I love food, I'm really not a great cook. I have a few dishes that I can make without a recipe, but I want to branch out and try new things, and add some more complex recipes to my repertoire. 
2. Be nicer. I tend to be a little snarky and sarcastic. I think 30-year-old me should be nicer.
3. Expand the fam. I love our furry babies, but tiny humans are starting to sound fun to me, too.
4. Refine my wardrobe. Last weekend I threw out nearly a third of my wardrobe — some stuff with tags still on it, some stuff that doesn't fit, some stuff that just doesn't suit me anymore (so many strapless dresses!). I want to open my closet and only see things I love, and if that means having a small wardrobe, that's OK with me.
5. Refine my home. No more disposable furniture. It's time to fill the house with quality, long-lasting pieces that I actually love — even if that means it'll take a lot longer for it all to come together.
6. Be more drink-savvy. I love cocktails, but I rarely make them for myself at home. I want to have the fixins and the skills to make a few of my favorites myself. I want to learn more about wine, too.
7. Get more national bylines. Time to kick the freelance game up a notch.

dude gifts.

Guys are so hard to buy for. I know I'm not the only one who thinks this. So since Todd's birthday is a few weeks away, I've started stressing about what to get him. He says his favorite gifts are experiences — trips, an amazing dinner, a major league baseball game — but below are a few things I think most guys (or Todd, at least) would be happy to unwrap.

Dude Birthday by ericajackson

What's been your most successful dude gift? For me, I think it was the ukulele I got Todd for Christmas, but the deep fryer came in at a close second.

to me.

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Today I turn 27 years old. This sounds a little old to me (late twenties!), but I refuse to be one of those people who freak out about aging. 

Twenty-six was a good year. We spent time in Boston, Newport, Memphis, and Atlanta visiting friends and family. We bought a house and made it our own (though it's still a work-in-progress). I got some of my first freelance writing gigs. I re-started my Etsy shop (and promptly forgot about it). I enjoyed countless happy hours, dinners, and events, from underground art shows to black tie balls. It's been fun.

My number one wish for 27? Some serious travel adventures. And maybe a new car.

wish list.

With my birthday and Christmas on the horizon, I've been selfishly obsessed with adding to my Wish List on Pinterest. Being in a strictly enforced no shopping drought doesn't help matters. Some of my biggest current wants:

pretty graphic pillows and blankets, especially chevron and ikat.

 cookbooks! oh so many cookbooks.

a record player.

a sparkly dress for holiday parties.

I don't know why, but I'm really feeling the dead papier mache animals.

and if I was really good, I'd ask for a sweet new ride with colored rims.

What's on your wish list?