On my 40th Birthday: Celebrating Together the RightWay
Today is my 40th birthday.
There will be no toasts, as I’m in my third trimester of a high-risk pregnancy. We’re even sidestepping the once-obligatory pandemic Zoom gathering, as the internet connectivity out here is spotty at best.
None of this matters, because I get to celebrate in a more meaningful way with you— by supporting foster youth futures.
If you’ve ever found any information I’ve shared on my blog or Instagram to be of value, and if it’s comfortably within your means, I’m humbly requesting contributions to The RightWay Foundation this weekend as a way of celebrating my 40th together.
If you make a donation, please add a note of why in the digital Donor Scroll so I can thank you!
My family has everything we could possibly need. We want everyone to be able to have those same comforts. Our friends at The RightWay Foundation do critical preventative work to end the pipeline from foster care to homelessness, unemployment, incarceration, and poverty by providing foster youth with therapy, job training, community support, and connections to opportunities in the workforce. And RightWay's Operation Housing First program fights post-foster-system homelessness by guaranteeing rent in a furnished apartment and providing continuous mental health services, while assisting our youth in securing livable wage employment to help them achieve financial independence.
Thank you, as always, for being here and supporting our small business + family, as well as this organization that is so near and dear to our hearts.
Here’s to 40, and a brighter year ahead for all.
Want to celebrate your milestone the RightWay? The RightWay Foundation has set up a how-to campaign resource for anyone who wishes to raise awareness and/or funds for this marvelous non-profit on their special day. Click here to learn more and get started.
Photos by Lucia Doynel
Until We Can Get to France...
Post Summary: A roundup of Airbnbs that in some way remind me of the homes or places I love in the same general region as our farmhouse. This post was created in partnership with Airbnb.
Recently I’ve found myself mentally mixing the past with the future as we await a safe and smart opportunity to head to our little farmhouse and reunite with the region that’s already felt like home to me for 14 years.
While I largely stayed in the same residence during my weeks or months in the Midi-Pyrénées in the past, there were still several opportunities to try Airbnb properties for fresh perspectives.
I enjoyed exploring new residential spaces from the design perspective, but it’s the human interaction and personal touches that stuck with me the most...
The host who pulled lettuce from her garden for our evening salads, the nearby restauranteurs who opened their doors after-hours to offer us a bottle of local wine, and the neighbors who went out of their way to patiently show us how dishes (like aligot or gâteau à la broche) are made.
The tea towels drying from the line offer insight on the owners. Windows thrown open wide invite opportunity to swap local delicacies. Balconies become perches for sharing news of nearby events or places to explore beyond the more well-traveled paths. And there’s always, always a French dog to cuddle. Yes, I find such joy in exploring various home designs, but it’s really the hosts and neighbors I’m most eager to encounter again some day.
Below, I’ve rounded up some rentals that in some way remind me of the homes or places I love in the same general region as our farmhouse. I’m eager to continue exploring and sharing new views and environments like this truly spectacular spot on the globe.
Click on an image below to view the listing. (All listings are in the USA.)
Planning a Nature Playground
Between the ten acres here and the eight acres of land enveloping our little French farmhouse, our family will cross over fields and pass under branches far more than we’ll cross over streets and pass under the shade of buildings. I’m relieved and pleasantly surprised that my four year old is into it all thus far— he was so acclimated to our Venice life, which was basically the opposite of this.
On a recent evening, as West and I held hands and stomped across the prairie towards a canopy of towering oaks, I asked him if he missed the beach. (In the month leading up to our relocation, he strolled to the Pacific every day to play in the shallow waves.) His reply was thoughtful but swift:
“I suppose so. I miss it, but not all the time. I like it here.”
I reminded him that it’s possible to feel many emotions at once, and to even harbor conflicting feelings. He considered this, and then reminded me in return that we can always drive to the beach when desired.
He then rattled off a list of things he loved about being here: the tiny wildflowers he collects for his Grandmother, the Sandhill Cranes he’s met, the frogs clinging to the windows, and the bright red twinkle of Mars overhead surrounded by gleaming stars. (That last point made me particularly happy, as I remember him pointing out a line of street lamps in Los Angeles when he was 2 and asking me if they were stars.)
I pointed out that all of the things he listed were outdoors, so I’d work on creating a small, rambling playground for him. He was overjoyed, and insisted we scout locations immediately, despite the fact that our dinner was cooling on the kitchen table as we spoke.
We’re taking time to plan out a nature playground made with found and foraged items that we can repurpose and use creatively throughout the woods. I’d like to include a small labyrinth of stones or logs as well, as a way of forming a little path that we can trace when helping West (and ourselves, for that matter,) sort through emotions and breathe deeply.
In the meantime, we’ve purchased a few wooden + rope items from Etsy to suspend from the trees. So far we have a swing, a climbing ladder, some rings, and a rubber tether-ball— all items that would’ve worked just as well in our tiny Venice garden or home if I’d only thought to look for them sooner...
I’m taking notes from my little one on how to sink into change. Like him, I’m embracing the new experience. But unlike him, I’m older— I’ll need more time to absorb everything. And that’s okay.
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Attempting a Low Waste, Long Distance Move
When we decided to leave our little home in Venice and relocate across the country, we knew we’d need to hire movers. Despite having a small indoor-outdoor space that isn’t hard to pack up compared to a traditional home, the realities of uprooting 10 years of live/work life while working full-time during a pandemic in the middle of a high-risk pregnancy with a 4 year old and two pups made it very clear that packing up a truck ourselves and driving it from one coast to the other would just be too much.
Thanks to my line of work, I’ve seen a fair amount of larger moves and installations, despite never requiring one myself. (Until now, for my own relocations in the past, I always just packed up whatever car I had and bopped on to my new setting.) In 2019, it was my experience with a client’s local move within LA that inspired me to halt my one-on-one interior decor and design work. The waste was staggering, and I didn’t want to play such a helpless role within it.
Above: Our “Company Car” the day it arrived from California.
I remember two key moments from that job that sparked the shift in my career. The first was unwrapping a box mislabeled as books that actually contained food, including an open stick of butter swathed in it’s own, massive slice of of brand new bubblewrap and kraft paper. (WHY?!) The second was standing in an expansive living space that was covered wall-to-wall in tape and single-use plastic sheeting to protect the shiny new wooden floor. As the wind slipped through the home, the plastic rippled dramatically, and I imagined that miles of it must end up in landfills within disenfranchised communities, and/or floating in the ocean beyond our tiny cottage, confusing and choking wildlife.
I was adamant about avoiding any similar situations with our own move. So we decided we’d pack everything ourselves, and then hire a moving service for the loading/unloading of the boxes and the transport.
Above: With the exception of one clipping that we brought with us, all of our houseplants went to loving homes in SoCal.
SUCCESSES / FAILURES
When attempting our low waste move, we succeeded in some areas, but failed in others.
GAS
We looked for a moving company that had bio-diesel trucks, and discovered that Northstar in L.A. has a fleet. We were delighted to confirm upon their arrival at the Cottage that the truck was indeed bio-diesel. However, we later learned that these specific trucks aren’t necessarily what are used for the long-haul trip, depending on the logistics of the move. (See below.)
SHARED LONG-HAUL TRANSPORT
Instead of hiring a dedicated individual or team to manage the relocation of our goods via one truck from door to door on set dates, we opted for a company that bundles the contents of numerous moves so that the long-haul ride is shared across clients. (Think of it as UberPool for your stuff.) So even though we were disappointed to find that our belongings didn’t arrive on the bio-diesel truck, we were happy to learn of all the additional stops the truck made and had scheduled. We were initially given a 30-day window for delivery due to this ride-share style of business, but it only took about 2 weeks for the contents of our Cottage to arrive (and we were of course provided with a 48-hour heads-up prior to drop off.)
PROTECTIVE PACKAGING SUPPLIES
To my absolute relief and joy, we were able to avoid buying any new protective packing supplies— no bubble wrap, no peanuts, no packing paper. Instead, we used every blanket, towel item of clothing, pillow or rug we had as protective materials.
The big positives were that this tactic saved us money, resulted in fewer boxes, and meant we had no fillers to trash or recycle. From what we’ve seen thus far, everything we packed this way arrived in tact. We’ve not unpacked it all, as we’re in a temporary space for the time being, but so far we’ve been pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of our make-shift protective layers.
The negative side of packing this way is that the contents of our moving boxes are wildly varying. For example, our ceramic Walter Filter was stuffed with crochet clothes, wrapped in a baby quilt and, and padded within its container by winter coats. As such, there is basically no categorizing boxes for streamlined organization when they’re prepared in this manner.
BOXES
We failed spectacularly with the boxes themselves, as most of them were purchased new. (I know, I know. I’m not proud of this, folks.) We didn’t have the space to hoard used cardboard in advance, and most of what we did save in the bike/laundry shed suffered mild water damage that was enough to render the cardboard useless.
I had long hoped to drive around to local shops and marketing businesses and nab their used boxes, but between the risks pertaining to the COVID-19 outbreak in Los Angeles, but gave up due to the logistics of driving around the city for hours collecting and breaking down boxes (while pregnant and working and watching a 4 year old).
I researched renting reusable, collapsible crate-style boxes from Rent-a-Crate, but the hauling company required our entire relocation budget, and I was unable to allot the additional sum for crates that would not only need to be hauled, but also stored (and thus rented in an ongoing capacity) for several months.
TAPE
We spent a few extra dollars on two large rolls of brown paper tape instead of plastic packing tape. This tape needs no plastic cutter or dispenser, and was easy to use and effective at securing the boxes. I also find it far easier to remove paper tape when the time comes.
Complications
Content trigger warning: Third trimester pregnancy complications / fetal distress.
Yesterday we woke up to our very first morning in our new temporary home. I (safely) met with our architect, tackled my Monday work agenda, and felt flushed with relief over the opportunity to finally settle into a new routine that would allow me more moments with West, and dedicated time to better experience my third trimester.
Above: Photo from my first trimester in Venice.
By evening, I was in an ambulance being transferred from one hospital to another due to pregnancy complications after realizing how drastically my baby’s fetal movements had decreased during the previous, hectic days.
The initial test results weren’t good news, but thankfully they’ve since improved somewhat. The main issues stem from certain fetal growth complications. But I’m relieved that I believed my body when it told me something just wasn’t right, and that I then had the option of seeking medical help.
My family is now navigating our way through waves of vast worry and uncertainty, but we’re doing so with optimism and hope. Adam and I believe that our unborn child is resilient and knows what to do. And we have faith in the numerous professionals who have provided me and the baby with exceptional medical care thus far.
I’m not sharing this because it feels better to do so— it doesn’t. It feels too personal, and too terrifying to type out these words with sleepless eyes and shaky hands from a hospital bed. And it causes my family to further sink into some of the potential, unthinkable outcomes that have been outlined for us in stark terms. Instead, I’m sharing this to acknowledge the immense privilege I’m experiencing, even in the midst of gut-wrenching panic.
Meaningful and tangible support is not provided for all pregnant women when it’s needed most. Systemic and interpersonal racism in America have lead to disparities in maternity care that result in a higher risk of complications and death for Black women and women of color. We are not powerless to help rectify this issue. Our voices matter, independently and collectively, so let’s get + stay vocal about the fact that equitable care must be accessible for all. Our elected officials are meant to represent us, so let’s champion those who support anti-racist policies that are geared towards a safer existence for women and children of color from conception through all stages of life.
Become familiar with your reps — I need to get to know ours now that we’ve just moved, and visit Every Mother Counts for more information and ways to take action.
... And if you have a moment, please hurl a powerful, positive thought skyward for our little one. I certainly feel this community’s love and strength, so maybe that means my baby will, too.
Update: I’ve never felt more buttressed by community than I did this week. I cannot thank you enough for your support, which the baby must have felt as well. We were able to leave the hospital, and we did so as one - outcomes that initially seemed unlikely. From the depths of my heart, thank you.
Leaping from the Nest
Over the past two weeks, we gave away our single car and left our little home and community. I just realized that the only keys I have now are the ones for our bike locks.
Above: Details from packing up the Cottage.
We are carefully making our way (masked and distanced) across the country in a rented SUV. Our belongings now occupy a sliver of a shared-haul biodiesel moving truck. Our plants went to carefully chosen, loving homes. My small business is no longer rooted in California. The keys to our small, shared French farmhouse are being guarded safely in that region until we can responsibly get there. The prairie cottage is still in the architectural design phase. So, for this brief moment, we’re untethered.
Above: Packing up after an Airbnb stay during our careful road trip / move across the country.
Is this what I expected my life would look like at 39? Honestly, I can’t remember ever having a concrete vision of what I envisioned— or if I ever envisioned anything in particular at all. I’m currently at peace with that.
The last time I felt anything like this was several years ago when my long time employer-turned-client kicked me from her business’ nest, as her company underwent a major transition. I suddenly had no way to sink behind my usual daily comfort and routine. After years of diligent work, I found myself with no safety net, no stable healthcare and no paycheck. I urgently took everything I’d learned and applied it to creative new endeavors without a specific goal in sight. Both my business and personal worlds improved, and my life suddenly felt like my own in a way I realized it never had before.
This current moment in my life isn’t dissimilar.
Above: Working at an Airbnb during our careful road trip / move across the country.
I’d known that something needed to change, but that initiating and sticking to those changes wouldn’t be easy, as we’d built a life and nest we loved enormously in Venice.
Now, I’ve leapt from that nest, and I’ve pulled my family out with me.
I know it was the right decision. For growth. For creativity. For overarching sustainability. For deeper happiness. For love. And I am bubbling with excitement over our upcoming projects and experiences. But adjusting personally, as a family, and as a business — especially during such global upheaval, crisis and weariness — will take time. And I just keep reminding myself that that’s okay. We are all overwhelmed and exhausted, every single day.
As I waddle sleepily around our new landscape, I don’t feel like I’m struggling to find my footing. Instead, I feel like I’m forming a new path, and hand-placing each pebble as I go. Good things need time to take shape.
Experiencing More While Traveling Less
This post was created in partnership with Airbnb.
As we near the one year marker of staying safer-at-home, I’m increasingly appreciative of creative connectivity, and our ability to experience more digitally while (reluctantly) traveling less physically.
One of our go-to outlets for safely learning and adventuring (as individuals, a couple, or a family) while sheltering in place has been Airbnb’s Online Experiences. Towards the start of the pandemic, I actually taught a handful of small space living classes via live video from the Cottage for Experiences. (It’s something I would’ve happily continued to do if West attended school and if parts of our property weren’t shared with neighboring homes, but our situation made it a bit too tricky for me to sustain.)
Above: Leading an Airbnb Online Experience from the Cottage (2020)
I learned just how much effort, energy and expertise goes into these online classes, and how magically they can connect people from around the globe as we keep our communities safer by staying home whenever possible.
The first digital Experience I attended myself was all about propagating plants. It’s a skill that came in handy throughout the summer— and even as recently as last week, when I clipped a part of my favorite plant from the Cottage in preparation for our cross-country move.
Above: Attending Hilton Carter’s Airbnb Online Experience (Summer 2020)
Below is a roundup of some of our favorites, as well as a few classes we plan to virtually attend in the near future.
Propagating Plants with Hilton Carter
Personal note: I attended this online experience offered by author, filmmaker, designer and plant expert Hilton Carter last summer, and it was brilliant.
From the listing: “The thing that got me excited about bringing plants into my home when I first started was propagation. Being able to take a cutting from one plant, place it in water, watch as the root system develops and then pot it in soil to make a new plant is the best way to start your journey in greenery. Propagation teaches you so much about care, bonding, and patience when it comes to your plants. This experience will start with me talking about my background and my personal journey and passion for greenery. I will then lead the class through the proper steps for propagating indoor houseplants. This won't include outdoor gardening or edible plants. Through show and tell, I will introduce you to various types of plants--from fiddle leaf figs to monsteras, succulents and cacti--and the best ways to cut them. We will then discuss what vessels work best to place them in, the water needed and how often to refresh or replace that water. Then we’ll talk about how to transition the cutting from water to soil once the roots have developed.”
How to Paint with Red Wine
From the listing: “This activity is very special, it is not only about the art, but as well about enjoying the time in a good company. We will learn to paint with RED WINE only. At the moment very few people worldwide use this technique, and I would be very happy to use it with you and help you paint with something that everyone has in their home.During the class I will explain the difference between wine technique and watercolors. I will help you understand more about supplies as paintbrushes and paper. Why we use some and not use other supplies. I will explain as well the basics of drawing lines, and how those help us on expressing ourselves.”
Animal Sanctuary Virtual Experience
From the listing: “You may not be able to visit us in person but you can still meet our amazing residents here! 100% of your tour fees goes directly to the animals. At The Riley Farm Rescue, we are able to bring the tour to you, virtually! These tours are interactive, engaging, and informative. They are great for groups and a fun team activity! We will take you around the farm to learn some fun facts about the animals and enjoy a virtual visit. You can hear their rescue stories and learn about their individual personalities. We can't wait to show you around!”
Chocolate Origins & Creation with a Maker
From the listing: “On this experience you’ll learn the true story of how chocolate becomes the world’s favourite sweet, a bitter sweet tale of hard work, artisanship and how business can be a force for good. We start with our special welcome to Jamaica. We’re located on the edge of the Blue Mountains overlooking Kingston. We’ll look down across the city towards the harbour as I give a brief history of the island and the historical use of cacao. We then get to know each other before we make our inclusion bars. I’ll tell you about how I went from a BBC Correspondent to a chocolate maker before I explain how we go from the raw ingredients to the finished yummy product. I’ll show you how to hand temper chocolate, from our original development kitchen using a bowl, a table and a spatula. Before I walk you through creating your own custom made inclusion chocolate bars.We then go right into the farm, driving over a river bed, to have a closer look at the cacao estate. We’ll introduce you to the pods up close, we’ll look inside the fruit and I’ll explain how the beans are fermented on the farm and how the nibs are processed before we unveil your bespoke bars.”
Discover the Night Sky from a Big City
Personal note: Once, as we were driving through Los Angeles, my then-3 year old looked at a long line of street lamps and remarked, “Look! Stars!” I knew at that moment that I needed to learn more about observing the night sky from the city as a family.
From the listing: “Always been curious about how to observe the night sky from a big city and how telescopes works? If yes, then this experience is for you! The experience is done online, by remotely using a telescope that is setup in my backyard, in Los Angeles. The experience will start by an intro on constellations and what is visible during the evening of the tour. Guests will learn the basics of how to read a star map. Then, guests will learn about the telescope that we will use, how it works and what can be observe with it (planets, galaxies, nebula, etc...). For at least 30 minutes, the guests will remotely use the telescope to observe the objects they selected from the star map presented during the intro. The view seen through the telescope will be broadcasted on a shared screen in Zoom, that each participants can seen what the telescope is seeing. Once the telescope is pointed to a night sky object, participant will be able to take a picture of it. The guests will leave the experience with the pictures of galaxies, nebulae and stars that they took during the experience. They will also leave with a better understanding of how telescopes work and how simple it can be to observe the night sky, even from big cities!”
Saying Goodbye to the Cottage
Saying goodbye to our cottage this week broke our hearts.
That was the first place Adam and I called home together.
We got engaged there, and then married on the front stoop.
The yard was StanLee’s first patch of earth to call his own.
It’s where Sophee joined our family.
It’s where West took his first steps— within the exact same 6’ square that, years later, he happily danced in for hours on end to delightfully obnoxious holiday songs. I
t’s where we’d stand to chat over fences and through doorways with our neighbors, who became part of our family.
We hugged nearly everyone we love dearly under the roof of that house.
It was the heart of my small business.
It was our little world.
Not a day went by in those 10 years that Adam and I didn’t stop to acknowledge out loud to one another how grateful we were to live (and work) there.
It meant so very much to us.
As I sat propped up in bed in an Airbnb during our drive across the country, bawling my tired eyes out in the middle of the night, Adam’s hand lightly touched down on my body just in time to feel the baby move. West slept safely in bed with us. The pups gently snored at our feet. Everything that matters most was pressed up against my skin. I know that.
But still.
That goodbye really, really hurt.
Mini Crib for Our Small Space Nursery
This was a bittersweet moment. I really wanted to have our second child here at the cottage.
Unfortunately, the timing simply didn't align. (Click here to read my post about becoming pregnant after trying to conceive for 2 years.)
For months, West asked to see where the baby will sleep, so we finally showed him the lil’ convertible crib, which will accompany us on our next adventure...
We have the Bloom alma mini+ crib, which is more compact than a standard design, and can convert to a larger size and toddler bed when the time comes.
Recent Features Roundup
Occasionally we like to select a few features from the Cottage that were published by other outlets and share them via our own blog as well. Our latest roundup includes a video interview, tips for small space living, and our story of sheltering in under 400 sqft for nearly a year.
What's Your Story?: A live conversation in this time of global reckoning, revolution, and reinvention, with Rebecca Walker, Lily Diamond and Whitney Leigh Morris via Book Passage.
Video below, or click here to view via the Book Passage events channel replay page.
Basenotes by Vitruvi: Tips for Small Space Living from The Tiny Canal Cottage
Whitney Leigh Morris lives with her husband, her four-year-old son, and their two dogs, and has another baby on the way. Sounds pretty average, right? Until you factor in that she’s doing it all in less than 400 square-feet. Find out how she makes it work in her interview with Basenotes.
Domino Magazine: Small Space Quarantine Tips from Whitney Leigh Morris
(Note: This was published in December 2020, but was written at the start of the previous the Spring, when when we’d only sheltering in place for 2 months. Now, after nearly a year of staying home, most of our practices are still very much the same.)
We're Moving!
After a decade in our tiny canal cottage, we are moving. (And not to the French farmhouse quite yet.)
You see, we made the offer on the farmhouse the same week I conceived. Before discovering that I was pregnant, our plan was to travel to France (contingent upon COVID) in April to begin eight months of restoration work on the property. Naturally, our baby is expected to arrive in late April. (Ah, the universe!)
So we had a choice: Either stay in our beloved little LA cottage for the birth + fourth trimester (knowing that we’d have one foot out the door, plus zero help with the baby, West or my small business), or take the leap and uproot our company and home lives by my third trimester to be closer to family.
We chose family. Especially since, like so many other folks across the globe, we haven’t seen each other for a year or more.
After much deliberation, we’ve started planning an ~800 square-foot, sustainable cottage (classified as an ADU or “Accessory Dwelling Unit”) in a clearing on my parent’s property in Northern Florida.
The intention of this little space is for it to be a combined home/office/studio for my family and business when we’re not in France, and for it to be enjoyed by others when we’re away. Then, down the road, it can become a private residence to long-term care experts for my parents, should that become necessary.
Just like with the farmhouse, what drew me to this concept (beyond the proximity to family) is the idea of shared spaces and belongings. We’re excited to experience multigenerational living and support one another while sharing select amenities and goods.
Plus — with the arrival of the baby and some larger work projects unfolding behind-the-scenes — Adam and I could use some help in the months to come. And my folks, who are in their mid-70s, could use some help lately, too.
While we design and build our little ADU and await the right moment to begin our journey in France, we’ll be staying in my parents’ home. Initially, I dug my heels in about this, stubbornly repeating to Adam that I would not be turning 40 and having a baby in a home that’s not my own, thank-you-very-much. I paced the weathered floors of our beachside home while wondering out loud, on a relentless loop, just how on earth I could continue to nurture my interiors business while living for months out of a suitcase in the upstairs of the house in which I grew up.
After all, as someone who has carved out a career in the home space, and as someone who is the sole income earner for her immediate family, it is nerve-wracking from a business perspective to abruptly have no dedicated space in which to create for several months. But this move feels right.
We will actively be working on two entirely unique small spaces (the prairie cottage, and the 1800’s farmhouse), which we get to call home and share with others, both physically and digitally. We get to expand our son’s world and bring new life into it. Our adventure-loving pups will be able to run through a slice of paradise, no leashes required. And we can finally, FINALLY hug our wonderful parents.
The financial jump of going from renting in Venice to co-owning in France and building in Florida might seem extravagant, but it’s actually not. Our Venice cottage, although tiny, is located in a major, expensive city, and its proximity to the beach, marina and canals makes it a real estate goldmine. During our decade there, we invested as much in rent, updates, and the heightened cost of living than the farmhouse and ADU will cost us combined— especially since the farmhouse is shared between three parties.
To be able to introduce West to new natural splendors while welcoming his baby sibling into a home that’s overflowing with helping hands and unwavering love is such a privilege and gift.
We’ll have a live/work space of our own soon enough. For now, that love is all we need.
Thoughts on “Influence” and This Week's Events
For better and worse, what happens online matters. This week’s foul events in Washington D.C. are clear proof of this. There is immense influence online, and it manifests in endless ways.
In the context of the Cottage, influence is what sustains my small business and puts a roof over my family’s head.
In the non-profit world, influence has enabled a myriad of organizations to advance their efforts through means that weren’t available a decade ago.
In the sphere of community organizing, influence is arguably what mobilized the greatest voter turnout in an election in modern American history.
But, in this digitized political era in which we now find ourselves, online influence can fuel the myth of white supremacy, the rapid spread of baseless and even disproven conspiracy theories, dangerous disinformation, and the recent abhorrent rise in hate crimes.
“Racial history does not repeat harmlessly. Instead, its devastation multiplies when generation after generation repeat the same failed strategies and solutions and ideologies, rather than burying past failures in the caskets of past generations.” - Ibram X. Kendi
Pictured: Be Antiracist: A Journal for Awareness, Reflection and Action Book by Ibram X. Kendi
If your elected officials did not represent your values at the Capitol this week, you can tell them so. And remember that they work for your community, and YOU have the power to vote them out. Organizing and mobilizing is a year-round effort, not just something reserved for election years. (Click here to find your representative.)
Read: “The Whole Story in a Single Photo: An image from the Capitol captures the distance between who we purport to be and who we have actually been” by Clint Smith
Read: “White Entitlement on Parade” by Jamil Smith
A note to readers who think I should just “stick to home decor”:
The goal of this blog and my work is to help people feel comfortable, confident and content in their small spaces. But here in America, many Black citizens can’t even feel safe in and around their own homes due the extreme and unrelenting dangers and threats that accompany racism. (One of the most widely known examples of this is, of course, the deeply disturbing murder of Breonna Taylor.)
A note to readers who think the climate crisis and systemic racism are unrelated, and just want me to “stay in my lane” by simply sharing tips regarding what I’ve learned regarding lower waste living, remember this:
”… our racial inequality crisis is intertwined with our climate crisis. If we don’t work on both, we will succeed at neither.” - Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
A note to readers who are white:
It is our daily responsibility to dismantle the myth of white supremacy and the systems of oppression that continue to burden and even destroy the lives of those in marginalized communities.
We Bought a (Tiny!) Farmhouse!
On the last day of 2020, we bought a house.
A very old, very small farmhouse... in France.
I’ll turn 40 this year, and up until this point the biggest purchase I’d ever made was my plain little car that I bought in my 20s. Adam and I have been renting our tiny cottage here in Venice for ten years, and never truly allowed ourselves to even consider the vague possibility of homeownership until recently.
This acquisition didn’t happen easily, and took months.
Global lockdowns and the financial + emotional strain of the pandemic (both in general and within the bubble of our family and small business) impacted every step of the process. The undertaking would’ve been complicated enough to begin with, regardless of the mayhem of 2020. But, with a firm belief in our vision, along with the help of what feels like a thousand warm-hearted people, it’s finally official.
We first began speaking to a realtor about the property (which features an <800 sqft residence and additional outbuildings,) in May. In August, while the five of us were in the aforementioned car driving to/from Idaho, we decided to take a bold leap and make our offer on the farmhouse. (It turns out that this happened to be the same week I got pregnant, because that’s just how the universe works.)
Those days and the months that followed were a flurry of phone calls, Google spreadsheets and group text chains, as we planned on joint ownership with two other parties.
From the onset, we envisioned sharing the farmhouse with family and friends in one form or another. Not only are we accustomed to a co-living format when residing abroad, but sharing household assets is an important part of our lifestyle here at the Cottage in Venice. I’ve become a firm believer that we don’t all necessarily need one of everything to ourselves. We’ve shared utilities and spaces with our next door neighbors for ten years, and this has enhanced our sense of community while decreasing our expenses and consumption.
The farmhouse isn’t a timeshare property. Instead, it’s a residence that we can all enjoy together or separately at any time. The co-owners of the farmhouse are my life-long closest friends with whom I’ve lived, worked and traveled extensively in the past. One has purchased property as part of a partnership before, which has helped us chart the more formal aspects of this acquisition, and map out our internal legal agreements between us as part of our joint ownership.
Together, we will renovate and restore the farmhouse. We will also develop the barn into a shared living space. We made this purchase with the intention of the buildings and land being part of our families across generations.
One of our primary goals throughout this project is to be as sustainable in our repairs and design as possible, reusing whatever materials we can, and opting for vintage and second-hand over newly manufactured goods. So far we’re off to a promising start with this endeavor, as we inherited several pieces of furniture and accessories from the previous stewards of the property.
We’re not sure when we’ll get there, but the work starts now. I look forward to sharing our design and lifestyle journey with you, and hope that you fall in love with this tiny French farmhouse just as we have.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here are answers to some of the top questions we’ve already been asked repeatedly, and/or expect to receive frequently:
Will we leave our Venice cottage?
Yes. Sob! (More on this topic very soon.)
Who will move into our Venice cottage when we’re gone?
The owner has a plan, and is not currently seeking applicants.
Will we change our company name?
No, not any time soon. We’ll remain The Tiny Canal Cottage, even after we’ve said goodbye to our beloved home of 10 years.
How big is the farmhouse?
The residence is a 2 bedroom with an interior that measures under 800 square feet. There are additional outbuildings and a utility shed.
What size is the plot of land?
Several acres.
Where is the farmhouse located?
In the Midi-Pyrénées region of France. We are not disclosing the specific town for privacy reasons.
Why France?
I’ve been visiting France since middle school -- first as part of my education, then as part of my business. I’ve lived/worked there for long stretches of time in the past, and have hoped to find a place there for over a decade.
When do we plan to start renovating and living in the French farmhouse?
The structural repairs on the farmhouse will begin immediately, even as we remain in the States until it’s safe and permissible to travel to Europe. We hope to visit in 2021, but time and circumstance will tell. We plan to make stylistic renovations while living there, so we can do much of it on our own and share the experience with this community.
What about StanLee & Sophee?
Stubs and Soph are our family. (And long-time readers know that StanLee is the love of my life.) There’s no decision that Adam and I make without the pups at the top of our minds. We have a visa agency that can get the dogs the documents and permits needed for overseas travel and living, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, as our longer-term stays in France are likely a couple of years away. (Note: I will never place our dogs in the cargo hold of a plane.) When we travel for shorter stays abroad, the pups will be well loved and cared for by our family, just as they have been in the past.
How old is the farmhouse?
To our knowledge, it was built in the 1860s.
Will the farmhouse be a vacation rental? Is it a timeshare?
The farmhouse is intended to be a long-term residence for our family and the other owners when the timing is suitable. It is not a timeshare, nor is it a rental property.
Will we permanently leave the USA?
Not at this point. We will still spend a portion of each year in the States with our families.
What about school for the little ones?
We are familiar with schools in this region, and are considering them for the future. We are also interested in homeschooling options.
Why did we buy this property with partners?
There are numerous reasons why we preferred the idea of shared ownership for this property. As none of us can initially be there full-time, the split nature of the investment means that the home and land will be better used between multiple parties. And the combined responsibilities help spread out the financial burden of purchasing, repairing and renovating. Beyond the financial implications, sharing belongings between one another within the house reduces the need for each party to have their own separate space with its own furnishings, appliances, etc., which helps us reduce our collective footprint. And, lastly, it’s simply more enjoyable this way, as our families are used to traveling and working together. A takeaway from our COVID-19 experience is the clear understanding that we want to be in close proximity to the ones we love for sizable stretches of time.
Who are the co-owners of the farmhouse?
We have two partners in this property. They are life-long friends with whom I’ve lived, worked and traveled in the past. One has purchased property with co-owners before, which has helped us chart the formal aspects of partnering for this acquisition.
What about the carbon footprint of air travel?
This is one of the primary reasons we’re leaving our Venice cottage. Flying between our rental in California, the farmhouse in France, and our extended families in the States would be more non-essential air travel than we feel is responsible. (Less than 20% of the world’s population has ever been on a plane, yet the negative environmental impacts of air travel affect the entire planet.) In recent years (prior to the pandemic), we saved up most of our air miles to fly to/from our families. Now that we have the farmhouse, we will relocate our US residence to be closer to our loved ones, and reallocate our air miles to the trans-Atlantic flights.
Do we know people in the Midi-Pyrénées who helped in the purchase process?
Yes. Our friends in the region generously provided their time and energy, and acted as our surrogates on several occasions.
Where do we plan to have the baby?
The baby will be born in the States, though we plan to be out of the Cottage before then. (That’s another big blog post for later this month!)
Happy holidays from our (tiny) home to yours!
Happy holidays from our (tiny) home to yours!
On this Christmas day, I want to thank everyone in this community who has supported The RightWay Foundation throughout the season. Because of your love, more transition-age foster youth have their own apartments to call home, feel a decrease in social isolation, receive therapy to move through the trauma they’ve experienced, and are employed and reaching for their dreams.
On this day and every day, we are thankful for you.
Simplified Home Selling & Purchasing
Note: This post was sponsored by Flyhomes. The imagery and words are my own, with the exception of exact service descriptions. Any imagery that includes our little one and/or pups was captured organically as they interacted in their own, natural ways.
We’ve rented our tiny, beloved cottage for nearly 10 years now. In researching options for our future and upcoming relocation, we learned first-hand just how complicated the home buying process can be— especially if, like us, you’re new to the experience, and scouting within competitive markets.
Truth be told, Adam and I actually discovered and even visited some fixer-uppers we liked earlier this year. However, we gave up on our efforts in the early stages, as the hurdles felt insurmountable for us as both a family and a small business at the time. (Related post: What’s Next For Our Family?)
Thankfully we’re still very much in love with our little home and unique neighborhood. And while we’re taking (big!) strides towards our next adventure — which I’ll reveal soon — we’re also still firmly and happily planted in our life here by the canals.
We’re not approaching any season as though it’s our last one here. We’re managing to the vines in anticipation of springtime growth. We’re tending to our compost. We’re reusing and reinventing whatever we have around the house (per usual) to make the most of this festive season while on lockdown, and not cut back on making any magic for our four year old.
We’re also making plans for welcoming our second child into the cottage, while also remaining open to the idea that the baby might instead be born in the next town we call home…
For folks who find themselves in a situation similar to ours, and are attempting to navigate their entry into the world of home buying, the rest of this post is for you in particular.
Just as I prefer objects that multi-task, I’m inclined to favor services that offer more than one solution rolled up into one practical package. For this reason, and due to our recent (fairly negative) experiences in the home buying process, I partnered with Flyhomes to spread the word about their innovative, consolidated services that benefit both buyers and sellers.
Their goal is to take much of the stress out of the home search/buying process by offering multiple services rolled into one so that residents can focus on creating and enjoying their homes.
Flyhomes is currently operational in Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County, Boston, Portland, and San Diego. They’re a brokerage, a mortgage lender, and a closing company under one roof, and offer guidance at every step of the process, helping clients skip hurdles and make confident and informed decisions. Their products include: Cash offers, guaranteed offers, prefunds, and a Trade Up program, all of which can be reviewed here.
To schedule a 15 minute call with a Flyhomes representative to learn more about their unique approaches and strategies to buying, selling, or their Trade Up program, click here.
Thank you to Flyhomes* for supporting our small business with this partnership, and for offering a service that can streamline this complicated process for folks who are attempting to move their family to a space of their own.
*California DRE#02012110
Journaling (not just for ourselves, but for a better world)
“Imagining ourselves as separate from — and having dominion over — nature, we forget that we, too, are animals. We forget that we live on land rich with history, pain, and beauty, deeply burdened by the weight of our presence. We forget that each of us is responsible for the legacy and survival of the earth.” - What’s Your Story?: A Journal For Everyday Evolution
Despite the fact that I’m constantly pouring my heart out on this blog and Instagram, I’ve never been one for journaling. But whenever I take the time to write out my thoughts for my own clarity, I inevitably feel better and more organized about the issue that’s weighing heavily on my mind.
In an attempt to sooth anxiety and embrace growth and evolution during what has been one of the most stressful times for our family (as it has been for countless others), I started making my way through the new book, What’s Your Story?: A Journal For Everyday Evolution, by Rebecca Walker and Lily Diamond.
What’s Your Story? is a beautifully designed, interactive journal that contains series of deeply personal writing prompts intended to excavate the stories that have shaped our pasts, while inspiring new, fulfilling narratives for our future.
Flipping through the book upon arrival, I landed on this prompt first: “How does it feel to consider yourself a part of, rather than separate from, the natural world? What keeps you from feeling this every day?”
I intend to sit on this for a while before inking my thoughts in the journal. What would you write?
Experiencing the Holidays with Folks from Around the World While Sheltering at Home
Note: This blog post was created in collaboration with Airbnb.
As we shelter at home this holiday season, want to learn how to make recycled puppets for the holidays? Or put down the phone and make creative collages the old fashioned way? So do I. And, thankfully, there’s a safe and accessible way to do so.
Since our family isn’t traveling this season in an effort to keep my pregnancy healthy and our friends / family / community members safer, we’re turning instead to holiday-themed and everyday online experiences with Airbnb. Not only are these courses a way to learn something new while connecting with folks from all over, but they’re also a way of supporting small businesses by supporting the hosts.
Towards the start of the pandemic, I taught a handful of Live small space living classes via video from the Cottage for Airbnb Experiences. (It’s something I would’ve happily continued to do if West attended school and if parts of our property weren’t shared with neighboring homes, but our situation made it a bit too tricky for me to sustain.) I learned just how much effort, energy and expertise goes into these online classes, and how magically they can connect people from around the globe as we shelter at home.
Above: Teaching my Airbnb Experiences online class back in the summer of 2020.
Here are some of the classes I’ve added to our list— from creating recycled puppets for the holidays, singing holiday songs with a Broadway performer, Santa storytime with a children’s book author, and vegan holiday cooking, and more.
Holiday Sign Language Vocabulary (based in Athens)
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Description: Visit with Santa and let him know what you'd like for the holidays this year in Sign Language! After meeting with Santa, he'll lead you in a fun holidays themed vocabulary game! Get to learn phrases that you'll be using all holiday season long! We can also add Christmas carols to the fun as well! This is a safe environment for young adults, children, families, businesses, team building, and non-profits ages 8-100 to get an authentic experience from a Deaf professional.
Create Recycled Puppets for the Holidays (based in Berlin, hosted in English)
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Description: Together we are going to make holiday puppets from recycled materials. We will make special Christmas elves and Hanukkah puppets celebrating the festival of lights.
Santa Storytime with a Children’s Author (based in Atlanta)
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Description: Meet Santa and have an opportunity to introduce yourself. Then the host will share his journey from the world of sports to Silicon Valley to storytelling as a children's book author. Then, he’ll perform two storytime readings, cover-to-cover, of holiday classics. Afterwards, the group will explore some of the creative elements involved in bringing this book to life (world-building, color theme, character journey, mood arc, etc.) and share ways children's picture books go from idea to a finished book. Lastly, there’s an open discussion where kids and adults can ask questions about creating children's books.
Learn to Collage Holiday Edition (based in Barcelona, hosted in English & Spanish)
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Description: A fun session to learn about collage art, which is a great hobby for everyone and a fun way to explore your creativity. For 2020’s Holiday Season, the experience is adapted for making creations for friends and family.
Sing Songs with a Broadway Performer (based in NYC)
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Description: Learn a song and sing together— there’s no better way to feel connected and JOYFUL.
Vegan Holiday Baking (based in Slovenia, hosted in multiple languages including English)
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Description: Learn how to bake Almond Crescent Cookies and Fingerprint Cookies with Jam. (When you book the experience you will get full recipes with instructions in advance.)
Celebrating the Holidays While Staying "Safer at Home"
We’re missing our friends, family and community traditions as we stay “Safer at Home” here in Los Angeles for the holidays. But Adam and I are attempting to make magic within our bubble however we can for our four year old. Below are some of my favorite recent photos that capture the feelings and visuals that I hope he remembers from this strange season of life…
Los Angeles: Give the Gift of… Compost!
In recent years, we’ve been navigating the realities of composting while living in a small space within a major city. (The full blog post about our adventure can be found here.) At the start of the pandemic in this region, we began growing and preparing more food than ever here at the cottage, so we expanded our compost routine to include Compostable LA’s services.
Every week, Compostable drops off a used, clean bakery bucket to live out its new life as a short-term residential compost storage bin. The containers are exchanged weekly, and the food scraps are transported to Compostable’s nonprofit partner, LA Compost. Compost is then used in members’ gardens and sold to urban farmers.
When I first signed up for the service, I realized that looping our neighbor’s cottage into the service would be a great gift for the year. His weekly drop-off/pick up is simply looped in with our service at a small extra fee.
Now, folks in LA can help each other remove unnecessary waste while supporting a small business by gifting a subscription to Compostable LA. Gift cards for the service are available in options ranging from 1 month to a year.
“Landfills continue to be built in disenfranchised communities. Food deserts continue to be prevalent in disenfranchised communities. Climate change continues to be felt the most in disenfranchised communities. Taking ‘sustainable action’ means taking action to create a greener, cleaner world for everyone. Reducing food waste and regenerating soil are two of the best ways to help reverse climate change. Composting does both.” - Compostable LA
The Gift of Merry Making: Giving & Gathering Thoughtfully
Recycled glassware for a compact home bar.
Note: This blog post was sponsored by Pottery Barn. As always, the words (with the exception of exact product descriptions), opinions and imagery are my own. I want to thank the team at Pottery Barn for not only partnering with my small business for this post, but also for donating boxes of warm, non-toxic, Fair Trade Certified comforters to in-need, transition-age foster youth at The RightWay Foundation.
During the winter holidays, I’m usually one to bundle up zero waste presents such as food/beverage and passes for future adventures as gifts. However, months of physical distancing and cancelled travel plans have entirely reshaped our seasonal rituals this year, as they have for millions of other families.
This season calls for delicate navigation of the often-changing path of gathering and giving safely and wisely upon the persistent backdrop of the pandemic— especially here in a major city. Rather than meeting with family and friends, whether near or far, we’ve made the tough but necessary call to remain sheltered at home for the 9th+ month in order to better protect my “High Risk” pregnancy, and hopefully keep our at-risk loved ones and community members safer.
From time to time, we see our “pod,” which consists of our next door neighbors. When we do so, we meet out in our walkway garden with our masks on (including our 4 year old).
As such, I’ve recently found myself exploring unique items that help us create a special sense of occasion at home during this time— items that will also be perfect to gift for ongoing use once we’re all finally, gloriously reunited.
While I want to craft magical little environments that make everyone feel comfortable and festive, I’m also acknowledging and accepting the reality that I simply don’t have much energy to go all out as I have in years passed. A flexible and compact set-up that allows everyone to serve themselves and spread out has been best for everyone’s sense of ease (and for West’s delighted and highly energetic reaction to greeting rare guests).
For the art of tiny but mighty Merry Making, I’ve been using a drinkware + barware set that’s composed of handmade, recycled glassware, and stainless steel and aluminum accessories from Pottery Barn, and concocting a seasonal pear mocktail (and providing an optional carafe of an adult beverage for anyone who wants a dash of spirit to their drink).
Ingredients:
2 oz organic pear juice
rosemary-infused simple syrup
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 slice of pear per glass
1 sprig of rosemary per glass
ice cubes
Instructions:
Combine juices and syrup in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain into rocks glass. Add a dash of sparkling/soda water, and garnish with pear and/or rosemary to taste and aesthetic.
The hammered texture of the glasses and their handblown craftsmanship make the recycled vessels (available as tumblers and stemless wine glasses) reflect the twinkle lights and candles outside our home, and look particularly festive.
The sustainably-sourced, Fair Trade Certified “Bleeker” bar set has multiple pieces from which to pick-and-chose, and the tools have their own slim stand for keeping each piece organized, making it a practical gift set:
When setting up a serve-yourself bar on our miniature stoop, I drop everything into a space-maximizing, hanging format with the help of a simple s-hook and petit basket:
Cheers to safely cherishing our moments together— even if we’re coming by those moments in a different way, for the time being. I’ll always raise my mocktail to celebrating love, and to wish for (and work towards) good health for all.
A note of thanks: Pottery Barn kindly gifted us several boxes of warm, non-toxic, Fair Trade Certified comforters to donate to The RightWay Foundation. This generous contribution gets us closer to achieving our goal of creating a safe, warm home for youth in need this holiday season and through the new year.
