Waits and his Papa-san (my dad).

Hello my dears! Happy Friday, and happy happy Weekend Send-off! It feels like it’s been ages since we’ve done one of these posts, and I’m so excited to get back to it – back to blogging on the regular, back to trading Friday inspiration, and back to Le Love Lists.

It’s been a really busy — and beautiful — but really really busy summer. I’ve enjoyed the madness of it all, but I’m also really looking forward to settling down a bit. Well, a bit. You know me . . . I never settle much!

Alright, onwards and upwards. Here’s what life has looked like for us, lately:

Summer at the Farmer’s Market.


Vegan cheese plates shared with friends. (Featuring Miyoko’s Creamery artisan cheeses, and ooooooh my goodness!!!)


The sassiest spoon.



Wonderberries and goji berries: summer in my garden.


Dinners down on the beach (and this sweet little boy wearing “my Power Puff Girl costume!”)


Old-fashioned air-popped popcorn for movie night.


These are weekly staples this time of year. (We like to eat the padrón peppers blistered and sprinkled with sea salt, usually on a Friday evening alongside a cocktail made with the strawberries. Ya feel me?)


Our favorite hiking spot.

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And now, it’s time for the one, the only, the very best way to kick off the weekend — Le Love List!

This moment: I’m at a barbecue for a friend’s birthday, in the garage playing ping pong on a warm summer night. Waits is sitting at a complete, professional 6-piece drum set in the corner, banging away with all his might. Our friend Jason next to him, leaning in, playing his harmonica full bore. A magical musical duet. Ping pong balls flying and laughter in the air, and Waits banging his drums and hollering his song: “Goo mama!! Gooooo mama! Win! Win! Win! Gooooo Mama!” And it was one of those electric moments where just for one split second you are aware of how perfectly, deeply happy you are, in that instant of your weird, wonderful little life. ♥ // Heartwarming emails from long-time Bonzai readers. // When you hear someone outside the building say “vegan” and you want to run to the door to see who they are and what they’re talking about. // A rather weepy conversation with my mother-in-law, in which I tearfully wailed “Being an adult is so fucking hard! I just want to go back to being a kid!” This is on my Love List because it was really great to talk to her, and because despite the tears, it was pretty funny. Life is hard, dudes. So hard. // A fruit bowl full of avocados. // Road trips with old friends, to visit old friends. // #TacoTuesday // This moment: I’m standing in a friend’s kitchen, surrounded by women. Strong women. Mother women. All of us cooking and chatting together, watching the children wild in the backyard — there were 10 of them, I think — while we made a meal and shared ourselves with one another. Tribe. // Nearing our launch date. // A whirlwind weekend in Portland! // When you have to pack your fairy wings, because it’s going to be *that* kind of wedding. // Blogging again. It feels so good, and I MISSED YOU GUYS!!! //

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Alright, so now it’s your turn! Please leave your own Le Love Lists in the comments below, so all of us can share in the inspiration of gratitude and joy. Lay it on us!

And as always, I hope you have a wild and wonderful weekend!

♥