This is my favorite brunch spot in Santa Monica of all time and it’s well away from the busy foot traffic of tourists. The first time I came here, I was late in my third trimester and Connor was dancing around so much from all the wonderful menu items we were eating. This farm to table concept serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily based on organic, locally sourced produce which is exquisitely prepared.

Last weekend, on our way to Tanaka Farms, we decided to make a pit stop at a place that had been on my must-visit list forever. "California Scenario," also known as The Noguchi Garden—a beautifully peaceful outdoor sculpture garden tucked away in Costa Mesa, California. Created by the legendary artist Isamu Noguchi, this place is like stepping into a whole new world where art and nature meet to create a relaxing experience for all to enjoy.

Looking for ways to incorporate more greens into your toddler's diet? Try my delicious Strawberry Spinach Smoothie recipe. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, it's a fantastic way to introduce healthy greens in a kid-friendly manner. I’ve been making this for years, and Connor has been drinking it daily ever since he could use a straw.

The kitchen is both a calm and chaotic space for me. I’m sure you can relate. It’s messy, there’s always a full sink of dishes, and more days than not it’s hard to look at visually. With that being said, I do actually enjoy cooking for my family and the act of stirring a pot or hearing that satisfying sizzle is quite enjoyable. Enter, Our Place.

For those who can’t keep real plants alive or want to easily fill corners in your house without the upkeep, I’ve rounded up some gorgeous faux olive trees that would spruce up any home and for any budget.

Our 6’ olive tree is from Amazon and under $100. It fills our master corner perfectly and looks so real. It’s a really good dupe to the Nearly Natural trees. I’ll be writing a follow up to this one on “how to pot your faux tree” in the next week because it’s not as complicated as one may think. Until then!

Little fun fact- Los Angeles is home to the largest population of Japanese residents outside of Japan. They don’t call it Japangeles for no reason. I love our city, I love our neighborhood, and we are surrounded by literally the best Japanese food outside of Japan, so what’s not to like. With that being said, this is where I shop weekly for some of my very specific groceries and pantry items you won’t find at traditional stores like Trader Joes or Vons.

This marks my 3rd Mother’s Day, and most moms I know including myself…well, we all just want to sleep in and have a day or few hours to ourselves am I right? Nothing is more valuable than undisturbed peace and quiet, we moms need that even if it’s just for 10 minutes to reset. I truly hope that this Mother’s Day (and every day for that matter) you are able to carve some time for yourself, however that may look or feel like.