I hosted T and his family at my place the other night and wanted to share the spread I put together for all of us. I wanted all of the food to be casual and easy – nothing over the top. Everyone loves cheese and crackers. It’s a European staple. So I ran to Whole Foods and picked up a medley of goodies to create the perfect cheeseboard. I’ve been whipping up cheese boards for friends and family for years, and thought I’d share my tips on how to make a cheese board in 10 minutes! Wood Cheese BoardsFirst and foremost, get a beautiful wood cutting board to place all of the yummy ingredients on. This one is from Hudson Grace, which is one of my favorite home decor stores in LA (it’s at the Brentwood Country Mart.) This one from Studio McGee’s shop is super similar. They have TONS of other boards that would be stunning in any kitchen. If you’re looking for a huge, oversized board for a large party, I have this one from World Market and LOVE it. It’s perfect for creating a massive spread. Bistro table + chairsMy table is a great find from Wayfair’s outdoor section. Sadly it’s sold out, but I found this gorgeous one for half the price! Not only is this a cute outdoor table, but it’s a darling entry table, bedroom side table, or living room console. My chairs are from One Kings Lane and can be used indoor or outdoor. I also love these ones from Serena + Lily, and these ones from Amazon are super affordable. Napkins, Plates, CutleryLay out napkins, plates, and cutlery. My napkins are oldies from Pottery Barn (love this vintage stripe version). My silverware is a total STEAL and under $30 for the set! The plates are Hudson Grace’s organic style. The cheese knives are Williams Sonoma and have beautiful thick marble handles that have held up for years. If you’re looking for a more modern set, these ones from Nordstrom Home are chic. How To Make A Cheese BoardWhen it comes to building a cheese board, I like to always get; at least 3 different types of cheeses, green grapes, a fig jam (or figs), 2-3 different types of crackers, marcona almonds, and honey to drizzle on top! If it’s a meat loving group, I’ll pick up a prosciutto or salami to place underneath the cheese. It’s nice to have a mixture of different colors and textures to place around the board and for people to choose from. Types of CheeseLet’s talk about the most important part of the board – the cheese! Whole Foods has a nice cheese selection. It’s so convenient, so I head there and typically pick out 1 hard cheese, 1 softer cheese, and 1 brie. For the softer cheese, I like to get one with truffle in it. A truffle fontina is to die for!!!! For the hard cheese I like to get a parmesan and/or sharp cheddar. Other cheeses that are yummy are Manchego and Mt Tam by Cowgirl Creamery. Mt Tam is my favorite cheese of all time (legit drooling thinking about it right now LOL) and you can get it at FarmShop in LA! Arranging TechniqueIn terms of arranging everything, first place the 3 cheeses equal distance a part on your board. Then place 2 handfuls of grapes on opposite sides, and 2 handfuls of marcona almonds sprinkled on the other sides. Tuck a fanned out line of salami or prosciutto in one corner, and then place a jar of fig jam or handful of figs in the other corner. Lastly, dip a honey spoon in fresh honey, and drizzle over the brie. Place crackers to the side, or even sliced baguette for guests to help themselves! Open a bottle of wine – I love Whispering Angel rose – and enjoy!

I’m so excited to share I’ve moved back to NYC! It feels insane to type out those words! When I moved from NYC to LA 2 years ago, I never thought I’d move back to the city. I truly thought that LA would be the place where I planted my roots. Life is funny that way – it’s full of twists and turns, ups and downs, curveballs, and surprises. You never really know what’s going to happen or how you’ll feel days, weeks or months from now about something. Things change, people change, places change. We grow up, evolve, and mature. When I moved to LA 2 years ago, it was because I was completely and utterly burnt out and needed a break from the hustle/bustle of NYC. I fell in love with the relaxed beach town Venice one summer. I didn’t want to leave after a week of bliss riding my bike in the sunshine and strolling down Abbot Kinney. It was truly paradise! I loved the laid back vibe, small neighborhood feel, gorgeous weather, health conscious mindset, walkability, and proximity to the ocean that Venice offered. My body instantly felt at ease in LA. And after years of struggling with digestion issues, Vitamin D deficiency, and sky high cortisol levels, I knew that’s where I needed to be. A few months after visiting, I packed up my life in NYC and moved into my dream house 3 blocks from the beach! Moving to LA, was one of the best life decisions I’ve ever made. Being in LA, and taking a step back from my work and life in NYC, allowed me to get in touch with myself and ultimately became the woman I wanted to be. So many incredible things happened during my time there. I healed my digestion, I rescued my dog Charlie, I fell in love with my next door neighbor Derek, I learned to stop and smell the roses, I developed self care rituals, I made incredible friends, I wrote a cookbook, and I discovered a whole other side of myself! LA taught me how to slow down and appreciate nature, peace + quiet, and the art of doing nothing. About 6 months ago, I started to feel like something was missing from my life in LA. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it at first, but when I visited NYC in October I knew. I missed living in the city. I missed walking outside my door and having tons of amazing restaurants, shops, museums, parks, and more all around me. I missed the energy, the excitement, the culture, the people, the pace, the work ethic, the ambition, and the REALNESS. Sure, Venice – and all of the towns within LA have great restaurants, shops, museums, parks, etc. But one of my readers who has lived in both NYC and LA couldn’t have said it better; LA doesn’t have SOUL! NYC has SOUL! It has DEPTH. It has grit and quirks, it’s romantic, and it’s the place that makes me feel the most alive. Every city has its pros and cons. There’s no such thing as a “perfect” place. A city could be the right fit for you for at a certain time period in your life and then you could outgrow it or crave something else. Listen to your gut. You know what’s best for you and that feeling will ultimately lead you to the place you’re supposed to be. Don’t get stuck. You’re not trapped or tied down to one place. If you’re unhappy move. If you’re itching for something different, go explore. If you feel stifled, get out. Embrace change – don’t fear it. Look at obstacles and jump over them! Put your mental health and wellbeing first before anything else. That is my advice if you’re contemplating a move! I’m now living in an apartment in Soho with my sweet puppy Charlie.I love my new home and I’m pinching myself that I get to be back here surrounded by such hardworking, talented, driven people! This city really does push me to be the best version of myself. I’m grateful that I have the energy to enjoy it again, and the mindset to not get overwhelmed by it. Derek, who I was dating for a little over a year, and who is still the love of my life, is not living with me, and instead pursuing his dream in San Francisco. He got a once-in-a-lifetime job offer that he couldn’t refuse from a company in Silicon Valley and moved there 3 weeks ago. This business deal was a loooong time coming and something I knew may go through despite our original plan and desire to move to NYC together. I could not be happier for him – it’s such a huge opportunity and something he’s worked so hard for. He and I had discussed being bicoastal and doing long distance, but ultimately I did not want to (and could not see us both realistically) flying back and forth on a 6 hour flight every other week (especially with Charlie) to maintain our relationship. He’s one of my best friends and someone I will always adore and admire. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I feel a sense of comfort knowing that everything really does happen for a reason – and that we are both living out our dreams. Thank you for all of the sweet messages and comments about my move. I am always so humbled to be connected to you and receive such a thoughtful outpouring of support. Trust me – I wanted to answer all of your DMs and share this exciting news sooner, but so many things have been up in the air these past few weeks! I honestly didn’t even know where I was going to live in NYC until about a week ago. Also, I was trying to quickly move out of my LA house since someone wanted to rent it sooner than my lease was even up! Crazy! Anyways, I’ll be unpacking and getting settled over the next few weeks. I can’t wait to share more apartment updates along the way. I’m having a lot of fun decorating this place. It’s a totally different vibe from my beach house! I hope you have a wonderful weekend! xx