On the Menu: Lab-Grown Meat 🤮

When I reach for this one thing in my kitchen, it always puts a smile on my face. A scratched, dented stainless steel mixing bowl. Why? Because I remember my grandmother using it to make her stuffed cabbage. Oh, and I can’t break it. I’m kind of a klutz. 🙃

Today, we’re talking about things that last the test of time. Advice earned with the pains of labor, items to build a capsule wardrobe, and heirloom items to hand down to your grandbabies.

In today’s email:

• BIRTH: Six lessons from 6 births . . . goodness, that’s a lot of babies!

• SPORTS: The pickleball (pwock) revolution.

• “FOOD”: The lab-leak meat theory.

• SMALL BIZ: Blair Saiz of The Village Green gives us a peek behind the scenes of her online shop and answers what it’s like to work with your spouse, how she chooses artisans, and what’s not cooking in her kitchen.

BIRTH PREP: I’ve been in the trenches. I’ve birthed 6 babies. I’ve seen some things. I’ve learned some things. Here are the six resources I used and lessons I learned that aided my unmedicated births.

Baby #1: Read the Bradley Method of Husband Coaching and The Business of Being Born (dating myself here). Came in handy for six hours of pitocin . . . the Take away: “Relax as if your life depended on it” and “advocate for yourself.”

Baby #2: Watched Orgasmic Birth. I’m not reccommending this, nor am I not not recommending this, but it presented enough homebirths that it increased my confidence for my accidental homebirth. Take-away: whether you give birth in a field with bongos playing in the background or you have a scheduled C-section, birth is difficult and beautiful all wrapped up in your own unique experience. Go with the flow! Also, don’t get your hopes up for a state of euphoria in labor . . .

Baby #3: Some gracious soul gave me the idea to make a list of prayer intentions. Mr6am called the names out right before a new contraction started. Take away: birth is a spiritual experience. Don’t waste it.

Baby #4: When I was an RN, I discharged a lovely, terminally ill patient. I said, “I bet you can’t wait to get a shower.” She looked in my eyes and told me, “Water is healing.” It went straight to my heart. Take away: get in the tub, and your contractions will melt away - ish. Water is therapuetic.

Baby #5: There’s a universal phenonmenon that happens when you’re pregnant with baby #4 or baby #5 and that is a general anxiety surrounding labor, pushing, and birth. Even if you’ve had empowering previous births, there’s just nothing like knowing what is coming next. So, I asked around. Is this normal? How does one deal with the impending weight of birthing a child . . . again? A dear friend told me. “Oh honey, I did the homebirth and the natural births with my first four, but after that, I got smart. I got the epidural. It was like going on a date with my husband. It was fabulous!” Take away: give yourself permission to get the epidural. I didn’t, but I felt free to do so.

Baby #6: Took the advice from a dear fellow pregnant friend: “I don’t really think about birth at all! I just live in a state of denial.” Took this a step further with this prayer. Take away: denial = surrender when you’re pregnant with your nth baby. You don’t have to think about the birth and the pushing until God’s giving you the grace to, in fact, birth and push. If it’s a source of anxiety, deny surrender it!

If we get surprised, this would be my next pick. Comment below with your go-tos, and help a mommy out. 🤰🏾

SPORTS: You juggle so many balls; add one more. Pickeball is the fastest growing sport in the US. And why not? It has all the good stuff — friendly competition, cute outfits, and outdoor recreation. Not only are courts rented out, but so are Emergency Rooms. Still, we can’t help but love a new sport. Move over, Serena. 🏓

FASHION: No, not tired and shrew, tried and true! Remember those words the next time you “add to cart.” Fads are fun, but when it comes to spending money, think timeless. Here’s our top 10 roundup for items that won’t go out of style with splurge & save options.

First up: gold hoops. Elevate any outfit with ethically-sourced splurge, small-business vintage feel braid, or a chunky cuff choice. Next, slingback shoes. Case in point. 👠 They’re the business in the front, party in the back kind of shoe— here’s the splurge and the save. We believe… in the power of a defined waist with a belted shirtdress. Splurge on the pleats; save on a maxi. But— dare I say it?— you need something to transition to fall. Never look back with this Sezane trench coat or its lovely dupe.

Siri, show me feminine pants, and I’ll show you a high waisted trouser, whether you go extravagant or economical. Pair it with an ethically made white button down or it’s classic, less pricey twin. No, wrinkle cream is not on our list; invest in a good (or affordable) pair of sunglasses. And, manage a bad hair day with a great scarf. Patterns, please. Extra points if it tells a story. Next up, it’s like your mum: pretty, dependable, and carries all your stuff. Where would we be without a cross-body bag? Lastly, don’t leave out an LBD. Whether you wear it with heels or sneaks, you’ll be dressed to kill.

Don’t forget— you’re never fully dressed without it.

FOOD: No. Please no. Just no. This is a huge mis-steak 🥩. The USDA recently gave two business the go-ahead to produce and sell lab-grown meat. The “meat” (scare quotes intended) is made in steel tanks in an animal cell “manipulation” process. 🤮When will we learn our lesson? Fake oils, processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, the list goes on and on. Our food should be whole food, protein from organically-raised animals, and fruits and vegetables, from home gardens when we can. We’ll feel better, inflammation will go down, the food tastes better, we’ll know where it came from, and we won’t be supporting giant fake food manufacturing conglomerates. The USDA should focus on getting real food to real people — especially those who are in “food deserts”. Instead of growing food in a lab. Who’s with me? 🧑🏽‍🌾

And if you’re still not convinced — wait til you hear about animal cell slurry.

• 🌹How to make grocery store roses look profesh.

• Turns out, shutting down an entire body system makes you sad.

• The 2023 🦚 Audobon winners are some stunning birds.

• How a wife encouraged her husband to leave everything to save children’s lives . . . ❣(min 25)

• Thinking of changing jobs? First, discern. ⌛

“It’s Prime Day!” is shouting from the rooftops and inboxes. But does Amazon really care about your home? Does its algorithm consider the details of hospitality, or the weight of a good rolling pin for your mother’s pie recipe, or how much life beauty can breathe into our spaces?

Blair does!

Meet Blair Saiz, founder of The Village Green, a shop and community of kindred spirits inspired to bring the beauty of the past into every day.

What is The Village Green (TVG)? Tell us about the inspiration and journey behind TVG.

Th Village Green is a community and shop that features home goods, jewelry, paper goods, kitchen items and more . . . all inspired by the details and elegance of objects from the past.

My husband and I have always known that we would like to start a business together, so our time at home during the pandemic gave us the space to put our heads together and figure out what sort of business would harness our talents best. I have always been attracted to beauty and design, so opening a shop seemed a natural fit for us. I sought to create something more than just a shop, though, I wanted to create a brand which also valued the home, and inspired a lifestyle that embraced truth, beauty, and goodness. We have created this brand for the woman who is an old-soul, loves literature, history, and seeks to create a welcoming, joyful home!

Your curated products are beautiful and unique. In the age of Prime Day Pandemonium, what do you find most compelling about buying from small, curated collections such as TVG?

Just as creating a cohesive, longer-lasting wardrobe is popular right now — so too should curating what adorns our homes. I am a big believer in purchasing things that you love and that continue to bring you joy even as they sit around the house. That is why I love finding fairly utilitarian items that are also beautiful, such as our garden/kitchen shears, and finding items that I know are heirloom-quality and can be passed down to children and grandchildren — like these pewter measuring spoons.

The advantage of TVG over the “big-box” stores is our commitment to not only providing beautiful goods which we source very carefully, but also our desire to cultivate every aspect of the life of the woman who interacts with our brand. Yes, we sell goods but we also spend a lot of time discussing topics related to the home (a different topic every month! This month is “elegance”), curating lovely playlists, book recommendation lists, and links to interesting content around the internet.

I’m ready for you to curate my home! How do you find and select your artisans?

I am very particular about the goods TVG carries because I want everything to be vintage-inspired, aesthetically cohesive, and of good quality. That said, I search everywhere. I usually have a product in mind and then just scour the internet for who is making it. Recently, artisans have been reaching out to ME, which is just an absolute honor. They see what I’ve curated so far and there is usually just an immediate connection over how their goods will fit in our collections.

This is probably like asking which child is your favorite, but do you have a product you've bought immediately after listing it on the site?

Yes! I have such trouble finding jewelry that I like — so I had to snatch up the “Lisieux necklace” as soon as we got them in! It’s so dainty, and also seems to be lifted right out of the past. It just feels like “me” when I wear it.

TVG became a family business for you two years ago. First off, congrats! Tell us how that transition went—any practical tips for working with your SO?

Thank you so much! Yes, my husband and I are truly blessed to work together on this venture. It really fits with our family culture, transitioning throughout the day from being with the kids, homeschooling, mealtimes, working, with maybe a business meeting or two thrown in during naps or after bedtime. This results in very non-traditional working hours, but the kids get to be a part of our work and we all get to spend a lot of time together as a family which we love.

Practically, we keep to a pretty strict schedule throughout each day and communicate a lot about what work or family projects should be prioritized and for whom. I had a great example in my parents who also run a family business together. I grew up hearing them problem-solve and discuss business ideas around the dinner table. It still seems really natural to me!

What are you dreaming up next for TVG?

We have many, many big dreams for TVG! Ultimately, we will keep growing our collections, covering all aspects of a woman’s home and life - from books to kid’s clothes and art to gardening supplies! Stay tuned!

Oh, I can’t wait! TVG’s aesthetic is goregous. Tell us what your own summer aesthetic looks like. What are you reading? Any favorite summer bakes?

Summer Read: You’ve caught me in between two! I just finished Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (this is such a comfort book for me…and I love to watch the movie when I finish!) and just started the The Bird in the Tree by Elizabeth Goudge. Summer Bake: Actually, my summer bake is a “no-bake” so as to not heat up the kitchen! Obviously, mine is chocolate-related. I have been making Bakerita’s Paleo No-Bake Raspberry Chocolate Tart for years now! It’s very simple, always turns out amazing, and can be made ahead of time and just set in the fridge:

Yum! That sounds perfect. We want more! How can we keep in touch or find your products?

Visit us at Shopthevillagegreen.com or on Instagram @the__village__green. You can sign up for our newsletter here, where I send out a monthly issue of “The Village Journal” sharing art, poetry, recipes and more - plus playlists, book recommendations, and updates on our newest arrivals.

Blair, thank you so much for sharing your dream-made-reality in The Village Green. We can’t wait to feature more of your products in Saturday’s issue. Maybe you could find some stainless steel bowls…I do have have to hand them down to six children, after all. 🙃

And now, for my favorite man:

“I’m not afraid to fail . . . I’m scared to death of dying and having the Lord say to me, “Angelica, this is what you might have done had you trusted more.”

— Mother Angelica

See you Saturday, ladies,

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