Chit-Chatting with Dad, Family Brands, New Coloring Books for Grown-Ups

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Happy Sunday. Here is this week’s grab bag of things to gander/ponder/pause on:

Chit-Chatting with Dad

I don’t usually get anything for my Dad for Father’s Day. And that’s because we know we love each other and it’s just not necessary. The gift is the relationship itself. When I was little, my maternal Grandmother called me “Georgie” because my temperament is so much like him (his name is George). I knew she was right, even as a child. She also said we were “split from the same atom” but I had no idea what that meant at age six. I do now. We are deep thinkers, empaths, worriers, caretakers, and frustratingly set in our (introspective) ways to the extreme. I view all of this as a gift. But the most priceless trait I inherited is the chit-chatting, storytelling gene. I love to chit-chat with my Dad, especially over coffee when my parents come to visit or we visit them. An hour could go by. Two! Seriously. My sister-in-law always asks me what in the world we talk about and most of the time I don’t even know because we flit from one subject to another so quickly. It usually moves from conversations about my nieces and nephews and my little boy to world events to history and books and gardens and movies and houses and memories and food and work and life. He is almost eighty now and I don’t take a single chit-chat for granted. And I see so much of my Dad’s depth and knack for connection in my little boy. It’s a common scene to watch him chit-chatting away at the kitchen table with both of my parents. And that folks, is the good stuff! Happy Father’s Day to all the good Dads and emotionally healthy father figures out there!

I’m in the middle with the same haircut I have now. Peak eighties vibes.

Also! My Dad always comments on my quirky coffee cups when we chit-chat and I’ve been obsessed with the ceramics by Ginny Sims since the interior designer Victoria Sass (who is in my book!) introduced me to them. You have to stay on top of her Instagram page for new releases and her things are WORTH THE SUSPENSE.

Family Brands

Speaking of family, I love seeing so many apparel brands get into the family business, specifically creating pieces for littles. It’s not a new idea but it’s certainly trending. I posted on Instagram yesterday about Hunter Bell. The brand just dropped a new collection for women and a few weeks ago dropped their first children’s collection and I love the vivacious prints.

I also love what Doen is doing, what Baybala (a former client that is the BEST!) is doing, what Alex Mill is doing, what Sea New York is doing (these pajamas!), and what Zimmerman is doing. Even if you don’t have children to buy for, it’s pretty fascinating to see how they all translate their aesthetics for a decidedly smaller audience.

A New Coloring Book for Grown-Ups

Do you follow Zoe de las Cases? You should if you don’t! The firm has a new coloring book for grown-ups dropping this coming Tuesday that is so fun. Get on the pre-order list here.

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*Gander is a reader supported publication and I put a lot of love and time into producing newsletters each week. Consider becoming a paid subscriber so I can keep churning out interesting thoughts every Sunday.

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