Life & Culture

From retired “ladies who lunch” to LPGA professionals, women all across the world are taking to the courses and meeting on the tee to enjoy the bittersweet experience of golf. I say bittersweet because if you’ve picked up a club, you know what I mean. Swing after swing as beginners, we hack away at our grandpa’s backyard with an old pitching wedge. Some of us get lucky and actually learn how to make contact with the ball on some part of the club face. Others get frustrated right away and say, “Nope! This isn’t for me!” Regardless of whether you go pro or not, you will always find yourself frustrated with your game to some degree. Some days I can’t miss with

Tiny spaces have become all the rage as minimalistic living continues to trend! Gone are the days where every family envied a large home. With the cost, efficiency and availability of studio apartments, single bedrooms, other small living spaces are becoming a popular alternative for many families. My husband, one-year-old son and I recently moved from our 920 square foot, two bedroom apartment. Plagued by high costs, we decided to ditch the space and trade it in for something more affordable, so we made a move to a 500 square foot, studio apartment! What had seemed like a daunting task has turned into our best decision. With a little intuition and creativity, it is possible to create a beautiful and functional home

It’s hard to find time to read, but it’s something I enjoy and try to prioritize. I’m assuming I’m not the only one in this boat, so here are five books I’ve loved recently to get you headed in the right direction! 1. The Book of Lost and Found by Lucy Foley What a beautiful, beautiful story this was! I grabbed it off the employee’s picks table at Barnes & Noble, and I read it in less than two days. It’s the story of a woman whose mother was adopted, searching for her family history, not knowing what (and how much) she’d find. I loved the artistic influences imbedded within the story as well. 2. Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Whether you’ve been a sports fan all your life or couldn’t care less about sports—you love the Olympics. The stories of the athletes overcoming personal struggle to fulfill one’s lifelong dream, emotional finish line moments, and the world coming together to celebrate victory. Why do we love it? The competition? The sport? I think it’s a concept Brene Brown teaches in her new book, Braving the Wilderness, called “The Ministry of Presence.” Brown points out shared joy is a spiritual experience that unites everyone present. We may not be in South Korea but we’re captivated by the moment, waiting to celebrate athletes, and presence always unites us. When I think about the Winter Games I think about endings that cannot be predicted

With the holidays upon us, we’re bound to have a house guest or two. I have a theme I repeat to my guests that I sincerely mean, “My home is your home.” Since that is true, these are the house rules for all who walk through our door with luggage in hand: 1. If you’re hungry, fix it. The pantry and refrigerator can be found in the kitchen. 2. If you need something, find it. It may require the determination of an archeologist, but it is there for the digging. 3. If you break it, I don’t mind. Unless it’s part of your body…then legal liability protection for my relatives, my bank account, and I step in. 4. Duration of the stay will be determined by how