June Coffee Chat
Garth Brooks, Nonna's pontoon boat, best friends, lobster rolls, and a lot of dairy.
Welcome back to my monthly coffee chat! This is where I share my life in a personal, unfiltered way that you don’t get on my primary recipe site Well Plated, or even on Instagram. No ads, no algorithms, no AI. It’s just me, your friend Erin. Let’s catch up!
Milwaukee, WI
June in Wisconsin plays hard to get.
The signs point to summer—the sun stays out to play until 9:30 p.m.; the farmers markets reopen; cravings for ice cream demand to be satisfied—but thanks to the cool Lake Michigan breezes, in June, it’s often too chilly to leave the house without a jacket.
Do we let that stop us taking out the boat, tailgating at baseball games, attending outdoor concerts, and ordering the second scoop? We do not.
It will be warmer in July, we assure ourselves. Then we throw on a sweatshirt, wrap a blanket around ourselves, and eat dinner on the patio anyway.
This last month, we were away from Milwaukee more than home, so I spent our short bursts in town packing in as much “summer” as I could, weather be damned.
I cooked from my cookbooks, indulged in ice cream multiple times a week (both homemade and at my favorite local shop), visited the farmers market, and hit up as many Milwaukee-area festivities as I could, including trivia and live music.
Since winter here is essentially November through May (with June being iffy), Wisconsin goes HARD in the summer. Nothing exemplifies that spirit more than Summerfest, a three-weekend music festival.
In the span of 8 days, I saw Garth Brooks (I was raised on ‘90s country and it did my soul so much good), Ed Sheeran (incredible live, 11,000/10 recommend), Third Eye Blind (my forever band with my sisters and late dad), and the Millennial back-to-back palooza of Vertical Horizon, Spin Doctors, Sister Hazel, and Sean Paul.
My feet hurt, my voice is hoarse, and my regrets are none.
**EDITOR’S NOTE** After I wrote this, the weather hit 95°F. Be careful what you wish for (but really, could we just have a few days in the upper 70s/lower 80s? Please?)
Traverse City, MI
Ben’s 94-year-old Nonna treasures nothing more than her whole family (her six children, grandchildren, and a great grandson) being together, so for the second consecutive year, she rented a great big house and requested we all make an appearance.
When Nonna says “come,” you say “what can I bring?”
Ben and I cooked breakfast the first morning: my Healthy Breakfast Casserole and King Arthur Flour’s cinnamon rolls.
Twenty-four of us gathered just outside of Traverse City, Michigan for three days. Top activities included intergenerational family Olympics, cooking, eating, and seeing how many people we could safely fit onto a pontoon boat.
Northern Michigan is one of my favorite places in the world. This was my fourth visit to the area, and I hope to return again and again. The trickiest part is getting there.
Along with Ben’s parents and sister, we drove our car onto a ferry, crossed Lake Michigan for 2.5 hours, then drove the remaining three hours to Traverse City. It’s a haul but worth it!
You truly cannot fathom the majesty of the Great Lakes until you see them in person.
Even though I gripe about the weather up here, I feel lucky when I’m near such a magnificent natural resource.
Charleston, SC
As soon as we returned from Traverse City, it was off to Charleston for my annual professional retreat with the company that manages the advertisements on Well Plated.
I adore Charleston (see my guide here!) and was pleased to wander its colorful streets once more.
The highlight of this annual retreat is spending time with fellow creators in person.
I’ve been blogging almost 15 years and have formed wonderful friendships along the way. It’s a unique opportunity to talk with people who understand exactly what your day-to-day work is like, including how unsettling AI is making everything feel.
After all, why click through to a website when Google AI gives you the recipe for free? Gatherings like these remind me that I’m not alone.
Courtesy of the universe’s sense of humor, I—who literally just confessed to heading into this conference with uncertainty about my business—was asked to speak on a panel about staying real and relevant in the face of AI.
My immediate reaction was, “Who, ME?!?!” Surely, there must be a mistake.
The panel went very well, and I spent a lot of time reflecting on imposter syndrome—why we do it and how to overcome it. Thank you for your thoughts and comments on the post. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, today’s a great day.
Lake Austin Resort and Spa, TX
I am not a one-woman show. The reason I’m able to consistently create and share high quality recipes you can trust is my fantastic Well Plated team.
Since we are all remote, once a year Ben and I like to get everyone together in person.
In years past, we’ve done business and activity-focused trips, but this year, we decided that what we all really needed was to CHILL.
Lake Austin Resort was a perfect spot for us. All of your meals are included, and they have a variety of relaxation, art, and fitness activities to keep you as busy as you care to be during your stay.
We spent quality time together, hiked, painted, stand-up paddle boarded, kayaked, got massages, and took an aqua fitness class that kicked my booty.
During our final dinner together, I couldn’t help being emotional. I feel so lucky to have found a group that cares deeply about Well Plated, something I never imagined when I started it all alone in my cubicle many years ago.
Portland, Maine
Speaking of quality time, the highlight of the month was a giggly girlie weekend with five of the most outstanding human beings that I’ll ever know.
We six ladies have been doing an annual trip together for years, and it fills my soul to the brim.
Between work, family obligations, kids, and other travel, it takes sacrifice to carve out a weekend, and that’s something the six of us do for each other year after year.
Our agenda rotates between eating, drinking, talking, and shopping, four activities at which we excel.
The number of laughs and inside jokes from this weekend will feed me in weeks and months to come.
We picked Portland for its great food scene, and It. Showed. UP!
This has to be one of the best foodie towns I’ve ever visited. City guide coming soon.
This sonic jewelry cleaner made my rings, earrings, and necklaces sparkle like new.
Illuminating Nail Conditioner. After 3+ years of constantly having gel polish on my nails, I’m giving them a break to strengthen and heal. While I wait, I’ve been using this nail conditioner, and it’s so pretty! It looks lightly glossy and is much less prone to chipping than regular polish. I use it with the base coat and top coat to make it last even longer.
Sonic Jewelry Cleaner. I was shocked by how munch gunk this device got off of my jewelry! My rings, earrings, and necklaces are all sparkling like new. It only takes 5 minutes, and I’ve loaned it to a few friends who’ve all loved it too.
Running Shoes That Feel Like Jogging on a Cloud. I’ve worn Hoka Cliftons for years. I love a cushy shoe, and not only do these feel great on my feet, GenZ has even deemed them stylish (I’ll take all the wins I can get). The new Clifton model is about to drop, so Zappos has last year’s model for 20% off. I took advantage and got my next pair (I walk or run around 10 miles a week and replace my running shoes about once a year).
Ridiculously Adorable (and Comfortable!) Platform Sandals. I gave these to my little sis for her birthday yesterday, and she couldn’t stop raving! I adore my platform Toms because they are incredibly comfortable and match all of my summer dresses.
Tomato Candle That Will Make Your Kitchen Smell Like Summer. I was a little skeptical (tomato? as a scent?), but WOW it’s amazing, and from what I saw in Portland, a top trend in home. I also love the handsoap. This is a fun luxury for yourself or would make a great gift for someone who has it all.
Really Delicious Smoked Salmon. This brand will change your mind about canned fish. I keep tins on hand for quick protein adds to salads (seriously, it’s good). 10% off with WELLPLATED.
We have friends, and we have friends we can travel with. You need people that match your level of maintenance (be it high or low), hype-level (do you want to go go go or take it easy?), and dining preferences (specifically that you will order the entire menu).
You also need people who can give you space if you need it.
Never have I been so reminded of this than on our girls Portland trip. Whether or not the restaurant intentionally billed itself as “shared plates,” we turned every meal into an epic family-style sampler. I was with my people.
We also didn’t stress if we split up for short periods. For example, at times, part of the group wanted to go chill at the hotel, while others preferred to squeeze in extra shopping or one last patio drink.
Everyone is secure enough in our friendships not to read into another’s choice to skip the bar and take a nap, engage in an intimate 1:1 with someone else in the group (individual friendships are an important part of group dynamics too), or spend extra time in the dressing room to make sure that new dress is worth squeezing into the suitcase on the way home.
NEW! Sunday Riley. Their Good Genes, a.k.a. my Holy Grail of skin care. I use it every other night and see a noticeable difference. 15% off with WELLPLATED15.
NEW! Camp Snap. Capture memories AND stay in the moment with this phone-free video recorder that makes old-school-style home movie footage. Super easy to use and a great gift idea. See it in action on my friend Becky’s Instagram here (also, how cute are her boys?!). 7% off with WELLPLATED7.
Easy, Natural-Looking Self Tanner. A breeze to apply and looks subtle. 10% off with WELLPLATED.
Reusable Nipple Covers that Make Sense. You can’t see the edges under even tight-fitting clothing, and they are endless reusable (no ripping them off!) I also have a pair in this shape. 21% off with WELLPLATED.
Sleep Gummies. These help me sleep through the night without leaving me groggy the next day. A reader favorite! 15% off with WELLPLATED.
Red Light Therapy Mask. My #1 recommendation if you want to build collagen and improve fine lines (I wear it while I go about my morning, so it’s never a hassle. 10% off with WELLPLATED.
Bras That You Won’t Immediately Want to Rip Off. I will sing the praises of this brand, which makes affordable, comfortable bras with pads that stay in place. This one and this one are my current go-to styles. 20% off with CLARKE20.
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It's so nice to see the life of someone we think is just taking pictures and posting. Like everything there is always more to the story. Thank you for sharing!
It was great to see you in Charleston and also get lucky share an Uber to the airport! I was so glad to be going home for 2 weeks before I travel again but you are truly a moving target!! I don't know how you keep it all straight! Your girls trip to Portland, ME looked like the best! Saw everyone's stories too. The tomato candle and soap, received, have not tried it yet lol. Hoka Clifton's I have stocked up, there's always a new model coming, isn't there. 65 to 95F, yet, that's very midwest hahahah! It will go from 90 to 35F in week in Sept, never fear.