My favorite place in the summer is 100% Aspen. We have been coming here for four summers and it just gets better and better every year. Each year there is better shopping, restaurants and people watching! Yes the restaurants and shopping are incredible- but what I love most is that it’s a walking town. You really don’t need a car unless you go to hikes that are further out like Cathedral Lake or American Lake. If you want to stay local for hikes try Hunters + Smugglers and if you like steep hikes do the Ute.
Aspen is the type of place you can get 20,000 + steps a day and not even know how much you are walking. It’s incredibly family friendly- there is a great park in town next to a huge field that we go to every single day! There’s also another park called Herron Park which has a creek that at all hours of the day families are walking through it.
We go to Paradise bakery at least once per day- they have these tiny little bite size muffins and bite size cookies and the best lattes, ice cream and iced teas in town! There’s always a line out of the door but worth the wait it goes by super quick.
If you feel like wearing workout clothes all day- go for it- you don’t even have to dress up for the fanciest restaurants in town if you don’t want to. Of course- any excuse I get to dress up I do! LOL! Speaking of restaurants we have loved 316- a steakhouse, Matsuhisa- sushi, Clarks easy American, La Chola- mexican, and Aqualina- Italian. We thought Cache Cache was way too overpriced. For drinks the courtyard at the Jermone Hotel is great or the Bear Den for live music on the weekends.
We had just gotten back from the most amazing three day vacation at one of our most favorite places, the Breakers in West Palm Beach. We were all sun kissed and feeling super relaxed. We were home for about two hours. I was hanging out on the balcony with Chloe and Jake in fuzzy socks, which by the way, the socks have been donated now- I couldn’t look at them anymore it brought me back to that terrible place. Jake was hanging on me, pulled me over and I couldn’t catch myself. I slipped and I landed right on my left knee and immediately heard a crack. I couldn’t sleep that night I was in so much pain + the crack was haunting me! I was crying telling Chase we should move to Dallas as I knew I would need help in the weeks coming. My parents are there and are SO hands on.
I knew I broke something, I didn’t know what exactly. I told my friend I couldn’t take Jake to tennis the next day and she said to put arnica- I wished it were that simple. I went to the doctor the next morning, Dr. Andrew Hiller, who was amazing and so calm. The x-ray showed I had a broken knee cap. I couldn’t stop crying- it was as if I heard I was very ill. The doctor said it was a three week recovery! I was in a daze for the next week- my parents suggested that I really let my knee heal and not move around for one week. I didn’t want to take Motrin because the healing process slows down so I took a marijuana gummy and cried all day! I was talking to my best friend on the phone and just cried and cried. I clearly couldn’t take the gummy- while it made my knee feel better, I wasn’t mentally prepared. I was super sick in my 20s and it almost took me to that deep dark place. I wasn’t able to take my kids to school- pick them up, take them to extra curricular activities and I felt useless 🙁
I’m the most active person- I don’t lay in bed ever during the day. I’m always running around- walking around the Design District or Bal Harbour with a coffee or Matcha in my hand. During the pandemic Chase and I started walking Saturday mornings- it was our date time. That was taken away from us! This tiny almost insignificant fall taught me once again that health is the most important thing we have. Without it life doesn’t work. I’m thankful for my amazing husband who really stepped up his game and for friends who offered to help with pick-ups and drop offs.
Three weeks later and I am able to take my brace off- I was able to walk 6,900 steps yesterday- but who is counting! I can wear shorts dresses and jean shorts again! Excited I’m healed right in time for winter break and Jake’s 6th birthday this week!
What I learned the most during these three weeks is that 1) it’s ok to depend on friends for help 2) order take out food as much as you want- don’t feel guilty and 3) take it easy/rest and don’t forget to CHILL!
I really appreciate that biking shorts are so in right now because I felt super on trend at home in them!
Thank you all for you well wishes and for sending healing vibes. I am truly grateful and excited to wear my mini dresses and colorful Chanel flats:)
(This picture was taken last week – not wearing any makeup only tinted sunscreen + lipstick). I’m always wearing SPF.
During quarantine I found myself having so much time on my hands because I wasn’t running out of the house every five seconds like I did normally before then. I never used to put the time into my skin – growing up I never had acne, thankfully. However, I had the Mirena (birth control) put in one year after having Chloe and all of a sudden I started breaking out. I decided to get it taken out in March right before all of this craziness.
During quarantine, I would say around June, I met with Jennifer Leebow of SkinTheory Studios, who has an office in Miami Beach and is also a neighbor of mine : ) It also helps that her skin is flawless! We came up with a whole skincare regime. She turned me onto Skinceuticals which has REALLY changed my skin! I still have the occasional break outs, but I blame that on wearing masks:) Jennifer offers integrative skin therapies and i’m interested in learning more about the nutrient absorptive process and how it effects my skin health.
I never understood the importance of using pharmaceutical grade skin care, but after learning how important The Skinceutical regimen is because of the percentages of active ingredients and absorption allowing for better results. For instance using any of the Skinceuticals topical serums coupled with their tinted SPF increased the potunancy of vitamin C + sun protection factor by 300 %. Now onto my routine!
am routine: We started off with topical vitamin C called CE Ferulic and their tinted SPF for my morning routine which is super simple. I was always using the MD Elta tinted, but I prefer Skinceuticals because it is a zinc base. SPF is supposed to be applied every 2-3 hours throughout the day depending on sweating.
pm routine: We started off using a light alpha hydroxyacid called Retexturizing activtaor this product also contains hyularonic acid so the exfoliation aspect is also being replenished with the Hyularonic Acid. We also added a concentrate called Discoloration Defense which helps prevent superficial pigment from settling and also help break up existing pigment, these products are used together. Every other evening I am alternating with a Glycolic 10 renew overnight, this has been a miracle product. Jennifer explains that it is more important to maintain a regimen with the Glycolic than to have monthly peels (i’ve never had a peel). I can really see my pigmentation start to lift after using!
It’s very important to wash your face every night with whatever face wash works for you! I use Avene gentle milk cleanser as well as cotton pads to take off what I have on my face.
Please reach out to Jennifer if you have any specific questions! Her email is jennifer@skintheorystudios.com!
(This blog post is as long as our trip)! Three weeks ago when Chase said we should take a road trip so we could get a change of scenery, I thought he was crazy. I wanted to be left alone- I had my routine and I was totally content. I had the kids’ summer schedule on lock down and all organized: online tutor, tennis coach and gym coach. I didn’t realize the importance of change of scenery for my kids and myself – but it was very necessary. What was getting me through this lock down mentally was being able to walk each morning. But I had recently broken my toe and became unable to do even that! I was getting to be in a dark place. Being home all day when you have spent your life out and about is, lets just say, DIFFERENT!
My parents were going to come visit us in September but I didn’t want them to because I didn’t know if school would be starting and didn’t want to possibly expose them. (As of now it’s not looking great because Miamians can’t simply stay home and social distance). So when Chase said we are either going to North Carolina, or Colorado via Dallas, I said Dallas. We’d get to see my parents and travel on to Colorado. We have spent many summers in Colorado to escape the heat. I was a little scared of going to Colorado and getting sick because there are some many tourists there. It turned out to be totally fine – the people on Colorado are pros at staying safe during the pandemic! We spent most of our time in Snowmass/Aspen where everyone MUST wear a mask basically everywhere. Both locals and tourists complied!
On Tuesday afternoon, we made the decision to leave Miami and we were on the road the next morning at 6:30 am. Within the first 4 hours we had stopped already four times and Chloe had thrown up all over her car seat. I was ready to turn around! There was a lot of complaining, junk food eating. Tons of Chick-Fil-A and Dunkin Donuts too. Somehow we managed to make it to Mobile, Alabama 11 hours later. We stayed the night at a hotel and ordered delicious BBQ food. The next morning we headed out to Dallas! Everyone was asking me if the hotel was safe, and it was. We didn’t come into contact with anyone except for when we checked in. When we made it to Dallas 10 hours later, we literally couldn’t believe we completed the journey. My parents couldn’t believe it either! We are the type of people who fly anywhere more than 1 hour drive away!
Four days later we caravaned with my parents to Colorado. We stopped in La Veta, Colorado for one night and made it to Snowmass the next day. It was a trip of a lifetime. We made so many memories and the change of scenery was so needed by all of us. Was the driving super long and stressful? yes, but totally worth it since I wouldn’t travel via plane.
For toilets – since a lot of you asked me – we went on the side of the road. Yes, Chloe did it too! The most important things we brought with us were extra towels for cleaning up throw up, wipes, alcohol spray and of course iPads/ headphones.
Two years ago when we were staying in Breckenridge (Chloe was one and Jake was three at the time), we purchased our Zoe double stroller. Last year in Colorado we still needed our double stroller because Chloe was two and Jake was four. When our double stroller didn’t fit in the car we freaked out and brought two YoYo strollers. PS- Jake has totally outgrown the stroller stage. We don’t need a stroller for Jake at this point, so it’s time we give away the Zoe.
I brought three total pairs of shoes for our three-week trip- my hiking boots, Birkenstocks, and APL sneakers! On most days I wore my Lululemon align or Splits 59 leggings and tees/tank tops and on the days I felt like getting dressed I wore denim shorts and tees/tanks. The kids lived in comfy clothes – nothing fancy! I brought them each two pairs of sneakers and one pair of Natives. Bringing two pairs of sneakers was key because one was always wet! My parents taught us to put rolled up newspaper inside our sneakers if they get wet – it totally works!
This was a different kind of trip for us- we didn’t go out to dinner or bring a nanny and it was the best trip yet! In the middle of this pandemic we were able to achieve a state of calm by just being together and in nature.
So, did we say to ourselves on the drive back home, when were 4 hours away from the house, and after the kids threw up three times, that we could have easily been on a plane?? Yes. BUT this built a lot more character and now Jake (and Chase!) is asking when we can drive to Madison!
I was asked to share some of my favorite children boutiques in Miami! So here they are!
~ State of Kid– offers classes for kids and adults + kids clothing of all ages. Address: 151 NE 41st St Suite 219, Miami, FL 33137
~Nini & Loli– From newborn necessities such as baby bottles, high chairs, strollers, car seats to clothing and toys! Address: 4048 NE 1st Ave, Miami, FL 33137
~Eberjey– Kid bathing suits, pajamas, and cover-ups! Address: 1905 Purdy Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Chase was taking Jake on a boys ski trip, and Chloe and I were going to stay home. Last minute I decided that Chloe and I would go to Colombia to visit my grandmother. Did I think to myself-ugh traveling with Chloe is hard, yes- but it wasn’t going to stop me from going.
Traveling with toddlers is definitely not the easiest, but over the years I have learned what to do with SIX important things:
Snacks are key- and you can never have enough.
Window seat- they LOVE to look out the window and this takes up time showing them water, clouds, etc.
Download favorite movies.
Always have two extra changes of clothes- my kids hate being wet, so if they spill a little bit of water they are uncomfortable. Having extra changes of clothes is key.
Bring favorite water cup so that they can drink out of it to make sure they stay hydrated. The cups the airlines gives are too hard for a 2.5 year old to drink out of- and for sure they will spill. If they love juice- give them juice in their water cup mixed with water.
Bring a stroller for the airport- the distances are far and you don’t want to have to carry your child + carry on!
My name is Jenny Berger, the founder and
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