Friday, September 22, 2017

Own Your Glow with Latham Thomas in Boston


If you hadn't heard, Latham Thomas has a new book out, Own Your Glow. A Soulful Guide to Luminous Living and Crowing the Queen Within.  Latham, is a wellness and lifestyle expert, author and doula. Her previous book Mama Glow, a Hip Guide to your Fabulous Abundant Pregnancy was gifted to me by my good friend Gianne, founder of W.E.L.L. Summit and co-founder of Organic Bath Co... and I LOVED it to the MAX. To say that I am excited about this new book, in this new stage of my life, well, that would be an understatement.

Latham is currently traveling to bring the good news of her book and is making another stop in Boston in early October. On Sunday October 8th, Latham and The W.E.L.L. Summit will be creating an afternoon of self care, to calm your soul, nurture yourself and oh, also snag a copy of Latham's new book and have the opportunity to meet her!

About The Event

We're taking the standard author talk and hitting “refresh” like only the W.E.L.L. Summit can! First, you’ll enjoy circulating among our “Glow Stations” to help you get glowing—including Pure Glow, workout training tips from personal trainers, chair massages, enjoy organic treats, and much more (stay tuned as we announce all the Glow Stations)!

What a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Get your tickets here.

What you will get:

All attendees will leave with a gift bag of carefully curated wellness products and a copy of Latham's new book, "Own Your Glow" so that they can continue to be nourished and pampered at home.

VIP Attendees will also be treated to a gentle, deeply nourishing yoga class with Sara Divello (local yogi and author), two copies of Latham's book, premier seating, front of the line privileges for Latham's post-talk book signing, and a nourishing body butter from the Organic Bath Co.

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About the Book:

Own Your Glow is an inspirational, actionable, and wildly enriching companion for change. Celebrity wellness and lifestyle guru, Latham Thomas provides soulful principles that offer an illuminated path for examining life's challenges, helping you curate your path to greatness while embracing your uniquely feminine attributes. Packed with rituals, meditations, and snackable lifestyle tips, Thomas provides a clear framework for harnessing your passion, developing spiritual fitness, and embracing true vulnerability. This guide is for anyone who wants to witness her own life transform and contribute to the positive change of the world around her. Combining spiritual, psychological and self-reflective tools, Thomas offers an antidote to the hustle-hard, make-it-happen mainstream culture and fosters slowing down, intentionality and self-care as a pathway to empowerment.

How much more potent and powerful would we all be if we embraced our inherent talents, strengths, and feminine edge, rather than dwelling in patterns of self-criticism, doubt, and catty competition? Thomas invites you to step into a soulful-fulfilling life of freedom, transcending self- destructive habits and creating a blueprint for a more gratifying, centered, and bountiful way of living. Own Your Glow is an awakening roar for women to mobilize, become the masters of their lives, hold their crowned heads up high, letting their relentless light within shine bright for the world.


So what do you say, won't you join us there?

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Local Lovin: Tiem Athletic


When you see an amazing idea, it totally sticks with you. That's how I felt when I first discovered the spinning shoes from TIEM Athletic. They look like sneakers, can be worn to and from the studio but are built as an innovative click in cycling shoe (with these SPD cleats) with a rigid sole plate perfect for cycling. Pretty amazing right? It's footwear for the modern athlete and the company is based right here in Massachusetts! I had the opportunity to chat with TIEM founder Tracey Mcleod about her line and the exciting things that they're working on for the future!


Give us a little background as to how TIEM Athletic came about. What initially drove you to start your brand?

As an avid indoor and outdoor cyclist, over the years I have noticed a glaring gap in women’s-focused product in the cycling shoe market. The indoor cycling movement has continued to grow, and the boutique athletic-wear market has evolved so much in recent years. So the need for a new kind of cycling shoe which was both functional and fashionable was greater than ever. With TIEM we’re trying to fill that gap for the consumer who demands both.

When creating your products, where do you take inspiration from?

We’ve always referred to our target customer as the Modern Athlete, and that’s really our biggest source of inspiration-- seeing what she wears to these classes and creating footwear that compliments that style aesthetically, while not sacrificing any performance. There has been such a boom in the athleisure and athletic space in terms of footwear and apparel. Everything is pushing towards versatility. I wanted to bring some of the innovative materials and concepts we see in the running category into the cycling world.

I love the way that you have shaped your business. Plus it's no secret that I love shoes and fitness and I would assume you do too. What's it like to have shoes be your bread and butter? (as you can see, I'm very, very jealous!)

Prior to launching TIEM, I had worked 20+ years in the children’s footwear business. I was fortunate enough to work with brands like Reebok, Ralph Lauren, Roxy/Quiksilver, and Sam Edelman. Touching on brands that were in both the fashion world and the athletic world was always so much fun for me. Today with TIEM, I get to bring all the footwear knowledge (athletic and fashion) to my other passion, fitness! I feel pretty lucky!

What do you love to do in New England, when you aren't busy running your business?

If I am not spending time with my family, I generally can be found riding my bike on a path at the Cape or in Boston. A 7th year Pan Mass Challenge rider means logging lots of miles on my bike. :)

You have certainly found some fantastic early success! Where do you see TIEM Athletic headed in the future?

Of course we started out in the cycling market and have had tons of success here, so we’d like to continue to push that even further. We have some exciting plans for new, even more innovative designs for cyclists. Once established in the boutique cycling world, we plan to expand into all aspects of boutique fitness (e.g., barre and cardio). This idea of boutique fitness goes beyond the indoor cycle experience, so we want to provide footwear that meets the needs of the modern athlete as she shifts from class to class.


The folks at TIEM have some treats in store for us this holiday season headed into New Year so keep your eyes peeled for new products coming down the line (yay exciting!) plus I'm absolutely loving their Slipstream in Light Peony which sales of will be benefiting breast cancer research in the month of October. You know that I love a good cause and the color is so spot on. I'm excited to see what's in store next for TIEM and would love to hear your thoughts on this innovative shoe. Do you own a pair or have you been toying with purchasing a cycling shoe?

You can find TIEM Athletic on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Monday, September 18, 2017

Find Your Friendly Local Farm

This Summer has been a unique one not only in that I've had the kids home with me but that I've also had the time to visit local farms with them. This may not seem like a big deal, but it has seriously upped our quality of life and the quality of food that we've been consuming. From blueberry picking almost all Summer, subbing in on a friends CSA, we've been really enjoying our time down on the farm. When an old co-worker from my Border's days contacted me about visiting her family farm, Applefield Farm in Stow, we were more than up to the task! Open seasonally April through October, Applefield Farm (724 Great Road, Stow MA) is cultivating about 25 acres of land and running 8 greenhouses. The impressive farm is a hidden gem right on 117 and worth the trip, though it only took me 15 minutes to get there!


The Propah kids and I took a tour around the farm and of course Wes just loved running around like the wild and crazy three year old that he is. We scoped out the amazing collection of house plants as well as the mums, dried flowers, fresh bouquets and the pick your own fields. We talked about propagation (house plant nerds unite!), the farming techniques used on the property (they use all generally accepted organic production standards) and the history of the farm (family owned and operated from the get go). The care and consideration that the folks at Applefield Farm take in bringing all the fresh goodness to our table, is awesome to see. From their roadside store, to the local Whole Foods Markets, to the Farmer's Markets and local restaurants and more, they're working to bring all their fresh goodness to as many spaces as possible.


To me, it's important to find local farms and makers to support. Keeping your business in town or the surrounding towns is not only important to the local economy but it helps to keep your family grounded in something important, the community. There is a time and place to shop the big supermarkets but there's nothing that compares to speaking to a farmer or someone who packs things up for the farmer's market. These are the people of your town, working to bring the good stuff to you, the fresh fruits and veggies, the stories and the warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you're supporting your local farmers!


You can visit Applefield Farm through the end of October or when their season opens again in April. Follow them on Instagram for all the farming snaps you can handle and snag all their info updates on Facebook!



Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Sizzlin' September

There are so many great events in and around the city this September that I thought I would do a roundup so you can either check them out yourself or meet me there! I'll be out and about at quite a few and would love to see some friendly faces, whether we're old friends or just meeting one another!

Thursday September 14th, FenwaYoga

will you join me? Calling all Yogi's to join us for FenwaYoga at Fenway Park on September 14. The class is for ages 16 and up and will be led by experts from CorePower Yoga. Your ticket package includes a ticket for the 1:35pm Red Sox vs. A's game and admission to the post-game Yoga Class held on the field warning track. A portion of every ticket package will benefit the Red Sox Foundation, so it's feel good in a couple of different ways!


Thursday September 14th, Meet the Maker at Follain: Kjaer Weis

Join Follain for a night of thoughtful conversation with Tara Foley and Kirsten Kjaer Weis. Kirsten will speak about her most recent launch - the lip pencils, and the inspiration and the connection between art and beauty. Following the panel Kirsten will host a makeup tutorial and answer all your beauty questions and provide you with tips and tricks on how to achieve a Signature KW Makeup Look. Tickets are $10 to reserve your seat, redeemable in-store.


Trillfit brings to the Boston-area a first-of-its-kind Hip-Hop Fitness Festival on September 16th at University Park Commons in Cambridge. Aptly called Trillfest, this one-day, outdoor festival will feature fitness sessions, DJs, food trucks, lawn games, a wellness market, and a meditation session, followed by a concert series. This is an event that I SO wish that I could go to. It seems like such a fun, fit and interesting day!


On Sunday, September 17th, Practice Positivity with Elissa Garza of Style Wire and me of Prim & Propah at an interactive styling event at Athleta on Newbury St. Elissa will style outfits from Athleta's beautiful fall collection and help you fill out your fall wardrobe with items that empower you to be your best self. Shopped till you dropped? Take moment to reset and craft a DIY Affirmation card with Amanda, so that you leave feeling as good as you look. Enjoy sips, an exclusive 25% discount off of all regular-price items for attendees of this event - and a raffle for an Athleta gift card.


Wednesday September 20th, Ladies Lounge with JUGs

My girls over at JUGs and in conjunction with General Assembly are killin' it with their Ladies Lounge series. This month is focusing on inviting Boston's top health and wellness coaches to get us on track for Fall. We may not be in High School anymore, but as adults, the Fall still represents a proverbial new beginning after a season of relaxation and indulgence (a second New Year, if you will)- making it a great time to refocus on health goals. But between all of the different schools of thought on dieting, advice from blogs, and the countless gyms all over Boston, it can be difficult to navigate what we should really be doing to get healthy - so difficult, in fact, that more and more people are making a living out of guiding us through it all. Meet Boston's health coaches. They'll give you some health inspiration, motivation and share their stories about how they're making careers of being trusted wellness gurus.

Friday September 22nd World Rhino Day with American Rhino

During the month of September, American Rhino will hold a number of events at both their stores at MarketStreet in Lynnfield and the new location on Newbury Street. Additionally, there will be a special grand opening event, which coincides with World Rhino Day at the Newbury Street location on September 22. Fun activities are planned for kids at MarketStreet throughout the day, starting with story time and crafts inside the store at 10am. American Rhino will be on "The Green" from 4 pm - 6 pm, where they'll be playing games such as corn hole and spikeball. Get in on some face painting, pin the horn on the rhino, a "face in the hole" photo-booth area, and a photo scavenger hunt. In honor of World Rhino Day, both locations will be donating 20 percent of net profits, doubling the traditional amount, to the American Rhino Foundation on behalf of their customers.

Thursday September 28th, BostonTalks with WGBH and JUGS

Connect with WGBH, JUGS, local leaders, stories, trends and each other at BostonTalks. This September, it’s all about coming together. Hear from three speakers who are doing just that with their careers. Go behind the blue paint with Lyle Blaker of Blue Man Group, and hear how he connects with his audience without saying a word. Matt Peterson of MIT studies how our brains make connections that allow us to know and understand others instantly through facial recognition. The Farmer’s Daughter restaurant owner and Chef Chandra Gouldrup uses farm to table cooking to bring together flavors and connect people over delicious food.

Weekends through October 22nd, King Richard's Faire

We've been to King Richard's Faire a few times but this the year where we know that we will truly have a blast because the Propah Preschoolah is primed for a fun day like this. He is fun loving and won't know what hit him. We'll partake in turkey legs, jousts, tiger shows, games, shopping and more. If you have a weekend free from now until October 22nd, head down to Carver, MA for a super fun day with the King and his subjects!


So what are you doing this month?

Monday, September 11, 2017

I Tried It: Kelia Skincare + a Giveaway!

I've been so fortunate to be able to try all sorts of different skincare products this Summer and as we wind down our warmer days and Fall starts creeping in, I am happy to start tinkering with my skincare routine to ensure that I am taking care as the weather changes. I had the opportunity to work with Kelia Skincare, using The Repair Serum. It's different than the face serums that I've been using all Summer and I'm so excited to work this product into my Fall routine for a few different reasons.


1. The Repair Serum is a lightweight but super effective serum, jam packed with lots of fantastic ingredients. Licorice root, Daisy Flower extract, Wild Yam, Goji Berry, Bamboo stem extracts, Geranium Essential Oil, all encourage your skin to brighten and firm up. As a woman creeping up into her 30's, it's important to me to find products that help me reduce fine lines, combat discoloration and sun damage. I've been using it for a few weeks in the evening and do feel as though my skin has started to look a little more radiant. It also has a light scent that is appealing without being overwhelming- the geranium really does come through.

2. The Repair Serum, along with the other two products from Kelia Skincare (The Night Cream and The Moisturizer) are cruelty-free, never tested on animals, which is a given if it's going to be in my home. There are so many cruelty free options out there that there is no excuse to use something else.


3. Kigelia Africana, a super versatile fruit extract, is used in the line and has a ton of proven benefits like being anti-inflammatory, firming, anti-oxident, and clarifying. Doing a little research on this tree, it's actually pretty neat. Besides the benefits of the extract, the 3 foot long fruits (yep, 3 feet!) can be dried to make beer as well as feed some of my favorite animals (Hi Elephants and Giraffes!)e

4. The Repair Serum makes my face feel good. It goes on smooth, absorbs quickly, and is super luxurious. I have found that if a serum is going to break into my routine these days, it needs to feel luxurious. Applying my face routine is now a ritual and one that I take seriously.

If you don't want to take my word for it, try it yourself! My friends at Kelia are so stoked about what they're doing and want to share. One Prim and Propah reader will get the opportunity to try The Repair Serum (an $85 value) for themselves! Enter on the instagram snap below and Good Luck, my beauties!




You can follow Kelia Skincare on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram


Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Zanni, Made in LA

When I first met Suzanne, it was at some sort of blogger get together I'm sure. She's one of the trio behind Just Us Gals Boston and so that obviously means that I've been smitten with her for a very long time. Not so long ago, Suze made the trek across the country to live in Sunny California. Of course we miss her being on the East Coast but the move has spurred something amazing... Suze has started her own line of dresses, Zanni. They are "Dresses for Whatever" and that tagline truly fits these amazingly crafted, unique little technical dresses that you can feel good wearing for so many reasons.

Photo by Sarah Shreves
Zanni grew from the need to have a dress that could be the perfect fit for all of the things a modern woman can do in her day. From work, to the park, bike riding, chasing your kids around, meetings and on to dinner, there should be a dress that checks all the boxes. The fabric is dreamy! It's stretchy and soft and breathable and flattering and we can feel good about how it's made as well. Their fabric is sourced from an Italian factory with high standards for sustainable manufacturing practices. It was one of the first to comply with the Kyoto Protocol standards. And the dresses themselves are designed and made in LA with social responsibiltity as a priority. It's a dress that's made to move with you and that you can be proud to be wearing.

Per Suze, there are 3 main reasons she wanted to make dresses out of performance materials:

1. I knew how great I felt in my workout or "athleisure" apparel
2. I knew how long my workout clothes lasted (I seriously have Under Armour shirts from high school still)
3. I hate constantly changing for my day's activities

I can attest to these dresses being the kind of dress that you can move in. Personally, I am running after a three year old and if I need to do a quick lunge and grab to prevent him from running into traffic, this dress does not keep me from doing it. But in all seriousness, it's almost like you'll have to take my word for it or see it yourself to really, really appreciate how awesome the dress is and how great it moves.

The For Whatever Dress/ Photo by Sarah Surette


The For Whatever Dress/ Photo by Sarah Surette
It's not just the garment, it's the idea, the heart and soul that's put into creating it plus when it's created responsibly and built to last, well you've sold me something I'll love for years... I really do love my For Whatever Dress and while Suze has only just begun, I've seen so many cool, ecclectic women gravitating towards a new take on the little black dress. I can't wait to see how it grows and what the Zanni team has in the works for the future.


You can find Zanni on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Friday, September 1, 2017

The Dinner Daily + a Jaunt to Roche Bros.

So I'm just going to say it, I've never had my groceries delivered. I never really even considered it. I don't know why but maybe I've always felt like I just needed to be in store to see what I needed to grab. Or maybe I just have always felt like I'm not organized enough to put in the order and get everything I need... well, let's face the cold hard facts here... I'm not organized to do it in store, that's for certain. I almost always buy too much and now that I'm on a stricter budget since I have the kids home with me, it's more important than ever to go into grocery shopping and meal planning with, well, a plan! As you can imagine, I was super psyched when I received an invitation from The Dinner Daily and Roche Bros. to check out the options a Mom like me can have in regards to meal planning and grocery deliveries.



We had the opportunity to join the team from Roche Bros and The Dinner Daily on a tour of the store and to see how they fulfill online orders that are then sent out for delivery. It was an excellent chance to ensure that the process would meet the standards set for food, how the team would pick items such as produce and meat and to see how long it takes from start to finish.


After our tour, we were introduced to The Dinner Daily and I swear, it changed it all for me. I've been using the meal planning/shopping companion site for a few weeks now. You can choose your grocery store and they will plan your weekly menu while also ensuring that you're getting the best deal based on what is on sale at the specific store that week. I did my first test run with both the meal planning, shopping and delivery with Roche Bros... and it's a game changer for this Mom who usually has to bribe her three year old just to get through a shopping trip alive. From the plan for the week, TDD helps arrange your groceries into a checklist where you can mark off what you've already got at home and make a list for the store or to order at your favorite store online. The order took me literally 10 minutes to enter and my groceries were at my door the same afternoon of the morning that I placed my order. My kids and dog were excited that there was a delivery man at our door. I was excited to have my groceries and receipt handed to me without having to step foot in the store. The delivery fee was nominal and I will 100% be doing it again.


The Dinner Daily's recipes are extremely accesible in that even if I don't think about dinner until 500pm, I know that as long as I have the ingredients in my fridge, the dinner will get on the table. They give you a "Time to Table" in minutes and very quick + easy directions along with nutrition information. One of my favorite meals, that I'm definitely putting into my rotation is a Curry Scented Pork. I had never cut my own pork tenderloins, maybe because I thought it was daunting? Turns out, it's so easy and so delicious. I have The Dinner Daily to thank for giving me the nudge to try.

I've had the opportunity to inject a little life into my cooking routine, adding some new recipes, getting both my husband and kids to try new things. It's really been so awesome for me since getting my grocery budget and meal planning under control has been on my mind since I took Wes out of daycare and had both boys home with me... that was March and it is now September. Both The Dinner Daily and Roche Bros helped me realize that it can all be so much easier! Seriously, sign up for a free trial of The Dinner Daily. If you're like me and want to cook for your family but don't have a ton of time or sanity, this is the virtual assistant that you need!

You can follow The Dinner Daily on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. You can follow Roche Bros. on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook