When my daughter was in the 4th grade, I received an urgent text from my friend Erin. “Wait, WHAT?? YOU signed up for the camping trip…both nights?” Shocking news spread quickly as they knew I didn’t own a single piece of camping gear. When the Girl Scout troop leader referred to the weekend trip as “glamping”, I just assumed we were heading to a hotel, not the fact that we would park instead of hike to the camping site. When she suggested to pack "old clothes" I reached for my favorite vintage tops. Thankfully, I live in Asheville where my friends not only have garages full of tents and tarps, but are kind enough to share them with spoiled city folk like myself. I survived thanks to a powerful crew of women who can cook and cocktail like rock stars, and I even returned the following year with hangover-free, organic wine .
 
Although I have become accustomed to living in this outdoors-lovin' town, I am still clutching to my Miami girl roots. Each baby step towards their world deems an announcement to aforementioned neighbors who thrive when outside and plant lettuce for fun. So the other day when I texted my friend Heather that my husband was putting up a hammock in the backyard while I was making kale chips, she responded that I was definitely in the Upside Down. Exactly. I’m in that place from Stranger Things, the same alternate universe that mandates golf courses “essential”, nail and hair salons “non-essential”. 

We survived another week, and after listening to my fave Brené Brown with grief expert David Kessler yesterday, I am now trying to find a “win” a day. Whether it’s finally cleaning out my quarantweenager’s bathroom (for which I should receive hazard pay) or catching up with long lost friends on Houseparty, I am looking out for the little things. Don’t be fooled though, I’m still losing it a lot (i.e. when the dog ate my favorite flip flops from Scout Boutique) but I am hopeful.  

One who is always winning is the fab SUTHINGIRL who kindly included me in her “Links & Drinks” email, which is most definitely what you need to subscribe to right this very minute. 

Here's to the weekend and hope you're staying healthy and hibernating in style.
ALL ABOUT ANIMALS
I’m constantly looking for good news and my niece and favorite on-air reporter Cynthia Beasley shared a few here. And if you haven’t heard about the teddy bear scavenger hunt , it’s a fabulous way to brighten up your neighborhood for the little ones as well as give your family something to do.
INA'S INSTA
If you’re not already following Ina Garten , time to get on the bandwagon. She’s filling our need for comfort food (and cocktails) with updated recipes and substitution recs depending on your current pantry situation.
CAROLINE'S BOOK CLUB
My daughter has chosen Wilder Girls by Rory Power as her pick this week. She loved it because “it’s really empowering and fun to read.” The New York Times bestseller has been called a feminist Lord of the Flies, so I can see the attraction. Her latest proclamation? “We should be liberal with our politics and conservative with our toilet paper.” 
YOU DESERVE A BREAK TODAY
“Honey, let’s do take-out tonight” might be the sexiest thing my husband can say to me these days, and then he really turned me on by introducing McMillions to our evening binge. It’s a fascinating true crime story about the rigging of McDonald’s Monopoly game and a welcome palate cleanser after the deep hole we are in with Tiger King . 
MORE BINGING PLEASE...
I swear every night we are going to play Scrabble, and then every night I find the family happily in front of the TV and give up. Don't judge. The Plot Against America is a reimagining-of-history series similar to The Man in the High Castle except with a fascist Charles Lindbergh beating FDR for the presidency and a Winona Ryder/John Tuturro pairing that is always a win in my book.  
... AND MAKE IT CHIC
I’ve already raved about Next in Fashion (Tan France/Eva Chen) as our absolute favorite and now Making the Cut (Tim Gunn/Heidi Klum) is in the cue for “spring break” next week. This is the way to make it work, people!
GEN X FILMS FOR THE WIN
Although not all of my attempts to introduce the John Hughes cannon have resonated with the tween — “Seriously? That’s the guy she’s obsessed with?” (Pretty in Pink) — there have been a few thumbs up. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off won her over, and the quotes never go out of style. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
THE EXERCISE
My Atlanta friend Erin swears that CorePower Yoga is tougher than any spin class, so I have accepted the challenge since it’s free and, as many know, I'm very competitive. Meanwhile, the launch of Peloton Family just arrived in my inbox so Jess Sims may just inspire the quaran-tween to put down the Animal Crossing in exchange for a class with mom.
VIRTUAL COCKTAIL HOUR

Many of us are missing our mixologist, so Town & Country has stepped up with a recipe guide that has been shared a few times this week in my text groups. Now I just need to actually go to the ABC store to stock up on the Quarantini essentials.
GOODNIGHT WITH DOLLY
Leave it to our national treasure to come to our bedtime rescue. Dolly Parton is reading stories on You Tube as part of her Imagination Library commitment to comfort families during this time. And did I mention she also donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University research? My hero indeed.
Elizabeth Schulte Roth
404-441-3968 |  elizabethsroth@me.com