Hailey Andresen is a desert girl turned city mom in Brooklyn. The voice behind Household Mag and mom to one-year-old Owen, Hailey infuses a sense of calmness and gratitude to her busy urban lifestyle. And shares some great recipes to try too! She brought a piece of her style to our April box, which you can snap for yourself here. Read a bit more about Hailey and her view from a 36-square-foot kitchen.
Tell us a bit about you and your blog.
Household Mag is curated monthly as a collection of recipes, notes on motherhood, tips on building a nest in the city, design and everyday living in Brooklyn, NY.
What brought you to Brooklyn? And tell us about the day you found out you were pregnant.
The day I found out I was pregnant was the day my husband got confirmation on his job interview in Manhattan. We had been trying to have a baby for almost a year, so when we were beginning to lose hope Zack started applying for jobs. We knew if we couldn't have a baby we wanted to at least move somewhere new and leave Phoenix behind. Naturally, it happened all at once providing us with the most incredible adventure!
What do you love about living in the city?
I love how much there is to see and how easy it is to access it all. I think we had a handful of people who thought we were insane for moving to the city while I was pregnant, but I really can't imagine raising Owen in any other place. Our neighborhood is filled with kids and so much of what's available to us here is catered to that lifestyle. Going out and about with Owen feels so much easier than it does in a smaller town. We simply put him in a carrier and we're off. No reason to even fuss with a stroller or carseat at this point, we are either on foot or in the subway. Getting to experience NY through Owen's eyes is just about the most incredible thing.
How do you make life in a small space (with a baby!) work for your family?
When we moved to NY we came with 5 suitcases - all filled with clothes—and we had our books shipped. Aside from that we had nothing else. I wouldn't call us minimalists by any stretch, but we try to only purchase what we need. We keep it simple so that our small space can easily stay clean. When it came to decorating Owen's room we didn't go with anything too kiddy considering our kitchen and bathroom are off of his room. Everything here has to stay open so we have attempted to keep a natural flow with neutral colors. It has made us so much more conscious of what we bring into our home, which has been an incredible benefit. We tend to spend our money on more experience-based purchases - travel, checking out new restaurants, and entertainment.
Tell us about the transition to motherhood for you? What’s been easier/harder than you thought?
It has honestly been easier than I ever thought it would be. I'm sure a huge part of that is how easy Owen is. He's a great sleeper, and happy about 95% of the time. I also contribute that ease to living in a place that makes motherhood a natural part of your life. Moms here are on the go and I love that. There's always a push to get out and get together with your little ones and that has been so beneficial for me.
What excites you most about being Owen’s mom? What scares you?
As much as I'm loving this time we are experiencing now I am genuinely excited to see how Owen grows at each and every age. I'm equally as excited to see the little boy he is at 3 as I am to see him at 10. The idea that I get to be there for every step along the way is so beautiful and I feel so fortunate. I think I'm scared of the things we are all scared of as mothers. I'm fearful that there will come a time in his life that I won't be able to protect him from this crazy world.
What are you cooking these days? Where are some of your favorite places to shop for items for the kitchen?
Ever since Owen was born Zack, my husband, has taken over cooking dinner for the most part. It tends to be the time of day Owen needs the most attention and it feels impossible for me to get a meal together for us before he gets home. That being said I've been doing a lot of baking. A friend of mine, @punch.pastry and I have started a new series #betweentwokitchens. We bake something together at least once a week. This has been a nice way for me to exercise that creative muscle without having to stick to a specific meal time.
Tell us why food and cooking speak to you. What place or need does it fulfill in your family and for you?
I ended up working in restaurants by accident. After a failed business venture at 21 (yes, I tried to open a boutique at 21), I landed in the restaurant industry. This was when I was living in Phoenix. I started working at Lux after my business fell apart. Maybe it was the vulnerable state I was in, or the fact that Lux is a community hub there both for the staff and the customers, but I found myself infatuated with hospitality. It brought me so much joy to connect with people over a cup of coffee, a handmade cocktail or a meal. From there my passion grew and I began cooking more and more at home. Once I moved to NY and was no longer in the industry I needed to exercise that outlet. That's where Household comes in.
When you’re not doing the wife/mom thing, you’re…
I just started a new job last week working for an old friend in her vintage shop! But, Owen gets to come with so I'm still doing the mom thing there too. ;)