Oh hi, I’m alive. Barely. Somewhere between Geneva, Copenhagen and Washington D.C. I picked up a nasty stomach bug that has ravaged my gastrointestinal system, leaving me a couple pounds lighter and afraid to eat any food that is not of the saltine cracker variety.

I do not recommend this weight-loss plan.

The upside of this illness is that it has forced me to spring clean my diet along with everything else. Instead of an evening glass of sauvignon blanc I’ve been making myself a lemonade. I like the ritual of sipping on a special drink after dinner, but I’ve come to realize it doesn’t matter too much what it is. My body is simply accustomed to the reward at the end of a day.

Lemonade also gives me a chance to use my new Alessi Juicer which I picked up in Milan. I realize an old school juicer looks pretty wimpy next to the turbo-jumbo-bullet-electric juicers that everyone has these days, but it works like a charm and takes up almost no room in my kitchen. It also looks pretty cute on the countertop.

There is no trick to making homemade lemonade. It is one part lemon juice, one part water (or sparkling water!) and a sweetener. I use a teaspoon of simple syrup, which I seem to always have on hand for cocktails. You could also use a splash of agave nectar or dissolve a little bit of regular sugar into the lemonade. Or use no sugar. I like my lemonade on the sour side, but I’m likely alone in this. Add a sprig or rosemary or thyme for pizazz. A curly straw, perhaps. Go nuts.

What are your remedies when you’re under the weather? I’d love to know. In the meantime….

These photos will give you travel wanderlust. (And this backpack!)

But this hotel safety checklist will probably kill your vacation vibes.

Also, would you stay here?

These phrases will help you close out an email without “xoxo.”

This might convince you modern parenting isn’t as insane as perceived…

…or not. Try this to ease the anxiety.

These sandals will have you wishing for warmer weather.

And this article will keep you up all night.