Urban Pharm

Pharm Notes: July 2026

Getting Quiet

“You’ve got seven months left in this window to get quiet. Calendar it.” This was the directive of the brilliant astrologer-cum-social scientist I Zoom with quasi-annually.

“And then what?” I mutter to myself, pen hovering over the blank square I’ve just drawn around Friday from 9 to 10 on the calendar. This is a little absurd, the scheduling of “nothing,” and I fight the frankly slightly aggressive urge to write “get quiet” into the empty square.

It’s not that I don’t know how to be quiet. It’s that I want to understand the what-for. If I make space, what exactly is supposed to arrive? A clearer mind, a better decision, some kind of soul whisper?

There’s a very cool thing that happens in drumming when you slow a rhythm down. Play it fast and the music is mostly made up of the sounds — the slaps, the tones, the basses. The rhythm lives in the strikes. Slow it down and something changes, even though nothing has changed except the distance between the beats. The no-noise — the rest — becomes part of the composition. Same rhythm. Nothing added, nothing subtracted, but now there is melody where there was rhythm.

I remember being on safari in Kenya and driving around for hours. At one point I asked my husband if there was anything in his mind, because there wasn’t in mine. Literally nothing. Looking, hearing, being, but no mind running interpretive interference. That quiet arrived on its own. This Friday quiet is different. I have to write it in.

I thought maybe the quiet was so I could hear something, from somewhere. But maybe not. Maybe the quiet, the space between the beats, changes the music on its own, just by being there.

The astrologer was clear that the quiet happens in the context of all the other important life beats and action. The invitation wasn’t to a spiritual retreat or a beach escape, and the consequence wasn’t specified. The answer to my “what for?” may be something about just seeing what it feels like when the quiet gets calendared alongside all the activity — when the rest is written into the measure rather than snuck in to catch your breath.

xo Jill

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The best gatherings rarely depend on elaborate menus or perfect hosting. More often, it’s the small details that make people feel welcome: candles on the table, flowers clipped from the garden, cloth napkins, citrus on the table.

If you're looking for inspiration, our Guide to Gathering is full of simple ideas for bringing people together. Download on our site.

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Urban Pharm's Gift Ideas for Mother's Day ♥️

Mother’s Day is a good excuse to pause and think about the women in our lives who have cared for us. Whether you’re celebrating a mother, honoring someone who’s been like one to you, remembering, or simply tending to your own heart, we’ve gathered a few things we love and think you will, too. Each one feels special in its own way.

1. Cotton napkins are such a perfect, quiet everyday elevation. Jill recently found these Everyday Napkins at Blanche + Mimi in Portland, Maine. If you don’t use cloth napkins regularly, consider this your signal to start.

2. An amazing candle is always a great gift. We love the Le Feu De L'Eau candle in all of its different scents (we originally found it at the incredible store Good in Beacon Hill and then at our fave Sunshine in Amagansett) and the Flamingo Estate Agrigento Olive Tree candle. Be sure to include a cute box of matches. (We love including one from our favorite restaurant.)

3. Fresh flowers are always beautiful, but we also love hand-made and hand-painted metal flowers from Gusto and paper flowers from John Derian. The craftsmanship is stunning. Anne keeps them around her house and appreciates them every day.

4. Doesn’t every mama need to get shrubby? Try to this delicious Urban Pharm collaboration with Curio Spice (and keep an eye out for another collab flavor coming soon!).

5. For a splurge, this beautiful Heritage Jewelry New York zodiac charm is next level.​​ Both Jill and Anne have one, with birthstones set in the star signs of their children.

6. Jelly shoes! High, Low. Always fun.

7. A beautiful table setting never goes unnoticed. This Felt+Fat 7-Piece Set is well-crafted and joyful.

8. We love Ballerina Farm’s products, especially their Protein Powders and Electrolytes. Everything they make that we've tried is delicious.

Happy Mother’s Day!
XO Anne & Jill

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New to Urban Pharm Shrub? Here are some ways to use it:

💧 Elevate your water with a splash. Still or sparkling.
🍸 Mix into cocktails for a bright edge.
✨ Keep it zero-proof with mocktails that feel special.
🥗 Bring it into the kitchen: vinaigrettes, marinades, roasted veggies, fresh fruit. Yum.

A little shrub adds depth, brightness, and something a little bit unexpected.

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