It’s Meet a Mom Monday! This week’s Meet a Mom feature is Ashley Hasty, Chicago mom & founder of Hasty Book List! Keep reading our interview below, where Ashley shares more about balancing creative life & mom life, her favorite local businesses, and even some fun book recommendations. Thank you Ashley for sharing with us today! You can find Ashley at Hasty Book List, also on Instagram!
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Hi Ashley, thank you for chatting with us today! How many kids do you have and what ages are they?
I have one son, Miles, who is two years old.
What is your favorite thing about being a mom? What do you love most about the current phase of motherhood that you are in?
My favorite thing about being a mom is seeing the world through Miles’ eyes. Everything is brand new to him, and his sense of wonder makes me slow down and appreciate even the smallest moments. Right now, I love watching his personality emerge—he’s curious, sweet, and always ready to dance when music comes on. This phase is full of discovery, and I feel so lucky to be along for the ride.
You live in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago! What are your favorite local businesses to frequent?
Uptown has such a vibrant, eclectic energy—there’s always something new to discover. I love stopping by Elevate Coffee for a morning pick-me-up and visiting Uptown Taproom, especially in the summer, for a family-friendly, laid-back atmosphere. Aquarius is a sweet vintage store and a fellow Chicago mom with a startup thrift business called Stella + Polly Thrift has a lovely rack of vintage designer clothing there. Downstate Donuts makes fantastic potato donuts, and Green Mill Cocktail Lounge is perfect for a night of jazz and history. I’m always looking for hidden gems, so I love exploring the neighborhood with Miles.
Tell us more about your background and all of your creative pursuits! What led you to start the Hasty Book List!?
Before having a child I was a full-time college professor of fashion at a School of Art and Design. I taught courses such as Visual Merchandising, Brand Management, and Fashion History. I’ve always loved books and storytelling. I started Hasty Book List in 2016 as a way to share book recommendations with friends and family, but it quickly grew into a space where I could connect with authors and fellow book lovers. Now I work with over 200 publicists to promote books and I’ve interviewed over 500 authors. Along the way, I’ve explored different creative outlets—writing a novel, which I’ve shelved since having Miles and hope to return to one day. I enjoy painting, though toddler hands get into everything so I’ve put that on pause, too. Photography is the creative outlet I’ve leaned into most since having a child, it is something I can do easily while watching Miles and doesn’t take as much time as my other hobbies. Hasty Book List has been a constant thread through all of those pursuits, giving me a place to combine my passions. I do still teach Retailing as an adjunct at Loyola University each summer, it is nice to keep my foot in the academia door in case I ever want to return to that full-time.
We’d love to hear more about how you balance your creative pursuits with motherhood. How have you found that to be so far?
Balance is something I’m still figuring out! Motherhood has made me more intentional about how I spend my time – I’m mostly a stay-at-home mom and do my creative work on the side. I’ve learned to embrace shorter creative sessions—writing during nap time or snapping photos during our daily walks and play time. I’ve also become more comfortable with the idea that some seasons of life are more about observing and gathering inspiration than producing finished work. Having Miles has made me want to create even more—both to show him the importance of following your passions and to document our life together.
I’m sure this is like asking a mother to pick a favorite child, but what are your top book recs right now!?
Oh, this is always the hardest question! Lately, I’ve been especially excited about books by Chicago authors. Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renee Rosen is such a fun, fascinating read about Barbie’s origins. People of Means by Nancy Johnson is a powerful story that People magazine named as one of their most anticipated books of 2025. There’s Something About Mira by Sonali Dev blends romance and family dynamics beautifully. And Sort of Seeing Someone by Emily Bond is the perfect contemporary rom-com. I love supporting local authors and discovering stories set in the city I call home.
What does your ideal day look like—if you could spend it entirely on creative projects?
I’d spend the morning painting in a sunlit studio—great morning light streaming through the windows, with all my art supplies organized and ready to go. Then I’d spend the afternoon walking around the city, camera in hand, capturing everyday beauty in the bustling streets. I’m an introvert, but I like to be immersed in the energy of the city. As I write this, I realize that maybe I’ll never get back to writing that novel. It’s a story I want told, but perhaps writing isn’t the medium for me. This vision of my ideal creative day makes me feel more connected to painting and photography—expressing myself through images rather than words. But who knows, the writing inspiration may return when I have a bit more time to myself.
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
I moderate the Friend of a Mom Book Club—a low-pressure, high-fun space for Chicago moms to connect over good books, meaningful conversation, and a little time for themselves. We meet every few months in person at a nice restaurant or bar in the city (the venue is secured by the team behind the Friend of a Mom Chicago Dinner Series), often joined by the author—frequently a fellow Chicago mom—and focus on books written by Chicago authors or set in the Chicago area.
Rapid Fire Round
Go-to coffee order: A simple black coffee with just a dash of cream, best if made myself at home in our Chemex. When ordering a coffee out, I prefer an espresso. I’m rather simple when it comes to coffee.
A book you’d LOVE to re-read: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. I don’t often re-read books—there are too many new books I want to read—but I find myself coming back to this one at different phases in my life. I first read it in Paris, then re-read it at home in Chicago a few years later to see if it was as good as I remembered. It was.
Most productive time of day: Definitely morning. I’m ready to tap out by 3pm.
Advice you’d give your younger self: In many ways I think my younger self had it more together than my current self. But if I were to run into my younger self I’d tell her, you’ll be surprised by how your life turns out, but it will be beautiful nonetheless.
Best vacation destination: I have wonderful memories of traveling all over Spain with my husband pre-baby. We spent two weeks hopping from city to city, eating Michelin-starred meals and enjoying late-night cocktails. But lately, I like going back to a familiar place—Cabo—with Miles to make travel a bit more relaxing (not that travel is ever really relaxing with a toddler!). We’ve been seven times now, twice with Miles, so I feel like I know what I’m doing. I look forward to Miles being old enough to travel like we used to, but we’re having fun with this phase of life, too.
Favorite mom-hack: Ask for help! Whether it’s family, friends, or a trusted babysitter, accepting help makes everything more manageable.
