The Essentials With Elizabeth Chambers: Claridge’s, Placenta Serum and New Beginnings

Even after taking a very public blow to her personal life, Elizabeth Chambers has never let go of her optimism and poise. Now, after a difficult few years, the model, journalist, actress and founder of Bird Bakery is ready for a new chapter.

“You can choose joy, or you can choose the opposite. But why would you not choose joy, even in the most trying times? I fully believe that it’s our choice, and you can have one thought at a time, and you should make it a good one,” Chambers tells Observer.

Chambers, who spent the majority of the past four years residing in the Cayman Islands, recently relocated back to Los Angeles with her two children; she shares nine-year-old daughter Harper and seven-year-old son Ford with her ex, actor Armie Hammer. The Texas native is pursuing several projects, including the national expansion of Bird, a new docu-series and guest appearances on the Today Show and Food Network. 

Chambers first opened Bird Bakery in San Antonio, where she was born, then Dallas, where she grew up, and finally Denver, where she attended high school. In 2023, the bakery expanded internationally for the first time, opening a location (Bird Bakery’s fourth outpost) in the Cayman Islands. (It’s open during the high season.) There are plans to expand further, and Chambers hopes to get some of the products on grocery store shelves. 

Baking has always been a passion for Chambers, handed down to her by her grandmother. “I love the shortbread my grandmother would make,” Chambers shares. “She was British, and honestly, our recipes that I [first] served at Bird were all British recipes. Then I either evolved them or bastardized them, depending on who you ask, making them more American; more nostalgic. I took her custard and made a banana pudding. Her lemon curd is the lemon square now. She was extremely British, and all her recipes were, as well, so I love the nostalgia of it.”

Chambers is also working on a new docu-series for Investigation Discovery. Chambers, who began her career as a correspondent at Current TV, and went on to work for Entertainment Tonight, E! News and Access Hollywood, is set to host and executive produce the series, which focuses on toxic relationships due to generational trauma, as part of a development deal with the network. (A premiere date hasn’t been released yet.) As for what drew her to such a dark subject? It’s one she is quite familiar with. 

In 2020, her decade-long marriage to Armie Hammer came to a very public end; the following year, a slew of abuse, infidelity and harassment allegations against the Call Me By Your Name actor surfaced. (Hammer subsequently denied sexual assault and abuse allegations.)

“I went through a really public divorce,” Chambers tells Observer. “And my biggest thing with my divorce—same thing with raising kids, same thing with getting married—is that you have one chance to do it right. I employed every type of therapist, every resource, podcast and book on how to prevent my children from facing trauma.” Through various therapy devices and research, she found that many of the issues adults deal with trace back to childhood, and she believes that parenting plays a crucial role in shaping those early experiences. The show explores the influence of past relationships and patterns, aiming to address the sources of childhood trauma. The goal is to understand these dynamics and work towards preventing them in the first place.

While the past few years have been challenging for Chambers and her family, she’s excited for what’s next, with a renewed perspective on life. After five relocations in as many years with two young children, she’s become adept at managing the chaos and looking for inspiration wherever she goes, especially when she is traveling. “I feel like everyone feels inspired once you’re on a plane. It’s a change of scenery and a shift,” Chambers says.

Chambers shared her current essentials with Observer, from her go-to serums to her favorite British bakeries.

Skincare routine:

I love products. I love trying new products, and I’m having such a moment with Biologique Recherche right now. They’ve been around forever, and they’ve always been super effective. The serum is plasma; it’s placenta—like, actual sheep placenta. I do the drops of the serum and then I do their cream over, and then this setting serum, which fills everything in. I have super dry skin naturally. We all see what an apple looks like after you fly, or an orange, right? It’s super dehydrated. So I just think more layers and layers. I love Weleda Skin Food. It is so thick and rich. I try to put that on my hands, and then Aquaphor is the one thing I cannot travel without. 

Favorite vacation spot: 

L.A. is home for sure, but when I’m traveling, I love London. Claridge’s is there. I think it’s just the epitome of hospitality. It is truly our home Away from home. Some of our best family memories are there; no detail goes unnoticed. My mom’s family is living [in London] today, and it feels like a perfect mix of vacation, travel and home, and you always have your spots. Besides Claridge’s, I love La Fromagerie. The Ginger Pig is my favorite butcher there. Marylebone High Street is my first stop, always. The London food scene is better than anywhere right now. I would put it up against Paris, and really anywhere. I feel like London is having such a food moment right now. It’s so much variety. I am kind of basic when it comes to bakeries. I do like Hummingbird. 

What she’s reading:

It’s called Unreasonable Hospitality. It’s a must-read for anyone, in the hospitality industry or not, and I can’t recommend it enough. You should read it.

What she’s binge-watching:

I’m so late to the party, but I just finished Schitt’s Creek. It’s so good! 

What she’s packing with:

I love Away. Away or Monos are my two favorites for luggage. I probably should have gotten rid of them years ago, but I have these two Kelly green bags from Away—and I only wear black, white and gray—but green is their color, and they’re huge. It was a special edition collaboration and I don’t even know who it was with, but they are so recognizable and the perfect size. Those are my go-to bags. It’s a perfect color. Also, I couldn’t travel without Stoney Clover. We have all the bags for all of the electronics. I have all of my chargers in a bag. The kids have all of their drawing pencils. Stoney Clover is great and so durable. The kids have their backpacks with all their stuff in them, and they’re all organized.

What she can’t travel without:

I have to have my makeup bag. You never know who you’re going to see when you land, and I like to get on the plane fully lubed up. I do my Skin Food, and I do not look cute. But then sometimes you have to go somewhere after you land you weren’t expecting. So I do love to do a full skincare routine that’s not cute for boarding, and then I have a bag of tricks ready if there’s a change of plans.

I have four backup chargers, power banks and headphones. I always travel with a notebook. I’m a granny when it comes to paper. I guess it’s the journalist in me, as I always have the notebook just for ideas or podcasts. I’m not a note-section-of-my-phone girl. 

Her wellness routine:

It’s not so much a workout; I just love to walk in whatever city I’m in. I love to walk as much as possible. I’m not a huge runner. Sometimes wish I were, because I could see more. But walking just sorts my mind. It’s like therapy for me. I’m never going to be this “land from a red eye and go to the gym” person. I don’t know them. Maybe I go get a croissant [after I land]? Workouts aren’t usually a priority for me when I’m traveling, but walking is, and experiencing.