I don’t know about you, but August really flew by at lightning speed for me.

First off, as a travel blogger, I normally don’t travel much in the summer because it’s better for me to work during shoulder seasons (fewer crowds!) However, this summer was an exception: I had multiple press trips lined up, and, guys: the last trip I took nearly broke me.

I went on a three-week stretch of three back-to-back trips, and by the time I got to the last trip, I was straight up exhausted. I had fun, don’t get me wrong, but I can tell that my immune system was less than thrilled with my schedule. I spent the past weekend not feeling so hot, but honestly, I low-key enjoyed vegging out on my couch after a whirlwind month on the road.

Anyway — welcome back to A Month In My Bag. Here’s where I’ll recap some highs and lows of each month, some honest thoughts, and some real talk. So, let’s get into it!

Travels:

• Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico. I had the wonderful opportunity to partner with the Baja California tourism board on a trip to Rosarito a couple of weeks ago. This city has long been known as a spring break destination, but recently artists and creatives have come in and really made this lovely beach town their own.
  
  It was my first time here, and I was pleasantly surprised. First and foremost, the food here was incredible. I mean, the food in Mexico never disappoints, but Rosarito has some serious gems. For starters, you have to get the Puerto Nuevo lobster at Sandra’s. And the oysters at Punta Bahia. And I may or may not have shed a tear sampling the chocolates at Akbal. Everything I ate was so fresh and delicious.
  
  Rosarito is 100% worth the trip on its own, but I’d also consider adding it to your itinerary if you’re visiting Valle de Guadalupe or Ensenada in the near future. Blog post coming soon, but check out my IG post for more recs.
  
  (FYI: Rosarito is about a 90-minute drive from San Diego, and a 3-hour drive from LA. Really cool weekend trip from SoCal!)

What’s In My Glass:

• Straightaway Cocktails French 77: What I sipped on while watching the Love Island Reunion (which was kind of a snoozefest IMO). I picked this up after trying it at the Portland airport last month (Straightaway just opened up a cocktail bar at PDX!) This is a wine canned cocktail that’s a fun, fresh take on the French 75: it’s light, lemon-y, and low ABV. A sippable drink that’s perfect for the end of summer!
  

• Cruz Alta Reserve Mendoza Malbec: I always like to have a bottle of Malbec on hand: it’s affordable, pairs well with burgers and steaks, and it’s a bottle that you’ll want to drink now (skip the aging). This bottle is excellent, and under $15.

A Real Win and A Real L:

• Win: I crossed the border for the first time in a while. Last year was tough for me, and I haven’t left the country since March of 2025. Which, I know, isn’t terrible for the average American, but it’s kind of embarrassing when you’re a travel blogger.

  
  So I was really excited to whip out my passport and head to Rosarito this past month — even if it was only three hours away from LA. I forgot how international travel can push you out of your comfort zone, and I 100% feel like I need that type of disruption to grow.
  

• Loss: My anxiety has still been a bit high. But it’s gotten better since the last newsletter I wrote, and I’m starting a new challenge this month to help ease my mind. Details are below. Drop a comment if you care to join me!

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What I Wore on Repeat:

• This dress got me a zillion compliments. A woman slowed down her car to tell me how much she loved my dress. Drive-by compliments. It’s a powerful piece!
  

• The Farm Rio dress that will transition to fall. One of the more casual Farm Rio dresses that I own. It’s 100% cotton, super comfortable, and honestly it reminds me of one of the whimsical Sezane pieces we used to see (IYKYK).
  

• A $60 cotton maxi skirt. This skirt + a baby tee have been a fun way to stay cool, even when it’s a zillion degrees outside. It comes in several colors: grab it in black if you want something that transitions into cooler months.

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What You Missed on the Blog:

• Lodi Wine Tasting: A WSET-Certified Guide to the Region

• Can You Drink Wine on a GLP-1?

• Oregon Sparkling Wine Guide

• Las Vegas Grand Prix 2026: What You Need to Know

Where I’m Headed Next:

I’m headed back to NorCal: specifically, I’ll be in San Francisco and Sonoma towards the end of the month. Even though I’ve visited both places several times, I’m always down for a recommendation. Please drop your favorite spots in the comments!

I have to be honest with you: I take rejection pretty poorly.

Growing up, I had it relatively easy. I got every single job I ever applied for, up until when it came time to apply for college internships (and even then, I only had a handful of rejections, and I still ended up with a pretty cool internship). Yes, my high school dance team rejected me a couple of times, but I managed to secure a spot on a cheerleading team with zero experience, land a hosting gig off vibes alone, and get cast in projects without seeking them. I used to be pretty confident, charismatic, and fearless.

I would manifest projects, and with my lucky girl syndrome and (undiagnosed) high-functioning anxiety, I was able to make things happen. Simpler times!

Until that high-functioning anxiety turned into low-functioning depression, the job market became the worst it’s ever been in years, and the creator market became overly saturated. Gone are the days of my unshakeable confidence: my imposter syndrome seems to have taken full control after a few rough years in my field.

Nowadays, I take rejection personally. Too personally.

I interviewed for a dream job a couple of weeks ago, after struggling to get any sort of interview for months, and days later got the email that I wouldn't be moving on to the next round. And you know what I did after that?

I cried. Me, a grown woman, bawling at not getting a job that maybe paid $65k/year.

Sigh. Something needs to change.

Some of the most successful people out there today have been told “no” hundreds of times before landing their big break. Oprah. Jennifer Garner. Lady Gaga. Steve Jobs. Just to name a few. Heck, some of those people might still hear the word “no” regularly.

And yet, they kept things moving.

My partner casually recommended that I try out rejection therapy next month, and you know what? Yes. I think I know I need it.

What is Rejection Therapy?

I’ve never heard of the term before, literally yesterday, but basically, this is the gist:

• The world of rejection is a place where the fears from such snubs are much more destructive than we knew

• However, with insight, rejection can be much less painful than we believed

• And, that people are much kinder than we ever imagined

^{(From Jia Jiang)}

Now, I’m going to specifically apply this to both my career and my personal life, because:

1. Candidly, I have been underemployed for months, and I need to make a pretty drastic change in the next few months to stay afloat. And I figure some of you reading this might be in the same boat.

2. After my recent-ish move, I really haven’t done much to build community, so I need to put myself out there a bit more and make it happen.

So, my goal is to get 100 “nos” in September.

No, you didn’t get the job. No, we can’t host you at our hotel. No, I can’t make it to wine and cheese night at your place.

I am aiming to hear “no” 100 times next month. Because in a sea of no’s, I’m bound to get a “yes”. And I won't get those yeses if I don’t put myself out there.

Unlike some rejection therapy experiments I’ve seen in the past, I’m going to try to make mine a bit more realistic. Some challenges suggest you should do things like ask a total stranger for $100 or ask a restaurant for free food for no reason, but I want to give myself a better chance of getting a potential yes (while also getting comfortable with a “no”).

For me, that looks like pitching a dream brand, applying for a competitive hosting gig, asking that person who’s always busy to grab coffee. And the goal is to not feel any type of way if the answer is no.

You know the millennial urge to write “no worries if not” after asking someone for something? Well, I need to embody this sentiment.

So, September 1st. I’m up and ready to go. And ready for the inevitable “no.” And I encourage you to join me in this challenge.

Just remember: rejections aren’t personal. And yes, I’m writing this down so that I remember this on my worst days, but I hope this message reaches you if you need it.

Drop a comment if you want to join me next month on the journey to 100 rejections.

Imposter syndrome makes me forget this all the time, but I am, indeed, a published author.

My book, From Harvest to Home, came out in August 2022. It’s a fall-themed lifestyle guide with decor, recipes, and entertaining tips. While my book will not have a second printing, some copies are still floating around (and even though I don’t have a Prime account myself, I’m still seeing it on Amazon!)

Writing a book was always a vague dream I had as a kid, but I never realized I could make it a reality. I wasn’t even actively chasing that dream, but the universe works in mysterious ways.

My publisher contacted me after seeing, probably too many blog posts about how much I loved fall. In 2020, while we were all stuck at home, COVID-era restrictions started to lift in September, and I (safely!) took advantage. I also knew I was moving from the East Coast to the West Coast the following year, so I did all the fall things: leaf peeping, making all the recipes, and building a haunted house. Even though I love traveling, I weirdly loved my time at home during that period.

And, in January, an editor came knocking. They had the idea for a fall-themed book, and wondered if I would be interested in writing it.

Now, I wasn’t necessarily handed a book deal after that. I still had to provide sample chapters, do some competitor research, and structure the book. I spent weeks putting my proposal together, and then, a couple of months later, I got the green light.

Now, I’m stoked that my book and my art are now out in the world, but I definitely learned a lot during the process. Here are a few things I wish I knew before writing a book.

You Won’t Have Time to Do Much Else (Other Than Write)

When I accepted my book deal, I also, casually, had a cross-country move planned at the same time some of my first major deadlines were due.

I thought I could juggle both, but I really couldn’t. I should have requested a shift in deadlines from the get-go, because I ended up needing a few extensions. When you’re writing a book, it takes a tremendous amount of focus. You need to set aside several hours in the day to brainstorm and write without distractions.

I thought I could manage because I’ve written blog posts on the road before, but this was a completely different animal. I also struggled to keep up with updating my own website and social media during this process.

If I were to write another book, I would 100% look into booking a writers’ retreat. Ideally, it would be somewhere scenic so I could take long strolls whenever I needed a break, but also comfortable enough for me to write without distraction. In a perfect world, I'd take a break from social media, house chores, and even my (adorable) pets to get things done.

Budget Your Advance Accordingly

There’s a common misconception that an author’s advance is a life-changing amount of money.

If it’s your first book, and you’re not a celebrity or someone with millions of followers…chances are, it will be a very modest amount of money.

To put it in perspective: even if you were writing a fiction book with little overhead, you still need to write the book, distraction-free. That is your full-time job. You still need to cover your living costs and expenses while you write.

In my case, I wrote a nonfiction book that had photographs.

Guess where the budget for said photography came from? My advance.

I ended up hiring a team of three people for my book: my photographer, a food stylist, and a prop stylist. I paid their fees…with my advance.

I also had to travel to New England for atmospheric photos for the book. Guess what paid for those photo shoots? My advance.

So yes: even if that five-figure advance looks like a lot on paper, in reality, it doesn’t go that far. If you’re looking to get rich from writing a book…well, I can safely say that it was one of the least profitable things I’ve done in my freelance career. Still fun, though!

It’s Best to Hire Your Own PR Team

While my publisher had an in-house PR team, if you sign with a bigger publisher, they’re also trying to promote dozens, if not hundreds, of new releases at the same time as yours.

Outside of general press releases, you probably won’t get a ton of press just from their in-house team alone. You’ll want to hire your own book publicist.

And dear reader: book PR isn’t cheap, but I still think it’s worth it. If I have any regrets, it’s that I didn’t hire my publicist sooner: I hired them three months before my pub date, when I really should have hired them 6+ months beforehand.

Book Promo Comes Out of Your Own Pocket

Now, maybe if you’re a more notable figure, you’ll have more funds to work with, but in my case, I didn’t receive any additional budget for promotion. So, the publicist and the promo? Again, it all came out of my advance.

One of my biggest regrets was putting together influencer mailings. And, I say this as someone who got their start as an influencer (not knocking my colleagues, but it wasn’t the best investment!)

Now, my publisher mailed advanced copies of my book to as many influencers/media as I wanted, complimentary, but I wanted to create a cute little fall-themed mailer for some of the bigger influencers I knew. The cost was on me, so I sourced everything and mailed the larger packages out on my own dime. The mailer included a decorative pumpkin (with their names painted on it), a candle, a handbag, and a few other goodies.

While I was happy with the mailer I created, I didn’t see much ROI, and I wish I'd just sent those influencers a complimentary ARC instead of doing the most.

Having an Online Presence is Essential

If you have an existing online audience, it is a major draw for publishers. They get to tap into your already engaged audience? They’ll see dollar signs. It’s a win-win scenario.

If you’re an aspiring author, I would say you should 100% start building your online following if you hope to land a book deal. While it isn’t a requirement, it’s something that a publishing house loves to see!

Curious how a book proposal actually comes together? Paid subscribers can see the exact structure I used to land my deal with a major publisher!

Read more

Forty. One. Pounds. Boom.

But being skinny was never the goal; it was getting my health back on track.

How I Ended Up on a GLP-1 in the First Place

Let’s rewind. I’ve written about my GLP-1 journey a few times over the past year (see here, here, and here), but I’ll give you a quick refresher as to how I ended up on one in the first place.

I was gaining weight at a pretty rapid pace from 2020-2025. I would get so annoyed when I home-cooked healthy meals with my boyfriend, only to see him lose weight while I packed the pounds on. I exercised. I watched what I ate. None of it mattered.

(And I get it: I’m a travel blogger who gets to visit cool places and eat cool things, but I eat boring, nutrition-packed things when I’m at home, okay!)

I have spoken to my doctor about this for years. We wondered if it was my antidepressant causing me to gain weight. I got switched to a new one. Then, my birth control. Then this. Then that. I went back and forth with my primary care doc for years.

Nothing stuck.

So, I got some bloodwork done, and lo and behold: I was prediabetic and insulin resistant.

That was a big wake-up call for me. Prediabetes is no joke, and I knew if I didn’t take action, there was a real risk that I’d end up with Type 2 Diabetes.

Read more

Can I admit to you something? I’ve never been a great travel blogger.

Okay, okay, maybe I’m being hard on myself. But when I’m on a press trip and I get a 2-3 hour break, I always intend to edit or write during that time, but in reality, I end up just lying horizontally.

Anyway. I weirdly had two press trips this past month, and a move, so yes. I’m coming to you again, behind on Substack. But I’m somewhat settled into the new place, and I have a whopping 5 days in between trips, so…

Welcome back to A Month In My Bag. Here’s where I’ll recap some highs and lows of each month, some honest thoughts, and some real talk. And yes, I promise I have some fun plans for Substack content this month outside of this series!

Travels:

• Portland. I went to Portland for the very first time, and I am high-key obsessed. I only got to spend a couple of nights, so I am by no means a PDX expert, but I saw enough: it’s a city I want to keep going back to. Everyone was so nice, it was filled with dozens of CLBs (Cute Little Boutiques), and, unbeknownst to me, there’s no sales tax in the state. Take my money!
  
  We stayed at two different hotels: The Ritz-Carlton, Portland and Jupiter NEXT. Two completely different vibes. The Ritz is Portland’s first five-star luxury hotel located in the heart of Downtown Portland. At the same time, Jupiter NEXT is a quirky boutique hotel located in a super hip neighborhood in Southeast Portland. There were a lot of incredible, locally owned shops, restaurants, and bars in this part of town, and a completely different energy. You can’t go wrong with either pick.
  
  Where I Shopped: Primecut (handcrafted bags and leather goods designed and made in Portland), Cargo (a marketplace filled with unique goods from local artisans), Smith Teamaker (incredible artisan teas. You can even do a tea tasting here!), and Kiriko Made (a Japanese apparel and accessories brand local to Portland) were some of my favorites. Oh, and obviously, I did a haul at Powell’s Books.
  

• Willamette Valley, Oregon. After spending some time in Portland, I went to Method Oregon in the Willamette Valley Wine Country (just 45 minutes south of the city). The Willamette Valley is known for Pinot Noir, but they’ve recently garnered a lot of buzz and attention for their sparkling wine. Oregon has a similar climate to the Champagne region of France, which also grows Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes incredibly well, so naturally, the sparkling wine coming from this area draws some comparisons.
  
  I tasted some incredible bubbly during this trip. Some of my favorites include Corollary, Cho Wines, Irvine & Roberts, St. Innocent, and more.
  

• Lodi, California. Lodi has been on my list for a really long time, and wow: it truly blew all of my expectations. I just got back on Monday, and I’m already planning my next trip back.
  
  Two things really stood out to me in Lodi: how approachable it was, and how incredibly sweet the families that I met were. You can get world-class wines here for a fraction of Napa prices — think: $15 tastings and $30 bottles, as it should be. And? Lodi is a massive region that grows a lot of grapes, and a lot of major producers across the country are buying these grapes without you knowing it. So, you’ve probably, unknowingly, had a wine made with Lodi grapes in your lifetime!
  
  Hard to pick favorites from our trip, but some standouts for me included WOO GIRL! Cellars, Lucas Winery, Acquiesce Winery (all white wines. Yes, even if you love reds as I do, you will LOVE what they’re doing here), Bokisch Vineyards, and more. I can’t wait to start sharing content from this trip on social!

What’s In My Glass:

• St Amant Tempranillo Amador: Just visited this boutique winery in Lodi, and I was so thrilled to see that their bottles were available at Total Wine. If you like a spicy wine, this one is right up your alley.
  

• Argyle Vintage Brut Rosé 2022: Because I’m still on my Oregon sparkling kick (and let’s face it; I’ll never let it go!)
  

• Lucas Winery Jeune 2025: One of the best wines I had in Lodi: a chillable Zinfandel that’s lightly aged. It was light, but beautiful, elegant, and complex. 11/10!

A Real Win and A Real L:

• Win: Real talk? Last summer, I was in such a depressed state, and I was hardly updating my blog or social media, which caused me to fall back in the industry. There were days, this time last year, where I couldn’t even bring myself out of bed, so I’m really happy that I’ve been on multiple press trips this summer and gotten a bit of my spark back!
  

• Loss: In a yo-yo effect, when my depression seems to subside, my anxiety tends to spike (gotta love having both — let me know if anyone else can relate!)
  
  My anxiety makes me an annoying perfectionist, which is tough when you travel on press trips. You only get so many moments to get the shot, so I’ve had to learn to let some things go and post the “imperfect” version. Shoutout to the breathing exercises that got me through July!

What I Wore on Repeat:

• This Linen Dress. Newsflash: it’s been hot AF, so if it isn’t cotton or linen, I do not want it on my body. I walked into the Farm Rio store in West Hollywood a little over a month ago, and the sales associate (who recognized me as a regular customer, lol) hand-picked this for me. I was sold. It’s held up great on my travels!
  

• The Madewell x Shopbop Collection. When Shopbop had their pop-up in Orange County a couple of months ago, they debuted their exclusive collaboration with Madewell and this dress caught my eye immediately. I’ve been wearing it quite a bit, but have done a horrible job at capturing it.
  

• These kitten heels. So nice, I have them in two colors. I find thong, flip-flop kitten heels to be really uncomfortable, so I love that these have an extra strap for support.

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What You Missed on the Blog:

• How to Plan a Solo Wine Trip

• California Wine Trip for Fall: A 6-Region Route

• Sonesta Redondo Beach: A Waterfront Staycation Worth Taking

• Best Wineries in Temecula Wine Country

Where I’m Headed Next:

On deck, I’m headed to Baja California on a (non-wine!) related trip, and I’m super excited to explore more of the culinary and creative scene. I’ve been to the Guadalupe Valley a few times, but I'm looking forward to exploring what the region has to offer outside of wine tasting. If you have any recommendations, please drop them in the comments!

One regret from my 20s? Not anonymously sharing more of my dating horror stories.

About 11 years ago, I had one of the worst dates of my life. We matched on one of the apps, and I agreed to leave my walkable neighborhood to meet this rando in the ‘burbs — which, if you know me, was a big deal.

He suggested an oyster bar and got there before me, grabbing a table. Then he let me know he wasn’t going to order any food that night. He fasted after 4 pm to hit his fitness goals. I should have walked out right then. But hey, I was young and stupid.

I awkwardly ordered one glass of wine and gave up on the briniest oysters on the menu. We kept talking anyway, and I realized I had nothing in common with this man. Like, at all.

He asked if I played any instruments. I said I used to, and that I loved going to concerts. He said he only plays music during workouts — not really into it outside the gym.

Then he asked if I liked to travel. I said absolutely, especially for the food. He said he wasn’t really into food (???), and that he “ate like a rabbit” because the gym was life.

Strike out after strike out. This man did two things: he went to work, and he went to the gym. That was his entire life.

I think about this date more than I’d like to admit. A year later, the main hobby in my life — my blog — suddenly turned into my full-time job after I got laid off from marketing. And then I quickly realized my own life had started to revolve around my work.

Was the job cool? Absolutely. I was a travel and lifestyle blogger — new restaurants, new destinations, fashion week. I was winning. Except I started to burn out.

No matter how cool your job is, you need hobbies. And I’m sorry, but brunch and the gym are not hobbies. Fun? Essential for your mental health? Sure. But hobbies? No.

When I started my blog in 2011, the term “influencer” didn’t exist. It was a silly little thing I did on the side. A couple of years later, I monetized it, and five years after that it became my full-time job. My life started to feel way out of balance.

I won’t pretend otherwise: as a lifestyle blogger, I’ve felt the pull to share everything going on in my life. But the longer I do this, the more I’ve learned that keeping some hobbies and passions offline is essential for work/life balance. In my spare time, I take dance classes and play mahjong — but you won’t catch me posting a dance video on TikTok or linking mahjong sets in my IG stories anytime soon.

If you’re feeling burnt out, maybe it’s time for a new hobby. Some ideas:

• Pottery

• A rec sports league

• Crocheting

• Junk journaling

• Painting

• Floral arranging

• Surfing

• Hosting a book club, dinner party, or anything that brings people together

• An online course

• A new language

Bonus: you’ll probably make some new friends along the way. Win-win.

You don’t need a zillion hobbies. Just find something that interests you and go from there. And if you ever want to monetize it, that’s fine too — just find something else to truly de-stress in its place.

Happy Pride Month, everyone!

I still can’t believe how much last-minute travel I ended up doing in May. I went from having nothing scheduled at the beginning of the month to doing a full-on road trip from Paso Robles to Temecula just a couple of weeks ago.

That, plus having my mother fly out on Mother’s Day? Well, it led me to neglect my Substack a bit (my bad!)

Welcome back to a series I, admittedly, forgot I started: A Month In My Bag. here’s where I’ll recap some highs and lows of each month, some honest thoughts, and some real talk!

Travels:

• Paso Robles. Justin Wine was nice enough to invite me to the Paso Robles Wine Fest a couple of weeks ago, and you better believe I rearranged my schedule so I could attend.
  
  I hate to pick favorites, but Paso Robles might legitimately be my favorite wine region in all of California. The wine is incredible, the vibe is low-key, and it’s much, much less expensive than Napa (I mean, every wine region in the world is cheaper than Napa, but that’s something I’ve already vented about here).
  
  I was very overdue for a Paso visit — the last time I made my way up there was in 2021. I don’t think I can go another five months without a Paso trip, let alone five years.
  
  Wineries that I’d highly recommend? Jada and Law Estate were incredible. I also didn’t visit the actual tasting room on this trip, but I also love L’Aventure and Linne Calodo (P.S. — Linne Calodo realizes how ridiculously high tasting fees are nowadays, and have capped theirs at $20. Major win!)
  

• Santa Ynez Valley. I stayed in my favorite, Danish-inspired town for a couple of nights: Solvang, and we caught a few more wineries here as well. To be honest, I was feeling a little burned out from Paso Wine Fest and prioritized rest, so I don’t have a very complete list of recommendations here (cause, baby? I fell asleep and missed dinner one night. Oops!)
  
  Brave and Maiden was a new-to-us winery that we tried, and we absolutely loved it. It’s only minutes away from Solvang, and the tasting room and the wine were both equally impressive.
  

• Temecula. Temecula gets a horrible rep. But, I’ve been about 6-7 times now, and I’ve always really enjoyed it. I got to partner with the Temecula Winegrowers Association for a press trip, and I had a great time.
  
  Were there some touristy wines I tried that I didn’t love? Yes. But are there also some producers making incredible wine out here? Also yes. I’m putting the finishing touches on my Instagram content and blog post for Temecula, so stay tuned for a guide soon.

What’s In My Glass:

• Brave and Maiden Cabernet Franc: A beautiful red that I will be serving at my barbecues this summer.
  

• A to Z Pinot Noir: If you’re into red wines during the summer like I am, I actually like serving this chilled during the hottest months of the year.
  

• Mailly Brut Reserve Grand Cru Champagne: You can pick this up at your nearest Total Wine. Anytime my friends have a housewarming or another occasion that calls for bubbly, I bring a bottle of this, and it never disappoints.

A Real Win and A Real L:

• Win: I’m going to be real with you — I have been quietly applying for full-time jobs for the past year. And I actually landed my first interview after a year of applying to various jobs. I completely understand that this doesn’t mean that I got the job, but I’m doing the biggest happy dance that I even got this far. This market is brutal.
  
  Also, to shoot my shot here, since you never know who’s reading: hi! I’m Alicia, and I’m actively applying to marketing jobs. Slide into my email or DMs if you think I might be a good fit.
  

• Loss: May was the last month that I’ll have a management team for my content creator work, and I’m mourning the loss of that. Being a full-time influencer has gotten hard. The market is incredibly oversaturated, social media burns me out quite a bit, and the rates I’m being offered are lower than ever (even lower than when I went full-time in 2016, which, yikes.)
  
  I decided to part ways with my manager since the level of inbounds I had just wasn’t quite there for me to warrant having a team anymore, but let’s set the record straight: my manager was absolutely fantastic at what they do.
  
  My last day with them is quickly approaching, and I’m going to miss them a lot. Hoping things pick up so that I can work with them yet again, but until then, I’ll need to be self-managed for the time being.

What I Wore on Repeat:

• This linen dress. I rented this dress via Nuuly, but I am 100% keeping it. It’s comfortable, cute, and I have gotten all the compliments in it. I got a medium, but it runs a bit oversized. For some reason, Farm Rio technically lists this as being a beach cover-up, but it’s not sheer, so I’m unsure why it’s described as such.
  

• The Coach Chelsea Bag. This bag is deceivingly roomy: I can fit a phone, wallet, keys, multiple lip glosses, and my pocket camera/vlog equipment in here as well. Plus, apparently, Bella Hadid wore the larger version of this bag to Cannes, so I guess owning this makes me a bit of an it girl rn!
  

• The J.Crew Lina Midi Dress. Probably have worn this dress too much, but it’s just a great piece to throw on and go. Plus, my weight is still fluctuating a bit, so the smocked bodice is very forgiving. I might have to grab this in navy. My only complaint is that it doesn’t have pockets, but I also have an insane handbag collection, so I can let that one go.

You Need to Watch:

(I was outside and struggled to keep up with TV this month!)

• Hacks. HBO has a way better show on right now that’s not Euphoria, and bruh, I had to give up on watching that. Season 3 was miserable.
  
  If you haven’t tuned into it, the final season of Hacks aired this past month, and it’s one of the most hilarious shows on TV, IMO. I still need to watch the series finale, but I’m so sad to say goodbye to this masterpiece!

Where I’m Headed Next:

I’m so excited that I planned a trip far enough in advance to include this, but I’m stoked to announce that I’m headed to Lodi in Northern California next. If you have recommendations, please drop them in the comments. This is, pretty much, the last big wine region in California that I have yet to visit, so I’m really excited to cross this off of my list and report back to you!

The Strait of Hormuz closure has been driving crude oil prices through the roof — and that’s rippling out into gas prices and airfare in a real way. Hot girl summer is officially on a budget. Boo.

On top of that, one of the country’s largest budget-friendly airlines couldn’t absorb the rising fuel costs and shut down, seemingly overnight. RIP, Spirit. We all had our jokes about the pricing model, but honestly? It’s a shame. Travel just became even less accessible for the average American.

I started blogging nearly 15 years ago and shifted to travel in 2017, when I went full-time. For a long time, domestic travel was my whole thing. Before the blog, I was working a 9-5 with barely any PTO, so I learned to squeeze a lot out of long weekends — hopping between cities without the added hassle of customs, passports, or visas for short trips.

I still love traveling the U.S. It’s massive, wildly diverse, and honestly endlessly interesting. Driving a couple of hours in California alone can take you from desert to redwoods to coastline. There’s so much here.

Which is exactly why it pains me to say: I don’t think domestic travel is really worth it this summer — at least not for most people.

Higher costs in the U.S. aren’t new, but they’ve gotten harder to ignore. Hotel rooms in a lot of cities routinely run $250 or more for anything decent. Food prices keep climbing. Groceries are rough. And cross-country flights out of the West Coast have been difficult to find under $500 for the past couple of years. My salary, meanwhile, has not kept pace with any of this.

I grew up with the assumption that international travel was always the more expensive option. That’s just... not the case right now.

My partner is Filipino (happy AAPI month, btw!!), and we’ve been loosely dreaming about a Philippines trip for a while now. One YouTube vlog about Boracay later, and my algorithm has been feeding us Filipino travel content ever since. Five-star hotels for under $150 a night. A casual dinner for two for under $15. A fancy one for under $100. A cosmopolitan capital, serene beaches, incredible nature, friendly people. It has everything.

The one downside I kept coming back to was the flight cost. And then I actually looked it up.

Roughly the same price as a cross-country domestic flight. To get halfway around the world.

I needed a minute after seeing that.

This is not sponsored in any way, but I’ve been using a service called Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) for about a year now to find international flight deals. You plug in up to five airports you’re willing to depart from, and they send deals straight to your inbox. Even with fuel costs up, I’m still getting around three alerts a day. The screenshot above was a mistake fare for the Philippines that landed in my inbox about a month ago. Those prices were genuinely unhinged.

If you want to sign up through my link, I do earn a small commission — but the newsletter itself is free. There’s also an optional premium tier if you want business class deals or points-based booking options.

As I write this, I’m actually en route to the Central Coast of California for a wine tasting trip, so clearly I haven’t written off domestic travel entirely. But going forward, I’ll be a lot more intentional about it — traveling domestically only when the costs actually make sense, and keeping an eye on flight deals for everywhere else.

Fingers crossed this Strait of Hormuz situation resolves soon, for all of our sakes.

I’ve wanted to write this article on numerous occasions.

I’ve gone out, spent months shooting photos at my favorite spots, and by the time I sat down to start drafting… at least one of my favorite wine bars had closed. (I’m still not over the loss of Melody, btw).

I love LA with all of my heart, but I won’t sugarcoat this: the city has gone through it over the past few years. From COVID to the writer/actor strikes to ICE protests and beyond, it’s genuinely tough for a small business to thrive here right now — which is exactly why I want to show them as much love as possible.

One small note about how I approach my LA guides: I don’t ask for, or accept, comped meals or tastings in LA. No preferential treatment. So if I recommend a spot, there’s no bias attached to it.

Anyway, let’s get into it. I’ll keep this list updated over time, so bookmark it.

My Favorite LA Wine Bars:

Tabula Rasa Bar (East Hollywood/Thai Town): A cozy neighborhood favorite with a genuinely curated wine list. The first time I visited, I was shocked to find Virginia wine from my favorite winery back home. The staff goes out of their way to source fun, unexpected bottles, and the vibe is immaculate.

Bar Covell (Los Feliz): A legendary spot if you're a wine enthusiast. It's small, intimate, ideal for date night, and the wine selection is kind of insane. Staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable.

Silverlake Wine (Silver Lake): The Thursday Night Tastings are a vibe. At the time of writing, they’re $20/person with no reservation needed — just show up, discover new wines, and enjoy. If you fall in love with a bottle, you get 10% off if you want to take one home.

Lolo Wine Bar (East Hollywood): For the friends who want an Instagrammable wine spot — nothing wrong with that. Low-intervention wine and small plates in a super cute, European-feeling space.

Western Station (Eagle Rock): I've been spending a lot of time in Eagle Rock lately (or NELA, as they're trying to rebrand it), and this part of town is full of gems. Western Station is my latest obsession — I may or may not have been there five times in the past couple of months. The wine list rotates frequently, and they have a solid selection of reasonably priced bottles to take home.

Augustine Wine Bar (Sherman Oaks): For my Valley friends, this one's for you. They pour rare, vintage bottles by the glass, so if you're looking for something truly special, this is the spot.

Wally’s (Santa Monica/Beverly Hills): There’s a good chance you’ve already heard of this one, but it’s 100% worth it. Massive wine list, and surprisingly, the bottle prices aren’t overly marked up. If I’m on the West Side and want to grab a glass with a friend, this is where I take them.

Monopole by WineRx (Pasadena): A Latina-owned wine shop and bar that offers bottles from around the world. If you’re a huge wine nerd like I am, visit on blind tasting nights — if you guess the wines correctly, you’ll win a free tasting (and if not, you’ll have a lot of fun regardless!)

If you’ve followed me for a minute, you might know that I am kind of obsessed with all things Formula 1.

If you were to tell 2019 Alicia that she would be deeply invested in autosport, she wouldn’t have believed you. But, dear reader: for a lot of reasons, being a fan of F1 just makes sense.

Let’s backtrack. How did I, a fashion and wine lover, end up getting into Formula 1 of all things?

The year was 2020, and we were all stuck in the house. My boyfriend, who is very much into all things automotive, suggested we watch a show on Netflix called Drive to Survive.

I hesitated at first. At that point in my life, I rolled my eyes at the thought of NASCAR — the racing series I was most accustomed to growing up in the U.S. Why would I watch a show about men driving in a circle?

And then he said these words: “It has hot guys, with European accents, driving fast cars.”

SOLD. Say less. I’m tuned in.

Reader, I quickly became obsessed. And I won’t lie — some of the drivers are easy on the eyes — but that wasn’t my favorite part about the sport. The drama. The technology. The emotions. It all clicked for me.

Here are some of the reasons why I love Formula 1 — and just in time, because F1 is back from F1 is back from an unintentional break, and the Miami Grand Prix is this weekend!

It’s easier to follow than you think

11 teams, 22 drivers. That’s it. Compare that to keeping track of an entire NFL or NBA roster and suddenly F1 feels very manageable. Once you learn a few names, you’re in.

And yes — if an annoying fan-bro quizzes me on whether I can name five drivers, I can actually name every single one on the grid. But that should never be a prerequisite to being a fan.

The drama never stops — even when there’s no race

During the off-season (and even between races), there’s something called Silly Season — when drivers and teams start shuffling contracts, dropping hints, and making moves. Case in point: when Lewis Hamilton announced he was leaving Mercedes for Ferrari, my F1 group chat practically melted down. It’s a soap opera with horsepower.

It’s genuinely bougie

LVMH is a major partner. Races happen in Monaco, Singapore, Baku, Monza, and beyond. Champagne gets sprayed on the podium. The aesthetic of this sport was made for us.

Also, yes — my group chat fantasizes about watching the Monaco GP from a yacht on a fairly regular basis.

The locations are a travel lover’s dream

Even if you never attend a race, the F1 calendar reads like a luxury travel bucket list. And if you do go — I’ve been to the Las Vegas Grand Prix three years in a row and can confirm it’s one of the most fun weekends of the year. Expensive, but an absolute hoot.

I haven’t made it to the Montreal Grand Prix yet, but it’s one of the best food cities in North America, so it’s firmly on my dream GP list. Singapore is also very high on my radar.

The F1 girlie era is in full swing

Between F1 Academy, women-led podcasts, and a growing community of female fans, there has never been a better time to get into this sport. You will not be alone out here.

Let me briefly introduce you to Suzie Wolff: former driver, current Managing Director of F1 Academy, and someone actively working to get the first woman into Formula 1 — which, by the way, is technically a coed sport. You can catch F1 Academy races at select GPs this season, including the Montreal Grand Prix later in May.

As for podcasts, I really love Two Girls One Formula and Girls Just Wanna F1.

P.S. — I have a little group chat for the girls, gays, and theys for all things F1. Send me a DM on Instagram if you want in!

This headline is going to make me sound like a certified hater, but first and foremost: I’m not writing this to discourage you from visiting the Nation’s Capital. If anything, I’m writing this so you can have the best possible trip to D.C.

So, let’s back it up a bit. Alicia, why are you telling us to skip the Cherry Blossom Festival?

I grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and have been to a handful of Cherry Blossom festivals. Admittedly, as a local, it was a nightmare to try to go into the city during this time of year, but I’m not here to yuck on anyone’s yum. The Cherry Blossoms are beautiful. Iconic. Timeless.

But would I recommend planning a trip to see them? For most people, the answer is no. However, there are a few exceptions to the rule, and I’ll get to all of that in a bit.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but the first reason why I’d advise against planning a trip around the Cherry Blossoms is D.C.’s weather. If you’re not from the Mid-Atlantic, you might not realize that winter and spring are absolutely insane seasons for the District. It might be 60 degrees in February, it might snow in April. Nothing makes sense, and the climate seems to be getting more and more unpredictable with each passing year.

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And that unpredictability makes peak-bloom predictions basically a guessing game every year. Warm weather speeds up blossom growth, and early-season freezes can damage the blossoms — or even turn them brown.

Also, the blossoms are at their peak for just a few days, so if you need to plan a trip in advance? The likelihood that you’ll be in the city during peak bloom is, well, low.

Unless you can drop everything and head to the District with a few days’ notice, I’d skip it and visit in the fall — my personal favorite time to visit the city. The Tidal Basin is stunning with fall foliage, and incredibly less crowded. Summer is miserably humid, and winter is unpredictable, but fall? Fall is an incredible time to visit.

I would only recommend visiting for the peak Cherry Blossom bloom under these conditions:

1. You live close enough to D.C. that you can drive or take the train to the city on one week’s notice.

2. Know that a late-season frost can damage or delay the blossoms — and be ready to pivot your plans entirely.

3. You get to the Tidal Basin at the crack of dawn. Not a minute later, if you want to get the shot for the ‘gram.

And pretty please: do not think about driving to the actual Tidal Basin itself. Take public transit. There is zero parking near the blossoms!

It’s been seven months since I started taking a GLP-1, and y’all…I have a lot of thoughts.

(ICYMI: check out my last update!)

Wow — I’m very overdue for an update here (time flies!), but let’s get into the good, the bad, and my honest experience so far.

So, How Much Weight Have You Lost?

Let’s cut to the chase: I’m currently down 35 lbs. I started at 194 lbs, and I’m now sitting at 159 lbs. Honestly? I’m thrilled.

While BMI isn’t the most accurate measure of health (I was classified as “obese” before starting the medication, which feels a little ridiculous in retrospect), I’m now back in a healthy weight range.

And just to address the elephant in the room: there’s a huge misconception that people take these drugs to become stick-thin. That couldn’t be further from the truth, at least for me. I still have my curves, and I never started this journey with the goal of being a size two again.

What’s Changed?

While on a GLP-1, I get bloodwork done every three months, and my recent labs brought some really exciting news: I’m no longer insulin-resistant, and I’m no longer prediabetic. That’s a massive win.

My joints have also felt a million times better. I’m flat-footed, and when I gained weight, it was really hard on my hips and knees — I was constantly prone to leg injuries. Now that I’m down 35 pounds (and taking my podiatrist’s footwear recommendations seriously!), standing and walking long distances feels so much more manageable.

The Bad: Muscle Atrophy

Okay, this one is partially on me — but one real downside I’ve experienced is muscle atrophy.

Truthfully, I wasn’t in great physical shape before starting the medication. My foot issues made working out without injuring myself pretty difficult, and hitting the recommended 100+ grams of protein a day has been genuinely tough in my current living situation. I tried a barre class last fall, a few months into my GLP-1 journey, and even though I’d taken barre before, my muscles felt absolutely terrible afterward. I was honestly scared to go back — I’ve never felt that bad after an exercise class in my life.

I’m not a fan of feeling weak, and I’m ready to change that. I’ve signed up for a gym, and I’m meeting with a personal trainer to start slow and rebuild my strength properly. Having a professional in my corner feels a lot safer given my injury history!

My Dosage

My Zepbound dosage was originally set to increase over time, which is pretty typical for a GLP-1, but I ended up losing 35 pounds on the lowest prescribed dose (2.5mg). That’s not the norm, but everyone’s body is different, and my doctor decided there was no reason to increase it given my results.

I’m currently in a maintenance phase, still on the lowest dose. My weight loss has plateaued a bit — I lost the bulk of it by January, and over the last couple of months I’ve only dropped a pound or two. Which is totally fine, honestly, because I’m only a few pounds away from my target weight of 155 lbs.

My Relationship With Food

When I first started Zepbound, I noticed some strong aversions to certain foods. It would take me forever to finish an iced coffee, some wines tasted completely off, and as someone who never really had a sweet tooth to begin with, I found myself avoiding sweets entirely.

Those aversions have mellowed out over time — thank goodness, because wine and iced coffee are personal passions of mine. That said, I’ve learned to listen to my body and practice real moderation. For example, on my upcoming trip to Sonoma in a couple of weeks, I’ll definitely be tasting and spitting my wine, since having more than two glasses in one sitting is genuinely difficult for me now.

Common Misconceptions

I want to say this clearly: people who take GLP-1s are not destined to become rail-thin. My main goal was to address my prediabetes and insulin resistance — and I’ve done that. I’m still curvy and feeling great, just at a healthier weight for my body. This isn’t the smallest I’ve ever been, and that was never the point. I feel like the healthiest version of myself, comfortably wearing a size 6/8, which is exactly where I want to be.

My weight may still fluctuate over time, but it’s so much easier to manage now that my insulin resistance is gone.

Have you tried a GLP-1? Any questions for me? Drop them in the comments — I’d love to hear from you!

I’m celebrating five years in Los Angeles this summer, and what better way to mark the occasion than to potentially start a small riot on the internet?

The idea of writing a “Best Restaurants in LA” post has been intimidating, to say the least. Los Angeles is massive. I am one person. But here’s the thing: I get countless DMs asking where to eat when people visit, and at some point, you just have to hit publish on the article that’s been living in your Notes app for literal years.

So… here we are.

Before we get into the list, I want to address why this post lives behind a paywall. Long story short: the LA restaurant scene has been through it. Between COVID, the Actors’ and Writers’ strikes, and the wildfires of 2025, it’s been incredibly difficult to keep a restaurant open — let alone thriving.

Even though many local restaurants invite me to dine for free as an influencer, I usually decline. I pass on trade opportunities for a lot of reasons, but two stand out:

First, there’s always an expectation of coverage in exchange for the “free” meal. Over the years, I’ve earned your trust — despite being an influencer — and I take that seriously. I would much rather leave no review than write a lukewarm one. And yes, it has gotten awkward in the past when I’ve had a mid experience at a restaurant I couldn’t genuinely recommend.

Second, I like going in as a normal person. I want to see what the service is like, what the energy feels like, and how a place treats people when they don’t know who you are. Even though I technically fall under the influencer umbrella (a term I still hate, TBH), I’m absolutely not recognizable in a city like LA — so yes, I get treated like a full-blown normie.

Restaurants need support now more than ever, especially here. So I’ll keep trying new places, tipping generously, and writing about the ones I love — on my own terms.

That’s where you come in. If you subscribe, you’re helping support this very noble quest of finding the best eats (and drinks!) in the City of Angels. I’ll be updating this post over time, so bookmark it for your next LA trip — future you will be grateful.

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Alicia’s Top 5: The “Non-Negotiables”

If you only have one weekend in LA, these five spots define the city’s current culinary soul:

1. Holbox (DTLA-adjacent): Truly magnificent. This isn’t just a meal — it’s an education in Yucatecan seafood. Bright, acidic, deeply flavorful, and somehow still comforting. The scallop aguachile is a religious experience, and I don’t say that lightly.

2. Bavel (Arts District): When people ask me what my favorite restaurant in LA is, this is the first answer out of my mouth. Celebrating? Bavel. Sad? Bavel. Random Tuesday where you want to feel something? Also Bavel. You can show up in a gown or jeans and a t-shirt and feel equally at home. It’s loud, lush, transportive — and the duck ‘nduja hummus may actually change your life.

3. Sonoratown (DTLA/Mid-City): Proof that a hole-in-the-wall can out-flavor a white-tablecloth restaurant. TBH, I usually order Sonoratown for delivery and haven’t even set foot inside — the space is tiny. Grab it to-go or order it to your hotel and prepare to rethink what a flour tortilla can be.

4. Betsey (Altadena): My current WOW spot. Yes, it’s a trek, but it is absolutely worth the drive. Altadena was one of the communities most impacted by the wildfires, so seeing this vibrant, joyful restaurant thriving feels especially meaningful. The food is thoughtful, seasonal, and exciting — and yes, you might spot a celebrity or two while you’re there.

5. Uovo (Santa Monica/Various): Okay, okay — it’s a local chain (from the Sugarfish team), but the consistency is unmatched. Fresh pasta handmade in Italy and flown in daily? It hits every single time. Maybe a “basic” pick, but a reliable one. Get a tasting menu — the Cheese & Truffle is a personal favorite.

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I got inspired to write this post after seeing Grace Atwood’s latest post about cutting out Amazon (and losing a staggering amount of money in the process). Good on you, Grace!

As an influencer who has been heavily conditioned to link to Amazon, this feels wild to say, but I canceled my Amazon Prime subscription last month.

No, I’m not expecting a cookie. And no, I don't have a superiority complex about this either: I don’t judge anyone who has a Prime subscription or shops on Amazon regularly. I understand that there are many benefits to using Amazon: lightning-fast shipping, nationwide availability, and the ability to shop with some of my favorite small businesses. It’s a brilliant business model!

But year after year, I became increasingly disgusted with Jeff Bezos. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the wedding in Venice. I knew after that I wasn’t going to renew my Prime subscription when it was up in January. And, with the recent layoffs at The Washington Post, I am, very much so, on a mission to try not to make Jeff Bezos any richer.

And, I know, I know — I use products that benefit billionaires every day. I earn quite a bit of income using Meta products, and I’m sitting here typing this post on my MacBook Air. However, I live in a major city, I have a lot of small businesses in my area that I can support, and if I can limit my shopping with just one company with a crappy CEO? It’s better than nothing, okay?

I also have to preface this by saying that my partner still has an Amazon Prime subscription, so our household isn’t a no-Amazon family by any means. However, now that I don’t have my own Prime account and shipping now A. takes forever, and/or B. is no longer free, it’s made me really think about what I need to buy, vs. what I want to buy.

And oh boy, this has been one of the best financial decisions I’ve made in a while.

Have I asked my partner to order some things on Amazon using his Prime subscription in the past month? Yes. Guilty! But now that I have to ask him to use his account to make purchases, I’ve really cut out the frivolous ones.

Last year, I remember going to an event and seeing a pink, rhinestone-encrusted pill organizer. I was mesmerized by it. I pulled it up on my Amazon account. It was only $10 — how cute would this be?

And then, I remembered that I already have three pill organizers in my home. Three! Why do I need a fourth? And yes, all the pill organizers I own were indeed purchased on Amazon.

I’m an influencer who follows a zillion other influencers, and I’m also easily swayed by recommendations from my internet besties. I'd say I see about 20-30 Amazon recommendations a day just by flipping through my Instagram Stories. I’m not saying that you have to stop shopping influencer picks altogether, but it was just too easy to buy the little recommended items on Amazon that were $10, $15, $20, and would arrive the next day — and it was also very easy to forget that all of those little purchases do, indeed, add up over time.

In the past month, the only things I’ve asked my partner to buy on Amazon for me have been camera equipment I needed ASAP and a charging cable, since I left my cable on my last flight.

Essentials. Who would have thought?

My partner is a professional photographer, so he doesn’t blink an eye when I ask him for equipment or cables. However, a sparkly pill box? Yeah, he would probably judge me a little bit for that. And, you know what? I’m not going to ask him for those things, because life is too short to be shamed, okay?

As I’m weaning off Amazon, I’m also trying to retrain my brain to be patient, plan ahead, and discover more small businesses that offer what I need so I can pick things up in person (and support my local community). Books? Either get them on Bookshop.org, or go to one of the many cool, minority-owned bookshops near me. Camera equipment? If I’m not traveling, there is a cool camera store in town with really friendly employees. Black hair care products? Plan for extra shipping time and order directly on their website. Sparkly pill organizers? Girl, if you don’t skip it and save your $10.

I am completely aware that most folks in the U.S. don’t live in major cities and might not be able to avoid big-box retailers. And you know what? We’re not going to judge them. Additionally, from an accessibility standpoint, Amazon offers a great solution for many consumers. I am an able-bodied woman who’s able to walk, drive a car, and I happen to live in proximity to small(er) businesses, but that isn’t the case for the rest of the country. There’s no need to get on a high horse and judge anyone who uses the service, because it is pretty brilliant. And a gamechanger!

However, after this month without a Prime subscription, I think I can safely say that I can ditch the grip that Amazon has had on me for the past 10+ years and walk away.

Does this feel pretty sacrilegious as an influencer? Absolutely. I have stopped shopping at the “big three” over the past couple of years (Target, Walmart, and now, Amazon). If you’re not an influencer, let me fill you in: affiliate networks heavily promote these three brands and often offer incentives to link to these retailers and even run flat-rate campaigns.

Have I lost a lot of money by not linking to these brands over the past couple of years? 100%! Do you know how much bank those Amazon girlies make year after year? My fault for trying to be authentic, I guess. I’m bad at capitalism!

Anyway, what are your honest thoughts on cutting out big-box retailers? Effective? Not so much? Is it something you want to try? Let me know in the comments!

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The year was 2020. We were all stuck in the house — going a little stir-crazy, probably adding another tie-dye sweatsuit to our collection.

And then something happened that none of us could ignore: George Floyd was murdered, in cold blood, by the police.

The video, as horrific as it was, made its rounds on social media. We were all inside. We didn’t have much else to distract us. No one in their right mind could look away.

The Black Lives Matter movement didn’t begin in 2020. And George Floyd’s murder wasn’t the first time a law enforcement officer abused their power. But it was the first time the movement garnered overwhelming support from millions of non-Black people. “Non-Black people,” being the keyword here.

Fast forward to January 2026, and Minneapolis is still at the center of the same conversation — only this time, ICE is arguably more brazen. More bold. More in your face. And instead of only Black bodies being on the line, they’re going after anyone and everyone — regardless of what you look like.

Posting as normal as an influencer during times like this is, honestly, kind of diabolical.

But also? In my opinion, the idea of shaming other influencers for “staying quiet” can be problematic, too.

Let me back up here.

I think there are two ways to see this.

First: influencers — yes, the people you roll your eyes at on the internet — are still real people on the other side of the screen. And everything that’s happening right now is, to some extent, traumatizing for all of us. Interpreting silence as apathy isn’t always the correct take. Sometimes people are processing. Sometimes they’re scared. Sometimes they’re exhausted. Sometimes they’re frozen.

While using your platform to stand up to injustice is admirable, sometimes, as a human, you’re left speechless in the face of tragedy. And that’s okay. I don’t think shaming people for “staying silent” is the way to go — and there’s no prize for being the first to address something.

The very first time I posted an anti-ICE story, a family member of mine — coming from a place of love and concern— suggested I take it down. And you know what? That concern is 100% valid.

Very recently, people have been vilified for the most neutral (at best) takes. I know for a fact I’ve lost brand deals by “talking politics.” And at the end of the day, I am a person of color who has experienced discrimination in this country my entire life.

So, if you’re expecting Black and Brown influencers to put their bodies on the line? That expectation is a bit out of pocket. And if you’re thinking about sliding into someone’s DMs to accuse them of not doing enough, might I suggest you refrain. Take that energy and do something good with it.

When the Amplify Black Voices movement took over social media in 2020, I was overwhelmed as a Black influencer.

I had been speaking up about diversity and inclusion for a while — before it was trendy, and when there was a very real risk of backlash from brands. A lot of Black influencers did. But a lot of us went ignored. Underpaid. Undervalued.

Until the BLM movement nearly six years ago.

In 2020, my mentions were flooded. For the first time, I was recognized for the years of work I put into my blog. I had opportunities with dream brands. I was able to share my style and travel work, but also put my heart on the line by talking about what it was like growing up as a Black woman in the U.S.

People listened for the first time. They shared. And after years of feeling like my blog was stagnant, I finally felt like I could grow and reach my potential.

Except… those big influencers who recommended me as a Black blogger to follow? Half of them unfollowed me. A lot of them never talked to me again after 2021. And most haven’t amplified my work in years.

Black influencers have consistently used their platforms to speak out — and yet we often have smaller followings than our peers. On top of that, it’s no longer trendy to amplify Black voices. I’ve struggled to grow my platform ever since, despite staying authentic the entire time.

And it’s not just influencers. Black women have made our voices heard overwhelmingly — we’ve been clear, consistent, and vocal about what’s at stake in this country. We campaign. We organize. We show up. We’ve been trying to warn people.

Black women are tired. And candidly? Sometimes it feels like I’m shouting at a wall.

Now — here’s the other truth.

There are influencers who don’t care enough about ICE. And honestly? That’s exactly why you should carefully audit who you follow — and make it a point to add more diverse voices to your feed.

Let’s think critically: posting lighthearted content is the norm for influencers, sure. But are you really expecting the girl who’s constantly posting Target and Amazon hauls to be the voice you turn to during tough times? The influencer who “doesn’t want to get political,” after all these tumultuous years in the United States? The creator who didn’t say a peep during the last three presidential elections?

No.

And expecting them to suddenly do something now? You’re wasting your time, my friend.

Assess the privilege of the creators you’re following. This isn’t one-size-fits-all. You can extend grace to creators who may be dealing with the ramifications of current events behind the scenes — and you can also quietly unfollow those who genuinely seem apathetic, and whose morals don’t align with yours.

If you’re feeling helpless, start here.

If I can influence you to do anything, let me encourage you to do two things.

1. Call your reps to defund ICE. Here’s a budget breakdown and specific scripts to use from Emily In Your Phone.
   

2. Support the folks of Minnesota. If you’re able to donate, here is a comprehensive list of organizations in Minnesota to support.

P.S. — wishing you peace and joy during this heavy week. Take it easy.

Is it awkward to slide in here with an incredibly belated Happy New Year?

Hi. It’s so nice to be back on Substack. Life has been well… life-ing, and I have an explanation for the radio silence at the end of this post. But in the meantime, hi! Let’s catch up.

What I’ve Worn Lately

• Lots of Baublebar Bracelets. Candidly, these were gifted, but they often go on sale for $10/each, so I’ve been adding plenty more to my collection. (From top to bottom: One, Two, Three, Four)
  

• This Cozy Simon Miller Sweater Dress. Which is currently on sale! It’s stretchy, and runs TTS in my opinion.
  

• Prints and Color, Because I’m Tired of Beige Everything. I took a temporary job over the holidays that required me to wear all black, nearly every day, and I hated that. This cardigan and skirt are on sale right now.
  

• Farm Rio, Because I’m Basically Their Unpaid Ambassador. This sweater works with mini skirts in 75-degree LA weather, and also with jeans or trousers if you’re in a colder part of the world right now.

Places of Note

• Tom has been shooting a project for Eater in LA over the past couple of weeks, and I’ve gotten to tag along and visit some of the best restaurants in LA (perks of dating a food photographer!).
  
  Betsy in Altadena was a highlight for me, and I can’t wait to visit again (make a reservation in advance — they’re packed). Carlitos Gardel in West Hollywood might be one of the best steakhouses I’ve ever visited in my life. And for a casual taco spot, Evil Cooks is worth the trip to the east side.
  

• We took an impromptu trip to Palm Springs, which is always a vibe, and I still can’t get enough of Boozehounds. Great staff, good food, insane views, and it’s dog-friendly.
  

• I just landed in Delray Beach, Florida, and the boutique shopping here is next level. Unfortunately for my bank account, I’ve stumbled upon Morely, which has the maximalist selection of my dreams. Simon Miller, Farm Rio, MISA Los Angeles, Staud, and more…all under one roof. They have a few locations in South Florida, and one in Bethesda for my DC girlies.

As Promised, A Life Update

Not to be dramatic, but 2025 was easily the worst year of my life.

Okay, that sounded very extreme. Was there some good that came out of it? Sure. But most of the year? Throw it in the trash. Part of me is relieved that 2025 is over, and I might be stupid, but I’m cautiously optimistic that 2026 will be better after what I’ve experienced these past 12 months.

Now, I can’t really dive into everything that happened last year, but I kept one major life change from the internet hidden:

Read more

And speaking of shoes — I’ve never really had the best collection because, honestly, a lot of them make me uncomfortable. But I’m committed to stepping up my game this fall now that I know better, and I’m bringing you along with me.

P.S. — ICYMI, here’s what’s new-ish:

• Opening up about being a former Token Black Girl (probably one of the most personal essays I’ve written on here!)

• An update on how my GLP-1 journey is going.

• A mini guide on how to spend an afternoon in Downtown Los Angeles. You can also check out a more in-depth guide here!

• If you’re going to the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix this year, here’s everything you need to know (P.S. — say hi if you see me!)

Listen: I love shoe trends. As a teenager in the early 2000s, I tried them all—ballet flats, Converse, my mom’s heels from the eighties. I couldn’t get enough. Then I moved to a big city for college and realized I couldn’t walk long distances in any of my trendy shoes. But I was stubborn and refused to learn about arch support. I endured it for a long time (for fashion!), but by my late twenties, I started developing plantar fasciitis from all the shoes I'd worn over the years. Over time, I also lost hip strength, developed some knee misalignment, and sustained many preventable foot injuries. Now that ballet flats are back with a vengeance and I know they’ll only cause pain, here are some cute shoe options for my fellow stylish women with flat feet. 

Sorry to Tell You This, But Orthotic Inserts Are Your BFF

And surprisingly, my podiatrist strongly advised me to skip the expensive, custom orthotics and opt for a brand available over the counter.

The insoles he recommended were the Superfeet All-Purpose Support High Arch Insoles. I need to replace these every 2-3 months, depending on my walking activity. The product includes instructions for trimming the insole to fit you perfectly.

Instead of using the insole that comes with my sneakers, I switch them out for this one. I use these insoles mainly for casual shoes and always shop in-store for the best gym or running shoes (honestly, having someone to fit you in real life really helps to ensure you’re getting the right arch support for these shoes!).

Sneakers Are Forever

If there's one shoe trend I’m happy to follow, it’s the sneaker trend. One style I’m really loving right now is the adidas Handball Spezial sneakers. The jewel tones of these shoes look gorgeous for fall and winter, and since everything in stores is beige right now, they provide a much-needed pop of color for an outfit.

I got the Maroon and Cream sneakers, and they match my wardrobe perfectly. IMO, maroon is just a warmer shade of brown, so it works for nearly everyone and many outfits.

I definitely need to put my custom insoles in these shoes, and they fit pretty true to size — if you’re between sizes, go for the smaller one.

Birkenstocks Are (Really Cool) Now

I never thought I’d become such a die-hard Birkenstock girl, but here I am.

This isn’t a groundbreaking discovery — but it’s a consistently good brand. I’m excited that they’re back in style right now because they’re one of the few brands that make sandals or clogs I can wear all day. For all my girlies with narrow feet, they also offer suitable width options — and it’s been almost impossible to find narrow shoes in the past decade.

For a bit more flair, choose their Big Buckle styles. I also plan to ask for a Shearling style for the holidays this year!

Trust a Low Heel

If I’m not wearing sneakers or Birks, then I’ll opt for something with a low heel. Preferably a block heel, but a stiletto heel doesn’t seem to bother me as much if it’s less than 2 inches. I’m stoked that it’s boot season —you can find tons of options that fit the bill!

My biggest tip with any shoe? Make sure the toe box is wide enough for your feet. If your toes are jammed up in any shoe, it will be uncomfortable, no matter what.

If you want to stay on trend this season, here are my picks:

• A fun animal print bootie.

• This boot with western accents.

• Flared block heels add a bit of drama.

• Waterproof boots are a winter essential.

An Alternative to the Ballet Flat

Over the years, I have had some success with low-heeled Mary Janes. The key is having straps across the shoe so you can insert an orthotic that stays in place.

I bought a pair of Tory Burch Mary Janes at a sample sale about 7 or 8 years ago, and they remain a classic, comfortable staple in my closet. They were perfect for work, and they’re also very stylish this season. Pair these with fun socks this fall and during the holiday season.

Not every Mary Jane will work for you and your body, but here are some adorable options to try: 

• Maeve Buckle Mary Janes

• Thelma II Platform Mary Jane Loafer

• Michaela Mary Jane Flat

Honestly, the main takeaway here is that orthotics are your friend. Your very best friend. If they fit in a shoe, stick with ‘em. Avoid shoes that are completely flat —they will wreck you. Also, if you’re able, strengthen your calves, hips, and glutes to help prevent additional pain.

Until next time,

Alicia

This is a personal essay I’ve wanted to write for a while. I tried writing it in my early 20s, but I didn’t have the words to accurately convey my thoughts—and honestly, it wasn’t received that well.

But this has been weighing on my heart, so here we go.

I’m a former Token Black Girl.

And I know what you’re probably thinking: why on earth was I trying to associate myself with whiteness anyway? Well, it wasn’t really something I chose—it was assigned to me, something I never asked for.

Let’s back it up.

I was born and lived in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Baltimore until I was five years old. At that age, I didn’t really grasp the concept of race. I was an overly outgoing child who wanted to talk to anybody and everybody. As much as people talk about Baltimore being dangerous in the nineties, ironically, it’s always been a place where I felt like I could be myself. A safe space.

When my parents split up, my mom and I moved to Northern Virginia (aka the DC suburbs), which is diverse in its own right. However, we ended up being the only Black family in our cul-de-sac, and there were maybe one to three other Black kids in my elementary school classes.

At five years old, once my mom parked her car in our new driveway, I was eager to introduce myself to the neighbors. My first friend was a like-minded blonde girl across the street. We became fast friends. I felt invincible.

Then I walked over to the next house. Their kids were half white, half Korean. I enthusiastically introduced myself, and they just looked at me in disgust. Then came the phrase that still haunts me to this day:

“Sorry. We don’t play with Black kids.”

That sentence ruined my childhood. It was the first time I learned about race—and the first time I felt like a second-class citizen because of the color of my skin.

My mom, who is a minister, also raised me in a very specific way. I could express myself through my outfits, but I was never to be “too loud.” I wasn’t allowed to wear braids or other ethnic hairstyles to job interviews. I was taught to avoid slang and AAVE; we didn’t speak it in the house. Heck, she wouldn’t even let me say the word “ain’t,” because it wasn’t “proper English.” And I always, always had to be well-mannered.

These weren’t necessarily things she saw as “white,” but rather as the way to present myself to the world in the best possible light.

(I know—some of these concepts are a bit dated now, but we’re talking about life in the nineties!)

Growing up, I definitely made my fair share of mistakes, but my mom held me to a high standard—something I thank her for now.

In middle school, I floated between groups and always had, let’s say, a very curated collection of friends. I wasn’t into cliques, but I had plenty of people I’d hang out with one-on-one. In eighth grade, I had a hunch I’d be a great speaker, so I signed up to do the morning announcements. It was a blast—a fun way to use up all my extrovert energy.

After a few weeks of holding the school’s attention from 7:47 to 7:55 AM, the bullying began.

“You talk like a white girl.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that over the years. I was baffled. How could I talk “white”? How could I dress “white”? There was no way to hide my Blackness. But apparently, I didn’t “act” like a Black person.

Admittedly, most of that bullying came from other Black girls. They started rumors about me. The main girl leading the crusade once came up to me while I had a broken wrist, grabbed my “good” arm, and tried to break that one too—in the middle of gym class. They would repeatedly threaten to jump me between periods. For weeks, I’d stay with a teacher until the hallways were clear before heading to my next class.

I was an outgoing girl, but this made me feel small. It made me feel like something was deeply wrong with me.

So I became reclusive. I grew afraid to talk to other Black people. Based on a few bad apples, I thought I couldn’t fit in with any Black folks—they might hate my voice, my clothes, or the indie rock playlist I’d downloaded off Limewire.

At that point, my friend groups had always looked like the United Colors of Benetton. My direct neighborhood wasn’t that diverse, but the rest of the city was. Still, I started second-guessing myself whenever I talked to people of my own race.

For a while, I ended up being the “Token Black Girl” in various friend groups.

In college, I joined a predominantly white sorority. There were a couple of girls who were half Black and a few Indian baddies, but that was about it. My sorority experience was mainly good, and I still admire a lot of the women I met.

But sometimes, when I lived in the sorority house, I’d come back from winter break with braids, or my natural hair, or a wig—and people would oddly want to pet my hair and feel the texture. I went along with it because I was a people pleaser. In the year of our Lord, 2025, I know better. And you should too.

Did I feel fully understood in those mostly white spaces? Not really. I experienced years of microaggressions and some truly racist behavior. Obama was president, and some people dismissed my feelings because “racism was over” (LOL). I love my college friends dearly, but I never felt like I 100% fit in—even though everyone in Greek life knew who I was.

After two and a half years, the college I was going to became too expensive, and I had to, somewhat abruptly, transfer to a state school. I ended up at Virginia Commonwealth University — which, in hindsight, was a blessing.

VCU is incredibly diverse — when I attended, about 50% of students were minorities. I reconnected with old high school friends, got to establish myself, and by that point, no one had made fun of my voice or music taste in years. My confidence started to come back. I was finally in a place where there were so many Black students from all sorts of backgrounds and cities, and I slowly but surely started to find my people. My United Colors of Benetton friend group was being rebuilt.

Today, I’m based in Los Angeles, and I couldn’t feel more comfortable with my friends. My circle still includes people from all backgrounds, but the Black women I’ve met here are remarkable and kind. They’ve really held me together over the past five years.

And despite my golden retriever approach to friendship, I’ve learned to set boundaries.

Being Black is a huge part of my identity, and I can only consider you a friend if you’re actively anti-racist. Finding out how some people voted in the past decade—and seeing how they showed up (or didn’t) in times of injustice—really made me think about people’s morals.

No, I don’t “talk like a white girl.” Answer me this: what is a person of color supposed to sound like nowadays? Yeah, that’s what I thought. There’s no logical answer to that question.

Having a support system of Black women is essential for me. For a long time, I went without it, and I’m so happy I’ve found my people over time. Being a Black woman is beautiful, but it’s also tough. We’re not always “strong,” despite constantly being depicted that way. Sometimes we need a little help to get by. And a lot of us just want to live a soft life.

If you look at some of my TikToks, plenty of people comment on my voiceovers and say I sound like a “Valley Girl,” which is basically the PC way of saying I sound like a white woman. But I’ve been bullied for this for over 20 years now, and I’m not going to make myself small or dull my shine for anyone. I’ve done it for way too long and probably missed out on a lot of friendships because of it.

This is who I am. Take it or leave it.

Last month, I shared that, with the guidance of my doctor, I opted to start taking GLP-1 (you can read all about it here). TW: This post is going to talk about weight loss, so if you’re not in the space to read this content, I’ll see you next post!

Here are my candid impressions of Zepbound — the GLP-1 I’ve been taking.

Weight Loss So Far

To date, I have lost 9.4 pounds since I started this journey. However, I need to share a disclaimer here: I was hospitalized during this period and for a portion of my stay, I was on a clear liquids diet. I also skipped a dose when I was in the hospital, so my results are a bit skewed.

I only expected to lose about 4-6 pounds/month based on my lifestyle, so I’m really curious to see how much I’ll lose in the next month. I highly doubt I’ll lose that much weight this time around!

Side Effects

After the first dose, I felt like I had the flu the next day. I had body aches, my legs were a bit restless, and the fatigue was overwhelming. Since then, I haven’t had many issues with body aches, but I tend to have two recurring symptoms (and a few symptoms that may or may not be attributed to the medication):

• Fatigue. I honestly struggled to stay awake the first week I was on the medication. But there’s an easy fix for this: be more active. When I start to feel tired, I go for a walk in my neighborhood, and I instantly feel more energized. In a way, this medication encourages you to stay active and avoid being sedentary, which is a miracle in its own right, because having major depression has really messed up my excercise schedule.
  

• Loss of Appetite. I know, I know — this side effect sounds pretty attractive, right? Sometimes, my appetite loss is too much, though, and I don’t get any signals from my brain that it’s time to eat. I have nutrition goals that I need to meet, and a minimum amount of calories I need to eat daily. Skipping meals will not only make you feel worse over time but also won’t help you lose weight effectively.
  

• Possible side effects: Upset Stomach, Headaches, and Hair Loss. We all know that hot girls have IBS, so I would have had a tummy ache with or without the meds. I also have scarring alopecia, and I’ve been losing hair without the meds, and I don’t particularly notice it getting any worse since I started. Lastly, I did have some migraines the first week I took the medicine, but now I’m back to my regular schedule of getting headaches when the barometric pressure changes. I don’t think I can blame the GLP-1 for these since I had these issues before taking the meds!

Ozempic (Zepbound?) Butt

I regret to inform you that I have lost a considerable amount of weight in my butt, already. Is it as flat as a pancake? No. But sadly, thats the part of my body that decided to peace out first during this process. And no, I’m not that thrilled about it!

Muscle mass is a concern with GLP-1s, and my goal is to start back up with weight training again. My workout of choice is Pilates, but Pilates alone won’t get that tone I’m looking for.

Lifestyle Changes

This medication has forced me, in a way, to make big lifestyle changes. Since I don’t have much of an appetite, I have to avoid empty calories and really focus on eating enough protein and fiber. I’m still trying to find the right amount of balance here, because I’ve resorted to some protein bars to get a jump start on nutrition each morning, but they don’t taste that great, IMO. I recently started ordering Factor meals again and that has been a huge help — their high protien options are delicious and balanced.

I’ll echo this sentiment as well: getting some sort of movement is essential when taking a GLP-1. If I don’t at the very least get a walk in every day, I will be super tired throughout the day, and it’s hard to be productive. It’s honestly a great push to get off the couch and touch grass, or get to the gym.

There are also some food items that no longer work for me. It takes a century for me to finish an iced coffee (tragic, I know). I can’t really consume more than 1-2 glasses of wine in most settings. I never really had a sweet tooth, but especially now, I feel more empowered to skip dessert without any pressue. It’s kind of wild how this has changed so many of my old eating habits.

Overall Thoughts

Candidly, my mental health and lack of motivation has taken a toll on my health, and I’m really thankful to have a medication that can boost my metabolism and incentivises me to be active and eat healthier. There’s definitely a misconception that a GLP-1 is a “cheat code,” but if you aren’t putting the work in to change your diet or workout, you’re not going to see results.

And don’t get me wrong: I love coffee and wine, but it’s not a bad thing to consume these two things in moderation. Crazy how this medication somehow keeps me away from foods that might not be the best for my health in the long run.

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Ozempic has been majorly vilified for the past couple of years. Any time your favorite celebrity loses weight, the comment sections of the internet love to “accuse” them of being on it. For a while, it seemed to be a cheat code to lose a lot of weight quickly.

Ozempic was in such high demand from late 2022 until earlier this year that the FDA declared a drug shortage. Was it true? Was everyone losing weight through these drugs? Were people flying to Mexico to obtain this without a prescription? Were these people taking away resources from folks who had diabetes?

Public perceptions and gossip turned me off the idea of ever using a GLP-1. But also, over the past few years, I have gained weight pretty rapidly, despite eating relatively healthy at home. You know this struggle, ladies, but my boyfriend lost a lot of weight, while I gained weight after eating the healthy meals we made. Men are annoying!

Earlier this year, I knew, for health reasons, that I wanted to lose a bit of weight. I have flat feet and plantar fasciitis, and the extra weight I was carrying started to cause a lot of foot pain and alignment issues. I never envisioned being a size two again, but I just wanted to drop enough weight so I felt comfortable again.

I’m not going to lie and say that I also wasn’t a little self-conscious putting on a lot of weight at a rapid pace, and also being an “internet person” (I feel weird calling myself an influencer, but I have been chronically online ever since my mom got us dial-up internet in the year of our lord 2000. I built my very first website at the age of 10, 2 weeks after getting internet at home). I am expected to photograph myself for content regularly, and yeah, it's clear how my body has changed over the years.

I had the opportunity to get bloodwork done earlier this year with Hone Health. I saw they had weight loss supplements, and I wanted to get a doctor’s opinion on whether those would be right for me. It's been tough for me to lose weight, regardless of my diet or exercise routine, and I've found myself in a cycle of working out, misaligning due to my flat feet, injuring myself, taking a break, and then struggling to get back into a routine.

The bloodwork revealed I had a fair amount of insulin resistance, and the doctor said I had prediabetes.

Woah. Prediabetes??? FYI, having this means that I am more likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes, and am at greater risk for heart disease and strokes.

I already am living with a rare, hereditary blood disorder, asthma, and I had my spleen removed when I was 8, so it is harder for my body to fight off infections. Plus, I have major depressive disorder and anxiety. I really didn’t want to add another health condition to the mix because, honestly, it’s tough to get my life together most days with all that going on.

The doctor suggested that I start a GLP-1 and offered a prescription for Zepbound. I asked her a lot of questions, because I was very wary about it. Am I taking away resources from people who need this more than I do? What are the side effects? Will I end up with a sad Ozempic butt?

In my mind, for the longest time, GLPs didn’t seem like an option for me. However, the doctor explained it to me, and it didn’t seem that bad. I held on to that prescription for a month, trying to decide if I should fill it or not. I asked my close friends on Instagram, spoke to IRL friends who have taken the drug, and obviously, found the Zepbound subreddit to see real people’s experiences with the drug.

After speaking to loved ones and digging deep into that subreddit, I realized that this is a drug that can drastically improve one’s quality of life. If you have health issues that make it harder to lose weight, and you’re in a place where losing weight would be beneficial for your health, why not just take it?

No, this isn’t a “shortcut” — this is only going to work if I maintain good diet and exercise habits. The wellness industry loves to shame folks who somehow can’t lose weight through diet and exercise alone. A lot of factors contribute to weight loss and weight gain, including your environment and genetics. This also isn’t a drug that I’ll have to take for the rest of my life, either.

One last thing I had to consider here is backlash from my online audience. I was worried about what they were going to think, especially since I’m someone who has championed body positivity for years.

Will I make people mad by doing this? Will they be disappointed and unfollow me? Will I seem phony and like a fraud?

Listen — I have nothing against my current body. If I need to go up a size, I’ll do it. As my curves have developed over the years, I have found silhouettes and brands that I look bomb in (if you’re wondering why I wear so much Farm Rio — they know how to accentuate your curves!) I am proud that my body has gotten me to this point.

But at this point, I have to take care of myself. If people unfollow me for taking care of my health, so be it — I can’t please everyone.

And, IMO, the most body-positive thing you can do for yourself? Well, that’s taking care of your body.

I struggle with how, or if, I want to document my Zepbound journey online. Could it help others? Probably. Do I owe anyone that content? Not really. But I did want to be upfront and honest before going on this journey, because transparency is something I value.