As a shock to no one, I’ve gotten a somewhat drastic haircut and am making it my entire personality. I will not apologize for this, as you all should’ve seen it coming, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Oh, and of course the fun didn’t stop with the bob, it was only just the beginning. Lots of other epic things went down this week. Let’s get into it.

What I’m doing:

Because of my extended edition of the blog last week, I had to omit a very important event for the sake of space: Maura’s birthday! As I’m sure many of you know, for the past 3 years, my roommate Maura’s birthday has been my Super Bowl. Last year’s bash was a particularly spectacular one, as we hired an at-home Hibachi chef to turn our backyard into our own personal Benihana. This year, as Maura and I joked, was a rebuilding year. With the third piece of our puzzle (Josie) out of town for the Big Day, the lack of time for planning due to our recent move, and our friends from our DC era scattered across the country, we knew we couldn’t go as big as we typically would.

Despite setting the bar pretty low, I was actually pleasantly surprised with how the night turned out. We invited a few of our new friends to come hang out on our back patio, eat some cake, and hit the town. Although many of our guests had never met each other, by the end of the pregame we were all yapping so much that we almost forgot to go to the bar. I made sure to embarrass Maura just enough with a group rendition of “Happy Birthday” and some homemade decorations featuring her baby pictures. A rebuilding year, sure, but a really wholesome and successful one at that.

Following the celebration weekend, I spent most of my time getting back into my work-from-home routine — waking up at the crack of dawn, working until mid afternoon, walking to UPS or the post office to ship crochet bags to their loving owners, going to the gym, enjoying my gorgeous surroundings, avoiding my steaming hot apartment as much as possible, and getting in bed no later than 9 PM. You know me: I’m a creature who thrives on routine, arguably to a potentially toxic degree, but that’s a story for another day. All that to say, this week was a strong one, and I look forward to another hopefully just like it.

The theme of this week was hard resetting post-visitors. I cooked most meals from home (although a subsequent section of this blog will make it seem like that was not the case whatsoever), got back in the gym, and tried to regulate my sleep schedule as much as possible. But, unlike my usual reset routine, I decided to take things a step further with two things I’ve been meaning to do: cut off my crunchy, damaged hair and pay a visit to a sauna / cold plunge situation I’ve had on my list to investigate (you know, for journalistic purposes).

Let’s start with the main event, the return of the bob. For weeks now, I’ve been unhappy with my hair, constantly crunching my straw-like ends between my fingers, making a futile effort to repair the damage with masks and conditioning treatments, and throwing my hair in a messy bun because nothing I did seemed to make it look how I wanted it to. The voices in the back of my mind telling me to chop it off seemed to have reached a volume I could no longer ignore in recent days, so I decided to stop asking for everyone else’s opinion and just do what I knew I wanted to do: bring back my bob. Yes, it’s annoying to grow out, and sometimes can be a pain to style, but I refuse to carry around a mop of dead tresses any longer. Lucious mermaid locks, be damned. It’s going to be a short hair girl fall.

For my San Diego-based subscribers, I went to Belli Belli salon in Crown Point, and was super impressed by their attentiveness, assortment of snacks and drinks, and of course my fabulous haircut. I genuinely feel 20 pounds lighter and like I can take over the world. Give a girl a good chop and she can do anything.

To continue on the wellness reset theme, on Saturday morning I finally decided to check out Riffs in Bird Rock: a yoga studio with a lovely wellness area out back, complete with a sauna, a few cold plunges, and a red-light therapy panel. I paid $40 for a “wellness session” which entitled me to hop between the amenities as I pleased for an hour. When I showed up, I was provided with a small towel and sent on my merry way. At first, I’ll admit that I wasn’t entirely impressed — the “casita” (locker room) where the sauna, red light, changing rooms, and cubbies were located kind of smelled like feet, and the operation was honestly pretty bare-bones. However, after a few rounds of trying all the features, I left feeling incredible and could totally see myself going back as a special treat every few weeks. The garden all around the cold plunges was stunning, there were very few people there, and I found the whole experience super relaxing once I let myself get into it. Lord knows, I needed an hour (mostly) away from my phone.

The rest of the weekend was spent showing the bob the sights and introducing her to some key players: dinner in Ocean Beach with Liv (former DC bestie turned frequent visitor from LA); craft day at Calumet park with my new DIY-oriented friends organized by my wonderful neighbor, Kate; All You Can Eat dumplings and a rather lively night out in Encinitas with the new SD squad; and the following morning spent working and blogging (sorry to break the fourth wall) at the Barista Botanist while sweating out mass amounts of MSG. Now that she’s been properly socialized, I can stop making my haircut my whole personality. I promise I’ll try, starting tomorrow.

What I’m consuming (food):

After a week or so of eating mostly restaurant meals, my body and soul were definitely craving some simple whole foods. As I typically default to when unsure of what to cook, I whipped up a big batch of breaded chicken cutlets and served them with some big salads. I know salad doesn’t really excite most people, but I recently discovered a hack that’s got me hooked. Before I chop up all my ingredients (by the way, I’ve been on the no-lettuce wave since far before any kind of parasitic diarrhea scare), I slice up a shallot as thin as I can manage and marinate it in whatever dressing I’m using. By the time I’m ready to dress the salad, all the juices have softened the sharp shallot flavor while infusing the dressing with onion-y goodness. I’m telling you, huge game changer. Just trust a girl who loves her veggies.

Regardless of my wellness week, I still visited my fair share of establishments that were not my own kitchen. I found (and revisited) some serious bangers this week. Highlights include:

• Rocky’s, Crown Point: Their burger is quickly becoming my favorite in all of Pacific Beach. Rocky’s is primarily a dive bar, and their food menu is limited to only burgers and fries. There’s nothing trendy about it — it’s not a smash burger, it’s not wagyu, it’s just a regular cheeseburger that tastes like it was grilled in the backyard at a pool party (but better). Hits every time.

• Mission Baja Taco, Mission Beach: We found this spot by accident while on an post-work walk. Their crispy beef taco was my favorite taco I’ve had here so far, their combo with rice and beans was both delicious and economically sound, and their salsa bar reminded me of Señor Salsa in Fairfield, CT (real ones know). Their owner / manager was so attentive and made our impromptu experience really memorable.

• Elvira, Ocean Beach: We’d seen this place on TikTok a few times before we decided to take matters into our own hands. The restaurant was gorgeous and designed impeccably, but usually with these viral places, I am skeptical of the hype and the trendy interiors doing the heavy lifting. I couldn’t have been happier to be proven wrong — the food and drinks were absolutely delicious. Elvira deserves their flowers. My favorite dishes were the fried eggplant sticks and the fondue for dessert.

• Dumpling Bar, Encinitas: This was QUITE the experience. My friends and I took the hike to the Dumpling Bar to try out their all-you-can-eat experience. Like all AYCE situations, we started out strong and quickly overdid it. Despite the excessive volume, there were hardly any dishes that I wasn’t obsessed with. A huge highlight were the wontons in chili oil and the scallion noodles with fried pork chop. I would definitely go back, but I’m not sure any of my friends would.

Another quick but very important plug in the food and beverage department: my favorite vendor at the PB farmer’s market is back after a three-week hiatus. As I’ve definitely mentioned before, I go to the market every Tuesday for a deli-container cherry limeade from Local Lemon and a week’s worth of cucumbers from a local farm I like. For the past few weeks, Local Lemon’s owner hasn’t been able to sell in PB due to car troubles, and he has finally returned. Chatting with him and obviously enjoying a giant limeade has seriously become a huge highlight of my week, so I’m thrilled to have them back.

What I’m buying and wearing:

By my own twisted standards, I’ve been conservative with my spending this week. I bought some new undies from Gap because they were on sale and my collection could use a refresh, but other than that, I’ve kept it pretty chill.

I also haven’t been wearing anything too crazy other than the usual activewear for my reset week. I now have a new lease on life because of my bob, so I look forward to seeing how that influences my usual style in the coming weeks. This week’s outfit diary is below.

What I’m consuming (media):

Guys, I formally apologize that for the past significant amount of time, all I’ve had to talk about in this section is Summer House. I promise, I’m going as fast as I can. I’m pleased to report that I have made it to the end of season 9, and should likely be done and ready to debrief by the next time we touch base. Feel free to noodle on what our household should watch when we are finished.

Also, I did a first listen of the new Charli XCX and Strokes albums, but I need another session before I’m ready to form any definitive opinions. I know I’m late to the party here, but give me some grace, please! I’m a busy girl.

What I’m thinking about:

Between Maura’s birthday, craft group, the AYCE dumpling situation, and some wholesome hangs in between, I’m feeling extremely grateful for how welcoming and wonderful my new friends in San Diego have been. As an adult, making friends can be a very weird, uncomfortable, and isolating experience, but I’ve been fortunate enough to have great luck in all the new cities I’ve moved to over the years. The fact that we were able to gather enough people for a little birthday party within a few weeks of moving here speaks to how open and friendly the new people in our lives are, and it makes me very happy. I know it all sounds cheesy, but let me have this one.

Meeting these fabulous new people has really helped make the West Coast feel like home, and I can’t wait to see how this year continues to shake out. That is all for now!

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As always, thanks for sticking with me! See you all in the next one <3

Hello, b-roll readers! I promise I haven’t gone anywhere, I was just entertaining my family on their first visit (since I’ve lived here) to San Diego. Don’t worry — I’ve spent my brief blog sabbatical gathering precious intel for this week’s post. We’d better get started.

What I’m doing:

Last Friday, my parents flew out from Connecticut to stay with me. Naturally, they pulled up to my apartment in their rental car with an entire suitcase full of a random variety of gummy candies from Homegoods in addition to their personals (as my roommate, Maura, pointed out: no DNA test needed).

After unloading the gummies into the fridge (trust me on this one), a quick house tour, and much needed snack, our week of fun and adventure began. First on the itinerary was a walk around the neighborhood to show the ‘rents what my daily life is like. I showed them beautiful Law Street Beach, Crystal Pier, and everything in between (all places they exclaimed gleefully that they recognized from FaceTime). Mom and Dad did just the right amount of ooo-ing and ahhh-ing to show me they were truly excited about my new digs, which meant the world to me. Any San Diego resentment those two had previously harbored seemed to have evaporated by the time we stepped back into my apartment.

For our first night, the three of us had a lovely dinner at Enoteca Adriano, a spot I can already tell I’ll be visiting regularly. The food totally hit the spot, the atmosphere was perfect, and the reservation was early enough that no one fell asleep at the table due to jetlag. After dinner, we stopped to watch a gorgeous sunset at the beach before returning home to watch Law & Order on the couch (and for my mom to order 7 different varieties of fans on Amazon due to the lack of air conditioning).

The rest of the trip was a rinse and repeat of long walks, trips to the beach, trying new restaurants, you know the drill. Because my parents were also here to visit my mom’s best friend, Melissa, who stays in Carlsbad in the summers, we also spent a good amount of time exploring some parts of North County I haven’t had the chance to check out yet. I definitely need to spend some more time in Del Mar and Encinitas, despite the comfort of my PB bubble.

Highlights included a dinner in La Jolla followed by a trip to show my visitors the sea lions in the cove (which my mom fell in love with and wanted to bring home to cuddle in bed, while my dad couldn’t stand their stench), an outdoor Steely Dan cover band concert in Del Mar at sunset (I had to leave early because of my strict 9 PM bedtime), a trip to the exciting but somewhat ethically dubious Del Mar Racetrack (horse racing is definitely more my dad’s thing than it is mine), and a wonderfully short Torrey Pines hike followed by a trip to the Glider Port (my mom declared she would never, under no uncertain terms, hang glide, but was mesmerized by those who chose to partake in the dangerous activity).

Once again, I am reminded that I have the best parents in all the land, and I’m the luckiest daughter around. If it wasn’t already abundantly clear, we had a fantastic visit, and I’m sure the next one is not too far off.

What I’m consuming (food):

Of course, with visitors in town, the hope of any kind of healthy eating or home cooking essentially went out the window. With this, here’s a non-exhaustive list of all the restaurants I patronized while my family was in town:

• Second Nature, PB: Reliable lunch spot with a fantastic Diet Coke and chicken caesar wrap. Can’t go wrong here.

• Enoteca Adriano, PB: We got a repeat customer! Delicious Italian food and wonderful, chill atmosphere. Quickly becoming my favorite restaurant around here.

• Wayfarer, Bird Rock: Again, not my first rodeo… best pastries and baked confections I’ve encountered in San Diego. Oh white cheddar tomato tile, my beloved, you will always be famous.

• La Dolce Vita, La Jolla: Very solid Italian food, but kind of a strange location in an outdoor mall of sorts? Probably wouldn’t go out of my way to go back, but it was easy to get a reservation.

• Pacific Coast Grill, Cardiff: This spot is known for its panoramic ocean views, and it definitely delivered. Anywhere I can get a paper bag full of BBQ ribs is somewhere I will return.

• Mauritzio’s, Encinitas: The third Italian spot of the week, but I really like this one! They have a create-your-own pasta situation which is a little overwhelming, but everything is so fresh and delicious.

• Diego’s Street Tacos, North PB: Simple, delicious, quick, easy. Enough said.

• Starvin Marvin’s, North PB: FIRE sandwiches and a very cute spot. We did takeout, but I’d love to sit and work there someday.

• Beeside Balcony, La Jolla: We chose this place last minute to celebrate Maura’s birthday, and it certainly didn’t disappoint! Sunset views, fantastic food, and left me wondering how we were able to get a ressy so late in the game.

Luckily for me, my parents took me grocery shopping before they left (thanks guys), so I’ll be back to whipping up some healthy eats in no time.

What I’m consuming (media):

If there’s one thing I can rely on when I’m with my parents, it’s a Law & Order SVU and couch nap combo. We spent any downtime we had in the schedule catching up with our oldest and dearest friends, Benson and Stabler.

Also, although I came in around 18 years late, I am a new fan of Sons of Anarchy, which my parents have been watching without me and refused to miss out on while staying under my roof. Don’t worry, they caught me up on the entire first season (full of some major plot twists) in all of about 90 seconds before dropping me off at the beginning of season two. I just might keep watching to keep up with the guys in the Club — I find myself wondering what hijinks they’ll get into next. If you haven’t watched yet (it came out in 2008, so frankly you’ve had plenty of time), perhaps consider it.

What I’m buying + wearing:

After my last few months on a complete shopping bender, I’ve been trying to do a little bit less in the spending department, but my parents did buy me a few things while they were here (shopping is a generational hobby we all share). One such purchase was a very cute top I got in Encinitas which I wore to Maura’s birthday dinner. I can already tell it’s going to become a staple.

And while we’re on the topic of what I’ve been wearing, I had a few major outfit hits during this visit, as well as some minor flops. To give some examples, I really loved what I wore to the Del Mar track from a visual perspective, but the combination of a slick back pony, a choker, and a halter neckline almost took me out. I couldn’t help but act weird and off-putting towards everyone around me because of the sensory nightmare happening on and around my head. I experienced a similar ordeal when I tried to wear a bandana in my hair to dinner one night. But alas, if you’re too afraid to flop, you’ll never fly. I’m always learning new things about myself. This week’s outfit diary is below.

What I’m thinking about:

Lately, my mind has been swimming about two things that I thought were totally unrelated, but now that I’m putting pen to paper (fingertip to keyboard), I can’t help but think the two may be inextricably linked.

The first is the dating culture of my generation, specifically when it comes to the apps. This is something I find myself thinking about a lot as a single girl in my (mid-to-late, dare I say) twenties. I don’t talk about it often in this blog for a few reasons: 1) I don’t think I have anything hugely novel to contribute on the topic; 2) I’m in the same position as so many other people my age; and 3) the whole topic honestly kind of brings me down. However, when my mom insisted on seeing the clientele on my Hinge and was equal parts amused (in the same way you’d be amused at a horrible American Idol audition) and appalled, it really got me thinking.

Ever since I got on the apps however many years ago (5? 6?), I’ve been on maybe 15 dates ranging from just okay to really, really bad. I’ve collected some funny stories, had some brief bursts of excitement, and made a friend or two, but overall, I would not say my experience has netted positive. Now, please understand I don’t say any of this to inspire pity. I know just from being a twenty-something on the internet that I’m far from alone, in fact I may be in the majority. I have no doubt many of you readers will relate to this line of thinking.

Every time I share my Hinge on the TV for friends or family to have a good laugh, it goes from fun and light-hearted to depressing pretty quickly once it dawns on everyone that the dating pool is irreparably broken with no timeline or recourse for repair. So, after a few too many of these darkly humorous viewing parties, I have decided to permanently delete my accounts on all the dating apps. Alert the media. Yes, I know lots of people who have found success, and I am genuinely happy for them (I swear). But for me, it’s causing a lot of negative feelings that I just don’t have room for in my cool, fun new California life. Maybe I’ll change my tune someday, but for now, I’m taking an indefinite break.

The other thing I’ve been thinking about, almost non stop, is cutting my hair. I am now convinced that this is partially related to my war on dating apps and my desire to rebrand a little, but also due to the fact that my hair more closely resembles straw than luscious locks now that I live in a city with hard water. I feel like I’m both in a transformative time in my life, and in need of a healthy trim. I cannot promise I won’t go back to the Bob of 2023 at my upcoming appointment, even though I told everyone in my life never to let me make a change that drastic ever again. As per usual, watch the space.

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I honestly can’t believe even 5 people read this newsletter. As always, thanks for sticking with me <3 I’ll catch you in the next one!

What’s that? Did you hear something? Is it the wind? A ghost? Your inner monologue? Could it be… the b-roll is back?

Yes, the rumors are true, and the theatrics are warranted. After a brief hiatus and a cross-country move, your favorite microinfluencer is back on Substack. There’s much to catch up on, so shall we get started?

What I’m doing:

In the weeks that have passed since our last meeting (6? 8? 12?? Who’s counting?), I’ve said goodbye to my whole D.C. ecosystem, and traded it in for perhaps the polar opposite life in San Diego. The last span of time in the District was emotionally-fraught, jam-packed, and fun-filled: a fitting ending to a four-year chapter that marked the beginning of my real adulthood. Highlights included a backyard party with a live performance by our favorite DC band (shoutout the Early Days), trying lots of new restaurants and frequenting tried-and-true favorites, and spending every waking moment with my chosen family. Dozens of card games were played, a pod was packed and sent across the country, a few tears were shed. Countless long hugs were had in our empty living room, once a space that held so much laughter and thousands of dollars worth of takeout. As corny as it sounds, leaving felt like the series finale “Friends”.

Despite all the emotional goodbyes, I did not head directly to the West Coast — I made a quick pit stop in Tybee Island, Georgia to celebrate my cousin, India, the bride! Technically, I actually lived in Tybee for the duration of the bachelorette trip, given I showed up with three suitcases full of my last house’s remnants. The trip included so much quality cousin time (your cousins are whoever you want them to be, by the way), a boat tour excursion led by Tybee’s famous Jacob Elordi look-alike (Jacob Allaboardi), toe rings and other foot jewelry (good practice for my impending move), and a scavenger hunt to end all scavenger hunts. Oh, and hot dogs galore. Sisters of the bride Camille and Franny did just the most fabulous job. And, if the bachelorette is any kind of preview, I simply can’t wait for the wedding.

Finally, the update I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for: the move. After months of planning and endless discussion, I along with my two roommates and best friends, Maura and Josie, moved to sunny San Diego. We live in a cute little apartment by the beach, already full of all the mementos we carefully packed and shipped across the country. We quickly but intentionally furnished the place via FaceBook Marketplace, and in no time, it felt like home.

Living here has been a welcome change of pace. While D.C. had a super career-driven, work-hard-play-hard vibe, San Diego is almost the exact opposite. The people here don’t care what you do for work, and everyone’s in bed by 10 after spending all day in the sun. Most nights, I’m actually asleep well before that, as I’ve continued to work East Coast hours remotely. In our month or so of living here, we’ve felt so welcomed — we’ve been able to make a few great friends so far in our neighbors and mutuals, and everyone here has been incredibly friendly. I myself am making a concerted effort to be more sociable in public, which I’ve found easier to do when the weather is perfect every day and I get to look at the ocean whenever I want.

I’d be remiss not to mention that between all the packing and the traveling, I somehow managed to pick up a hobby that has completely captured my heart and the joints in my hands: crochet (*cue the collective eyeroll at me picking up yet another hobby*).

What started as something I saved on TikTok under my “things I want to make” folder has turned into a complete obsession. After one week, once I had made three purses for myself, I decided it was time to start a small business (*cue second collective eyeroll at me starting another business*) to sustain my yarn purchases. That, ladies and gentleman, is how Family Ties was born: handmade crochet inspired by the women I love most.

I could go on and on about this new venture, but perhaps it’s a story for next week. I’ve been talking your ear off already.

What I’m buying and wearing:

The amount I’ve been shopping is frankly embarrassing, and is starting to indicate a clear pattern of a complete lack of financial responsibility. Regardless, here’s a non-exhaustive list of my favorite things I’ve bought since we’ve last touched base. If I put it in the blog, and I can say it was all for journalistic purposes. Here goes:

• Oura Ring, Generation 5: I love this thing. It’s so low profile, and I got a huge discount on it due to battery life issues with my old one. I also bought these rubber covers for when I lift weights at the gym in an attempt to prevent scratching. So far, so good.

• Archie’s Flip Flops: Now that I’m living in flip flops, the arch support on these was very, very necessary. I can walk miles in these.

• Cyklar Brightening Deodorant: This stuff is seriously unreal. Its effects last for days at a time and the fragrance is delicious, a huge step up from my Salt and Stone that was giving nothing.

• The Ordinary Lash and Brow Serum: I had a botched brow wax a few weeks ago that launched me into the world of brow serums. Not only do I feel my brows are growing back faster and thicker, but my lashes (especially the bottom ones) look much fuller to me. I’m not wearing much makeup these days, so most of my effort goes into my brows and lashes.

• Vuori Daily Form Ankle Pant: These, I fear, are sold out, but I cannot stop wearing them. They’re the most flattering leggings I own.

• Baggu Pouches: I’m big on organizing all my belongings into a pouch ecosystem, and I can’t resist a Baggu pattern (I got the polka dot mix). The large pouch fits all my crochet stuff for protection at the beach, the medium fits my sunscreen and sun essentials, and the smallest is perfect for jumping from purse to purse.

In terms of what I’m wearing, the people of San Diego are quite effortless and casual. It’s been cool to wear all my favorite baggy clothes here and have it fit the vibe 99% of the time. I’m still figuring out my mirror situation here, so forgive the photos.

Also please note, it’s a crochet summer (duh), so here are some Family Ties classics out in the wild.

What I’m consuming (food):

Before I left D.C., I ate at restaurants like it was my job. Some of my favorites from that last month included:

• The Royal: Delicious latin-inspired breakfast and pastries with great bevs. I particularly enjoyed the berry matcha fizz. My only regret is not trying this place earlier.

  

• Buck’s Fishing and Camping: The prettiest, most aesthetic restaurant I’ve ever been to in my life, and I’m not exaggerating. The food was also insanely delicious. Next time I’m back in DC, this is where I’ll be eating.

  

• Republic Cantina: I was sold as soon as I was served a virgin bloody mary and a Mexican coke. Breakfast tacos were top tier.

  

• Bistrot Du Coin: Despite the heinous flourescent lighting, I loved the giant bistro vibe and the French Onion soup. Perfect spot for a birthday.

Obviously, as I do with any new city I’m in, I’m getting my bearings through food and fun beverages. I’ve been on the hunt to find the best matcha around here, and here’s what I’ve tried so far:

I’ve also been frequenting the Pacific Beach Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays, where every week I get a deli container of cherry limeade (one time I got mango) from Local Lemon (hands down my favorite vendor here, they are extremely friendly and I look forward to their drinks all week) and a $5 basket of cucumbers from a farm in Oceanside.

When it comes to restaurants, a few places have really stood out to me here:

• Enoteca Adriano: Classic, yummy Italian right in PB. Has a real family vibe and can tell there’s lots of regulars. Their Diet Coke was abysmal, but I’ll forgive them.

• Wayfarer Bread & Pastry: Ridiculous pastries and one of the best matcha lattes I’ve had in SD thus far. I am regularly dreaming of the tomato and white cheddar tile and the black forest cream bun. Dying to try their bread.

• Olive Cafe: Once every few weeks, I wake up craving pancakes, and these are the ones I want. Mission Beach is a little bit of a hike for me personally, but it’s worth it.

• Brites Soft Serve: Branded as “Low Cal” soft serve (the “guilt free” marketing is a little toxic), Brites froyo is so delicious and honestly pretty cheap. Wouldn’t be surprised if we found out one day it wasn’t actually under 100 calories in a David’s Protein Bar-style scandal, but I’d still eat it.

• Din Tai Fung: Living within delivery range of a Din Tai Fung is a life upgrade I didn’t even know was possible. Yes, it’s expensive, but if I’m looking to treat myself, getting a DTF cucumber salad and some dumplings dropped on my doorstep is quite a welcome luxury.

Since moving, I’ve actually been cooking a lot more than I usually would, but to be completely honest with you all, my homemade food has not been anything to write home about. I’ll share my kitchen creations when they are truly worth your time.

What I’m consuming (media):

Because I’m working east coast hours, I tend to need to be asleep (or close to it) no later than 8:45 PM, which has whittled my television watching down to almost nothing. Regardless, I’ve made it to season 8 of Summer House. I know I’m extremely behind, and it certainly has been weird watching couples like Kyle and Amanda and Carl and Lindsay hit major milestones all while knowing none of them are still together in the present day, but I’m nothing if not imaginative. I feel like the show is finally getting juicy, and hopefully I’ll get through the rest of the series before there’s more to watch. If anyone wants to chat about older seasons, you know where to find me.

In the literary world, I’ve finally dipped my toe into audiobooks on account of all the crocheting (I can’t turn pages while I’m working on something). I started with Lena Dunham’s Famesick, which is read by the author herself. It is a memoir all about her time making Girls and the projects that followed, her chronic illness, her struggle with addiction, her relationships, and how fame has shaped her life for better or for worse. As a huge fan of Lena’s, I really did enjoy this book, but at points, I felt she didn’t take enough accountability for her role in certain situations. I won’t go too far into detail to avoid spoilers, but I felt she used being sick or being high at times when she should’ve just apologized. Other than that, I loved learning more about her life and what she went through behind the scenes. In seeing the recent news of a split between her ex, Jack Antonoff, and his current wife Margaret Qualley, I’m convinced Lena is some sort of benevolent witch (or at the very least, a prophet).

After finishing Famesick, I listened to Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick, who happens to be one of my favorite podcasters and online creators. The book, which had been teased for many months before finally coming out in late May, is about a preschool teacher who is about to turn 30 and is determined to lose her virginity. The character of Phoebe is loosely based off of Brooke herself, while the supporting cast takes inspiration from some of her favorite celebrity crushes. My first impression of this book overall was really positive — my favorite part of it all was listening to it in Brooke’s voice. I thought the story was sweet, uplifting, and generally really pleasant. Once I sat with it a bit longer, though, I honestly didn’t find the writing to be all that amazing, and came to the conclusion that it had more of a YA fiction feel. Overall, I still liked it, but I think excellent press and Brooke’s loyal fans may have overhyped Phoebe.

What I’m thinking about:

If my younger self was told she’d be moving to California in her mid-twenties “just because,” I think she’d probably throw up. She was afraid to go to sleep away camp 45 minutes up the Merritt Parkway, let alone live across the country. I’m thinking a lot about how far she’s come.

I’m also feeling extremely lucky to have the job flexibility and the means to be able to make a big change like this, and with my best friends no less, solely on the basis of wanting to see what life is like in a totally different city. A lot of things had to go our way for this to come to fruition, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity.

On a more granular level, I’ve been thinking a lot about taking social media more seriously. Now that I’m in a completely new place, both physically and in life, I have so much I want to share. As much as I sometimes hate the internet, it really is the best forum for this. I’m starting by bringing back the Substack.

Oh and also, I need to spend less money. That’s a can I’ll kick down the road for now.

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As always, thank you for being here and for sticking with me! Now that we’re back, I’ll catch you next week :-)

Let’s be honest: the only DC girl who’s moodier than me this time of year is Mother Nature. Merely existing outside this week has felt like the atmospheric version of a sauna-and-cold-plunge combo. Very good for regulating the nervous system.

Despite her highs and lows, I’m making it work. Let’s get into it.

What I’m doing:

There are few things I like less than thinning the herd that is my immense closet, but with an impending cross-country move and the subliminal voices telling me that spring cleaning is upon us, I’ve decided I have no choice. My walk-in has had me far too spoiled for far too long. Enter my old friend Depop, a platform where I’ve spent a fair amount of time and money as a buyer, but never dipped my toe into the seller pool. Don’t worry, I’m here now, but my eyes are closed so I don’t accidentally encounter something I want to purchase.

I’ve been practicing radical levels of bravery and parting with some of my favorite pieces, but simply put, it’s time. If you’d like to shop in my closet, you can do so here. I’ll be posting more and more as I slowly chip away at my massive wardrobe.

Despite the spring-cleaning at home, for much of the week, the weather outside was reminiscent of deep summer. I celebrated by walking home from work multiple days in a row (about a mile and some change), and even though every day I came home sweaty and delirious, I did not learn my lesson. I was too excited by the warm weather to care about risking heat stroke.

Once the work week was over, I could focus on the real task at hand. This weekend marked the beginning of birthday celebrations for my dear roommate (and honorary sister), Josie. In this house, we celebrate birthdays for a minimum of five business days. The extravaganza began with a happy hour at Lucy on Friday night after work, which was supposed to be a casual, quick deal, but ended up as a table for 12 (classic). After a few hours and many multiple Aperol spritzes, we ubered our way over to Blagden Alley for some drinks at Calico and Lost and Found. A very typical and nostalgic pipeline for our (not so) little crew. Returning to our roots.

On Saturday, we started the day at one of Josie’s all-time favorites, the Colada Shop, for smoothies and empanadas. Of course, as has been the theme of our lives lately, we took a brief hiatus from our meal to quickly take a virtual tour of an apartment. It’s been bittersweet trying to enjoy our last few weeks in DC while looking forward to what’s coming next, but many of our friends are in a similar boat, so we can commiserate over the changing of the seasons, so to speak. The apartment was great, and while we all still very much enjoyed our fried breakfast confections, we needed to get home to submit our applications with a quickness.

That evening, Josie really wanted to take the ferry from the Wharf to Old Town Alexandria, which is something I’ve personally never done in my four years of living here. It’s one of those things that sounds like a drag in the moment, but ends up being lovely once you’re there, and you find yourself asking, “Why don’t we do this more often?”

We started our excursion at the Pier Bar, where we got a perfect table on the water in the sun, despite our large party and the gorgeous weather. It was there that I enjoyed a perfect combination of a crisp Diet Coke and a bag of Old Bay-flavored potato chips. As they say, when in Rome (on the Potomac). We then slowly moseyed our way through the quaint, tree-lined streets for a delicious Japanese dinner full of noodles and giggles. It only felt right to end the night with some ice cream and some sidewalk karaoke, at the special request of the birthday girl.

Finally, to round out a lovely DC weekend, we had the privilege of going over to our friend Gaby’s parents’ (Randi and Pat) house for dinner. The night’s itinerary included trying out Randi’s new just-add-water moist towelette gadget (she’s always got gizmos galore), scrumptious food, a full-fledged Port tasting, and, of course, a healthy amount of gossip. Randi, girl, if you’re reading this, thank you for always keeping it real and feeding us like princesses. We’re lucky to have you.

What I’m consuming (food):

After months upon months of travel and straying from routine, I’m finally officially back in the kitchen. On Monday, I had a serious craving to cook myself up something fancy, so I went with a ribeye. It was both much easier and much more affordable than I was expecting. I had never cooked steak on the stovetop before, but it came out perfectly, and I ate it for three days. Plus, I only triggered the fire alarm four times.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably heard me hemming and hawing about chia pudding all week. When I was in Mexico a few weeks ago, I had a chia pudding that really shifted my worldview on the breakfast food — it was so delicious that I was determined to try and recreate it at home. Unfortunately, my proteinmaxxing tendencies forced me to try and mess with perfection, and I made the grave mistake of adding Greek yogurt into the mix. Sorry to all my GY apologists, but that stuff is nasty. Of course, I initially made enough to feed a small village, so once I got through my botched batch, I was able to give it another go. Safe to say I think I nailed it. Recipe is below (~5 servings):

• 1 14 oz can reduced-fat coconut milk

• 1 cup soy milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/2 cup chia seeds

• Instructions: Whisk coconut milk, soy milk, vanilla, and syrup together. Add in chia seeds, whisk again. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, whisk again to make sure everything is combined evenly before refrigerating. It’ll keep in the fridge for around a week!

As mentioned earlier, other culinary highlights included Momo in Alexandria, where I had quite an excellent Chicken Katsu and Ramune marble soda (I will never not order one of these if I see it on the menu, original flavor only), and Randi’s Timballo, a dish I’d never tried before. According to Wikipedia and my own personal experience, Timballo is essentially a cake made of layers of pasta, meat, sauce, hard-boiled eggs, and veggies, encased in a pastry crust. Randi and Pat told us they were inspired to start making it after watching Big Night with Stanley Tucci — add to list!

What I’m consuming (media):

My birthday party last month really gave me the permission I didn’t know I needed to let my theater kid freak flag fly, and I’ve been fully immersing myself ever since. My Spotify Wrapped is completely screwed this year; it will undoubtedly be full of Glee covers and musical soundtracks.

The rabbit hole I’ve traveled down most recently is that of the 2025 West End production of Evita. The TikTok powers that be must’ve known I would want to be read in before Rachel Zegler won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as Eva Perón. I unassumingly scrolled into Rachel’s rendition of Rainbow High, and I’ve been hooked on her and the show ever since. My recent Wikipedia history includes Rachel Zegler, Evita (musical), Eva Perón, Juan Perón, Peronism, descamisados, need I go on? Needless to say, I didn’t envision myself learning this much about 1940s and 50s Argentina this week.

Imagine my surprise when just days later, Rachel won big at the Oliviers (the British equivalent of the Tonys). Incredibly well-deserved, and her speech was so humble and moving that I couldn’t help but cry for her (queue “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”). After all the crap she took during West Side Story and Snow White, I couldn’t be happier to see her getting her flowers and being appreciated as the shining star she really is.

In other media consumption, I watched the Nuremberg movie (in a way, slightly related to the whole 1940s Argentina thing) on my flight home from Mexico — a nice, light vacation watch. I was already locked in for the full two and a half hour film thinking it was partially fiction, only to find out after that it was almost an entirely true story. Of all the historical periods, I tend to be most fascinated by World War II, but just trust me on this one. No spoilers (although much of it happened in real life), but I highly recommend you give it a watch.

Last but not least, I have to briefly touch on The Pitt finale. Congratulations to Dr. Robby, Nurse Dana, and their day-shift crew for consistently stressing me the hell out for 15 consecutive weeks (or 15 hours, depending on how you’d like to look at it). The way the last few episodes had been careening towards chaos, I was expecting more of a massive bombshell, but as is customary with this show, it was much more of a subtle end to the season. It definitely left me with more questions than answers. What will become of Baby Jane Doe? Will Dr. Robby go on his sabbatical? Will Dr. Al-Hashimi keep her job? What will become of Javadi and Mohan? All I do know for certain is that I’ll cherish the Trinity and Mel karaoke scene through Season 3 and beyond.

What I’m buying:

Hopefully, over the next few weeks, my What I’m buying section will be non-existent as I attempt to save money for the big move, but this week I did make a few small, really, really useful and important purchases. Please see below:

• Ascics Gel Cumulus 16 Sneakers: I love a funky walking sneaker, okay? Sue me. This colorway was too good to pass up, and I had some extra money on my wellness subsidy from work, so these were technically free.

  

• Dairy Boy Sport (shorts, top): I’ve felt a very strong pull towards the vintage-inspired activewear look lately, and the DB Sport collection really nailed it in my opinion. After seeing approximately 20 videos about the collection, I decided to look into it a little deeper, and it turned out to be much cheaper than I expected, so I bought two pieces. It does, however, seem like FedEx may have misplaced my package, so I might get refunded for the whole deal anyway. If so, not meant to be.

What I’m wearing:

Despite the crazy temperature swings, I’ve been trying to embrace spring as much as possible and incorporate fun colors into my day-to-day. This is me trying.

What I’m thinking about:

My mind has been mainly consumed with all things moving. The amount of time my roommates and I have spent scouring Zillow, harassing leasing agents through all channels, attending awkward virtual tours, and trying to do the mental gymnastics of getting ourselves and our essentials across the country is staggering. And speaking of essentials, I’m having the same revelation I have every time I move, which is that I’m a sick woman who consumes far too much when it comes to clothing. I need to do better. Anywho.

I’m looking forward to one last DC spring, spending the next few weeks with the people and places that have treated me kindly these past four years. My only goal is to soak it all in, leave nothing on the table, and make a few more memories in the district. And you, dear readers, will be there for every step!

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As always, thanks for sticking with me, and I’ll see you in the next one <3

I write to you freshly back from the wedding of the century, and boy, will it be hard to top. I don’t think I can ever go to a wedding again, so if you’re reading this, either refrain from getting married or do not invite me (India Seldin, you are hereby exempt).

We'd better get into it.

What I’m doing:

Under the tropical breezes of Riviera Maya, Mexico, I spent the weekend with my loved ones, celebrating the marriage of Luke and Chiara. Luke is one of those friends who is like a cousin — our parents met when we were in the same kindergarten class, and before long, our families were vacation buddies, spending school breaks and holidays in Aruba together every year. 20 years later, I found myself at his wedding. One day, we’re sneaking piña coladas at the timeshare happy hour pretending to be the legal Aruban drinking age, and the next, I’m wiping away tears listening to Luke and Chiara’s vows. Time seriously flies.

I’ve been to a few family weddings in my day, but this was the first of my friends. I remain steadfast in my belief that they were a child bride and groom (26 years old), but spending a weekend in the tropics with my family and some of my closest friends was enough to help me move past it. If you follow me on Instagram, then you probably already know that this whole weekend was incredibly gorgeous, ridiculously fun, and certainly unforgettable. But, in case you missed it, let’s recap.

From the very start of the wedding weekend, everything was beautifully detailed and well-thought-out. My parents, my friend Natalie, and I flew in from Boston, and when we arrived in Cancún, we were greeted by a team waiting to take us to the hotel with a cooler full of Connor-branded Coronas. A pretty stellar way to set the stage, if you ask me. Once we arrived on the resort grounds, we drove through an abundant jungle to reach where we’d actually be staying. The hotel itself was amazing, of course, complete with lush landscaping, inviting swimming pools, and perfect-looking loungers at every turn, but what really set this spot apart was the service. It was reminiscent of the first few episodes of a season of The White Lotus, before the real murder mystery starts to unfold and everything goes to shit. As soon as we stepped into the lobby, we were met with our own personal liaison for the weekend, Omar, who greeted us dressed in white robes with a welcome drink in one hand and incense made from local tree sap in the other. The only thing missing was Jennifer Coolidge and an HBO film crew.

The level of personalized service meant our every need was anticipated: clothes were pressed and steamed ahead of every event, anything left out was neatly arranged, every time we came back to the room, there was a new treat on the bedside table, and even our chargers were wrapped up and secured with a leather toggle. Whenever we ventured to the beach or the pool, a staff member was there to make sure everything was set up perfectly, and we had anything we needed. I’ve never experienced anything like this, and I’m not sure I will ever again, but nevertheless, I am extremely grateful.

On the first night, we attended the welcome party, which was complete with a mariachi band, a DJ accompanied by live instruments, a donkey serving tequila, and a bevy of different food stands, all under fun and festive decorations. No detail was spared. I couldn’t have enjoyed myself more bopping around from taco to quesadilla to nacho to churro with my friends and my rents.

Friday had almost triple the programming in store, with a Vegas-reminiscent pool party during the day, a sit-down dinner and wedding-eve party at night, and some Masters viewing events in between. Though it would be difficult to choose a favorite part of the weekend, I think Friday night might’ve been it. For the party, the bride’s family hired a performer from their favorite dueling piano bar in Orlando to do a two-hour set on the beach. All around the stage, they had set up tables, chairs, couches, and snacks for all the guests to sit and sing along. As you readers well know, there’s nothing I love more than singing at the top of my lungs to live music. To get to do that with my loved ones on a Mexican beach? Pinch me. And, to top it all off, the groom’s brother and best man (and dear friend of mine), Zach, got up on stage to do a very heartfelt rendition of John Legend’s “All of Me”. What this lacked in technical pitch correctness, it made up for in passion. He really stole the show.

In our free time leading up to the actual wedding, my friend Brooke, my mom, and I became infatuated with the spa. It was the most stunning, yet functional, space I had ever laid my eyes on. The main focal point was a giant pool made up of concentric circles of varying temperatures: a cold plunge in the middle, surrounded by a hot tub, surrounded by a lukewarm pool, all under a shaded palapa. I have no way to describe this other than the pinnacle of luxury. I could’ve spent hours in there (Brooke did).

And yes, you’ve waited long enough. Onto the main event! God, was this a gorgeous wedding. It started outside the lobby, where the staff had transformed the entrance to the hotel into a gorgeous floral runway for the families and wedding party to process down. I was welling up from the second I sat down, probably because of the string musicians that were playing in the background. The bride’s brother-in-law officiated, and he did a fantastic job of making everything so personal and heartfelt. By the end of the vows, I felt like Luke and Chiara were the only couple in the whole wide world.

Once those two were married (technically, they’ve been married since October, but who’s counting), it was time to dance the night away. And, dance the night away, did we ever. The reception was emceed by an incredible 11-piece band that absolutely tore the house down. All of our Oura rings said we had burned upwards of 1,000 calories during workouts they had detected as “Dance”. That should tell you everything you need to know.

Immediately following the wedding itself, the guests were ushered out onto the lawn by two women I could only describe as fire dancers to watch a fireworks display in honor of the lovely couple. During the show, everyone was handed matching pajamas to change into for the afterparty, which was tucked away in what seemed like a jungle, but I can’t be sure. All I know is it was smoky, dark, and had lots of chicken fingers. I lasted all of 15 minutes before collapsing into my bed, where a chocolate truffle had been laid out for me and my charger neatly coiled up for my easy use. A fabulous weekend tied up with a bow.

What I’m eating:

The food, in keeping with the theme of the weekend, was exquisite. My favorite bites included: al pastor nachos made in a bag of sal y limón flavored Fritos, the chia pudding at the breakfast buffet every day (random, and I tried to recreate it myself, though unsuccessfully), every bite of steak I had all weekend, and the popsicles and ice cream treats that were being sporadically handed out at the pool and the beach (always perfectly timed).

What I’m wearing:

I think it’s safe to say I’d only been thinking about my outfits for this wedding for the past year or so — nothing too crazy. Of course, as seems to always be the case, this didn’t matter: everything ended up coming together at the buzzer, within hours of my Uber to the airport. I’d be remiss not to share with you my full weekend wardrobe.

Night 1: Welcome Party

• Dress: SNDYS satin cowl halterneck low back mini dress in orange flower print

• Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell Fluxx Sandal

• Bag: DONNAIN full-grained leather purse (The Row 90s Bag dupe)

Night 2: Dinner

• Dress: Free People Cup of Love Mini Dress (old and sold out)

• Bag: DONNAIN full-grained leather purse (The Row 90s Bag dupe)

Night 3: Wedding!

• Dress: Gowning Around Slate Blue Floral Jacquard Strapless Maxi Dress

• Necklace: Lexi Crystal Collar Necklace

What I’m thinking about:

As luxurious and amazing as this entire event was, I am feeling the most warm and fuzzy about getting to experience it with my family and some of my oldest friends. Many of my favorite moments from this weekend were the laughs we all shared reminiscing on old stories from high school, making fun of each other, and catching up as if no time had passed. In addition to all my new wedding-branded swag, I’m glad to know I’m walking away from the whole experience with a slew of memories I’ll be nostalgic for at the next reunion.

How lucky am I?

I’m baaaaack… did you miss me? It seems I spent the month of March doing everything but, well, writing. To make up for my absence and to recap the last few weeks, I’ve put together a little bit of a nontraditional b-roll. Let’s catch up, shall we?

Since you last heard from me, I’ve been traveling around, celebrating, spending lots of time with friends and family, trying an abundance of local (and not so local) eats, and of course, clocking in at the email factory day in and day out. Here are the quick highlights — I know we don’t have all day.

NOLA trip:

Let me start by saying this: I am not spending nearly enough time in New Orleans. I know it sounds corny, but if you believe in the concept of “soul cities,” NOLA is definitely one of mine. Since graduating from Tulane four years ago (yikes), I’ve only been back twice. I acknowledge that I need to do better.

This time around, I went down with my extended group of friends from DC, many of whom have since relocated out of the district but remain in our lives thanks to the unbridled power of a group chat. Our friend Nicole recently moved down to the Irish Channel, and we were all thrilled to plan a reunion for St. Paddy’s. Some would say running around a city with 11 of your closest friends isn’t the best approach, but if your heart’s in the right place, it works just fine.

My personal highlights of the trip included frolicking around the uptown streets I used to love in college, catching a massive cabbage at the Irish Channel parade, drag brunch at the Country Club, tacos at Barracuda, and, as is customary with this particular group of friends, a night of championship-level Quiplash gameplay using all our new bits from the rest of the trip. Heaven on Earth.

Due to an impending tornado in the DMV, almost everyone’s flights got canceled on the way back, so the fun didn’t have to end! Sure, it was slightly stressful, but I was secretly pleased to be stuck with my friends for a little bit longer.

Parents’ weekend:

The weekend after the Big Easy extravaganza, my lovely parents came down for a little pre-birthday visit. I always feel a (potentially unnecessary) sense of pressure when my parents come around to prove that I can make the coolest, most fun, city-girl plans for them, but ultimately, it’s just nice to spend time with family.

The weekend started strong with an early birthday present that was so perfectly me: a collection of Diet Coke-themed clothing items that I’ve been wearing the crap out of ever since. My mom’s only request for the weekend was a trip to the zoo to see the pandas, which I was happy to grant. Other activities included a family dinner at Zatinya (meh), an obligatory stop at Rose Ave Bakery for assorted donuts (stellar, no surprise), an afternoon with my friends on a gorgeous rooftop, a fabulous meal at El Secreto de Rosita (again, not surprising), and a trip to Eden Center for Vietnamese. Very food, family, and friend-centric, just how it should be.

A b-roll bday:

Now for the definite highlight, my 26th birthday. As a huge lover of all things planning, I tend to have a pretty significant mental block when it comes to my own birthday — I can never seem to find the inspiration. Luckily, my wonderful, perfect roommates promised me I wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. They kept everything under such a veil of secrecy that I had absolutely no idea what to expect, but whatever ideas I may have constructed in my head could not have been further from what they pulled off.

The weekend began with matcha, pastries, and decorations downstairs waiting for me to spice up my Friday working from home. I had been told that we would be having a party on Saturday night, but I was given zero details, no matter how much I pried. So on Friday night, when we went to Pastis for dinner with the girls (which was delicious, by the way), I was expecting to come home and eat cake or maybe hit another bar before calling it a night. Little did I know that all my friends were waiting at my house to pop out and surprise me, where they had decorated the living room and dressed like my favorite characters from Hamilton, Shrek, and Wicked. I’ve never had a surprise party before, and I don’t think this will ever be topped. And don’t worry, they had a costume for me as well: I got to dress up as the Fairy Godmother from Shrek 2. Oh, and did I mention that once the surprise had been executed, I was told we were all going to karaoke? In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect night. There’s something to be said about friends who will go full theater kid mode for you, even if it hurts them inside. Thank you for letting me be me. I LOVE YOU GUYS!

The rest of the weekend was spent eating and relaxing, mostly, given how hard we went in the karaoke room. For my group of friends, recovery meant lots of diner food, walks in the sunshine, and an entire season of Love Overboard. If the rest of 26 follows suit with its fantastic start, I’m feeling very optimistic about this year.

Parents’ weekend (Part 2):

What’s better than one parents’ weekend? TWO! That’s right, just two weeks after my parents rolled into town, the families of four of my friends dropped in for a weekend visit. To celebrate this awesome coincidence, and to avoid making yet another 14-person dinner reservation, we decided to throw a little backyard party so everyone could mingle. We spent all week prepping and getting set up, only to find that the morning of the party, our neighbors decided it was the perfect day to take down the entire fence between our yards and build a new one. A slight hiccup, but the fence actually ended up looking great, and the party was a huge hit. I will sincerely miss our little outdoor hosting space when we move, but I’m hoping we can put it to good use in these next few months.

After most people had gone home, we got to see UConn advance to the March Madness finals (RIP) over pizza and wings in the comfort of our living room, which was a welcome change from our original plan of going to a crowded bar to watch the game. We knew we had to do something with our visiting Huskies fans, and this was an ideal compromise. Another weekend that struck a perfect balance between activity and relaxation.

Final thoughts:

March was seriously one for the books. My favorite month was full of love, celebration, and joy, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It was also full of writer’s block, which I will be trying to rectify by getting back into the swing of things — this next week has some seriously grand b-roll potential.

If any of you reading this are my friends or family who contributed to making these last few weeks as special as they were, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

See y’all in the next one :’-)

Hello and welcome to a special travel edition of the b-roll, covering my week in sunny San Diego. Sunsets, sand everywhere, and some light hate comments, oh my! There’s no time to dilly dally. Let’s get right into it.

What I’m doing:

As cheesy as I’m about to sound, I found San Diego to be nothing short of a magical fairyland. Living there seems like a cheat code, and I don’t know why more people aren’t talking about it. From the second we pulled our rental car out of the airport garage and rolled down the windows, I felt relaxation settle over me like a dense fog. My shoulders, normally pinned forcefully to my ears, slowly lowered back down to their rightful anatomical position.

Southern California has been experiencing exceptionally clear, warm, and perfect weather for this time of year, so of course, we had to spend as much time at the beach as possible. But, this was not merely meant to be a beach vacation — our group came out to explore the potential of moving once our leases are up. With six days to scour the entirety of the greater San Diego area for a good neighborhood fit, we had absolutely no time to waste. Luckily for me, my roommate, Maura, had an extensive itinerary planned, and she had done some serious research prior to our arrival. We were in good hands. I could give you a play-by-play of the entire trip, but I know everyone’s busy, so I’ll just feature my personal highlights.

Seals and sea lions in La Jolla

We made two separate stops to see the seals and sea lions at the beach in La Jolla. These things are so ridiculously adorable, I’m surprised I still have any phone storage left after all the photos and videos I took of them. What they lack in pleasant aroma, they certainly make up for in charm. Hearing their yelps and barks as they played in the water really soothed my central nervous system.

Santa Cruz Ave Beach in Ocean Beach

On one of our first days in town, we visited Santa Cruz Ave Beach in OB, a secluded little spot nestled between rocks and lush greenery. Aside from the gorgeous views, what I loved most about this beach was all the dogs and how much they all enjoyed being in the water. I, for one, could not get myself into the icy ocean all week, but I had an appreciation for the pups that entered with no hesitation, splashing around after their toys. I had forgotten to bring any form of entertainment for the day, but the dog and people watching certainly helped my restlessness.

Night out in Pacific Beach

My coworker (and dear friend), Megan, has been living out in San Diego for a few months now, so we decided to have a big group dinner and night out with some of her friends. Dinner was…. interesting…. but more on this later. After we ate in La Jolla, we decided to hit a few bars in PB, near where we were staying, to close out the night. Even though the bars were wall-to-wall with 21-year-olds, we still had a fantastic time being ridiculous on the dance floor. By the time I even thought to look at my watch, it was 2 AM. A very DC-esque night out, just on the opposite coast.

Sea Cliff Coastal Bluff Trail in Del Mar

Sea Cliff Coastal Bluff Trail had to be the fakest looking landscape we experienced on the whole trip. This stretch of Del Mar overlooked bushes of sea lavender, train tracks (sounds ugly, but it was actually very cool), and beach, all in one spot. Every single step we took on the trail, we stopped, expressed how gorgeous it was aloud, and tried to capture it with our cameras (it was much prettier with our eyes). I can’t remember seeing natural beauty of this level in recent memory.

Swami’s Beach in Encinitas

Swami’s was my favorite beach we saw all trip (thank you for the rec, Megan), mainly because it looked like a blend between an ocean coastline and a tropical jungle. As was the case with many of our stops, it just didn’t look real. I was so relaxed and content here that I almost entirely forgot where I was. After leaving, I was suddenly very motivated to download Zillow.

Every. Single. Sunset.

Far and away, my peaks of the trip revolved around watching the sunset. No matter the itinerary of the day, we carved out ample time to appreciate and marvel at the sun, and it seems the locals did the same. I always get emotional at people gathering to do wholesome activities, and seeing everyone drop what they were doing to sit back and watch the sky turn orange definitely got me a little weepy every night. Our viewing locations included Sunset Cliffs, Law Street Beach, and Monarchs in Del Mar.

Driving around

Because our main goal was to explore the different neighborhoods in the area, we had to drive to our destinations quite a bit. I honestly expected to be annoyed by the fact that San Diego wasn’t walkable like DC, but there’s something to be said about driving. We had so much fun in the car, just singing and laughing at silly stories from the day. I missed spending time in the car. I know this sounds like I have vacation goggles, and maybe I do. Sue me.

What I’m consuming (food):

Obviously, being on a trip of this nature means eating out for almost every meal. As to not turn this into a food blog (although I could, happily), I will cover my favorite and most notable eats of the week.

• Barista Botanist, Pacific Beach - Of all the breakfast burritos I tasted this week, their carne asada breakfast burrito was my favorite. I also had a delicious lavender ube matcha latte with coconut milk here, and you’ll see that ube was perhaps a theme of the trip.

  

• Pacific Beach Deli, Pacific Beach - Their Green Chicken was a beach sandwich to end all beach sandwiches. Spicy, fresh, and overwhelmingly green (positive connotation), I would’ve happily eaten one of these every day.

  

• Marisi, La Jolla - This was an interesting meal. My friend Kenzie and I were splitting a tomato carpaccio, and halfway through finishing it, we noticed a full lock of hair (like, 30 strands) baked into one of the crackers that came with the dish. We were, naturally, horrified, and told our waiter, who informed us it “may be some kind of grain,” but that he would check with the kitchen. Unfortunately, as we suspected, it was indeed hair. The management did everything they could to make it up to us with shots and desserts, but we weren’t super hungry after that. Still, it made for a hilarious bit, and we kept it going all night. A huge thank you to the queen in the kitchen who may have lost an extension — you gave us laughs for a lifetime.

  

• Local Lemon, Little Italy Farmer’s Market - I learned on this trip that I am, unfortunately, a sucker for a ten-dollar beverage. On Saturday morning, after our very late night out, we headed to the Little Italy Farmer’s Market in desperate search of some caffeine and maybe a taco. I found neither, but everywhere I looked, people were walking around with jugs of what looked like lemonade or agua fresca. I discovered that these had come from Local Lemon, and quickly made my way to their tent. I ordered a cherry limeade, and it was seriously one of the best beverages I’ve ever tasted. I have since been trying to gauge if I could possibly recreate it at home. I spent the entirety of our walk back to the car trying to scoop up every last bit of fruit with my straw and annoying everyone in the vicinity. It was just that good.

  

• In-N-Out Burger - We could not set foot in the state of California without getting some In-N-Out — you know the drill. I got a double-double and added grilled onions, with a side of animal-style fries. I also loaded up on the chilis to accompany my feast. I wouldn’t say it’s the best fast food I’ve ever had in my life, but it’s up there. When in Rome.

  

• Yogurt Mill, El Cajon - Our Yogurt Mill experience just might get us canceled among locals across the greater San Diego area. Last week, we saw a video about this spot and thought the froyo looked pretty freaking good, so after In-N-Out, we decided to make the 40-minute drive to El Cajon to see for ourselves. When we arrived, the line was wrapped all the way around the shopping center. I thought this was pretty interesting, so I snapped a quick video of the line and put it up on TikTok, thinking nothing of it. Once we got our yogurt, another 40 minutes later, I thought it was only right to film a little taste test as a follow-up. Let’s just say, the Yogurt Mill community did not appreciate our content. Every time I pick up my phone, even now, I have at least 10 more comments adding to the discourse. Regardless of the widespread discussion, I enjoyed my yogurt. I probably wouldn’t show my face there ever again, though.

  

• 12 HRS MATCHA CAFE, Pacific Beach - I certainly went on a matcha tour of the city this week, but the most interesting one I tried was the Ube Coconut Cloud from 12 HRS. This cafe operated out of a little window in Pacific Beach, and by the time they opened, the line was down the block. I usually just make my matcha at home, so I had never tried a coconut water-based matcha concoction like this. I found it absolutely refreshing and delicious. I would try to recreate it, but I am certain it would not hit the same.

  

• Monarchs, Del Mar - For our last night, we decided to check out Monarchs in Del Mar, a bar and restaurant famous for its stunning sunset views. We got there an hour before the sun was supposed to go down to try and get a spot, thinking it would be a zoo, but we ended up with a table that had a flawless view. The drinks and food were awesome, we loved our waitress, and I got to eat even more ube (this time in donut form). The cherry on top was that one of the bartenders writes a nightly poem and reads it for the whole restaurant at sunset. We all cried. A perfect final night.

  

What I’m consuming (media):

With our packed schedule, we certainly did not have much time to watch television, but the Traitors finale waits for no one. Spoilers ahead: beware.

Maura Higgins, if you’re reading this, I will not add to the hate train. You already know what you did, and I’m sure you’re embarrassed as hell. Yes, Rob is attractive and a fantastic liar, but I wish you did just a teeny tiny bit more critical thinking before turning on every ally you had in the game.

Maura aside, I’m extremely proud of my two favorite besties, Tara Lipinksi and Johnny Weir, for actually figuring out who the traitors were, despite being pretty misguided players throughout the majority of the season. In the end, I do think Rob deserved to win, but I am definitely icked out by how he acted in the finale. He started to get cocky, and I simply didn’t love that. Ultimately, it’s a game, so I completely understand that he did what he needed to in order to win, but it still grossed me out. I’m not perfect! I honestly don’t plan to watch the reunion, so if anyone has some good tea there, send it my way.

In addition to Traitors, we were also able to carve out some time to watch Connor Storrie of Heated Rivalry fame host Saturday Night Live. While SNL hasn’t really been all that funny in years, Connor is such a star that I would watch him be an air-traffic controller, so the content didn’t really matter. That boy is going places, and I can’t wait to watch him shine in whatever he does next.

Outside of TV, I want to plug a new-ish artist I’ve been obsessed with. Jackie Evans, whom I encountered in one of my Spotify Discover Weekly playlists, is like if Billy Joel and Carole King had a vocal and lyrical baby. My favorite songs of hers so far are Sleep for Days and Seven Brides, the latter of which was just released wherever you stream your music. I’m so glad I no longer have to listen to the first verse over and over again on TikTok.

What I’m buying:

Unfortunately for me, our Airbnb was directly next to a giant Brandy Melville, so I couldn’t help but pop in and see if the inventory was any different out west. I walked away with a few basics that I know I’ll get great use out of, so they’ll end up paying for themselves over time.

We also checked out another store that was right in our neighborhood called Pangaea Outpost, which was a collection of all different local vendors housed under one roof. I could’ve spent an entire day in the outpost had our schedule allowed, but it was for the best that it did not. I managed to keep my purchases to one vintage Coca-Cola rugby shirt, which was very fitting to my personal brand. I couldn’t in good conscience leave it behind. Its home was clearly with me.

What I’m wearing:

As much as I love to throw a ‘fit, people seem dress very casually in San Diego, which was a lovely change of pace. To show respect, I wore my baggiest clothes (okay fine, I do this at home too), bikinis, and flip flops pretty much everywhere I went. It was a very refreshing and comfy week.

What I’m thinking about:

I left my journal at home to save space in my carry-on personal item, so lucky (or unlucky) for you, you’ll be getting my full stream of consciousness. While I like to think of myself as someone who is bold and confident, I am actually very resistant, borderline afraid, of change. I get very set in my routines, and I like to be in control as much as possible — this is where I feel most at peace. The idea of moving across the country, far from most of my family and friends, is definitely one that has the potential to frighten me. Set aside the obvious logistics and money that go into a significant move like this, there is a big part of me that is scared of saying goodbye to the home and city I’ve come to love over the past four years. Even trivial things, like needing to find a new nail salon or leaving behind the tree-lined streets of my favorite walk, sting a little bit. But, I know that this is something I ultimately want to do, and now, after visiting, it’s becoming very real. I can’t let this fear of letting go of the familiar stop me from trying something new. I have to keep reminding myself to just do it scared. Hence, my March intentions:

• Mantra: Do it scared.

• Words of the month: Spontaneity, fun, excitement

• Intentions:

  • Don’t stress about routine. Enjoy travel, visits, and celebrations

  • Read more, scroll less

  • Create more than you consume

March, despite being one of the gloomiest months, is actually my favorite, so I’m looking forward to enjoying it in DC while I’m still rooted there. The planning for the next destination can officially begin, but there’s still lots of fun to be had in the district, and you, dear readers, will be hearing all about it.

As always, thanks for sticking with me through another b-roll. Happy March, everyone, and I’ll see you next week!

Hello, b-roll readers, one and all. I come to you this week with, for all intents and purposes, a media consumption digest, sprinkled with my weekly happenings. Hopefully, this special edition is alright with you — I simply couldn’t get enough of what’s been on the big (and medium and small) screen as of late. Perhaps you’ll feel inspired, or maybe you’ll tell me to get outside and touch grass immediately. Either way, let’s get into it.

This week’s newsletter spans TV, film, documentaries, sports, and podcasts, so buckle up. Obviously, this is riddled with spoilers. Proceed with caution.

Tell Me Lies series finale

Because I am such a considerate friend (we’re all friends here), I’ve refrained from speaking on the ending of Tell Me Lies until now, hopefully ensuring that all avid watchers had the chance to watch the series finale, which aired last Tuesday. If for some reason you are behind, keep scrolling.

For those who are interested, I’ll give a recap on the show as a whole. This is off the dome, so if I get a few things a bit wrong, let’s just call it my artistic interpretation.

Tell Me Lies follows the relationship between Lucy and Stephen over the course of eight years, flashing back and forth from their time at Baird College to the wedding of their “best friends,” Bree and Evan.

Stephen is a few years older than Lucy, and is obsessed with becoming a lawyer so he can make a better life for himself, despite his complicated family and lack of financial stability. At the time he meets Lucy, he has just ended a relationship with Diana, who comes from a wealthy family but is equally as driven towards law as Stephen, if not more. We quickly learn that Stephen was an extremely toxic boyfriend to Diana, and that’s putting it lightly.

In the first season, we also meet Bree and Pippa, who are Lucy’s best friends at school, and Evan and Wrigley, who are Stephen’s. For a very quick overview on these characters:

Bree: Sweet, innocent, and kind, at least when we first meet her. She doesn’t have much family, as she grew up in the foster care system.

Pippa: Is not afraid to speak her mind, very spunky, and acts like she really doesn’t care what people think of her (key word: acts).

Evan: Super wealthy, and this is kind of his whole thing. Seems like a very nice guy, and will do pretty much anything to be liked. Throws money at pretty much every problem.

Wrigley: When we first meet him, he is a silly jock type. Doesn’t seem like he has much going on in his head, but his character evolves a lot.

At the very beginning of the plot, Lucy’s roommate, Macy, is killed in a car accident after a party during the first week of school. It’s right around this time that Lucy meets Stephen, who claims to have barely known Macy, but really he’s lying. You’ll figure out pretty quickly that he does this a lot.

Lucy and Stephen quickly begin their relationship: it’s extremely toxic, and he tortures her emotionally. Pippa and Wrigley get together, as do Bree and Evan. Throughout the season, we slowly learn through flashbacks that Stephen was actually hooking up with Macy (they knew each other from home) and he was in the car with her when she died, but staged it to look like she was alone. The car that struck them was driven by Wrigley’s younger brother, Drew, which Stephen uses to manipulate and scheme everyone he possibly can. When Lucy finds this out, she writes an anonymous letter to the school outing Drew for his crime. Somehow, Stephen finds a way to get the blame for this placed on Pippa, causing a huge fight between her and Wrigley that results in them breaking up. During this fight, Wrigley falls and suffers a football career-ending injury.

At the very end of the season, Stephen publicly gets back together with Diana in front of Lucy, causing her to drunkenly hook up with Evan, who is actively dating Bree. Evan, like the idiot he is, confesses this to Stephen, who records it for later use like the psycho he is. Lies, lies, lies. Also, in flashes forward to Bree and Evan’s engagement party, we see that Stephen is somehow engaged to Lydia, who is Lucy’s best friend from her home town. You still with me?

Next we begin Season 2, where Stephen is fully back together with Diana. Evan admits to Bree that he cheated on her, but not with who, causing their breakup, and Bree starts having an affair with her professor, Oliver. He is emotionally manipulating her to the maximum, as is his wife, Marianne, also a professor of Bree’s. This seems to be a pattern for Oliver, and his wife knows all about it.

Pippa is sexually assaulted at a party by Lydia’s younger brother, Chris, who now goes to Baird. The only people who know about this are Lucy and Diana, who take care of Pippa that night following the assault. Pippa and Diana start to get very close in the aftermath. Lucy reveals this assault without Pippa’s consent, but then quickly tries to cover it up by saying it actually happened to her. This is the big lie of the season.

Drew, who comes back to Baird to visit his brother, Wrigley, after leaving school last season, overdoses on pain pills and dies in Stephen and Wrigley’s dorm room, leaving everyone devastated and confused. Pippa takes care of Wrigley in his grief, and they end up back together. At some point, Lucy and Stephen get back together, despite literally no one being supportive of that. In the flash forward at the wedding, we see that Stephen has sent Bree the recording from last season of Evan admitting he slept with Lucy, thinking it will uproot the entire day. Still following?

Finally, we arrive at Season 3, the most psychotic of all. Lucy and Stephen are together, and he is desperately trying to get her to admit that she slept with Evan, but she continues to lie about it. Lucy, thinking she can trust Stephen, tells him about her sexual assault lie, which just proves to be more ammo for him to hold over her. He treats her like absolute crap, and they break up again. Somehow, he dupes her into admitting that she lied about being assaulted on camera, and keeps it on a flash drive.

Pippa has begun an affair with Diana, despite still dating Wrigley. He clearly has no idea this is going on. We find out that Diana and Stephen have both gotten into Yale Law, their dream school. Diana also learns that she is pregnant with Stephen’s baby, and has an abortion. Stephen is furious that Diana wouldn’t consult him first, and retaliates by sending her nudes to her dad. This sparks her decision to go to Stanford instead of Yale, letting her psychotic ex keep her from her lifelong dream.

Bree has finally untangled herself from Oliver, but is clearly traumatized from the whole thing. From the beginning of the season, we start to see sparks fly between Bree and Wrigley, but both think that nothing can be done about this. They start a photography class together, and grow closer, eventually leading to Wrigley bringing Bree to see her mom, who she hasn’t seen in years. Bree invites her mom to her big photography art show, and she tentatively agrees. For whatever reason, Bree gets back together with Evan after this, who has seemingly manipulated her by following advice he got from none other than Oliver, the man who traumatized Bree the most. They get in a massive fight when Evan finds out Bree went to see her mom and didn’t tell him.

In the background, Bree has become infatuated with a girl that is now, for lack of better words, being Olivered. Bree reaches her breaking point and storms to his house, instead finding Marianne. The two have an emotional heart to heart about Marianne and Oliver’s marriage, and Bree calls Wrigley to pick her up instead of Evan. The two finally kiss and admit their feelings to each other, and promise to break up with their significant others as soon as they can.

The day of the art show comes, and Evan offers to get Bree’s mom from the train, but decides to get her drunk before bringing her to Baird. She embarrasses Bree in front of everyone, only driving her closer to Evan. Wrigley breaks up with Pippa, but she she begs for him back and the two spend the night together after the art show. Bree finds this out and decides to cling to Evan, without ever talking to Wrigley about the whole thing.

At the same time, Lucy is trying to manipulate Stephen into giving her the flash drive of her admitting she lied about being assaulted. This is unsuccessful, as he figures out he’s being played. But, this sends Lucy into a complete erratic spiral, where she is acting completely unhinged, forgetting large chunks of time, and being very self destructive. She eventually confronts Stephen and tells him she can’t take it anymore, that he should just post the video and get it over with. This clearly spooks him a bit, and he gives the flash drive back. She tells Pippa and Bree that she is finally free of him.

Soon after their “breakup”, Pippa admits everything about her sexuality and her cheating to Wrigley, and he’s extremely understanding. Absolute king. Pippa also laments that no one ever does anything to stop Stephen from torturing people. At the same time, Bree has finally convinced herself she likes Evan, and goes to spend the day at this house. While he’s in the shower, she discovers a photograph of him and Lucy from the night they cheated and finally puts the pieces together. She abruptly leaves, and goes to confront Lucy, but on her way there she runs into her mom, who most definitely shouldn’t be there. It turns out, Oliver and Marianne have convinced Bree’s mom that she made everything about the affair up and used this as a ploy to keep her silent. A very frustrating and intense confrontation ensues between all of them, and Bree doesn’t get the chance to talk to Lucy about Evan.

Next, we see that the video of Lucy has indeed been released, leaving us unsure of who released it. Stephen swears he had nothing to do with it, and Lucy starts to doubt her own sanity, given her recent behavior. Lucy is expelled, devastating Bree and Pippa, and essentially ruining Lucy’s life. Pippa admits to Bree that the whole lie began because of her own assault, and Bree seems to forgive Lucy for everything because of all she’s going through. She get’s Evan to admit he slept with Lucy and the two get back together. In perhaps his most redeeming move ever, Wrigley reports Stephen to Yale admissions for leaking Diana’s nudes, and his offer is rescinded.

In the flash forwards, we learn that Wrigley and Bree began sleeping together at her and Evan’s engagement party, when they finally (after SIX YEARS) discussed their feelings for each other. It should be noted here that Wrigley is in a horrendous wig in this timeline. We also learn that Lucy has continued to be involved with Stephen, despite both of them being in relationships with other people. Diana and Pippa are officially together by the time of the wedding. Plus, Diana went to Yale because Stephen could not.

At the wedding, Stephen has an a-ha moment, and realizes that Bree leaked the tape of Lucy as revenge for sleeping with Evan. He gets on the microphone and exposes everyone for all their lies over the past eight years, including Bree and Wrigley’s affair, Lucy’s tape, his own affair with Lucy, and Evan’s cheating. The wedding devolves into hilarious chaos (the first time we’ve ever really seen humor in this show), and Stephen and Lydia call off their engagement, which they both admitted was for revenge on Lucy anyway. As Stephen goes to leave the mess he created behind, he expects Lucy to go with him, which Bree scoffs at. And, as our girl always does, Lucy goes with Stephen. The two seem to be driving off into the sunset together, but they stop at a gas station. When Lucy goes in to get them some coffee, he abandons her there by herself. In the final scene of the series, we see Lucy hysterically laughing, maybe finally free from all of this.

Throughout the entirety of this last season, I found myself wondering how on earth the show was going to be able to tie up all the loose ends it was creating episode after episode. But, for the most part, I felt they really did it. Wrigley was by far my favorite character, and the finale gave me hope that he and Bree might end up together after all. I would’ve preferred Stephen to be dead or in jail, but I’ll allow it. His and Lucy’s endings felt realistic to me, and that went a long way.

Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model

Now that you’ve gotten 2,000 words on Tell Me Lies, let’s move on, shall we?

Over the weekend, my roommates and I started Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, Netflix’s new exposeé on the making of Tyra Banks’ smash hit. As someone who grew up watching ANTM, this documentart has been on my list since it was released two weeks ago.

In the new series, Tyra explains that her vision for ANTM was to show that anyone can be beautiful, despite traditional beauty standards that were perpetuated by the modeling industry at the time. Honestly, a lovely sentiment, but this is not at all what the show turned out to be. Not by a long shot.

When I think back on the show, I don’t remember it being as outwardly exploitative and bad as it clearly is. To be fair, the show premiered when I was three years old, so I was definitely watching it at a young age. I most vividly remember the “makeovers,” where they would drastically change the contestants’ appearances and then tell them they were not allowed to be upset because that’s what it’s like to be a model. I also remember the contestants being weighted and constantly told they were chubby, despite weighing what I weighed in the fifth grade.

What I seemingly did not remember was certain girls being forced to get dental work or risk elimination, multiple “race-switching” challenges (literal blackface), and filming and excusing of sexual harassment and assault. What was allowed to go on on that show, under the guise of “good TV,” is absolutely baffling, and Tyra herself, as well as her producer, Ken Mok, take very little accountability to the damage they caused to the people they were aiming to celebrate. We still have one episode left, but watch this space. I’m gripped.

Alysa Liu

The Olympics may be over, but you can’t make me stop talking about Alysa Liu! Sorry!

By the time Alysa’s free skate had come to pass, I had reached the point in the games where I could frankly no longer keep up — I only have time for one full-time job. However, this was a replay I would not be missing.

What an absolute cutie patootie and complete badass Alysa is. She came back to skating on her own terms, and it clearly paid off. I really don’t think I’ve ever seen a skater have fun like she does on the ice. Seriously, how was she so relaxed on the world’s most stressful pressure cooker of a stage? Her poise, her grace, and her energy are honestly incredible. I am in awe of her.

I was obsessed with her free skate to Laufey, and even more obsessed, if possible, with her exhibition gala skate to PinkPanthress and Zara Larsson’s Stateside remix.

Again, this girl does whatever she wants, and she’s freaking amazing at it. I can’t think of a more deserving person to bring home the gold. And let’s not forget, that’s what the U.S. women do.

“Wuthering Heights”

To stay relevant in the cultural zeitgeist, I had to go see “Wuthering Heights.” I used to hate going to the movies (I actually had a fear of it), but lately, I’ve been finding it to be a lovely way to get out of the house.

On Saturday, I took myself on a little solo date to the Georgetown AMC (which is well out of my way but they have Coke and not Pepsi) to see Emerald Fennel’s adaptation. I, like all of you, have heard the discourse about the movie. Mainly, it’s nothing like the book and erases key plot points having to do with race and power. Completely heard, absolutely understood. However.

As someone that did not read Brontë’s original text, I actually really enjoyed “Wuthering Heights.” Maybe I’m not as woke as I think I am. It registered to me as more of a fan-fic: it kept the names of the characters and general setting of the original, but that’s really where the resemblance stops. When I thought of it as a standalone work, separate from all the commentary around it as an adaptation, I found that I was entertained.

I’ve already talked about how much I loved the soundtrack, but that was going to be a given for me, as there’s very little that Charli XCX has done that I haven’t liked. Once seeing the movie, I found myself most taken by the visuals. It was absolutely gorgeous to watch, the costumes (which weren’t historically accurate, to which I say, who cares) were so visually interesting, and the setting was stunning. I could not look away from the screen.

I also thought the actors did an incredible job, most notably Hong Cha who played Nellie, and Owen Cooper who played Young Heathcliff. I had low expectations, and yet found myself crying in the final scene. Overall, I’d say if you’re open to enjoying this movie, you should go see it. If the discourse is all too much and you’ll be in your head about it, skip.

Jonathan Groff | Good Hang with Amy Poehler

For my last piece of media, I’ve finally watched my first episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler. I’ve been seeing clips on TikTok for months, and while packing for my upcoming trip to San Diego, I decided to listen to a recent episode where Amy hosted one of the all time greats, Jonathan Groff.

First of all, before I get into the episode itself, I have to say: Amy Poehler is an incredible interviewer. She is obviously hilarious, but her questions are so hard-hitting and interesting. She features her guests so respectfully and gracefully, getting serious while still making everybody laugh. I can already tell Good Hang is going to be a new go-to for me.

As for Jonathan, he has been in many of my favorite things, including Spring Awakening, Hamilton, and Glee. Naturally, I was curious to learn more about him on a deeper level. I was shocked to hear that he grew up on a horse farm in Lancaster, PA with his Mennonite family. I had no idea he was a last-minute addition to Hamilton, especially given his character all but stole the show. I was cackling as he described his “tornado-forward interpretation” of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz at the age of four. I could go on, but I highly recommend listening yourself.

My favorite part of the episode, one that actually made me tear up a bit, was when Amy asked what Jonathan’s favorite lyric that he ever got to sing was. He responded with a line from “Growing Up” by Stephen Sondheim, from the musical Merrily We Roll Along. It goes:

“So, old friends, don’t you see we can have it all? Moving on, getting out of the past. Solving dreams. Not just trusting them. Taking dreams. Readjusting them. Growing up.”

Jonathan and Amy discuss that in order to truly be successful, you have to be flexible and adaptable with your dreams. You can’t be tied to the past, but you can still have a relationship to it. Being adjustable to whatever comes your way is the best you can hope for in life. Oh, and nothing can be done alone. Gorgeous stuff. Please go listen to this episode.

That’s all for today, folks. I’ll cover the rest of what would’ve gone into this newsletter elsewhere, but I can’t in good conscience keep you all here any longer! See you next week <3

Happy Lunar New Year to all who observe. Say goodbye to the shedding snake, and hello to the fire horse. I hope nobody washed their hair, swept their house, cleaned, used knives or scissors, or wore black or white yesterday. If you did, better luck next year I guess. Let’s dive right in.

What I’m doing:

I am pleased to report that I made it out on a weeknight! Can you believe it? A school night on the town?

That’s right: on Wednesday night, a few friends and I headed to Pie Shop on H Street to see a band called The Ocho. I always tend to regret buying a mid-week concert ticket, but I seem to find myself doing it anyway. This outing was plotting to be no exception — I was dreading it all day. I was exhausted, cranky, and cold. The uber was a 30-minute ride, and I wore jeans that were way too tight. You know how that story goes. But, when we got there and I was able to order a slice of pie, my mood was immediately brightened. It turns out Pie Shop is not just a symbolic name; the venue was quite literally a pie shop. A huge development for a grouchy girl on a cold Wednesday evening. My roommate, Josie, and I shared two slices: the Chicken Dinner and the Samoa Cookie. More on this later.

After we ate our pie, we headed upstairs to enjoy the show. I can’t overstate this enough: if we were an inch closer, we would’ve been on stage with the band. At first, I felt pretty awkward, especially because I didn’t know any of The Ocho’s songs, so I didn’t want them to look out into the crowd and see me just soft smiling along to their music. Eventually, I let that float to the back of my mind. I thought their set was awesome, and I hope I get to say I knew them when.

On Friday, I headed up to New York to celebrate some dear college friends: a birthday for Liana (love you) and a passed dental school entry exam for Evin (so f***ing proud). Before I outline our shenanigans, I have to mention that it was my first time on the Acela, which may as well have been the Ritz. As someone who is no stranger to the Northeast Corridor, what a truly luxurious experience it was to have an assigned seat on a clean, fresh train. Anyway, onto the weekend.

When I arrived in the city, I met the girls, and we headed out for lunch and a long session of catching up on each other’s lives. I am guilty of not keeping in touch with my friends from college as often as I should: sometimes life just gets a little too chaotic to be constantly texting and checking in, even though I’d love to. But what I love most about them is that it doesn’t matter how long it’s been since we’ve had a FaceTime or a voice memo marathon; when we’re together, we’re 18 again, sitting on the floor of our freshman dorms in New Orleans and gabbing away about the latest to-do. I went on and on for so long that my food was cold by the time I even thought to touch it.

Also, not to name drop, but when we first walked into the restaurant, I had a celebrity sighting that rendered me completely speechless: Isa Briones, Dr. Santos of the Pitt. Only in The Big Apple, baby!

After some unsuccessful shopping (I didn’t have much luck this week in the purchasing department, which is for the best), we headed home to get ready for dinner and our friend Kenzie’s Mardi Gras party. Naturally, I hated every single outfit I brought with me, but nevertheless, I persisted. We met our final puzzle piece of the group for the evening, Sarah, at Casino, a trendy and very sexy restaurant that I’ve eaten at once before and couldn’t wait to try again. Here, we continued to beat dead horses (it was still the year of the snake, so it’s fine) over prosecco (and Diet Coke), focaccia, and steak frites. My dream date. Cute.

We ended the evening celebrating Mardi Gras at Wild Horses (previously Johnny), which included king cake and a crossover episode that rivaled the Zack and Cody x Hannah Montana collab — my roommate, Maura, and her friends from college (who are now my friends too) popped in to join the fun. I love it when the Venn diagram of all the facets of my life converges into a perfect circle like this. And, in case you forgot: you can take the girls out to New Orleans, but you can’t take New Orleans out of the girls.

What I’m consuming (food):

Since I was traveling this week, I spent most of my time eating out, and boy, what a culinary journey I experienced.

Before leaving DC, I made my first (but certainly not last) visit to Pie Shop for The Ocho’s show, as previously mentioned, and had two slices that I’m still thinking about. As I refuse to have a sweet without a savory, Josie and I split the Chicken Dinner and the Samoa Cookie. Both were insanely good, and I can’t remember the last time I had a piece of pie. What a fun treat.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I food toured my way through New York, especially on Saturday, when my sorority big turned real-life sister spent the day stopping every two blocks for a bite. Highlights included:

• Sunday to Sunday, LES: My friends and I had lunch here, and I had a fabulous tall can of Diet Coke paired with grilled cheese and tomato soup. Such a cute spot and the food was delish. We must’ve sat here for two hours gossiping and giggling.

  

• Casino, Dimes Square: I already knew I loved this place, but it was nice to be reminded. The overall ambiance is the best part: that and the bibb salad. It seriously stole my heart (the key is fried capers, those will always win my love). I wish I had ordered my steak medium-rare, but that’s okay. It was still yummy.

  

• Buba, WV: Why aren’t more places serving Burekas? How can I make one? We ordered the French onion flavor, and I cannot stop thinking about it. Served with my favorite things: pickles and olives. What could be better?

  

• Edith’s, WV: Was I the last person to try Edith’s? Potentially. Better late than never. My big and I shared the bucket of schnitzel over totkes (tot-sized latkes) and the iced cafe slushie. The chicken was freaking insane, and I can’t get it out of my head. And, as a self-proclaimed coffee hater, I really liked the slushie. Well-played, Edith. You have a fan in me.

  

What I’m consuming (media):

After gallivanting in the city for 36 hours, I swiftly plopped myself on the Metro North to spend the rest of the week with my parents in Fairfield. Immediately upon my arrival, we proceeded to watch the entire final season of Queer Eye, which took place in DC.

This has inevitably forced me to deep-dive into tea surrounding the Fab Five, which I had successfully avoided up until this point. Obviously, the show has been shrouded in drama since Bobby Berk, the interior designer, abruptly left the show a few seasons ago. But, in all honesty, I loved his replacement, and I adore the rest of the cast, so I overlooked it and still thoroughly enjoyed watching. However, it was harder to sweep it all under the rug when the second round of complaints surfaced, this time from Karamo, the resident life coach.

Apparently, what had happened was a hot mic picked up Tan (fashion expert), Antoni (culinary instructor), and Jonathan (beauty and grooming guru) talking shit about Karamo, and his mom, of all people, heard the entire thing. Karamo swiftly unfollowed the three transgressors on Instagram, made some elusive and vague comments about the end of the series, and all but disappeared.

Do I believe it? Absolutely. As much as they’d like us to suspend reality, the Fab Five are not all best friends — they are coworkers. I’m sure living and working together for months at a time will cause rifts. I don’t doubt that many of the rumors about some of them being difficult to work with or not consistent with their sunny TV personas are totally true. So, as much as I’m not surprised to hear about this, I don’t know if I’m completely bothered. The show has wrapped its last episode anyway.

As for the actual DC season, it seemed rushed and poorly put together. Many of the transitions between scenes were pixellated photos of DC, overlayed with quotes in a very ugly font — could Netflix not spring for the paid iStock subscription and a premium typography package? Worse, the season was only five episodes, as opposed to the usual eight to ten. Maybe tensions got too high to finish it out. I’m sure the DC heat did not help. Regardless, I love what those divas do for the heroes that they feature, and despite the production issues, I still found myself crying at every episode. Even with their interpersonal quarrels, they seriously change people’s lives, and that’s got to count for something. Queer Eye will be deeply missed.

In addition to the binge above, because I spent a lot of time on trains this past week, you know what that means: dramatic music. What better album to devour than the Wuthering Heights soundtrack by Charli XCX?

I will preface by saying I have not yet seen the movie, and I am well-aware of the controversy surrounding it. I will not pretend that this is enough to stop me from going to the theater to see for myself, but it is duly noted. Film aside, this album is pure gold in my opinion. It hit me ridiculously hard on the Amtrak, as I’m sure any railroad baddie can imagine.

There is nothing I love more than music that effortlessly combines the old and the new. This is in part why I can’t get enough of Lux by Rosalía — she takes classical music and biblical themes and blends them with modern art-pop. I felt like Charli did a similar thing with Wuthering Heights, in that it has a kind of gothic and romantic quality to it, while still feeling entirely novel.

My favorite tracks are Altar, Chains of Love, and Out of Myself. I’m glad to know that even if the movie sucks, I’ll be bopping along to the soundtrack for the duration.

What I’m buying:

I have kept things pretty tame in the spending department this week (“Thank God,” everyone declares, I assume), but I did invest in a new low-maintenance skincare routine. As most of you know by this point, I have a very all-or-nothing personality, so in the last few years I’ve gone from an eight-step, 30-minute skincare routine all the way down to none at all. In December, I had an awesome facial, and the esthetician told me I needed to exfoliate. To be fair, I already knew this deep down in my soul, but I can be very lazy. It took me a few months to get there, but I invested in the following products:

• Thayers Exfoliating 2% AHA Pads: I’ve been looking, obviously, to exfoliate, but I don’t like using a scrub. These pads have been so easy to use, and they do not irritate my skin, which can be quite sensitive. I aim to use these after I’ve already washed my face, but honestly, that doesn’t always happen, and I feel like they double as a cleansing step.

• KraveBeauty Great Barrier Relief: Yes, TikTok got me on this one, but I promise, I did my research. I have been very lucky to grow up with clear skin and very rarely experience significant breakouts. That being said, I do get a few hormonal pimples here and there, and for some reason, they have all begun to scar. I doubt it’s related to me picking the hell out of them. Anyway, I read that this serum really helps with scarring and repairs the skin’s natural barrier, so I’ve been giving it a try. I have definitely noticed a difference on my chin so far.

• Cocokind Electrolyte Water Cream: I am obsessed with this moisturizer. It is so hydrating, but it dries down in minutes. Part of why I never moisturize is that it gives me a sensory overload when my hair and my clothes cling to my sticky face. This has completely eliminated that issue for me. Plus, I’ve always loved Cocokind as a brand and enjoy supporting them.

What I’m wearing:

I am pleased to report that I am now a sensible career woman who wears loafers. Since purchasing my Jeffrey Campbells from Nordstrom Rack a few weeks ago, I have been wearing these babies non-stop. I still feel like I’m dressing up as an adult a little bit, but I’m getting there. While I’ve yet to wear them outside of the office, I’m working my way up to it. As I like to say: watch this space.

In other thrilling news, I got to wear my Fleur-de-Lis purse to the Mardi Gras party, and to be honest, my outfit really needed it. I’m not sure if I’ll ever wear it again, but it’ll look very cute hanging with the rest of the bags in my collection. Clothing is art, is it not?

What I’m thinking about:

As seems to be the case for many, this is my first year observing the Chinese New Year with intention. Before I get into what I’m thinking about here, I do want to start by saying that no one’s culture should be considered a “trend,” and while I wouldn’t have thought this needed to be said, a lot of what I have been seeing online clearly indicates otherwise.

Nonetheless, I personally love any opportunity to reflect and embark on a new beginning, and the start of the year of the fire horse is no exception.

Apparently, this new lunar year is going to be a fiery, dynamic, and potentially chaotic one. We are emerging from the year of the snake, meaning we’ve just shed everything that was no longer serving us, and are ready to boldly move forward into a season of change. Or so I’ve heard.

For me personally, this fits nicely with what I was already trying to accomplish in 2026: practicing patience and discernment in the face of chaos, and limiting impulsivity and the need for instant gratification. Not everything has to be immediate, not every hobby has to be a business, and I don’t need to suffer or settle just because something seems like a safe option. But, at the same time, I also want to work on being more open to opportunity and mixing my life up a bit: from things as small as listening to new music weekly or taking a different route home from work, to larger endeavors like moving to a new city.

I think things could go pretty well for me in this year of the fire horse, especially knowing I kept my hair greasy for one extra day to avoid washing away all my good fortune with my mom’s Olaplex.

Jokes aside, I’m feeling good.

A happy Lunar New Year to all, and I’ll see you next week.

Mentally, I’m in Milano/Cortina, but physically, I write to you all from DC. In the spirit of watching the world’s best athletes compete at the pinnacle of their sports, I spent my week sharpening the skills I am best at: shopping, cooking, and curating. We'd better get started — we have a lot to cover.

What I’m doing:

At this cold and frankly depressing juncture in the year, the “What I’m doing” section of this blog has largely become a weekend recap, due to my inability to swing weeknight activities once it’s dark and freezing outside. Please know I’m aware of this, and it’s something I’m working on.

On Friday night, our friends’ band, The Early Days, was playing at Whilow’s on U Street. If you’re local to the DC area, the name Whitlow’s should certainly ring a bell, whether it makes your heart race with excitement or sends chills of horror down your spine. For me, it’s typically the latter, but my loyalty to the band outweighs my contempt for the venue.

To be clear, there is nothing wrong with Whitlow’s per se, but if you love it there, you are likely 23, or at least new to the district. It served its purpose for my friends and me, most definitely. Being there felt like visiting my high school in the years after graduating — everything is nostalgic, but I can’t shake the feeling that I can never go back. Regardless, The Early Days put on a fabulous show, as they always do, and I am proud to know them. It was another classic example of my roommates and me promising each other we’d be home by midnight, only to saunter through the door with pizza in hand at 3:30. Oh well.

To reward ourselves for venturing back into the past, my roommate, Maura, and I decided to spend Saturday doing our favorite things: shopping and going out to eat. I told myself I was only looking for gifts, but I quickly changed my tune when the finds were just too perfect. More on the specifics of our treasures later, but we started at Golden Hour Collective (a second-hand store I’m SURE is going to blow up soon, so I'd better enjoy it while it’s relatively unknown) before hitting Nordstrom Rack (a classic, a favorite). We ended the outing at Les Desales when our craving for French onion soup could no longer be ignored. I truly felt like I was an old dog, nearing the end of my days, being taken to the beach and fed a hamburger.

Finally, on Sunday, despite not being even remotely interested in the actual football, we decided to host friends for the Super Bowl. Nothing says Bad Bunny more than six pounds of cream cheese processed into various dips and stuffed breads, am I right? And as much as I’d love to sit at a crowded bar and cheer, there’s true joy in staying home, chowing down, and conducting commentary on the commercials from the couch.

What I’m consuming (media):

The reason this newsletter is so late this week is that I am absolutely glued to the Olympics. Every moment of free time I have, you can bet your bottom dollar I am watching figure skating. Thank god for whoever’s Peacock subscription is logged in on my TV — I love and appreciate you.

In a matter of days, I’ve gone from completely unaware of the world of figure skating to feverishly researching the scoring criteria, watching endless clips of the Quad God, and screaming at the TV during the Ice Dance finals. Many of these performances leave me with chills on my arms and tears in my eyes, and I can’t believe I never invested my time in this before now. Plus, I have to commend the genius of NBC for bringing Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir onto the Traitors this season, as the crossover with the Olympics has my own viewership skyrocketing, and I can imagine I am not the only one. I adore these divas and would listen to them commentate on pretty much anything.

A few of my favorite performances of the games so far are linked below. I won’t claim to be knowledgeable enough to provide any manner of educated discourse, but that’s never stopped me before. I’ll keep it light.

• Ilia Malinin (USA), Individual Men’s Short Program
  I love how much passion and power are in his skating. I love how strange he is. I love that he’s basically just doing backflips for the love of the game at this point. Not the first Ilia on ice to captivate my attention this winter. Obsessed. His costume, his hair, his music, everything. EVERYTHING.

• Yuma Kagiyama (Japan), Team Men’s Short Program
  This kid’s got pizzazz, plain and simple. The stage presence, plus the obvious insane technical skill, make him such a fun skater to watch. So, so clean. Adore his song choice as well.

• Sakamoto Kaori (Japan), Team Women’s Short Program
  Such a beautiful, strong, lyrical skater. Plus, this is likely her last Olympics, so that made her performance even more moving. She has gorgeous control, and she seriously makes it look easy.

• Madison Chock and Evan Bates (USA), Individual Free Dance
  GOD were these two robbed. Not only am I obsessed with them and their love story, but also this SICK bull-fighting-themed routine to Paint it Black. It was technically perfect in my eyes, and I seriously feel like something fishy was going on with these judges. Regardless, this was a stunning performance. Full body chills.

• Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron (France), Individual Rhythm Dance
  These two beat Chock and Bates, but in my opinion, they really shouldn’t have. I did, however, love their rhythm routine to Vogue by Madonna — the choreography so perfectly embodied the theme and the music. I will note that this pair is shrouded in controversy, and it sounds like they are both pretty morally dubious, but awesome skaters, no less. They remind me of these two:

  

• Alyssa Liu (USA), Team Women’s Short Program
  Back from retirement, skating to Laufey, and doing WHATEVER the hell she wants. She skates with such emotion, such passion, and immense skill. She is Gen Z’s Olympic darling. Bravo, Alysa.

In addition to skating spectatorship, we of course watched the Super Bowl. Again, as I mentioned earlier, I seriously did not care about the football. Of all NFL teams, my connection to the Seahawks and the Patriots is weak at best. However, I do extend my heartfelt congratulations to Sam Darnold, former New York Jet, on his big win. Once a Jet, always a Jet in my eyes. Sam, if you’re reading this, I’m really happy for you.

What I cared much more about was the Bad Bunny of it all. His halftime show was long-awaited and has been much discussed, so I fear nothing I have to say is terribly novel, but I loved it. It was so refreshing to see his vibrant, loud, and meaningful representation of Puerto Rican culture. Everyone in my house screamed loud enough to warrant a noise complaint from the neighbors when Gaga popped onto the screen. I, for one, expected the whole show to be in Spanish, and encourage those who are up in arms about it to get a grip — it’s the most common non-English language spoken in America, and most of us learned it for at least eight years in school. What irks me most (not a hot take) is the critics claiming the performance was “too political.” First of all, all art is political, especially in a time like this. Expecting a halftime performance on one of our country’s biggest stages to be devoid of all meaning is frankly ridiculous and naive. But calling Bad Bunny’s message, which was essentially “love is stronger than hate,” a divisive political statement tells me everything I need to know about those who were offended by it. Personally, I thought it was extremely necessary.

Lastly, I would be remiss not to mention the Catherine O’Hara double feature I engaged in this past weekend. Since her recent passing, I’ve been thinking about her much more than I expected to. One of my very favorite archetypes is that of the outrageous woman — think Liza Minelli as Lucille Austero in Arrested Development, Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya McQuoid in The White Lotus, and of course, Catherine O’Hara as the incomparable Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek. O’Hara played this type of character in such an effortless, hilarious, and lovable way. We have seriously lost one of the greats. To celebrate her life and glorious work, I watched two of the most fabulous Christopher Guest films: Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman. If you’ve never seen these mockumentaries, I can’t recommend them highly enough. God Loves a Terrier. We will miss you dearly, Catherine.

What I’m consuming (food):

The meal prep chronicles are continuing, folks. I don’t know if I’ve ever made it this far into a new year without giving up completely on cooking. It’s so important to celebrate the small wins. Here’s what I cooked this week:

• Crispy rice salad (recipe) — My meal prep lunch of the week! I loved this dish so much, I cannot wait to make it again. Plus, the way I stored it kept it perfectly fresh all week, and I was easily able to bring it with me to work. It checked every box! Highly recommend.

• Chicken Katsu (recipe) — This honestly kind of flopped. Something went wrong with my chicken cutlets. However, these flavors are nostalgic to me, and I still enjoyed this meal for a few nights. I used to make this all the time in college, and will definitely be giving it another shot once I’ve had a little space.

• Tofu veggie miso soup — I am still obsessing over how easy it is to make miso soup, and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. I much prefer a soup over a hot tea or latte, so this has been the perfect savory snack to keep me warm throughout these frigid days.

Other at-home eats included:

• Dessert bowls — If you aren’t familiar with Brett Chody (brettsbites on Instagram/TikTok), she used to make these big popcorn bowls with all manner of little treats mixed into them. I don’t know when I stopped making them, but this week they came back to me like a vision. We mixed in Trader Joe’s Gummy Xs & Os and their Mini Jubilant Sprinkle Cookies. Both are top-tier dessert snacks.

• Super Bowl snacks — I have to admit, I contributed very little to the Super Bowl spread. Shoutout to Maura for her culinary creations, including spinach and artichoke stuffed pizza dough, ham and cheese Hawaiian roll sliders, buffalo and BBQ wings, and her famous corn dip. Our friends also brought some more stuffed dough cheese creations (referred to as “cheesy bites”) and buffalo chicken dip. No one brought Lactaid.

What I’m buying:

Word on the street is they’re calling me the Ilia Malinin of shopping. If I weren’t so good at it, I suppose I’d do it less. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.

My first shopping stop of the weekend was Golden Hour Collective in AdMo, a spot I’m sure I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters. It’s a second-hand store that houses pieces from many different vendors across the DMV area, and as much as I’d love to gatekeep, that’s just not who I am. Their prices are so beyond reasonable, it feels like a mistake. I’m so used to seeing “vintage” items marked up for hundreds, but never here in my experience thus far. I’ll definitely be making a few more trips in before they inevitably blow up on TikTok. I walked away with a Y2K-esque cardigan that will be perfect for the rest of the winter, a bedazzled Fleur-de-Lis purse that is perfect for an upcoming Mardi Gras party, and a comfy appliquéd tee shirt from Free People.

As if this wasn’t enough, the strong winds blew us to Nordstrom Rack, where Maura and I spent three hours scouring each and every corner. I found myself at quite the crossroads in the shoe section, as I usually do, but ended up making what I felt were sensible choices. My final haul included some Jeffrey Campbell loafers, Saucony dad sneakers from the men’s section, some fun cheap necklaces, a Scotch and Soda collared sweater, a suede midi skirt, and a black silky halter.

I was going for gold, and I think I clinched it. It may be time, though, for my bank account’s sake, to consider going into retirement.

What I’m wearing:

With all the sheets of ice and mountains of snow lining the DC streets these days, I’ve finally had the opportunity to use my Salomons for their intended purpose: hiking. Sure, I didn’t intend to be scaling glaciers on my morning commute to work, but if I have to do it, there’s no better way than in style. Consider this a love letter to my XT-6s, which have been keeping my feet firmly planted to the ground and my bones intact. Love you <3

P.S.: Shoutout to my Coolway zebra pony hair sneakers I forgot about — they may not have as much grip in their soles as the Salomons, but they did spice up my office wear nicely this week as well.

What I’m thinking about:

I’ll be honest with you all, I’ve been so busy this week that I’ve barely had time to think. This may sound like a bad thing, but it’s usually for the best. Lately, though, in the quiet moments, I’ve been starting to hear the marathon voices creep back in. I’m not sure if it’s the Olympics, the seasonal blues, or just my general craving for chaos, but they’re definitely louder than they were before.

I can’t stop thinking about how amazing it must feel to land a triple axel on Olympic ice or nail a 1440 in the snowboarding big air finals (the only two sports I’ve really been paying close attention to in this year’s games), and I suppose the closest I’ve ever gotten to that kind of feeling was the NYC Marathon. It definitely wasn’t as hard, and I didn’t train for nearly as long as these lifelong athletes, but I think I’m craving something like that. However, I must remind myself that the process of preparing was grueling and very unpleasant at times, despite the wonderful and fulfilling outcome. I have heard that new mothers often forget the pain of childbirth as soon as their baby has arrived, and this must be my version of that phenomenon.

I promise I won’t run another marathon in 2026. I probably just need to journal. I won’t make any harsh statements for 2027, though. Watch this space.

That’s all for this week, folks! My sincerest apologies for being delinquent, but figure skating comes first. Talk to you all soon <3

I write to you from my igloo here in the nation’s capital. Since we last spoke, this city has become a frozen obstacle course, crusted in ice and littered with wintery hindrances like gray waist-high snow piles and narrow paths etched into the sidewalks. I wish I could say I believe it will all melt away before we know it, but I heard a certain famous groundhog saw his shadow. Before my computer freezes over in a block of ice, let’s get started, shall we?

What I’m doing:

While the snow and subzero temperatures have been unfortunate for obvious reasons, they did warrant a mandatory work-from-home week, which I was not necessarily upset about. After an abnormally active stint in-person last week, this order left me with no choice but to hard reset from the comfort of my own home. There’s definitely something to be said for being able to cook a meal or throw in a load of laundry in between meetings every so often, even though I’ve certainly come to value being in the office.

This week, I seem to have turned a corner with getting back into exercise (not jinxing it). I’ve felt like I haven’t been able to settle back into a good routine in a long time, honestly, since I ran the NYC Marathon in November. With the exception of the Solidcore Solidays challenge, which was insane, my workout grind has been sporadic and random. This month, with the slurry of people deciding it was their New Year’s resolution to exercise, it was quite difficult to get into any normal time slots at Solidcore, and in a stunning stroke of dramatic irony, the YMCA I go to had a massive flood in the first week of January, rendering it closed for repairs for weeks on end. Why I chose the coldest and most treacherous week in DC’s recent history to get my act together, I couldn’t begin to explain, but we’re (tentatively) back. Last week I wrote about feeling resistant to routine, and this week I find myself craving it. What can I say — I’m a girl whose mind changes like the frigid winter wind.

Despite the (did I mention SUBZERO) cold, my friends and I still decided we needed to get out of the house this weekend and try to have a little fun. We spent our Friday night in Blagden Alley, where ordinarily we would at least consider walking or metroing, but we ultimately splurged on an Uber (obviously). Our first stop was a dark, moody cocktail bar and restaurant called Amazonia. While I only had a Diet Coke, which I was not impressed by (more on this later), the food looked incredible, so I may need to circle back. I was trying to save money and be healthy by eating my meal-prepped goods for the fifth night in a row, but I had serious envy for the table next to us.

After drinks, we slipped and slid our way over to Calico, a bar we’ve hung out at many times before. What I personally love about Calico is its extensive selection of board and card games available for patrons to use. This night, we chose Incohearent, a truly ridiculous game where players have to read out lines of gibberish and try to decipher the real phrase that is hidden from their view. It always leads to a good laugh, and I think it helped us all forget for a little while that we were freezing and could easily be at home in our warm beds.

Finally, we stopped at Exiles on our way home, where we could see steam accumulating on the windows from all the way across the street. Per usual, it was a tight squeeze in there. Normally, we like to sit outside under the heaters, but it was too cold even for that. Although we eventually managed to commandeer a table, I had certainly run out of energy and was as ready as I could be for my icy hike home. If I learned anything this week, it’s that I’m not cut out for arctic living, and when in doubt, hunker down.

What I’m consuming (food):

Little Miss Meal Prep has returned, ladies and gentlemen. This week, I was diligent about my bulk cooking, and while I did eventually get bored with my creations, I finished every last bite. Where’s my prize?

I made the following:

• Greek turkey burgers on sweet potato “buns” — My roommate, Josie, actually sent me a Tiktok for inspiration, and it really spoke to me. It was essentially a run-of-the-mill turkey burger jazzed up with some spinach, feta, and onion, but instead of a bun, the original poster served it on two slices of sweet potato. Yes, this may seem a little toxic, but I’m not shy when it comes to bread. I’m just genuinely experiencing a sweet potato renaissance right now. Will definitely be making this one again.

• Beef stew — I’ve been craving stew since my Vermont trip earlier this month, and there is truly no more appropriate weather for it. I originally had found a recipe, but because of the snowstorm, my Trader Joe’s had pretty much none of the ingredients, so I had to improvise. I ended up using their pre-marinated balsamic rosemary steak tips as the base of the stew, and it came out divine. I did accidentally burn the bottom of our stockpot almost irreparably, but it may have been worth it? Stay tuned on this one.

I was mainly culinarily occupied by the dishes above this week, but I did enjoy some Taco Bell after my night out on Friday, courtesy of my dear friends who arrived at my door like angels sent from heaven with their arms (wings) full of nacho fries, cantina burritos, and Doritos Locos tacos. Zero photographic evidence of this meal exists, as no shutter in the world is fast enough to capture the speed at which I took that food down.

What I’m consuming (media):

My apologies in advance for the shameless self-plug I’m about to execute. I did not consume a ton of media this week, of course, aside from Tell Me Lies, Industry, Traitors, and The Pitt, but I did get back on my content creation grind in a big way.

This week, I debuted my new TikTok series, DCs in DC — reviewing and ranking every Diet Coke in the district so you don’t have to. As someone whose drink of choice is going to be a DC a vast majority of the time, I’ve tried many in my day. Some are soggy and disappointing, while others are crispy and perfect. The presentation matters, the ice is integral, and a refill would always be appreciated. The quality of a Diet Coke can seriously make or break a meal, and I know I’m not the only person who feels this way. Therefore, I developed a comprehensive rating scale to standardize and document my consumption across the city for my fellow local aspartame lovers. Does this level of reporting make me a journalist? Let me know in the comments.

The other piece of media that’s been on my mind this week is Geese’s SNL performance. I’ve been hearing a lot of discourse from the Geese hate brigade, and I have to say I get the vibe that it’s forced. Personally, I really liked their set — I appreciated that it wasn’t overproduced or engineered. They were up there just doing their thing, and what’s more rock n’ roll than that? They played one of their softest and sweetest songs (Au Pays du Cocaine), followed by one of their most aggressive (Trinidad). When I watched it the first time through (of many), I had the same feeling that I did when I first heard Cameron Winter’s performance at Carnegie Hall: that I was witnessing a generational talent. A big splash. Not everything will be for everyone, but Geese is definitely for me. Bravo.

What I’m wearing:

Genuinely, one of my life’s greatest joys is wearing something new I’ve purchased. Because I’ve been Shopping with a capital “S” lately, I’ve had abundant opportunity to lean into what brings me true happiness. Most notably, I’ve had a fabulous time wearing my new glasses from SLLAC and my thrift finds from last weekend’s spree. My whimsy is so back, baby.

What I’m thinking about:

It’s a new month, so you know what that means — it’s time to reflect on my intentions for January, and set some new ones for the month ahead. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the practice of forecasting my objectives for the month in a chill, non-toxic way. It keeps me grounded in my goals while not putting too much pressure on timelines: just a few things to bear in mind as I go about my days.

In January, my mantra was “Be everywhere, and luck will find you.” As silly as it may sound, I embodied this by posting more on TikTok and keeping up my Substack, in the hopes that I can find a niche and really make something of social media. Maybe I’m delusional, but I have a really good feeling about it.

I also was hoping to reduce my Uber Eats consumption, start piano lessons, write everything down, and listen to my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify; nothing too crazy, just bite-sized, attainable things that would easily slot into my daily life. I’m proud to report that I was able to accomplish all of these goals, but transparently, I already quit piano lessons (I started teaching myself to save some money and preserve a bit of flexibility — not a total loss).

Here’s what I’ll be trying to map to for February:

• Mantra: You don’t fail until you give up.

• Words of the month: Peace, stability, consistency

• Intentions:

  • Practice piano 15 minutes a day

  • Exercise as a reward, not as a punishment

  • Keep phone away from bed at bedtime

  • Do what feels good, even if it requires not being lazy

As per usual, watch this space. We’re getting better one day at a time.

Remember, everyone, it doesn’t matter what Punxsutawney Phil says; you can make your own sunshine. Thanks for sticking with me, and I’ll see you all next week <3

what you’ll need:

(makes 4-6 servings)

for the salad:

• 1 cup cooked rice

• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I used grilled, but rotisserie would be good too)

• 5 persian cucumbers, chopped

• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

• 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

• 2 cups edamame, shelled

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp gochujang

• 1 tbsp chili crisp

• 2 tsp sesame oil

for the dressing:

• 3 tbsp tahini

• 2 tbsp miso paste

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp honey

• water

instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 390° F.

2. On a foil-lined baking sheet, season your cooked rice with soy sauce, gochujang, chili crisp, and sesame oil. Make sure you mix it around thoroughly until all grains are evenly coated.

3. Press rice into one thin layer and bake for 20-30 minutes, until crispy.

4. While rice is cooking, combine cukes, chicken, green onion, cilantro, and edamame and toss together.

5. Combine all dressing ingredients, and stir in water slowly until it is your desired thickness. I used about 3 tbsp of water.

6. Remove rice from the oven, and allow to cool for a few minutes before using as a topping.

7. Throw everything together and enjoy! Note: For meal prep purposes, I stored the veggies/chicken, rice, and dressing all separately. This way, nothing got soggy, and I could enjoy the salad for days on end.

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Buckle up, everyone, I have a lot to say. Let’s jump right in.

What I’m doing:

I’ve been told that before COVID, consulting was very much a “work hard, play hard” industry, defined by lots of client travel, expensive dinners, and partying. Since I joined the workforce in a post-pandemic world, I’ve mostly experienced working from home in my pajamas, mere steps from my bed. It’s certainly been a lot of “work hard,” but very little of the “play hard.” However, in my recent return to office (is it even a return if I never went in the first place?), I’ve been starting to catch fleeting glimpses of the old biz.

This week, I went to work a whopping four (4) days in person, with three nights of extracurriculars. Woah. While we weren’t going to the club or anything like in the consulting days of yore, the way I could not hang would’ve indicated otherwise. Regardless, I had an awesome time.

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of hanging out with my team over pizza, candy, and Pinterest-worthy crafts, which was my definition of a good time. My manager set up all kinds of fun materials for us to play with, all of the Valentine’s Day variety. We spent the night gabbing and toiling away at our festive garlands and cards. Seriously, perfection.

On Wednesday and Thursday, I had two work dinners, one at Minetta Tavern in Union Market District and the other at Chang Chang in Dupont Circle. Both meals seriously blew me away, but more on that later. Needless to say, despite having an awesome time at all work-related outings and functions this week, by the time Friday rolled around, I felt like my social and physical batteries had been hit by a truck. I seriously have no idea how people used to keep up with far more intense face time and still find it within themselves to do things like laundry and grocery shopping.

After a relaxing and much-needed Friday movie night in, it was time for the Second Annual Chapin Street Anything But a Cup Party, which is fairly self-explanatory. Essentially, the hosts’ (my friends Forrest and James) only rule is that you cannot drink out of a cup; you must bring an alternate receptacle for your beverages of the evening. I spent an entirely ridiculous amount of time pondering what I should use as my (not a) cup, only to make my decision at the eleventh hour. Inspiration struck me in the produce section of Streets Market at 4:00 PM on Saturday, and I came home with a five-pound papaya to hollow out and fill with Diet Coke. A few hours and a few liters of soda later, I emerged victorious with the coveted “Stanley Not a Cup” trophy for my last-minute choice. It was a win I didn’t know I needed.

Finally, as if to try and slow me down, the district (like seemingly most of America) was whacked with a massive winter storm. As someone who grew up in Connecticut, I think snow is cute from a distance, but the novelty of winter weather has long since worn off. I will say, we haven’t gotten an accumulation like this in DC in a long time, so I was charmed. There’s something about a big snowball fight in the park that makes me tear up a little.

What I’m consuming (food):

I’m not sure if anyone in this city ate at more restaurants than I did this week. The combination of the office happenings and Snowmaggedon made it so that I had very minimal food in my fridge and needed to look elsewhere for sustenance. Highlights included:

• Compliments Only: These really are the best sandwiches in DC. My coworkers and I split three sandwiches for a little compliments-cuterie board, if you will (& a quart of pickles we kept in the fridge for snack time):

  • Crunchy Boi (duh): Turkey, provolone, potato chips, garlic mayo, pickles, onions, shredduce, oil & vin

  • Marisa Tomei Eats Free (sneaky fav): Capicola, genoa, fresh mozzarella, basil & arugula salad, honey chili aioli

  • Hot Pants: Pepperoni, capicola, genoa, provolone, cholula mayo, hot & sweet peppers, onions, arugula, shredduce, oil & vin

• Minetta Tavern: A DC location of a NYC favorite, this place has an old-school, sexy vibe with amazing food, great drinks (so I’ve heard), and a cool speakeasy-style bar upstairs. It was one of the many new spots in Union Market that had been on my list. I had the steak frites and the butternut ravioli, both of which were fantastic. I would definitely go back to try their burger.

• Chang Chang: I was skeptical of Chang Chang’s brick-and-mortar location, on the basis that I had only ever had their takeout, but I was seriously misguided. This place rocked my world. Everything we ate was a 10/10, and my favorites included the wagyu lo mein, the garlic cucumber salad, and the matcha cake. Absolutely will be returning. Sorry I ever doubted you, Chang Chang.

• The Diner: I’ve been a fan of The Diner in Adams Morgan since I first moved here, mainly because it was open 24 hours and was a haven for my drunk friends and me after long nights on 18th Street. Now, in my older and wiser (and sober) years, I can appreciate that their food is delicious and they’re very reliable. I enjoyed their food twice on Sunday, first via UberEats (I know) in the early hours following the Anything But a Cup party, and then later for breakfast because they were one of the only places open in the snow. Key takeaway: The Diner can always be counted on.

• Judy: Another dependable spot open despite the storm, Judy has some seriously world-class pupusas and queso. My roommates and I seemed to have written this place off after one underwhelming experience, but we were most definitely wrong, and now we will likely become regulars. Watch this space.

• Lil Sweet Treat: My craving for candy is nearly constant, but after my long week, I gave in and decided to reward myself with Lil Sweet Treat in Georgetown. Candy by the pound is always a gamble for me, as I can never seem to keep myself in check around a scoop-it-yourself situation. I ended up spending $50, but it was genuinely worth it. Nothing tops the textures and flavors of Swedish candy for me.

If you feel so inclined, follow me on Beli to keep up with my culinary escapades in real time.

What I’m consuming (media):

I’m proud to say I have a very wide range of media to report on this week: music, television, print (kind of), and movies.

In the realm of music, one of my January intentions was to listen to my Discover Weekly on Spotify from top to bottom every week. I hope that in doing this, I can mix things up a bit for myself, instead of listening to the same seven songs all day long until I hate them. It’s honestly more uncomfortable than I thought to listen to music I don’t know, but I’ve been adding all my favorites to a playlist to look back on my efforts. It is small and humble for now, but not surely not for long.

When it comes to television, my roster is nearly full, but one show I haven’t yet discussed with the group is The Traitors. I tried to watch this show when it first came out, and I found myself unable to connect with the premise or the characters, so I dropped it pretty quickly. Now, four seasons in, and I seem to be completely hooked. I suppose people can change.

As someone with a flair for the dramatic myself, I adore the theatrics that Alan Cumming infuses into the contestant experience. It’s so ridiculously over-the-top and campy, but in a way that has me giggling and kicking my feet, not rolling my eyes. Plus, most of the cast are reality TV stars, so the layers of personal interest just keep emerging. So far, I’m loving Lisa Rinna (or as she’d call herself, Lisa F***ing Rinna) and really not loving Colton Underwood, but this is a super mainstream opinion. I don’t care if it makes me basic, I’m here for the Rinnasance. I can’t wait to see what unfolds on Thursday’s episode.

Earlier this week, I was alerted multiple times to Troye Sivan’s first official post on Substack. First off, I’m so glad that Troye has become enough of a part of my personal brand that my friends caught wind of the article and hastily sent it my way. Second, if I didn’t already love him, his style of writing and blunt transparency really solidified my adoration. In the post, Troye talks about how a plastic surgeon made a video calling out all the procedures he could have done to make himself look younger and hotter, and how this only confirmed the voices he was already hearing in his head. Celebrities — they’re just like us. I’d further summarize, but I’d rather you read it for yourself.

I know I’ve said it before, but I am seriously enjoying the boost in long-form, unpolished content from the stars. I truly think it marks a turning point in our social media landscape, and I’m excited to see how it continues to evolve.

Finally, I rewatched an all-time favorite movie of mine, Almost Famous, with some friends who had never seen it. What an absolute treat. Probably one of the top movie soundtracks of all time, right up there with Shrek 2. I really should make a point of watching it more often based solely on how much joy it brings me.

What I’m buying:

Spare me the lecture on my spending this week. I mostly used gift cards I got at work and Venmo balance, thus making my purchases completely free in the eyes of the only judge who matters: me.

Following my little trip to the candy store, a strong winter wind blew me right into TJ Maxx, and I just could not fight it. I am a bonafide Maxxinista, and the Georgetown location is one of my favorites. It always seems to be stocked with high-end brands and great purses. While TJ can notoriously be hit-or-miss, I tend to miss very rarely here. I came home with a quilted barn jacket from BlankNYC, and an Italian suede tote.

On Saturday morning, I had planned to go to a vintage sale at Garlic Girl Vintage in Admo, because I had seen a TikTok about a girl who was selling her entire collection of curated items for under $20 a piece. I figured it would be crowded, so I decided to walk a mile there in frigid temperatures over an hour early, only be be told I was number 62 on the list and to come back later for a “chance” at getting in.

I took this personally and huffed my way back down the hill. But, as they say, when a door closes… a window opens. On my mopey walk home, I encountered the Golden Hour Collective, a pop-up store of all difference second-hand vendors. This spot was not crowded at all when I arrived, and it felt like an oasis in the (coldest ever) desert. The prices were so reasonable, the staff was lovely, and it all made for one of the least stressful thrifting experiences I’ve ever had. I can’t wait to style everything I bought.

What I’m thinking about:

I’m really not one to get political on social media. I often feel like reposting a graphic or writing white text on a black screen is too two-dimensional a way to express the intricacies of most issues. I also recognize that I have the immense privilege of being able to pause or set aside certain political issues for my own mental health, when others live in their consequences daily.

All that being said.

What is happening right now in this country is absolutely appalling. The things I’ve seen coming out across the U.S. in the past few months, especially now in Minnesota, makes my stomach turn. I’m sure there’s plenty more I’m not seeing, due to censorship or just my own subconscious avoidance. This is not a political issue anymore — it’s a humanitarian crisis. No one on either side of the aisle should be able to even try to justify the actions of ICE and other federal bodies in this all-out war on immigrants.

Maybe I’m naive in thinking that no one who calls themselves an American would vote in favor of detaining children, ruining the lives of law-abiding immigrants trying to become citizens through official channels, and murdering innocent people trying to help their neighbors in cold blood.

It’s hard not to feel hopeless when witnessing the hypocrisy and division that plagues us as a country. I couldn’t help but notice that many who were outspoken in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s politically-motivated assassination had nothing to say about Renée Good or Alex Pretti’s murders at the hands of ICE, a federal and inherently political agency. How can someone be so outraged by one, but not another? Have we lost the plot so completely that we think any of this is justified? Are we just merely cheering for one party or another like they’re football teams, regardless of our morals as human beings?

If you’re feeling helpless, same. Here are a few resources I’ve come across in the past few days that can help us take some accessible action:

• Standwithminnesota.com, posted in my friend Olivia’s latest newsletter, lays out ways to support the people of Minnesota who are trying their best to fight back

• This article in MSP Mag also outlines ways to help support immigrant communities in Minnesota

• Organizations like the ACLU and the National Immigrant Justice Center make it very easy to send messages to your members of Congress to urge action against the mass detentions and violence

• The post below outlines an easy guide to calling your reps:

I know this doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the horrors going on in America right now, but it would not feel right to post another silly little blog about shopping and playing in the snow without making mention of this. If you’re struggling to wrap your brain around what’s happening, know you’re not the only one.

That’s all for this week, folks! Stay warm, stay safe, and I’ll catch you in the next one <3

Happy January 79th, everyone!

Is anyone else ready to turn the page on this month? The days are short, it’s freezing, everyone’s sick, and the one federal day off from work is now behind us. I hate to be negative, but I’ve had enough of it.

Don’t worry, though, I promise I’m still having fun. Let’s get into it.

What I’m doing:

To be perfectly honest, I’m losing track of the nuances between days lately, as I usually do at this time of year. With no major milestones to track, I don’t have much to anchor my processing of time onto. Luckily, I had a long weekend to look forward to, making the monotonous winter work week move along a little quicker than usual.

I’ve been continuing to engage in the usual routine that I’m becoming accustomed to — some meal prep, a few days in the office, a piano lesson, a couple of Solidcore classes, and TV time with my roommates. Not too shabby if you ask me, but I’ve been feeling a bit resistant to repetition recently.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a being who thrives on routine, who makes insane lists in my notes app and checks things off daily, needing strict self-inflicted rules to feel sane. But these days, this safe, cushy castle of scheduling and planning I’ve built for myself has begun to show some cracks. A few months ago, I read a quote that said, “You don’t need a trip to Bali, you just need a Tuesday that looks a little different from your last Tuesday,” and this completely rocked my world. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since — you may recognize it from some of my previous posts.

I have been aware for years that the expectations I set for myself on a daily basis were a little toxic, but for some reason, this really snapped it into clear view, illuminating the fact that too much repetition in my life could eventually make me feel like I need to totally overhaul it. Ever since, I’ve been looking for ways to delicately mix things up for myself without causing too much of a disruption to the manner in which I operate.

So, in addition to my usual activities, I did a few things that were a bit different this week. First, I took a big step toward financial responsibility and applied for a credit card. Yes, you read that correctly — I’m pushing 26 and still throwing down my TD Bank debit card I got when I was 13. I know this is insane, but I share it in the name of practicing vulnerability and letting anyone in my shoes know they aren’t alone. I’ve always been a bit hesitant to incorporate credit into my life, as I am intimately aware of my limitations when it comes to smart spending. Look up “impulse shopper” in the Merriam-Webster, and you may just find my picture. But honestly, enough is enough. The time has come to pull myself together and start acting like a grown-up, not three kids on each other’s shoulders in a trench coat.

As one of the last holdouts of my friends, I’ve been approached many times about being referred. You may see before you a girl, but my friends with looming referral bonuses only see dollar signs. Congratulations to my roommate, Maura, who emerged victorious in the battle for my sign-up. Feel free to shower me in gifts with your newfound wealth.

Next on the docket for breaking routine, I took myself on a little solo adventure along the red line, first to get my favorite donut in the city (more on this later), and then to look for a poster for my room (ended up spending hours in a used bookstore and left with more books than a Kindle user would feasibly need). It is rare that I willingly spend time alone, but sometimes it’s important to get to know your own thoughts, or so I’m told.

Finally, before I could capitalize on my emerging opportunity for credit card points, I impulsively booked a karaoke room on my cherished debit, simply because the vibe felt right. Despite the missed financial potential, it was well worth it for the pure joy of singing in close proximity to eight dear friends under disco lights for the evening. There’s something transcendent about karaoke, and I truly will never get tired of watching people I love take command of the microphone (and belting out a few tunes myself — once a theater kid, always a theater kid). I was certainly long overdue for a trip to Echobox.

What I’m consuming (food):

Boy, did I EAT. While I’m still doing my best to cook at home whenever possible, the delicious treats I enjoyed from the outside world this week were off the charts.

I’m proud to announce that I bought the exact correct amount of groceries this week, with no need to throw out any slimy bags of spinach nor scrape together an unfortunate non-perishable dinner from the depths of my pantry. My meal preps of the week were as follows:

• Hard-boiled eggs (again) with sweet potatoes — This week’s HBE variation included the ever-delicious and nutritious sweet potato, chicken sausage, and apple. Very January.

• Peanut noodle bowls (recipe linked here) — This recipe curbed my takeout craving like nobody’s business. Sweet tangy noodles, spicy chicken, and crispy veggies, just as good hot as it is cold the next day.

• Chicken cutlets and Greek salad — No recipe on this one, but when in doubt, I’m always going to make a breaded chicken cutlet. Nothing ever hits the spot more. It’s good with any kind of vinegary salad, but I’m partial to a Greek with feta and olives of some kind.

On Friday night, I made the rare and difficult decision to stay in and relax (insane, I know). One of my friends, James, is an amazing chef, and he offered to cook us all butter chicken so we didn’t have to order any takeout. When I tell you this meal would’ve gotten any Indian restaurant a five-star rating in my book, I am not exaggerating. It’s an incredible gift to have friends with skills like this.

After our decadent meal, we got to try some fun candy that my roommate, Josie, brought back from Korea. I know I’ve bragged on here before about being a gummy candy connoisseur, so naturally, I was eager to try these confections from across the world. We tried a collection of sour gummy ropes, some lychee jelly balls that had the consistency of an eyeball (or so I would imagine), some melon bites, and some chocolates. Unfortunately, I am ruined from here on out — American candy will never live up to the hype. The ropes were by far my favorite, as they ticked all my boxes: not too sweet, very, very chewy, and super sour. How quickly do we think I can get to Korea for a restock?

The food tour only continued on Saturday, when I embarked on my solo adventure, starting at Rose Ave Bakery. When I first tried their Ube Coconut donut a few months ago, I was immediately hooked. I’ve genuinely had dreams about it in the months since. When I’m feeling extra motivated, I’ll trek up to Woodley Park just for a few bites of this dreamy, fluffy purple treat. This time around, since I had gone all that way, I decided to try a second donut, the Black Sesame. While nothing can ever come close to my beloved Ube Coconut, this one certainly put up a good fight.

If you’re anywhere near the DC area, I implore you to check out Rose Ave. You will not regret it.

As promised in last week’s blog, my dreams of the Eeebee’s burger finally came true on Sunday night, when we endured the two-hour wait and secured a table. Knowing what I know now, I’d wait six hours. Ten. Twelve. They’ve seriously done their big one with this. A sleeper favorite was the mozzarella sticks, which exhibited a cheese pull unlike any I’ve ever encountered. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. I can’t overstate how worth the wait this meal was.

What I’m consuming (media):

A spelling bee word that has always been etched into my brain is syzygy:

\SIZ-uh-jee\ • noun. : the nearly straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon, and earth, during a solar or lunar eclipse in a gravitational system.

It may sound dramatic, but this is the word that comes to mind when I consider the alignment of the new seasons of some of the best television available: Industry, Tell Me Lies, and The Pitt. This winter era of my TV consumption is defined by drama — whether in the high-stress world of British investment banking, on the world’s most twisted college campus, or in the busiest emergency room in the Ohio Valley. I will eventually do some longer reviews of each show, but if you’ve been looking for a sign to watch any of these three, here it is.

On Saturday, my roommates and I supported the movie theater industry (the Pope said we must) by seeing Hamnet, perhaps the most depressing movie ever made. I went in knowing a little too much about the plot, but my friends who went in blind were shocked the entire time. I don’t think I’ve heard so much sobbing in a movie, maybe ever.

The experience got off to a shaky start when we were a few moments late, and someone was sitting in our seats, prompting a theater employee to investigate. After some light humiliation, we were back on track. Plus, we got vouchers to see another movie for free for the inconvenience. ILY, Regal Cinemas.

While on my morning commute at the top of this week, I chose to put all 700+ of my liked Spotify songs on shuffle, and re-stumbled upon a song that would define my listening for the subsequent work week (and probably far beyond): Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day. Since then, every time I put my headphones on, I am back in my performative, theater-kid emo era circa 2016. This is fitting given all the hype that particular year is getting on socials this week. The playlist below has been on serious repeat.

What I’m buying:

You heard it here first: the influencer has officially been influenced. Maura, who has been avoiding any assistance with her vision for years, finally got glasses this week. I was skeptical when she chose to order her first-ever pair from an almost scam-level cheap brand called SLLAC, but when the specs showed up and were high-quality, I couldn’t help but take a peek. I bought two pairs that are definitely on the trendier side, but I’ve been looking to add a little fun into the rotation with my classic Warby Parker frames. Stay tuned for when they arrive from overseas.

Also, previously mentioned, I found myself purchasing a few books at Second Story in Dupont Circle. I am a sucker for a used bookstore, despite being an avid Kindle enthusiast. Two things can be true. I chose a fun photo book on the Beatles, a Swedish mystery, and a World War II biography, all for under $20 total. It’s called range, ever heard of it?

What I’m wearing:

In the vein of filling my silences with Green Day and Panic! At the Disco, I’ve been rocking black nail polish this week. It used to be my go-to in high school, probably partially for attention, but a decade later, I’m finding it to be a chic departure from my usual light pinks and reds. Black is the new black.

Additionally, since starting my new job, I’ve been forced to get dressed most days a week, and I feel this has done numbers for my personal sense of style, both inside and outside of the office. Here are a few snippets of outfits I really enjoyed this week.

What I’m thinking about:

Let me preface by saying this may not be the most philosophical line of thought that this blog has ever seen, but it’s what’s been on my mind.

Every few months or so, when I’m bored or craving change, I start getting what I call the “bob voices,” or the strong urge to cut some serious inches off of my hair. I’ve done a few major chops in the past couple of years, and I almost always regret it — either immediately, or once my locks start reaching that awkward length between short and long. My friends always shut me down as soon as I verbalize my bob-related wishes, but I’m struggling to shake the feeling this time around.

On a logical level, I understand that a drastic haircut won’t magically alleviate all my problems, but isn’t it fun to pretend? It would definitely help until the first wash. As per usual, watch this space. And to my friends reading this, I know I’ll be hearing from you. I’m waiting by the phone.

My apologies for how late the last few blogs have been, I am sure you have all been sitting up on Tuesday nights waiting for the drop. Thank you for your patience and your readership — see you next week (on Tuesday this time!!!) <3

We’ve reached the point in January where the goals of the new year either still feel very much within reach or completely hopeless. For me, it’s the former, but I don’t think the way this week unfolded seems very sustainable. From militant meal prep to total social battery overload, I’m certainly making the most of 2026 thus far. Let’s talk about it.

What I’m doing:

Instead of letting myself get slowly reacquainted with work and real life, I decided it was necessary to start on my New Year’s intentions straight away — no time like the present.

Two of my main focuses for this month are to get back into piano lessons and to chill out when it comes to my Uber Eats consumption. As difficult as I find doing literally anything other than scrolling and sleeping after work these days, I decided to be brave and chip away at both goals as much as possible.

Before “winter break” (if I can call it that as an adult), I turned to the internet to find a piano teacher who was within budget and close enough to my house that getting to them wouldn’t be a barrier to entry. It was only on my walk to my first lesson that it occurred to me that going to a complete stranger’s house alone could potentially be a bad idea, but luckily, he was just a normal dude who loves music. I had no idea what to expect, considering my last lesson was at least 15 years ago, but I seem to have retained a lot from my childhood. It must be like riding a bike (although I would not know). Of course, all week I didn’t practice, but I will keep at it and report back. You may be looking at a modern-day Mozart — who knows.

On the anti-takeout front, I spent the majority of Sunday and some of Monday meal-prepping in a manner reminiscent of stocking up for Doomsday. In fact, my roommate, Maura, walked into the kitchen and asked me if I was preparing for war. God forbid a girl have a hobby. Although the cooking was admittedly unhinged, and I used all the good Tupperware, it made things really easy for the rest of the week. I did not have to stress about what to pack for lunch or resort to reaching for my phone when dinnertime felt too daunting. More on the eats to come later.

The main event this week was the Deloitte holiday party, hosted at Union Station. Yes, it was well after the holidays, but who could blame the firm for wanting to keep the festive spirit alive (or pay a little less for the venue, probably)? Maura and I (yes — roommates, coworkers, life partners, etc.) brought our two friends Forrest and James, who treated us like absolute princesses, coming over before with corsages and champagne and indulging our school-dance-style photoshoot. Our friend Celia also hung out while we got ready, let me borrow a dress, and served as our photographer.

Deloitte Prom, as the night will forever be known going forward, was honestly way better than I expected. The food was great, the drinks were flowing, there was a glambot (which we joked about, not knowing we were manifesting it into reality), and one room was even outfitted with silent disco capabilities. My heart is still smiling for corporate America, for now.

What I’m consuming (food):

As previously mentioned, this week was a meal-prep extravaganza of grand proportions. The meals I made this week included:

• Hard-boiled eggs with sautéed veggies and chicken sausage — I’m always eating some sort of HBE variation in the morning; I find it to be the least offensive of breakfast cuisines.

• Greek chicken slaw (recipe linked here) — this was a recipe I’d been seeing on the internet forever, and I’m so glad I finally made it. It lasted me all week and was a complete flavor explosion. Also, it may be single-handedly responsible for getting me over my fear of chicken thighs.

• Tofu veggie miso soup (instructions linked here, not really a recipe) — yes, I’m still spreading the miso soup gospel. It’s just shockingly easy to make, and so delicious. I packed mine with protein so I could call a bowl of soup dinner.

In addition to cooking for the small army that is workweek Bari, I did enjoy some restaurant food as well (sue me). Maura and I tried the new H&H Bagels, which was just okay. I have always associated H&H with crappy airport/train station food anyway, so I wasn’t shocked, but it did satisfy my carb craving post-Deloitte Prom.

My friends and I also tried to hit Eebee’s, a new bar in Shaw with insane-looking burgers, but the wait was over three hours, so we pivoted to Service Bar. I thoroughly enjoyed my burger and fried chicken sandwich, so the endeavor was not a total wash. Eebee, if you’re reading this, I will be back for that burger. And some onion rings. And a banana split, maybe.

Finally, because I simply could not pull myself together after the holiday party, I had a bit of work to catch up on over the weekend, so I went to one of my favorite cozy little spots. Big Bear Cafe has awesome food, (usually) delicious drinks, and a crackling fireplace. Most of us got the breakfast burrito, which was top-notch. I really don’t love breakfast food, but I will always have room in my heart and stomach for a burrito of any kind. My matcha was clumpy as hell, but I will assume they were just having an off day. Overall experience was lovely, and I logged a few hours at the (virtual) PowerPoint factory. A huge win.

What I’m consuming (media):

For someone who just recently claimed not to be a movie person, I’ve certainly been consuming more than my fair share of feature films. This week at the b-roll box office, I focused on new recent releases — some of which I enjoyed, while others I struggled to really understand.

First up is Bugonia, a 2025 release starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. In it, two conspiracy theorists become convinced that a high-powered CEO is actually an alien with intentions of destroying Earth, so they kidnap her in an attempt to negotiate with her emperor. This was a dark and twisted one, swirled with moments of humor, and it certainly kept me guessing. All in all, a super weird movie full of surprises.

Attention, dangerous lunatics, haters, and punk trash! That’s right, the next watch was One Battle After Another. This movie centered around Bob, an ex-revolutionary played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who is living in a state of fear in the middle of nowhere, waiting for the other shoe from his troubled history to drop. When his daughter, played by Chase Inifiti, goes missing, we watch as they both have to answer for the past and fight to keep their family together. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie — it had action, emotion, Sean Penn acting like a complete psycho, and a lot of hilarious and quotable one-liners.

The final movie of the week was Friendship, starring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson. The tagline for this one was “Men shouldn’t have friends,” and I have to say, I might agree after watching. Essentially, a suburban dad (Tim Robinson) becomes obsessed with his cool new weatherman neighbor (Paul Rudd), and disaster ensues from here. Tim Robinson’s brand of comedy is seriously so unsettling, and even though I was laughing, it was mostly out of discomfort. There was a really hilarious bit about Subway, though, which you know I appreciated as a top customer. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about the movie as a whole.

What I’m wearing:

As of late, I’m experiencing a baggy clothing renaissance. In the past, I’ll admit I may have dressed in this manner to try to hide my body. Right at this moment, though, I’m just finding it incredibly chic to throw on some loose-fitting jeans, a T-shirt, and some fun jewelry. My mom will truly hate to see this — sorry, Mom. I have to do me.

To get into the specifics, I’m loving my new Madewell balloon jeans, Canadian tuxes, and my Diet Coke charm from Yeah It’s Jewelry (although I need to find a chain for it that I actually like). I also finally got to wear my Lexi Collar from Baublebar. As you can see, at least I’m putting my shopping addiction to good use.

What I’m thinking about:

Not to get too meta on you all, but I’ve been thinking a lot about Substack as a platform. Recently, I’ve seen a lot of celebrities (namely Charli XCX, Troye Sivan, and Dolly Parton) start to trickle in, publishing their own long-form content that’s a bit more real and raw than an Instagram story or a TikTok. It got me wondering about the direction of media in general, and where I may align with it all.

I always joke that my dream is to be an influencer full-time, and it’s not really a joke. I complain about lacking motivation at work until I’m blue in the face, but when asked what I’d rather be doing, I totally draw a blank. The truth is, my real passion is sharing. I love to talk, I love to give suggestions, and I love to tell anyone who will listen what I’m up to in the hopes of bonding over a shared interest or an exchange of knowledge. I just never get tired of telling stories, sharing links to clothes that are on sale, posting recipes I know people will love, and the list goes on. No, I’ve never been a very mysterious girl, and yes, most would call me an oversharer. Being perhaps a little too open, I’ve found, has always helped me meet people where they are and has gotten me very far in life, both in my relationships and my career. What some may view as a weakness, I can honestly say I see as a strength.

The issue with “influencing” is that I sometimes feel like short-form content has ruined, well, everything. It’s crushed our attention spans and made us feel like whatever we have to say better be bite-sized and punchy, otherwise it’s worthless. I’ve struggled at times to figure out what to post on TikTok or Instagram because it needs to be so truncated to have any reach. But, to me, it’s a very positive sign to see A-Listers (and whatever teams are writing their posts) making their way over to Substack, because it may signal that the tide is shifting towards a higher word count. I can only hope this means that the general public is ready to take up a little more room on the screen and get back to full sentences.

I hereby send you all the strength to make it to the upcoming long weekend. As per usual, thanks for sticking with me, and I’ll see you in the next one <3

Hello and happy Tuesday from the dark and dreary hellscape that is the post-holiday real world. To keep the demons of adulthood at bay, I’m using this week’s blog to mentally travel back to the winter-wonderland-girl-time extravaganza that was my New Year’s trip to Ludlow, Vermont. Let’s get into it.

What I’m doing:

In college, I used to constantly rely on the mantra “I’ll never pretend to be someone I’m not,” which, in theory, is a great sentiment, but not when it’s actually code for “I refuse to try anything that scares me.” Whether it was something small like not wanting to travel to the bar via Lime scooter (something I still will not do so maybe not the best example), or a larger adventure like going on a hot air balloon ride, I would simply chalk my reluctance up to the activity not fitting into my personal brand, and cross my fingers not to be questioned. Of course, my wonderful friends always saw right through my BS and would encourage me to reconsider. It’s because of them I’ve since learned to push my own boundaries just a bit, even if my actions are laced with a dash of fear.

Upon arriving in Ludlow last week, I had absolutely no intention of skiing. It was something I tried once a decade ago, and while I honestly couldn’t remember if I liked it or not, I’ve never been known for my coordination or agility, so I thought it might be best to sit this portion of the programming out. I had planned to hang around the house, read, enjoy the winter vistas from the comfort of the indoors, and meet up with everyone once they’d had enough of the slopes, but I was implored by the greater group to at least try for one day. So, instead of insisting that skiing was not on my moodboard for 2025 or 2026, I rented some damn equipment and gave it my best shot.

Both times I ever tried to ski in my life, I was taught and supported by my friend Brooke’s wonderful mom, Jocelyn, who is a very seasoned skier and potentially the most patient woman alive. She literally and figuratively held my hand as I figured out how to put my skis on, did slow turns down the bunny hill, and navigated the (kind of terrifying) lift. Also, she insisted upon being my personal photographer: leave it to Jocelyn to make sure I had plenty of content from what turned out to be a very short stint on the mountain.

On my very first run, I hit a patch of ice and took a tumble that I mentally could not recover from. I rode the magic carpet up to the top of the bunny hill a few times to try and regain my confidence, but my heart was no longer in it. I went home and got back to Plan A, and the rest was history. Oh well. I’m still glad I tried.

Aside from my two hours of Lindsey Vonn glory, I mostly spent time relaxing with the girls. It was one of those trips where my face hurt from smiling, and by the time I blinked, it was over. It had the same magic as the sleepovers I had as a little kid, especially because we all slept in the same room in twin beds and woke up to snow days every morning. Some of the highlights included New Year’s Eve fireworks, swimming at Jackson Gore, sitting around various tables and booths chatting for hours, cozy movie nights in our nightgowns (more on this in the next section), incredible Buffalo wings everywhere we went, and a particularly hilarious game of fishbowl that dragged on for hours because we were doubled over in laughter. I couldn’t ask for a better start to the new year.

What I’m wearing:

Year of the snake this, year of the horse that. Cut the noise: it’s the year of the nightgown.

Many of the girls attending this trip were already members of what I’ll call the “nightgown contingent” long before this week. On our way up to Vermont, the contingent strongly encouraged the rest of us to acquire nightgowns from the Vermont Country Store. They were adamant in their resolve that sleeping in one would change our lives forever, and that for the most relaxing entry into 2026, we should all wear them together. I have to admit I was skeptical at first — these things are not cheap, and also, I’ve always been a big t-shirt kind of girl. Oh, how quickly I changed my mind.

The first night at the house, when we all changed into our nightgowns and enjoyed a hearty stew together, I knew I was hooked. There was a transformative energy in the room, and we all shared the unspoken yet palpable understanding that we were suddenly new women: ones who cared about comfort above all else. We spent the rest of the week floating around the house like the ghosts of Victorian women with our flowing gowns on under our sweatshirts. At every opportunity, we simply couldn’t wait to get home to throw these babies on. And, in case you’re worried all this enthusiasm is just a classic case of groupthink, I’m now back in DC and writing this very blog from the breezy embrace of my nightgown. Maybe next I’ll get into churning my own butter, who knows.

What I’m consuming (food):

This week was an absolute treasure trove of winter cuisine. First and foremost, my favorite meal was a delicious Vermont Beef Stew cheffed up by my dear friend, Brooke. She is the ultimate hostess, and in keeping with her style, she had this masterpiece waiting for us when we arrived at the house (to eat in our nightgowns, of course). I believe she used this recipe from Food52, incorporating maple syrup and Guinness into the stock. Saying I ate this for every other meal is not an exaggeration. I couldn’t get enough.

The food tour did not stop there. A few of my other favorite bites of the week were:

• Buffalo wings and shepherd’s pie from Killarney

  • Every restaurant in the town of Ludlow seemed to know its way around a Buffalo wing, but these were particularly exceptional. The food here was so delicious that I almost booked a trip to Ireland by the time the check came.

• The Turkey Call (a Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich) from Singleton’s

  • Singleton’s is a fun little country store that sells pretty much everything, from guns to some pretty incredible sandwiches. I got the Turkey Call, which originally came on a wrap, but I asked for it on Rye and grilled. 10/10.

• Maple Creamee from the Green Mountain Sugar House

  • Soft serve flavored with maple syrup? Say less. It speaks volumes that I was still able to deeply enjoy this in sub-zero temperatures.

What I’m consuming (media):

I’ve never been much of a movie person, but lately I’m seriously enjoying cozying up for a few hours and losing myself in a new story. So much so that I decided to make a Letterboxd account to keep track of what I’m watching (and what I’d like to watch), should I find myself in need of a movie suggestion in a pinch. My username is barilipper if anyone wants to be friends.

Right before I left for Vermont, my parents insisted I watch A Few Good Men with them. Typically, when I’m told I absolutely have to watch a movie, especially if it’s on the older side, I resist with all of my might. I’m not sure why this is, and we can surely unpack it later, but thank goodness I decided not to put up a fight on this particular night. This was definitely one of my favorite movies I’ve ever seen. Young Tom Cruise and Demi Moore getting to the bottom of military corruption and fighting for justice? Jack Nicholson delivering the most incredible monologue of all time? Turns out, I can handle the truth. Please go watch this movie if you’re 30 years late like me.

This week’s cinematic journey did not stop here. While up north, we watched two great movies, Chalet Girl and Eternity.

Chalet Girl is a cute, early 2000s teen movie about a British skateboarder who, following a family tragedy, moves to Austria to work as (you guessed it) a Chalet Girl. It’s here that she discovers that she’s an amazing snowboarder and sets out to win an international snowboarding competition. The movie was adorable and obviously very topical in the context of our little trip. If you want to watch Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl, Cousin Greg from Succession, and Brooke Davis from Friday Night Lights in a lighthearted movie about winter sports, this is the one for you!

Slightly darker but still a fun watch, Eternity is a fairly new movie that follows characters played by Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, and Miles Teller as they navigate the afterlife. I love all of these actors, so I had a feeling I’d enjoy this one regardless. I very much appreciated that the movie was still campy, funny, and put a smile on my face, even though the subject matter was inherently depressing. It was also cinematically beautiful to watch, as most A24 movies are. I laughed, I cried, and I now think twice before eating pretzels.

Aside from movies, I also had the chance to finish a book while waiting for everyone to finish shredding the gnar, as they say.

Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (4 stars) —

This was a strong first read of 2026. Heaven and Earth Grocery Store followed a collection of characters living in Chicken Hill, a community within Pottstown, PA, made up of mainly Jewish immigrants and African Americans. The book started with the police in town finding human remains in a well, shortly followed by a hurricane that all but destroys the neighborhood. The rest of the story follows the lead-up to this grisly turn of events over the course of a few decades. Throughout this time, the reader comes to understand the different ways in which the quest for the “American Dream” can shape the lives of those who seek it.

While I found the mystery portion of the book a bit predictable, I felt very connected to all the protagonists in the story, and I thought the ending was very satisfying. I definitely recommend this one.

What I’m buying:

I know I literally just said I was going to be more intentional about shopping, but I had a little slip-up. My friend Alex so graciously let me borrow a perfect pair of white barrel jeans from Madewell, something I had been surfing the web for over the past few weeks (I love a winter white). I figured it couldn’t hurt to take a peek online to see if they were still available, and lo and behold, they were on sale for $45. No one can deny that kind of deal, not even me with my newly reformed, intentional shopper persona. I’ll do better next week.

What I’m thinking about:

If it wasn’t already abundantly clear, I’m feeling warm and fuzzy from the glow of female friendship. I’m so lucky that my friends have such amazing people in their lives, and we can all come together for crossover episodes like this. Girl time is good for the soul.

Looking ahead, I’m focusing on getting back to work and into a more normal routine. After a few weeks of eating mostly chocolate and sitting on my ass (nothing wrong with this by the way), I’m craving vegetables and structure in a way I never thought I would. This week will be full of salads, solidcore classes, and digging myself out of my inbox.

As I did in December, I’ve set a few intentions for January to keep me grounded and help ease back into adult life.

• Mantra: Be everywhere, and luck will find you.

• Words of the month: abundance, clarity

• Intentions:

  • Read every night

  • Write things down and use them to create

  • Listen to Discover Weekly playlists

  • Go easy on the Uber Eats

  • Start piano lessons

This method worked nicely last month, so I’m looking forward to running it back. Away we go!

Here’s to wishing everyone the gentlest re-entry into the real world as possible. Best of luck, and I’ll see you on the other side <3

At the beginning of 2025, I avoided sitting down and assigning myself a pile of resolutions that were completely unattainable. Instead, my only goal was to do what felt right and not ascribe any guilt to how the year shook out. Sure, there were certain things I set out to do, but I made a concerted effort not to let them drive me insane.

This finally taught me once and for all that no normal person with any responsibilities can simultaneously learn a new language, pick up a musical instrument, have a 30-step skincare routine, train for a marathon, go on five first dates a month, learn how to code, meal prep regularly, et cetera, et cetera. There’s no point in beating yourself up when there’s only so much time in the day. If you can get through work or school and still make a little time to do something you value, that, to me, is a win worth celebrating.

So yes, I’m setting a few intentions for 2026. Of course I am. But, I’m keeping it (mostly) realistic. Here are a few things I’ll be aiming for this year.

2026 Intentions:

1. Practice patience and emotional vulnerability, do not expect everything to be instant or for people to read my mind

2. Write ideas and thoughts down so I don’t lose them (this includes using apps like Letterboxd, Beli, and GoodReads in addition to my notes app and my journal)

3. Style outfits whenever I leave the house to keep refining my sense of personal style

4. Try to form new neural pathways by mixing things up (take different routes to places I go regularly, listen to new music, switch up routines whenever possible, read new books, write often, etc.)

5. Shop less on impulse. Try to buy vintage or high-quality pieces with longevity, as opposed to fast fashion

6. Start piano lessons

7. Be more positive (and honestly a little nicer)

8. Move to San Diego (or somewhere new)

9. Align across social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Substack in a way that is intentional, cohesive, and reflective of me

10. Find some form of movement daily

Here’s to a fulfilling and wonderful new year! Back to regularly scheduled programming next week :’-)

As Beyoncé would say, “Baby, I swear it’s Deja Vu.”

You guessed it: I’m back in Connecticut for the holidays. This week was all about swapping tropical beaches for snowy New England, cozying up in pajamas, eating soup, watching massive amounts of television, and mentally switching gears for the new year. Shall we break it down?

What I’m consuming (food):

Back when I first started my barisbootcamp Instagram in college, I used to do a series where I posted a different soup recipe every week (aptly named “soup of the week”). While I’m not ready to commit to that undertaking again, this week had the energy of those good old days. Last winter, I made this silken tofu egg drop soup on the regular, and then promptly forgot about it as soon as the temperatures warmed up. It came back to me in a dream a few nights ago, and I was compelled to make it immediately.

I did not have all the ingredients, but I am getting more comfortable with improvising in the kitchen, so I made it work. I also added miso paste, which may need to be a permanent addition to the recipe. Side note: Why isn’t anyone talking about how easy it is to make miso soup at home?

To continue with the theme, I found myself with a nagging craving for pho when the miso egg drop soup ran out. I dragged my family to Mecha Noodle Bar in Fairfield, only to find that the wait was going to be far too extensive. Luckily, my Dad had been wanting to try Pho Nha Trang, which was just down the road. No shade to Mecha, but this place was exponentially better. We each got a giant bowl of pho ($11 each) and split Bo Luc Lac, which is a delicious beef dish served with rice and veggies. I already know we’re going to be regulars here. This is the kind of place that makes me sad about not living in Fairfield anymore.

What I’m consuming (media):

Before we jump in here, I would like to warn you that this section is going to be a hefty one. Having been home and off from work, my TV and movie consumption levels were absolutely off the charts this week. Thank goodness my parents have subscriptions to every major streaming service, even if they don’t know it. Buckle your seatbelt, because we’re going to be taking a journey through the following:

1. Heated Rivalry (yes, I’m ready to talk about it now)

2. All Her Fault

3. Marty Supreme

4. Books I read this week (Long Island Compromise and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas)

These may contain light spoilers, but I’ll do my best.

Heated Rivalry

If you haven’t heard of this show that’s taken the world by storm, I’m surprised, but I’m happy to fill you in. Heated Rivalry is a series that covers the lives of two closeted professional hockey players, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, who become involved in an intense relationship (situationship) that starts in their rookie season and continues for many, many years to come. The show is based on a book and was originally produced by a small Canadian network, but it was picked up by HBO right before it debuted, causing it to absolutely explode in the US.

When I first started the show, I thought it was a little silly. The storytelling relied heavily on massive jumps through time and text message screenshots. For the first few episodes, it basically felt like Shane and Ilya would exchange texts, hook up, and then see each other again next season. But, at some imperceptible point, I became invested in their story and the other subplots. Once time slowed down a bit, these guys seriously charmed me.

The last three episodes of the season had me crying and experiencing full-body chills (FBCs) at multiple points, which again, I never saw coming. It’s caused me to reflect a lot on why this show resonated so deeply with me and a lot of other (straight) women.

I can’t take credit for this angle, but I’ve heard a few people discuss that it’s because the show depicts a relationship in which all power dynamics are stripped away. As wildly successful professional athletes, both Shane and Ilya are the epitome of conventional masculinity. However, the way they can both be equally powerful and vulnerable with each other throughout the course of their romantic entanglement is something that is intrinsically missing in heterosexual relationships by default. Traditional gender roles do not dictate the trajectory of their story, which I think many viewers (myself included) found refreshing.

I would also like to mention that I was completely blown away by Connor Storrie, who played Ilya. If I hadn’t Googled him, I would’ve assumed this man was born and raised in Moscow, based on his accent and his speaking fluent Russian throughout the series. It turns out, he’s actually from West Texas, and he has a completely different voice and disposition when he’s out of character. His on-screen transformation was insane.

If you’re counting Heated Rivalry out based on the first episode or two, maybe stick it out. I’m really glad I did.

All Her Fault

The next series I binged this week was All Her Fault, which follows the case of a wealthy family’s son who goes missing from daycare. Everyone in this little boy’s life is a suspect, and nobody can help but lie to protect their own self-interest.

I think my parents and I watched all eight episodes in less than three days. At no point could I predict what was going to happen next in this show. I loved how it left clues out in plain sight, but only gave us enough information to understand them when it would thicken the plot. I don’t want to say more in case I accidentally spoil it.

My only critique is that the lighting throughout the show was so incredibly dim that at some points we could really only make out shapes and blobs. It seemed like an unnecessary artistic choice to me, but I highly recommend turning up the brightness and watching anyway. I promise you, you will be hooked.

Marty Supreme

I’ve already touched on Marty Supreme in my December Favorites post, so I won’t double-dip here, but I thought this movie 100% lived up to the hype. So much so that I am now planning on seeing it again, and I am inspired to visit movie theaters more regularly in general. Plus, who knew ping pong could be so riveting?

Books I read this week

Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (5 stars) -

As previously mentioned, I think I put this book on hold over a year ago because I liked the artwork on the cover. I had since heard mixed reviews, but I personally couldn’t put this book down.

The story follows a wealthy family in the immediate and long-term aftermath of their father’s kidnapping and subsequent return. The characters are all so beyond unhinged in their own ways — whether going on drug-fueled benders and stalking celebrities, grappling with severe anxiety to the point of investing a full net-worth into insurance, or floating through life doing nothing but playing mundane video games about having a normal nine-to-five. Despite all of their issues, I found each of these characters to be somehow relatable. Even when I thought I had the story figured out, I never knew what was coming next. I laughed, I cried, and I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson (1 star) -

I totally understand that this book is supposed to portray two people on a wild, drug-addled adventure, but I’m just not sure why it’s supposed to resonate with me. I was bored most of the time, and I really couldn’t follow what was going on, but maybe I’m just not literarily open-minded enough to get it.

Based on what I’ve read after finishing this book, it was a mostly autobiographical account on Thompson’s part, and a tour de force in the art of “gonzo journalism.” This is when a reporter writes without objectivity, often with themselves as a character in the narrative, blending fact and fiction for the sake of the story. From this perspective, I respect how unique the book is, but I don’t think it was for me.

What I’m buying:

I admit that I let my spending get a little out of control this week. Please be gentle with me; this is what happens when I have way too much time on my hands. I won’t bother trying to justify any of these purchases, but here’s what I bought:

• plaid jacket (zara)

• penco plastic clampy clip (jetpens)

• workout set (abercrombie) (pants link) (top link)

• kindle case and popsocket (amazon)

• lounge set (target) (pants link) (top link)

• barrel jeans (gap)

This covers it, I think. I can’t wait for the dopamine hit I’ll get when these are out for delivery. It will all have been worth it.

What I’m wearing:

I’m pleased to report that the Lululemon track pants I mentioned in last week’s blog were a smashing success! They’ve come in handy as a slightly elevated piece in comparison to my sea of pajamas. I think they will prove to be helpful in my quest to up my athleisure game a bit.

What I’m doing:

Other than being glued to the TV and making soup, I haven’t been up to much. Earlier this week, though, I did have a lovely experience flying home on Christmas Day. A slow day for air travel meant I could be as obnoxious as I pleased on the plane, given that the only other person in my row, or even my vicinity, was my father.

With this, I did one of my favorite face masks (Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Mask, which takes two hours), ordered a cup of ice to chill my gummies (iykyk), and sat criss-cross across the window and middle seats. Who says there’s no luxury in coach?

What I’m thinking about:

The time has come to think about some resolutions. I made a vow last year not to get too insane with goal setting, so I will continue to honor that. Obviously, I can’t resist making a moodboard and putting together a list of intentions, but I will be going about it in a much gentler way than I’m accustomed to. I plan on sharing a special New Year’s edition of the blog on Thursday, so I’ll keep you all in suspense until then.

I’m so grateful to enter another year with you, readers! As always, thanks for being here, and I’ll see y’all in 2026 <3

In this last month of 2025, I’ve had lots of time to reflect on what best serves me, brings me happiness, or makes my life easier. Sometimes, it’s not just the sexy big-ticket items that spark joy, but also the seemingly mundane things that work. With this, I present to you the rewind: my favorite things from December. I’ll walk you through my top picks — entertainment, skincare, food, clothes, and more.

Weleda Skin Food x Aquaphor combo

This winter has me feeling like dehydrated SpongeBob, no matter what I do. Forced heating and blustery temperatures have my skin dry and cracking. Plus, I spent 12 days roasting in the sun trying to store up as much vitamin D as possible just in case I never get the opportunity again. All of this to say, I’ve been conscious of the need to moisturize.

I’m someone who oscillates between having a 35-step skincare routine and washing my face with bar soap in the shower. It’s all or nothing with me, so it’s best to keep things simple when I can. I’ve found that the combination that works best for me is Weleda Skin Food Original Ultra Rich Cream and Aquaphor Lip Repair. The Skin Food is extremely thick, so I like to put it on my face, neck, and any other particularly dry spots before bed. It keeps my skin feeling hydrated well into the next day. I use Aquaphor all day long, and I make sure the tube is on my person at all times.

Short nails

I tried to give my nails a break earlier this year, but I can’t help but appreciate the magic that is a gel manicure. The price I pay for this vice is nails that are weak, thin, and bendy. I used to yearn for long nails that I could tippy-tap on any hard surface in sight, but I’ve since learned that growing out my nails leads to breakage at the slightest disturbance. When I came home from Aruba, my nails were a grown-out, jagged mess. They feel amazing after getting cut nice and short. No more long nail envy, it’s not my journey.

Reading on my Kindle

Up until this month, I had read 3 books total this year, which is far less than my usual. Vacation really helped me find my spark for reading again, which I am thrilled about. While the Kindle is not a new item for me, I feel the need to speak on how awesome it truly is. I know a lot of people hate the idea of not reading a physical book, and I felt that way at first, but the convenience of having millions of books at my fingertips in a tiny little package really won me over. Plus, I use the Libby app, which enables me to borrow eBooks for free with my DC Public Library card. It’s all so easy that I can’t see myself going back.

My favorite books this month were:

• The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

• Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

• Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Full reviews of these books can be found in last week’s b-roll.

Marty Supreme

I have no shame about the fact that the marketing campaign for Marty Supreme absolutely worked on me. Like many girls my age, I love Timotheé Chalamet, so I ate up every soundbite of the press tour. By the time the movie came out, I was physically itching to get to the theater and see it for myself. I had deep envy of every person who saw it before I could get a ticket.

Typically, I find that the more hype something has, the more disappointed I am when I actually experience it. Marty Supreme was a massive exception — this movie was one of my favorites I saw all year. The story had me gripped from the very first minute, despite having purchased a front-row ticket and feeling like I paid to have the spins. The cast was superb, the scenes depicting table tennis were insanely impressive, and even though the movie was well over two hours long, I wanted more. I will be seeing it again, preferably from further back in the theater.

Licorice.com

Sorry if you are tired of hearing me talk about this, but I won’t be silenced. At this point, if you don’t know that I’m obsessed with candy, where have you been? My family brought nine pounds of treats from Licorice.com in our checked luggage to Aruba, and it was gone way sooner than we expected. This licorice was incredibly good — the perfect level of chewiness, sweetness, and flavor. I want so much more, but it’s on the pricier side, and it will not last in my house. If you happen to find yourself perusing the website, do not sleep on the strawberry pillows or the dutch red laces. Absurdly good.

That brings us to the end of the December faves, but lucky for you, I’m doing a bonus round! I want to start making these lists monthly in the new year so I can have a good record of everything I’m obsessing over, but here are a few things I love dearly from 2025 that I can’t go without mentioning.

Ray-Ban RB4315 sunglasses

I truly used to hate wearing sunglasses until I got these bad boys last spring. Now, I rarely leave the house without them. I was influenced by my friend, Taylor, who has had this specific pair for years — I’ve always thought they were so timeless and chic. I highly recommend these to anyone looking to up their eyewear game.

Film photography

With iPhones getting larger and larger in terms of storage, I find I take the act of snapping countless photos for granted. This year, I decided I’d like to bring back some level of intention to my photography habits, so I bought an Olympus Superzoom on eBay, and the rest is history. As a surprise to no one, I am absolutely obsessed with this thing. All the photos I have from this year make me feel like I’m living in a movie. I will definitely be bringing this hobby into 2026.

Nemat Amber fragrance oil

I’ve never been a perfume girl, mostly because it made me break out in hives a few times when I was a kid. However, I do love the idea of having a signature scent. This year, I finally found it! Thanks to my friend, Celia, who has been using this product far longer than I have, and who sent me the link as soon as I asked for it. This is a subtle, clean fragrance that smells different on everyone. Plus, it’s really affordable. Perfection.

Gucci 1100L watch

My “big girl” purchase of the year was my bezel-change watch from Gucci (via eBay). I had been hunting for one of these in my size and at a reasonable price point for three years, no exaggeration. I finally found the one in January, and I never looked back. It came with 12 different bezels, so I can match the watch to every outfit. I truly believe it’ll be an heirloom one day.

If you have favorites from this year, please drop them in the comments. I’m always looking for reasons to shop… for research…

Dearest Reader,

I write to you as the most relaxed version of myself you may ever encounter. I’m not a person that anyone would describe as “chill” by any means, but after a week of doing nothing but reading on the beach, eating Cheetos, and roasting in the sun, I’m about as close as I’ll ever get. Just in time for the b-roll! Let’s chat.

What I’m doing:

As I mentioned in last week’s blog, I am currently in Aruba (and will be until Thursday) for my family’s annual vacation. We’ve been coming to the same timeshare every year since I was born, so this is my twenty *redacted* trip to the island. There’s something so familiar about this place — all the same regulars who have been coming for generations, the drama of getting a spot on the beach every morning, the happy hour bell that goes off three times a day, and the hot tub that never quite seems to be functioning. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The timing of the Aruba trip usually happens to coincide with my mom’s birthday, this year being her 60th. I always struggle with what to get my mom for her birthday: what do you get the woman who has everything and wants nothing? This year, because of the milestone (and because it’s been a particularly rough year), I really wanted to do something special that showcased how adored she is by everyone in her life. I honestly struggled with this for weeks before finally landing on what felt like the perfect solution.

My mom’s absolute favorite thing to do on vacation (and not on vacation) is read. She’ll usually tear through a book a day from her lounge chair. So, what better way to set her up for a fulfilling literary journey than to gather book recommendations from her closest friends and family? In the month leading up to the big day, I was able to get a hold of 30+ loved ones to offer a reading suggestion and a fun birthday note. One of my mom’s childhood friends actually even found a list of books that my Grandma Sheila (my mom’s mom) recommended to her years ago. She told me she had stumbled upon it just days before I reached out to gather her inputs. I won’t get on my woo-woo soapbox, but given we just lost my grandma a few months ago, it felt very serendipitous that she could still be part of the gift.

I ended up compiling all the book recs, well-wishes, and photos into a cute little purse-sized book that could serve as a guide for my mom’s beach reading itinerary. Putting it together was just another affirmation of what an amazing wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend she is. I could go on and on, but it’s all in the book.

I designed the book and had it printed through Canva, for anyone who may want to create a similar gift for someone they love.

What I’m consuming (food):

The food in Aruba, as my mom would say, is “serviceable.” It’s not bad, but I’ve yet to encounter anything all that great in my lifetime of coming here. I promise you, no one travels to the island for the culinary experience. Most restaurants serve the same combination of steak, shrimp, and grouper (which seems to be their unofficial national fish). Most nights, we opt for pizza or some other takeout eaten on the beach.

Luckily, we typically come prepared with snacks galore to account for the gaps in local cuisine. This year, the snack of choice was nine (9) pounds of licorice from licorice.com, stowed away in our checked luggage. And, despite the surplus we seemingly had, it’s almost entirely gone.

As a self-proclaimed gummy connoisseur, I will continue to sing the highest praises of this brand. Every night, we dug into those canisters like there was a hefty prize at the bottom. Of the seven flavors we brought, my favorites (and the first to go) were the strawberry pillows and the strawberry laces. Perfect texture, perfect flavor, and not too sweet. Bravo, licorice.com. Bravo.

Aside from the candy, and on the off chance that you’re looking for Aruba restaurant recommendations, my favorite is Barefoot. Their tagline is “Fine Dining in Flip Flops” and it is exactly that — an upscale restaurant entirely on the beach. Again, I wouldn’t say their food is outstanding, but the ambiance really makes up for it, especially at sunset.

What I’m consuming (media):

Prior to this trip, I’d been experiencing quite the reading rut. I’ve been getting way too comfortable spending any morsel of my free time scrolling aimlessly on my phone. But, there’s something about sun, sand, and sea that encourages me to get cozy with my Kindle. Safe to say we are so back, baby. Here are my unsolicited reviews of the books I’ve read so far:

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris (4 stars) —

A nice light beach read! Kidding.

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads, but the more I think about it, I may have gotten a little carried away. I always find that Holocaust books resonate with me, just on the basis of their connection to Judaism and their usual themes of incredible determination and hope, so that could’ve clouded my judgment a bit. Plus, it did make me cry, but that doesn’t take much.

The story is based on true events and real people: two prisoners in Auschwitz fall in love while one is tattooing the others’ numbers on her arm, and their story unfolds against the backdrop of the atrocities in the camp and the war in general. I read this book in about 4 hours, and was sucked in mainly because I wanted to know what would happen in the end — if they would survive the unimaginable and end up together (I won’t spoil). The story was gripping, but the writing was meh. Also, after I finished it, I did a deep dive into the real people, and there’s apparently a fair amount of controversy about some seemingly major factual inaccuracies. Regardless, I still think it’s a good quick read.

Ward D by Freida McFadden (2 stars) —

I’ve heard lots of buzz around this author, especially with The Housemaid coming out as a movie this week. I’m not sure how I found Ward D, but it was already on my Kindle when I opened it, so I decided to give it a chance.

The book follows a medical student who is assigned to spend an overnight rotation in a locked psych ward for “dangerous” patients. As the story unfolds, we find out more about her past as something dark and twisted seems to be occurring in the hospital around her.

Honestly, I found the main character to be unlikable, the writing to be just okay, and the representation of mental illness to be borderline offensive. There were a few twists that I didn’t see coming, but this book definitely didn’t wow me. There was one character I really liked named “Spider-Dan.” That’s about it.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (5 stars) —

I first heard about this book from Brooke Averick (@ladyefron) when she gave it a glowing review on Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast. I finally got the eBook off hold (after waiting for a good couple of months for it to become available) and I absolutely adored it.

The book centers around Linus Baker, a lonely case manager who works for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. When he is sent to investigate a classified orphanage on a far-away island, the story of his commitment to his work and his own self-discovery unfolds.

I loved the way the writing made it clear that Linus’ life transitioned from dreary and gray to full of color throughout the course of the book. The characters were so lovable, and the relationships between them were beautifully written. As someone who doesn’t typically gravitate towards the fantasy genre, I was disarmed by how much I connected with this story. It was a joyful read, which I really needed after a few dark ones back to back.

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe (5 stars) —

HOLY. EFFING. COW. Tens, tens, tens across the board. Easy five stars.

I was entirely gripped by this non-fiction account of the Troubles in Northern Ireland from the second I picked it up. The book covers multiple figures from the early sixties up through the present day as they fight physically and politically over the unification of Ireland. It’s a sweeping and very thorough narrative of the different forces at play in Belfast and the surrounding areas, mainland Ireland, the UK, and even the US. It weaves between sections about members of the IRA and other republican paramilitaries, loyalist groups, the police, the British Army, civilians, prisoners, researchers, and spies.

Even though the story was entirely true, it read like a thrilling novel. I’m embarrassed to say I knew almost nothing about this decades-long conflict until now, and I’d say I still have much more to learn. Suddenly, I’m feeling particularly called to visit Belfast.

I’m currently reading Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner. Admittedly, I mostly chose this book for it’s cover, but it’s absolutely unhinged, and I love it so far. Review to come when I’m done.

What I’m buying:

I’ve been trying to be good about my spending lately, but I found myself deeply influenced to buy a pair of retro-looking Lululemon track pants that I saw on TikTok (I know, spare me). Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon them online and they happened to be on sale! What a stroke of luck! Some might even say fate!

It seems I won’t be able to return them, so I sure hope they’re cute.

What I’m thinking about:

One of my intentions for December was to focus on my sleep. While I did everything but sleep in the first half of the month, I’m certainly making up for it now. I have to attribute this to being on vacation — I don’t usually experience this level of relaxation in my regular life. I hope to bring this energy back home with me though, as it’s probably best for everyone if I get my eight hours in.

I’m the type of person that likes to pore over any manner of health data, sometimes to a toxic degree. When I ditched my Apple Watch a few years ago for an Oura Ring, I was introduced to the world of the “sleep score.” This is a value that Oura assigns based on the timing and quality of your sleep. This score, combined with other biometrics like body temperature and heart rate, determine your “readiness score,” or how theoretically prepared you are to take on the day.

I completely understand that I don’t need a ring to tell me how I should be navigating my day-to-day, but sometimes it is fun (or totally not fun) to see all the stats that correspond to rest and recovery. Watching my scores plummet and my ring scold me over the past few weeks has definitely inspired me to want to do better. I feel very lucky for the opportunity to leverage my island time and pay off my sleep debt in preparation for the new year.

Wishing you all the merriest of Christmases and happiest of holidays! See you next week to ring in the (almost) new year <3