Six years later on Lost Weekend (2026), she’s looking up at the stars again, but something has fundamentally shifted. The spiritual world is all over this album — veils are thinning, the universe is restoring natural order, karmic lessons are had, the universe has other plans, and what happens above is reflected below.

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In Lost Weekend, Phoebe works through the grief of two profound losses: the death of her father, and the death of her relationship. I’d put good money on death and heartbreak being two of the top reasons people find God (or a higher power, or connect with their spirituality…). When it feels like you seemingly have no control over your life, it’s comforting to believe that there’s something bigger than you with a master plan. Personally, I walked into a Self-Realization Fellowship for the first time in over 10 years when I went through a breakup. What’s that saying, again? “Let go and let God”?

In this album, it’s clear that Phoebe’s belief in a higher power – universe, astrology, God, whatever it may be — played a part in moving through her grief. Once I started looking at the album through that lens, I found it everywhere — in the lyrics, the imagery, the album roll-out visuals — culminating with the release date aligned with the cosmos.

Took a tour to see the stars but they weren’t out tonight

So I wished hard on a Chinese satellite

I want to believe

Instead I look at the sky, and I feel nothing

– “Chinese Satellite,” Punisher (2020)

Now I can’t see any stars in the sky

When a dream comes true, a fantasy dies

– “Lost Weekend (Reprise),” Lost Weekend (2026)

There’s a clear parallel here of (wanting to) wish upon a star (but no stars being in the sky) in both Lost Weekend and Punisher, but the meaning behind them are completely different. On Punisher, the song “Chinese Satellite” explores Phoebe’s atheism or agnosticism — she’s yearning to believe in God or a higher power, but she isn’t buying it. She’s looking at the stars, desperately searching for a sign, but feeling nothing at all. In lieu of some God-made stars, she (hilariously) wishes on a piece of man-made space junk (a Chinese satellite).

Six years later, so much of the Lost Weekend album explores themes of spirituality and a higher power at work – in a way that is no longer questioned by Phoebe, but believed to be totally true. She brings up this same imagery of looking up at the sky and not being able to see any stars again, but this time it isn’t about questioning faith or spirituality — it’s about how all her dreams have come true… and now what? Turns out fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be (a completely different theme that’s explored in this album as well, that I simply cannot get into right now). Point being: spirituality isn’t in question anymore.

Costume party / When the veil was thinning

– “Kill Me,” Lost Weekend (2026)

Baby, it’s Halloween / And we can be anything

– “Halloween,” Punisher (2020)

The costume party mention in “Kill Me” (Lost Weekend) immediately reminded me of “Halloween” (Punisher): “Baby it’s Halloween / And we can be anything” (this is relevant in a second, bear with me).

The complete couplet I’m referring to in “Kill Me” is “Costume party / When the veil was thinning.” The veil thinning refers to when the boundary between the physical and spiritual world becomes weaker, meaning we can communicate with the spiritual world better, our intuition is heightened, etc. There are general moments where it’s believed that the veil is thin: during pregnancy (carrying a new soul inside of you; mother’s intuition); during specific lunar phases (our girl Phoebe loves the moon — “Moon Song” from Punisher — and she dropped this album during the mega-important solar eclipse in Leo); near-death (close to passing over from physical to spiritual realm); and on spirit-related holidays such as, you guessed it, Halloween (welcome back, Punisher!).

As above, so below

– “As Above,” Lost Weekend (2026)

Later on in the album, “As Above” in particular explores a similar theme to the veil thinning with the repetition of the saying “As above, so below” — referring to the ancient philosophy meaning there’s a direct correlation to what’s happening in the spiritual world and what’s happening in the physical world. We also generally relate the “spiritual” world to being physically above us, and this song intrinsically places us in the sky: the musical arrangement and melody can’t help but feel eerie and extraterrestrial, but she also literally places us on a plane in the sky (the song opens with: “Trying not to look down / Making faces at a kid on the plane”). If the plane imagery couldn’t be clearer, I also attended the Lost Weekend Planetarium (Laser Show) Listening Experience, where the laser visual for this song was primarily a plane. (If anyone attended the other Planetarium experience with photographed visuals, I’d be interested to know what the visuals were for “As Above” if you can remember them. LMK in comments xx).

I’m supposed to be married, but I called it off

I’ve been known to throw a tantrum

When things are not the way I imagine them

I am restoring the natural order

Learning the same lesson over and over

– “Lost Weekend,” Lost Weekend (2026)

The past is looking brighter all the time

– “Liberty Tree,” Lost Weekend (2026)

We dive deeper into the theme of the spiritual world being connected to the physical world – more specifically, how the universe has a plan for you – which is at first acknowledged begrudgingly by Phoebe in “Lost Weekend,” and then gratefully in “Liberty Tree.”

In “Lost Weekend,” she says: “I’m supposed to be married but I called it off / I’ve been known to throw a tantrum / When things are not the way I imagine them / I am restoring the natural order / Learning the same lesson over and over.” The universe is throwing her the same (karmic?) lesson over and over until she finally learns from it and can then move forward – the spiritual reckoning here finished at last. What IS the lesson here, dear reader? Who’s to say. I’m trying to be as non-parasocial as possible as I write this, avoiding salacious celebrity gossip where I can. The specificity of the lesson is besides the point.

Later on in “Liberty Tree,” a joyful ode to her new lover coined as “Bobby” throughout the album, she says: “The past is looking brighter all the time.” Aside from being a very funny play on the saying “your future is bright,” this might be Phoebe realizing Ohhhh, that last relationship ending was not what I’d planned at all, and that really sucked at the time, but now I’m realizing it’s because the universe had an even better plan for me. From “Lost Weekend” to “Liberty Tree,” it’s cathartic hearing Phoebe move from begrudging-to-grateful towards the universe’s plan for her. That direct closing of the loop feels like a gift, considering the rest of this album doesn’t seem to be in chronological order — it sort of jumps all over the place — perhaps mirroring how grief isn’t linear, or resurfacing suppressed memories that only grief has the power to dig up from the deepest and darkest parts of our mind.

You were made in the image of God

But you look like your mom in this picture of us

– “Liberty Tree,” Lost Weekend (2026)

Honestly, just so funny. Throwing this one in for good measure, but also because one could argue this is another example of the mirroring between the spiritual and the physical world. You were made in the image of God! But also, genetics? You look like your mom.

Having the big-brain that she does, Phoebe planned her album release around a major solar eclipse on August 12th. Am I overthinking this and it’s actually a coincidence? No, I’m not actually.

In May and June of this year, Phoebe had secret pop-up shows across the US (more specifically, in small towns that are known to have had UFO sightings — another nod to outer-space/the universe) which culminated with a major pop-up show at MSG (which I was very grateful to attend with my fellow Pharb friend, Blake) where she played stripped down versions of her not-yet-released songs from Lost Weekend.

Famously, these shows were phone-free. All phones had to be stored in a Yondr pouch, and in each Yondr pouch, there contained a small section of a larger piece of artwork. The artwork could not be pieced together until the shows were done.

Once the artwork was finally pieced together, we can see how Phoebe had planned all along that her album would be released shortly following the solar eclipse on the 12th, followed by a meteor shower on the 13th. A commenter named Elodie called out in Capsule World’s social post about this that the letters on the painting refer to the different parts of an eclipse: U for Umbra, P for Penumbra, and T for Total Solar Eclipse.

Why release on the solar eclipse? Well it’s all connected, of course! She did tell us, AS ABOVE, SO BELOW…

I’ve pulled out an excerpt from the respected astrologist Susan Miller, who my dear friend Grace introduced me to many moons ago. Every month, Susan releases in-depth horoscopes for each sign (Grace taught me to read last month’s horoscope and see if/where it resonates, rather than reading the upcoming month and letting it dictate how you see your next 30 days). This is an excerpt from her horoscope on Leo (Phoebe’s sign) for this month:

The August 12 new moon solar eclipse will be in Leo, bringing four heavenly bodies of our solar system together: The Sun, new moon, Mercury, and Jupiter will all be in Leo. This will increase your luck, making you the leader in your department and giving you much more clout and control than you have had in recent years. The universe is making a correction, and the tables are finally turning in your favor.

In so many ways, you are beginning an entirely new and fresh chapter, and you can finally fully leave behind any disappointments, losses, or painful memories of the past. A new day is dawning, and it will favor you in an outstanding way. You waited 12 years for the arrival of Jupiter, and now that you have him, he will give you an extra margin of luck.

– Susan Miller

There’s something perfect about releasing Lost Weekend under a Leo solar eclipse, one that lets us leave behind “losses or painful memories of the past.” If you’re going to wait six years to release your next album, it may as well perfectly align with the cosmos…

_{Disclaimer: I’m a mere mortal who wrote this simply for the love of the game. There’s a big chance what I’m writing here is not exactly what Phoebe meant. Maybe she’s an atheist. Who knows? In high school, I asked one of my favorite English teacher if we were over-analyzing literature and finding symbolism that the author didn’t intend, to which she responded: whether intentional by the author or not, it is still a gift. And that’s beautiful…}

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HAIR

My blowouts are my credentials <3

\Roz Foundation Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner Set

• Shark Beauty FlexStyle Hair Blow Dryer & Multi-Styler

• Kerastate Elixir Ultime Original Hair Oil

• Crown Affair The Towel

• Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray

FRAGRANCE

Coming from someone who gets complimented on my scent by a stranger at least once a week

• Glossier You Soie Eau de Parfum

• Phlur Missing Person

MAKEUP

Face

• Merit Beauty The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen (SPR 45)

• Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (Best medium coverage foundation IMO)

• Tower28 Swipe Serum Concealer

• Saie Dew Blush (I use shades “Cutie” and “Sweetie”)

• Saie Supersuede Baked Powder Blush (I use shades “Ciao” and “Mia”)

  

  • Haus Labs Power Sculpt Velvet Talc-Free Powder Bronzer

  

• Saie CitySet Ultra-Fine Setting Spray with 16-Hour Wear

• Sephora Velour Makeup Face Puff

Lips

• Eadem Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm (shade “Burnt Malais” is my favorite)

• Rhode Peptide Lip Shaper

• Violette FR Bisou Balm Sheer Matte Lipstick (I use shade “Mon Cherie”)

Eyes

• Dior Backstage Eyeshadow Palette (the only eyeshadow palette I carry in my makeup bag)

• Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara

• Refy Brow Pencil

Happy shopping <3 would love to hear what you got!

xx

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Lying about your age

I’m not talking about lying to say you’re younger, I’m saying lying to say you’re older than you actually are. At my first real grown-up job after college, a colleague of mine told me to not tell anyone how old I was at the next place I worked at, because it meant I could get promoted faster. I took this very seriously. I have not posted my age anywhere for years, I’ve explicitly asked publications to not include my age when quoting me in an article, I took any college dates out of my LinkedIn, etc. – and so, everyone has assumed I’m older than I actually am.

At some point, people did start asking me my age directly, to which I’d just lie (which is funny, because I famously cannot lie – I’m usually incapable of it). So, I’ve been telling people I’m 29 for 4 years now! Well today’s the day. I’m actually 29 now. Sorry to everyone I lied to. All that to say, I encourage you to lie about your age. I do think I advanced in my career quicker because people thought I was older.

Celebrating your birthday for one, singular day

The concept of a “birthday week” or “birthday month” is so fucking annoying and someone had to say it. You get one day. Stop making your friends spend so much money.

Buying yourself something really nice

I’ve never been one to buy myself a birthday gift, but I’m going to this year. I have my eyes on a pair of secondhand Chanel ballet flats that I’ve been trying to source at a decent price and in good condition for the last three years. My very chic friend has advised me to hold out on purchasing until I go to Paris next month, because it will be more special if I buy some there. Her advice is gospel, so I’m trying to not let my impatience get the best of me.

Remind yourself 30s are the new 20s

Whoever said their 20s was the best time of their life peaked in college. 30s are so much cooler! You have more money, you know who you are, and you’re the sexiest you’ve ever been. Hot. One more year until I’m the hottest version of myself.

Give yourself at least one vice, and you’re not allowed to feel bad about it

I gave up drinking some 4+ years ago, so I felt the itch of needing at least one vice. Life is meant for living!!! For a while, my vice was candy, but then my pants started to not fit anymore. Ah! Time for a new vice! This summer, I went to the south of France with my bestie and I was determined to smoke my first-ever cigarette in my life. What place better than France to pop my cigarette cherry? And it was wonderful. I have had several since and that’s okay because it is my one vice and I’m not allowed to feel bad about it. My very English boyfriend also told me that “vacation darts don’t count” and I think that’s beautiful.

Birthday hats (the classic ones)

I mean, how chic?

Okay everyone say happy birthday to me. Love you bye

x

Sophie

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Wearing headbands

There’s something particularly cunty about a headband, and it’s surprisingly hard to find good ones. Hilariously, my favorites have been from Brandy Melville and they’re $5 – I have them in navy, cream, and burgundy, and I’d like to get this polka dot one as well.

If you want a nicer headband - or you wince at the idea of Brandy Melville - I suggest Jennifer Behr.

Emotional-support knit pants from Organic Basics

I’ve done it folks… I’ve found the god-tier knit pants, and I’ve worn them 5 times in the last week. These solve every gripe I usually have with knit pants:

• Flattering, even against my bodacious hips, thighs, and ass (these types of pants can make me look like the Michelin Man - for instance, Gap’s version did me no favors)

• Perfect weight and length (not too thick, not too thin, not too long)

• When I throw a coat on, they look elevated - even despite being more comfortable than sweatpants (I famously hate looking frumpy, which means I’m allergic to any form of sweatpant)

The team at Organic Basics was kind enough to give me a promo code for you: SOPHIEW10. I’m wearing a large. I’m actually wearing them right this very second.

Offering up your home for a friend to stay in

I used to be allergic to the idea of letting someone stay in my apartment while I was gone (why would I want someone in my home when they don’t have to be?), or hosting a friend that isn’t my absolute bestie-lina (I’m an introvert). I’ve learned that this is a foolish way to live. We should show up for the people in our lives, even if it inconveniences us. Best case: you’ll make memories that last a lifetime!!! Worst case: you’ve done someone a massive favor by giving them a place to rest their head!!!

Live a little!

Stop being so uptight! (me to myself)

Addressing my shopping addiction

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am nothing if not a consumer. I can’t help but love THINGS. I wish I could live a monastic lifestyle and not yearn for earthly possessions, but I live for the thrill of a secondhand find and the comfort of a cuddly toy. I succumb easily to impulse purchases, and frankly speaking it’s beginning to break the bank. Single-income-no-kids’ing can only go so far!

I’ve been *attempting* to stop, reflect, and close out of my browser tab before clicking “Buy.” I think it’s working. I don’t actually know for sure, but hopefully I won’t have a heart attack again when I open my credit card statement this month.

Related to aforementioned shopping addiction: Agreeing to not get each other gifts

Maybe 3 or 4 years ago my family agreed to stop getting Christmas gifts for the adults, and instead only get presents for my sister’s kids. How wonderful to experience the holiday spirit through children’s eyes!!! How fabulous to not spend an exorbitant amount of money on grown-up gifts that won’t be used!!! What a relief to get one more thing taken off your to-do list during one of the most stressful times of year <3

This is not exclusive to just family - it can be friends! Or lovers! Or whoever!

This thiiiick moisturizer for people who, like myself, have ridiculously dry skin right now

Warning you now that the Weleda Skin Food Cream is thicker than paint, but it’s the only thing that works on my skin in the winter. While I was writing this, I discovered it’s also a favorite of Hailey Bieber’s, so I guess you don’t have to only take my word for it.

It comes in a wonderful aluminum tube - which I’ve just finished and purchased another already.

Hope you have a calm and restful holiday season <3

x

Sophie

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Telling your friends you’re proud of them

I don’t mean to just flippantly say “I’m proud of you” whenever, because then it loses all meaning – but when you are proud of your friend, tell them. Maybe they hit a career milestone, or did something that scared them, or set a new boundary. If you’re proud of them, say so! In the last few weeks, my friends have been hitting major career milestones: Georgia started a new job at her dream company, and Serena planned a dinner for a big-time brand. I’m so proud of them! And they know it!

Starting a home project

I went down a rabbit hole of Paige Wassel’s YouTube channel this weekend after Grace sent me one of her most recent videos. Paige has great taste and a really soothing voice, so binging her videos was a wonderful way to spend a cozy night in.

Grace and I work together, and we often talk about how our 9-5 work has really delayed gratification. We’ll put our heart and soul into a deck over two weeks, pitch it a week later, and then sometimes months go by until we get a decision from the client. Annoying! We crave gratification for our work, but seldom get it in a reasonable time! So, we bond over the instant gratification that comes with home projects. You usually start and finish them in a day or two, and at the end you have this wonderful satisfaction of this complete thing. Anyways, I think I’m going to paint my bathroom.

Splurging on friend dates! Nice dinners aren’t reserved for romantical occasions!!!

I recently went to Lord’s and Balthazar for wonderful dinners with friends. I think some people reserve nice dinners for romantic dates, but this is me giving you permission to go to nice dinners with your friends. God, friendship is so fulfilling.

Lily Allen’s new album, West End Girl

Can’t believe Lily wrote this album specifically for me <3 Pussy Palace and Let You Win are my favorites at the moment. Love you girl, and fuck David Harbour

Bye! x

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Books I read this month: All Fours, Cleopatra & Frankenstein, Madonna in a Fur Coat, Blue Sisters

All of these rocked. I really can’t stop thinking about All Fours – I was sort of surprised to find that it’s a particularly polarizing book! But I love unlikeable narrators, and this narrator is… definitely… unlikable :))))))

The perfect lip combo…

As seen here! Eadem Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm in shade Burnt Malai & MAC Lip Liner in shade Whirl (a classic).

GIRLSSS TRIPPPPPS! I LOVE MARSEILLE!

I went to the South of France with my bestie Serena – it was divine. Female friendship is so important. Marseille is like a grungier, younger Paris by the sea. The people are so friendly and open, food is divine, and there’s an abundance of Crodinos on menus which is fabulous for a sober girl like me.

Below is a round up of my favorite film photos + videos from our trip. This was my first time using my new point-and-shoot and I am thrilled with the results! It’s an Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom 80 shot on Portra 400 film. I sourced the camera on eBay.

Bringing back critical thinking in a big way……….

Hey, is everyone ok? Why does it feel like cognitive dissonance is more prevalent than ever? Let’s log off that ChatGPT and tap back into critical thinking <3 This is an epidemic x

Sorry this is so late, and rather brief! I have been a busy bee, and also happy, which means I write less. Oops

I’ve leave you with,

I’ve started dreaming about my ex. I ran into him (again) a few weeks ago. The universe has a funny (not funny?) way of continually having us bump into each other. Maybe it’s not the universe, maybe South Brooklyn is just small. In that case, the best thing would be for him to move out of New York. The second best thing would be for him to die.

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The randomly-running-into-each-other thing lost its novelty about three run-ins ago, but the significance of the last run-in was that it came up that he’s seeing someone now, with the caveat that “it’s not serious or anything.” Our relationship ended because he had multiple affairs, none of which were “serious or anything” – so I don’t think that caveat could adequately soften the blow.

It’s fine, though. I figured he would find someone by the summer. That’s the thing about men obsessed with sex, they see women as holes to fill. A hole is not a hard thing to replace. A hole is a hole. My guess is it’s a coworker or someone that vaguely runs in my circle, that seemed to be his type when it came to mistresses – his preferred holes to fill, so to speak. If I’m wrong, then that’s fabulous. He’s expanding his horizons of holes.

Anyways, these dreams. He’s there, obviously. I’m always trying to “get to the bottom” of something. By the end of the dream, sometimes I figure it out and sometimes I don’t. Either way, I wake up unsatisfied. This was the reality of trying to stay together after I found out about his infidelity, and that’s a big part of why I couldn’t do it. I was perpetually trying to get to the bottom of something – because there was always something left to uncover – and it was deeply unsatisfying by the end of it. Who can live like that? I can’t live like that.

I decided to fight for stasis instead. It took a long time, but I think I've finally found it. Even with the dreams, I feel steady. I don’t feel this giant hole in my life anymore. I’ve built a life full of people and things I love. I come home on Wednesdays to my best friend on my couch ready to watch our favorite show and scream at the TV together. I go to sleep surrounded by the books that mean everything to me. I dance with strangers in Manhattan studios. I open my fridge covered in handwritten notes and photos of my favorite people. I wring my fists at my colleagues’ lack of attention to detail because my brain is huge. I flirt with Brits online. I walk around naked in my apartment with the curtains open because I can.

Whatever. These are just words. He subscribes to this newsletter. He won’t see it. He doesn’t actually read.

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Veda Lincoln Suede Shirt Jacket ($299)

I mean…? Fuck that’s good.

Danielle Oversized Pant ($114)

I bought these. Feels right for every season, very effortlessly chic, can dress up for a night out but can also wear to the office.

Saylor Cashmere Blend V-neck ($89)

I have a brown V-neck sweater from Ref that I wear all the time in fall and winter. J’adore this color.

Asher Coat ($214)

Summer is the best time to buy winter coats, even though I know you don’t feel like it. Every winter coat I own I’ve bought during summer because that’s when they’re on sale. This one is so good – comes with a detachable scarf which is such an easy accessory to really elevate it.

Reed Slingback Heel ($149)

One thing about me, I love a kitten heel. I wear them out and to the office all the time. This one is tres chic, the leopard would go really well with wide leg / loose dark denim (like my holy grail Levi’s that are so flattering).

Elina Satin Dress ($149)

This feels very French to me for some reason. I’m usually opposed to buying dresses from Reformation (just because they feel too recognizable and therefore give me pedestrian vibes) but this one feels like it could almost be vintage.

Reese Cashmere Tank ($74)

A cashmere V-neck for under $80 is a steal. J’adore the way they styled it here, too. Would also be cute with kitten heels to dress it up a bit.

Olina Knit Pant ($64)

I’m always on the lookout for my favorite “airport redeye pant” – this is one of them. I want to look put together at the airport, but I also want to be able to sleep in it. These feel that way – elevated “sweats” (it’s a knit) that if I wear it with a ballet flat and a button down or a tank, I am cozy chic.

Lydia Linen Jacket ($134)

I love a little cunty jacket – something that’s akin to a blazer but actually has some shape to it. This one is great.

Molly Linen Shirt ($84)

Again, French vibes.

Let me know if there’s anything I missed that you’re buying. Good stuff.

This report was originally written for Volume 3 of the Fohr Almanac of Influence: Maps.

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Initially I sought to uncover generational insights, but what I found turned out to be surprisingly flat. Contours emerged, however, when I broke them down by region (Northeast, West, South, and Midwest) – uncovering archetypes that felt distinct and instantly recognizable. In a country where political and cultural divides are often drawn along regional lines, it felt especially compelling to see how identity, taste, and even style are shaped by geography.

Of course, there are still some things all regions can agree on, like their shared love-hate relationship with fast fashion. They voiced strong criticisms of overconsumption and talked about shopping secondhand or using rental subscriptions like Nuuly. Yet they still listed fast-fashion brands like Free People, Revolve, and Abercrombie among their favorites. This indicates that they are conscious shoppers, but factors like money, a new world of instant gratification (thank you Amazon Prime), and the natural desire to have what’s en vogue while it’s still en vogue (accelerated trend cycles!) means they won’t boycott fast fashion all together.

When it came to where they’re getting inspiration from, over 291 individual influencers were named — making it nearly impossible to pull out clear top influencers amidst such a vast range. Unsurprisingly, Pinterest dominated as the go-to platform for style inspiration. Surprisingly, spotting stylish strangers IRL (welcome back, street style) was widely-cited as a main source of inspiration. This reveals an exciting proposition that the next style icon could be discovered not on our phone screens, but instead out in the wild (à la Chloë Sevigny). Online or offline, all regions except the South shared an awareness for pulling inspiration from people who had a similar identity or body type to them (i.e., Queer or mid-size).

Here’s what I found:

Or, if you’re a more visual person (like moi!) — here’s what all that data gibberish looks like:

Very big thank you to Bianca Scofield for designing these visual assets.

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Dropping $125 on a complete phony of a psychic

I was feeling particularly kooky and in need of some woo-woo vibes a few weeks back. I decided I needed a psychic, pronto! Within the hour! Instead of asking for a recommendation from a friend and a little patience (God no!), I took to Yelp. That was mistake number one - never go to Yelp for a psychic recommendation. The Google Maps photo showed she had one of those neon PSYCHIC signs in the window. That was mistake number two! Neon-sign-psychic is the type to say you have a malignant hex on you, but for the easy price of $500… she’ll cleanse you of it. Perfect. <3

Of course, I bit the bullet anyways. She ran me through her à la carte options (palm reading, full tarot reading, psychic life plan), and I thought, why not? Give me the whole shebang, sister.

I sat down, laid both my palms face-up on the table, and she asked me twice if I wanted to hear both the good and the bad (the answer was yes, both times). She started with “Hm… You’re an extrovert. Life of the party.” No one in my life has described me of either of those things, ever. She then proceeded to list just about any career someone in New York would have: “you’re maybe an artist… analytical… maybe marketing… mix of creative… you’re something in there” – well yes, just about anyone in this city would fall into one of those! I mentally checked out after that.

My favorite part was that she would periodically rub her temples, as if the power of connecting to whatever sham spirits she was communicating with was growing so strong that it was almost painful. That was a really nice touch.

Anyways, I left and sent my friend a voice note about how bad the whole reading was. It made for a great story. We laughed. I’m out $125, but whatever.

Going back to my ROOTS!!! I’m BRUNETTE BITCH!!!

It took about a year, but alas! This bitch is back to her natural (pretty much?) hair color! And I feel amazing about it!!! Thank you Nicole at Pearlita for always getting me right. Ily.

Going X-Games Mode on Letterboxd: I watched 16 movies (8 being in theaters) this month

What can I say? I love movies. Sorry, Baby is easily the best directorial debut of the year. Go watch it in theaters if you can. Eva Victor, I love your work.

“Looking forward to cracking up”

I went to Mary Beth Barone & Holmes’ comedy show with my girly pops, and I nearly pissed my pants from laughter. And wow, what’s better than a good, old-fashioned crack-up? My girls and I have been going into our nights declaring that we’re really looking forward to cracking up. Sometimes we crack up (ex: MBB & Holmes comedy show), but sometimes we don’t crack up (ex: Oh, Hi movie… that was so not funny). But nevertheless, she’s still always looking forward to her next crack up <3

xx Sophie

Sorry this one is so kooky, it’s retrograde babe

Anyways, he kept doing this annoying thing where he would break the fourth wall to acknowledge we were on a first date. For example: So, is this the electric chemistry you imagined we’d have? Or, I’ve been trying this new thing on first dates… You get the idea.

So, at one point he asks me: Why do you think you’re still single? It was a loaded question.

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There’s this wonderfully insightful monologue by Zoe (Frances McDormand) in Something’s Gotta Give. She’s sat a dinner table with her sister Erica (a successful playwright, in her 50s and divorced), her niece Marin (Erica’s daughter, in her late 20s and casually dating Harry), and the aforementioned Harry (Marin’s 63-year-old beau-of-the-week).

Zoe goes:

This is really fascinating, what's going on at this table. Let's take you [Harry / Jack Nicholson] and Erica [Diane Keaton].

You've been around the block a few times. What are you, around 60? 63. Fantastic! Never married, which as we know, if you were a woman, would be a curse. You'd be an old maid, a spinster. Blah, blah, blah. So instead of pitying you, they write an article about you. Celebrate your never marrying. You're elusive and ungettable. A real catch.

Then, there's my gorgeous sister here [Erica / Diane Keaton]. Look at her. She is so accomplished. Most successful female playwright since who? Lillian Hellmann? She's over 50, divorced, and she sits in night after night after night because available guys her age want something – forgive me, they want somebody that looks like Marin.

The over-50 dating scene is geared towards men leaving older women out. And as a result, the women become more and more productive and therefore, more and more interesting. Which, in turn, makes them even less desirable because as we all know, men – especially older men – are threatened and afraid of productive, interesting women.

It is just so clear! Single older women as a demographic are about as fucked a group as can ever exist.

The last-ish bit about women getting more productive and interesting is ultimately what I’m getting at. We can all think of at least one woman in our life who’s a fucking catch – smart, funny, driven, successful, beautiful, 35 or older – and bewilderingly single. She dates, but nothing sticks.

This is part of a larger phenomenon I’ve noticed, which I’ve coined as the big gap™: women have continued to progress forward – decade after decade, generation after generation (particularly over the last century or two) – while men have stayed relatively stagnant. And the gap between them has finally become too big.

Walk with me here… Women fought for our right to education, then our right to vote, and then our right to work. Once we started working, we started making our own money – meaning we were no longer financially dependent on men. Once we could pay our own bills, it meant we didn’t have to stay with abusive assholes anymore. As a result, we raised our standards for potential suitors. Beyond that: we went to therapy, fostered deep and meaningful friendships amongst other women, invested in hobbies, excelled in our careers, found meaning both inside and outside of motherhood. This is an incredibly oversimplified version of the mostly-heterosexual-liberal-white-American-woman’s evolution, but you get the picture.

In that same time frame, straight men have: stayed obsessed with hoarding wealth, become addicted to porn and consequently developed ED by their late teens, stopped going to war, taken up podcasting, and earned societal brownie points for finally changing their own baby’s diaper.

Now, I’m not trying to cosplay as some expert in Women’s and Gender Studies. I don’t know shit about shit, but I do know how to read people and situations. I’ve done some boots-on-the-ground journalism there, and I can report that the women are fabulous! Whereas the men… they’re starting to scare me. For example, one of my gorgalina besties just got broken up with by her deadbeat boyfriend because he wanted to – I shit you not – prioritize hanging out with his guy friends. He is in his mid-thirties!!!!! Are we fucking kidding!!!!

Every day I see a new article about the relationship recession, or how Gen Z isn’t having sex, or how marriage rates are lower than ever – but no one is talking about the big gap™!!!! The big fucking gap that is seemingly getting wider by the minute.

I digress.

So, he asks me: Why do you think you’re still single? Well. How much time do you have?

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Welcome to For Your Consideration, a rapid-fire round-up of things I think are worth considering (shopping, watching, reading, thinking, doing). This time, it’s a round-up of things I did, new mindsets I stepped into, and best things I bought in June.

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Being the mysterious cool girl who goes to the cinema alone

I do this at least once, if not multiple times a month: I take myself on a solo date to my local independent theater. I put on a cute outfit, throw on a little rouge, and strut to the cinema. For full commitment to the bit (and to give this special outing a particular je ne sais quoi), the movie must be at least 10 years old or an indie flick. It doesn’t hit the same if it’s something current or backed by a major studio. Keep it chic! This time, I saw Death Becomes Her at the Metrograph.

It’s been horrifically hot in New York, and the Metrograph does this lovely thing where they put some of their candy in the fridge so you can eat it cold if you’d like. I had refrigerated Junior Caramels and an ice-cold Diet Coke (in a glass bottle, as God intended). I finished both before the movie started because I was sweating from the commute over, so consuming a drink and candy that were both cold felt nice. About half-way through the movie, my sweat dried and crystallized under the blasting AC, so I ended up shivering until the credits rolled. And yet, it was still a 10/10 experience. Death Becomes Her is perfect.

Saying “yes” to plans, and honoring that commitment

I’m notoriously introverted, making it much easier for me to stay in rather than commit to plans and go out. But that’s also… depressing! This summer I’ve made a point to say “yes” to more invites, and then actually follow through on that promise. I’ve been seeing some discourse online about how my generation is pretty horrible at honoring their commitments, which then leads to being an unreliable and shitty friend – so I’m trying to hold myself more accountable on this front. It’s actually been eye-opening: any type of dread I feel before socializing turns out to be invalid because I end up having a really pleasant time.

3 things under $50 I bought this month

• $45 Mango Poncho: I’ve already worn this 3x in one week. Many compliments!

• $20 Aritzia Tank Tops: I decided I’m no longer buying expensive tank tops/basic tees, particularly white ones, because they end up having sweat stains within a few months. These Aritzia ones are tres chic and very flattering. I got one in white, and one in black.

• $25 H&M Pajama Set: I wear matching pajamas every night. If I’m sleeping for half my life, why wouldn’t I want to feel cute? I needed another short set because like I mentioned earlier, it’s been very hot. These are cheap and do the trick.

Using Taylor’s The RealReal hacks to beat the system

My dear friend – infamous for being incredibly chic and a savvy shopper – recently wrote a piece on her Substack called How To Beat The RealReal (From A Former Employee), and her hacks changed my life. Following her instruction, I scored two pieces that I’ll wear quite often for a very reasonable price. Try it for yourself, xo.

Last thing: Everyone and everything is interesting!!! Thank you, stranger man’s shirt.

I’m writing this less than 12 hours after Cuomo conceded to Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic mayoral primary – the biggest “upset” that legacy Dems didn’t see coming.

Here are the five learnings I find most compelling behind Zohran’s winning campaign strategy.

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Clear, concise, consistent messaging that appeals to the working class wins.

In most recent years, Democrats have struggled with landing on clear messaging that makes sense to the average person. Maybe it’s a mix of feeling the need to caveat-caveat-caveat, being too sheepish to make a strong statement on specific issues and consequently cowering to the middle, or that they’re too full of lifetime politician campaign strategists that they don’t realize their language makes no sense outside of DC walls.

Zohran’s primary message was clear: A New York you can afford. He drove home four main issues in support of an affordable New York: free buses, free childcare, a rent freeze, and cheaper groceries. It’s not caveated, it’s not sheepish, and it’s not full of political jargon. It’s clear and appealing to real problems that the working class face.

Investing in social media, creators, and the online communities where your messaging will land is a winning strategy. His social team made backing Zohran feel cool.

Zohran broke 1M followers on Instagram last night. From the jump, he invested in his social – coming out with videos multiple times a week speaking directly to camera about the issues he was running on. He used social media to meet young people where they are: on their phones. Sorry oldies, no young person is watching your cheesy TV commercials. We don’t even have cable.

I can hear the counter-argument now: but Kamala was huge on social, and she didn’t win! That’s true, but her team was riding on meme-culture and Brat summer without clearly communicating the issues she was running on. People thought it was funny, but it didn’t make them care enough to get out the vote. That’s the difference: Zohran used social to spread his campaign messaging in a way that regular people could easily understand — not as a way to chase trends and cross his fingers.

Another key difference of Zohran vs Kamala’s social strategy is that he collaborated with key, niche creators — and in his case, that meant tapping into the New York influence bubble. Kamala did one Call Her Daddy podcast episode – a largely female audience that I’m guessing is a 50/50 split between conservative and liberal – with just one week or so until Election Day (a shit Hail Mary if you ask me). Zohran went on every cool-New Yorker-internet-show: Subway Takes, Isaac “I Like You!” Hindin-Miller’s Best of NYC series, Throwing Fits pod, Keep the Meter Running – the list goes on, and he started doing it months ago. Collaborating with these niche yet influential online communities allowed Zohran to be extremely targeted in who he was reaching. At the agency where I work, this is a strategy we’ve coined as “Influence Mapping,” which I explain in this video. The general concept is that you map out the key players (influencers) within a very specific niche (whether that be location, target audience, interests, etc.) and then you go hard saturating that specific corner of the internet.

This leads me to my next point: endorsing Zohran became cool. Kareem’s coolness is undeniable. Mary Beth Barone is fucking hilarious, smart, and has a cult-following of hot girls in New York who will do just about anything she says (myself included). This then trickled into other creators endorsing Zohran without even collaborating with him – for example, Halley Kate (1.5M followers) endorsing Zohran in a TikTok video that has over 400K views (and might I add – Halley posted this video, and then 12 hours later the first poll ever showing Zohran leading over Cuomo came out… I’m just saying…). None of these creators I’ve mentioned are specifically political – they play within the lifestyle, entertainment, and comedy sectors of the New York internet. That way, he broke out of blue-pilled algorithms and reached unlikely voters that were receptive to his policies.

All of these factors are a huge reason why young voters showed up in numbers we’ve never seen before. For the first time ever (at least in recent history), the 25-34 age group had the highest votes during the early voting period.

The people cannot be bought. The power is in the people.

Zohran was up against Cuomo’s $25M super PAC – the largest super PAC ever created in a New York City mayoral campaign – largely funded by billionaires and corporations. On the contrary, Zohran’s campaign heavily relied on individual contributions (regular people like you and me) and qualifying for public matching funds. Zohran received somewhere around 19,000 individual contributions, with an average donation size of $78 (the smallest average out of any other candidates).

How lovely is it that a grassroots campaign beat a billionaire-bankrolled campaign? All power to the people. We cannot be bought when we are motivated.

Human-first, IRL campaigning still rules.

In addition to donations, Zohran supporters showed up in big ways to canvass – with over 50,000 individual volunteers. I myself was a Zohran volunteer! They incentivized canvassing in a few key ways: instead of selling Zohran merch, they made it free but only available to those who canvassed; they hosted phone banking parties with of-the-moment New York icons like Cole Escola, Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Sherman, and Hari Nef.

Furthermore! Zohran was outside meeting with real New Yorkers all. the. damn. time. He would often hit all five boroughs in one day. He engrained himself in communities that felt they’d been left behind, and gave them hope again for a mayor who would alleviate the skyrocketing cost-of-living. He came out at an MJ Lenderman concert at the Brooklyn Steel. Mary Beth Barone interviewed him on stage at one of her comedy shows at the Bell House.

Let this be a come-to-Jesus moment for Establishment Democrats: backing centrist candidates is why you keep fucking losing. Progressive candidates can and will win.

If Democrats are addicted to losing, then sure – keep investing in moderate candidates. But if Democrats want to start winning again, take this as a lesson: progressive candidates win. Progressive messaging motivates and energizes young people to vote. Progressive issues appeal to the working class.

Happy post-Election day to you all. See you in the Fall to vote for Zohran again in November. I’ll be libbing out today until further notice.

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If you’re reading this, it means you’re probably a sexy New Yorker who knows the Mayoral election is coming up. It’s important, but it’s also confusing.

Look no further. I’m decoding the government’s archaic jargon so that sexy people like you can make their voices heard, while sparing you the unnecessary details because your time is precious.

Here’s everything you need to know: from key dates, to how to find your polling place, to exactly who I’m ranking from 1-5.

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Election Day is on June 24th, but you can also vote early from June 14th - June 22nd

Alright sexy people… Let’s MAKE A SEXY VOTING PLAN TOGETHER:

• Pull up your calendar.

• Decide if you want to vote in-person on Election Day (June 24th), or if you want to vote during the early voting period (June 14th - June 22nd).

• Block off an hour on your calendar to go vote at your polling place.

  • Find your polling place here.

  • NOTE! Your polling place might be a different location during early voting than it is on Election Day. Make sure you double-check the location based on when you plan to vote.

If you want, you can vote by mail. The deadline to request a mail ballot is June 14th.

This election uses Ranked Choice Voting. Confused? Same girl. I like to think of it like Preference Night during Sorority Recruitment

Ranked Choice Voting means that instead of picking just one candidate, you’ll rank your five top choices from 1 to 5.

Do you love Zohran? Same! Put him as 1. But we need to also rank other candidates in spots 2 through 5. Why? Think of it like Sorority Rush.

During Rush, your Rho Gamma tells you not to “suicide bid” (only ranking one house), because it actually hurts your chances of getting into your top choice. No one really understands the math, we just know that’s the case.

Same thing applies here – only picking one candidate can backfire. If Zohran is your #1, filling out the rest of your rankings 2-5 actually helps Zohran win.

I promised to spare you the unnecessary details, so while you don’t need to understand the specifics, you can check out The New York Times’ “How Does Ranked-Choice Voting Work in New York?” if you’re curious.

DON’T Rank Cuomo

JUST DON’T RANK CUOMO. Rank your favorites in spots 1 through 5, but DON’T RANK CUOMO. Don’t even put him last.

He tried to make cuts to our public schools and hospitals because he didn’t want to tax billionaires (yes, with a B) a tiny bit more. Why? Ah yes, because billionaires are bankrolling his campaign. Not to mention, his Mess-ica Simpson corruption and sexual harassment scandals that forced him to resign as governor… We need a mayor who will actually have the best interest of New Yorkers like you and me (my love, that’s Zohran).

Who I’m ranking 1 to 5

I encourage you to do your own research and decide whose policies you like best — I’ve found The New York Times’ “Who’s Running for Mayor of New York City?” to be the most digestible and holistic view of all the candidates’ policies.

Here’s how I’ll be ranking the candidates:

1. Zohran Mamdani 💙

2. Brad Lander

3. Zellnor Myrie

4. Adrienne Adams

5. Michael Blake

I’ve filled in a sample ballot to show what this will actually look like:

Key things to note

• You must be registered as a Democrat in order to vote in this primary election. Registered Independents or Working Families Party CAN’T vote in NYC Democratic primaries.*

• You can check your New York voter registration here to confirm everything looks good. I recommend doing this for your own sanity.

• If you have any questions about how to register to vote in-person, online, or by mail — I recommend calling 311. They’re really lovely people that can help get answers for you.

• You can find your polling place here.

• Fill out your entire ballot from 1 through 5.

• Don’t rank Cuomo.

• Break up with your fugly boyfriend if he doesn’t vote in this election.

*In an earlier version, I had previously stated that registered Working Families Party voters could vote in the Democratic primary - that is incorrect. Only registered Democrats can vote in this primary.

Key dates to know

• June 9th is the deadline to change your voting address.

• June 14th is the last day for you to register to vote and be eligible for this primary.

• June 14th is the last day for you to request a mail ballot or absentee ballot.

• June 14th-June 22nd is when you can vote early.

• June 24th is Election Day (polls open 6am - 9pm)

Final thoughts from yours truly

Frankly, this election will most likely come down to Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo has the upper-hand simply out of name recognition. People are busy, so it’s easy to forget that he did horrible things that forced him to step down as governor.

I’m energized at the prospect of Zohran Mamdani being New York City mayor. If you haven’t already, I recommend watching this video of Zohran and Kareem to get a sense of the type of guy he is, and also check out his socials where he talks a lot about his main policies — mainly being: free and fast buses, cheaper groceries, universal free childcare, and a rent freeze. Sound too good to be true? Here’s a video of him explaining how that’s actually all possible.

Local elections are one of the most powerful ways we can make our voices heard. Make your voting plan. Volunteer for your favorite candidate.

I’ll leave you with this:

@folaisfine#nyc #zohranmamdani

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Welcome to the first edition of For Your Consideration, a rapid-fire round-up of things I think are worth considering buying, watching, reading. This time, it’s a round-up of my favorite things in May.

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Sophie stuns in new blush combo: Saie’s liquid blush in Cutie and powder blush in Ciao.

With this combo, I am sunkissed and perfect. My new everyday + full glam combo. Versatileeeee!

You’re homophobic if you don’t watch Overcompensating this Pride Month.

I’m kiiiiidding! But as a devout listener to the podcast Ride, I am obs*ssed with just about anything Benito Skinner (aka Benny Drama) and Mary Beth Barone do. Benny wrote this TV show based on his real coming out experience in college. If you can look past the fact that it’s a bunch of 30-somethings playing college students (maybe it’s… camp?), then you’re golden.

I’ve worn these Skims lounge pants 4x this week.

I gotta give it to Kimmy, she knows what she’s doing when it comes to bras and loungewear. I sized up, but I shouldn’t have. Also, they’re on sale.

Serving bitchy in the best way with these Crap Eyewear sunnies.

Syd told me these give her YSL vibes. They’re under $100.

There was a shift in the cosmos after I read I’m amputating you by Frida Kahlo.

If Frida Kahlo has one fan, it’s me. If Frida has no fans, I am dead.

I’m declaring it a rock n roll girl summer, so I have I Got Heaven by Mannequin Pussy on repeat.

You guys, I think this might be the song of the summer… :P

xx Sophie

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Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about where I’m giving my attention and energy. It’s easy to slip into the habit of telling myself it’s just five minutes on TikTok, but then suddenly it’s dark outside and I’ve wasted away the entire afternoon.

Over the last year or so, I’ve started taking a page out of Harlow’s book – trying things that keep my hands busy, my brain engaged, and my phone out of reach. Here are 10 off-screen things I’ve been doing instead of doomscrolling.

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1. Take a Dance Class

There’s something innately freeing and uniquely human about dancing, and you don’t have to be “good” to feel the benefit. There’s a style for everyone – I’ve taken ballet classes, jazzy classes, “pop star” dance classes, ballet workshops, dance fitness, interpretive / modern dance, etc. – and I always leave feeling free and energized. Last year, I went as far as going on a dance retreat in Texas that was pretty life changing. If you’re interested in finding ways to dance, I recommend looking into:

• Moves (NYC) – Jazzy

• Gay Choreographer’s Intro to Pop Star Dance (NYC + LA) – Living out your pop girl fantasies

• Spiral Time Dance Retreat (TX) – Post-modern / modern dance four-day annual retreat in Lockhart, Texas

• FORWARD__Space (NYC) – Dance fitness

• Dance Again (NY & NJ) - Offer an array of adult dance classes, “Rusty Ballet” classes are specifically for adults looking to get back into ballet. I recommend having experience in ballet (even if you were really little) before taking this class

• Sky Ting (NYC) – Traditionally a yoga studio that now offers “Trance Dance” and “Ballet Beat” classes (these are the only ones in this list I actually haven’t been to myself, but am planning on going soon!)

• ClassPass (Generally) – Filter classes for “dance” to see what’s available in your area

• Ballet Studios (Generally) – Look up actual ballet studios in your area and see if they offer adult classes. If you’re brand new or just getting back into the swing of ballet, I recommend looking for “Absolute Beginner” classes. Cobble Hill Ballet is where I go for my adult ballet classes and workshops.

• r/ballet Reddit Page – Search to see if someone has asked about adult dance classes in your area. If they haven’t, ask the question yourself and see what’s out there

  

2. Hand Embroider or Sew

I’m a nail biter and hand fidgeter because I have this unconscious need to keep my hands busy. I attended a beginner-friendly embroidery class through RecCreate Collective (NYC) that was really wonderful. RecCreate offers an array of classes – like collaging, jewelry making, cake decorating, printmaking, etc. – all at an affordable rate. Totally normal to show up solo, too! If you can’t find any sewing classes local to you, YouTube is your oyster.

3. Paint Pottery

I’ve found painting pottery to be meditative, and something that’s fun to do solo or with a friend. Places like The Painted Pot (NYC) and Color Me Mine (Multiple US Locations) provide you with everything you need – you just pay for the thing you're painting (a mug, plate, butter dish, fruit basket, dog bowl…). I usually spend around $35 each time I go, making it a budget-friendly personalized gift or home addition.

4. Collage or Junk Journal

If you saw my last Substack, you’ll see that I collaged a wall in my closet using mostly magazine clippings. When I started trying to source materials, I discovered that buying new magazines is very expensive! I wanted to go a cheaper route, so I sourced vintage French magazines from this eBay seller. You could also check your local used bookstore to see if they have any magazines for cheap (they usually sell them for $1/piece or so). If you don’t know where to start with collaging, try junk journaling instead.

5. Play an Instrument

In the same vein of keeping my hands busy, playing piano does that for me. I recently got a keyboard in my apartment after not playing for years, and it’s been a fabulous creative outlet. Growing up, I learned how to play piano by watching YouTube videos, and then later by ear. You can look up literally any song title + “piano tutorial” on YouTube, and a video exists. Playing “Changes” by Tupac on piano used to be my party trick.

6. Doodle, Draw, or Take a Drawing Class

All it takes is a pencil and a dream. I saw a post from Yu & Me Books about a drawing class in June, so my friend Serena and I signed up. I am not good at drawing in the slightest, but Serena is a fabulous artist (and she just launched SJ Studio, her event planning + designing business if you’re looking for some help putting together a chic wedding or event).

7. Make Ceramics

I’m graduating from just painting pottery to actually making the pottery itself… I’m planning on taking my first ceramics class in July as a birthday present to one of my dear friends Georgia. We’re going to try out BKLYN Clay and live out our Patrick Swayze dreams.

8. Go to a Museum

I mean… a classic. If you’re deterred by the price of museum tickets, look into what museums near you are “pay what you wish” or have free admissions days/hours.

• The Met: Pay what you wish for New York residents

• Guggenheim: Pay what you wish on Mondays and Saturdays from 4-5:30pm (note: the minimum is $1)

• Whitney: Free for visitors every Friday evening from 5-10pm and on the second Sunday of every month. Reserve your spot in advance.

• Natural History Museum: Pay what you wish for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut residents

  

9. See an Nostalgic Movie at a Theater

Independent cinemas are often showing older movies on a regular basis. I recently took myself on a solo-outing to see The Virgin Suicides (1999), one of my favorite movies of all-time, in 35mm at the Metrograph. I left feeling so giddy. What a treat. If you have taste, Pride & Prejudice (2005) is currently showing in theaters nationwide to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Seeing that movie on a big screen and in a room full of girly pops is the superior viewing experience.

10. Crosswords

I have a distinct childhood memory of sitting in a parked car with my mom and sister with a workbook full of puzzles, memory games, and brain teasers. I think we were killing time in between games at one of my dad’s soccer tournaments. I discovered my love for crosswords through an old-soul friend who still gets the print editions of WSJ and the New York Times delivered to his doorstep every day. We were temporarily living together while I was in between leases, and crosswording together became a staple roommate activity. Highly recommend doing the New Yorker and New York Times crossword in print. For the New York Times, start by doing their Monday crosswords first. They get progressively harder throughout the week (Monday is the easiest, Sunday is the hardest).

I’d love to hear what you’re doing to fill your cup and get off screens <3 My screen time report was SCARY this Sunday so…

xx Sophie

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In fact, I was destined to be codependent! I grew up glued to an older sister I idolized. I became a monogamy enthusiast after my first relationship – at fourteen – lasted over three years. I moved into a sorority house with more than fifty roommates and thrived. I lived with my last boyfriend for four years.

When that relationship ended, I moved out of our shared apartment and into a place entirely of my own. What followed was an unexpected exercise in self-definition.

At first, living alone was disorienting. The silence, the surplus of closet space, coming home exclusively to inanimate objects and no real signs of life after a brutal day in the office – it all felt like a void. But slowly, that emptiness made room for possibility. Without anyone else’s habits or preferences to consider, I was left with only my own.

There was one thing I knew for sure: this apartment had to feel unmistakably like me. When will I ever get the opportunity to make every interior decision without someone else’s approval? Here, I am free from the shackles of Sage Green Theory™. In fact, I went as far as putting pink in my color palette.

If I’ve learned anything after living in six different New York apartments, it’s that rushing to furnish and decorate your space will bite you in the ass. I cringe looking back at the decor choices I made in 2020 (so much checkerboard?). This time, I’ve been aggressively patient instead.

Over the last year and some change, I’ve built my own sanctuary – a place I look forward to coming home to – even if it’s just inanimate objects waiting for me. I’ve discovered the surprising joy of building furniture on my own. I play piano without worrying about bothering someone else. I built Sophie’s Barbie Dream Closet™ – complete with a vanity station, pink velvet curtains, a collage wall, and a zebra rug. There’s plush toys or Sonny Angels in almost every room. And one of the most affirming moments is when friends walk in for the first time and declare that it’s so me.

It’s still not finished: I have two major prints that are currently getting framed, I’d like to set up a projector in my room, I’m toying with the idea of painting some walls – you get the idea.

But there’s something quietly radical about creating a space that answers only to you. No compromises, no second opinions.

Left to my own devices, here are the things – and corners – that make my apartment feel unmistakably mine.

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The True Room of One’s Own: The Bedroom

My cozy bedroom. Particularly obsessed at the moment with my thrifted “Princess of Quite A Lot” pillow (a girl lives here!). I keep my Warmies Manatee and two Miffys on my bed at all times. Building that bookshelf myself was one of my most rewarding furniture projects to date.

A Kitchen for the Girl Who Can’t Cook

You’ll notice the eye-sore of a completely empty fridge. It is not unusual for my fridge to be completely barren like this. I'm a bad cook, I hate doing the dishes, and I've found that grocery shopping for one is just as expensive (if not more) than just eating out. Hence, empty fridge!

Sophie’s Dream Closet

Imaginary Friends

Corners of the Living Room

Desk Clutter

xx Sophie

I kept putting it off because I couldn’t land on a singular focus: My job? My personal life? Stylish strangers on the street? My favorite lip balm this week? The book that just changed my life?

Then I remembered: I have free will and a Notes app full of half-formed thoughts.

So, welcome to Third Drawer.

About Third Drawer

Everyone has a third drawer. It’s full of old birthday cards, expired lipstick, tangled mystery chords, love letters you can’t quite bring yourself to toss out, and other miscellaneous receipts from a younger version of yourself. It’s disorganized, yet strangely personal.

That’s what Third Drawer is: a collection of my disorganized thoughts I’ve been holding onto. Some about work, some about heartbreak, some otherwise. No niche. Just the stuff I don’t want to keep hidden away in the drawer anymore.

About Me

I’m Sophie Wood, a Director of Strategy at Fohr, an influencer marketing agency based in NYC. Outside of work, I’m an avid reader, hobbyist, pop-culture enthusiast, sober gal, and Addison Rae apologist.

Destined for tech neck, I’ve been documenting my life on the internet for a long time. You can follow me on Instagram and TikTok.

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