a brain dump.

it's been a minute, let's catch up!

what my brain looked like as I wrote this. source: pinterest

reading,

• the women by kristin hannah - I’m a sucker for her writing and this was another one I couldn’t put down. I was 20% in and felt like I had read a whole book already. I will say the first half is better than the second half.

• so many substacks - I spent an entire three hour flight binging substack and pinterest, and honestly I can’t think of anything much better (until I remembered that I could have been catching up on summer house, a close second).

  • How To Write Better Captions by

    Rachel Karten
    - loved this interview with Arin Delaney and Madison Palasini who run FONZIE, a copywriting agency that has worked with brands like rhode, A24, Netflix, Kosas, FX, and more.

  • The Dangers of Substack for the Chronically Low Self-Esteemed by

    Shalom Auslander's Fetal Position
    - I thought I was going to read a serious opinion piece but what I got was so, so much better.

  • What Makes a Good Straw Hat by

    Harling Ross Anton
    - because sometimes a really niche and focused piece is so much fun vs. the random compilation of thoughts I keep writing (I’m taking notes, I promise!).

  • This Past Week by

    Chloe Mihailovich
    - I love Chloe’s content and her perfect day makes me want to book a spring NYC trip and stroll through amazing shops. The urge to live in a bustling city with everything at your fingertips vs. the urge to live on property with a giant garden, am I right?

  • I share my favorite substack reads every Sunday if you want to explore some other good ones.

• cookbooks - I loveee to stockpile cookbooks. I already have and love Salad Freak by Jess Damuck, so I had to pre-order Health Nut. One day I’ll have an island or big shelf full of em’.

the current cookbook spot - it works!

eating,

• Hiroki-san Detroit - We snagged a Saturday night res at Hiroki-san in the newly opened Book Tower. The atmosphere was a 10/10 and we loved the small plates.

• ramen - We’re one of the many experiencing “third winter” here in Michigan, after having “spring of deception”. It’s cold and snowing, but it’s light until 7:30pm lol. I made this ramen from Madeline’s Meals which felt like the perfect mix of warm-me-up and spring-is-coming. Looking forward to “mud season” next.

• I’m dreaming of grilling. I can’t wait to get out of my kitchen. That is all.

views of the book tower.

proud of,

• Myself as I’m trying to find my place and voice on this app! Writing has never been my strong suite and this app is full of so many wonderful, inspiring and funny writers. Continuing to put myself out there is a bit intimidating. I love every minute of crafting the graphics and identity of each post but am struggling to find words that resonate - its like watching tiktoks and realizing you’ve never had a single unique experience in your life lol. But hey, the art of creating something is always more important than the result (at least thats what I’m telling myself).

obsessing,

• spring fashion - I’m immobilized by decision fatigue!

  • shoes are a must - eyeing some cuties on Mango, these ballerina flats square toe makes them a bit more my style vs. feeling like i’m back in middle school, and miiight finally pull the trigger on sambas. I’ve been pondering if sambas are too trendy and I missed the wave.

  • other obsessions include trouser jeans, damson madder is targeting me, ganni leopard, silver loafers, skinny wrap belts, this bag.

• closet identity crisis - I realized I can tell you every trend, share a link immediately, direct your outfit to be incredible - I consume it all, but never buy the things myself. I am actually not trendy! My bank account thanks me, but like ah! Maybe I should take my own advice.

recommending,

that you focus only on what you can control today - worry about tomorrow, tomorrow; worry about next week when its next week. This has been my motto lately!

traveling,

• I just got home from Park City, Utah, celebrating a best friends bachelorette. Let me know if you want a full postcard! Quick hits - Vintage Room, No Name Saloon, Kemo Sabe, Five5eeds. You can see more debauchery & looks on instagram.

• If you’re going somewhere cold and need to fit multiple coats in a suitcase, look no further. A true lifesaver.

• These boots were my favorite pre-trip purchase - love the color and low heel.

new boots, highly recommend!

listening to,

• Glossy Podcast - loving the mix of interviews and week in reviews.

• Acquired Podcast - ep. 2 of season 14 on Hermes was an interesting listen.

on my mind,

• Let’s take a moment to talk about Gap’s resurgence - the campaign with Tyla and Jungle? The Palace collab? In a world where we’re seeing fierce competition and brick and mortar stores closing (ahem, Outdoor Voices apparently barreling towards bankruptcy), I commend the creativity Gap is bringing to stay relevant.

• Pinterest’s new body type feature was launched. Have you tried it?

• I loved this NYT article on menu trends, “a glimpse into the taste and values of today”. Swoons in design.

• Sweetgreen is building “the Spotify of food”… hmm.

Let me know what you think of my brain dump! Anything resonate, or am I just spewing into the internets?

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