brain dump vol. 7
catching up + this weeks thoughts & favorites.
Buckle your seatbelts, we have a lot to catch up on today! Thing have been nonstop, from traveling to the holidays to getting back into the swing of things and everything in between. I hope the start of 2025 has been treating you right!
To any new faces, welcome! I’m ecstatic that you’ve found my little corner of Substack. I’m a product designer and leader in my day to day, but have been loving building this creative space in my after hours. This is my first post and brain dump of 2025 and it’s a good one IMHO.
I’ve been documenting for y’all since my last post and I hope you enjoy some of the new video content I mixed in. As I was putting this together, I was pondering:
I was struggling hardcore as Substack skews towards a landscape view in my brain, but if you’re on your phone I can see how portrait would be better. IDK, I’m just happy to be on here with y’all today, spewing my thoughts and things. Thanks so much for joining me!
reading,
the god of the woods by liz moore: 7/10, a lot of people raved about this book! I thought it was great even though it was a sad plot, but keeping track of the characters as you transitioned through time periods and character POVs was sort of tough. Every time I picked it up I felt like I had to level-set as to where I was at.
first lie wins by ashley elst: 8/10, the storyline was different and suspenseful and it definitely kept me guessing. Every time you thought you knew what was coming next you were completely thrown off course. Binge-worthy read.
be ready when the luck happens by ina garten: 7/10, I was in need of a different, easy read after the last two thrillers and this was just that. As someone who hasn’t followed Ina’s career, I did find myself thinking while I read that she truly did have an incredible amount of luck on her side, everything (and I mean everything) magically worked out beyond her wildest expectations. Some cute lessons and I liked the recipes sprinkled throughout.
chinese-ish cookbook by rosheen kaul, joanna hu, armelle habib: 9/10, y’all know I love cookbooks and this is no exception. I grabbed this at Vesper Wine + Book Bar (more on that below) and it has to be one of the most beautiful cookbooks I’ve seen, as it is completely illustrated throughout vs. relying only on photography.
on deck,
flamingo estate the guide to becoming alive by richard christiansen: I received this as a Christmas present and I love it. It is part manifesto, part memoir, featuring conversations about work ethic, sex, love, purpose, food, exercise, technology, politics, design, plants, and dogs with people including Martha Stewart, Jane Fonda, Kelly Wearstler, David Leon, etc. Full of beautiful images and lots of words to live by, its happily my new coffee table book.
variation by rebecca yarros: I’ve liked Rebecca’s previous books so when I saw someone rate this an 8/10, it was added to my list. It is about the summer a celebrated dancer returns home and unearths years of family secrets with the Coast Guard rescue swimmer she never forgot. Adding a ‘contemporary romance’ into the mix sounds nice after being on a thriller/mystery kick.
sunday morning by jewel e ann: This is book one of a series that I saw has decent reviews - I can’t tell you the last time I read a series, but it might be nice to not have to think about what book to read next! A romance, a ranch, a singer, an off-limits love temptation, it sounds like a easy, steamy read.
never say never by danielle steel: A story of a women who’s life is turned upside down in the French countryside who gets a second chance at happiness and love, learns how to be brave and how to stay open to change. Sounds like a good start-of-2025 read to me.
the three lives of cate kay by kate fagan: I was told this book is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets First Lie Wins, so say no more. The story is about an elusive bestselling author who decides to finally confess her true identity after years of hiding from her past. Sounds like it could be good!
eating,
lady of the house: Formerly in Corktown, Lady of the House has re-opened and is tucked in one of my favorite up-and-coming Detroit neighborhoods, Core City. The interior is dark and cozy which pairs perfectly with the menu, which I’d say is more traditional comfort foods - think homemade sourdough and shrimp butter, ham with honey butter, miso mushroom fettuccine, roasted chicken. The menu is ever-evolving so I know I’m excited to go back again soon.
vesper books and wine: Another new addition to Core City, this spot is the perfect addition to your next day spent bopping around town or Detroit date night. A new space in a beautiful old building with a focus on cook books and wine - what more do you need?! I made a cute tiktok to show you around!
lerouge boulangerie: A neighborhood bakery in Grosse Pointe Park stuffed full of wonderful coffee, freshly baked bread and pasties, and a menu with items like the hangover egg sandwich (its so good). If you’re in the area, its a great morning stop (and you could check out The Post shop right down the road after).
roasted: Forever one of my favorite dinner spots in Cabo, the majority of the menu is grilled over fire and it is always a 10/10 meal. Not only that, but the hospitality is off of the charts - we are always treated like family and offered tastings, tequila and desserts beyond what was ordered. I am often being rolled out of here, but its worth it!
acre: A total farm-to-table experience, Acre is a green Michelin star restaurant tucked into the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna mountains in San Jose Del Cabo. Blake and I got married here in 2021 and were so lucky to spend a few nights (more on that below) and indulge in a incredible dinner. I’m totally biased, but this is my #1 recommendation in all of Cabo. It is such a vibe, you feel like you’ve entered a different world entirely and the food is incredible. Don’t sleep on the cheddar biscuits, one of their menu staples.
flora farms: Right next door to Acre is Flora Farms, another farm to table restaurant and resort. Definitely a bit more well known and popular, we had never been so we decided to try it out while we were staying at Acre. Definitely a different vibe as the restaurant is larger than I imagined and it skewed a bit more family focused, likely because of its popularity. I like the drinks, which were decorated with flowers and intricate ice creations plus there are shops and such to explore before or after dinner.
Some other quick Cabo favorites: La Lupita for lunch, Bar Esquina for coffee and breakfast, Chubby Noodle for dinner, Rooftop 360 for drinks.
proud of,
We just celebrated a delayed Christmas on my husbands side of the family so we could all be together and our out-of-towners could travel home. Because of that, I had an extra two weeks to focus on gifts (how lucky) and I am so proud of how my gifts to my sister-in-laws came together!
I had the idea early to stuff a tote full of a combination of things I loved in 2024, with a focus on things I know they needed, would use, and enjoy. The things you likely wouldn’t buy yourself but would love to have or would save you in a moment of need. I strategized early and hit the sales hard and they turned out so cute.
To start, I got them both bags from Monty - I love the color combinations and knew they would too! I paired one medium tote in flamingo and matcha with one dinky bag in cola and bubblegum. I paired the other medium tote in butter yellow and espresso with one dinky bag in olive and zest. The quality was great and I liked how the totes had zippers too.
I stuffed their dinky bags with some items I love or are always helpful to have on hand: the best hand sanitizer, tide-to-go wipes, aloh sanitizing wipes in orange bergamot + aloe scent, crown affair mini leave in conditioners, summer fridays lip gloss in vanilla beige / topicals lip balm, replica mini perfume in jazz club / dedcool mini perfume in taunt, georgio armani luminous silk blush in bold pink / delicate mauve.
The ‘our week’ planner pad from sonderhaus is one of my favorite finds of last year - its huge and comes in fun color combinations and is cute enough that you don’t mind it being on display. It covers everything you need in order to stay organized, from your schedule to chores and to-do’s, your groceries and menu to habit tracking. I love the section with the weekly mantra, grateful for, nights out and reach out to reminders.
The aesop hand soap and cream set (resurrection duet) is a boujee luxury you’d never buy yourself but is so nice to have, especially in the winter months. I got my mother in law this too as its such a good gift. Keep an eye out as this set goes on sale a bunch, making the price a bit more reasonable.
As previously stated, I’m a cookbook lover, so it felt on brand to gift them something in this realm that I thought they’d like. For one, I snagged koreaworld: a cookbook - it looked so interesting and had some incredible looking recipes, plus she loves Korean pop-culture and visited last year. The other, a personalized recipe book that she can fill in herself as she loves to cook and host. This tomato print was so cute, but Papier has a ton of options that made it so hard to pick.
Lastly, for my sister-in-law who made me an aunt this year, this cute mother hat (from the brand mother). And the other, this cute and insanely soft hoodie from Mayfair that I knew she’d love.
obsessing and recommending,
I got my niece a personalized pillow from etsy with her name on it that turned out so cute and is the nicest quality, it looks so good in her nursery!
I volunteered at the forgotten harvest warehouse over the holidays and it reminded me that I need to carve out the time to do it more. We sorted food that was donated from local grocery stores and restaurants for families in need. Something I know i’m pushing myself to focus on more regularly and maybe this little recommendation will push you too.
I got this bag charm as a gift and it is my favorite little moment of joy.
I desperately needed new workout shoes that I could use for walking, running and my HIIT workout classes. I loved my last pair of new balance sneakers so I asked for the new balance fresh foam X 1080v14 for Christmas - incredibly cute and comfy!
Nothing like a good hand cream during these freezing and dry winter months, loving this le labo hand pomade.
traveling,
My family spent a week together in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico over the holidays. I mentioned previously that we were doing this instead of gifts and it truly was the best decision - we had so much fun. I feel like every family has their go-to spot and Cabo is definitely mine. My parents and aunt and uncles have timeshares and go yearly, normally with a random assortment of us adding on, but this was the first time the entire family committed and came - all eighteen of us! Blake and I also got married in Cabo in 2021 and this was our first time back since, so it really is filled with so many memories for us.
We stay right in the heart of Cabo - on Medano beach, which is the sandy, swimmable part of the beach and right next to everyones favorite Cabo spots like The Office, Mango Deck, SUR, etc. We also aren’t in an all-inclusive, so we buy groceries and walk to dinner every night. We think its so much fun to try different restaurants and definitely have our favorites we go to time and time again (favorites noted above). One night we split into teams and did a scavenger hunt hosted through Wicked Wild Goose Chase - if you are traveling with family or a fun group looking for something different to do, it was hilarious and so much fun.
Blake and I did a mid-week mini getaway to Acre, which is the beautiful resort and restaurant where we got married. We stayed in one of Acre’s treehouses which was a 10/10 experience, enjoyed some incredible meals, and slowed down and soaked up a few days at our special spot. If you’re ever looking for somewhere incredible to stay (or get married!), I truly couldn’t suggest it more. One of my favorite parts: the peacocks that roam around the grounds. I invite you to soak this magical property in via the video below, I can’t wait to go back.
This swim suit (top / bottom) was incredibly comfortable, cut in all of the right places and I loved the chocolate brown color.
This rag and bone hat is my favorite for shielding my face and lookin cute.
I wore this reformation dress with strappy heels one of our nights at Acre and it was comfy and chic. I also wore this on New Years Eve with my oversized brown leather jacket and high boots, we love an outfit that can flex.
My favorite vacation tote is sold out, but its by the brand Mar Y Sol - love this one as a different option. Using a tote this week re-ignited my love for carrying a bigger bag that can fit everything you need.
listening to,
Nothing exciting, I’m in desperate need of some recommendations! What podcasts, playlists or artists are you obsessed with right now?
My only playlist of note is this one, that I blasted throughout the house as I was getting ready for a dinner last Friday night. Some of my favorites from it:
on my mind,
The LA fires have been weighing heavily on my mind, just like so many others. I can’t imagine the feelings and heartbreak so many people are feeling. I’m thankful that the people I love in the LA area are still safe and I’m sending love and prayers to all those affected. There is only so much I can do from Michigan, but I donated to a handful of resources including Pasadena Humane. I’m going heavy on the “be safe” and “I love you”s in 2025.
I’m dreaming up our travel plans for 2025! Europe is on the docket, specifically Copenhagen which is a bucket list spot for me. We are planning some potential national park itineraries as we have a wedding in Moab this summer. I would love to hear where you’re planning or hoping to go this year!
I’m an idiot and not only ordered some swim suits that arrived at the very last minute, but I took the tags off even though they felt a smidge tight (I ordered mediums). Add in a lot of tequila and tacos and its safe to say these swimsuits were not worn. They are super cute, from Same Swim, I’m annoyed and I’m selling them if you have any interest (DM me!). black and white one piece / denim flower one piece / black flower top + bottoms
I hopped on the vision board trend and made one for myself focused on 2025. It was actually a lot of fun, I mapped out some goals and created an image within my ipad digital flourish planner and created one for my phone background. Ultimately its full of some good reminders that I like seeing during my day to day chaos.
one thing I want to get done this week is:
Organize my winter wardrobe, I still have sweaters in my storage tubs that should really just be in my closet given its twenty degrees and we have a couple inches of snow on the ground lol.
Always appreciate you listening to my ramblings! Hope you all enjoy the rest of your week ahead! & If you loved this, subscribe and you’ll get my posts right on your Substack home feed or inbox. Here’s my last brain dump, if you want more.
absolutely loooooved this post, all of my favorite things on the internet 💘
maybe niche british thing but I've been loving NTS radio lately! I also like brand playlists like the row / soho house / baina !!