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LET’S CATCH UP 1.20.25

A proper snow in New York last night! Hope you all have had a restful long weekend if you got one.

20 days into January and, in truth, I’m barely keeping my head above water. Work is burying me (a continuation of Nov/Dec that I should have braced myself for but naively didn’t) and if you dare to turn on the news.. well. I’ve been sticking to my, now timeworn, healthy habits (running, strength training, eating healthy, 7-8 hours of sleep a night) which is definitely helping to bolster me, but otherwise, I’m not making much progress on the rest of that pretty 2025 moodboard. C’est la vie en Janvier, non? As we stare down the rest of the month – here’s what’s on my mind, on my bookshelf and on my credit card*.

*I used to call this section ‘in my cart’ – but the synchronicity of all 3 categories starting with the word “on” was too much for me to resist. Fear not for my credit card statement, I promise I’m not always buying everything I’m digitally browsing.

ON MY MIND:

  • I fly out early Wednesday morning to visit our San Francisco retail store for work. I’ll be there until Friday and then Adam will join me for a quick weekend trip to Carmel/Monterey. This quickly snuck in weekend away scratches quite a few itches. Firstly, one of my goals was to plan more spontaneous weekends away together.. it’s incredible how much 2 nights away can really rejuvenate you amidst a busy schedule. Secondly, despite living in LA for a little over a year in our early 20s and visiting many areas of California, we’d never explored this area of the state and I’ve always wanted to. And lastly, over the past year or so we have been gaining an amateur’s interest in wine (we’re late to the game.. we know). So we thought we’d go straight to the source and try to visit a few winery tasting rooms while we were in the area. It’s only for 48 hours but I’m so looking forward to it!
  • Speaking of California – there is still so much support needed in the wake of the LA fires. Outside of giving to specific families through GoFundMe, World Central Kitchen is helping to provide meals for those in need and the LA Fire Department is desperate for resources to go towards equipment and personnel.
  • Ahead of the official Oscar nominee announcements, I’m hoping to see a few more of the contenders. Adam and I saw ‘A Complete Unknown’ (the Bob Dylan biopic starting Timothée Chalamet) in theaters and enjoyed it. Then this weekend we watched ‘A Real Pain’ (starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin as two cousins on a pilgrimage to Poland to reconnect and learn more about their Jewish heritage) and – although heavier in subject – thought it was really well done. I still want to watch Wicked too!
  • One of the things I really want to do this year is find a way to take French lessons. While I had 4-5 years of the language throughout high school and college, I can really only get by with the bare minimum when we travel. If you’ve re-learned a language in adulthood, was there an app or method that you found particularly successful?
  • Another point on my 2025 agenda is to continue to visit new (to me) restuarants/bars/cafes here in the city. Topping my current list are Hani’s Bakery (for inventive treats near Astor Place), Pearl Box (a luxe 70s inspired bar in Soho) and Cecci’s (for a classic New York dinner vibe in Greenwich Village).

ON MY BOOKSHELF:

  • One of my real joys amidst the doldrums of January are that I read.. A LOT. With less of a desire to venture out into the cold, I mainly just hide away with books when I’m not working. I’ve finished 5 so far this month and we still have two weeks to go!
  • There have been two 5 star reads so far this year. The first of which was The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (and which you’ve surely seen everywhere by now) and really did live up to the hype for me. 95% of the time thrillers are not for me, but this was literary fiction first, with a thrilling/propulsive plot second. More than anything the writing was evocative and the characters had great depth. I think I finished in just a couple of days.
  • The second 5 star read so far, and one that instantly catapulted to my personal list of favorite books of all time, seems to have flown a bit more below the radar. I had heard about In Memoriam by Alice Winn from my favorite book podcaster (Annie Jones of From the Front Porch) rave about this last year and had bought a copy but then hadn’t really felt compelled to crack the spine. It looked lengthy and is set during WWI. Not usually my thing. But it called to me last week and.. my god. An achingly beautiful love story between two young British schoolmates turned soldiers. A debut novel (!!!), Winn approaches both the brutality of war and the life-altering course of love with the same hauntingly descriptive prose. In short, it crushed me in the best way. Main characters Ellwood and Gaunt will live in my mind for years to come.
  • While it wasn’t quite 5 stars, I also flew through From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough. Presley had recorded audio drafts of her memoir prior to her death, and her daughter compiled and filled in missing parts of the story from her perspective. From growing up in Graceland through the darker days towards the end of her life, Presley had the sort of life that frankly no one else would really be able to imagine let alone relate to. It’s of course only two sides to a very complicated family story but if you want a peek inside, this book offers one.
  • I’m packing Intermezzo by Sally Rooney and Versailles by Kathryn Davis for our trip. Saving room in my suitcase to visit a new bookstore or two while we’re away!

ON MY CREDIT CARD:

  • Shown below – a happy little striped workout set that’s giving my very chilly morning walks to the gym a boost. Both pieces on major sale.
  • Also below – an exercise in packing for California. I like to try on all of the outfits I’m considering packing to make sure I don’t forget anything and also to try and mix and match pieces wherever possible. Especially when I know I need to be in a carry-on. Will be sure to share all of these outfits as I actually wear them this week! Favorites include my trusty cargo pants, this new patent leather jacket (swoon) and a practical puffy vest in chic chocolate brown.
  • How chic is this dark denim vest and flared denim pants combo? I’d wear them both lots of ways now through spring for sure.
  • Also in the dark denim family, this flared midi skirt. I’d wear with tall leather boots and a slim fit cardigan now and kitten heels and a cropped t-shirt in spring.
  • I tend towards a lot of black tights/black boots combos this time of year – but love when a single hero piece can add interest to the whole outfit. This tiger print jacquard mini skirt is a prime example.
  • I braved the weather this weekend to restock some of my beauty favorites – including this dry shampoo, this toner that always helps clear up my skin, this cream blush is a new punchy pink color and my go-to everyday mascara.
  • I’m eyeing this cherry red, small boxy bag – perhaps an early Valentine’s Day gift to myself?

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MY INTENTIONS FOR 2025

A new year.

I started writing this post at the start of last week, when the year felt wide open with possibility. 6 days later and I had to come back and completely revise these opening lines. 2025 has already handed out cruel fates for thousands due to the fires in Los Angeles this past week. It’s unfathomable really and puts into harsh relief just how much I have to be grateful for – even if not a single thing more came to me this year.

That being said, as the rest of us find ways to offer help to those in greater need, I’ll share what I had planned.

If you read my 2024 recap – you’ll know that I started last year with a bit of fear over losing the momentum I’d started in 2023. But that’s not what happened. I doubled down in almost every aspect of my life and felt like I was rewarded with a lot because of it. This year, I don’t feel as scared. I feel confident that even if I have to sidestep here or there (and I undoubtedly will.. nothing is linear in life), I’m capable of continuing to think in decades, act in days.

While I always create a private list of specific things I want to accomplish (both big and small, lighthearted and lofty), this year I also put together a moodboard (shown above) that I thought would be fun to share. It captures a bit of what I’m hoping to attract:

  • Home Decor – now that we’ve bought our apartment I’m itching to do a bit of redecorating to really make it ours.
  • Audrey Hepburn at the barre – representing balance and poise, both of which I hope to have.
  • Runners on a track with the words ‘every day is a new day’ – both for the fitness of it all and my hope to run faster and even more this year, and also for the mantra to view each day as a new opportunity.
  • A sleeping beauty of sorts – to remind myself that despite a challenging job and busy schedule, I want to prioritize rest when I can.
  • New York in all her glory – what a gift to live here, I want to keep taking advantage of all she has to offer.
  • Travel destinations – I’m always hoping to see more of the world each year, as well as return to places that really make me feel inspired and happy.
  • Paris specifically – because I want to dust off my high school/college French and restart lessons in some capacity.
  • A vintage car – a nod to wanting to get my driver’s license again. Mine lapsed several years ago and I’ve been a passenger princess ever since, but it would be nice to take the wheel again.
  • A great head of hair – my own took a real beating last year for various reasons, and so I’m on a quest to restore the health of it and grow it out again.
  • A manuscript – while I’m not sure I’ll finish my long mulled over novel in 2025, I do want to commit to making writing a regular practice.
  • Fashion sketches – representing my work (and a reminder of what I love about this industry and why I started), but also because I really want to ruthlessly edit my own closet this year and continue to be very clear on how I want to dress and the overall style I want to cultivate in my forever wardrobe.

May your year be filled with health, happiness and hopefulness. Thinking of all of those in LA that are going to deserve those things more than ever.

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2024: A YEAR IN REVIEW

I wrote in my year’s recap on Instagram that 2024 felt, in many ways, like a winning streak. The payoff for consistent habits and hard work. Finish lines crossed and a mortgage signed. Generous portions of luck and circumstance. 13 years with Adam (and our first of marriage) stacking up like a well dealt hand. The above “mood board” was something I created in January of 2024 – and so much of it feels like it represents the incredible year we had.

In truth, I entered into this year with a lot of optimism but also a fair amount of worry. In 2023 I had a personal reckoning of sorts that lead to some big changes. I got married, kicked off an overhaul of my health and habits, and had finally worked to reject a lot of the old ideas and patterns I’d been clinging to in various areas of my life. In many ways I was worried I’d backslide somehow and lose it all.

And so I began this year with a single phrase – think in decades, act in days. In 2024 I knew I wanted to continue the momentum I’d started the year prior, by making sure that my day to day was working towards the bigger picture. That meant working out regularly and choosing a healthy diet – even when it wasn’t always convenient or when the motivation wasn’t there. It meant getting our financials in order to be able to finally buy our apartment. It meant working really hard so that we could have a life that includes regular travel, enjoying all of New York and celebrating things small and large as they came along.

It felt like a windfall when everything started to click further into place this year. Free of the extra weight I’d been carrying (both physically and mentally), I was able to step up my workouts significantly and get into what I’d consider to be the best shape of my life this year. I ran a 10k.. and then 2 more half marathons! I feel really strong, with energy and stamina to spare. I finally made an eye appointment and got fitted for contacts – something I’d been talking about for years. Adam and I went skiing/snowboarding after a decade or more away from it and discovered a whole new thing we loved to do together. I got a big promotion at work. We bought the apartment. We traveled and celebrated every chance we could.

Like any year, there were moments that didn’t make the highlight reel. Challenging and sad ones. We went bust a few rounds. Life will do that. But someday, I suspect we’ll be sentimental over exactly what we had in 2024.

Below a few of my favorite moments from year. And a heartfelt thank you all for being here – I’m never quite sure what to make of this space, but I’m grateful to those of you (readers new and old) that make it a place worth sharing.

Back on skis for the first time in over a decade! Had so much fun.
Baked my first ever tiered cake (carrot with cream cheese icing for Easter) – really enjoying being a novice and learning a new skill!
In Palm Springs in April, one of my happy places.
Our 2nd annual walking marathon of NYC – an incredible day, organized by a friend.
Traveled to Venice in May and I was in awe of it for 4 days straight – an unforgettable trip to Italy.
Ran my first half marathon in 7 years – it was veryyy hot that day but I finished proud of myself. In September I ran another and knocked 8 minutes off my time , felt great.
Attended the Tony Awards on behalf of work – such a fun night out in New York.
Was asked to speak on my first professional panel for work. Nerve-wracking but also exciting.
Celebrated our 13 year dating anniversary at the lake – I wore the t-shirt I’d worn 13 years prior on the first weekend he ever brought me there. Felt very lucky indeed.
Celebrated my promotion at work with a big dinner out at Minetta Tavern (I’d been wanting to go there forever). Went to a jazz show at Smalls afterwards. Very old New York.
Back in Paris for our 1 year wedding anniversary. Magic, every time.
Paris – too good for just one photo!
Starting to explore more of France, starting with Reims – the champagne region.. naturally.
A fun New York day with my parents – went on a small yacht tour of lower Manhattan!
Spontaneous weekend trip to the Hudson Valley in perfect Fall weather – hoping to do more of those in 2025.
Ending the year as homeowners in our beloved little apartment.
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THE BEST BOOKS I READ IN 2024

I finished 45 books – exactly the same number as last year, a few shy of my goal of 52 and still far less than I was finishing in 2020-2022. I entered this year thinking I’d knock 2023 numbers out of the park, but life continued to move at a speed that often didn’t leave much time or brain space for reading. When I look back at my finished books though, there was a lot I really loved, and more than ever, I’m starting to learn what really works and doesn’t work for me in my reading life. For instance, 1 or 2 rom-com books a year are great and I have fun reading them. Any more than that and I sort of find myself hating them. Same goes for thrillers. They’re just really not for me and everytime I try.. I end up feeling like I’ve wasted my time. But sweeping literary fiction, captivating memoirs, narrative non-fiction or even a hint of magical realism.. as long as all of it is well-written (meaning beyond the plot or the characters, the sentence level prose feels quality) and I’m usually on the right path. This pursuit of quality over quantity feels like a great direction for 2025.

But first, in no particular order, a recap of the 10 best books I read in 2024 – plus a few fun ‘honorable mentions’ at the bottom.

For more of my ‘best of the year’ reading lists, here are the past 5 years’ worth: 2023,  2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019! Surely enough to fill your shelves with great books in the coming year.

Real Americans by Rachel Khong: Real Americans is the sort of novel I wish I’d written, but with a far defter hand than my own. I loved Khong’s debut novel Goodbye, Vitamin – but this sweeping, multi-generational story feels like the book she was meant to write. It examines parenthood, destiny and what it means to be American in a completely fresh way.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe: This book knocked me out. Not only is the storyline so wholly original (talk about world building – the concept and characters feel so weirdly real.. which plays into the narrative perfectly), it also plays with perspective shifts in a way that felt impossible to pull off and yet Thorpe did it. I’m not going to even speak to a synopsis here.. just go into this book blind and get ready for a really fantastic literary ride.

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo: Sometimes a book makes the list because of how much it surprises me. How much I’m swept up in it when I’m not expecting to be. That was this book. A little bit historical fiction, a little bit magical realism, a dash of romance, some feminist rage thrown in – I’ve thought about this book often since finishing and if you’re in a reading rut, I feel like this would be the perfect thing to jumpstart things.

The Things We Carried by Tim O’Brien: I would have never read this if not for my book club that decided to pair The Women by Kristin Hannah with a backlist non-fiction book about Vietnam, from a soldier’s perspective vs. her historical fiction from a nurse’s. Originally published in 1990, this was another book that I went into with zero expectations and it felt like a gut punch. Raw and scattered and visceral and strange. This book will stay with me for a long time.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett: If it’s a year in which Ann Patchett has published something new, I can be almost sure she’ll rank on this list. And in years when she hasn’t and I’m exploring her backlist – she’s still making the list. I’m a Patchett fangirl through and through. There was a point in this novel where I exclaimed out loud ‘Damn it Ann, how do you do it?’ – because she’s working at a level of narrative consistency (across decades) that I think is unmatched. She’s the queen of complex family novels written with a sort of quiet dignity that’s really beautiful and her characters leave a lasting memory long after I’ve finished reading. Tom Lake was no exception.

Grief is For People by Sloan Crosley: Another auto-buy author for me, I’ve long been a fan of Sloan Crosley’s dark wit. But Grief is For People felt different for her – in a good way. It’s cutting close to the bone and things aren’t wrapped up with a convenient punch line. It’s a story of grief and friendship and loss in many forms. I loved it.

James by Percival Everett: All you have to do is Google this book to see how many accolades it’s earned.. and with good reason. For me, I was initially hesitant – thinking I’d need to reacquaint myself with Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn to understand it, or that the experience of reading would feel like high school English assigned homework. None of that proved true. The book is a masterwork in American literature yet stunningly accessible. Satire and heartache sit side by side on the page and you walk away having more appreciation for Twain’s original but also grateful that Everett deigned to give us another perspective.

The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher: The most backlist (published in 1987), I read this with my book club and loved it. I was completely swept away in this English world and totally charmed by the protagonist Penelope (and loved that she was an older woman), looking back on her life and dealing with the turmoils of adult children relationships. It was long and yet, I would have read another 100 pages of it. More than anything it was fun to read something from an author who has plenty of other backlist works to explore. Hoping to pick up another Pilcher this year!

My Life in France by Julia Child: What an absolute joy. Published in 2007, this is the book that went on to inspire the movie Julie & Julia. What I loved about this book is how unconventional Julia’s story is – she’s not a young ingenue when she gets married or starts her career or makes it big. She’s a woman firmly in middle age, determined to keep learning and chasing big dreams and following her heart. And Paul.. what a a gift. I was so enamored with this book that Adam and I started watching old videos of Julia’s cooking show on YouTube afterwards. I love a book that inspires a deep dive into something else!

Talking At Night by Claire Daverley: Why aren’t more people talking about this quiet knock-out of a book? I’m not sure if it just struck a chord with me in particular but to me – this is what I wanted Normal People by Sally Rooney to be (sorry to her diehards). It felt so much more achingly real and captured that feeling of first love and deep teenage friendship so well.

This year’s Honorable Mentions are books that surprised me, delighted me and were just all around a fun time to read:

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid: I love a feminist retelling – taking a known story (in this case Shakespeare’s Macbeth) and revisiting it from a female character’s perspective. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this up but it was beautifully written, gothic fiction and even though I wasn’t deeply familiar with the original work – I didn’t need to be to love this.

Be Ready When The Luck Happens by Ina Garten: I generally liked Ina Garten before reading this, but hadn’t watched her show and didn’t honestly know that much about her. But I grabbed it on audiobook free from the library and thought – why not? Turns out, I love her. So much so that after I finished I bought a hard copy. This memoir is a story of passion and career and ambition and risk. It’s a story of a marriage and what it takes to make it work, even when you know they’re the love of your life. It’s a story of food and Paris and chasing what excites you. 10/10. And some really fun parallels to Julia Child’s My Life in France that made my list, which I had read 6 months prior!

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross: I officially entered the world of romantasy with this one. To be clear there were dragons and there was also a love story, but the two were not combined.. to each their own, I’m not sure that’s my speed. But I will say – I was totally swept up in this YA book and truly couldn’t put it down, which felt so fun.

You, Again by Kate Goldbeck: Exactly the sort of rom-com that really does work for me – biting wit, great dialogue and a (fairly) believable story with solid character development. This book is essentially a modern re-telling of When Harry Met Sally – and while normally I’d be opposed to anyone touching that classic.. in this case I thought it really worked and was a fun time all throughout.

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    DECEMBER IN DRIVE

    This month always feels like a car in drive. It’s partially the building momentum of it – a shifting into higher gear with no hope of slowing down until January. But of course, it is also the memory below, that returns to me unbidden this time of year. 14 years later, the thought of that particular moment still feels like a full-throttle beginning…

    The first time I met Adam he offered to give me a ride. 25 minutes out of his way on Christmas Eve, and if he had better places to be that morning he didn’t let on.

    As we twisted along back roads, his driving fast and steady with one-handed confidence, I squinted my eyes against a waist high Pennsylvania sun. Without a word, Adam reached across me into the glovebox, pulled out a pair of spare sunglasses and handed them to me. It was a small kindness really, but it belied such an acute noticing. With unearned familiarity, he hadn’t asked. Hadn’t waited for me to ask. I was a cynic cracked wide open by this singular gesture that felt blushingly intimate.

    No longer two static-y strangers in a car. We were all at once in drive. His foot on the clutch, my heart in my throat.

    It comes back to me the first really cold morning each winter and I wonder how a moment so small could have ended up so behemoth in my life. How 25 minutes in a car changed the entire direction of my future. How it is that December will always feel like a car in drive.