I haven’t done one of these posts since last October! To be honest the time since then has been a whirlwind of my old company closing, then starting my new job, then the holidays. I just now really feel like I’m coming up for air. So as I sit with a chai tea latte in hand, waiting for the snowstorm to arrive this evening, I thought I’d finally catch up with you all:
ON MY MIND:
- For the past 2 years I’ve picked 3 months throughout each year that would be “no shopping” months. I can buy essentials like food and pharmacy items, but otherwise no new clothes, accessories, books, etc. I’ve found it to be such a great way to reset the constant pressure for new items and gives me time to focus on carefully selected purchases that I’ll perhaps want to get in the following months. My goal for 2021 is at least two no shopping months and I’m kicking it off with what I’ve dubbed ‘Frugal February’. Anyone else want to join? If you’re interested, I wrote post earlier this month on how to prioritize your finances this year.
- This post – asking women to name something they like about themselves – from Cup of Jo – is so simple, yet so uplifting. We all need to do more of this. Don’t miss the comment section too!
- I can’t stop watching the Chanel SS21 Couture presentation. It’s just hauntingly beautiful. Volume up.
- The other night my two best friends from college and I had a Zoom catch-up and crafted homemade Valentine’s Day cards for each other while we chatted. I have the fondest memory of us doing this one year when we were all single in our early 20s in my old studio apartment on the Upper East Side. They’ve both long since left New York and are married with babies, but it’s a good reminder that no matter what stage of life – take a minute to tell the people you love that you love them. Even better if done in a hand-crafted card!
ON MY BOOKSHELF:
- Adam got me a signed copy of the new David Sedaris anthology, The Best of Me and I just cracked it open this weekend. It’s a selection of his fiction and non-fiction over his decades long career and despite being a devoted fan I’m finding that there are many in the book so far that I’ve never read.
- My NYC book club is reading Outlawed this month (which also happens to be a Reese’s Book Club pick) – described as True Grit meets The Crucible. And my virtual club is reading The Comeback, which is a ‘Me Too’ era story of a young actress who finally comes back to right the wrongs done to her earlier in her career. I’m really looking forward to both!
- The perpetual upside to freezing cold weather and a pandemic making us housebound is that I continue to devour books. I read 6 1/2 in January and have plenty of great ones stacked up for February including this new release that’s meant to be a prequel to The Great Gatsby.
- Aside from the book that I’ve been slowly working on for the past year (and I do mean slowly) – I’ve started a new side project based on letters that a family friend has trusted to me. They were written by her parents back and forth to one another and involved a clandestine meeting in NYC in the 1940s. I’m sure they never expected a woman in NYC in the year 2021 to be reading these precious love notes but I’m honored to have the chance.
IN MY SHOPPING CART:
- Before I go all ‘Frugal February’ I’m going to try to grab a new pair of jeans to try today. I’ve recently bought and returned two pairs and asked for brands you all love on Instagram. Everlane was one that was mentioned and so I’m thinking of trying these – which have great reviews.
- I’m not usually a Valentine’s Day themed outfit person, but these new socks really spark joy for me.
- My friends at NYDJ sent me this tie dye sweatsuit and this chic navy sweatsuit and I’m living my best pandemic-life in them. One of my goals has been to refresh my basics and at the end of last year when I cleaned out my pajama and activewear drawer I realized I didn’t really have much good quality loungewear. This solved that problem with flying colors.
- I have chronically static-y hair in the winter. This touch-up creme is the only thing that saves me from looking like I was electrocuted. I throw it one my ends and flyaways before Zoom calls.
- Another goal for this year is to update our sad, old kitchen items. Over holiday break we cleaned out every cabinet and decided what to toss and what we’d like to replace. This weekend we made huge headway by finding all new pans, baking sheets and muffin tins. We got ours at Marshalls (the 6th Ave location had a great selection if you’re in the city!) but I found the same ones online here.