Oops, it’s been a while! Turns out traveling while also trying to buy a house in one state and sell a house in another is kind of all-consuming.

This past week, I tagged along on my husband’s work trip to New Hampshire, had a lovely time reading by the pool, and then we closed on our new house in Michigan! We’ll be making the move in a few weeks, and I can’t wait to share more photos and behind the scenes.

In the meantime, I’ll be packing up my entire house, visiting friends in Traverse City, moving, and um… trying to sleep I guess? Life has a way of happening all at once, it seems.

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

God of the Woods by Liz Moore – I avoided this book for a long time because it got swept up in the hype cycle, but after two of my friends read it and insisted it was incredible, I bumped it to the top of my list. I’m about a third of the way through it so far and completely engrossed.

📺 Watching

Much like the rest of the English speaking world, I saw The Odyssey during opening week and honestly really enjoyed it. I went into it with very few expectations, so I was pleasantly surprised. I read it at some point in either middle school or high school, and also was very obsessed with mythology as a teen, so I knew most of the plot points. But I was really riveted; I know a lot of people have issues with various plot points or interpretations, but overall it was an entertaining and interesting film that didn’t feel like it was three hours long, so I call that a win.

🎶 Listening

I’ve been loving the guided visualizations in the Humane Space app – especially the ones for focus. I just listened to an immersive one about Monet’s Water Lilies that I really enjoyed. I’m obsessed with this app as an antidote to constant doomscrolling. It has fascinating interactive stories from all different categories (art, science, humanities, etc.), daily creative prompts and practices, and guided visualizations. It’s beautiful to scroll and actually makes me feel like I’ve learned something instead of just increased my cortisol. You can get 20% off an annual subscription with my code LIZZIE20 (but there’s free stuff too!).

As a THS Partner, I may receive commission if you decide to upgrade. But as you know, I only recommend things I truly love and use.

📚 Release Radar

This week’s book releases that are on my radar (and my TBR).

• The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian | When a young woman, a golf prodigy, accidentally kills a caddy with a stray ball at the country club, the investigation of this freak accident reveals a dark and shocking tale of secret affairs, predatory men, and a teenager on trial.

• Meet Me in the Garden by Nina LaCour | A sweeping family saga that wrestles with themes of self-discovery and love in all forms, inspired by the author’s own Creole family.

• How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle by Alissa DeRogatis | A fresh, charming romcom about the chaos of dating in your twenties, the ache of a brutal breakup, and the hilarious lengths one romance writer will go to get her spark back—including staging her own meet-cutes.

• Kitten by Stacey Yu | An adrift young woman whose growing fascination with her boyfriend’s cat ushers her into the possibilities of her own life—but not without first threatening to unravel it.

• Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty | Three strangers’ lives converge in the waiting room of Sydney’s Time Travel Agency – a nondescript shopfront that promises impossible things.

• Etna by Paul Yoon | The unforgettable story of a working dog, Etna, who, after a devastating war, embarks on an odyssey in the hopes of returning home.

• Sunlight Finds You by Laura Moriarty | A forbidden love during the Cold War blows open the world of a teenage girl, altering the trajectory of her life.

💌 Reading List

Essays & articles worth reading this week.

Little Monsters | Virginia Quarterly Review

I adored this essay about nerdiness, passion, Dungeons and Dragons, and connecting with your feral children while re-discovering a lost piece of your own childhood.

“The thing I adored most about being a gamer girl,” says one dear friend, “is the same thing that all the Puma-wearing kids constantly hated on: We loved things deeply.” This was the ethos of our lunch table back then. Profound and passionate debate about the things we studied because we had to and the things we studied because we wanted to. “It didn’t matter whether they were real things: goblin hordes, molecular science, robot psychology,” she said. “To this day I am deeply grateful to have been surrounded by so many nerds who unabashedly loved things, rather than being too cool for them.”

It’s OK to Hate Summer | NYT (gift link)

Look, I’m a certified summer hater. I hate being hot, I hate humidity, I don’t particularly enjoy going to the beach, I despise shorts, and overall I would be much happier in sub-60-degree weather. People REALLY dislike it when I say this. I’m sorry! I bear you no ill will on your beach day, just don’t ask me to come.

In my opinion, summer is more to be endured than enjoyed. “You can always put on more clothes — there is only so much you can politely take off,” I tell my husband as I curse the heat. My stress level rises with a lack of routine, which is intensified by having three children out of school.

How To Be A Critical Thinker In Our Noisy Digital World | The Good Trade

A great piece on slowing down and actually having thoughts about the media you consume amidst the constant, ceaseless internet noise, hot takes, and cherry-picked quotes maximized for virality.

In a single, endless swipe we can learn about one event from a dozen people — an investigative journalist, a politician, an influencer, a meme site, a cultural critic, our second cousin, and the boy who threw up on stage in our elementary school talent show. The facts of the event itself are already altered, tinted with however the speaker is feeling about them and how they are positioning their presentation. We aren’t consuming clear reporting, but a heavily editorialized version that has already influenced what we think about it — whether we realize this or not.

🧥 In My Cart

Things I’m eyeing and buying this week.

Bookends, $30 | Cardigan, $85 | Butter Dish, $26 | Mug, $24 | Barrel Bag, $14 | Candle, $30 | Earrings, $10 | Plaid Cardigan, $55 | Birkenstock Clogs, $165

✨ Joy Scrolling

Fun links & recs for your reading pleasure.

• I’m obsessed with these dreamy backyard reading nooks.

• If you’re craving the old school feel of cutting out images from magazines in a convenient digital format, clip art studio is for you.

• How to use social media to increase your joy, not your anxiety, by

• According to Time, a splash of color might be the best way to boost happiness. I wholeheartedly concur.

• This piece in McSweeney’s really made me giggle: A Packing List for the Woman I Will Become on My Vacation to Cape Cod. Kinda how I felt last week tbh. Especially that first bullet point. 🫣

⏰ ICYMI

What I’ve posted recently.

Joy Mail Club Members will receive an envelope each month packed with delight—postcards, mini-prints, stickers, punch cards, junk journal & collage bits, greeting cards, and other fun surprises. A little dose of whimsy and joy, from me, to you.

Subscribe now

The Swifties among you will have recognized that “not a lot going on at the moment” is code for “quite a lot going on at the moment, actually.”

Namely, my husband and I have made the decision to move back home to Michigan to be closer to friends and family. In the last two weeks, we’ve found our dream house, put an offer on it, had it accepted, gone through inspections, and are now about to list our condo in Chicago this week. It’s been a whirlwind and simultaneously super fun and completely overwhelming.

The new house is absolutely gorgeous and I can’t wait until everyone is capital-O official so I can share more. For now, send us luck and well wishes for selling our house. It’s a bittersweet moment for sure. We’ve put so much work, energy, and love into this condo over the past nearly-five years. But we’re so very excited for the next chapter. More soon!

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

The Antiquarian’s Object of Desire by India Holton – so far, a cute, lightly magical historical rom-com about professors in love. Swoony.

📺 Watching

Widow’s Bay on Apple TV. I’m a little late to the party, but once I heard what this show was actually about (creepy, cursed vacation town) I was hooked. It was described to me as Parks and Rec if it were written by Stephen King, so I was immediately sold.

🎶 Listening

I’ve been listening to Six of Crows on audiobook while I work lately. I think it’s my ADHD brain, but I can only listen to books I’ve already read a few times (aka, it’s okay for me to zone out because I know what’s happening already). My love of Six of Crows is well-documented, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the voice acting in the audio version.

✅ To Do List

Tasks to help you reset and re-energize for the week.

• Creativity & Curiosity: Find a long article or essay and make yourself actually sit and read the whole thing. No scrolling, no distractions, no skimming.

• Personal Style: Experiment with a new style you wouldn’t normally wear.

• Home & Environment: Switch up the throw pillows, blankets, or artwork in one of your rooms. You’ll be shocked how much difference it can make.

• Connection: Ask someone you love a deep question about themselves. You might be surprised by what you didn’t know about your friends and family.

• Joy & Whimsy: Blow some bubbles.

📚 Release Radar

This week’s book releases that are on my radar (and my TBR).

• Famous Men by Julie Buntin | A gripping novel about ambition, parents and children, and all the ways women still pay for men’s mistakes, Famous Men traces one woman’s journey to the truth of where she comes from, what she’s capable of, and how she might start again.

• The Half Life by Rachel Beanland | From the author of Florence Adler Swims Forever and The House Is on Fire, a novel set on a remote Italian island about a navy wife’s reckoning with power, love, and the price of staying silent in the Atomic Age.

• Make Nice by Ryan Effgen | Sandwich meets The Wedding People in this irresistible comedy of manners as three generations of a family—a snail scientist, a soon-to-be divorcée, her teenage daughter, a hapless con man, and their feckless patriarch—descend on a ritzy Lake Michigan vacation island. (Mackinac Island baby!!!!)

• The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren | New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren returns with an unforgettable romance in which a fateful accident erases a troubled marriage from memory—and a scientific breakthrough gives love one extraordinary do-over.

💌 Reading List

Essays & articles worth reading this week.

Skill Nostalgia | Aeon

“Will our desire for a lost age of skilled work curdle into technophobia, a distrust of social change, and a desire to return to the ‘way things were’? When we fetishise the skills and objects of the past, are we falling into a reactionary form of Luddism that resists all change? What are the politics hidden within our desire for artisanal sourdough bread and hand-thrown pottery?”

An interesting take on how being nostalgic for the “good old days” of handcrafted artisan work is an extremely old pastime.

The Upside of Being an Only Child | Cup of Jo

“As a preteen, though, I sometimes wished for a sibling: specifically, an older sister. Older sisters are, from what I can tell, the meanest human beings on the planet, but they are also the gatekeepers to becoming a woman. They know about tampons and foundation and getting asked to dances and that the cool girls in high school don’t carry backpacks, they wear messenger bags. I lived and died by my stacks of teen magazines, but flipping the stark white pages of Seventeen is not the same as your sister coming into your room, pulling out a lip liner, and showing you how to use it. If you have an older sister, you don’t have to use the metallic gunmetal-gray Lancôme eye shadow your mom gave you from a bonus gift at Nordstrom, apply it alone in your poorly lit bathroom, and then wear it to the Friday-night dance looking like you got a black eye from a robot.”

I am also an only child who once longed for an older sister as I read through the pages of Seventeen magazine. Much like the author of the piece, , I too mostly loved my weird childhood spent discussing adult topics like the news and weather and befriending school librarians and administrators. As I’ve gotten older, I have felt at times a longing for a sibling or two, someone else who knows exactly where I came from and what I’m going through, but overall I’ve always loved being an only child.

The End of Reading is Here | The Atlantic

“In 2024, in a national test, just 35 percent of high-school seniors were “proficient” at skills such as analyzing complex fictional themes and evaluating the effectiveness of an author’s argument. About the same number scored below “basic,” meaning that they may struggle to draw conclusions from concepts explicitly included in a text, or to use context clues to determine the meaning of an unknown word. Adult-literacy scores have also dropped: Nearly 30 percent of American adults cannot paraphrase or make inferences from a multipage text. In 2017, that number was less than 20 percent.”

This piece has definitely been making the rounds this week, and the stats are certainly alarming. I don’t really know what to say. How do we fix this? I feel like bringing back free personal pan pizzas for reading books is a step in the right direction.

🧥 In My Cart

Things I’m eyeing and buying this week.

1. Smocked Tie-Strap Midi Dress, American Eagle 2. Scallop Shell Hair Clip, Jenny Lemons 3. The New Vegetarian Cookbook, Anthropologie 4. Off-Duty Snoopy Tote Bag, American Eagle 5. Don’t Play It Cool Tee, Vibe2k 6. Leave Pretty Anti-Puff Eye Patches, Pacifica 7. Ruffle Tie-Neck Top, Old Navy 8. Wood Bookshelf Lamp, Target 9. Campus Rugby Sweatshirt, American Eagle

✨ Joy Scrolling

Fun links & recs for your reading pleasure.

• This tomato, halloumi, and nectarine salad sounds like pure summer deliciousness.

• Love this list of the 40 prettiest main streets in the country. I LOVE a good historic downtown main street with cute little shops. Though I have to say, we’re missing a lot of midwest representation here. Michigan has some GORGEOUS main streets.

• Artist Derrick Lin creates these gorgeous miniature dioramas that somehow perfectly encapsulate feelings of nostalgia, loneliness, love, etc. I’m fascinated.

• A fantastic list of sleepy, sultry crime movies for hot summer nights. Rear Window is one of my all-time favorites!

• Stumbled upon this episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood where he visits Eric Carle’s (of Very Hungry Caterpillar fame) studio. Delightful.

⏰ ICYMI

What I’ve posted recently.

Hello from the literal fires of Hades! Chicago has a heat index of 105 today, and I’m sweating my makeup off as we speak. This weekend my husband and I cleared out two overstuffed closets and our entire basement storage unit and dropped off an entire carload of stuff to a charity shop. It was so much work, but I feel so accomplished. And now I’ve got the purging bug and I’m ready to attack my closet and underneath our bed next. There’s no stopping me!

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

I finished Spellstruck and absolutely adored it. If you like Sangu Mandanna’s books, you will love this. Out in September!

📺 Watching

We watched the Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? mini-series last week (based on the Agatha Christie book) and I absolutely loved it. Christie adaptations seem very hit or miss (big pet peeve of mine is when they completely change the ending, which happens surprisingly often). But this one was delightful!

🎶 Listening

New Phoebe Bridgers!!!!!

🧣 Wearing

I snagged this red boatneck shirred tank from Uniqlo a few weeks ago, and I’ve been waiting for the weather to heat back up so I can wear it. Finally getting the chance today, and I love it!

✅ To Do List

Tasks to help you reset and re-energize for the week.

• Creativity & Curiosity: Pick up a new book that’s outside your typical genre comfort zones, but that sounds interesting. You might be surprised!

• Personal Style: Spend some time documenting your favorite outfits for easy access. Could be a photo album, notes app, or just a good old-fashioned notebook.

• Home & Environment: Clean out one single closet, storage unit, or other spot where you’ve just stuck things for ages and not thought about.

• Connection: Put together a care package for a friend or loved one who is going through a hard time or could just use a little extra support. It doesn’t have to be super expensive—cozy socks, a paperback, some artisanal coffee or hot cocoa, and a cute mug goes a long way.

• Joy & Whimsy: Play hooky—call in sick to work or school and do something fun for yourself.

📚 Release Radar

This week’s book releases that are on my radar (and my TBR).

• Rules for Aging and Larceny by Julia London | Ocean’s Eleven meets the Golden Girls when an all-female group of chaotic, elderly thieves come out of retirement for one last heist.

• Main Characters by Bobby Palmer | Told from the eyes of their audience—friends and flatmates, rivals and lovers, strangers and confidants—Main Characters is a sweeping portrait of all sides of Clara and Seb. Everyone has their version of events, but only the main characters can decide how it ends.

• Picky by Julie T. Kinn | Zillah’s twenty-three and stuck—stuck living with her quirky mother, stuck with a diet of ten toddler-approved foods, and stuck in a relationship with a man who thinks sharks are immortal. Things change when she eavesdrops on her neighbor’s exposure therapy and decides to DIY her own mental health.

• One Day, Hard and Clear by Anne Baldo | It’s 2004 and childhood friends Sami and Lucy are on the edge of adulthood. Lucy knows what she is going to do—she’s going to school and getting out. But Sami, caught in an endless loop with a boy from a troubled family, can’t seem to get unstuck.

• The Summer of the Serpent by Cecilia Eudave | This surreal, horror-tinged work is a kaleidoscopic descent into the small violences and hidden horrors of one sweltering summer, forming a coil of vignettes that slither under the skin for a strange, deeply human portrait of memory, myth, and family.

• The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson | An ambitious young woman insinuates herself into a tight-knit social set, shaking up friendships and marriages in a small seaside town. A frothy novel of love, money, sex, and friendship, from the bestselling author of Pineapple Street.

• Six of Crows: A Darker Shore by Leigh Bardugo | From bestselling author Leigh Bardugo comes a new Grishaverse short story: a mystery told through found documents and set after the events of Crooked Kingdom.

💌 Reading List

Links, essays, Instagram captions, carrier pigeons… anything and everything I’ve enjoyed reading this week.

How to Have Deeper Conversations With Anyone | Time

“People badly underestimate how interested others are in connecting—and how good a deeper conversation will actually feel, says University of Chicago behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley […] His research suggests that we brace for awkwardness and come away happier, more connected, and more understood than we predicted.”

How Creative Rituals Can Help You Break Free From the Idea Echo Chamber | It’s Nice That

“And in a moment where so much of the technical side of creativity can be outsourced or automated, having a deeper understanding of who you are, what your tastes are and how you come up with ideas away from the usual sources really matters. AI tools generate, refine and perhaps polish, but they can’t decide what is worth making in the first place, they can’t tell you what feels meaningful, or urgent, or true to you, that still sits with us. Which is why creative rituals feel less like a luxury and more like a kind of defence against the slow erosion of taste, attention, and intention.”

Librarians on Horseback | Oxford American

In the 1930s, the Pack Horse Library project emerged as a program that could satisfy New Deal goals of literacy expansion and job creation by paying local women (and a few men) to deliver books on horseback through the mountains of eastern Kentucky. Due to meager funding for new reading material, the Pack Horse Librarians often circulated scrapbooks they assembled by hand, makeshift volumes filled with content from magazines, damaged books, or old pamphlets.

🧥 In My Cart

Things I’m eyeing and buying this week.

1. Mini Lamp, Target 2. Blouse, Banana Republic 3. Tarot Plate, Anthropologie 4. Velvet Vanity, Urban Outfitters 5. Resin Purse Strap, Quince 6. Staub Bowl Set, Crate and Barrel 7. Heeled Sandals, Aerosoles 8. Pearly Fish Earrings, Loft 9. Dream Lip Oil in Bare Sand, Summer Fridays

✨ Joy Scrolling

Fun links & recs for your reading pleasure.

• This post on “how to stay married” made me giggle (and also seems like pretty solid advice).

• Summer mocktail recipes for my low- and no-proof pals.

• A roundup of summer camp aesthetic decor inspiration.

• New trailer for Sense and Sensibility with Daisy Edgar-Jones!!!

⏰ ICYMI

What I’ve posted recently.

Parenthetical is a publication for women who dog-ear pages, overthink their seasonal wardrobe, and want to make their ordinary days more magical. Paid subscribers get access to the full resource library, plus The Well-Designed Life curriculum.

Subscribe now

Dear Friend,

This is the 25th edition of Coffee Break, which is exciting! That’s nearly half a year of almost weekly posts! In the spirit of “building in public” I’m making some changes to the format. I’ll still be sharing links, recs, and tasks for each week, just organized a bit differently.

I’ll also be sharing new book releases coming out each week, and paid subscribers will receive a little bit extra at the end of each email—creative prompts for the week to use as journal starters, reflection prompts, or however else they spark inspiration, plus occasional printables, downloads, and other digital goodies.

Parenthetical has grown so much in the past few months, it’s mindboggling, so I just wanted to say a big thank you again for being here and reading along. ❤️

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

Spellstruck by Martha Waters (out September 29th). Diving into this historical, magical, British rom-com that follows the manager of an illegal magic speakeasy and the government employee sent to take down her family’s business—but when tainted magic makes its way into the supply chain, the two enemies have to team up to figure out where it’s coming from. 👀 I haven’t gotten super far, but so far I really like the writing and characters.

🍔 Eating

Trader Joe’s salads continue to reign supreme. Lunch this week is the Broccoli Slaw and Kale Salad with White Chicken Meat. It’s tangy, sweet-ish, and a tiny bit spicy.

📺 Watching

The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy on 35mm film. Because somehow it’s been 25 years since The Fellowship of the Ring released??? Anyways, my favorite theater, The Music Box in Chicago, played the entire trilogy all weekend and we watched the first one on Friday night and the last two on Saturday. Long day!

🧣 Wearing

Not beating the allegations about Kelly green being my new favorite color. I’ve been wearing these linen-blend bright green trousers CONSTANTLY. They’re super comfy, super on-trend, and the petite sizing means I didn’t even have to hem them.

✅ To Do List

Tasks to help you reset and re-energize for the week.

• Creativity & Curiosity: Make a list of creative projects you want to complete in the next six months, and plan out the steps to make it happen.

• Personal Style: This week I’m giving you permission to buy that thing on your wishlist you’ve been thinking about for ages.

• Home & Environment: Open a window. Even if it’s too hot. Just open a window for a half hour to remember what it’s like to have a breeze in your house that isn’t from the air conditioner.

• Connection: Message someone from your past that you haven’t talked to in a while, just to catch up. (This is not permission to text your toxic ex).

• Joy & Whimsy: Take some books to your nearest Little Free Library to exchange.

📚 Release Radar

This week’s book releases that are on my radar (and my TBR).

• Agnes Lives! by Hallie Elizabeth Newton | Agnes seeks a willing murderer and wonders what she should wear. As she Ubers from Upper East Side shopping to Craigslist gun deals, Agnes’ desperation becomes an exhibition, a swan song of millennial sexuality as internalized abuse.

• The Future Perfect by Cay Kim | A portrait of a brilliant young woman growing up between worlds, and a glorious love letter to girlhood, family, and the great dreams we hold for ourselves, no matter where we’re from.

• Winner Takes All by Emily Martin | When two rival music executives wake up married in Las Vegas with no memory of tying the knot, they have to recreate their night together while competing to sign the band of their dreams.

• Long Island Girls by Gabrielle Korn | A sharply observed, deeply nostalgic coming-of-age story set against the indie music scene of the early 2000s that captures the ache of growing up, the messiness and joy of queer identity, and the way music, memory, and desire shape who we become.

• When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams | A young widow returns to her late father’s New England estate, only to be drawn into the hunt for the rumored pirate treasure that consumed his life.

💌 Reading List

Links, essays, Instagram captions, carrier pigeons… anything and everything I’ve enjoyed reading this week.

How Personal Taste Fell Out of Fashion | The Guardian

“It has become impossible to ignore: personal taste has been seriously debased – if not completely destroyed – by technological advancement. We know the internet has radically altered the way we form our opinions and beliefs. Now we’re waking up to another sobering truth: it has wrecked our capacity to form our own preferences.”

A Diary from the Psychic Capital of the World | The Paris Review

“I dressed in all black, which Mimi said would let the spirits know who to come to. Around my neck I wore a brass whistle. It belonged to Dan and had been issued by the army, and it slotted into the hollow of my throat. Should we take some of Dan with us? Mimi asked. So I scooped a thimble of his ashes into a rinsed-out anchovies jar and he rode shotgun in the pocket of the door as we headed west, when the storm started.”

Jump Into the Ball Pit: Emily Rapp Black on the Creative Power of Play | LitHub

The guiding image of my process was not an outline, but the ball pit found at indoor playgrounds, beloved by children and feared by adults who carry hand sanitizer just for such activities. When a kid sees a ball pit, they don’t think that is a viral infection waiting to happen, or when and how do the foam balls get washed, if ever? No. They see a pit of possibilities and in they gleefully go, connected to joy but disconnected from outcome. It’s just a ball pit. You can see it in their faces: Let’s see what happens. No fear of water that’s too hot or too cold or full of sharks, no worries if there’s someone already in there or if it’s empty, just a bright and cheery willingness to mess around.

🧥 In My Cart

Things I’m eyeing and buying this week.

1. Justine Basket Bag, Sezane 2. Claudia Scrunchie One Piece, J.Crew 3. Rough Draft Mini Notebook, Bando 4. Fisherman Jelly Sandals, J.Crew 5. Chunky Beaded Necklace, J.Crew 6. Short Sleeved Ribbed Polo, Old Navy 7. High-Waisted Satin Track Pants, Old Navy 8. Yellow Stoneware Mug, Target 9. Library Card Pinboard, Anthropologie

✨ Joy Scrolling

Whimsical links & recs for your reading pleasure.

• The 100 greatest bird names of all time. Prepare for some middle-school level giggling.

• Look at these incredible kinetic sculptures of birds made from paper! I’m in awe.

• This artist has been creating a massive map for decades using a super cool creative process where he pulls cards that determine what he’ll do next.

• Crime Reads rounded up five great lesser-known cozy mystery novels.

• A gorgeous home tour in San Francisco. That kitchen!

⏰ ICYMI

What I’ve posted recently.

Parenthetical is a publication for women who dog-ear pages, overthink their seasonal wardrobe, and want to make their ordinary days more magical. Paid subscribers get access to the full resource library, plus The Well-Designed Life curriculum.

Subscribe now

Dear Friend,

I’ve been writing this roundup for like three weeks now, so it’s a real hodge-podge of things. As some of you may know, a couple weeks ago, my sweet, warm, generous, kind-hearted father-in-law passed away following an 18-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

It was terribly heartbreaking for everyone, and I’ve just been in that grief bubble supporting my husband as best I can through the whole experience. This past week was the first one back in the “real world” after three weeks in our hometown so it’s all a bit disorienting and overwhelming, to say the least.

Thank you for your patience and grace as newsletters have been rather spotty over the past weeks. I’m hoping to get back to regular programming this week. In the meantime, tell someone you love them today. You never know how many more chances you’ll get to say it. ❤️

In Brief

📚 Reading

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune – I started reading this to be in the zeitgeist of a new show for once, though to be honest it seems like people are somewhat displeased with the adaptation and I’m not quite sure if this book is for me yet or not.

🍔 Eating

Trader Joe’s Dill-icious Salad Kit – this thing is INCREDIBLE. If you like dill, you’ll love this. It has this delicious creamy dill ranch dressing and Trader Joe’s dill pickle chips (a perennial favorite of mine) to use as a sort of crouton situation. I had two last week alone, and I may eat it every single day for lunch this week, I’m not sure yet.

🎶 Listening

This rom-com office job playlist on Spotify. That’s all.

📺 Watching

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). Gosh, what a film. I rewatched it for the second time this weekend, and it’s just so good.

📚 Books & Creativity

Weekly Task

Browse a used bookstore and let yourself buy one book based purely on the cover or blurb. No googling reviews or bestseller lists or whatever, just whether or not it sounds interesting to you.

Roundup

• I just discovered the Quirky Cup Collective and I’m obsessed with all of their bookish products. I’ve got my eye on this forest green leatherbound journal and this gorgeous velvet Kindle pouch.

• I was beyond flattered when asked me to be a part of her summer reading list, and the post is, of course, amazing. She’s broken down book recs based on a summer hits playlist. Go find a good book to read!

• Who wants to go on a murder mystery weekend to the Six Bells Inn with me? It sounds so fun, and I’m dying to stay there anyway. Win-win.

• I’ve definitely talked here before about how much I love Ban.do and their newest collection is no different – how cute is this “I’d rather be home reading” notebook?!

• Camp Snap has a new screen-free digital camera in time for summer that comes in four incredibly Y2K-coded translucent colors. I need the Strawberry Splash one ASAP. Plus, they’re only $69 AND you can take 7% off with my code, LIZZIEC7. Win-win.

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Identify one wardrobe gap (missing a good blazer? need comfortable flats?) and prioritize filling it.

Roundup

• How cute are these layered sports bra tanks?! I may or may not have purchased them in three different colors. They feel so 90s/Y2K coded and will be great for pilates this summer.

• I’m getting a lot of joy from this butter yellow Essie nail polish lately.

• I sort of forgot about Loft, but was reminded how dang cute their stuff is this weekend. I’m eyeing this gingham peplum tank, this Kelly green linen wrap skort, and these medium wash kick flare jeans (side note: Loft has great petite options for my fellow short girls!).

• This weekend we happened to be downtown and stumbled upon a J.Crew Camp Crew popup on Michigan Ave. It was so cute (I’m such a sucker for anything camp-themed) and I had to snag this retro “Camp Staff” ringer tee.

• Allure has published a primer on how to pull off a headscarf, and not a moment too soon. Every time I try to wear one, I look like Rosie the Riveter. A vibe, for sure, but not the one I was going for!

🏡 Home & Interiors

Weekly Task

Make your bedroom a true sanctuary space (blackout curtains, quality bedding, minimal clutter).

Roundup

• How freakin’ cute is this tomato-print doormat from the new Ruggable x GrossyPelosi collection? Psst, it’s on sale for Memorial Day!

• Loving this sunshine-y, butter yellow mug from Target for a whopping $5.

• This pasta salad recipe sounds like the perfect refreshing bite for summer picnics or al fresco dining. (or for devouring while standing over your kitchen sink at 1am, I do not judge).

• I’m obsessed with this adorable retro a-frame. I want a little a-frame cabin so bad.

• The Apartment Therapy Best in Home award winners are live! I always love looking through these because I feel like their editors do a really great job with curation and I trust their reviews.

💌 Connection & Self-Care

Weekly Task

Send a "just because" text to someone you've been thinking about.

Roundup

• In case you didn’t know, Father’s Day is next weekend. If you still need a gift, may I suggest this deeply chic burl wood frame from Framebridge?

• Food & Wine rounded up 19 recipes for summer pasta dishes, ripe with corn, fresh garden tomatoes, herbs, and more. I’m eyeing that Green Goddess Pasta Salad, personally.

• Spending just fifteen minutes outside, even in a city, can have a profound positive effect on your mental wellbeing, according to Time Magazine.

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Plan a themed dinner party or movie night with friends.

Roundup

• Just look at this insanely gorgeous and FUN camper renovation. I’m putting this in the joy category because it feels like pure joy, tbh. It looks a little like the inside of Jeannie’s bottle in I Dream of Jeannie, something I always coveted as a child.

• I loved reading the comments section on ’s recent post, “What’s On Your Resume of Special Skills?” For the record, I think mine would be an uncanny ability to quickly and thoroughly memorize rap songs. Largely useless, but fun at parties. My friend Becca calls these “Mundane Super Powers” and I remember discussing them often. Hers was always avoiding speeding tickets, even when she really should have gotten one.

• A recent Gallup poll showed that a majority of Americans report seeing small acts of kindness in their everyday lives quite frequently, and it made me a bit emotional. Maybe everything isn’t always terrible.

• I’m deeply intrigued and amused by this documentary about several businesses housed in what used to be Pizza Huts. You know how you can always tell when a building was a Pizza Hut, because of the weird shape? Yeah, that’s about it. Except the documentary is also about nostalgia, decay, and transformation.

• This:

⏰ ICYMI

Parenthetical is a publication for women who dog-ear pages, overthink their seasonal wardrobe, and want to make their ordinary days more magical. Paid subscribers get access to the full resource library, plus The Well-Designed Life curriculum.

Subscribe now

Dear Friend,

Wow, what a week! On Thursday I got the official notification that I’ve achieved Substack Bestseller status! 🎉 It was also the one year anniversary of going all-in on my Substack, so I wrote a whole recap post about that here.

I also announced a new Founding Member tier called The Joy Mail Club, which gets you delightful little paper goodies, stickers, prints, cards, and other surprises each month in the mail. Read more about that here!

I just wanted to say another heartfelt thank you to everyone who reads, subscribes, and follows me here. I’ve so enjoyed building this community over the past year, and I’m looking forward to many more!

In Brief

📚 Reading

I bumped up Grey Dog by Elliot Gish in my rotation after a glowing review from my coworker. It’s giving dark academia gothic sapphic vibes which you know I’m always here for.

🍔 Eating

I tried Ayoh! Dill Pickle Mayo and wow is it tasty. I love dill so much.

📺 Watching

We started rewatching Chernobyl this week, and gosh what a beautiful but incredibly bleak miniseries.

📚 Books & Creativity

Weekly Task

Revisit a book you loved years ago and see how it reads differently now.

Roundup

• Need some color palette inspiration? This site catalogs color palettes from famous works of art, and it’s very fun to scroll through.

• Time rounded up a list of books they feel perfectly encapsulate the current American landscape, just a couple months out from the country’s 250th birthday.

• I love this! High schoolers are electing to learn cursive in extracurricular clubs at school. Seriously, without the ability to read or write cursive, future generations have no hope of deciphering historical documents. It’s sad! I’m glad to hear that some schools are considering adding it back to their standard curriculums too.

• W Magazine put together a primer of the top films coming out of Cannes this year. I was already seated for Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma and then I saw Gillian Anderson is in it? Sold, sold, sold.

• This piece on “what makes a good bookshop?” really did it for me. I so agree with all of these points!

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Take photos of five favorite outfits so you remember what works. Save it in a folder, Notion, or notes app for easy access.

Roundup

• I’m desperately in need of a pair of these double cloth Cali pants from Marine Layer. I have a pair of shorts in this same fabric, and it’s so great because it has all the perks of linen, but the puckered fabric hides any wrinkles.

• Loved this post on sharing real people’s outfits she saw on the street in NYC. So much great inspo!

• I totally forgot about this until I was cleaning out bookmarks this weekend, but did you know that Anthropologie has a resale section where you can buy gently used Anthro-brand items from Nuuly at crazy deep discounts? Like, $200 dresses for $25. It’s wild, and they do NOT make it easy to find.

• I’m still on the hunt for a bathing suit that I like, but also isn’t $200 for no good reason. I think I might take a chance on this Quince bubblegum pink one-piece. It’s a fun color and has lots of good reviews, plus at $50 I won’t be quite so devastated if I end up hating it after a couple wears.

• This woven tote is perfect for beach days or summer trips. And it’s easy to pack too!

🏡 Home & Interiors

Weekly Task

Organize your pantry or one kitchen cabinet completely.

Roundup

• The New Savant so kindly gifted me two candles from their spring collection, and wowowowow they are dreamy. I chose Heatwave – which smells likes summer in a jar with notes of dill, basil, eucalyptus, cucumber, and fresh dirt – and Morning Matcha, which smells just like it sounds. They are both seriously so so good.

• How stunning is this cabin in Minnesota? It manages to pull off wood panelling in a way that doesn’t feel “cabin” at all, but is still somehow super cozy feeling. I’m in love.

• Three words: Caesar Salad Pasta.

• Interior designers on what colors they’re replacing beige with this year. I for one am very glad for the reintroduction of color into the mainstream!

• A dreamy Hudson Valley artist’s home tour, and the case for decorating like a four year old, via on .

💌 Connection & Self-Care

Weekly Task

Make plans with someone beyond “we should hang out sometime.”

Roundup

• I loved this piece by about the micro-routines she uses to add a bit of structure and whimsy to her incredibly busy daily life.

• How gorgeous are these playing cards?

• Summer = picnics, and Camille Styles has a great guide to packing a picnic for every occasion.

• Some great tips from designers on how to display family photos throughout your home.

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Attend a local event you wouldn't normally go to. You might be surprised what you find out about yourself!

Roundup

• Somehow at work the other day we got on the topic of roller derby, and I found this massive list of all the registered team and player names. They’re so, so good. My favorites include Yoko Oh No!, Luscious Malfoy, Mary Tyler Gore, Truck Norris, and Princess Die. Ever since watching Whip It in college I’ve harbored a wildly unrealistic dream of playing roller derby. However I would probably break every bone in my body. Alas. For the record, my roller derby name would be Sylvia Wrath.

• Need some grandmotherly advice? Look no further than Grandma Stand, a little booth in NYC where you can chat with a grandmother. I think this is so sweet and adorable.

• I stumbled upon this print newspaper that is “all games, no news” – aka, the most fun part of the Sunday paper. Each one features art, word games, crosswords, puzzles, and everything else you could want for a relaxing analog Sunday routine!

• I am utterly enamored with the concept behind the book On Looking by Alexandra Horowitz, in which she endeavors to walk around a city block with eleven different experts, ranging from geologists to artists to dogs, and discuss the art of truly seeing things. This book is apparently from 2013, but this is the first I’ve stumbled across it and I can’t wait to read.

• I’m obsessed with this concept of childlore – the cultures and rituals that children come up with that seem to defy generational divides and the passage of time. Remember drawing the “Cool S”? Remember cootie catchers and MASH and “slug bug” and all those delightful little games and nonsense from being a kid? I’m so charmed to know that they’re still going strong in today’s generation.

⏰ ICYMI

Dear Friend,

Happy Monday! This weekend I fully went down a rabbit hole of “how much money and equipment would I truly need to start a bookstore and coffee shop?” The answer, dear reader, is quite a lot. But also… not quite as much as I would have thought? Anyways, this is my retirement plan now.

In Brief

📚 Reading

I heard about The Monsters We Make by Rachel Corbett on a podcast recently, and was instantly fascinated. Rachel digs deep into the invention and history of criminal profiling from Sherlock Holmes to Mindhunter. Shocker: the FBI is lowkey corrupt.

🍔 Eating

Four of my MIL’s monster cookies, in one sitting. No regrets.

🎶 Listening

The new Kacey Musgraves album. I’ve loved her since she was scandalizing country radio listeners by talking about weed and not hating gay people in the 2010s.

📚 Books & Creativity

Weekly Task

Read something in translation—expand beyond English-language literature. Here’s a great starting point.

Roundup

• How gorgeous are these Harris tweed Kindle covers? I’m having a hard time deciding which color to get, but I am definitely getting one ASAP.

• Has anyone tried one of these e-ink writing tablets? I’m very fascinated by them, and the intersection of digital and analog that they represent, but I’m not sure if I’d enjoy using one or not.

• Five huge book publishers are suing Meta over their illegal use of copyrighted material to train their AI models, and I’m extremely here for it.

• The NYT put together a list of books to read if you love Tana French (and I DO). Super excited to add these to my list!

• I loved reading this piece about a day in the life of an average teen girl. I have such a soft spot for teen girls and the rites and rituals of girlhood.

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Pack away your winter wardrobe to make space in your closet and make getting dressed easier each morning.

Roundup

• According to Byrdie, “millennial mint” is coming out of retirement this summer. I say, only if coral and mustard yellow get to join the party.

• In other millennial news, The Cut claims that headscarves are going to be the it accessory for spring. I’m here for it, and it makes sense on the heels of the cottagecore y2k re-emergence. In 2005-ish, I had a headband that had a headscarf attached, along with two fake blonde braids attached to the front. Why? Because it was $1 at Claire’s, duh.

• I’m really digging the candy-colored beaded necklace trend.

• Loved watching this video of people walking around in NYC in the 90s. Such good street style inspo!

• Prequel sent me this SPF lip gloss, and I was a bit skeptical, because I’m pretty monogamous with my Charlotte Tilbury Pillowtalk matte lipstick, but this stuff is amazing! Non-sticky, has a great color base, and lasts for ages. I’m a convert.

🏡 Home & Interiors

Weekly Task

Identify five things in your home you don't use and donate them.

Roundup

• Came across this rattan shoe rack over the weekend and I’m obsessed. Is $300 too much for a shoe rack? 🥲

• I am completely enamored with this cozy little cottage. The olive green bunk room? The rattan basketball hoop in the playroom? The butter yellow kitchen cabinets? Dream house.

• How fun are these retro Vegas homes owned by modern showgirls? I think the “mid-century maximalism” vibe is one of my favorite styles.

• House and Garden has published an ode to the enduring chic-ness of the “too many books” aesthetic, and I couldn’t agree more.

• I adore Emily Henderson’s latest primary bedroom update. That dusty blue wall color paired with the rosy pink velvet bed frame is so lush and gorgeous, it tickles all the right spots in my brain.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Tell someone you love them this week, in no uncertain terms.

Roundup

• I stumbled upon this scrapbook from a girl in the Edwardian era, and I just love it so much. Girlhood really has been the same throughout time.

• I may desperately need a bluetooth compatible, bubblegum pink handset that’ll turn my phone into a landline.

• Looking for a fresh date night idea? Here’s 99 of them.

• These “farmer’s market parties” are super cute. I for one am extremely excited to have fresh farmer’s market produce very soon.

• I love ’s ideas for starting a Cookbook Club with your friends. Who couldn’t use a good reason to finally make some recipes from those cookbooks sitting around your kitchen?

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Start keeping a joy inventory.

Roundup

• Baz Luhrmann (best known for directing Moulin Rouge! along with several other elaborate and over the top films) has designed an entire private train car and it’s the stuff of dreams. How do I get my own train car?

• Recent studies have shown that having a hobby can lead to a better mood, more happiness, and a higher sense of satisfaction in life.

• How dreamy are these adorable little book charms from my all-time favorite jewelry brand, Catbird?

⏰ ICYMI

Dear Friend,

Doesn’t the first week back from a vacation always feel like the longest week in the world? I feel like I forget all of my schedules and routines while I’m flitting from cute boutique hotel to cute boutique coffee shop on the other side of the country, and then get a very rude awakening Monday morning when reality sets back in.

So all of that is to say that I did nothing but veg (or rot as the kids say, though I hate that term) all weekend and it was lovely. Happy Monday Tuesday! (Thanks technical difficulties).

In Brief

📚 Reading

I’m about to finally read Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe, and I’m very excited. I remember seeing the synopsis when it came out ages ago and being really intrigued, but it just fell off my radar until this year with the series having just come out.

🍔 Eating

Almost entirely by accident, my husband and I have gone mostly vegetarian. We’ve been really loving this Crispy Sesame Baked Tofu recipe from Eat with Clarity – it’s pretty simple to make and sooooo tasty.

📺 Watching

We’ve undertaken an Arrested Development rewatch, and my god is that show funny. That’s all.

🎶 Listening

I found this amazing Gap June 1990 playlist and it’s been on repeat. Apparently Gap workers used to curate handwritten playlists for the stores? Amazing.

📚 Books & Creativity

Weekly Task

Choose one subject from your personal curriculum and spend 15 minutes exploring it (read an article, watch a short video, or browse a book).

Roundup

• I’m loving this super cute guided journal The Daily Play by Brittany DeSantis – it’s got 365 prompts to help develop creativity and curiosity. (Thanks to Blue Star Press for sending me a copy!)

• I’m extremely obsessed with Book of the Month’s new “nobody reads anymore” campaign.

• CN Traveler rounded up their definitive list of best indie bookstores in the country. One of my all-time favorite bookstores here in Chicago, Myopic Books, made the list!

• The shortlist for the 2026 Women’s Prize in Fiction has been released! I have some reading to do. So far, I’ve only read one of the picks (Heart the Lover) but I’ve been meaning to read most of the others.

• I haven’t seen the Devil Wears Prada 2 yet, but apparently it features an “AI” meme that was actually painstakingly hand painted by a real artist. How cool is that?!

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Invest 30 minutes in proper garment care – mend a tear, re-affix a button, condition leather, steam wrinkles. Your clothes really can last a long time with some TLC.

Roundup

• Fellow short queens rejoice! I’ve finally found a pair of wide-leg jeans that don’t make me look like I’m being swallowed by a denim factory. J.Crew Factory was kind enough to send me some items from their spring collection, and I’m obsessed with these Wide Leg Cropped Jeans. They have petite sizing, which means they’re actually the correct length for my 5’0” self too.

• Harper’s Bazaar purports that the 90s wedge flip-flop look is back.

• Ummm so Hill House did a collab with American Girl to create doll and girl-sized Nap Dresses… think I can cram myself into a girl’s XL? I think yes.

• A couple weeks ago I snagged these rib knit comfy pants at Uniqlo on a whim, and I am OBSESSED with them. They fit perfectly, even length-wise, which is kind of a miracle (so if you’re tall, they might be a bit cropped). Also they’re super comfy. I’m about to order one in every color.

• How freaking cute are these sardine hoop earrings??

🏡 Home & Interiors

Weekly Task

Organize your bathroom so your daily routine is smoother. Remove products you don’t use daily, and rearrange your everyday items in a way that makes sense.

Roundup

• Loving this piece on ways to dress up instant noodles from the editors at Bon Appetit.

• How gorgeous is this super colorful bungalow in Australia? The floor-to-ceiling millennial pink really speaks to me.

• Half Baked Harvest has rounded up 40 easy weeknight dinner recipes, thank goodness.

• Need some shelfie inspiration? Here are eight ways to curate your open shelving. Gotta say though, none of these people have enough books.

💸 Career & Money

Weekly Task

Look back through the last few months of spending and cancel any subscriptions you’re not using or have forgotten about.

Roundup

• Loved this piece by on what to do when you outgrow your current life.

• And I’m taking notes on this piece from about the small weekly habits that make her life easier.

• Interesting read on the people who watched The Devil Wears Prada and thought… yeah, I want to do that. Resonated for me, who watched it as a twelve year old fashion-devotee and couldn’t understand why Andy walked away in Paris. 32-year-old me understands a lot better, but still.

• These are the best jobs for work-life balance, according to a career expert.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Create one ritual with someone you love (weekly coffee, monthly dinner, annual trip, etc).

Roundup

• Heads up, in case you forgot, Mother’s Day is this weekend. My go-to for gifting is Belle and Blush – I love creating a curated gift box for my mom, and they have the largest selection of any of the gift box marketplaces I’ve used. This is not sponsored I just love them!!!

• Another big hit that I got my mom a few years ago was an Aura digital photo frame. It’s super matte and looks like a real frame, but it’s really easy to add photos with the app – and we can all collaboratively add photos at any time. I really want to get one for myself! (also not sponsored since apparently everyone else is getting sponsored by them lol)

• The Good Trade offers some ideas for alternative ways to measure the quality of your life.

• Want to write a letter to your future self? This website will deliver it in your desired time frame.

• How cute is this peas in a pod necklace? Would make a great best friend gift, or another idea for Mother’s Day!

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Create a "things that spark joy" photo album on your phone so you can look back at it when you need a mood boost.

Roundup

• Huge news. I went in search of old copies of American Girl magazine from the 00s. (“If only I’d kept mine!” I shouted to the heavens). There were a lot on eBay, but they were surprisingly expensive – like $15-$20 for a single issue. And that’s how I discovered that there’s a MASSIVE treasure trove of issues that have been scanned in their entirety and are free to read on Internet Archive.

• How cute is this website that allows users to leave reviews for human experiences on Earth? You’ll note that “math” currently has the same rating as “spiders” – 2.5 stars.

• Do you, like me, have issues forcing yourself to stop doomscrolling? Now you can install a Chrome plugin that lets a large cat force its way onto your screen to block your scroll. Adorable and effective.

• Here’s a map of fun and whimsical sidewalk installations all across the world.

• I found this massive archive of 60s and 70s design inspiration while looking for something for a recent project. All the fun bright colors and illustrations!!!

⏰ ICYMI

Dear Friend,

I wrote this over the course of several flights ping-pong-ing between the midwest and the pacific northwest. Last week my husband and I spent the week in Portland and Seattle for some much needed R&R. I definitely fall on the slow travel side of the spectrum, so we spent a lot of time exploring coffee shops, cocktail bars, and indie shops in between bouts of reading and chilling in our hotel. I read six entire books on this trip!!!

Some highlights were Powell’s City of Books, Eem (a blend of thai and Texas barbecue!), and the Japanese garden in Portland, and Local Tide, KEXP, and the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle.

In Brief

📚 Reading

I read six (six!!!!) books while on vacation. The best one was Turn Off the Light by Jacquie Walters. Everything I could have asked for in a haunted house story!

🍔 Eating

The best food I had in the PNW was at Local Tide in Seattle. We got there right at the perfect time to get their weekend-only crab roll, and omg it was heavenly. Paired with smoked salmon dip and handmade chips, it was truly a treat for the senses.

📺 Watching

Snippets of season 3 of White Lotus over the guy in front of me’s shoulder. What a great season that was. (Speaking of, I’m devastated to hear that Helena Bonham-Carter is no longer going to be in the next season!)

🎶 Listening

The new Noah Kahan album, ofc. I haven’t listened to it yet, but I already know I’m gonna love it.

📚 Books & Reading

Weekly Task

Visit a library or bookstore with no agenda – just browse and see what catches your eye.

Roundup

• Raise your hand if you feel personally victimized by Patrick Schwarzenegger being cast as Gus in the Beach Read film. 🙋🏻‍♀️

• Apparently “silent reading time” book clubs are a thing now. I’ve never been more relaxed in my life than in fourth grade when my teacher would turn off the overhead lights after lunch, turn on all the sparkly twinkle lights, and we’d have an hour of silent reading time. I realize as an adult that I can do this literally whenever I want but it’s just not really the same, is it?

• Along that line, I’ve just learned that curated “reading retreats” exist and now I desperately want to go on one.

• Here’s some good news: between 2020 and 2025, the number of indie bookstores in the US rose by 70%!

• I received an ARC of Indie Darling by Lauren Nossett and I’m super excited to dig in, the premise sounds amazing.

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Pick 3-5 items from your closet and ask yourself “would I buy these today?” Why, or why not?

Roundup

• I love ’s philosophy of choosing a “signature” everything – bag, shoes, jacket, scent – to simplify your personal style. I’m a pretty maximalist person when it comes to taste, but lately my style has consisted more of elevated basics with a pop of color or two, so this advice really speaks to me. At this point I’ve got my signature scent (Le Labo Santal 33), my signature bag (Gary bag in Chocolate from Sézane), and my signature sweater (Gaspard crop cardigan in Carmine Red, also from Sézane) so I feel well on my way here.

• I’ve got my eye on these Warby Parker sunglasses (which are available with or without prescription lenses fyi!).

• I just found out we’re heading to the New England seaside in July for my husband’s work trip, so I officially need a new bathing suit (as in, I literally do not own one anymore). I have my eye on this super cute wrap one-piece from Summersalt.

• While we were in Seattle last week I picked up another one of these Uniqlo bra tops, bringing my total up to three. They’re so great for summer, and I’ve also been wearing them to pilates class a lot too.

• Prequel sent me their facial sunscreen to try out, and so far I really like it. I’m from the 90s, so remembering sunscreen is not one of my strengths. I’m really trying to work on that in my 30s.

🏡 Home & Interiors

Weekly Task

Make your entryway functional – add hooks, a tray for keys, whatever you need.

Roundup

• Emily Henderson bringing the goods with an article on how to easily re-create the Nancy Meyers aesthetic in your home.

• According to Elle, a pop of red is the perfect antidote to a boring beige room. Sign me up.

• How gorgeous is this colorful vintage home? I’m moving in ASAP.

• This cottage cheese caramelized onion dip sounds amazing. Much like Martin Short’s character on Only Murders in the Building, I could easily eat dip for every meal.

• Love this piece on creating a reading nook from Homes & Gardens.

💸 Career & Money

Weekly Task

Set a "pause before purchase" rule (24 hours for small things, a week for big ones).

Roundup

• I love these ideas and habits for living a multi-passionate life. It’s hard sometimes!!!

• Some great tips on making time for writing when you have a full time job.

• A wonderful piece by on how to escape a career that makes you feel dead inside.

• How to step into your main character energy without completely rebranding and reinventing yourself.

• An ode to and eulogy of the rom-com journalist job of the 90s and 00s. Aka, the only thought going through my head when I signed my journalism major in 2012.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Share a book, article, or song with someone because it made you think of them.

Roundup

• The Good Trade has a great list of 99 exercises for self discovery.

• I loved this piece by on how you can support your artist friends.

• Here’s a massive list of 250+ conversation starters in case you, like me, tend to panic and absolutely blank in new social situations. (brb, starting all conversations with “so, do you believe in ghosts?” from here on out).

• I love these ideas for themed crawls other than a bar crawl – I’ve definitely done a few book and thrift crawls in my time.

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Create a "bucket list" of experiences you want to have. Make plans to start checking items off.

Roundup

• Loved this piece from on scheduling joy into your routine.

• One of my favorite Substackers, , put together a lovely list of easy swaps you can make to maximize the whimsy in your everyday life.

• I love, love, loved ’s post on creating signatures for each season, including things like traditions, style, color palettes, etc. I’m extremely here for this.

• This is a great list of hobbies that help soothe your nervous system (because we could all use more of that right now, right?)

• How cute is this website that lets you see the view out of a random window somewhere in the world?

⏰ ICYMI

Dear Friend,

This weekend I had not one, but two, fancy restaurant brunches, and I really felt like I was living my best life. Also it was 76 degrees on Sunday, and I was able to walk to pilates without a coat, sit on my porch and read a book with my dog, and wear sandals. Heaven!!!!

Next week my husband and I are heading on a long-overdue trip to Portland and Seattle. I’ve been to Seattle a few times now, but never Portland. We were supposed to go to Portland in March 2020 (cue sad trombone noise) but obviously that didn’t happen. We’re staying there for three full days then taking the Amtrak up the coast to Seattle for the last couple days. I’m very excited! Also if anyone has great recs for shopping, dining, drinking, etc. in either city, let me know! (don’t worry, Powell’s Books is at the top of my list, and right down the street from our hotel).

In Brief

📚 Reading

I finally finished Ready or Not by Cara Bastone and I absolutely adored it. I started Hot Desk by Laura Dickerman on Sunday, which has been on my list for ages, and I’ve been immediately sucked in by the writing style so I have high hopes for this one too.

🍔 Eating

Brunch at The Allis inside Soho House Chicago – I got a leek and potato quiche that was absolutely heavenly.

📺 Watching

The extremely glam and very naughty Bling Ring-inspired music video for House Tour by Sabrina Carpenter. (Hot take (?) but I firmly believe SC’s hypersexuality is a form of drag that she’s performing for the girls, gays, and theys and not pandering to the male gaze the way a lot of people seem to think…)

🎨 Creativity & Curiosity

Weekly Task

Create a reading ritual: pick a specific time and place where you’ll read this week.

Roundup

• A new John Green novel?! It really is 2016 all over again. His new book, Hollywood, Ending, sounds super good, and is officially his first adult fiction title (not YA!).

• brb, booking a trip to one of these cities for book lovers asap.

• I was sent an early ARC of a new book coming out in June that’s labeled as Bunny meets The Craft, so I’m very excited to dive into that.

• Am I the last person to learn about Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie reboot? I have mixed feelings. But also, hello Pa Ingalls… 👀

• Loved this carousel on how to read a book every week, even if you’re busy (who isn’t?)

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Decide on your signature piece for each type of wardrobe item – jeans, sweater, bag, etc.

Roundup

• I loved this interview with a professional stylist on how to curate your closet and create new outfits and looks without buying more clothes.

• I really want this obnoxious resin phone chain. Will it make an ungodly amount of noise? Yes. Is it also super chic? Yes.

• Loving these bright red Mary Jane flats from Rothy’s – I’ve heard they’re insanely comfy too!

• I just realized that the “Just OK Gatsby” sweatshirt is back in stock on the website so now I need it.

• How cute is this argyle nail art? I’m a huge sucker for anything argyle.

🏡 Home & Environment

Weekly Task

Declutter one junk drawer or catch-all basket.

Roundup

• I would like to move into this adorable vicarage in Hackney ASAP. The gingham scallops on the open shelving??? To die for.

• Look at this diva!!! I’m obsessed with this glamorous goose-shaped vase/vessel.

• This house in California is absolutely dripping with old Hollywood glam vibes. The kitchen tile is gorgeous.

• Love this list of ideas for refreshing your living room without buying anything new.

• How fun is this tiny Parisian apartment with tons of bold color? Need a striped accent wall ASAP.

💸 Career & Business

Weekly Task

Create a "money manifesto" statement you can reference when tempted to overspend.

Roundup

• I found ’s Career Season finder tool via and immediately had to take the quiz. This is super great if you’re feeling like you’re in a season of change in your work life or career. My Career Season is Spring, which feels pretty accurate. Lots of new ideas and budding opportunities!

• A great article about why soft skills matter more than ever.

• I loved reading this piece by about practicing the life she is scared to have (in this case, being a novelist). I feel like I’ve been doing a lot of this lately too, so this was a timely read.

• Another great read was this interview in with about growing your thing (in this case, Substack) alongside your day job.

• And this deep dive into the future of the creator economy from was fascinating and thorough as well.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Practice being present in conversations (put your phone away!)

Roundup

• The Cut has rounded up a great list of the best housewarming gifts for under $100.

• I loved reading the silliest things people have done to try and impress a crush. I love love :’)

• This viral “chair theory” might have some valid points about knowing if a friendship or relationship is right for you (side note: why is everything a theory now?).

• A very beautiful and heartbreaking piece on love and grief and how they intersect.

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Create a new playlist for a specific mood or season.

Roundup

• I loved this piece on using joy as an act of resistance in these bleak times.

• Big news! All the original American Girl Dolls are officially coming back to celebrate the brand’s 40th anniversary. Someone please tell me I don’t need to re-purchase Felicity…

• This website will tell you how many miles you’ve travelled in space since you were born.

• Someone made a compass that only points to the Olive Garden in Times Square, and I think that’s beautiful.

• If you haven’t subscribed to yet, what are you even doing? It’s a newsletter by my amazing friend and coworker and it always makes my week.

⏰ ICYMI

Dear Friend,

It’s nearly spring, I can feel it. Literally – it’s 60 degrees out and my window is open as I write this. In a few days, it’ll be in the thirties again, but tomorrow it will be 72 and I will feel more alive than I have in months. Ah, the midwest.

I’m staring down the barrel of four solid packed weeks so I soaked up every moment of doing nothing this weekend, with a dash of spring cleaning and resetting. It was glorious. Happy Monday all!

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

I’m halfway through Ready or Not by Cara Bastone and I’m loving it so much. So sweet and laugh out loud funny a few times. I feel a 5-star coming on!

🍔 Eating

I have not been going to Starbucks much at all lately (yay local coffee shops!) but I happened to walk past one this weekend in the grocery store and noticed that they now have ube flavoring too, so I had to try it out. I have to admit, the Iced Ube and Coconut Macchiato was pretty delicious. Still don’t know if it was coconut milk or just coconut syrup but whatever honestly.

📺 Watching

I know I’m ten years late here, but we just discovered Nirvanna the Band the Show and have been binge-watching it. It’s incredibly funny (reminds me a lot of shows like Peep Show, Arrested Development, and It’s Always Sunny) and now I’m excited to see the movie that just came out.

🎶 Listening

Hannah Montana, mostly. They’re all still bangers.

🎨 Creativity & Curiosity

Weekly Task

Write a one-paragraph review of the last book you finished. You don’t even have to share it anywhere, just get in the habit of reflecting on what you’ve read in a meaningful way.

Roundup

• The Everygirl purports that a “reading retreat” is the ideal girl’s trip for this year, to which I say – yes, I’m already packed, lfg. Side note – should we plan a Parenthetical reading retreat? Go in on a cutesy Airbnb and curate gift bags and all that jazz? That sounds like a lot of fun. 👀

• Glamour makes a compelling case for hope in an exhausted America and why we should still all try to do our best and not give up – because true change is and always has been made by ordinary people doing ordinary, small things.

• As Byrdie says, we’re in a literacy crisis, just read the dang smut. Hear, hear!

• I discovered this delightful quarterly magazine called Oh Reader that’s entirely about – you guessed it – reading! I’m obsessed!

• I love this idea of book publishers doing analog, IRL events more and more.

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Notice which shoes you actually wear versus which ones are super cute but always hurt your feet. I’m not even saying get rid of them! Just… think about this before you buy another pair.

Roundup

• I desperately need these scalloped sunglasses from Anthropologie. My only question is – do I get the chartreuse or the tortoiseshell?

• Loved these grown-up Hannah Montana inspired looks from . If you need me, I’ll be blasting “Life’s What You Make It” for the foreseeable future.

• I’m very obsessed with Aerie and Pamela Anderson’s new anti-AI campaign. I’ve always loved Aerie, and I really commend their no-airbrushing, no-AI policies for ads and editorials. Also Pam looks so radiant???? I am so here for her comeback tour.

• Loving this brown and cream crochet collared cardigan (say that five times fast) from Abercrombie.

• I’m not entirely sure when the last time I bought a bathing suit was, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t this decade. Actually, wait, it definitely wasn’t this decade, it was like 2019. Anyways, it’s long gone now and I need a new one. This brown and white striped Marine Layer one piece has the perfect vintage vibes and hopefully enough coverage so I don’t feel wildly uncomfortable?!

🏡 Home & Environment

Weekly Task

Print and frame some photos. If you’re anything like me, you have frames laying around and you know which photos you want, but the multi-step process of getting prints, adding them to the frames, and hanging them up somewhere tends to stop you from taking action. Set aside 30 minutes this week and just do it!!!

Roundup

• LaDouble J’s headquarters in Milan is maybe the dreamiest thing I’ve seen in a long while. That ceiling mural in the kitchen???? Need that in my house immediately.

• Drew Barrymore’s home tour on Rue Mag is gorgeous as well. It feels so down to earth, but still beautifully styled and curated!

• I finally caved and bought this cute ruffled sofa topper from Anthropologie this weekend. We stupidly got a white sofa last year, which I love, but with two pets… we’ve found ourselves constantly covering it with blankets to keep it protected. I decided that if we’re gonna do that, we might as well get something that fits and looks cute.

• How cute is this green velvet pear-shaped throw pillow?!

• This bathroom makeover is nearly unrecognizable. I’m obsessed.

💸 Career & Business

Weekly Task

Create a "no-buy month" for one category you often overspend on. For me? I hate to say it, but April is a no-buy month for books. I have unread books coming out of my ears. It’s a real problem.

Roundup

• A super interesting article looking at some anonymized fashion Substackers who may make a lot off their newsletters, but still need to keep their day jobs. Though I would assume that most of them live in NYC so… your mileage may vary.

• Loved this list of 51 low-energy ways to enjoy your life when you work a 9-5.

• Another great post from Personal Brand Accelerator on how to create a signature content series that people actually want to follow.

• I’m very obsessed with reading Refinery29 Money Diaries specifically from people who make a stupid amount of money. This one is from a lawyer in NYC who makes nearly $500,000 a year.

• The Everygirl rounded up a ton of little luxuries that will elevate your desk or office and unfortunately I do need them all.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Call someone instead of texting this week. It might be awkward at first, especially if you don’t normally talk on the phone, but I promise it’ll be really nice.

Roundup

• I cannot express enough how much I love this photography project about neighbor’s lives through their windows. I am beyond fascinated by the little slices of life I get to glimpse while walking around my city. And yes, if you’re wondering, I Look in People’s Windows did go triple platinum on my Spotify account.

• How precious is this Keepsake Book guided journal? Pinterest always finds me the cutest things.

• Today in “duh” – studies show that AI chatbots overly-affirm people who ask for personal advice. If people don’t stop treating LLMs as personal therapists, we’re going to have even more entitled assholes walking around.

• I loved this beautiful piece on the magic of saying yes to strangers.

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Treat yourself to one small luxury, budget permitting. A nice candle, some fancy bubble bath, fresh cut flowers.

Roundup

• I stumbled upon Funday Press, a newspaper made up purely of games and fun facts – no news. It’s adorable and I love it.

• I was looking up Mr. Men and Little Miss this week for design inspiration (as you do) and happened to see that they created a collaboration with Agatha Christie to make Mr. Poirot and Little Miss Marple. How cute are they????!!! I need all these books immediately.

• I very badly want this pastel pink bicycle with a little wicker basket. My husband is convinced I will immediately die if I try to ride a bike in the city. It’s not impossible, but yet… the vibes…

• I also really want this swan shaped pencil holder. Look at this diva!!!

• In a similar vein, apparently people are making teeny tiny versions of the iconic porch geese for their desk. Desk goose!!!

Dear Friend,

Happy Monday! Last week was a really wild one for me. My sweet 12-year-old kitty got super sick, to the point where I was worried I was going to have to say goodbye… only to find out that she simply had a hairball, passed it, and is completely fine. Hooray! I only wish she could have done that before we paid $3750 to learn this information. :’)

On the plus side, my friends were able to visit this weekend, and I had a lovely time hanging out with them, wandering through little shops, getting iced coffees, finally visiting an iconic dive bar by my house, and watching copious amounts of 90 Day Fiance.

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

Over the weekend, I picked up Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe, at a bookstore and I cannot wait to dig in. A rom-com about a paranormal conspiracy theorist and a podcast producer? Sign me tf up.

🍔 Eating

I’m going to be trying this Baked Cheddar and Leek Pasta recipe from Bon Appetit immediately.

📺 Watching

On Saturday, my friends and I went to see Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come and wow it was so much fun. Cinematic masterpiece? Maybe not. But if you liked the first one, and are in the mood for a somewhat gory but incredibly satisfying revenge arc, then I think you’ll like this one.

🧣 Wearing

My beloved Whiskey, 1969 perfume by Thin Wild Mercury, best paired with flare jeans, platform sandals, and The Chain by Fleetwood Mac.

🎨 Creativity & Curiosity

Weekly Task

Follow one intellectual curiosity down a rabbit hole for 30 minutes. Wikipedia:random is a great place to start.

Roundup

• I found this super cool new search engine that lets you discover various artworks based on moods or vibes, like playful, ethereal, dramatic, etc. It’s been a lot of fun to just click around in!

• A great essay on worrying about sounding like a robot in the age of AI, and how they can pry the em dash from our cold, dead hands.

• The New York Times rounded up a list of all the books that are going to be adapted to screen this year. I have been meaning to read Margo’s Got Money Troubles for years, I think now is the time!

• Have you been following the whole controversy surrounding Shy Girl? The book has been (credibly) accused of using AI, and Hachette has subsequently pulled it ahead of its US release. I had an ARC for this that I never got around to reading, and now I’m glad, because I read a few passages and… woof. Pun intended.

• Sturgill Simpson released his newest album only on physical media – CDs, vinyl, and cassette. I think that’s kind of awesome, tbh. I haven’t listened to much of his stuff, but this has me wanting to pick it up to give it a go.

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Create a seasonal capsule wardrobe plan – what do you actually need for this season?

Roundup

• These super cute (and comfy!) wide legged cuffed jeans from J.Crew Factory are on sale for only $59 right now. And bonus for my fellow shorties, they come in petite lengths too!

• This butter yellow wool-blend cardi from Abercrombie is a great dupe for the $400 Doen one that keeps following me around the internet.

• Grown-up jelly sandals? Sign me tf up.

• Look out J.Crew, Quince is officially knocking off the cotton rollneck sweater for only $50.

• The Cut’s takedown piece on the utterly bizarre line of merch for the new Devil Wears Prada sequel had me cracking up. These are really, really hideous, I’m gonna be honest.

🏡 Home & Environment

Weekly Task

Declutter your digital space (desktop, downloads folder, photos).

Roundup

• According to House Beautiful, analog listening rooms are all the rage. I’m here for it, though I don’t have a full room to spare, unfortunately. A listening corner, perhaps?

• I love Nella’s colorful modular lamps and decor, made entirely from sugarcane and cornstarch. Dunno how that works, but they are beautiful!

• Tis the season for spring cleaning, and The Good Trade has a list of 99 things to get rid of. Let the decluttering begin!

• I came across Maxbox Matchbox prints on Instagram, and they’re so fun! I might need to get the Chicago prints.

• I’m sooo in love with this pastel, spring-y little apartment in NYC. That bright green velvet sofa is to die for. And the butter yellow cabinets??? Swoon.

💸 Career & Business

Weekly Task

Set one boundary that protects your creative energy (no calls on Fridays, no scope creep, etc.)

Roundup

• Personal Brand Accelerator has a great primer on creating a signature content series to help connect with your audience online.

• I love the idea that Ingrid Fetell-Lee proposes that joy should be your primary metric for success in work and life. I agree wholeheartedly!

• rounded up income info from 20 high-earning freelancers, and it’s very interesting and eye opening!

• wrote a great piece about how Instagram advice is stuck in 2020 – and how to decide where you want to grow your brand and business in 2026.

• I’m very obsessed with ’s hypothetical rebrand of Sydney Sweeney’s tragic lingerie brand. Her version of Syrn (awful awful name) is something I might actually get into.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Send someone flowers or a small gift "just because." It doesn’t have to be expensive, just thoughtful.

Roundup

• Loved this piece on how to maintain long-distance friendships.

• wrote a great primer on how to get really, really good at complimenting people.

• This note really summed up my mood lately:

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Create a "want to try" list and pick one thing this month. Could be experiences, restaurants, recipes, whatever you want to try doing.

Roundup

• I got an ad for this DIY disco lobster kit and thought maybe you might need one. Because why not?

• Good news, research suggests that owning a dog might be the secret to living longer. Thanks Phoebe!

• Need some good news? You can get this adorable printed newspaper packed with only feel-good news delivered right to your door.

• , queen of whimsy, had her husband round up a lovely list of movies to watch on a rainy spring evening. I think it’s time to rewatch Big Fish, one of my favorite films.

• Another favorite of mine, , made the absolute cutest board game to help you flourish this spring. Printing this out immediately.

This Saturday I had one of those lovely, spontaneous days – my husband and I woke up late and decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants for lunch, which we almost never do. I had a delicious chicken salad sandwich and yes, a glass of sparkling rosé because it was like 2pm by the time we got there. Then we wandered down the main street of our old neighborhood and noticed all the changes (lots of new stores and restaurants opening, and almost all of them locally-owned! we love to see it!).

We stopped into a gorgeously curated store and I spied two beautiful hand-made ceramic mugs that I just had to have. Next we went to our old favorite record store, because we finally got a new turntable, and I scored Florence + the Machine’s newest album on vinyl.

It was just one of those days where it’s like “wow I’m in love with living and life and every single person I see on the street” even though it was cold and snowy the whole time. I love it!!! I’ll leave you with this:

Love always,

In Brief

🍔 Eating

Dunno if this counts as eating, but I got a pack of the Limoncello flavored La Croix out of curiosity, and I’m obsessed with it. It sort of tastes almost vanilla-y? It’s fascinating.

📺 Watching

Since we’re heading to Portland and Seattle next month, a rewatch of Portlandia was vital. Happy to say that a lot of it still holds up.

🎶 Listening

Harry Styles, duh.

🎨 Creativity & Curiosity

Weekly Task

Spend time in a museum, gallery, or botanical garden and notice what draws your attention.

Roundup

• Filed under: things I’m not sure how to feel about. Apparently Billie Eilish is set to start in a film adaptation of The Bell Jar?

• If you need a good giggle this week, Betches’ post on what the American Girl Dolls are up to today ought to do the trick.

• I love love love the way breaks down how to create a “creative ecosystem” for your business and personal practice.

• This is a great piece from The Good Trade about considering creative play as a wellness practice. I love this quote particularly: “Creativity doesn’t have to be productivity‑adjacent at all. It can be simple, small, alive, and deeply nourishing.”

• Here are 38 ways to create more than you consume (while you’re still consuming). Because lord knows we could all use it.

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Unfollow any influencers or fashion accounts that make you feel bad about your style.

Roundup

• I stopped into a super cute little store this weekend and picked up this Suede Care Kit from Blackrock. I had a little rainstorm mishap with my favorite Madewell suede bucket bag, and was hoping this would help disguise the water spots, and it did!

• I love these adorable little smiley star earrings. They look so friendly!

• Obsessed with this summery multi-colored striped raffia clutch. The little beads are so cute!

• Bando is one of my all-time favorite brands, and they’re currently having their annual warehouse sale. I snagged this cute bookish tee for $6!!!! Plus a few other fun goodies that I’ve had my eye on.

• Can someone please de-influence me from the $100 Beyond Yoga leggings? I thought for sure they couldn’t possibly be soft enough to warrant that price tag, and then I accidentally brushed against some at the pilates studio and I’ve been thinking about them ever since. I bought some dupes and they are NOT as soft. Someone please tell me they aren’t worth it. 😭

🏡 Home & Environment

Weekly Task

Add one cozy layer (throw blanket, cushions, rug) where you spend the most time.

Roundup

• Bon Appetit is pleading for someone to bring back the cozy 90s chicken kitchen, and frankly I’m here for it. How much more cottagecore can you get?!

• A great piece from AD about how to style an analog bedroom. We all know the analog trend has been huge this year, and I like their practical tips about creating a space that’s meant for rest and relaxation, not screen time.

• Kate Spiers’ house and her dreamy pink built-in bookshelves are my all-time biggest interior inspo.

• I’m so deeply in love with everything Oliver Bonas puts out and so deeply envious that it’s UK-based, meaning shipping is wildly expensive in the states. Will it stop me? No probably not. These salad servers, this patchwork pillow cover, and this checkered photo frame are at the top of my list.

• I’m very here for what AD is calling the “neo deco” trend – to me it looks like a lot of jewel tones, stripes, velvet, fringe, etc. which is pretty much my exact style.

💸 Career & Business

Weekly Task

Create a brand manifesto statement to reference when making decisions. (Not sure how to do that? I’m cooking up something soon 🤫).

Roundup

• I loved reading through ’s treasure trove of an article about building a personal brand without burning out (and you might see some familiar notes in there, wink wink).

• This piece in Harper’s Bazaar on why Gen Z is romanticizing their 9-5 jobs was really interesting. The millennial girlboss era is dead, Gen Z is officially romanticizing their slow work days. And I’m here for it!

• posted a great piece about, among other things, cubicle farms, personalizing your office space, and making a pretty email signature.

• The Everygirl has officially dubbed 2026 the dawn of the “millennial career crisis” – and includes a lot of great tips about what to do if you’re feeling the urge to pivot.

• Shameless self plug, but I finally re-launched my personal website this week, after agonizing over it for months. Designing anything for yourself is always so hard. I finally realized I needed to take my own advice and just get a MVP (minimum viable product) out into the world. I can iterate on it endlessly, but all I truly needed was a home page, about page, and booking page for my Office Hours consults.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Follow up on something someone told you last week – text them "How did that thing go?" or otherwise remind them you’re thinking of them.

Roundup

• I loved all the ideas in this list of social hobbies to help you make new friends. Why is it so hard to meet new people as an adult?

• One of my favorite writers (Amanda Montell, author of Cultish) wrote a piece for Oprah Daily about why you should be wary of using AI chatbots as personal therapists. I firmly believe that this is a baaaaaaad idea, based on the way these AI bots are algorithmically trained to keep you engaged, validate your every idea, and have been proven to egg on super destructive behavior.

• This piece in the Atlantic is from last year, but still has a lot of great thoughts about the digital flattening of friendship and how every relationship takes place over a phone screen nowadays.

• We’re planning a trip to the Pacific Northwest next month, so I finally caved and bought this cutie little half-frame 35mm film camera that Kodak put out. I’m excited to give it a try!

• I really love following on Instagram. Her slow living guides and positive posts are just so cozy and fun to read through. And hey, I just learned she’s on Substack too!

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Create a "joy inventory" list – what made you smile this week? Try to jot down one or two things each day.

Roundup

• I would die and/or kill for Baby Globe, Wikipedia’s new mascot for their 25th anniversary.

• How cute is this upside-down teacup shaped ceiling light????

• Want to spend some time pretending to be an AI chat bot? This new site lets you either ask questions or answer them as if you were a chat bot – but it’s all human. Just like the chat roulette days of yore, your mileage may vary, but I thought it was a fun little gimmick to play with for a bit.

• I’ve long been obsessed with the fabled Lenox Spice Village set – I was lucky enough to find a handful of the spice jars at a vintage store a few years back. I desperately want the whole set, but I would rather find them at vintage shops than buy the version they re-released last year (I don’t know why, I’m just a pedant sometimes). However, I recently learned that Lenox has all sorts of cute extra things like teapots, tissue holders, and this adorable canister set that matches the spice village. I just love them so much. 😭

• Loved this roundup of libraries that look like books. I think we need more book-shaped buildings in the world.

Hello and happy Monday! This past weekend I was supposed to be hanging out with my two closest friends, but tragically was befallen (befell? befelled?) by a stomach bug and instead spent the weekend in my house, in misery. :’)

Before things got dire, however, I had a really love Thursday in which I visited a new bookstore that opened a couple blocks from my office and was immediately enchanted. I’ll let this note do the talking:

Seriously, someone write this book series. I’ll do it if I have to.

Anyways, while I was there, I told myself I’d only buy one book and of course left with three. I snagged Coffin Moon by Keith Rosson, a very fun-looking 70s vampire novel I’ve been meaning to read for a while, The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood, and Writing Creativity and Soul by Sue Monk Kidd. Very excited for this eclectic bunch.

Here’s to a calmer week ahead! Love,

In Brief

🍔 Eating

Not sure if this counts, but I tried the Toasted Coconut and Vanilla creamer from Chobani and I love it. It tastes like summer in the best possible way.

📺 Watching

We finished Mad Men last Tuesday, so we’ve filled the void with a rewatch of season 1 of The Terror, which I 10000% recommend. They tried to make it an anthology thing after season 1 and it didn’t work for me, but the first season is SO GOOD.

🎶 Listening

I started listening to this episode of If Books Could Kill about You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero, a book that pissed me off so bad I think it single-handedly kicked off the end of my girlboss phase back in ‘19.

🎨 Creativity & Curiosity

Weekly Task

Listen to an audiobook while doing something with your hands (cooking, crafting, walking).

Roundup

• Loved this piece on going after your dreams because no one else is going to help you. I think this quote really sums it up: “The only difference between you and Sally Rooney is that she had the balls to write a book and you didn’t.”

• A great roundup of websites and resources for creative inspiration, so you can finally stop browsing Pinterest endlessly in the name of “research.”

• Going hand in hand with that, I really enjoyed this post about how your research practice is your differentiator as a creative. This quote stood out: “The challenge is that it has never been easier to make work that looks competent but says nothing. The opportunity is that work with a genuine, research-backed point of view has never been more visible by contrast, because it is so rare.”

• of shared a great roundup of books that just feel like spring. I have a few of these on my list already, but I’m definitely adding the rest to my bottomless pit of a TBR!

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Create a "uniform" for days when you don't want to think about getting dressed. My go-to? A polo sweater, wide leg jeans, and ankle boots or loafers. Casual and comfy, but still put-together.

Roundup

• I’m (foolishly) starting to get excited for spring, and these adorable strappy block-heeled sandals from Sézane caught my eye. I usually live in a heeled sandal like this all spring and summer, but my Target pair are tired and it may be time to upgrade.

• How cute is this “stay soft” cropped short sleeve sweater from Lisa Says Gah? I’ve tried to put a moratorium on new sweaters but… I kind of need it.

• Byrdie put together a gorgeous ode to blue eyeshadow… and maybe I’m just nostalgic for the NYC loose shimmery powder eyeshadow I had in baby blue circa 2005, but I do happen to think that blue eyeshadow is endlessly chic.

• I’m a huge fan of the sheer lipstick trend, so I finally ordered the VIOLETTE_FR Bisous Balm that I’ve been recommended countless times (mine’s in shade Mon Chéri). I haven’t gotten it yet, but I have high hopes and will report back!

• February’s focus in The Well-Designed Life was all about defining your personal style, and not to toot my own horn, but I’ve been getting a lot of great feedback on it. I really loved this comment from :
  
  ”I'm not sure if all the months will hit like this month did, but dang!!! I just got back from an annual girls' weekend with my college BFF where we do all the shopping we didn't do all year. I did everything except this last exercise before I went so I was about 75% on target. Got home and realized I want to return a bunch. Now that I'm doing this exercise it's because those items didn't fit my manifesto. In short, gosh I thank you for this work! You totally helped me nail it.”
  
  If you join now, you get all of Q1’s content immediately! Okay that’s my pitch for today, love you byeeee

🏡 Home & Environment

Weekly Task

Create a command center for life admin (mail, keys, calendar).

Roundup

• I’m in love with these brass swan-shaped wall hooks. Super MCM but also feel very sleek and elegant still.

• Loved this primer on how to source vintage lamps from .

• How fun is this bubblegum pink lacquered bobbin side table? I’m eyeing it for my little office reading nook, though I can’t decide between pink or burgundy.

• I am utterly obsessed with this Ikea Billy bookshelf hack that looks like impeccable built-ins. I want nothing more than to have built-in bookshelves in my office, but the walls all have some weird feature that make it difficult. Also, I commend anyone who does Ikea hacks because I painted my Billy bookcase last year and it pretty much took away my will to live.

• How cute is this blue and white striped two-handled vase? Perfect for easing into spring decor, if you ask me.

💸 Career & Business

Weekly Task

Review what you're paying for in your business and ask if it's actually adding value. This is a great time to cancel those recurring subscriptions you’re not really using!

Roundup

• I LOVED this post reframing freelancing as a way of knowing what skills you can always fall back on if you find yourself needing to. I’ve lived this multiple times in my life, and I have to say, it is a bit of a comfort knowing that I could always land on my feet and figure out a way to generate income with my skills if my circumstances changed. It’s not about thinking that everyone should own a business, but rather that everyone (especially women!!!) should know how to make money from their skillset.

• This article from Cornell purports that workers who are actually impressed by corporate speak like “synergy” or “growth-hacking paradigms” might actually be worse at their jobs. It made me giggle.

• This breakdown of a non-linear, non-traditional career path is really interesting! I can definitely relate, and I’m sure a lot of you can too.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Create a gift ideas list based on actual attention, not Amazon algorithms. I like to create a private Pinterest board and save things I find or my friends mention throughout the year. That way I always have some ideas when the holidays or birthdays roll around.

Roundup

• I was utterly entranced in the worst possible way reading this piece by about how we’ve confused consumption with connection. It’s dire, folks.

• Piggybacking off that, fun fact – you’re more likely to get AI psychosis than to join a cult! Please, I beg of you, step away from the Chat GPT therapist.

• On a lighter note, I’m adoring these monochromatic filmstrip photo frames. A new business called the Strip Club (cute) just opened in Wicker Park in Chicago, and it’s just chock full of vintage and restored photo booths. I can’t wait to visit with my friends and then snag some of these frames to show off our masterpieces.

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Plan a staycation in your own city. Find a fun hotel or Airbnb, and visit the local hotspots like you’re a tourist seeing it for the first time.

Roundup

• A bit niche and specific, but I stumbled across this account that documents the disco balls at bars and venues across Chicago and I’m so enchanted.

• This post by is chock full of cozy inspo for living like a March sister this March. Is this a safe space to admit that, while I seem like a Jo on paper, I identify strongly with Amy?

• I deeply enjoyed this deep-dive retrospective into the history of the Furby. I, for one, had the all-white one featured in the video, and loved him. (I was 6 when I got him for Christmas 1999, so I think that helped). Unfortunately he was never the same after my much older cousin threw him across the room. After that, he would wake up at odd times in my closet speaking gibberish in the middle of the night. Poor Snowball.

• How sweet is this roundup by House & Garden of the various pups that have graced their gorgeous house tours over the years?

• Love love love all these fun pink nail art ideas.

A couple weeks back, I created a poll asking if you all would be interested in reading content about creative career & business advice, personal branding, etc. The response was pretty evenly split, with about 60% of you saying yes, which honestly felt like a good enough sign to move forward.

For those of you who are here purely for the books and lifestyle content (hi, I love you, please stay) – nothing is changing or going away. That's still the heart of this newsletter, and the creative business content will always be easy to skip (did you know you can visit your account settings to adjust which newsletter sections you get notified about?!). You won't have to wade through brand strategy talk to get to your reading recs, I promise.

But for those of you who ARE interested in this type of content, I’m excited to share that I’ll begin writing about that on a semi-weekly basis. And I’ve also created a Resource Library for paid subscribers, chock full of resources, tools, and templates that are pulled directly from my 10+ years as a designer, strategist, and creative. This is the kind of stuff I wish someone had handed me when I was just starting out. A few highlights that are available right now:

• Instagram Strategy Deck Template (Canva & InDesign)

• Monthly Social Media Content Prompts (you’ll get a new one each month!)

• Brand Strategy Template (Canva & InDesign)

• Project Proposal & Pricing Guide Template (Canva & InDesign)

And some things that will be added soon:

• Workshop: Personal Branding for Creatives

• Carousel Post Templates (Canva)

• Life & Business Dashboard (Notion Template)

Okay that’s it! Now onto the fun links and such!

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

I’ll be honest, I’ve been collecting books like crazy but in a total reading slump because my attention has been all-consumed by a new project. That said, I got Ready or Not by Cara Bastone as an add-on in my last Book of the Month box and I’m excited to dig in, it seems so sweet.

🍔 Eating

I am currently chowing down on a delicious caprese sandwich with pesto and it just tastes like spring, idk.

📺 Watching

We made it to season 7 of Mad Men! It’s officially the 70s! I’ve loved the show, LOVED the fashion and interiors. It is definitely one of those shows where pretty much every character is a terrible person, so if that’s not your thing, I’d say avoid it. But it’s kinda worth it purely for the visual inspo.

🧣 Wearing

I used some birthday money (love that I can still say that phrase as a 32-year-old) to finally get the grown-up version of my favorite lug sole Chelsea boots from Target. I wore those suckers all over London and let me tell you – they’re not waterproof! I finally upgraded to the LL Bean version that still look stylish but feel wayyyyy more heavy duty.

🎨 Creativity & Curiosity

Weekly Task

Read the first chapter of three different books and see which one pulls you in.

Roundup

• I have zero thoughts or interest in the Love Story show, but this is very funny to me.

• In case you were wondering, one of my favorite font foundries, Pangram Pangram, has published a primer on how and when to use the various types of dashes.

• I initially was on the “we don’t need another Pride and Prejudice adaptation boat” but I adore Dolly Alderton and I remembered that Olivia Coleman is playing Mrs. Bennet so I’m back on board. See the trailer here!

• This post about finding design inspiration in physical objects and not relying so heavily on Pinterest for inspiration really hit home. I made it a goal this year to find more varied sources of inspiration when I’m working on design projects, so this is a great resource.

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Try on everything you own in one category (sweaters, jeans, dresses) and notice which pieces make you feel like yourself and which aren’t fitting right in one way or another.

Roundup

• My all-time favorite noise cancelling Bose headphones are 35% off this week! I have the plum colored ones and they were one of my favorite purchases of 2025.

• A quick glance at Target’s new spring arrivals tells me that the Western-wear trend isn’t going anywhere this year. Though I do really want this cute little neck scarf/bolo tie combo thing.

• Madewell just released a woven version of my go-to bucket bag and I might need it… I’m such a sucker for woven leather, I don’t know why, but it tickles my brain just right.

🏡 Home & Environment

Weekly Task

Create a little morning ritual space (coffee station, reading nook, whatever feels good). It doesn’t have to be large, just a corner of a room that’s designed to help you wake up slowly and happily.

Roundup

• How adorable is this bookshop-shaped doormat from Anthro? I was in need of a spring doormat and couldn’t resist ordering this one.

• Obsessed with these photos of Elton John’s home in the 70s. A maximalist fever dream.

• I love this cozy and curated Brooklyn brownstone. That wallpaper is a dream!

• In keeping with the bookshop theme, how cute is this box of matches shaped like a bookstore?!

• This piece on Architectural Digest about Gen Z’s Y2K decor obsession was super fun and a total throwback. I spotted soooo many things I had in the 2000s in these photos.

💸 Career & Business

Weekly Task

Audit your brand touchpoints (website, bio, email signature) – do they still reflect who you are now? If not, it might be time to consider a rebrand.

Roundup

• Loved reading this post by on which type of Instagram content you should be posting more of this year – reels or carousels.

• wrote a super insightful piece on how to start a side hustle without pissing off your full-time employer. At my previous, super toxic job, my boss was really jealous and weird about the fact that I had so many Instagram followers and she didn’t (despite constantly undermining my authority, dismissing my expertise, and ignoring my strategy suggestions…). It eventually culminated in her essentially issuing an ultimatum between continuing my side businesses or continue to work there. I gave my two-week notice the next day.

• This comprehensive trend report from is worth a read if you’re trying to build or grow anything online in 2026 (even if you don’t think of it as a business!)

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Text a friend you haven’t heard from in a while, just to say hi.

Roundup

• on why we all need platonic soulmates. Hard agree!!!

• Loved this piece on why AI is not human. This quote really sums it up:
  
  ”Imagine you have two machines. One you can open up and examine all of its workings, and if you give it every picture of a cat on the whole internet, it can reliably distinguish cats from non-cats. The other is a black box and it can also reliably distinguish cats from non-cats if you give it half a dozen pictures of cats, some apple sauce, and a hug. These machines sort of do the same thing, but even without knowing how the second one works I am extremely confident in saying it doesn’t work the same way as the first one.”

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Take a different route home and notice what you discover.

Roundup

• Loved this article on finding magic in the ordinary.

• I always look forward to reading ’s pocket guides to romanticizing each month. March’s issue is no exception!

• This sweet ode to grocery store daffodils really charmed me. I love supermarket flowers so much.

• How cute is this Romance Reader Sticker Book? It was designed by one of my fave designers & internet friends Shelby Warwood and it looks so fun!

• I’m in love with these simple but so whimsical nails.

Dear Friend,

On Sunday, I turned 32. It feels roughly the same as 31, I’ll be honest. But I spent it my favorite way – doing absolutely nothing, ordering takeout, getting a bottle of wine, and watching copious amounts of reality television with my dog. Perfection.

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

My pick for Book of the Month this month was One & Only by Maureen Goo, and it looks absolutely precious. The single sentence description was “When a psychic matchmaker unexpectedly falls in love, she’ll have to decide what to trust: her magic, or her heart.” Hello??? Adorable. Can’t wait to dive in.

🍔 Eating

Delicious pastries from Del Sur, a Filipino bakery that opened in our neighborhood last year and has been absolutely SLAMMED ever since. The first time we went, we stood in line outside for like 45 minutes before we got inside. This weekend, I think due to the crappy weather, there wasn’t a line around the block, so I took the opportunity to treat myself to some treats for my birthday. My favorite is definitely the Ube Oatmeal Cream Pie.

📺 Watching

My husband is gone on a work trip all week, which means I’m binge-watching 90 Day Fiance. It stresses him out so I never end up watching it when he’s home, but it is my number one guilty pleasure show. 🫣

🧣 Wearing

I recently started going to pilates classes, and A) I’m loving it, as someone who has been exercise-phobic for pretty much my entire life, and B) I’ve had to increase my athletic wardrobe post-haste. I personally love Aerie’s line of activewear – and the fact that you can get “short” length leggings, for short girlies like me.

🎨 Creativity & Curiosity

Weekly Task

Read something outside your usual genre – if you love fiction, try nonfiction; if you love contemporary, try classics.

Roundup

• This piece from LitHub on what we lose when independent bookstores close made me emotional. The bookstore at the center of the article was one of my favorites here in Chicago, the first one I discovered when I moved here. Volumes always had the perfect curated selection and literary-themed drinks at their coffee shop (fun fact, I discovered my all-time favorite combo here – lavender and mocha, sounds bizarre, but they had a drink named after Remus Lupin and my Marauders-loving ass had to try it. Turns out it was delish! Now I order it everywhere). It’s especially galling that Volumes was forced to close directly because a Barnes and Noble opened up right down the street. The CEO of B&N, James Daunt (yes, of your beloved Daunt Books) gave a snarky response, saying that Barnes and Noble never opens near an indepenent bookstore, that Volumes was simply a coffee shop that happened to have a slight amount of books available. Fuck you dude!!!!!!

• We officially have our January Andrews for the Beach Read movie! The more I’ve thought about it, the more I think Beach Read is my favorite EmHen novel, so I’m very excited for this one. I know nothing about this actress, but by looks alone, she seems like a perfect fit.

• This is a curated database of places all over the world that people have dubbed perfect spots for reading. I’m obsessed. Each location even includes “recommended reading” by the person who submitted it. Such a fun combination of digital and analog trends!

• This illustrated A-Z guide to romance tropes from the New York Times is pretty adorable. And I definitely learned some things I didn’t know before, which is sort of shocking because I’ve been on Tumblr and AO3 since I was a preteen. 😳

• Loved this post by Wit & Delight on 8 prompts that always help her get out of a creative rut.

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Try shopping your own closet – combine things you’ve never worn together and see how it expands your wardrobe exponentially.

Roundup

• I know I’m quite a bit premature, but all the spring styles coming out have got me in a sunny mood. These twisty flat sandals look super cute for spring and summer.

• Along those lines, this raffia slouchy purse from J.Crew seems like the perfect spring/summer accessory.

• These Adidas sneakers are all on sale at Asos for only $66. They have so many cute color combos, but I’ve got my eye on the pink & red ones.

• I loved reading this piece about a Gen Z-er that made friends and connections by donning her parents’ vintage tees. (I’ve just realized that the “kid” that wrote this is 22 lmao. Born in 2004. I feel OLD).

• Loved this article on the history of accessorizing with silk scarves.

🏡 Home & Environment

Weekly Task

Deep clean one room thoroughly (baseboards, windows, under furniture).

Roundup

• According to Real Simple, the Retro ’50s Pink Bathroom Is Back. I, for one, am very here for this. I desperately

• I fully agree with that polka dots represent joy. They’re just so dang fun. I loved watching this recap of her video on design trends with and – some of my favorite design minds.

• I’m in love with these bobbin frames from Anthropologie.

• This gorgeous, cozy full gut rehab in California is so pretty. It’s one of those homes where, it’s not my personal style exactly, but it’s so well designed and lovely that I really appreciate the style.

• Obsessed with these sunny yellow striped cafe curtains.

• I’ve fallen completely in love with this bright green acrylic horse-shaped lamp base from Pooky, paired with a scalloped pink shade. Someone tell me I don’t need another table lamp, please.

💸 Career & Business

Weekly Task

Create a "no-buy month" for business tools and courses you don't need. Take a step back and realize how the marketing language is exactly targeting your current pain points and then really think through if what they’re selling is going to fix the problem (maybe it will!)

Roundup

• This article on How to answer “What do you do for work?” when work is no longer your identity by had a lot of great tips for reframing that question and workshopping your answer. Because work shouldn’t be your whole life or personality!!!

• I loved this piece on how to build a personal brand when you have a ton of interests and don’t want to sacrifice any. As a bona fide multi-passionate creative, I’ve struggled with this a lot.

• I’ve also been enjoying ’s new Substack, Grow Small. Rebecca is a fellow brand designer and she’s been sharing a lot of great tips for small, women-owned businesses and creators.

• This piece in Bloomberg about how “burnout feminism” has emerged as a pendulum swing from the 2010s #girlboss Lean In style feminism was very interesting. I feel like there needs to be a state between total unsustainable burnout and not caring at all what you do for a job or taking any pride in it, like this article suggests.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Create a birthday list with reminder system so you never miss important dates.

Roundup

• How cute is this? It’s a website where you can send a friend a song with a note, plus see the notes and songs other people have shared. I just think it’s so sweet.

• Good news for my fellow creatures of habit – going to the same places over and over again is actually good for you!

• I loved this list of 99 conversation topics for deeper connections from The Good Trade.

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Try a new form of movement that sounds fun (dance class, hiking, cycling).

Roundup

• I love this adorable hand-printed risograph zine by a crossing guard in a small town in Vermont.

• I adore Daniel Radcliffe so much. He’s such a sweet, genuine soul with a good head on his shoulders (unlike SOME people in the Potter-verse 😒). He’s also very funny, imo, so I loved watching his Hot Ones interview. And his new show with Tracy Jordan sounds absolutely incredible.

• This post on how to Make Laundry More Whimsical by has tons of great tips for making a very boring task a bit more fun, for all ages.

• How fun are these water bottles??? They look like Skittles or something. I’m obsessed.

Dear Friend,

I’ve been thinking a lot about the type of content I want to write as 2026 progresses, and I keep coming back to creative career & business advice, personal branding, etc. These things are my bread and butter, but I also know they’re not necessarily related to book recommendations and personal style and whatnot.

So I figured, instead of continuing to agonize over whether or not anyone would read this stuff, I would just ask:

Anyways. On to the recs!

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

I finally picked up Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams and I was immediately hooked. I’m only a couple chapters in, but I can tell I’m going to enjoy this one – and probably go back for the rest of her books too.

🎶 Listening

My new record player!!! Ages ago I got super into vinyl (mostly as a decoration, let’s be honest) but only ever had the cute but crappy Crosley Cruiser record player (say that five times fast). A few years back we got an entry-level Audio-Technica turntable, but it either got lost or broken in a move. With all the recent conversations about analog living, I started craving a record player again, so we decided to invest in a mid-range Audio-Technica model. So far I’m really loving it!

🍔 Eating

I managed to snag a Valentine’s Day reservation at Dimmi Dimmi, a super cute new Italian spot. I had a cherry chocolate espresso martini that was absolutely to die for, plus their delicious spicy vodka stuffed shells. It was so cute inside too!

🧣 Wearing

My husband gifted me my most-coveted Sézane sweater for my birthday – the Gaspard Crop Cardigan in Carmine Red. I am soooo excited to start styling it. I can’t begin to count how many times I’ve pinned pictures of it over the years.

🎨 Creativity & Curiosity

Weekly Task

Choose your next three reads and stack them somewhere visible.

Roundup

• Apparently American Girl is putting out an adult novel about Samantha all grown up?! The novel follows a 25-year-old Samantha who has become fully entrenched in the women’s suffrage movement in NYC. But then her family fortune is stolen and she basically is a penniless shop girl??? I never really liked Samantha that much (no real reason) but this sounds fascinating.

• I think a lot about this Mary Oliver poem.

• For my fellow writers, I ate up this post from about her journey of writing and selling her debut novel.

• I loved reading this excerpt from Sue Monk Kidd’s new book about creativity and writing on . This has been on my to-read list for ages, but I think it just bumped up a few spots!

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Spend 20 minutes organizing one area of your closet (shoes, accessories, coats).

Roundup

• Harper’s Bazaar purports that maximalist layering is having a moment. Personally, I’m here for it, and I love the fun color combos, though I strongly suspect that if I tried it for myself, I would end up looking like Joey wearing all of Chandler’s clothes.

• I’m thoroughly enamored with this bright green Clare V. sweatshirt… currently trying to decide if $180 for a sweatshirt is decadent or simply too much.

• Obsessed with this piece on Dressing Like Your Doctor Prescribed You a Trip to the Seaside by .

• Does anyone want to time-share a cardigan with me? I’ve become utterly enthralled with this varsity stripe cardigan from Frances Valentine, but $400 for a sweater is a little rich for my blood. 😅

🏡 Home & Environment

Weekly Task

Add something living to your space (plant, fresh flowers, herbs).

Roundup

• I loved these photos of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward’s home from Architectural Digest

• How adorable is this Herman Miller coat rack? I’m obsessed with the color palette. Plus I’ve been binging Mad Men, so the Mid-Century Modern style is even more top of mind than ever.

• I came across the interior design studio House of Meeshie on Instagram the other day, and I’m obsessed with the super fun and colorful interiors she creates.

• According to House Beautiful, millennial homeowners are now choosing joy over home resale value. I for one am very here for this trend. The idea of designing your home with the next owners in mind has always pissed me off. We can repaint it to beige when we sell.

💸 Career & Money

Weekly Task

Identify whether you're underpaid and research market rates.

Roundup

• Loved this post on how I’ve build a personal brand that actually creates money, community, and new opportunities by .

• I’m also really enjoying ’s series on how she made writing her full time job.

• I really liked reading about ’ workday routine and the productivity tools that help her as someone with ADHD. Listening to her 2019 podcast episode with about being diagnosed with ADHD later in life was super eye-opening for me, someone who would go on to be diagnosed with ADHD later that year.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Ask someone a better question than "how are you?" – try "what's been on your mind lately?"

Roundup

• The Good Trade put together a primer on how to nourish your friendships without going out, perfect for my fellow introverts.

• Loved these ideas from Glassette for what to replace wine with during the evenings. I’ve found lately that swapping out my evening wine for a flavored seltzer water or a cup of herbal tea has been scratching the same itch. As I often say to my husband, it’s not even the wine I’m craving, I just want a flavor.

• This post by for on February party prompts is so cute. I need to have a nostalgia night ASAP. I was just recalling the other day how I used to charge people a quarter to fold cootie catchers in elementary school. 😂

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Take yourself on a solo date (movie, dinner, bookstore – whatever sounds fun).

Roundup

• Going on a color hunting date with your friends sounds like such a fun time. Basically, you pick a color, start walking around, and snap photos any time you spot your color in the wild.

• Obsessed with this article all about Miss Piggy’s meteoric rise to stardom. She’s truly an icon.

• How fun is this?! It’s a site where you can input any Substack link and it generates a printable newspaper of the articles!

• Love this stacked, sculptural candle in fun pops of pink and red.

Dear Friend,

Happy Monday! This past week I spent most of it under the weather, which was a real drag having just recovered from getting my wisdom teeth out. But I’m happy to report that I’m mostly feeling better as of this writing, and I managed to have a really lovely weekend. I got to attend ’s launch event for her new book, Little One, and it was so lovely to meet her in person.

It’s otherwise been a sleepy week, though I’m thrilled that there has been some sunlight, however weak. Maybe spring really will come again someday. 🥲

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

I’m finally going to embark on reading Workhorse by Caroline Palmer. From what I’ve heard and read about it, it sounds like The Devil Wears Prada meets a Sally Rooney novel, which I am extremely here for.

🎶 Listening

I’m finally listening to the original season of The Dream podcast, all about MLMs and pyramid schemes. It’s been out for ages, and on my list that whole time, but I hadn’t sat down and listened to it yet.

📺 Watching

The Opalite music video is here! Opalite wasn’t one of my top tracks from the Life of a Showgirl (which, to be 100% honest, I mostly did not like for the first time ever 🫣). But this music video is very fun and retro and reminds me a lot of the Antihero music video, which I also loved.

🍔 Eating

This palak paneer recipe has become one of my all-time favorite dinners. We’ll make it over the weekend and eat it for two or three days afterwards and it’s just so GOOD.

🎨 Creativity & Curiosity

Weekly Task

Spend 20 minutes researching one question that's been nagging at you. Really dig in and dive deep, don’t just read the Google AI overview and call it a day.

Roundup

• Creatives reveal how they’re feeling about 2026 so far, CreativeBoom – this was a fascinating read. Lots of discussion of burnout and fatigue from the never-ending bad news cycle, but also plenty of mentions of hope and optimism.

• Spotify is partnering with Bookshop.org to sell physical books? I don’t know how I feel about this. On the one hand, I’m glad they’re partnering with Bookshop.org and not Amazon, but also like… stay in your lane?

• No, Wuthering Heights Is Not a Hard Book to Read, Glamour – this gave me a profound sense of schadenfreude. I love Wuthering Heights, and I can already tell I’m going to hate the new movie adaptation if I ever bother to see it. And I try not to be too snobby when it comes to books, but the takes I’ve seen about Wuthering Heights have been absolutely ridiculous. I really do fear we’re experiencing a literacy and critical thinking crisis.

• Apparently, “learning parties” are the new craze on TikTok. I think it sounds delightful – get all your friends together and take turns teaching them something new.

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Make a list of "signature pieces" you want to build your wardrobe around. This can be the basis of your curated closet or capsule wardrobe.

Roundup

• I grabbed this delightful pink and red plaid blanket scarf on sale from Loft this past week. It makes me so happy to look at.

• I’m extremely in love with this multicolored striped sweater from Boden.

• Marine Layer just added these adorable wide-leg pants that look like jeans, but are actually a soft sweatshirt material. I’m gonna need like six pairs, stat.

• I’m really digging these fun and colorful sunglasses from indie brand Sardine. I wish I could trust myself with sunglasses that cost more than $10…

🏡 Home & Environment

Weekly Task

Light a candle you've been saving and actually enjoy it. I know I have scores of them tucked away in cupboards or used as shelf decor without ever having lit them. Today’s the day.

Roundup

• How adorable is this cottage-shaped doormat? I know it’s only February but I’m starting to get in that springtime mood and this might be a must-have.

• I’m not at all surprised that I love Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott’s home. Though for whatever reason that still is the weirdest pairing to me. But anyways! The color and pattern throughout are so dreamy.

• How fun is this Anthropologie Home x Damson Madder collab? I’m here for all the stripes and funky colors.

💸 Career & Money

Weekly Task

Review your subscriptions and cancel anything you don't actively use. For me, it’s the aspirational pilates membership that I haven’t touched in weeks.

Roundup

• I loved this post on 7 Ways to Create a Productive Workspace, According to Psychology and Neuroscience. Apparently, adding plants and art can increase productivity, and the color green helps get creative juices flowing. Who knew!

• When work feels hollow, here’s how to get your spark back by was a great read. It’s all based in psychology and the science of stress and burnout. If you’ve been feeling sort of blah about work, even if nothing is objectively wrong, this is for you.

• How To Create Visibility For Your Work When You’re Afraid To Be Seen was a great primer for putting yourself out there, even when you really don’t want to. Look, I’m the most introverted person ever, but at the end of the day, if you want people to see the stuff you’re creating, you have to be visible.

• Heads up to any fellow designers out there – Chronicle Books is accepting applications for a Graphic Design fellowship. This would be a one-year, full-time paid position in San Francisco, where you would learn all the ins and outs of designing for the publishing world. It sounds like SUCH a fun opportunity, so I thought I’d pass it along!

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Take a minute to input all your loved ones’ birthdays into your calendar so you never forget. If you’re anything like me, you’ve relied on a combination of memory and Facebook notifications for far too long.

Roundup

• Prefer to stay home this Valentine’s day? Everything You Need to Pull Off a Restaurant-Quality Date Night at Home by Bon Appetit is the perfect shopping list and primer for creating a magical dinner date night at home. I for one would love to know more about Flamingo Estate’s spicy strawberry fruit snacks and why they are $82??

• Feeling a bit overwhelmed from too much social time? How to Recharge Your Social Battery, According to Therapists was a great read – I loved the suggestion to reframe the exhaustion as a sign that you did, indeed, have fun.

• I’m obsessed with Fresh Sends’ branding, and I love this “Coffee and Flowers” themed bundle that includes a bouquet of fresh flowers, a bag of Partners coffee, a coffee scoop, and a super cute diner mug. It’s the perfect gift idea for your coffee-obsessed long-distance bestie, and honestly I’m considering ordering one for myself.

• This “three generations” frame from Framebridge is such a great gift idea. You can have three different photos framed – you, your mom, and your grandma, or your mom, you, and your child, whatever works.

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Buy yourself flowers for no reason.

Roundup

• I stumbled upon this new brand, Inner Grandma, and it’s utterly delightful. I want just about everything. How cute is this tee with the vintage Pyrex patterns?

• The good news? There’s a new Nancy Meyers movie coming out. The bad news? It’s not til 2027. But Kieran Culkin, Jude Law, and Owen Wilson? I’m so there.

• How cute are these teeny tiny Kodak cameras?! They’re fully functioning digital cameras (they even record video!) but they’re the size of a keychain. It’s a blind box item, which means you’ll get one of six retro-inspired designs. I ordered one and I can’t wait to see which I get.

• I picked up the book Choose Joy by Sophie Cliff last week, and I can’t wait to dig in.

If you enjoy reading Parenthetical (thank you!!!) and want to show your support for my work:

• Like or leave a comment on this post.

• Share this post with someone who might be into it.

• Upgrade to a paid subscription.

• Follow me on Instagram.

Dear Friend,

I, like many people online and off, am feeling a cocktail of rage, sadness, overwhelm, and anxiety about the state of the world – namely, the unlawful occupation of ICE in Minnesota and other parts of the country. The state-sanctioned executions of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The neighbors that are being disappeared off the streets. It’s all so horrifying and I’ve felt paralyzed with overwhelm, not knowing what to say or when. But I know that sharing your values and calling for action, no matter how messy or imperfect, is important in this day and age. So I couldn’t NOT talk about it, especially because it feels so disingenuous to talk about clothes and interiors and finding joy without acknowledging how heavy and dark everything feels.

If you’re looking for concrete ways to help, consider the following:

• Donate to Stand With Minnesota mutual aid.

• Check out ’s post on ways to fight back against ICE.

• Call your representatives and demand action using these super helpful scripts.

• put together a huge list of resources to help Minnesota.

• Take care of each other and your community.

Love always,

In Brief

📚 Reading

The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead, my most recent Book of the Month pick. I haven’t gotten far yet, but it’s giving Daisy Jones & the Six meets Deep Cuts, both of which I loved, so I have high hopes.

🎶 Listening

I’m trying to make 2026 the year I get (back) into podcasts, so I’ve queued up several that have piqued my interest. On deck is “The Cult of Chat GPT” by Sounds Like a Cult with , The Devil You Know, which a miniseries about the Satanic Panic craze of the 80s and 90s, and the episode of Sixteenth Minute about Dr. Ally Louks, of Twitter infamy. Taking any and all recommendations on podcasts about anything cult-y, paranormal, pop culture-y, or creative.

📺 Watching

Just a whole lot of Mad Men. We just started season three. It’s making me want to go on a shopping spree for mid-century furniture on West Elm real bad.

🍔 Eating

It’s been brutally cold in Chicago this past week, which means I’m craving a warm, hearty bowl of soup. This weekend we’re making a favorite – creamy White Chicken Chili in then Instant Pot.

🧣 Wearing

Boring, but necessary – Noosh fleece-lined tights. I love these things. I’ve even started wearing them under jeans for the days when the wind chill is in the negatives. I like these specifically because, if you do wear them under a skirt or dress, they look like sheer black tights but the “flesh” color is actually a thick pelt of soft fleece.

🎨 Creativity & Curiosity

Weekly Task

Get a library card. Oftentimes, you can do it right online nowadays, AND it’s not just books – you can get audiobooks, e-books, and even television and movies from the library apps like Libby and Hoopla now. It’s incredible. Plus libraries do such amazing work in our communities, and supporting that feels more important than ever right now.

Roundup

• I recently discovered that JSTOR (yes, that one) has a daily blog where they post about random interesting finds and articles. I especially enjoyed this one on The History of Existential Anxiety.

• I also stumbled across Color Club magazine, a quarterly print & digital publication all about creativity, color and lifestyle and I’m so glad I did. It’s sooo gorgeous and inspiring. I bought the digital versions of their first four issues, and subscribed for the upcoming year to their print version. Can’t wait to get the first one next month!

• The New York Times released their own version of Scrabble/Words With Friends this week, and my husband and I have had so much fun playing it (and getting maybe a little too competitive about it).

🧥 Personal Style

Weekly Task

Find five items in your closet that you haven’t worn in a year, and set them aside to donate or otherwise repurpose.

Roundup

• What’s the Deal with Quince? by Brand Panic was an interesting read; I’ve been Quince-curious for a while, but something about it felt off. Of course, I know it’s all dupes and that feels kind of icky from a creative background, but it’s interesting to see the claims that their stuff can’t possibly be the same quality. I did buy a bedding set from Quince recently, and I like it just fine. But I don’t think I’ll be investing in any “cashmere” any time soon.

• I just ordered the book Wear It Well by Allison Bornstein and I’m excited to dive in. I really want to curate my closet more this year, as it has a tendency to get overstuffed while I continue wearing the same four basic outfits.

• The Enduring Appeal of Stevie Nicks’s Dark Bohemian Style by .

• I’ve come to realize that I’m extremely drawn to any knit with a polo collar. They just feel so flattering, and like a nice step up from just a basic cardi or pullover sweater. I have a shameful amount of things in my closet with such collars, but that didn’t stop me from gawking at this Madewell one with navy and red stripes. I’ve added it to my cart several times at this point… Someday I will pull the trigger.

• I loved reading this piece on How to Figure Out What You Actually Want to Wear in The Cut. Personal style is so hard, and ever-evolving. (P.S. coming up next month in The Well-Designed Life, we’re talking all about honing in on your own personal style and aesthetic, if you’re into that kinda thing).

🏡 Home & Environment

Weekly Task

Swap out your wall art. Put new photos in old frames, trade artwork between rooms, create a new gallery wall – whatever it is, you’ll be shocked at how new and different it makes your space look. Minimum effort, maximum impact!

Roundup

• 30 Interior Design Tricks You Need to Know by of was a great read. I loved all of her tips on using color and pattern, two things I’m trying to incorporate a bit more of into my home (at least as much as my begrudgingly-reformed minimalist husband will tolerate!).

• I loved ’s post on her office makeover. That Rifle Paper Co. wallpaper as a backdrop to her bookshelves is beyond dreamy.

• This colorful, eclectic home tour on Apartment Therapy is so fun.

💸 Career & Business

Weekly Task

Take a moment to take stock of where you're feeling burnout or friction in your work life. Are there ways you can mitigate it? Is there something you can delegate or hand off? I find most work or business stress comes from putting too much pressure on ourselves. Taking a step back to evaluate can provide a lot of much-needed clarity.

Roundup

• Rewriting the Social Playbook: Brand Strategy in the Age of Authenticity from Marketing Brew was an interesting read. The section on how American Girl has started using Tiktok was extra fun for me as a millennial and a person who works in branding and marketing.

• Loved reading ’s post on how she used Substack notes to become a bestseller her first year on the platform (!!!). She has been absolutely killing it and is one of my favorite Substacks to read.

• My experience with burnout as a freelance designer by resonated really hard. While I was writing out my big re-introduction post last week, I had time to really reflect on all of the burnout and toxic feelings I’d had during my years of girlbossing. I remember in early 2020, when the pandemic hit and my clients almost completely dried up, I expected to feel panic – it was my sole source of income, after all – but instead I just felt a sigh of relief, like I could finally breathe after two years. It’s so easy to get consumed by your work as a freelancer or solopreneur.

💌 Connection

Weekly Task

Write and send one snail mail letter to a loved one. This could be a short little postcard or a long multi-page letter – just something to let them know you’re thinking of them.

Roundup

• When Was The Last Time You Asked Your Friend On A Date? by Bustle. I loved this idea! Last week, my friends and I had a virtual paint-and-sip date where we each got paint-by-numbers kits and spent a few hours on Zoom yapping and painting. It was delightful, and a nice reminder that we can still spend time together despite being in three different states and two different time zones.

• recently shared an in-depth primer on the art of letter-writing. This is something I really want to get into this year. Snail mail is so fun and so heartfelt. I recently found a stash of postcards my grandparents had sent me from Florida when I was little, and it was so heartwarming. It’s really magical and personal seeing someone’s handwriting, little doodles, and other quirks that make it uniquely them.

• Along that vein, I want to get a cute set of personalized stationery to keep at my desk so I can write little notes to the people I love. I’ve had my eye on some from Papier for ages, but there are so many good designs, I can’t decide!

✨ Joy & Whimsy

Weekly Task

Take a walk around your neighborhood without headphones in and notice five things that are sweet, or that bring you joy. A funny toddler, a cute dog in a coat, some balloons in a window for a party. There is joy all around us!!!

Roundup

• I recently discovered that the Color Factory has a curated shop of all sorts of delightful, colorful finds for home and accessories. I kind of want it all. 😍 I really need to take myself on an artist date to the Color Factory in Chicago ASAP.

• I always love reading ’s pocket guides to romanticizing each month, and February’s is no exception!

• Things To Do When You Don’t Feel Good by of was exactly what I needed to read this week.

If you enjoy reading Parenthetical (thank you!!!) and want to show your support for my work:

• Like or leave a comment on this post.

• Share this post with someone who might be into it.

• Upgrade to a paid subscription.

• Follow me on Instagram.

Dear Friend,

Happy Monday! Thank you all to everyone who sent well wishes and good vibes for my wisdom teeth surgery – it went off without a hitch, and while it hasn’t been fun, per se, it hasn’t been nearly as bad as I was dreading. Though I have been fantasizing about biting into really crunchy foods…

Truly though, Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes have been my MVP this week. So tasty. So smooth. Today is the first day that I haven’t just slept most of the day, so I’m feeling very alive and trying not to overdo it in my excitement. Luckily though, I was feeling perky enough to put together the weekly Coffee Break email, so without further ado, enjoy!

In Brief

📚 Reading

I just cracked open Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino, and while I haven’t made a ton of progress, I’ve heard so many good things about it, so I’m really excited to dive in. After that, I think I’ll start my ARC for Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (out April 7th). I read the synopsis for this one and got SO excited, I immediately requested it on NetGalley and was thrilled to have my request accepted. It follows a “trad wife” influencer type who is suddenly transported back in time and has to actually live out the traditional values and lifestyle she’d been touting to her millions of followers. Very Ballerina Farm-meets-Groundhog Day.

🎶 Listening

All Out 2010s on Spotify. Unfortunately this 2016 nostalgia-bait trend has got me jonesing for the Chainsmokers, Imagine Dragons, Adele, and the euphoria of listening to 1989 for the first time.

📺 Watching

I just started watching Mad Men for the first time. As someone who has long loved the 60s/70s mid-century style, I kind of can’t believe I never got around to watching it. So far I’m enjoying the aesthetic and vibes (and hating all the male characters, but I think that comes with the territory).

🍔 Eating

Since I got my wisdom teeth out this past Wednesday, I’ve mostly been eating mashed potatoes, applesauce, and scrambled eggs. But I did get reacquainted with Jeni’s ice cream, and discovered a new favorite flavor – Bay Leaf Cheesecake. I’m a huge fiend for anything cheesecake-adjacent, and this one does not disappoint. Apparently, according to the carton, people used to use bay leaves as flavoring for cheesecake back when vanilla wasn’t abundant. Who knew!

🧣 Wearing

This week I’m over the moon because I scored a mint condition J.Crew cotton rollneck sweater for $12 on Thredup. TWELVE DOLLARS. The listing said it had some pilling, but honestly I haven’t found it yet. I’m so stoked. Side note, if you haven’t jumped on the Thredup bandwagon yet, I highly encourage you to. I think I get about 85% of my clothes there now. I used to tell people the prices were a bit higher than the average thrift shop, but honestly between price inflation and all the deals Thredup is always running, it’s pretty on-par now. This isn’t sponsored (I wish) I just have been buying and selling my clothes there for like a decade now and I love it.

Pinboard

Things I’ve read, saved, shared, or bought this week.

• Last year I got a long, black wool coat and as much as I love it, it’s literally always covered in dog hair (or hair from my fluffy scarf) and looks terrible no matter how many times I lint roll it. I think for next year, I want to invest in either a classic camel colored coat, or a charcoal gray one that will hopefully be a little less stark and not show nearly as much dog hair. I’m eyeing either this Single Breasted Wool Coat in Charcoal, or this Cashmere Tailored Long Coat in Mocha Brown, both from Quince.

• I finally splurged on this Il Makiage Power Lift Plumping Cream that I get constant ads for after my boss was singing its praises last week. I had purchased a mild retinol cream and a hyaluronic acid eye serum but I think they were making me break out. This is what happens when you try to get into skincare after doing nothing but the bare minimum for twenty years. I haven’t been able to use the Il Makiage stuff much yet, but I’ll let you know how it goes!

• I ordered these burgundy wide-leg corduroy pants from Madewell and I have high hopes (they were on sale and then an additional 40% off!). I had bought some from J.Crew a few months back but they were too big despite them being the exact same size as a different pair of J.Crew pants I have that fit my perfectly… Sigh. Anyways, I returned them and then they were sold out of the size below so I let it go.

• I also recently got two pairs of the cult-classic Le Bon Shoppe Her Socks – one in bright red, one in bright green. I’m loving the trend of wearing bright socks with loafers or flats so I’m excited to add these to my rotation once the weather gets a little less frigid.

• I never really considered myself a Harry Styles fan, but I did quite love Harry’s House and I got very excited when he announced his new album this week. Plus I’m obsessed with the name: Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally.

• Speaking of Harry Styles, he launched a beauty brand a while back (???) and I’m really obsessed with the nail polishes. As a designer, I’m a huge sucker for products that come in cool packaging or bottles, and these are so fun.

• I’m in need of some new eyeshadow, because I’ve been using the same palette since 2016… (not the SAME palette, mind you, I’ve bought it like three or four times, but still). I’ve got my eye (ha) on this Hourglass Curator Eyeshadow Palette, because I find myself using the same 2-3 shades every single day and really don’t need a massive palette full of colors I’m never going to use.

• And finally, I came across this upcoming release, I’m Just a Girl by Jess Bacon, on sale June 11 all about how women have been reclaiming girlhood in the past few years and what that means for womanhood. I’m really excited to read it! I veer wildly back and forth between “Reclaiming girlhood is beautiful and I love pink and sparkles and Taylor Swift” and “The self-infantilization women are participating in is only aiding the patriarchy.” It’s rough out there. Yay feminism!

Book Report

New releases coming out this week.

The Infamous Gilberts by Angela Tomaski

Fiction | Jan. 20th

The Remains of the Day meets The Royal Tenenbaums in this darkly funny debut novel about a wealthy, eccentric family in decline and the secrets held within the walls of their crumbling country manor.

Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy

Literary Fiction | Jan. 20th

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of I’m Glad My Mom Died comes a sad, funny, thrilling novel about sex, consumerism, class, desire, loneliness, the internet, rage, intimacy, power, and the (oftentimes misguided) lengths we’ll go to in order to get what we want.

Fruit of the Flesh by I.V. Ophelia

Horror | Jan. 20th

Behind the glamour of Gilded Age New York, a marriage of convenience between an artisan and a ballerina masks their shared appetite for revenge in this darkly seductive gothic romance.

The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead

Fiction | Jan. 20th

Perfect for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six and In Five Years—a beautiful, powerful, and transportive new novel about a music executive desperately trying to bring a rock band back from the brink, from bestselling author Ashley Winstead. A novel about sisterhood, friendship, and the ghosts that haunt us, The Future Saints is “a mesmerizing look at grief, love, and the music industry that’s so raw and emotional, you’ll want to play it on repeat.” (Laura Hankin, author of One-Star Romance).

Just Watch Me by Lior Torenberg

Literary Fiction | Jan. 20th

Fleabag meets Big Swiss in this bold debut about a charismatic misfit who livestreams her life for seven days and nights to raise money to save her comatose sister—a poignant and darkly funny exploration of grief, forgiveness, and redemption.

ICYMI

What’s been on the ‘stack recently.

Parenthetical

Curated reading lists, lifestyle inspiration, and tips for romanticizing the everyday, for book lovers who care about their personal style as much as they care about what's on their bookshelves.

By Lizzie Campbell