Coffee Break #012: Vinyl records, grown up American Girls, and really nice cardigans.

Your weekly roundup of inspiration and ideas to build your dream life.

Feb 16, 2026

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 Gina Hamadey 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 The Hyphen by Emma Gannon. 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 Maura Brannigan.
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 Grace Abbott.
I’m also really enjoying Kate Hash’s series on how she made writing her full time job.
I really liked reading about Kate Arends’ workday routine and the productivity tools that help her as someone with ADHD. Listening to her 2019 podcast episode with Jenna Kutcher 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 Jenna O'Brien for The Imperfect Host 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.