Coffee Break #020: Silent reading time, self discovery, and dips as meals.
Your weekly roundup of inspiration and ideas to build your dream life.
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 Shira Gill’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 Kayti Doolittle - Paper Ghosts 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 Caroline Beuley 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 The Living Standard on scheduling joy into your routine.
One of my favorite Substackers, Kyli Wagner, put together a lovely list of easy swaps you can make to maximize the whimsy in your everyday life.
I love, love, loved Jess Jordana’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
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Thanks for the shoutout! As always, love the curation. So many interesting things to read and look into
I love the weekly tasks!! I have been following my TBR but walking into a library without a goal sounds like a great idea!