Just Read: There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé by Morgan Parker. This poetry collection throbs with perfect audacity.
Just Watched: Mare of Easttown because who didn’t? I was actually bummed when it ended. Living in Philadelphia for the last five years really added to the viewing experience.
Listening to: "Can I Get A…” by Jay-Z. This is how I touch base with my inner child who became enraptured by Shawn Carter at age 8.
Feeling: Excited to be 30 EXACTLY ONE MONTH FROM TODAY! Are you guys over me constantly referencing this approaching milestone? Me too tbh but it’s my newsletter and if I’m subject to my own fuckery, then we all are. Can’t wait to pour my soul into some cliché drivel about the imperceptible sag my boobs endure upon entering Decade Three.
Grateful for: Good love stories. You should tell me yours if for no reason other than the promise of a theatrical audience. Last night I grabbed margaritas with a friend who shared her recent adventure and when I tell you my jaw was on the table from start to finish. Her eyes twinkled under string lights describing this chance meeting with some dreamy snowboarder type as mice scurried around the Cantina patio. Then she disappeared into the darkness on her bike and that’s just the kind of grimy romance you can share with a platonic friend on a Monday night in the city.
Loving: Since I’ve gotten 600 DMs about it on Instagram, I might as well link it here: this dress from Mango, which I purchased in both solid pink and paisley. I feel a subtle shift happening for me style-wise. I’m making a concerted effort to resist trends and slowly build a wardrobe of items that feel special. I don’t want to walk into a room and feel like I’ve betrayed my own style to merely look hot anymore. Not that there’s *anything* wrong with that—in fact, I encourage it; I just care deeply about personal style and want my looks to reflect this more often. This dress (though, admittedly not the best quality) sort of captures the direction I’m feeling. How do you feel about this for yourself? What moments define your personal style evolution? I’d love to hear.
Thinking: About how far I’ve come in my bilingual journey. For the past couple months, my teacher and I have taken the first 30 minutes of class to speak only in Italian and it has made all the difference. Like wow it feels cool to go out for gelato and the workers let you skip the line because you speak their language. I’m already scheming on my next pursuit—maybe Arabic.
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