I wrapped up fashion week feeling really good about the whole thing because it’s really just about having fun, especially when I still feel like it is a privilege to get to be a part of it as a creator/influencer. And while it was a long, long time ago when fashion week was once a space reserved solely for editors and industry leaders (I still remember the first show I snuck into when I was a student at NYU knowing full well I had no place there), there is still a bit of exclusivity and excitement to which I approach the week. I find it crucial to keep it as fun and light as possible. Above all else, I see it as a space for thought and dialogue on crafting the woman I want to be, a starting point in thinking about how I will spend my dollar on the clothes/ideas/worlds built by these incredible artists come next season. I feel immense gratitude for all the show and event invites, the dressings, the photographers, the PR angels, the people working behind the scenes to celebrate this industry that continues to be so invigorating and transformative. My fashion week this season has been a culmination of many years of getting to know my personal style and voice and building a community of people who willfully follow along and consume fashion through my lens and inner workings. I really am so grateful. I feel as though with every season, I am leaning in more than ever while not taking it too seriously, because it’s not my job to!
After the many brand dinners I attended and meals I reluctantly consumed “on the go”, I had a beautiful Galentine’s dinner at my friend Tanya’s place. She cooked the homiest and healthiest hotpot dinner for us and it reminded me that “catching up with friends” doesn’t always mean going out to dinner and spending x amount on a subpar meal and drinks you were pressured to order. We decided on cooking in at home after we all agreed that restaurant in New York are rarely good anymore. That’s obviously a gross hyperbole, but you get the point! More homemade dinners and home this year, please.
I received green parrot tulips for V-Day this year and just wanted to share :) With that being said, I may have discovered one of the most affordable dinner spots in the city, in the heart of Noho, that actually serves good food. C as in Charlie serves casual Korean tapas-y “anju” food by three Korean friends who grew up together in Atlanta. That southern flair and hospitality definitely shine through in their satisfyingly short but fun menu with an equally fun beverage menu full of sake, sweet tea and Korean drinks. The whole place just makes for the perfect casual night out without any pretension. I was greeted with warm barley tea upon seating to warm myself up, which was so endearing, proceeded by three rounds of shots from the owners over the course of our meal in a way that only reads as warm and convivial.
I finally got a freaking humidifier for my bedroom and it’s changed the way I way up in the morning. And yes, it’s the now-internet famous one. Canopy markets themselves as a skincare product, first and foremost, which I love because that’s my main gripe about a dry room in the winter. That my skin looks and feels haggard. This little guy looks super cute, is compact and easy to set up and clean (it’s dishwasher safe… dream!). I am not being paid to promote this, if it sounds like I am. I am just genuinely so excited about waking up in the morning not feeling utterly BUSTED. It also doubles (triples?) as an essential oil diffuser and white noise machine lol. All in all, I love.
Also changing the way I wake up in the morning is no longer finishing my skincare routine with oil, but rather using an oil as a serum right before a thicker moisturizer. This isn’t groundbreaking by any means but it is certifiably a much more effective way of locking in moisture. Previously, I’ve been slugging my face in a balm or a face oil as the last step in my skincare routine and while it’s been obviously effective, because I love my oils so much, I have found that using an oil as a serum, like so many of them are marketed, has been instrumental in making that moisture last until the morning. I have been loving Irene Forte’s Rejuvenating Serum. She’s not easy on the wallet but damn, she’s good. Also in my rotation is Upcircle’s vitamin C & rosehip oil one I’ve been using on and off for 5 years now. Pay attention to which oils call themselves a “serum” vs just a “night oil” — I find that it’s pretty telling in their viscosity and absorbability. Anyways, I look like this every night tucked in bed.
I can’t stop watching and loving Feud: Capote vs. the Swans. 2023 was a great year for movies that I truly can’t remember the last time I was invested in a TV show. Admittedly, I knew nothing of Truman Capote and these “swans” prior to watching this show I am now obsessed. I also just love that it takes place in New York during a time I can only read/watch about - the glamor, the drama, the antiquated ways of thinking and living that still shockingly ring true today. Like, our obsession with outward appearance, pretension, feigned loyalty… There’s so much to unpack and with every episode finished, I can’t stop doing my own further research on the characters featured. This show is for anyone who loves a good period piece and appreciates them being done in high style and intelligence. Feud is a marvel to watch, and I am in awe of every single detail. I really just feel good watching something so damn visually beautiful.
I left the party early, twice. I’ve gotten to a point in my adulthood where I will no longer pretend that I want to stay out longer than I do. I’m a homebody at heart, and this week, I perfected my my hard exit out of a night in the name of being in bed before midnight and getting eight hours of sleep, despite my friends’ pleas to stay out longer. Not giving a shit about fomo is truly a blessing as I enter my late twenties. ~I think I like this little life~ lol.
xxx L
Hotpot hopefully was a great meal.