This is a series I was doing pre-relaunch that I’m bringing back on a biweekly basis (that is, every other Sunday). The titled series speaks for itself: a roundup of things I did, consumed, bought, discovered, watched, read, etc that is worth sharing.
This is now two weeks old… but I relaunched this Substack under a new name and look. For those of you who missed it, I wrote about it here and hosted a fun dinner last week where I got to bring the vision of the publication to life. I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to usher in a new era for myself as a digital creator, as someone who refuses to log into TikTok and leaves influencer dinners midway through without saying bye to anyone. This really feels like the most personal, authentic, and exciting version of that self. I promise I’ll stop talking about it now. It’s just the most noteworthy of the month :)
I wrote this essay about maladaptive dreaming, my Saturn return ending, and the indulgent experience of chaos.
I went upstate, which is perennially my favorite, most accessible way to hit reset. I don’t think New Yorkers take advantage of it enough, especially during the weirder, off-season months where hotel rates are favorable and you can feel like you have the whole place to yourself. My sister and I rented a car via Kyte, which might be the most seamless rental car experience to exist. Someone literally drops a car off in front of your apartment in New York (or your place of choice) and picks it up again in your place of choice. It’s more affordable than traditional rental services and everything is coordinated in-app. Kyte was so nice to give me a $30 discount code for you guys: LAURA30. We went to Dia:Beacon which, in addition to their excellent rotating permanent collection, had a multi-sensorial art installation by filmmaker Steve McQueen that moved me in a way a piece of art hasn’t in a while. The installation is on until May 26 and I just really think everyone should try and make the trip up. We stayed at The Henson, ate at Matilda both nights, and shopped in Hudson at Nina Z and Nikki Chasin.
I’ve been spring cleaning my entire apartment heavily ever since my sister got to New York. Her visit is actually in part due to my begging her to come and help me deal with my PR boxes & overstuffed closet that has made it difficult to really appreciate the breadth of what I own. She’s the more organized and pragmatic one between the two of us and, quite frankly, I needed her. And in doing this cleaning, I’ve discovered so many products that have been sitting in boxes that are finally getting the love they deserve. The standouts? Too many. But off the top of my head, I’m really obsessed with this body butter from a farm that literally just specializes in prune oil, this body butter/massage bar hybrid that smells exactly like how I want my whole life to smell like, Augustinus Bader’s latest reveal to their perfect product line: an SPF, and the tinted moisturizer I fell in love with years ago that I get to rediscover.
New York really fucking did a number on us when it decided to be fully summer for approximately four hours on Saturday. The feral, serotonin-heavy energy in the air was noteworthy enough and I’m reminded that it’s now an appropriate time to shop spring. I took advantage of SSENSE’s 15% off new arrivals sale by ordering a new bikini, a Pleats Please top I’ve been eyeing for multiple seasons, and my first pair of white heels ever, a shoe I keep spotting on the coolest girls I encounter in the city.
I loved this AD profile on Walter Goggins’ home in upstate New York. I saw it, envied it, and shared it because it’s actually the closest home I’ve seen to something I want exactly for myself: beautiful, tasteful, warm, and full of life. Envy is a good thing sometimes, I swear.
I had the pleasure of working with Brunello Cucinelli for the launch of their new BC Duo bag, a structured trapezoidal leather tote designed by sisters Carolina and Camilla Cucinelli, the co-creative directors and vice presidents of the brand. This was my first time interacting with the heritage brand and I understand why they’ve built a quiet (or not-so-quiet, depending on how you look at it) empire on sartorial luxury with all the allure, beauty, and enigma attached to it. Everyone that was dressed in the brand the evening of the launch echoed the same thing: the clothes feel like butter. The garments don’t look like much but they exude something that is rare: pure ease and elegance. Succession and Mark Zuckerberg lore aside, it is evident that brand is looking towards the future and to a new generation of dressers who still champion the very values the brand was founded upon.
