Thailand

Ko Samui, Bangkok, Chiang Mai + Rai

My full baggage situation for this 20 day trip is going to be my Rimowa check-in, my Rimowa Carry on, and my longchamp expandable duffle—which has become indispensable to me. As soon as we land in Tokyo, we plan to forward the big bags to our hotel in Kyoto which will arrive the next day via Yamato. We will do the same thing on our way back to Tokyo and take carry-ons when we stop in Hakone. Our hotel in Tokyo has kindly agreed to store our big bags while we are in Thailand, since we are staying there our very last night on the way back to Los Angeles. I will keep my Thailand things in the big bag while we’re in Japan, and switch my Japan things into the big bag when we leave for Thailand (that bag stays in Tokyo). The only reason I can pull this off is obviously because Japan is incredibly reliable and trustworthy when it comes to bag storage and forwarding, and Tsuki was very generous to let us keep our bags there—it’s part of the reason I chose it. I really don’t enjoy dealing with big bags on multi city trips—too much can go wrong and you don’t want to be in a pickle where your bag is chasing you. That being said I like to have options and need room for my niche ginger press so the big bag is non-negotiable.

I am hoping to overlap some pieces—though I’m not sure how realistic that is given how much HOTTER it will be in Thailand. I am mostly going with red/black/grey/white for Japan and will switch out the black and grey for browns in Thailand, which also work great with red/bold colors and pastels, which I am mixing in. I’m going to have more fun with occasion wear in Thailand (resort wear, dressing up for dinner) and be more efficient in Japan (walking and jam packed schedule, less time to get ready). I’ll probably also bring a couple Biasa pieces my chic friend Jing introduced me to that I bought in Indonesia a few years back. At this point this is all conceptual so let’s see what I can actually fit and make work…

Silver Coquille necklace from Julietta

Some pieces I am excited to wear in Koh Samui are this Cara Cara dress and this Alemais dress—if it fits (hasn’t arrived yet). This Tuckernuck halter dress is literally so perfect for Chiang Mai, which has a big indigo history. And this striped set is perfect for breakfast at the Four Seasons Golden Triangle. This caftan is also perfect for an elevated beach lunch in Ko Samui, or honestly could even work for dinner. I didn’t end up buying this Dries Pareo, but I already regret it. This red dress is so versatile—I can see myself walking around Bangkok in this or wearing this to dinner at the elephant camp or in Chiang Mai. I’ll be wearing this necklace with everything, especially this red knit dress and this silky top, which is so easy and could work for dinner in Japan too.

Beaded Alemais mini

I mean this is so fun and feels so perfect for the location?

I didn’t really find any swimwear that is new that I’m loving, though I did grab this to go with this colorful pareo which is also giving Dries, and this one piece. I’ll take a black bikini (barbados bottom and palma top from Monday, my most favorite black bikini) and a black one piece and a couple good pareos and probably call it a day—gotta leave room to find things too!

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Paris Texas wrap sandal

I have a similar wrap pair of (metallic) turquoise kitten heels that have been one of my most used vacation sandals since literally 2018. This color is surprisingly good with so many other colors.

Opening Note

If you are have a mix of Virgo and Sagittarius in your chart like me, then you are obsessed with traveling and even more obsessed with planning it. There is color coding involved (part of the joy of a trip is the planning). I’m sharing a Google sheet template with you that includes some really useful conditional formatting, color coding, and general OCD satisfaction below. I used it to plan our honeymoon in Japan and Thailand and it kept me sane—but note that this table is really most useful for a big, multi-destination trip. It’s hard for me to let go and outsource to a travel agent, though with the amount of hours I put in I sometimes think I should, but the anticipation and research almost gives me as much joy as the trip itself.

The Cabinet

P L A C E S

-Kyoto, Capella

Really excited about this—it just opened at the start of the cherry blossom season this year. It looks like an incredible property in the Gion area, which is the historical Geisha district. They sent us an incredible curation of sights, restaurants, activities and day trips which I am really excited to dive into. I think I might make Kyle paint some pottery with me, which essentially feels like it might the chic Japanese version of color me mine.

-Hakone, Gora Kadan

The ultimate Hakone ryokan experience (apparently). We snagged the last room available, which was their standard room type A and we are doing the Kaiseki dinner. I have begged them to let me know if something with a private onsen opens up, since Kyle has tattoos and that is a strict NO at Gora Kadan unless he covers all of them with tape.

-Tokyo, Tsuki Hotel

This is not a super fancy or expensive spot, but we felt like we weren’t going to spend a ton of time in the room in Tokyo, and we still have a Hinoki tub in our room, plus this hotel is supposed to have an excellent sake bar and sushi spot next door. Plus its a few minutes walk from Ginza and walking distance to the Yamamote line.

-Koh Samui, Four Seasons

I can’t seem to get cast in the White Lotus, so I’ll just pretend.

-Chiang Mai, Rachamankha

I had a really hard time deciding on a hotel in Chiang Mai, but ultimately the location inside the old city won here. I had dinner here once years ago and I remember thinking I wish I had stayed here. The grounds are really understated and elegant. It is not the fanciest or most expensive option in Chiang Mai, but sometimes choosing more boutique options ends up being a better, more layered experience.

-Chiang Rai, Four Seasons Elephant Camp

This is a bucket list hotel for me. I have nothing but pure excitement and joy, especially since this is basically how we are closing out the trip.

-Bangkok, Rosewood

I love a Rosewood, and since we aren’t in Bangkok for long, I wanted the convenience of their location. We’re having dinner at Gaggan, which is only about a ten minute drive. Bangkok is huge and sprawling, so that was important. I also considered the Mandarin, but Kyle wanted to stay at the Rosewood (we have always had great experiences). I am going to make him stop for a drink at the iconic MO though, don’t worry.

S T Y L E

If you haven’t check out my Honeymoon packing list part 1, where I talk about Japan. As I finish planning my packing this week, I’ll add part 1, which is Thailand. I’'ll also tell you the clever ways I will be mostly traveling with carry-ons only (ish) in the Thailand post.

B E A U T Y

You KNOW I am absolutely psyched to try all the Japanese beauty. Stores I am planning to hit up:

-@cosme

-Ainz & Tulpe

-Matsumoto Kiyoshi

-loft

For brushes specifically:

-hakuho-do

-Hiroshima TAU Ginza — ひろしまブランドショップ TAU 2f, 1 Chome-6-10 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan

I am also excited to try out some Japanese sunscreens and will report back on what I think is worth bringing home. I’ll let you know what I actually find and think in more detail on the other end.

W E L L N E S S

Onsen culture. We will be hitting the spa at the Capella Kyoto, Gora Kadan (legendary), and like I mentioned, our room in Tokyo has a Hinoki tub. And then of course Thai massages. I better be relaxed when I come home.

F O O D

Reservations we have/ are planning so far:

Gora kadan Kaiseki

Udon shin

Sushi Yuu

Hikiniku to Come

Savoy or PST Pizza

Kabi (trying to fit this in somewhere before it closes)

Ginza Hachigou

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A R T + C U L T U R E

We are going to see the Miyako Odori in Kyoto, but we are mostly walking and exploring. We have a tea ceremony in Kyoto as well, which I am excited to experience. We don’t have enough time to do it all, and since it is Kyle’s first time in Japan I don’t want to over-schedule us (I’m really fighting the temptation to throw a bunch of activities in). I’m also super excited to explore the antique shops and hopefully find a byobu screen for our living room, as well as some Japanese cooking tools and lacquerware. I feel like everyone is excired for the vintage designer bags but you know I’m coming home with some sort of niche ginger press.

Closing Curiosity

Here is a link to the spreadsheet. Make a copy of it ( I recommend making your own template copy and copying again from there for each trip) and enjoy! If you find any formatting issues, please let me know!

Etsy….

Is an incredible place to find everything. Even handbags.

I mean Etsy literally has a “goblincore” section, so you really can find your perfect niche fit here, and the same applies to bags. Especially if you are looking to add something unique and inexpensive to your outfit. We all love a designer bag, but sometimes you want something a little more unusual or not three thousand dollars. I was happening to peruse this morning and I ended up hearting / adding to cart wayyyy too many bags, which was my signal that I needed to share them with you guys.

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Vacation Picks

I love this vintage macrame bag. I may buy this so watch out.

This Mother of pearl shape is so chic.

I love this green. So lush.

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Black Tie / Formal picks

This is giving Limited Too, all grown up and I am obsessed.

I find this very chic and very affordable.

I love love love vintage Rodo. It is a really good jumping off point for an Etsy search. This is wildly special and so versatile with the two tone basket motif.

This is just a smattering, but you can find the full list of picks here. Get to it before I can decide which ones I want ;).

Los Olivos and Los Alamos

Are two towns nestled into the Santa Ynez valley—about 45 minutes northeast of Santa Barbara. It is full of rolling hills and mature oaks and small lakes and smatterings of bright yellow wildflowers that never cease to surprise you at every turn.

I won’t pretend to be an expert on the area since I have only been a handful of times, but it is an excellent overnight or two getaway from LA, since the whole drive clocks in at around 2.5 hours. The last hour of that drive really is beautiful as you come up the coast through Santa Barbara and then into the valley.

We went overnight for my husband Kyle’s birthday—I snagged a reservation at Bell’s, which my friend Andrew says is his favorite restaurant in California. That may have been dethroned by his brother’s own excellent restaurant at this point, but the point is it is incredible. A really high end, elegant and thoughtful prix-fixe at $125 per person. Unheard of!

We stayed the night at Matteis Tavern, which is an Auberge property. I love staying at Auberge hotels wherever they may be, because they really care about sense of place. Don't get me wrong, the sameness of an Edition can be comforting in certain circumstances, and there are great things about that too, but you could be anywhere!

At Mattei’s you definitely feel like you are in this little wine region of California, where ranch culture abounds. They use little horseshoes as paperweights and there is no shortage of denim or cowboy boots. The original inn from the late 19th century was a stagecoach stop, and slightly later a big prohibition hangout—which seems to have translated to the excellent cocktails in their very vibey little bar. I had a clarified mezcal cocktail that was out of this world smooth.

In terms of activities, Auberge offers their guests some pretty special wine related experiences. Or if you’re looking for something low key, just a few steps away are many tasting rooms—like an impressive amount. You wouldn’t be able to hit them all, unless you’re willing to spit! A few of them had gorgeous little patios and all a relaxed vibe. There is also a restaurant that is the sister restaurant to Bell’s called Bar Le Côte—a need to go next time for me.

You can also hang by the pool at Mattei’s, where we had an absolutely next level BLTA and homemade chips. They also have a spa, which I believe offers Monastery and Biologique Recherche facials, two brands I genuinely love and use. I didn’t have time for a facial this trip, but would love to have one next time I go.

Los Alamos is also cute, and there is a hotel across the street from Bell’s if you want to stay there for your visit, that is an updated, cool motel. We didn’t go in, but I have to say it looked very cute across the street.

There is a bakery called Bob’s Well Bread that is great—my favorites were the insanely flaky croissant (I honestly don’t know how they achieved this level of flake) and the pain aux lardons—which is basically bacon bread if we want to simplify it. I had a slice of it toasted with an incredible french butter this morning and it honestly doesn’t get that much better? Gourmet butter on gourmet sourdough with bacon bits in it? C’mon.

So what did I wear? Well obviously, this is not a fancy town—so, naturally, I was overdressed in my black satin La Ligne shirtdress and vintage Gucci sandals for dinner, but whatever. A friend commented how festive we both looked in all black and I quipped, “We’re from LA.”

The pool is super casual—no need for a missoni mare here. I wore this Tory Burch one piece and a little crochet skirt I have gotten a ton of use out of, YSL sunnies and easy tkees, which I never wore before forgetting shoes in Cabo and having to borrow my friend’s the whole trip. Now I love them! I usually pair the skirt with my Donni brown linen shirt, which is sadly sold out currently.

For Easter brunch at Mattei’s —delicious, perfect and complete with live band, Bunny, and egg hunt, I wore this Rue Sophie top and skirt. I wanted to make it a little less fussy so I paired it with these Esber mesh flats and this little bag from The Row.

All in all, it was a divine little weekend. There is no need to pack too much in. My suggested itinerary would be:

Friday afternoon: drive up to Matteis, enjoy a cocktail on the lawn before an easy dinner at the tavern.

Saturday : Head to Bob’s well bread for breakfast. Order too many things. Hit the gorgeous gym at Matteis, and then relax at the pool until mid afternoon. Go on one of the special wine tours Auberge offers or stroll into the town and do a couple tastings. Head back to the hotel and take a bath in the claw foot tub. Get ready for dinner at Bell’s but have a glass of champagne by your personal fire pit before you head out.

Sunday: Brunch at Mattei’s or maybe Bar Le Côte—if the weather is nice sit outside and enjoy the glory that is California. If you want to enjoy the pool a little longer, you can check out and rinse off and change in the locker room right next to the pool before you get back in the car. And if you missed Bob’s— definitely stop on your way out of town. I saw a gluten free cookie, so there are truly no excuses. And if you want, grab one of their baguette sandwiches and stop at the beach in Santa Barbara on the way home. Sounds like a perfect Sunday to me.

Opening Note

Kyle and I are leaving on our Honeymoon in about a month, so you know that means I have to start planning what I am going to pack right meow. We’re going to be in Japan for ten days, followed by Thailand. I’m really trying SO hard not to overpack, because we’re packing a lot of travel into 20 days and schlepping big bags is not the move—although Japan has many an excellent luggage forwarding service. However, I am working with two very different climates

I am going to try to follow a Sudoku packing method for each destination (lol, wish me luck). If you haven’t heard of that, here it is. And by follow I mean for the most part, ok?

TOKYO

I think our Japan leg is going to be mostly walking, eating, walking, eating some more, with a few cool cocktail bars and a fancy dinner or two. It is going to be food-focused, to say the least, so I really don’t want anything restrictive—I want to feel cool and comfortable. I have unstrategically left the part of our honeymoon where I plan to be in a bikini to the latter half of the trip, after I have eaten my weight in red bean mochi. Oh well! He’s stuck with me now!

The grid below is how I am thinking of packing—I have a few extras on here like socks and some accessories which should really only make it onto the grid if they take up real space! but I wanted to show you how much it makes sense to stick to a palette where everything kind of works together, and that way you have a million outfits with relatively little clothing.

I’m confident this would all fit into my trusty carry on/ zippered longchamp combo. I do think I should choose one more jacket, which will probably be my charcoal Helsa blazer (on ebay!) or my sculptural fforme jacket, and maybe a plain black loafer? I can’t find the fforme jacket online anymore, but its cropped, has no metal, and is wool—sort of like this Ròhe one. TLDR, its versatile. I also think packing jewelry that is generally two one like this, or these is a great idea for versatility and space saving. Packing light is a huge effort of planning if you want to look remotely stylish, but I think the limited palette +this new sudoku method is clutch.

Stay tuned for pt 2—Thailand!

Opening Note

My wedding was featured in Vogue last month and I’m not ashamed to admit that I liked it. Our wedding was so authentic to us that it feels weirdly nice to be validated? We chose to get married in the chapel my parents married 40 years ago, and we had the reception at my childhood home. It was the most stressful, fun, emotional, intense, and surreal day of my life. I thought I’d break it down in more detail for you here. And probably a few more posts this year. Skincare? Registry? Dresses? I think yes.

The Cabinet

P L A C E S

The chapel we got married in is the chapel at the First United Methodist Church in Pasadena, CA. It has a Tiffany glass rose window and incredible stained glass windows up the sides. It is the perfect mix of California and Gothic. the light came through in the most magical way after many days of rain during our ceremony. I walked down the aisle to “Infinite Trees” by Nick Mulvey, so I filled the church with trees and greenery. I wanted it to feel like a ruin.

Our reception was at my Dad’s house, which is a very special house that was built in 1919 by Reginald Johnson and is a perfect example of historic Pasadena architecture. That house has been a big character in my life and was the most sentimental and personal place I could have possibly chosen to have a reception. We skipped a formal seated dinner and opted for a buffet so we could dance all night, which I could not be happier about. It made the wedding so lively and fun.

S T Y L E

The style of our wedding was simultaneously casual, intimate, and very formal! It was full of contradictions, I guess. Like, I forced everyone to wear black tie (you’re welcome, it was chilly) which is just so much more FUN, but I didn’t have a seated dinner. We had caviar and a raw bar, but we also had In-N-Out and chocolate chip cookies (The Pantry by Baker of course). We had a jazz trio, a band, and a DJ (the incomparable DJRossOne). I chose red and Wedgewood blue as color accents, which showed up everywhere from the flowers, to the cake, to the tablecloth, to the red velvet draping inside our after party. There are no rules, do exactly as you please.

B E A U T Y

I did a lot to prep for my wedding, and I will honestly do a full substack post just for the skin/beauty prep because let’s be honest…there is too much to fit into this tiny paragraph. Here I’ll focus on makeup. Ahna Ellis did my makeup and she was so so wonderful. She stepped in last minute for Jenna Kristina who was just too close to birthing her beautiful daughter to be able to work. I did a full video tutorial on my Instagram for my beauty look, which was a very clean, classic bridal look. We focused on contour and a cool color palette, which suits my features more than anything warm. We also added sweed lashes, which are the GOAT of individual falsies.

W E L L N E S S

Given how stressful wedding planning is (not to mention having launched a new business right before), I also focused heavily on my personal wellness. I basically canceled everything the week and a half before my wedding, and only worked on things that were absolutely necessary. I did a couple of lymph appointments with Maria at Margo Muse (she is the best), facials with Cynthia Franco, no alcohol, and lots of sleep. To be honest, I felt guilty about all of this. I felt like I should be doing more and keeping all my plans and work going as usual, and I still do feel guilty about it. But I am also glad that I protected my space, because things go wrong and the less stress you put on your plate means you can deal with the stress that inevitably pops up with more grace.

F O O D

One of my great fears was forcing guests to sit down for 2 hours with people they didn’t know only to be served a cold hockey puck of a filet mignon in my Dad’s backyard. That does not give thoughtful elegance. I wanted people to be able to eat as much or as little as they wanted and to do so whenever they were hungry. Some people at at 4 pm and some at 6, and again at 9! People definitely did NOT go hungry.

Here is a summary of what we served from Schaffer LA :

Menu

Tray-Passed Hors d’Oeuvres

• Crispy Mushroom Bao

• Seared Tuna Taco

• Tater Tot with Caviar

• Mini Lamb Crispy Roti

• Seared Beef

Raw Bar

• Oysters on the Half Shell

• Poached Shrimp

• Crab Claws

• Caviar

Grazing Stations

Meats

• Santa Maria Tri Tip

• Roasted Salmon

• Coq au Vin

Sides

• Roasted Squash Stack

• Roasted Potatoes

• Baby Arugula Salad

• Soft Rolls

Pastas

• Wild Mushroom Ravioli

• Rigatoni Pomodoro

• Penne Bolognese

Bread

• Artisan Bread Board

Salad

• Red Endive Salad

Late Night Bites

• Nashville Chicken Slider

• Flatbread Pizzette

• Boozy Tahitian Vanilla Malt Milkshake

• Mini Pavlova

• Dubai Chocolate Truffle

• The Pantry by Baker Cookies

Our cake was from Between Two Cakes and was the most chic, most delicious wedding cake I have ever had.

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A R T + C U L T U R E

Look, as I have mentioned before, throwing a party is an art, and it always says a lot about the hosts. You have to find your own personal values, especially when it comes to how you want to celebrate your big day. There is no wrong way to do it and that is a VERY important thing to absorb. Do exactly what you want, and only that. Try not to pepople please—it will be tempting. Think of people’s comfort and experience of course, but follow your own voice. You can use red ink on your invitations if you want to. Who cares who it scares ( I didn’t!). ONLY a seated dinner and a private ceremony? Great. A big dance party and hors d’oeuvres? Wonderful! As long as its you, it will be perfect.

Closing Curiosity

“There are only two people whose pride should truly matter to you—not your parents, not your friends, not even your mentors. Just two: the 8 year old you, full of dreams, and the 80 year old you, full of memories.”

-Vironika Tugaleva

Opening Note

Valentine’s Day is upon us, and I am hosting a little Galentine’s pizza party favorite things gift exchange. I have had a mixed relationship with Valentine’s Day over the years, in some periods putting too much pressure on it, thinking its a pointless holiday in others. But like most things, the meaning is what you make of it, and now, I think its an excuse to make yourself happy, however that applies to you. As I get older, I find more and more joy in these little moments where you have an excuse to gather your friends and tell them you love them. Time spent with them becomes more precious, especially in the era of small children and I miss the nights in my early 20s where I laughed until I cried with my girlfriends.

The Cabinet

P L A C E S

If you are looking for a place to have a fun Galentine’s dinner OUT in LA and are not about the hosting this year, I suggest Camphor. It’s downtown which can be a little annoying, but they do a Thursday night steak frites night, and if that’s not your thing their regular menu is excellent. The vibe is understated but elegant and they have great cocktails. Also great for couples!

S T Y L E

I’m throwing a Pizza Party, so its casual, but its also Galentine’s so I am going for elevated kitsch. I plan to get some Cherry blossom branches for my bar area and lots of decor from this cute site. I mean look at this little tablescape, all with disposable plates for ease:

PHOTO: BONJOUR FETE

B E A U T Y

I’ll be posting a Valentine’s glam look walk through on my Instagram next week, but here is a preview of the look. I like this look because the rose gold is still giving fun and special occasion, but there is no red lip to worry about. I feel like the only moment I can wear a red lip is for a carpet or a cocktail party, otherwise just too impractical. Here all the eyeshadow is from LORAC —I am deeply. obsessed with this palette and hope they never discontinue it. If you want to see the tutorial, turn on alerts for my page on IG.

W E L L N E S S

I am having a Pizza Party, so its crucial that we do not think about wellness too much here, but I do have a few friends that need GF pizza options. If anyone knows of a restaurant that is LA-based that sells their GF dough, please let me know. Otherwise, I think I will be using Bob’s Red mill or King Arthur’s to make a bit of it from scratch. I should probably do this just to learn, but I do worry for the quality of my friend’s meals! Will report back.

F O O D

If you don’t serve a caesar salad with pizza, are you even ok?

My recipe:

CHILLED hearts of romaine. Chilled. Very important, keep them very cold as long as you can.

Anchovies—good ones in a glass jar. Scalia or Rrtiz are good.

Panko bread crumbs—toast them in a cast iron with a high quality butter and some confit garlic olive oil, salt and pepper.

Dressing:

When building a dressing you need a balance between acid and fat. I taste and tweak as I go. In my caesar I like:

-egg yolk (pasteurized)

-touch of dijon

-aged sherry or champagne vinegar

-parmesan cheese

-smashed garlic clove

-evoo

-lemon juice

-salt and freshly cracked pepper

-anchovy fillet

you can use an imersion blender here or you can use a little aerolatte whisk after you whisk it with a fork first and dissolve the anchovy/eggyolk into the mixture.

once you like how it tastes, pour onto the chilled romaine hearts, then add extra anchovy and panko, and serve right away.

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A R T + C U L T U R E

Have you been to epicurus gourmet? I think this counts as culture here, since its basically a bunch of foods imported from europe. I may have mentioned in my holiday hosting post—they have an incredible cookie selection, tons of special butters, many a tinned fish…and they have these tiny Italian sodas that are basically non-alc Camparis. I’m going to pick some up for my party for my friends who are pregnant/do not partake so I can still serve a campari spritz.

They are made by san Pellegrino and I have never seen them in the US, so seeing them at this store was VERY exciting for me, especially given my love of Campari and my reasonableness for not allowing myself to drink it everyday. This is a workaround. Some people Diet Coke, I Sanbitter.

Closing Curiosity

“Nothing real can be threatened, nothing unreal exists, and therein lies the peace of God.”

—Helen Schucman, A Course in Miracles

I got some bad news this week—which is typical for my line of work. I tested for a movie and didn’t get it, despite a gut feeling it was going to go my way. This happens, and it’s always a complete and utter mindf**k.

One of my goals in the last couple of years has been to not be so affected by losing things—so, letting a rejection or a disappointment roll off like water on a duck’s back, to not exist at the whim of external circumstances. But it is hard, I am not enlightened. It is a spiritual practice that takes time and work, every day, over and over and over again. And maybe the worst part about it, is the highs become less high, as a natural consequence of this balance.

Anyway, if you are feeling some kind of disappointment, frustration, rejection, or failure, I am right there with you and I am here to tell you to keep going, mostly because I need to tell myself to keep going. Go plan a get together with your friends, buy silly little plates and tiny sodas, give them gifts and tell them you love them, and try to keep what’s truly important top of mind.

Opening Note

If anyone wants to come find me in the dark, dense and low-vis founder forest on a sparkling white unicorn to save me from the chaos I have created for myself in launching a beauty business, please do.

That sounds really nice based on where my brain is at the moment (in many, many a direction).

Sadly, I have already learned enough to know that the unicorn is an illusion, though I will probably continue to fantasize about it—I just know that I probably wouldn’t end up actually bringing myself to get on that goddamn gorgeous perfect unicorn that is so gallantly trying to lead the way out…because I didn’t start a business thinking I thought it would be easy, I started it for the person I would become navigating my way through the woods.

Well dang.

Remind me of this when I complain to you. Thanks in advance.

The Cabinet

P L A C E S

Does my mind count as a place? I have been working on getting this organized. There are so many tools now?? Just researching the tools, playing with them, understanding them could potentially take up ALL of your time. I think Notion is good, though I don’t think I am good at using it? I use spreadsheets a LOT. Mostly I find that my mind is a little chaotic and I need to de clutter, and invest in mininal systems that I know how to use. De-cluttering my physical space has also been extraordinarily helpful, and getting myself a real screen I can SEE and not just working off my laptop has changed my game as well.

My systems right now involve a set of spreadsheets, which I cross reference with this ink + volt dashboard that lives on my desk in front of my face, which I am finding helpful, because it is a prioritization tool. It doesn’t work by day, but rather by week, and by area, so I can decide when to work on what in a specific category. Mine right now is PRIVET-ops, PRIVET-Mktg/brand, PRIVET-Product, PRIVET-Other, RR (substack lives here), and Miscellaneous, which is where I put things like dry cleaning. Daily planners have NEVER worked for me for whatever reason, aside from keeping appointments. My spreadsheets for prioritization are new, and I don’t think I have the formatting dialed in and need to continue to play around with that, but the takeaway is whittling down BIG goals into small achievable tasks. I tend to get overwhelmed by the 5 year picture, instead of focusing on the next five hours, which is honestly so much more crucial. Anything that does not need to happen in the next 5 hours is just a complete distraction, as I am learning. If everything is important, nothing is.

S T Y L E

My main new year’s resolution was to be more protective of my time, hoping that would lead me towards real productivity/goal hitting and deep work. There is so much that I have to give deep attention—formulations, understanding the analytics from Shopify and Klaviyo, brand strategy (and because this is all new to me, it takes me longer), and as any creative person will tell you, structure is crucial for that. Honestly, as an actor/writer/producer, I did not have enough of that, full stop. I had structure around the way that I worked, but not the when.

All of this is to say that one of my new years resolutions was to organize my mental and physical space and protect the time I need to kick the ball towards the goal, across multiple areas of my life. On the dashboard I mentioned above there is a daily tracker with three steps or habits that help you get to your best, and mine are workout, meditate, and get dressed.

Honestly, I am unmotivated to really get dressed/ try too hard in this dept. because I work from my home office, but I find that putting on real clothes makes me more productive, and in the case of any last minute zooms, I don’t worry about looking somewhat presentable. I keep it super casual and it is absolutely not groundbreaking, but as I write this I am wearing:

-Reformation Jeans

-Tuckernuck striped T shirt

-Donni Cardigan in red. Sold out but I might need this white as well. There is also a V neck which is V chic.

Donni is actually the best brand ever for feeling stylish and comfortable and just like…normal on a day to day basis. You can go anywhere in Alyssa’s clothes and feel good about yourself. Also, follow her on IG because the way she styles things is so so good. They are beautifully made and last forever because nothing is too trendy, just her version of LA cool. I stan her.

B E A U T Y

When I do my makeup (probably 4/5 out of 7 days, many of those days are like an 5-8 minute max day. I think if you want a quick routine you should limit yourself to focus on three things—mine are skin, eyebrows and blush. I dab some color corrector and concealer on problem areas, use contour with a brush, finish the brows and add some color to my cheeks. For me personally this is enough to feel presentable.

Right now I am working on colors with my lab in Korea for pencils, which is a cool process. I mixed different colors of existing pencils (including some art pencils) on paper and sent them over as a reference to help them gauge the colors I’m looking for, and notes on hardness, color values and saturation. Because I am trying to go very cool toned, which is surprisingly difficult to find in pencils that have right hardness, thickness etc, I had to include color references from pencils that arent cosmetic pencils! Finding your holy grail products is just a cloud 9 experience and I am aiming to do that with everything we launch. Giving us your email is the best way to know when we launch anything.

These days, for my 5 min routine I am into:

Skin: Jones Road color Correcting pencil, Tower 28 concealer, Westman contour stick (use the brush and then apply to your face), Privet setting serum, and a mix of pencils. right now I like this Kevyn Aucoin and this Merit pencil. I can’t wait to add my own to the mix.

W E L L N E S S

Unwell, but trying.

My new morning routine is helping, I think, which is this collagen protein (below) in my coffee (less intense cortisol spike). I am also forcing myself to walk outside in the morning without sunglasses, while I listen to my affirmations (lol, whatever I love them). The ones I listen to are kinder records on Spotify and they set me up with such a positive attitude for the day ahead! I actually don’t think a single thing has a bigger positive impact on my day than this 20 minute walk, from my mindset to helping me with structure.

F O O D

WhAT I eaT iN a DaY. I don’t want to presume that you care so I won’t assume you do, but if you follow me here, you KNOW that food and cooking is important to me. I absolutely cannot eat takeout more than once or twice a week and so it’s something I just have to make work. That means food has to be FAST. Because its winter, I am in squash mode.

Buy a delicata (oval shaped yellow with green stripes) and slice it in half. Clean out seeds, salt and pepper it. EVOO here if you want. Place it face down in a deeper baking pan on parchment paper and cover tightly with foil. Put it in the oven at 375 for 45-60 mins and after you remove it (watch out for steam trapped by foil, drizzle olive oil and a balsamic glaze on top of the flesh. You can also broil it for 2 mins before you do this for more char if you like that. If you have time to throw some fresh herbs and feta or goat cheese crumbles on top, do that. This has been a go to side for me this year and takes approximately 5 mins to prep and 5 mins max to finish.

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A R T + C U L T U R E

I am reading Anna Karenina, which is SO GOOD. It’s also such a good reminder that we live in a digital age and the AI slop is growing, so going back to a creative work that is the very opposite of slop is crucial. Prose that is somewhat of a challenge to read, has the effect of being relaxing, whereas the doomscrolling is obviously anxiety inducing. I’m only on chapter 33 (they’re short), but things are brewing between Anna and Vronsky. I have to say, it is still surprisingly current, especially of course, when it comes to Tolstoy’s character’s inner moments. Nothing changes, not really. Reading a work like this reminds me some things are deeply human and AI is nothing to be feared. It’s just a tool.

Also, His & Hers apparently has 50M views, which is utterly astounding and cool. If you haven’t seen it yet, I guess you need to come out from under your rock?

Closing Curiosity

“Faith and fear both demand you believe in something you cannot see. You choose.”

Opening Note

Growing up, my mom would host Christmas Eve for 25 of her friends. She cooked different things over the years but we usually ended up with boeuf bourguignon, country pâté, jambalaya, and whiskey cake. She worked so hard on this dinner, with virtually no help, and it was one of the best nights of the year. After she died, I found of course that moms make the magic of Christmas, and that it was an important time of year for me to remember her. So when Kyle and I moved into our house together, we started hosting Christmas Eve. At first it was small and pretty casual—10 people and some apps like shrimp cocktail and deviled eggs, some simple reuben sandwich bites etc. The following year there were some more people and some more complex dishes. But this third year, I really went all out.

The Cabinet

P L A C E S

Our house. Our house has a special vibe. It was built in 1929 and we are only the third owners, so everything is in its original state. I have a magic chef stove from 1930, and yes I cooked for 30 people on that thing. I love entertaining here because it has a cozy and friendly energy and a great view of the city, and lots of little nooks where people can chat. I set up all the food in the dining room buffet-style and let people take a (real china!) plate wherever they want.

This year I added some last minute seating with two matching benches in a corner and a bunch of throw pillows to this little sunroom that has been kind of a dead space since we moved in and set the bar up in there as well—it worked fantastically. People like to be in intimate spaces at parties. It’s a good temporary solution before a real built in.

We have a very pretty house, but it’s not massive and everything is original (old). Sometimes I think it would be nice to have a massive marble island or more seating or another powder room, but the important thing is to gather! The effort and love of the hosts is what makes a party great, not just the space, so don’t be afraid to do it!

S T Y L E

I wore a black turtleneck, a long black velvet Cara Cara skirt, black cowboy boots, and a black leather belt with a pearl buckle.

Elevated, but wearing all black when you are actually cooking the food being served is utterly crucial for obvious reasons.

For the style of the party, I like people to be at ease, but I like to use my beautiful objects! A buffet style party does the trick here, with smaller plates. People can always refill but a smaller plate is a bit easier to manage if you’re standing. Little cocktail tables are also helpful. I moved the chairs away from the dining table and put them up against the wall on one side so there was more open seating and easier access to the food.

I used my artois vert bernardaud china, waterford crystal, these incredible ann demeulmeester glasses, and some pretty cut glass dessert plates similar to these. I put out my mother’s silver (if you have silver, use it! don’t let it sit in the box forever!). I did use disposable napkins, because I discovered I didn’t have enough for 30 in a cohesive color scheme (what a surprise!) but I got these off amazon and I was pretty happy with them. At first I just had the Vanity Fair napkins out but they hurt my soul a little so I had to panic order from Bezos. Highly recommend the cuisinart chafing dishes here on the table for a party of this size.

B E A U T Y

As you might imagine when you’re cooking for 30, you have to PLAN ahead, which is why I did my makeup at 2pm. This Merit eyeshadow in Social has been a new hero in my routine—adding depth and natural sultriness without looking too smokey. I have also been testing a strong hold version of my setting serum, and I have to say it held up like Stonehenge, through the steam and the stress and the sweat of cooking and hosting for 30. 10 hours, nothing budged. I was impressed. Give us your email if you want to know when that drops.

Oh but you wanted to know about the party! I digress. I love decorating for the holidays, but I like to keep it nostalgic, not too modern—the stockings are vintage. Most of my decor is from my mom, and some of it goes back generations. I do love a garland. I put one over the fireplace and one up the stairs.

I also went to the flower mart and got an ungodly amount of flowers that took me days to arrange. My choices were guided by my friend Kiki Plunkett of Generalist World. She suggested white double layered tulips, holly and amaryllis which really elevated the vibe. Floral foam and floral tape in a grid were my go to structure for the arrangements which helped tremendously. Kiki also recommended these products, which I think really made the flowers last through the party, since I got them 5 days in advance (risky!)

W E L L N E S S

How did I plan this and become totally unwell? Full disclosure it was a buttload of work. I started gathering recipe ideas in October and marked them with post its. When it was time to grocery shop I took a picture of every recipe and asked chat gpt to make me a grocery list organized by section and to add up the correct amounts of everything based on the recipes. I noticed a few things were missing but generally this was a time saver and I recommend it since you’re likely to go to the store a few times anyway. I also made a google sheet starting about a week in advance with everything that needed to happen. I color coded it for things that were for me to do, things for Kyle or things for us to do together. This was a 10/10 planning step that kept me on track and prevented me from losing it. I used the schedule template on Google Sheets. I suggest strikethrough as you go!

F O O D

Here was our full menu:

-Caramel Miso Glazed Pork Belly with Kings Hawaiian rolls

-Creamed Greens, I added extra garlic and nutmeg (probably almost double) and used tuscan kale and spinach

-Persimmon, aged cheddar and apple salad. I used honeycrisp apples, no pecans, and I also added raddichio as a base and extra horseradish to this, which I preferred to only sweet and salty. I like bitter too.

-Yogurt marinated braised lamb shoulder—let me know if you want this recipe

-Deviled Eggs (my secret recipe) Just kidding it’s not really secret, but I love to use a really good flavored butter like this butter in a standard recipe and dill pickle relish + juice, and a splash of fish sauce. I made the mayonnaise as well for this which was a good move. I also sprinkled gochugaru flakes on top with dill and parsley which was awesome.

-Baked salmon with crème fraîche, dill, red onions, capers and lemon. I basically used this recipe but pivoted to crème fraîche for a buffet style since I wanted the salmon chilled. For the crème fraîche, mix it with lemon juice (a squeeze), minced garlic, dill and lemon zest. Meyer lemons preferred and mix to taste.

-Caviar and torres chips with creme fraiche from Tsar Nicoulai which I served in this gorgeous server from my registry

-Whiskey cake—ok this one is a personal secret, but here is a good substitute

-Tiramisu

-Pantry by Baker cookies, which we also had at our wedding

-Roasted potatoes

-Shrimp cocktail

-cheese/charcuterie board

-Negronis

-Pomegranate Margaritas

Kyle batched the cocktails and we put them in pretty drink dispensers I got on Amazon. They are linked in my last post. I also quickly draped this table with safety pins and added this dramatic arrangement of branches which added a sense of occasion!

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A R T + C U L T U R E

Hosting is an art, that is for sure. It’s taken me years to get comfortable hosting for this number of people, where I am actually doing the heavy lifting. Of course ordering in or catering is much easier, but the way I grew up, with Christmas eve for 25 at my mom’s house in Pasadena where she cooked everything, that was our culture. The art was in giving your time and your effort at Christmas to make people feel loved, cared for, and at home. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Keeping that tradition alive at the end of every year is becoming more and more important to me because it brings me closer to her, allows me to remember her, and it brings out my best self. Finding ways to do that is part of the art of living, and I stand by it wholeheartedly.

Closing Curiosity

“You can do it like it’s a great weight or you can do it like it’s part of the dance.” -Ram Dass.

I’m going to keep this post short and sweet and to the point by eschewing my regular format and giving you the goods. If you are like me and you often are not organized enough to take advantage of Black Friday, fear not. Here is a list of a few things you can still get for your loved ones before Christmas, barring any acts of God!

Good luck shoppers, hopefully there is something in here that will help you rack your brain for your friends that like weird stuff like me.

Privet Brow Setting Serum. Obviously I’m going to tell you to buy this, because I made it. If you live on the West Coast and you order from us, it is very likely this will still arrive in time. I would say this is great for a friend who doesn’t love the sticky, tacky or stiff feeling of many a brow gel, and is interested in clean beauty or K beauty. You can also find it in person at ställe studios in New York (also check out AUNU there), Sarah Akram in DC, or Shopbop (2 day shipping!). Use this code for a sneaky discount on our site: TheCurio2025.

This little tabletop mirror is divine, and you have a good shot if you order today.

Elegant stationery is always a good idea. Again, you can snag it if you order today!

This just says, I’m not a regular girl, I’m a cool girl.

I am deeply obsessed with this body balm. I want to smell like I live in Tahiti. This is for that friend that needs a vacation, or somehow lives on vacation. In a robe. Im looking at you, Keleigh Teller.

This gift is for an entertainer in your life. Its cheap and chic and has a big impact for the price, if your giftee’s vibe is Victorian ghost, like me. I just bought two for my annual Christmas Eve shindig. Lord help Kyle!

You can’t go wrong with something from Match Pewter (there was so much on my registry). This piece can be used in so many ways and I would be thrilled to receive this!

I’m not normally a big bar soap gal, but the combination of scent and pure chunkiness of this bad boy just feels so substantial. Such a lovely gift.

Last one! Gohar World is just so cool. These are whimsical AF and say “I actually thought about you.”

Happy gifting, and Happy Holidays!

Warmly,

RR

Opening Note

It’s been a while since I have been here but this fall was one of the most insane whirlwinds of my life. I launched a business and got married, and shot a pilot, which two of which are basically the biggest life events you could possibly smush into any quarter, let alone Q4. Shall we say I am, how do you call it… le tired? (french accent). Yeah, that’s obvious.

Anyway the format of The Curio is actually perfect for the place I want to tell you about how I recovered from said tiredness: Naviva.

The Cabinet

P L A C E S

Ok so Naviva did not ask me to write this post but I must. This hotel is honestly a bucket list destination for…anyone? I wouldn’t have thought so given its only three hours from LA and we tend to take things that are close for granted, but that is also the beauty of it. The travel doesn’t take it out of you going or coming, which means that all the time you spent relaxing actually stays in your bones.

Naviva is a Four Seasons concept that is all inclusive. They have tons of activities—we did fishing, agave spirit tasting, ceviche making, the temazcal, and a massage at the spa. I’ll dive a little deeper on all these later.

The rooms are bananas—standalone ocean view bungalows with a screened in living area and deck with a fire pit, a plunge pool, outdoor shower. You don’t ever need to leave the room because its perfect but that would be a shame.

The service is completely next level—everyone knows your name and they go out of their way to make you feel at home. They decorated our room for my birthday, brought me a carrot cake and sang to me on the beach, sent us champagne and dessert for the first night of our mini moon, and seemingly on endless other occasions, and just made our stay incredibly warm and special with small gestures throughout.

S T Y L E

For a warm weather vacation, I always recommend packing what I call in my mind a “breakfast dress”, meaning something chic you can throw on in the morning to grab a bite or coffee if you want to leave your room to do so. I brought this Tory Burch one with me this time, but here are a couple others I think would do the trick.

-Doen Ischia Dress

-Biasa dress

-Tory Burch

B E A U T Y

I brought this Westman Atelier highlighter with me that gives an extremely glassy highlight, which I loved for a tropical vacation vibe. You can see how it pops in photos.

W E L L N E S S

Naviva is the ultimate place for wellness. Any type of fresh juice you want, they can make. Kyle was actually feeling a tad under the weather and they gave him a tea every day that was “grandma’s recipe”, which I think contained aloe and coconut. They also made us turmeric/ginger/black pepper shots every morning.

Their spa is heavenly. It consists of two treatment pods you find via a winding jungle path. When you arrive there you lie down on the cabana bed and they wash your feet. You smell various oils and choose one for your massage, which was excellent by the way. After the massage they give you a little vegan snack and leave you alone to use the cedar hot tub and listen to the jungle sounds, before you use the outdoor shower to rinse off and make your way back out.

They also have an incredible meditation/yoga platform that looks out over the ocean, which is a perfect place to take in the sunset.

F O O D

The food at Naviva is ridiculous. Everything is so fresh and thoughtfully prepared. They will pretty much make you anything you ask for: there is no set menu really. They might have an Italian night, for example, with some dishes ready to go, but we did as much modifying as we wanted. Their Mexican family style night was incredible—braised pork shoulder, steak, shrimp and lobster served on a massive wood board with warm blue corn tortillas. Tacos like this are my idea of heaven.

The food is also stunningly beautiful, I might add. Their restaurant is simply called “the Kitchen”, because they want you to feel at home. And they have a master Raicilla distiller working on property to make an excellent Raicilla they keep in a jug on the bar that they often use in house cocktails. Pollo was our bartender and he crushed it every time.

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A R T + C U L T U R E

The Temazcal was a really cool experience. It has been around thousands of years, and obviously survived as an important cultural touchstone despite much resistance to it by the Spanish.

It’s basically a sweat lodge, where water containing different plants and herbs is poured over extremely hot lava rock to create steam. You sit total darkness, and the experience can be jarring at first—especially because once the door closes, you are NOT supposed to leave. When it first went dark, I thought I was going to have a panic attack, which I didn’t expect. Something about the darkness/wet air combo sneaks up on ya. Kyle told me he felt that moment of panic at the same time and apparently many people do, but if you can make it past that first moment its an incredibly meditative and spiritual experience. Not to mention good for you physically. If you ever have the opportunity to do one, I recommend it. I did it on my birthday and I felt light, joyful and at peace afterwards. I was nervous to do it at first, but am so glad we did.

Closing Curiosity

Since I was at Naviva over Thanksgiving (and my birthday), I just wanted to express my gratitude for all of you here. The fact that you are interested in my yappings is incredibly special to me, and I am so grateful for you all. I love writing and sharing the things I encounter and enjoy with you. So thank you, and here’s to an incredible holiday season. Here is a photo of us newlyweds on the beach at my 37th birthday dinner the Naviva staff so beautifully set up—I have rarely felt happier.

Opening Note

I was reflecting the other day on how far I have come in the last year, which is not an easy thing for me to do. I tend to think nothing is ever good enough, and I want to protect it in my circle of perfectionism until it is in fact perfect and I can show it to other people which is…wait for it…yeah, never. It is never perfect. And I guess…

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Opening Note

As you know, if you’ve been following me on IG or my substack, I launched a business a couple of weeks ago. Sorry I had to take some time off here—but that last month was a complete behemoth for me. I felt like that gif of the lady doing math at every moment with my to do list floating around in my head, trying to make sure everything was right without totally knowing what was right. Is that what parenting feels like? Or just being a fully formed adult in general? I am truly in awe of my friends who have kids and are entrepreneurs.

My incredible friend India de Beaufort told me that after she had her boy, she felt like a new part of her brain unlocked and she was just able to do more. Women really are astonishing, able to spin a million plates in the air. My fiancé sent me a video of a former Fortune 500 CEO discussing how there is no balance for women, just juggling. Just figuring it out as you go, not trying to do it all yourself but just make sure it gets done. I think sometimes it’s good to have too much going on, so no one thing feels too big, or too daunting. You just don’t have time to let it be! Forge ahead.

Me at my Privet (say the T!) Launch party at NAL studio in LA.

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The Cabinet

P L A C E S

Another Italy gem for you: Grottaglie. Listen, there is not much going on in this town other than ceramics. Kyle and I tried to have a cute vibey Italian summertime lunch there, but as Puglia can be in the summer, there was no way we could eat outside it was about 1000 degrees. It honestly felt like Vegas in August. I wouldn’t generally recommend going to Puglia during inferno season, but we chose to do that. Oh well! I dragged my fiancé to about five or six different ceramics shops which is exactly what he wanted to do. He actually did get about 10 espresso cups and saucers that he uses every day and are very cool. The first ones he got were a classic Puglian splatter in fun colors—great for a spring dinner party and about 3 euros a piece. Then we went to the one shop, that you must stop for, even if you only have one hour to detour into Grottaglie. Antonio Fasano. Don’t get confused by the many Fasanos. Definitely go to Antonio. Behold.

This is where i mention that PLACES and ART + CULTURE are combined this week, because this man is an Artist, capital A. His pieces are elevated, modern, elegant. Taste level 1000. He was there and he is also an absolute gem of a man. He was so curious how I planned to ship them back—which required a detour to the closest mailboxes etc. This was pre tariffs, but uncomplicated. I emphasized to the shipping lady molto ballato which is definitely the wrong way to say lots of bubble wrap, but I gestured heavily, so she got the gist. They arrived two weeks later in perfect condition. I couldn’t be happier!

S T Y L E

It’s fall now and I stopped in my tracks at the perfection of Margot Robbie in this photo. When I found this blazer and jeans at Sézane, I immediately grabbed them to recreate the vibe. Perfection at a much more accessible price point, but size up a bit in the blazer.

B E A U T Y

So I did sofwave. I have to say I loved the immediate results. It uses heat to rebuild collagen without melting any fat. My doctor (Dr. Fincher) told me the results would sort of go away after a week and then return for about a year. But the snatchedness immediately post was arresting. In a verrryyy good way, I was like omg am I Rosie Huntington-Whitely now?? TBD on results 8 weeks out. It wasn’t intolerable from a pain perspective and I only had 20 minutes to numb. Keep you posted.

W E L L N E S S

I have been having some stiffness and swelling around my knee. Why? Who knows? Tightness? Autoimmune reaction? Stress? All of the above? I have been using this dry brush and I definitely feel like its helping with some of the fluid retention around my knee, and it’s a great way to lightly exfoliate before a shower.

F O O D

There is a guy named Michael in LA who is an excellent Baker. And his last name is…Baker. It’s almost like it was meant to be! He uses extremely expensive high quality ingredients for all his cookies (the plain ol’ choco chip are my favorite). I feel like this is still kind of an IYKYK thing at the moment but I just know this guy is gonna blow up. Kyle and I met him because he used to work at The Bird Streets Club, but he’s now baking full time. Which I could’t be happier to support. It’s his namesake for goodness’ sake. Check them out.

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Closing Curiosity

In a pinch needing to refresh a piece of clothing? I wanted to share a trick I learned from a costume department: vodka in a spray bottle. Spray on clothes at armpits/all over for a refresh. Works shockingly well (less well with synthetics). I carry a little spray bottle in my toiletry kit when I travel and it is a hack I cannot live without. This is a busy adult juggling tactic I can certainly get behind. Happy spritzing!

Opening Note

Summer always goes by too quickly. Personally, I always wish there were more time for travel. I usually fit New York in every summer to visit my dear Sabrina of The Spring, but somehow that didn’t happen this year. I decided to prioritize resting, though I haven’t been able to get much of that either between starting a new Hulu pilot, laun…

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Opening Note

The last couple of weeks has been absolutely bonkers. I did my photoshoot for Privet, which took up a ton of physical and mental energy, but I am incredibly excited to share the gorgeous imagery by Claire Leahy soon on our website and our Instagram. If you ever need a photographer/videographer here in LA I was so wowed by them— creatively a…

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Opening Note

I think a lot about luck. It’s easy to be pessimistic. As I get older I feel like luck is completely perceived, and mostly through gratitude.

I am starting a business, Privet Beauty (give us your email!) which is launching this fall. It has taken me over two years to get the right formula, manufacturing partner, branding and vision, comp…

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The Opening Note

I’ve been thinking about what “In good taste” means. Obviously it is subjective. But in terms of personal style—across fashion, beauty, interior design, I feel that “good taste” is defined by someone’s point of view, as an individual. For example, my Dad’s house is probably kinda wild to the average eye. There is a lot of trompe l’oeil…

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The Opening Note

Welcome to my Substack! I’ve been thinking about starting one for the last year, and have finally pulled the trigger. I was feeling like I wanted to talk more online about the things I’m into, how I find them, and what I think about them…but I’ve realized that creating reels doesn’t allow me to express myself the same way as this longer…

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