First, it’s my pleasure to tell you I actually bought something from a catalog. You probably already know I love stationery and sending (and receiving!) mail. For the past few months I’ve participated in Penpalooza through which I’ve cultivated relationships with five delightful pen pals domestic and abroad, and I guess I’ve finally purchased enough stamps to end up on the mailing list for the USPS catalog. I didn’t know such a thing existed but now that I have it I feel like I’m a member of a top secret elite mail club. After perusing its pages I ordered these espresso stamps. If you want mail reply to this email with your address. I’ve ordered lots of beautiful stationery lately like these custom foil-print flat cards, these charming letterpress lemon sheets, these cat sheets that look EXACTLY like my cat (I haven’t sent these to anyone yet because I like them too much), and this pack of retro-colored Le Pen pens I picked up while cavorting about on Abbot Kinney now that I have those sweet sweet antibodies.
That’s right friends, I am OUT. And ABOUT. Ready for a full-on rumspringa situation. I’m fully vaccinated with two beautiful doses of Pfizer and I am grateful for modern medicine and for American exceptionalism working in my favor. And if I’m going to be out and about I need a new look. Have you looked in your closet lately? Have you, like me, forgotten what you used to wear? Do you have an insatiable lust for OUTFITS? How about jewelry? My vaccination present to myself is this herringbone chain from Mejuri. I went in person to the Mejuri on Melrose and bought this. It looks like liquid gold on, I’m obsessed. It’s delightful to find something you like, try it on, and buy it, all at once. I’m tired of the delayed gratification and uncertainty of online shopping. I still did some online jewelry shopping though. I want to make a statement so I picked up some statement-making earrings. First, I got these fabulously 90s thick hoops from Leila+Mae. They’re a tad heavy but they’re eye catching. Then, after an intense period of searching, I found the perfect pair of large endless hoops. I don’t know about you but I hate hoops with an open back, my hair gets stuck in them (and don’t even get me started on masks!). I wanted a BIG hoop which can be tricky to find. These are truly perfect - the gold fill is a gorgeous color (nowhere near too yellow), they’re incredibly lightweight, and now I can fulfill my big hoop fantasy. My ears are ready for this summer. Do you want to see some Instagram story earring selfies? Sure you do. Why wouldn’t you? Am I making essentially the same face in both of them? Obviously. I know my angles!
This. Summer. I will be serving looks. All looks all the time. If I’m leaving my apartment for more than a dog walk I’m going to be fucking killing it. My quest for the perfect black leather crossbody continues (let me know if you have one) but I did find the perfect summer statement top I didn’t know I needed: this cotton eyelet top from Everlane (seen above). Other recent acquisitions:
A completely impractical dry clean only silk top (seen above)
A not-quite-olive fuzzy top that lets me feel my 90s Contempo Casuals fantasy
The logo-forward Baggu fanny pack I’ve had my eye on for months
This absolutely stunning hand beaded brooch that says “Merde”
I’ll also be serving face this summer. I made a very reasonable purchase from the Sephora sale, just this clean makeup set and a mini L’Occitane hand cream. I really love the Ilia multistick that came in the set, it’s a nice warm nude and it looks good on both lips and cheeks. And I’ve been looking for a replacement in the category after Bite discontinued theirs (RIP Cashew multistick). Plus, it’s full size and buying it on its own is actually more expensive than this set - great value. My other fave from the set is the Glowscreen from Supergoop, which I don’t want to like, and now do. I also picked up old favorites in new colors from Glossier: Cloud Paint in Beam and Gen G in Cake. I guess I’m a peach person now! These look great with my brown hair.
Want to know an opulent thing I did recently? I ordered a box of a dozen macarons that can only be picked up once a week during a one hour window. I didn’t get the pickup address until after I ordered and when I pulled up in front of an unmarked brick building I had to call a number and then they were brought out to my car. They’re the best macarons I’ve ever had. I also went to the French café by my apartment (where the owner humors me when I speak my limited French to her and gives me free almond croissants) and bought 250g of French butter that I’m slathering on everything. To wash it all down I finally got my hands on Current Cassis. I’ve been anxiously awaiting their distribution to Los Angeles and I’m so glad they’re here. I’m sipping a little over ice as I write this. Additionally I’m having a love affair with these can releases from Las Jaras Wines - I had to call three natural wine stores before I found them and I snagged all three varietals (red, white, rosé). If you can find these near you run don’t walk.
Media consumption. What are we loving? I just binged the Halston series on Netflix in one day and Ewan McGregor can do no wrong but when you’re done with it you need to follow it up with Rachel Syme’s New Yorker piece. Books? I just finished No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood and it was absolutely brilliant. Currently reading Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu, also brilliant. April 24 was Independent Bookstore Day (which is when I bought No One Is Talking About This) and I snagged a few limited edition items: this very cute canvas pouch and some hard-to-find Blackwing pencils. I journeyed to LA’s cookbook bookstore Now Serving to pick up the Julia Child issue of Cherry Bombe which sold out on their site immediately. I can’t wait for them to reopen for in-store browsing so I can buy more cookbooks to take up space in my apartment while I make the same pasta thing for the zillionth time. On the topic of niche magazines, I discovered a delightful publication called Club Sandwich, a bilingual French food-focused periodical (book? work of art?), and immediately bought both issues that were in stock at my local bookstore. On repeat we have my Antibodies playlist for all your adventures in the outside world. I can’t wait to see you there.
Yours in materialism,
liz
PS If it wasn’t clear above, I was being flippant with the American exceptionalism thing. American exceptionalism is a dangerous myth. Capitalism is a disease. Love you <3