Last week, I felt a little blah. It was a pretty slow week in the office, following several packed weeks (it's the calm before the holiday storm), and I just felt unmotivated. I decided the best prescription was to do something every day that inspired me in some way. Here's how it ended up shaking out:
Monday - Lecture and Book Shopping I went with my friend Betsy to see the founders of @everyoutfitonsatc at The Wing, then spent an hour wandering a favorite bookstore solo,
Tuesday - Walk with Friends: I went on a long walk with a girlfriend to check out Halloween decorations
Wednesday - Author "Deep Dive" I did a deep-dive on a new author (more below!),
Thursday - Saw a Play I saw Mike Birbiglia's show The New One (which I recommend if you're in L.A.!)
Friday - Girls' Weekend I drove to a Hipcamp cabin near Santa Clarita, for a quiet girls' weekend!
By mid-week, I felt so refreshed and inspired, I'm planning on doing the same this week! Today, my friend Evangeline (who you may remember took these photos) offered to take engagement photos of Jonah and me, in exchange for us posing for a project she's working on, then there's another chat at The Wing, and I'm seeing Parasite Wednesday! What are some of your favorite ways to get inspired? Here's what else I'm loving this week:
I have a confession to make: I've heard Joan Didion's name a million times but had somehow never actually read a word she's written (eek!). This week, I decided to fill that hole in my knowledge by basically creating a Joan Didion class for myself. I readher memoir The Year of Magical Thinking (which reminded me of Dani Shapiro's Hourglass, which I also loved) and her novel Play It As It Lays, watched the documentary, The Center Will Not Hold, and read countless New Yorker pieces by and about her. It felt uniquely inspiring to organize an entire week around a single subject, and now I can actually speak with authority about Didion (who I now love). I'm considering doing the same for other authors and influential women I have only a surface-level knowledge about. Next up? Nora Ephron-but please send suggestions my way!!
Remember the decade-old denim Madewell jacket I mentioned in my stories a while ago? I'm still considering replacing it since it's passed the threshold from cool and distressed into threadbare, but in the meantime, I spent some time looking up patches on Etsy and found some really beautiful ones that would be an inexpensive way to dress up any denim jacket, basic sweater, or canvas tote! I love these thistles, Goliath beetles, tigers, pearl in shell, and maple leaves, though this store is my favorite!
After seeing the founders of @everyoutfitonsatc, I couldn't help but wonder: How did Sex and the City, a truly watershed show, get greenlit? A quick Google led me to the Origins Podcast by James Andrew Miller, where he interviewed the creatives and cast (except for, you guessed it, Kim Cattrall) about their experiences being on the show. The episodes were released a year ago, but they're such a fun and juicy listen, I'd recommend them to any SATC fan!
P.S., If you haven't already listened to Jess on The Lowlight Reel podcast, you should! It was such an inspiring and informative listen-whether you know little about her career trajectory, or sit next to her every day at work ;) Listen here!
If you live in L.A.... Go see Mike Birbiglia performing his one-man show The New One at the Ahmanson, which opened last week! In it, he talks about his experience not wanting kids, through the birth of his daughter, Oona. It's such a hilarious, honest show, I literally couldn't catch my breath I was laughing so hard at some points. Also, tickets to the AFI Fest go on sale in two days. You can find information about the events here!
All Rights Reserved © 2024
