New Music Discovery: Public Library Commute

It’s amazing the kind of recollection our brains have when it comes to music. Like smell, a familiar song can take you back to a specific place, time or even feeling, all after just a couple bars played.

My latest song recollection isn’t as poetic as that previous paragraph sounded, but led to me to putting a name to a new-to-me-artist, which is one of my intentions for this year.

A little backstory: I’m a big fan of Mojave’s weekly vlogs – she’s a NYC fashion worker who documents her adventures around the city and in her kitchen. Our aesthetic tastes are similar, and her minimalist downtown vibe is just so chic.

Her vlog also features an assortment of indie pop musicians – one of them being Public Library Commute.

This is the song that originally caught my ear:

Conrad Hsiang is the man behind the Public Library Commute moniker. His music is dreamy, floaty and uplifting, it’s the perfect indie-pop playlist for a warm summer afternoon. It’s fitting that his song “Summertime” is his most popular on Spotify, but it’s his EP 1000 Summers that landed him on some of Spotify’s biggest playlists.

Given the temps outside right now, Public Library Commute’s music is the perfect listen to transport you somewhere warm.

Listen Here:

Listen on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/public-library-commute/1399000945

2022 Intentions

Manifest Mural at Columbus Idea Foundry, Columbus, OH

It’s a full week into 2022, and I’m still not sure I’m ready to put pen to paper and outline New Year’s resolutions and goals. I am going to allow myself more grace in really thinking and outlining what I want them to be, and why I have them. But an email this week from Together Digital, a women in tech group I belong to, got me thinking about yearly intentions. You see…

A resolution is unforgiving, focuses on the negative (what you can’t do), and strives for perfection.

Whereas an intention is more forgiving, focuses on the positive (what you can do) and strives for better.

I love that intentions are about forgiveness and let you tip-toe into the accountability of goals. To be honest, I’m not ready for that full accountability yet. I’m still adjusting to this omicron-induced whiplash that seemingly came out of nowhere and that’s OKAY.

It’s also important to me to make note of some positive things I started doing in 2021. Things that I’d love to continue into 2022, in addition to the new things that I want to learn and do this year. This intention list isn’t finite – it’s a draft I hope to add to as the year progresses.

CONTINUE:

• Physical movement: I’m really proud that I closed my Apple Watch exercise ring almost every day in 2021. Those 30+ minutes a day of physical movement filled my cup physically and even more mentally, and I really want to continue this commitment to exercise in 2022.

• Making More Music Playlists: comfort tunes have been getting me through pandemic, but I have been actively trying to discover new (to-me) artists and their music more often. I want to continue this musical discovery this year, and who knows? Maybe I’ll share some new tunes in this space.

LEARN:

• TikTok: I know learning TikTok sounds ridiculous (and really old), but creating for TikTok is something I want to experiment with. A good chunk of this intention is for my day job, but I love that TikTok still has the “anything goes” ethos, so it feels a bit safer to experiment there than any of the other social networks.

• Winged Eyeliner: I adore Katie Jane Hughes and her Instagram tutorials. I share a lot of similar facial feature with her, most notably our hooded eyes. Katie does these AMAZING winged eyeliner looks on her hooded eyes, always creating tutorials on how to do them. I really, really want to learn how to do this technique this year, I just need to DO IT.

• Beachy hair: during holiday break, I didn’t blow-dry my hair once. (Yes, that’s how often I left the house). I braided my hair into two French braids every time I washed it, letting it air dry for at least 36 hours. I LOVED the result the braids created – effortless, beachy waves that lasted for almost three full days. I would love to be able to recreate this look in a shorter amount of time so that I can mix up my style from my normal long and straight into something a little more undone.

DO:

• Visit somewhere I’ve never been: in year’s past, I’ve always said I wanted to get out of the country. But given the uncertainty of travel restrictions this year, I really just want to be inspired by going somewhere I’ve never been.

• Organize my jewelry: I’m lucky to have accumulated that jewelry that I have, but most of its sits unworn, because it’s tucked into dust bags where I can’t see it. I have every intention of organizing it very soon, there are currently 4 MUJI acrylic containers in my house waiting to be filled to showcase it.

• Hand care: between all the hand-washing, hand sanitizer and cold weather, my hands are wrecked (and look old!) They need the same amount of TLC that I give my skin, and I’m putting this intention here to remind myself to do so.

• Take a new headshot: confession: I’m officially one of those people who’s LinkedIn headshot is a little too dated. I need to shoot a new headshot picture this year to spruce up my professional profiles, even if said headshot is just a really fancy iphone pic taken by someone else.

• Visit art galleries: I love a good solo trip to an art museum, but when it comes to visiting art galleries I get too chicken to check them out. I want to go beyond Instagram stalking this year and physically visit galleries, in Columbus and elsewhere, to appreciate more art than just the classics to gain inspiration.

• Share more: I keep things pretty close to vest a lot of the time, happy to exist in my head or open up to a trusted circle of people. This year I’d like to dip my toe into sharing a bit more, on the internet and in person, giving people more than the small one-sided view that I am most comfortable sharing.

What to buy at Ulta's 2022 Love Your Skin Event

It’s the most wonderful time, of the year…

Yes, I get the irony of using that phrase on January 2nd. But if you’re a skincare lover like me, it is a wonderful time because Ulta’s Love Your Skin event is BACK.

I LOVE this sale. More than all of their others. It’s so approachable, introducing me to some amazing products at half-price that I’ve grown to LOVE.

So if you’re looking to ramp up your skincare routine or just stocks up on some of your faves, here are my picks for what’s worth buying at this year’s event.

Ulta’s Love Your Skin event runs from January 2 – 22. Don’t forget to check their app for extra deals if you’re a platinum or diamond member.

January 2: NuFace Trinity Facial Toning Device

Ulta is kicking off this sale (and 2022!) with a bang – with NuFace! This price is great for the full size version – I own the mini and love it. I use it a couple times a week and have noticed quite and improvement in my skin. It only adds 10 minutes to your night routine – so worth it for the results.

January 3: Skyn Iceland Firming Eye Gels

These eye gels are so convenient for travel, they’re not super goopy and won’t make a mess in you bag. What I love most about them is they DON’T BUDGE after you put them on, you don’t have to worry about them slipping and sliding around your face. At this price they’re a steal – no wonder Patrick Ta uses them on all his clients!

January 4: Live Tinted Eye Masks & Banila Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm

I’ve been hearing for years how beloved Banila balm is in k-beauty circles, so I thrilled to see it for the first time during this year’s event. Definitely picking this up for sure. I’m also a sucker for cutely shaped eye masks, so definitely picking up these Live Tinted eye masks for the first time as well.

January 7: COSRX Treatment Toner

Another *want to try* product for me, this Treatment Toner has been in my “save for later” shopping bag for years. My current Indie Lee toner is almost out, which is perfect timing to pick this one up.

January 9: Sunday Riley Power Couple Mini Kit

Good Genes is one of my holy grail products. It’s desert island for me. If you’ve never tried Good Genes and always wanted to, this mini size is a steal to test out this cult lactic acid treatment. Just remember: don’t use it daily when trying it out :)

January 14: Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover

This stuff is legendary, it’s the best for removing heavy eye makeup, hands down. As events and nights out hopefully start to pickup here soon, this eye makeup remover is great to have on hand for stubborn waterproof mascaras and glitter eyeshadows. Just add some to a cotton pad, hold it in place over your eye, and let the product work its magic and remove everything.

January 15: Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkly Smoothing Eye Cream

If you only buy one thing from this sale, BUY THIS. This eye cream is another holy grail product of mine, especially when using it at night. (This entire line from Shiseido is fantastic.) Your eyes wake up brighter, smoother, and refreshed - regardless of how many hours of shut-eye you got the night before.

January 16: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

This stuff is so legendary, famous beauty editor Alex Steinherr refers to it by ANR only. It’s the perfect nighttime serum to follow your retinols or acids - add a layer of hydration of this serum before your heavy creams and moisturizers and wait for the amazing results. In winter, I’ll even use this when my skin needs a little extra TLC, its perfect on those skin rehab days when it gets super cold. And you guessed right, of course it's a holy grail/desert island list too.

January 20: Elemis Cleansing Balm

This cleansing balm has been part of this event for a couple years, and each time I’ve been meaning to pick it up to try. Normally I can’t justify spending $60 for a face cleanser, but at $32, it might be time to finally add this one to my cart.

Top 10 Favourite Purchases of 2021

Wow, what a journey this year has been. Like many, my year was spent on the rollercoaster of despair, hope, and anxiety, influenced by the uncertainty the pandemic continues to wreak on our lives.

As we end year 2 of this , there were some items that I found that helped to ease the anxiety and lean into the hope that this year provided. Self-care, home nurturing, events and more – each of these things I purchased helped make this year easier for me, and why I share them with you.

In no particular order, here are ten of the items I purchased and loved this year.

1. Athleta Altitude Tight in Polartec Power Stretch

If I’m being totally honest, I picked these Athletia tights up on a whim before this year’s Columbus Marathon as soon as I saw the temperatures were going to plummet the day of the race. I’m so glad I did. They’re warm, comfortable, and block the wind – they kept me toasty outdoors cheering on runners for 5+ hours on Marathon morning. I’m pumped I’ll have these for my outdoor walks in January/February.

2. GHD 2” Max Styler 2-Inch Wide Plate Flat Iron

Back to the office this year meant back to styling my hair and I knew I needed to upgrade my hair tools. After quizzing my hair stylist for her favourite brands, she recommended I try GHD (thanks Melissa!), and a Nordstrom sale later I picked this one up. The wider width is perfect for my thick hair, leaving it straight and shiny in just minutes, perfect for my (always) hectic mornings.

3. Supergoop Glowscreen/Tula Protect & Glow

Like many during the pandemic, I ditched Foundation as part of my makeup routine. Because it was my source for my daily SPF, suddenly I needed to find sunscreen to wear that wasn’t the sport version I use on the weekends. These two sunscreens are the perfect replacement, fantastic primers underneath concealer and liquid or cream blush/bronzer, and the glow they provide makes you lit from within. I love Glowscreen in the summer when I’m sporting a bit more colour, when the weather dips Protect & Glow’s transparency works fabulous with my paler skin tone.

Cheesin’ with my new CR-V Hybrid (old CR-V in the back!)

4. 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid

I’m laughing that a purchase of this size is alongside sunscreen and leggings, but I really did just replace my old Honda CR-V for a new, more environmentally friendly version this year. And while the new features (leather, satellite radio) are nice to have, it’s the hybrid engine that put this purchase in the top 10. It’s a dream to drive in downtown city traffic – it zipped around downtown Toronto like a breeze. I find myself avoiding freeways where I can to keep my gas mileage high, having not yet dipped below 35 mpg since owning it. Shout out to Mo, my awesome dealer agent, for a smooth-sailing purchase experience.

5. Tickets to Arts performances

It was soul feeding to experience live music, art and theatre again this year. Admittedly, most of the performances I saw this year I purchased tickets for in 2019, but actually being able to redeem them provided some much-needed culture and was healing I new I was needing. From Alanis to Fiddler, Warhol to Van Gogh, gosh it was so great to experience live art again.

6. Loeffler Randall Marine Shoulder Bag

Thanks to COVID, I’m still trying to master the art of the schlep, making sure I have everything a need when leaving this house. This Loeffler Randall bag lets me carry my world on my shoulder and look stylish while doing so. The leather is buttery soft and surprisingly durable, and the interiors allow me to fit things of every shape and size inside it. Mask pouches, hand sanitizer, wallet, glasses, etc – all of it fits and fits with my aesthetic too.

7. HAY PC table lamp

I still remember the now-iconic line that Carrie Bradshaw narrated in the second SATC movie, the one where she talks about cheating on fashion with furniture. While I’m just starting to get some of my pre-pandemic fashion mojo back, my interiors style really started to hone-in this year, stronger than ever. This PC table lamp is part of that style, but also substantial, it anchors a counter in my kitchen for some much needed soft-light now that the nights are ridiculously long. Designed by Danish designers HAY, I love its modern look, it’s touch dimmer, and also its durability, it’s so easy to clean when exposed to those accidental kitchen spills.

8. Boll and Branch Waffle Bed Blanket

I was influenced, I admit it. But for the record, the blanket on my bed I had been using since my first job out of college. The hype is real on this Boll and Branch waffle bed blanket – it’s the perfect light blanket to keep you warm, or cool, on any given night. It’s lightweight, but not too light, long enough on all sides, and has kept its shape beautifully after numerous turns through the washing machine. Bedding is one of those items where you actually notice a huge difference in quality, it this upgrade is so worth the extra good night’s sleep.

9. Meza Rose Wine Subscription

Staying safe and supporting local have been hugely important to me during COVID and this rose wine subscription from Meza Wine Shop checked both of those boxes. More than that, the roses delivered were of AMAZING quality, much better than the variety you’d find at the grocery store. The personal touches were what really made this a fave: included in your hand-delivered box each month was a printout of the origin of each wine, tasting notes, and pairing suggestions, all curated by the small team at Meza. I was super bummed to have to cancel when our return-to-office became a reality, but look forward to ordering my faves again from this local gem.

The Toronto sign in Nathan Philips Square at night

10. Trip to Toronto

Technically this isn’t something tangible to include on this list, but neither were the arts tickets I listed above. Like those tickets, this trip home was therapy for the soul. Previous to August it had been over two years since I’d been home to Canada, the entire trip was emotional starting from the completely empty border crossing, all the way through to stopping for a fast-food fave (Harveys!) on the way back. Some of my favourite purchases from home include stopping at Dillon’s for a bottle of Dill Pickle vodka, picking up butter tarts from Pusateri’s, discovering a new artist at the AGO (Matthew Wong), and relishing in the amazingness that is the Toronto fashion scene (Aritzia, Holt Renfrew, Blu Boho, etc). You never know how much you miss home until you can’t go to it, and boy was I thankful for this trip this year.

 Cheers to 2022 and more great finds along the way!

31 Shoes in 31 Days: Day 17

Shoes have always been a cornerstone of my wardrobe, they’re part of my signature style. As the world starts to open up and we venture out again, I’m sharing a sneak peek into some of my collection, and the story each pair has to tell.

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This morning I was looking back on these entries and started to notice a theme appearing, repetition in the way I style a significant size of my shoe closet. It’s the juxtaposition of masculine and feminine.

There might be no greater way to show this than this next pair I’m sharing – these Botkier Violet Loafers. I have worn these loafers to their almost demise, I reach for them that often. And after reading back to my previous entries, it is so obvious why.

They’re the perfect mashup of masculine and feminine. A patent leather black loafer, topped with an oversized fabric bow on each toe. They work because they’re monochrome, the textures of each tone down the other.

It will be of no shock that I pair these most with ankle-length trousers or denim, but my absolute favourite way to wear these is with a pair of black leggings, an oversized tunic sweater and an oversized blazer. I love how the loafers balance out the blazer and elevate the sweater and leggings.

Botkier Violet Loafer | H&M Tan Teddy Coat (old)