01: 13 Things I'm Loving, Doing, Wearing, Reading, Eating & Listening To
Thrifted designer bags, espresso martinis, a Plum Sykes novel, ear piercings, Amber Mark's new song & more.
Welcome to my first ever “THIRTEEN THINGS” post. Every month on the 13th I’m sharing 13 things I’m loving, obsessing over, and can’t get enough of—from movies and TV shows to music, cocktails, restaurants, outings, and new + old pieces in my wardrobe.
01: “THIRTEEN THINGS”
Meeting new friends
My new book, Thirteen Emotions
Going to concerts
Running + my new workout gear
Gold jewelry
Thrifted designer bags
Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes
Magazine subscriptions
Espresso martinis
Tequila martinis at Dante
Golden Bachelorette
Won’t Cry by Amber Mark
Creating my own playlists
Meeting new friends
When we first moved to Los Angeles at the beginning of 2023, I felt like I was thrown into the whirlwind of a new life in a new city with relatively new human beings to care for. It was a lot to handle. However, now that we’ve been here for approaching two years, I feel like I’ve really settled into life. I know my way around, I know some cute spots, and I’m excited about exploring the city with some good girlfriends by my side.
At first, I was only trying to make mom friends. After all, I figured it was easier to meet up with people in the same boat as me who also had to work around nap schedules and fussiness and the terrible twos. But as the months have gone on, I’ve really enjoyed having a handful of childless girlfriends who can meet for a post-bedtime cocktail or a nap time brunch.
I’ve always been super social with a quality group of friends around. However, as exciting as it is to move to a new city, it can also feel lonely and isolating. Especially when you throw in being a mom of twin toddlers. Trying to make new friends as a mom in your thirties can, at times, feel harder than getting my twins to brush their teeth.
Shout out to Bumble BFF, Peanut, and Threads for helping me connect with other likeminded women.
Finally being able to release my book
After months and months of writing, editing, and waiting, I’m able to publish my collection of short stories called Thirteen Emotions. That (above) is the smile of an authoress who is finally going to have her work out there! As I’m sure many creatives feel at one point or another, I’m sick to death of my first book. If I never saw it again, it would be too soon. Out with the old, and in with the new(ly published).
Of course, I’ll always be proud of The Manhattan Mishap but it’s time for her to take a hike (or perhaps a spa retreat is more on-brand) and let Thirteen Emotions get some attention.
By the way: Have you added Thirteen Emotions to your shelf on Goodreads yet? Every add, like, review helps me so much. Remember—behind every self-published book is an author who worked their manicure to the bone to bring it to you. When you post about my book, it helps me reach new readers, which in turn helps me grow my fanbase and sell more books.
I write more, you read more. It’s a win/win.
Going to see live music
My husband and I love going to concerts. There is something about drinks and live music that makes for the best date nights. And since moving to LA, concerts have been out of this world. The most recently show we saw was Usher. He killed it. Victoria Monét was in the audience looking absolutely beautiful, too.
Next up we’re seeing Jazmine Sullivan (my dream!!) with Maxwell and later this month, Kehlani with Flo. I’ve been wanting to see Jazmine Sullivan for at least a decade and am finally getting to. Although, I wish it were her show and not her opening a show.
We’ve seen Flo twice now and this will be the third time. The other two times were at Fonda Theatre and it was their own show. This time it’s a bigger venue, but they’re opening up for Kehlani. It’ll be interesting to see how their set changes or how they perform this time around. I can’t wait to hear Bending My Rules live.
Running + my new workout gear
Today I’m going to try an outdoor run for the first time in forever. The last time I did an outdoor run, I was a few months postpartum and then the following week, I threw out my back. Between figuring out life with two new twin babies and healing, I completely lost track of my love for running.
My dad was a big runner. He ran 56KM marathons… for fun. Who does that? (I say lovingly.) It sounds like torture. Admittedly, I’m more of a 5 kilometre kinda girl—which, I recently learned was 3.1 miles. I guess since I live in Los Angeles now I’ll have to start learning the kilometres to miles and Celsius to Fahrenheit conversions… but then again, maybe not.
Anyway, for the 10-year anniversary of my dad’s passing on October 13th, I decided to honour him with an outdoor run. He loved running through forests and along rural trails. Me? I’m more of a treadmill person, but I want to start switching things up now and then. Upon making these plans, I realized it had been a solid six years since I’d bought new running shoes or any running clothes that I’d feel confident wearing in public.
And that takes me to my workout go-to: Saucony. When I was living in Sydney, Australia a decade ago, I went in search of super supportive running shoes that would help with my bad knees and shin splits. The guy at the store recommended Saucony and even though they were ugly as sin I decided to give them a go. Turns out, they’re amazing. So I went all out this time and bought new runners, shorts, tops, and socks. Catch me looking fly in my new ‘fit jogging through Hollywood.
Gold jewelry
Lots and lots of gold jewelry. And let’s be clear: yellow gold. No silver, no rose gold. I’d been searching for months for a new belly ring—a gold one, of course—with no luck. Finally, I went into Mejuri on Melrose and asked the piercer there if she could recommend a spot. She told me about Ancient Adornments that was a quick jaunt up the street. I left my husband drinking 818 Palomas while I went browsing for body jewels.
I left there with a new stud for my cartilage, a hoop for my conch, and—yay!—a new blingy belly ring. They were super friendly, knowledgable, and had a cute & extensive selection of earrings and jewelry. I’ll definitely be back there. Not only because in 6-8 weeks I have to get my cartilage changed to a shorter post, but because I’m seriously considering getting a 4th lobe piercing in my right ear alongside a tragus piercing.
Does anyone have their tragus pierced? What should I know? I found this article helpful in helping decide if I want one or not.
Thrifted designer bags
Does it count as “wearing” if it’s a purse? There are a couple of thrifted bags that I can’t get enough of right now. First, the Marc Jacobs one I got for a total steal at The Council Shops. Guess how much it was? Actually, forget it—you’d never guess how much it was because it was so outrageous that even my jaw collapsed into my Cult Gaia sandals. It was an unbelievable twenty-five dollars. And completely worth every single buck.
The second bag I’m loving is a mini logo-print Dior saddlebag I scored at Reformation Vintage on Melrose. How cuuute is it? I feel outrageously 90s when I carry it—in the best way. The other day I paired it with a black zip-up long-sleeve shirt, black knitted Jacquemus bike shorts, and kitten heel flip-flops, and with my short bob, I felt exactly like Victoria Beckham in one of her effortlessly cool street style snaps from 25 years ago.
Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes
I’m currently reading Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes. If you haven’t ever read one of her books, I implore you go to your local bookstore right now and pick one up! (You can finish reading this post on the app.) Start with Bergdorf Blondes and if it’s up your catwalk, read the rest.
Wives Like Us is written in a hilarious voice with colourful characters, style, sass, and satirical wit. Set in the British countryside, we meet a crop of chic and fabulously glamorous people who look as gorgeous as they are conniving. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s everything I could hope to write myself one day. Grab a copy of Wives Like Us here.
Magazine subscriptions
For my birthday this year, I treated myself to subscriptions to both W and Vogue magazines. It’s been years since I last had a magazine subscription and figured it was about time. I think it was walking by all the news stands in LA that inspired me; I’m constantly checking out the racks of glossy mags as I walk by and wondering which would make a good addition to my ever-expanding collection.
I bought Vogue for more nostalgic reasons: I grew up reading it, I already have a big Vogue collection, and it is, whether you want to admit it or not, iconic. However, W is much more up my alley these days. I love the style, the aesthetic, the photography, the articles. It’s my *chef’s kiss* of magazines right now. Whenever it arrives in the mail, my twins and I curl up on the couch with an iced matcha for me and “baby matchas” (milk with green food colouring) for them and devour it cover-to-cover.
Espresso martinis
It’s currently so trendy that I almost loathe saying it but… I can’t stop drinking espresso martinis. And making them at home. My sister made a batch of coffee caramel liqueur that she gifted to my husband and I last Christmas and let me tell you, it adds the perfect somethin’ somethin’ to a homemade espresso martini.
As for espresso martinis in the wild, the one I had last week at Employees Only was excellent. Instead of whole coffee beans on top, they use shaved beans. Kinda cool, right? It apparently adds a better flavour. I also discovered that they do espresso martini towers! I’m obsessed with champagne towers, so an espresso martini one seems like the natural next step. Any new friends wanna go get a martini tower and gossip about Love is Blind?
Tequila martinis
Have you ever had a tequila martini? No, not a margarita. A martini. A few weeks ago on a double date night at Dante, I ordered one and it changed my life. Or at least changed the way I’ll be ordering martinis from now on. I’ve never seen one made with tequila anywhere else. By no means am I a cocktail connoisseur so they might be lurking on every menu at every restaurant, but I personally haven’t witnessed it.
Golden Bachelorette
What started out as a guilty watching pleasure has quickly turned into a go-to show. I used to only watch reality shows with my Grammy when I’d go back home and stay with my grandparents. After she’d passed, I asked my husband if he’d mind watching an episode or two of 90 Day Fiancé as a way to honour her on the one-year anniversary of her death. He obliged.
And five years later, we’re still watching cheesy reality shows. My Grammy was obsessed with The Bachelor and always had hopes of me or my best friend being on the show. (Fun fact: we did film an audition video but I don’t know what happened to it.) Although my husband and I can’t get into the OG Bachelor shows, we are loving the golden ones.
We were way too invested in the first season and were crushed that Joan went home early. Although, now it’s like a silver (or perhaps golden?) lining that she got to come back and be the star of her own season. Right now my top five picks are: Mark, Jordan, Guy, Dan, and Pascal. What about you?
Won’t Cry by Amber Mark
I’m calling it now: it’s going to be a Shake A$s Autumn. Have you noticed all of the dance-y songs lately? Well, since Renaissance really. One song I’m loving lately is Won’t Cry by Amber Mark. I first heard it while I was driving to a 26 & 2 class at Hot 8 Yoga and I immediately turned up the volume. When I do my run today, I’ll be blasting it into my AirPods too.
And speaking of AirPods, I recently got a pair of new ones with noise cancelling that kind of make me feel like I’m as far under the ocean as the Titanic but are also amazing. Although, I won’t be running in public with them on noise cancelling. I’m sure all women can relate.
Creating my own playlists
In another life, I might be a playlist creator. I love it. My husband never creates playlists, just adds songs to his library, and it baffles me. I need all the songs I love organized into different moods for different occasions. One of the reasons I love hosting parties is because I get to make a killer playlist of songs that fit the vibe of the night.
One of the most recent playlists I’ve created is the one to accompany my new book, Thirteen Emotions. The mood is, in a word, emotional. Obviously. There are gut-wrenching songs by Mariah Carey, Victoria Monet, Destiny’s Child. It’s the perfect playlist to listen to while you wait for your copy of Thirteen Emotions to arrive in the mail.
Listen to the Thirteen Emotions playlist here:
Other posts I’m loving:
—MMM
Ps. Nothing in this post is sponsored. I’m just writing about everything and linking to it because I genuinely love it.