Pictured above: Sectional / Photography / Sconces
I’m back in Connecticut at my desk after a fun last-minute overnight to Manhattan with two of my best girlfriends. One of them got a new job and had some time off in between so we booked a night in the West Village, massages at The Well, a dinner at Cecchi’s, and played the rest by ear. We ended up leaving Sunday morning and getting there in time to drop our bags at Walker Hotel. We got lucky that it was a beautiful, 65-degree March day so we walked around the village doing some shopping until lunch at Cafe Cluny, an old favorite of all of us.
It was a very quick but very fun overnight with lots of good conversation, good food, and the best company. I felt so guilty doing it at first but our kids were all happy and taken care of and it made me realize that getting away as a mom is so important not only for me but for them as well!
WHAT I’M READING & WATCHING
Reading –
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell: My book club read this thriller and I loved it. Lisa Jewell always writes the most interesting characters and dark stories with lots of good twists. I couldn’t put this one down! It’s about two women, Josie Fair and Alix Summer, birthday twins who meet at a restaurant celebrating their 45th. Josie has a story to tell and propositions Alix, a famous podcaster, into telling it on her platform. As she tells more and more of her (very dark) story, we learn secrets about her along the way. There’s murder, affairs, lies, and so much more. It’s a good one!
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston: After I finished that, many of you recommended First Lie Wins, which I ended up devouring in 3 nights. It wasn’t as murder-y as None of This is True but a fun mystery where you’re always trying to figure out who the real bad guy is. Evie Porter is a sweet young woman engaged to her new (very handsome and charming) boyfriend Ryan, but you quickly learn that she is some sort of secret agent with Ryan as the “mark” in the case. It was a action-packed and just overall fun to read.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver: I wrote about this last month but finally finished it. Demon Copperhead is a really really tough read but man was it incredible. It won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize and was part of Oprah’s book club in 2022 for good reason. It’s about a boy born to a teenage mother in the mountains of Appalachia and his survival from abuse to foster care to success to addiction and everything in between. As a mom, I had to stop and start it multiple times because I couldn’t handle too much of it at once but I’m very glad that I finished it. If you can’t handle a heavy plot line right now, skip it.
Watching –
One Day (Netflix): If you want to be absolutely gutted but also fall deeply in love with Leo Woodall, this show is for you. It follows two characters, Dexter (Leo, my dream man) and Emma on the same day every year starting on July 15th, 1988. They fall in and out of love with each other, other people, and live a lot of complicated life. Sometimes they’re together on July 15th of another year, sometimes they’re not. I didn’t love it at first but got sucked into this show really quickly after the first two episodes. But get those tissues ready!
Griselda (Netflix): Anel and I have been loving Griselda, based on the true story of Griselda Blanco (played by Sofia Vergara who is amazing in the role), a powerful drug dealer in Miami. It’s definitely very violent and you see a lot of drug use so trigger warning on that. But Vergara is worth the watch alone.
Listening –
22 Hours: An American Nightmare: A friend recommended this true-crime podcast that tells the story of the DC Mansion murders and the subsequent trial in detail. It’s a tough listen because the crime was so brutal, but I found the case and police-work to be very interesting.
5 THINGS I’M LOVING
1. Free People Set: I bought this off of an Instagram ad and it was a real win! It’s basically a sweatsuit but made out of sweater material. And it comes in lots of colors! I have pretty much worn it around the house 1000% of the time since I received it and have made it my entire personality. They also have a cardigan version which looks very cozy too.
2. Another Great Tennis Bracelet: I bought this in the city yesterday because it was $105 but looked $2000! I am now wearing it next to my real tennis bracelet and you really cannot tell which one is the faux. Gorgeous, great price, and the entire brand is very fun.
3. Gold Huggie Earrings: I also picked up these cute hoops/huggies that have the greatest shape and wore them out to dinner on Sunday night. They feel modern and fresh because of the rectangular shape but not too over-the-top given their size. I had been looking for a pair of hoops that I would actually wear for a while now and these fit the bill. I’m very picky with my earrings and fell in love with these beauties.
4. Coconu Oil-Based Lube: I recently added this brand to the Lemon Stripes Market and love that they make a cleaner alternative to lube! The oil-based one is quite wonderful 😉
5. Daily Exfoliating Glycolic Acid Pads: If you have tried and love the Dennis Gross Daily Peel Pads (I am a HUGE fan, personally), these are another great similar option but at a fraction of the cost. I recently did a partnership with this brand, Maree, and fell in love with the exfoliating pads. They’re anti-aging, give you a great glow, and have really really helped with my very persistent acne. My code MREJULIA should still work for 30% off too when you check out!
