February 11, 2021

It’s a blessing that February is the shortest month of the year, because it’s a brutal one. Between the biting cold, the post-holiday wuh-wuhs, and the feeling that we’re living in a Groundhog Day-like movie plot, could someone please just wake me up when it’s March?

1.

Covid definitely made “self-isolation” one of last year’s most widely-used phrases, but even before the pandemic, our lives were already becoming increasingly self-isolated (ie., Siri is not a person). In his new—and eerily of-the-moment—book, The Power of Ritual, Casper ter Kuile offers up intel and advice for how we can turn our daily practices into purposeful rituals that provide a deeper sense of meaning and connection. For me, that includes making my first cup of coffee each morning—and the blissful nirvana state that arrives with those first few sips.

2.

I hit a pretty hard wall a few weeks ago, for a lot of personal reasons that I can sort of rationalize and explain, and others I’d rather not even try revisiting. One of the more obvious causes—pandemic burnout—is something I’m definitely not alone in feeling these days, which is at least something.

3.

Norma Kamali is a fashion legend, but maybe don’t tell her that. The New York designer has been on the scene for over 50 years, however she’s deeply allergic to nostalgia. It’s probably one of the reasons she’s still such a relevant, innovative force in the industry today. With the recent debut of her new book, I Am Invincible, it feels like Kamali’s everywhere these days, and I am 100-percent here for it.

I really loved hearing her on a recent “How I Built This” episode with Guy Raz: “I always felt intuitively that my clothes should be the star, my clothes should make people feel good…my personality is really not an outgoing personality. I attribute that decision, quite frankly, to one of the reasons for my longevity. When you're the flavor of the month, people get tired of you and they want to see the next flavor of the month.” It’s a refreshing idea to think that holding back could actually enable a fashion designer to execute her vision on her own terms and schedule…for several decades on end.

4.

Given the laidback, chill vibes we typically associate with Australians, you’d think their version of soft scrambled eggs would be something more along the lines of an adorable, tangled-up mess, not the elegant, golden-yellow rosettes known as “folded eggs.” They’re pretty easy to DIY, which is a very good thing, considering the early AM attempt at an Aussie-style breakfast with my friend Kristin this week was way more chilly than chill (but worth it for the banter! ;).

5.

For anyone else residing in sub-freezing climates right now, I have two words: alpaca socks. And two more words: you’re welcome.

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