Welcome to your new Tuesday night fix – The nights that often times find us home alone on the couch with a frozen Trader Joe’s meal questioning what we’re doing with our lives and why we’re not backpacking in Bolivia, instead. This is not another Substack of curated caper toast recipes, linen skirts vintage finds, and Parisian summer recs. This is raw, weekly banter and inspiration for those of us who have found ourselves in thick of life’s messy middle1 and are in search of some inspiration. Think of this as a SNL Weekend Update sketch x How I Built This Interview x Carrie Bradshaw column x audio message you send to a friend x LinkedIn post all in one – A fun, informal newsletter meant to provide stories, thoughts, recs, discussion, and laughs to open our minds, engage in what’s around us, and overall, help us navigate this crazy stage of life we’re in.
If it wasn’t already obvious, I’m writing this during a period of my life that includes many of these aforementioned Tuesday nights, questioning everything from my life’s calling to what show I should put on TV. The past 8 months have been a time of major soul searching to figure out what lights me up and how to build a life that I love (yes, I went through a breakup *message sent with invisible ink*). While the constant questioning and decision paralysis has often left my head spinning, it’s also been an incredibly exciting time for connecting, learning, and growing. I’ve become a professional LinkedIn networker and master at sneaking into events that I’m not invited to – This month included a NY Tech Week event, a PR agency “wellness showcase,” a CPG brand pitch slam, and a marketing happy hour and speaker panel. I’ve been reading, writing, and talking to people non-stop, from founders, to interns, and everyone in between. I’ve also been looking inwardly, diving deep into what makes me the best, happiest version of myself and how I can channel that into the life and career I build moving forward (one of those things is writing!).
If there’s anything I’ve learned during this time, it’s that a lot of us in our twenties are having these similar experiences and feelings. No matter what our life may look like on paper, it seems to come with so many behind-the-scenes, unanswered questions: My friends in serious relationships are questioning if they’re ready for the next step, my single friends who love their independence are craving more stability, my friends who love their jobs are sick of the routine and wondering if they should give it all up to travel, my friends who are job-less are wondering if they should move back home, etc. During these “spirals,” as I call them, what’s kept me sane while also fueled my fire is putting myself out there to learn and experience new things and people. I’ve been trying-on so many different hats that have helped me build a stronger sense of self, as well as a wider network of cool people who are doing cool things. Now, I’m using this newsletter as a vehicle to share these learnings, experiences, and connections in hopes that it can help inspire new ways of thinking as we navigate our own ~journeys~ ahead. Disclaimer: These last three paragraphs are as serious as we will get here !
Here’s what to expect on your Tuesdays:
Raw banter, trends, thoughts, stories
Interviews with cool people doing cool things
Brands, recipes, places, books, shows
Submissions, reader polls, and open convo
Discounts, links, and contact info to connect with people & brands
We’ll be officially kicking off with all of the above next week, so for now, here’s a current window into my brain that nobody asked for:
Trendy ice cream stores are everywhere but they all have HORRIBLE toppings games and I’m tired of it. Ice cream is purely a vehicle for toppings. Do better @VanLleuwen and @Jenis.
I’m moving out of Manhattan and am just now discovering Hawa’s smoothies (thank you Alexa Scully). For the next 35 days I will only be having the Green Parsley without parsley, add almond milk and bee pollen on top.
My friends and I just started a book club and it’s been the best addition to my life. We’re currently reading “Women and Children First.” It’s like English class but with fun snacks and just the girls.
I’m addicted to Daily Crunch and think their Co-Founder/CEO, Laurel Orley, is genius. Their sprouted nuts will change your snacking game.
It’s hot af out there, and nowadays, I only drink water with some sort of electrolyte potion in it – LMNT, Nuun, Sakara, etc.
Speaking of bevs, I’m drinking less alcohol and remembering more, sleeping better, looking better, feeling happier, etc. All the things they say… Are true?
I deleted dating apps and heavily invest in Strava/run clubs, instead. I was only swiping on the runners/bikers/skiers anyways…
I’ve been having a crazy obsession with farms/farmer’s markets/gardening lately. I spent a morning volunteering at Red Hook Farms a few weeks ago and it was magical. I’m also staying at my first HipCamp in a couple of weeks which I’ll report back on.
Not to be a debbie downer, but my dog, Nellie, just died and I’m sad about it. My parents want to get a THIRD yellow lab and I need people to weigh-in on getting the same dog from the same breeder after they die…
I make this corn salad for every summer event and think it should be everyone’s back pocket recipe. PS I never follow instructions/recipes/rules so you’ll never be getting those:
Okay, now I want to hear from you, my fellow reader (mom) – What’s the craziest/weirdest thing that happened to you this week? Leave it in the comments!
our TWENTIES.
crazy about you