8 things - may 2024
I may be a few days late but this newsletter is a good one. I promise.
Hi, sorry I’m late! I had great intentions of getting this newsletter out on time this month but work has sucked the life out of me for the last 4+ weeks and my social life has been jam packed which resulted in my hobbies hitting the back burner.
I’m getting ready to head on a three-week trip to Europe this coming weekend. It’ll be my first time in Europe and I’ll be in 6 cities/areas - Paris, Lake Como, Florence, Rome, Nice and Barcelona. If any of you have any recommendations of what to do/see or where to eat/drink, I still have a little wiggle room in my itineraries and would love to hear from you. If you want to follow along, I’ll be sharing bits from my travels on Instagram and Tiktok - @agirlwholikesthings on both!
Without further chatter or explanation - here are 8 Things I did/loved/watched in May.
In February, I went on a girls trip to Palm Springs with my college friends and by the end of the trip, we each had a list of things we wanted to buy based on each other’s recommendations. Two of my friends love and recommended the Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush so when the Sephora sale came about, I had to grab it. I picked the shade Cheeky and have been wearing it almost daily since it arrived. I like it because it’s easy to throw on just a little when doing light, fresh and natural summer makeup but it’s also easy to build up color for a full-face look. It also wears well, blends effortlessly with my other cream products and holds color throughout the day. There’s several color options that would work for a range of skin tones - I’ve seen people with completely different complexions love the same shade I do. Come fall, I might have to add Fox, Mood or Apres to my makeup bag.Rotting on my Couch & Binging TV
When work takes too much energy, I like to come home, sit on the couch and turn off my brain while binging a TV show or watching Tiktok. In the last month, I’ve watched WAY too much TV but I come with a list of recommendations of things I’ve loved recently.
Baby Reindeer (Netflix) - if you haven’t watched this yet, do it now. My mom and I watched this based-on-a-true-story British stalker comedy drama in two days, then went down the rabbit hole of the real-life drama that’s unfolding as a result.
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies and Scandal (Netflix) - a really interesting documentary about the big data leak including interviews with several affected people. Only three episodes and a good watch.
Summer House Martha’s Vineyard (Peacock) - I recommended regular Summer House in my first newsletter so this shouldn’t be a surprise. This reality TV show follows an all-Black cast in Martha’s Vineyard - a little Black history, a good amount of summer fun and a lot of drama.
Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult (Netflix) - if you’re interested in pop culture, social media impact or cults, this documentary is so so good.
The Divergent movie series (Netflix) - I read the books many many years ago but somehow I never watched the movies until they recently came on Netflix. I was very entertained and watched all three on a lazy Sunday.
Love Island UK (Hulu) - we’re so back. If you love reality TV and are not already watching Love Island, this is your sign to start. Warning, it’s a commitment because the show literally airs DAILY. Buckle up.
A few other things I’ve been loving and watching that I’ve already recommended or are widely enjoyed include: Summer House (seriously so good this season), Bridgerton (not sure about this season but excited for part 2), Sex and the City (I did a rewatch at the same time as the rest of the internet) and House of Dragon (had to rewatch to get ready for season 2 this month).
I traveled three out of four weekends in May which meant that I packed, unpacked and re-packed on a weekly basis. I’ve been using the Baggu packing cubes for over a year now but only recently did I get enough of them to use them exclusively. I’ll be honest and say there’s nothing wildly unique about these packing cubes and they’re not the cheapest option on the market but they’re much sturdier than other packing cubes I’ve owned and 10x cuter. They make packing fun and as a chronic overpacker, they do a great job of organizing and lightly compressing the hoards of clothes I tend to travel with.
Baggu is currently having a 15% off everything sale but it ends today, June 10th. Run now if you’re interested! I also really love my Baggu Carry-On Tote and my large Crescent bag.
Podcasts
I tend to go back and forth between podcast and audiobook fixations. I’m someone that needs background noise to do anything - whether it’s working, cleaning or just playing on my phone. I’ve been on a huge podcast kick lately - they help keep me focused at work and they don’t require a screen which has been super helpful as I’ve been spending evenings working and planning final details of my upcoming trip. I’m usually a true crime listener but I also have a few lifestyle podcasts I listen to. Here’s a few I’ve loved recently or listen to regularly.Blood is Thicker - a classic murder true crime story by 48 hours.
White Devil - my current favorite and still airing. while still a true crime story, this is more of an exploration of money, power and politics in the Bahamas. Super fascinating, equally frustrating.
Note to Self - my favorite influencer,
, is the host of this podcast. a great weekly listen for general lifestyle content and chats on friendships, relationships, etcGiggly Sqaud - Paige Desorbo, my favorite reality tv star, hosts this podcast with her real-life best friend and rising comedian Hannah Berner. a fun pop culture and friendship podcast.
Happily Never After - this true crime story happened about 6 blocks from my work’s old office here in Portland. super fun if you’re local but still good if you’re not.
The Rise and Fall of Ruby Frank - this podcast details a semi-internet famous internet personality and the well-covered criminal case surrounding her abuse of her children. It is sad and sometimes heavy but there’s a lot of interesting analysis about life coaching, Mormon culture and cult-like behavior.
If you have any podcasts you love and recommend, leave me a comment. I always need something new to listen to! Worth noting, I’ve done all the seasons of all the more popular and well-known podcasts - Serial, S Town, Up and Vanished, Dr. Death, Someone Knows Something, etc.
My friend
originally sent me these Mary Jane flats after I told her about how much I loved my Rothy’s and expressed my need (want) for a black Mary Jane option. I ended up purchasing a pair of Target ones instead for a lower price but they didn’t fit right and I ended up returning them. I gave up the hunt until I saw Stassi Shroeder (reality TV star and fashion icon) share the same Madewell flats on her Instagram story noting that she could literally walk miles in hers. Um, immediately sold. Add to cart.I placed a pick-up order for my local Madewell for two sizes since some of the reviews noted the flats ran big. I ended up keeping the flats that are a half-size down from my normal size and have been wearing them on a weekly basis since then. They’re not quite as comfy as my Rothy’s but I like that they’re a neutral color and more of a leather look vs the woven Rothy’s style. They are very comfy for a ballet flat but they did rub the top of my foot the first couple times I wore them. I think this is because my foot is a little wider/thicker/chunkier than others but it seems to have resolved. Right now, they’re in the pile of shoes I’m *hoping* to bring on my three-week Europe trip next weekend but see previous note about being a chronic overpacker.
If you’re interested in these flats, they also come in red, silver, chocolate brown and several other colors.
Getting the Right Fit
If you love clothes, it’s almost inevitable that at some point, you’ve had something that just doesn’t fit right - the waist is too big but the hips fit, the pant is too long, the buttons wont stay shut. Or maybe it’s a shoe that pinches or sole that’s worn down and makes you walk weird. Either way, I’ve recently gotten super fed up with this and started doing something about it and I’m feeling very “adult” about it.
I’ve been to the tailor for special occasion gowns and dresses many times but only recently have I been just to get every day clothes worked on. My tailor is efficient, affordable and nails it every time. She helps my dresses fit perfectly, repairs damaged items and helps me get more wear out of my clothes. While I’ve paid a little extra for her services, the happier I am with the fit of my clothes, the more likely I am to wear something on repeat rather than having something sit in the back of my closet because even though I like it, it just doesn’t fit right. Money well spent in my opinion.
I also recently found a cobbler. My boss makes fun of me for calling him this but it’s just what it is. Insert “shoe repair person” instead if the term cobbler feels very 1800’s to you ;) My cobbler has helped my fix three pairs of shoes since I found him - we stretched a pair of heels that pinched, he cleaned a pair of suede shoes that got too dirty to wear and he replaced the soles of a pair of booties I’ve worn to death. All three shoes are better for it, the repairs are cheaper than replacements and I’ll get so much more wear out of them than I would have before.
I’ll admit that this one is very random. But I can’t stop doing this hairstyle and it gets SO MANY compliments every time I wear it so it makes the list. This messy bun tutorial went viral on Tiktok and for a good reason. The tutorial is easy to follow, flexible to your hair and is pretty fast and easy for an updo. I don’t have nearly the length of thickness of hair that Delaney has but I’ve been able to adapt it to work for me with minimal effort.
Since I saw the tutorial, I’ve worn my version of this bun to work, to an influencer event and a Kentucky Derby party. At each event, multiple women stopped me to tell me how cute my hair was. So if you have medium to long hair of any thickness, I recommend giving this tutorial a go and see how it works for you! In the meantime, I’ll be wearing this bun to weddings, brunch and baby showers all summer long.
Remember how I said I’ve been traveling a lot lately? Enter this jewelry organizer. Unfortunately it’s sold out right now but that’s a testament to how good this organizer is. I speak highly about most Beis products - they are highly functional, thoughtfully created and aesthetic - all my boxes are checked. But the Beis Jewelry Organizer is one of my most used of all of their products since it goes on every trip.
Why I like it: It’s a bit bigger than most of the square-shaped organizers on the market - I actually just store my most-worn jewelry in it which makes it so I only have to add any event-specific jewelry when traveling. The more rectangular shape also makes it easier for me to pack, wedging it into the small spaces available in my suitcase or throwing it into my plane bag. It holds A LOT so if you’re a minimal or same-jewelry-every-day kind of person this might not be for you but if you like to change it up, travel for long durations or have a lot of event-related jewelry, I definitely recommend. This item also makes a great gift. I’ve gifted two of these in the last year or so after falling in love with mine!
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Okay that’s all I have this month! Next month’s 8 Things will likely be on the later side since I return from my trip on July 5th but I’m going to do my best to get the newsletter out within the first week of the month. Depending how much content I have, I might do a special travel essentials edition but I also have you two of my favorite travel items in this newsletter so no promises.
Talk soon!
Alina
So glad you found a cobbler! Anxiously awaiting your packing updates so I know what to pack too 👀