February

February flew by - maybe because it's the shortest month of the year - but wowza what a month.

Activities of the month included grabbing lunch with Parker while managing to get free Top Pot Doughnuts (SCORE); brunching with Maddie at Morsel; walking down to Pioneer Square for First Thursday gallery showings (work by Alexander Codd and Hoa Hong); flying down to Sacramento to visit Josh; lots of Valentine's Day events for work involving truffle making and flower arranging aka I'm a pro now; Lauren hanging in Seattle for a weekend; hosting Galentine's Day and decorating our house; R.LUM.R at the Crocodile, Mat Kearney at the Moore Theatre; Salt & Straw opening up in Seattle (T GOD); dinner at Canlis (major shoutout to my roommate/bestie/leo/goddess/weirdo Soleil for treating me); and going down to Mt. Rainier to spend the weekend in a cabin with the squad.

And between all of these fun things, change was (maybe I should say is) in the air. A lot of people I know were overcome by this feeling of being stuck. Stuck in a job, stuck on their next move, stuck in a rut - myself included and for various aspects of my life. How do you operate in this situation? What's the course of action for this uncharted territory? The jury is still out, but thus far I've figured out that it's best to speak up and take one step in the direction you think you want to go. No matter how frightening or whacky it is, something is going to give if you put the pressure on. 

I'm also reluctant to say it, but I feel as though I am starting to get the hang of things. I'm settling into the routine. Some days, I work a nine to five. I get why you hop on public transport and shuttle yourself home to dinner, watch some tv, then go to bed. You have to sprinkle in the fun stuff yourself otherwise life is real boring. The thought of wasting my whole life away with a M-F is tragic. Simply waking up, working, going home, sleeping, then repeating is awful. It's easy. Easy in the sense that you can allow yourself to mindlessly move about your week. Let me backtrack, the routine is great and allows for consistency, but you have to add some form of spontaneity otherwise you're kind of a robot. And this all may be attributed to feeling stuck. I've gone on this rampage of booking concerts and travels to mix it all up, but maybe I need to tackle the core, underlying issue.

We'll see where we get with this in March. 

A few favorites from February. Get on board with...

C R E A T I V E S | Colin & Samir - Two youtube guys putting out quality content about the LA lifestyle, production, entrepreneurship, and, above all, everyday storytelling. On paper, these topics appear to be checked by numerous vloggers who live out in California, but these guys are bringing something fresh and innovative to the game, especially in a time of turmoil for this particular platform. As they navigate these various subjects for videos, it's done in an intentional and candid tone, coupled with professional shots. The best part is that you can tell they are enjoying what they do and makes you want to join them on the adventure. Capitalizing on this, they encourage genuine engagement and are fostering a community as they carve their own niche. They're still figuring some of it out, but I have high hopes for these guys. Check out "Home to India"; it's my favorite video thus far. 

S T Y L E | Madewell Crossbody Bags - They're literally the only purses I use nowadays. The Medium Transport Tote was perfect for traveling in Europe since I was able to fit my passport, wallet, phone, camera, and small water bottle. For everyday and evenings out, I like to bring the Simple Crossbody Bag and keep it light with my phone, wallet, tissues, lip balm, and keys. FYI students receive 15% with an I.D. USE IT.

T U N E S | The Aces - A girl band from Provo Utah putting down some 80’s spiced beats with catchy choruses and sweet melodies. I've been listening to them on repeat all throughout my day. They have a sound that reminds me of HAIM and are opening for the band COIN and X Ambassadors on their latest, respective tours. Start with listening to "Stuck" and "Fake Nice". 

W O R D S | The Glass Castle - I’m late to the game on reading Jeannette Walls' heartheart wrenching, sad, ironic, semi-humorous recount of her troubled upbringing and coming to terms with her story. Each little chapter is a blip of a memory, usually tragic, unbelievable, and stark. Walls is a compelling writer and each page reveals who she is and how she’s grown to embrace her past in this harrowing yet extraordinary memoir. 

S E A T T L E   S P O T | Preserve & Gather - The quaint cafe is perched on 85th just west of the Fred Meyer in an ethereal space with pops of yellow, natural light, and a gilded statement wall. They’re serving up coffee and aesthetics. It's the perfect place to unwind and grab snack while taking a break from the outside world. Disconnect from technology (no wifi!) and catch up with a friend some afternoon. Or in the morning. It's up to you. But you should do it.

That's all for now. Have a great March y'all.