0 - WELCOME

Hi hi!

How are you doing, friends? April was kind of a blur and somehow we are already in May. Last month, I spent every weekend out of town for various reasons, so it was kind of crazy, but I am happy to be staying put now.

May is a little sleepy until the end of the month, when I will be heading to Paris for some fun! I’ve always traveled to Paris in the winter, so this will be a pleasant change. I’m also very excited to attend Roland Garros for the first time. Please send me your recommendations — I’m always looking to try new things!

1 - FASHION

Raffia Bags

It’s starting to get humid in NYC and I’m savouring the last few weeks before it becomes sticky and gross. The silver lining though is that it’s raffia bag season! I love a good straw bag, and lately I’ve been gravitating towards darker raffia. Below are some options:

Fun Shoes

It’s time to free the toes after months of hibernation. I am loving all the fun flat options in the market right now — especially mesh, raffia (yes, more raffia), and embellishments. I would let the shoes steal the show and pair them with a more understated look. Here’s what I have my eyes on:

“I Have Nothing to Wear”

Every now and then, I find myself in front of my closet thinking that I have nothing to wear, and then going down a doom spiral. I definitely get bored of my own closet, but I’ve learned to remedy the situation. Here are some tips:

• Change up the accessories: Sometimes all it takes to switch up a look is a new accessory, whether it’s a fun-coloured pair of socks (my favourites are from Comme Si), a sweater-turned-scarf, or a cool belt

• Try a new pairing: Pairing different pieces that you don’t normally wear together is an easy way to keep things fresh. For example, I always wear a light blue denim shirt with matching jeans of a similar wash. But, I recently paired the shirt with black trousers instead and it felt different and fresh

• Wear a tried & true outfit: Sometimes, even after much contemplation, I still don’t have a good outfit. In this case, I wear a fool-proof look that I know will make me feel good and confident (for me it’s a sweater, oversized t-shirt and jeans)

• Clean out the closet: Having nothing to wear can be indicative that you need to invest in the right clothes (whether that means the right fit, can be worn in different ways, etc.). I recently donated 3 garbage bags’ worth of clothes that I no longer wear — this exercise has allowed me to be more intentional about my wardrobe and mindful of over-consumption

• Borrow from your SO (if applicable): When in doubt, borrow/ something from your partner! Although my boyfriend is taller than me, I like to wear his coats and pants for an oversized look. If you think about it, you now have 2x the wardrobe options :)

• Consider my styling services: A shameless plug that I offer also help you to figure it out! Reply to this email and we can get started

Five Things I Bought

Below are five things that I bought and loved last month:

2 - TRAVEL

Asia Travel Guide: Kyoto

Last month I talked about Chengdu, and this time it’s Kyoto, which is one of my favourite places to visit. Kyoto is such a special place — it’s not as easily accessible as the larger cities (it doesn’t have an airport), which translates into a slower, quieter lifestyle. Sometimes I feel like I’m going back in time when I walk through the streets of Kyoto.

Things to Do

• Kyoto is known for beautiful shrines, temples, castles and gardens, including Kiyomizu-dera, Imperial Palace, Higashiyama Jisho-ji, Kinkaku-ji, Tōji Temple and Nijō Castle

• Ryōan-ji, a rock garden, is one of my favourite places in the world. I love sitting here quietly and listening to nature. There’s nothing like it

• Kyoto is known for maiko (apprentice geisha) and geiko. You can watch their performances in Gion

• Day trips from Kyoto to Nara (for the deer!) and Uji (for the matcha) are convenient and easy

What to Eat / Drink

• My favourite restaurants are Shoraian (a restaurant focused on tofu), Godan Miyazawa (kaiseki) and Tempura Endo (tempura tasting - yes please!)

• I loved Yugen, a matcha cafe that also sells ceramics by Japanese artists

• Teahouses are very common in Kyoto — Ippodo is a favourite

Where to Stay

• We stayed at the Ritz Carlton Kyoto in 2019 and I still dream about it. It is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed at — I cannot recommend it enough. The service, food, location, accommodations and excursions are all excellent

• Hoshinoya Kyoto is very cool (you have to take a boat to get there), as well as the Ace Hotel (great architecture and design)

General Advice

• Kyoto is a very walkable city. We walked everywhere, but public transport is also easy and straight forward. We got around just fine taking the subway and busses

• The city is very busy during cherry blossom season. Plan accordingly if you want to see them!

3 - OTHER

4 - PARTING NOTE

I’ve been obsessed with the iPhone game Hello Kitty Island Adventure. I am neither a Hello Kitty nor a game person, but here I am addicted to this thing. The last time I was this invested was last year when my boyfriend and I played Stray (a truly fantastic game) on PS5. Anyone else play these games? What should I play next?

Until next month, friends.