0 - WELCOME

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Hello, again! Hope everyone is doing well. I, for one, am elated that my broken toe has been healing well. I finally wore closed-toe shoes for the first time in a month and it didn’t hurt, so things are looking up! I can’t believe April is already over - May marks the beginning of NYC’s humid months so I’m savouring what I can before I sweat through all of my clothes lol.

Thanks as always for reading - if you have a topic you want me to cover (fashion/styling or otherwise), send me a note!

1 - FASHION

Sleeping In

Lately I’ve been pretty sleep deprived, so I’m dedicating a part of this month’s newsletter to sleeping style. I used to sleep in old t-shirts and leggings, but I have since upgraded my wardrobe and would encourage you to do so as well! Trust me, great PJs (and sheets) make the sleep experience a lot better. My favourite PJ brands are Sleepy Jones, La Perla and Eberjey. I’m all for a thick cotton set in the winter and a silk or linen one in the summer. As you can probably also tell, my sleeping style also veers more adventurous - I love a good gingham or printed set.

Sustainable Wardrobe

A friend and dedicated reader requested a topic on how to build a sustainable wardrobe without breaking the bank. There are a lot of good articles out there, so I won’t repeat any and do a disservice to them. Here’s what I’ve read recently:

• Vogue UK: 16 Things Everyone Should Know About Sustainable Fashion

• The Cut: An Exhaustive Guide to Sustainable Shopping

• Elle: 77 Sustainable Clothing Brands to Buy from Now

Personally, I stick to a few rules that I’ve found to be effective:

• Don’t buy something if it doesn’t go with 3 other outfits

• Look at labels, check the materials, and do research on brands/retailers before buying their clothes

• Buy secondhand instead of something new, and similarly, resell/donate old clothes instead of throwing them out (also covered in last month’s newsletter)

Five Things I Bought

I’m always curious about what people buy/spend money on, so maybe you, my dear reader, would like to know the same thing. Here are five things that I bought in April:

2 - FOOD

Healthy Cooking

One of the nice things that have come out of COVID is my ability to cook and eat more healthy food. A grueling travel schedule pre-pandemic meant that I was always eating out at restaurants. Now that I’ve been working from home for 2+ years, I think I’ve sort of mastered healthy cooking. I love eating at a restaurant every now and then, but I certainly enjoy making a good meal at home. Here are some of the tips that I’ve learned:

• Memorize a couple of easy recipes: My diet is mostly plant-based with a little fish and meat, so I’ve memorized a few salad and dressing recipes (Jennifer Fisher Nicoise Salad, The Smile’s Turkey & Cabbage Salad, Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette, Spicy Green Goddess Dressing). Once you know a few recipes, you can usually customize it with whatever food you have at the moment!

• Keep things interesting: I’m always looking at food blogs or cookbooks for new things to make. My worst nightmare would be eating grilled chicken and steamed broccoli every day. Here are my favourite food blogs: Naturally Ella, The First Mess, Love & Lemons, and Sprouted Kitchen

• Prep on the weekend/during free time: If you know you’ll need chopped onions, garlic, or whatever during the week, try to do it on the weekend/when you have free time. Sometimes I do it in between (and during) meetings :)

• If you have to buy pre-made food, keep it healthy: When my boyfriend is away for work, I’ll order Sakara for the week since it’s super easy and convenient. For those based in the US, Sakara is a plant-based meal program that I really recommend. The food is delicious, healthy, and I’ve seen a real difference in digestion, bloating and energy levels. You can also use my code XOJC for 20% off your first order! (Pro tip: I would recommend signing up for recurring meals so you can get 20% on top of the 15% for recurring meals… and then cancel the weeks you don’t want)

• Buy a bunch of food and freeze it: Sounds like a no-brainer, but it has really saved the day for some of my meals. Some things we have in the freezer are: cauliflower rice, carrots, peas, bread, dumplings, fish and some meat

3 - TRAVEL

Hudson, New York

I recently spent a wonderful weekend in Hudson, New York, which for those who aren’t familiar, is a small town about 2 hours north of NYC. My boyfriend and I have been going there for the last few years, and we adore it. This might be a bit specific to those who live in the US, but here’s a guide to my favourite places in town:

• Stay: We usually stay at Wm. Farmer & Sons, but I’ve always wanted to stay at The Maker Hotel

• Eat: Not a lot of restaurants/shops are open on weekdays (Hudson remains somewhat of a weekend destination for folks from NYC). That being said, our favourites are Rivertown Lodge (open every day), Wm. Farmer & Sons (open Thurs-Sun), Breadfolks (open Fri-Sun), The Maker Cafe (open every day), Back Bar (open Wed-Sun), and Casa Latina (open Mon-Sat)

• Drink: Moto (coffee), Little Rico (great juices), Supernatural Coffee (coffee), Suarez Family Brewery (we picked some up en route to Hudson)

• Shop: Every time I’m in Hudson, I always pick up a dried bouquet from The Quiet Botanist. They have such beautiful flowers and you’ve probably seen them in my Instagram. Hudson also has a lot of antique furniture shops - I love Finch

• Outdoor Activities: We love spending a few hours walking around the Greenport Conservation Area. Art Omi is also a must-see for art enthusiasts (it’s similar to Storm King, which is also outside of NYC)

Next up on my travel plans: Turkey at the end of June!

4 - OTHER

5 - PARTING NOTE

I created an archive of my old newsletters here for handy reference! This link is and will be at the end of my newsletters going forward. See you next month!