Five Things (5.3.24)

1. I’ve been doing quite an impressive amount of extroverted things for an introvert; today marks my first evening without something to do or someone to see. I’ve never been more satisfied padding around my apartment in a new pajama set: re-organizing my wardrobe, rearranging my flowers, and trying to make sense of my mini beauty closet. It’s been a lively few weeks. This quiet is as much a recalibration as it is catharsis.

2. Speaking of flowers. Waking up to and working while surrounded by bouquets of my favorite blooms—peonies, peony tulips, and butterfly ranunculus—fulfills the Secret Garden fantasies of my childhood. Am I in a little city apartment, sans elaborate garden? Perhaps, but this modern-day version is just as sweet all the same.

3. As a California resident, the incredible demonstrations of bravery at UCLA are especially important to me—and not because I’m a taxpaying citizen. This creator is a recent follow and has been a source of inspiration and motivation to do more; her most recent video is incredibly informative in providing another way to help.

4. Even though it’s been rather gloomy in L.A. lately, I cannot stop wearing Tom Ford Lost Cherry. In fact, it’s been just the antidote for grey mornings; Lost Cherry is sweet enough for a lift, yet moody enough to run parallel with the weather instead of clashing with it by way of fruity sunshine or floral overload. I’ve written about it a few times—it’s on my shortlist as one of the best Tom Ford perfumes—and though it has the longevity of a sunshower in Orlando, the perfume is worth the midday touch-up. (Caveat: I’m a stark believer that projection and wear-time are not always markers of a good fragrance. My bottle was also kindly gifted by the PR team.)

I’ve exhausted all my best words for it on Editorialist here, if you’re curious.

5. The second issue of System Beauty is chicken veggie noodle soup for my soul. I adore Isamaya—the artist and her eponymous brand both—and have been poring over the pages.

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xx