New Music Discovery: Public Library Commute

It’s amazing the kind of recollection our brains have when it comes to music. Like smell, a familiar song can take you back to a specific place, time or even feeling, all after just a couple bars played.

My latest song recollection isn’t as poetic as that previous paragraph sounded, but led to me to putting a name to a new-to-me-artist, which is one of my intentions for this year.

A little backstory: I’m a big fan of Mojave’s weekly vlogs – she’s a NYC fashion worker who documents her adventures around the city and in her kitchen. Our aesthetic tastes are similar, and her minimalist downtown vibe is just so chic.

Her vlog also features an assortment of indie pop musicians – one of them being Public Library Commute.

This is the song that originally caught my ear:

Conrad Hsiang is the man behind the Public Library Commute moniker. His music is dreamy, floaty and uplifting, it’s the perfect indie-pop playlist for a warm summer afternoon. It’s fitting that his song “Summertime” is his most popular on Spotify, but it’s his EP 1000 Summers that landed him on some of Spotify’s biggest playlists.

Given the temps outside right now, Public Library Commute’s music is the perfect listen to transport you somewhere warm.

Listen Here:

Listen on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/public-library-commute/1399000945

2022 Intentions

Manifest Mural at Columbus Idea Foundry, Columbus, OH

It’s a full week into 2022, and I’m still not sure I’m ready to put pen to paper and outline New Year’s resolutions and goals. I am going to allow myself more grace in really thinking and outlining what I want them to be, and why I have them. But an email this week from Together Digital, a women in tech group I belong to, got me thinking about yearly intentions. You see…

A resolution is unforgiving, focuses on the negative (what you can’t do), and strives for perfection.

Whereas an intention is more forgiving, focuses on the positive (what you can do) and strives for better.

I love that intentions are about forgiveness and let you tip-toe into the accountability of goals. To be honest, I’m not ready for that full accountability yet. I’m still adjusting to this omicron-induced whiplash that seemingly came out of nowhere and that’s OKAY.

It’s also important to me to make note of some positive things I started doing in 2021. Things that I’d love to continue into 2022, in addition to the new things that I want to learn and do this year. This intention list isn’t finite – it’s a draft I hope to add to as the year progresses.

CONTINUE:

• Physical movement: I’m really proud that I closed my Apple Watch exercise ring almost every day in 2021. Those 30+ minutes a day of physical movement filled my cup physically and even more mentally, and I really want to continue this commitment to exercise in 2022.

• Making More Music Playlists: comfort tunes have been getting me through pandemic, but I have been actively trying to discover new (to-me) artists and their music more often. I want to continue this musical discovery this year, and who knows? Maybe I’ll share some new tunes in this space.

LEARN:

• TikTok: I know learning TikTok sounds ridiculous (and really old), but creating for TikTok is something I want to experiment with. A good chunk of this intention is for my day job, but I love that TikTok still has the “anything goes” ethos, so it feels a bit safer to experiment there than any of the other social networks.

• Winged Eyeliner: I adore Katie Jane Hughes and her Instagram tutorials. I share a lot of similar facial feature with her, most notably our hooded eyes. Katie does these AMAZING winged eyeliner looks on her hooded eyes, always creating tutorials on how to do them. I really, really want to learn how to do this technique this year, I just need to DO IT.

• Beachy hair: during holiday break, I didn’t blow-dry my hair once. (Yes, that’s how often I left the house). I braided my hair into two French braids every time I washed it, letting it air dry for at least 36 hours. I LOVED the result the braids created – effortless, beachy waves that lasted for almost three full days. I would love to be able to recreate this look in a shorter amount of time so that I can mix up my style from my normal long and straight into something a little more undone.

DO:

• Visit somewhere I’ve never been: in year’s past, I’ve always said I wanted to get out of the country. But given the uncertainty of travel restrictions this year, I really just want to be inspired by going somewhere I’ve never been.

• Organize my jewelry: I’m lucky to have accumulated that jewelry that I have, but most of its sits unworn, because it’s tucked into dust bags where I can’t see it. I have every intention of organizing it very soon, there are currently 4 MUJI acrylic containers in my house waiting to be filled to showcase it.

• Hand care: between all the hand-washing, hand sanitizer and cold weather, my hands are wrecked (and look old!) They need the same amount of TLC that I give my skin, and I’m putting this intention here to remind myself to do so.

• Take a new headshot: confession: I’m officially one of those people who’s LinkedIn headshot is a little too dated. I need to shoot a new headshot picture this year to spruce up my professional profiles, even if said headshot is just a really fancy iphone pic taken by someone else.

• Visit art galleries: I love a good solo trip to an art museum, but when it comes to visiting art galleries I get too chicken to check them out. I want to go beyond Instagram stalking this year and physically visit galleries, in Columbus and elsewhere, to appreciate more art than just the classics to gain inspiration.

• Share more: I keep things pretty close to vest a lot of the time, happy to exist in my head or open up to a trusted circle of people. This year I’d like to dip my toe into sharing a bit more, on the internet and in person, giving people more than the small one-sided view that I am most comfortable sharing.

Top 10 Favourite Purchases of 2021

Wow, what a journey this year has been. Like many, my year was spent on the rollercoaster of despair, hope, and anxiety, influenced by the uncertainty the pandemic continues to wreak on our lives.

As we end year 2 of this , there were some items that I found that helped to ease the anxiety and lean into the hope that this year provided. Self-care, home nurturing, events and more – each of these things I purchased helped make this year easier for me, and why I share them with you.

In no particular order, here are ten of the items I purchased and loved this year.

1. Athleta Altitude Tight in Polartec Power Stretch

If I’m being totally honest, I picked these Athletia tights up on a whim before this year’s Columbus Marathon as soon as I saw the temperatures were going to plummet the day of the race. I’m so glad I did. They’re warm, comfortable, and block the wind – they kept me toasty outdoors cheering on runners for 5+ hours on Marathon morning. I’m pumped I’ll have these for my outdoor walks in January/February.

2. GHD 2” Max Styler 2-Inch Wide Plate Flat Iron

Back to the office this year meant back to styling my hair and I knew I needed to upgrade my hair tools. After quizzing my hair stylist for her favourite brands, she recommended I try GHD (thanks Melissa!), and a Nordstrom sale later I picked this one up. The wider width is perfect for my thick hair, leaving it straight and shiny in just minutes, perfect for my (always) hectic mornings.

3. Supergoop Glowscreen/Tula Protect & Glow

Like many during the pandemic, I ditched Foundation as part of my makeup routine. Because it was my source for my daily SPF, suddenly I needed to find sunscreen to wear that wasn’t the sport version I use on the weekends. These two sunscreens are the perfect replacement, fantastic primers underneath concealer and liquid or cream blush/bronzer, and the glow they provide makes you lit from within. I love Glowscreen in the summer when I’m sporting a bit more colour, when the weather dips Protect & Glow’s transparency works fabulous with my paler skin tone.

Cheesin’ with my new CR-V Hybrid (old CR-V in the back!)

4. 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid

I’m laughing that a purchase of this size is alongside sunscreen and leggings, but I really did just replace my old Honda CR-V for a new, more environmentally friendly version this year. And while the new features (leather, satellite radio) are nice to have, it’s the hybrid engine that put this purchase in the top 10. It’s a dream to drive in downtown city traffic – it zipped around downtown Toronto like a breeze. I find myself avoiding freeways where I can to keep my gas mileage high, having not yet dipped below 35 mpg since owning it. Shout out to Mo, my awesome dealer agent, for a smooth-sailing purchase experience.

5. Tickets to Arts performances

It was soul feeding to experience live music, art and theatre again this year. Admittedly, most of the performances I saw this year I purchased tickets for in 2019, but actually being able to redeem them provided some much-needed culture and was healing I new I was needing. From Alanis to Fiddler, Warhol to Van Gogh, gosh it was so great to experience live art again.

6. Loeffler Randall Marine Shoulder Bag

Thanks to COVID, I’m still trying to master the art of the schlep, making sure I have everything a need when leaving this house. This Loeffler Randall bag lets me carry my world on my shoulder and look stylish while doing so. The leather is buttery soft and surprisingly durable, and the interiors allow me to fit things of every shape and size inside it. Mask pouches, hand sanitizer, wallet, glasses, etc – all of it fits and fits with my aesthetic too.

7. HAY PC table lamp

I still remember the now-iconic line that Carrie Bradshaw narrated in the second SATC movie, the one where she talks about cheating on fashion with furniture. While I’m just starting to get some of my pre-pandemic fashion mojo back, my interiors style really started to hone-in this year, stronger than ever. This PC table lamp is part of that style, but also substantial, it anchors a counter in my kitchen for some much needed soft-light now that the nights are ridiculously long. Designed by Danish designers HAY, I love its modern look, it’s touch dimmer, and also its durability, it’s so easy to clean when exposed to those accidental kitchen spills.

8. Boll and Branch Waffle Bed Blanket

I was influenced, I admit it. But for the record, the blanket on my bed I had been using since my first job out of college. The hype is real on this Boll and Branch waffle bed blanket – it’s the perfect light blanket to keep you warm, or cool, on any given night. It’s lightweight, but not too light, long enough on all sides, and has kept its shape beautifully after numerous turns through the washing machine. Bedding is one of those items where you actually notice a huge difference in quality, it this upgrade is so worth the extra good night’s sleep.

9. Meza Rose Wine Subscription

Staying safe and supporting local have been hugely important to me during COVID and this rose wine subscription from Meza Wine Shop checked both of those boxes. More than that, the roses delivered were of AMAZING quality, much better than the variety you’d find at the grocery store. The personal touches were what really made this a fave: included in your hand-delivered box each month was a printout of the origin of each wine, tasting notes, and pairing suggestions, all curated by the small team at Meza. I was super bummed to have to cancel when our return-to-office became a reality, but look forward to ordering my faves again from this local gem.

The Toronto sign in Nathan Philips Square at night

10. Trip to Toronto

Technically this isn’t something tangible to include on this list, but neither were the arts tickets I listed above. Like those tickets, this trip home was therapy for the soul. Previous to August it had been over two years since I’d been home to Canada, the entire trip was emotional starting from the completely empty border crossing, all the way through to stopping for a fast-food fave (Harveys!) on the way back. Some of my favourite purchases from home include stopping at Dillon’s for a bottle of Dill Pickle vodka, picking up butter tarts from Pusateri’s, discovering a new artist at the AGO (Matthew Wong), and relishing in the amazingness that is the Toronto fashion scene (Aritzia, Holt Renfrew, Blu Boho, etc). You never know how much you miss home until you can’t go to it, and boy was I thankful for this trip this year.

 Cheers to 2022 and more great finds along the way!

Happy 614 Day Columbus!

View from the Rich Street bridge.

Happy 614 Day Columbus!

Move over flag day, Columbusites are always looking for a reason to celebrate the area code we call home. So when the calendar turns to June 14 you can bet this city will have some sort of celebration that suits your fancy. Here are just some of the reasons I love living in the 6-1-4.

Food & Drink Fabulousness

You can’t have a celebration without a libation, right? Luckily enough, Columbus is home to some great ones. They say we eat with our hearts, and the food and drink in this town are pretty fab. Some of my favourite local gems include Watershed Kitchen & Bar, Third & Hollywood, and Wolfs Ridge Brewing, beers at breweries Land Grant, Seventh Son or Rockmill, and of course you can’t mention Columbus without mentioning Jeni’s Ice Cream. BRB, I’m off to find a scoop of salty caramel…

Columbus = Charity

You can’t talk about Columbus without talking about its heart. And at the center of its heart is its charitable spirit. As a relatively young city, the core of philanthropy in Columbus is its community, and it’s that collective spirit that gives the city it’s heart. From Pelotonia to the Arts, Pride to the Foodbank, the support for the institutions and people that educate, advocate and provide a helping hand is second to none.

The Sports Scene

Even though all of my major league loyalties remain up North, the sports scene here is incredible. The fans are full of passion, and the in-game experiences are second to none. This summer I’m looking forward to some brews and baseball at Huntington Park, checking out the brand-new downtown Crew Stadium (home of the MLS Champs!), and later on this fall, making it back to Nationwide Arena for what I hope is the start of an almost-normal NHL season. And of course, I can’t forget my beloved Buckeyes, there’s nothing like the roar of the Shoe on a football Saturday.

Midwestern Nature

Even though we’re currently under a supersonic cicada invasion (Brood X in the house!), I couldn’t complete a love letter to the 614 without mentioning the Metro Parks. What Columbus lacks in beaches or mountains, it more than makes up for in forests. No matter where you are in the city, there’s a park within 20 minutes to escape to. And what an escape they are. One step onto the paths and a tree canopy is awaiting to envelop you, to wipe all the stresses of the day away.

My Alma Mater

A mention of Columbus by me wouldn’t be complete without a mention of my alma mater, The Ohio State University. The experience and community I created at Ohio State is a big reason why I still remain here, the university gave me my education, but it also helped give me my sense of self. I entered my freshman year at OSU a meek and introverted seedling, and through my classes and extracurriculars, bloomed into a part of the person I’ve since become today.

Summer's heat or winter's cold

The seasons pass the years will roll

Time and change will surely show

How firm thy friendship ... OHIO!

Need another reason to love this place? It’s in proximity to all of my favourite locations. We’re an hour-and-a-half flight (or less) to Toronto, Chicago, New York, Nashville, and DC, and since we’re about the farthest west place of the Eastern Time Zone, an early flight out of CMH can put you on the ground by noon when trekking out west. Wherever you’re going, you’re never far from getting home.

Happy 614 Day, Columbus!

April Favourites

Whew. What a month. This month was a busy one for my day job, with long hours, both day and night, spent in front of my computer. Two big projects back-to-back wasn’t ideal, but sometimes that just the way things fall.

So if my monthly favourites have a bit of a theme – self-care – you can totally understand why. From baking to skincare, to even my entertainment, this month’s picks are all about comfort, for both my body and my mind.

Justin Bieber Essentials on Apple Music

My 30-minute outdoor walk has become a daily life-saver for moving my body but especially for relaxing my mind. Whether temps were warm or cold, I made sure to spend time absorbing the fresh air while pounding the pavement always accompanied with some move-worthy tunes. Justin’s Essentials on Apple Music does a great job of mixing his massive hits (Sorry, Intentions) with some of his hits off his new album, Justice, the playlist is track after track of bangers, perfect for busting a move or two during an afternoon walk.

Peter Thomas Roth Hyaluronic Cloud Hydra-Gel Eye Patches

Late nights in front a blue screen aren’t a great recipe for rested skin, and dark circles aren’t exactly the most professional thing to be sporting on a morning zoom call. Luckily, I got my hands on these eye gel masks from Peter Thomas Roth to save my first impressions. Not only do they hydrate beautifully, leaving my skin super smooth after use, they also don’t slip (!) from the eye area, even after apply my other morning serums. Highly recommend these if you’re in need of an instant eye lift.

Vincenzo

When deep into a work project with little downtime, the one thing I crave when I do get downtime is an escape. Vincenzo (Netflix) provided that escape and more. Set in modern-day Seoul, Vincenzo is the story of a Korean orphan who grew up in an Italian mafia family who returns to Korea to claim something that is rightfully is. Upon arrival, he meets a law firm that defends the “little guy” against corrupt conglomerates, and he sets his sights on taking them down while retrieving what’s rightfully his. This drama has action, comedy, cliffhangers and more, but what sets it apart from others is its heart. If you’re new to Kdramas, I highly recommend you start with this one, it’s the perfect escape.

Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Baking has always been a stress reliever of mine; the meticulous measuring of ingredients always has a calming effect. (Also, the results are generally delicious). I saw a chef I follow on Instagram cooking a version of this cookie on her stories, and intrigued by the inclusion of miso paste, decided to search for a recipe of my own. This recipe by Marcus Samuelsson and Tiana Gee is divine. Chock full of butter, and an entire bag of chocolate chips, it’s the miso that keeps these cookies from being too sweet, while providing a little bit of that umami taste to keep things interesting. I can honestly say these didn’t last long – they’re that delicious.

Rael Heating Patches

A (huge!) bright point of this month was my second dose of the vaccine – woo hoo! – and the side effects that came with it were generally mild. The only area where the vaccine really seemed to affect me was my menstrual cycle, my cramps were stronger and lasted a day or two longer than a normal cycle would. I’ve had these patches on hand for a while, they came bundled with Rael’s sheet masks, and they ended up being a huge comfort during an otherwise uncomfortable time. Everything I’ve tried from this brand has been fabulous.