Your favorite writer’s favorite things

Goods and restaurants and bars that I love

teehee my favorite things.

I was looking around my apartment the other day, quite in awe of my life. I have a nice home, with nice furniture, and nice decor in a nice neighborhood. I quit my job and am actually, kinda successfully working as a freelancer. And I did it, I created this life, for the most part, all by myself. As I looked at my things and, the things I’ve bought or picked up off the street or have been gifted, and thought about my life - all the restaurants and bars and coffee shops I frequent - I considered that maybe you all would want to know about them, how I choose my favorites, what they mean to me. So here is a very curated, very important list of my favorites.

Beauty

Perfume: Juste un basier from Fragonard - Last fall, my mom, cousin and I went to the Musee de Parfum in Paris. We learned about scents and the history of perfume. At the end, I bought this delicious scent. In English it’s called, “just a kiss.” It’s musky and tangy and my yummy.

Hair: Crown Affair Air Dry Mousse - This is a new favorite, but I’m hooked. I have curly hair and I very rarely want to diffuse it (that means dry to the non-initiated). This mousse smells amazing and gives my hair a lovely bounce for the days I let it air dry.

Color: Yvonne at Spoke & Weal - If you’ve known me for a while, you know I love to experiment with my hair color. I’ve been blonde, brunette, chocolaty brown, and red. And the woman whose done it all is Yvonne at Spoke & Weal. She has never led me astray and is always down to change my entire look with a new color.

Cut: Mariel at The Cutting Studio - I found Mariel when she still worked at Spoke & Weal. She fixed a bad haircut and gave me incredible music recommendations. Since then, I’ve gone to her for all my big cuts. She gave me one of my most iconic chops and sharp bangs. I send everyone I know to her. Last fall, she opened her new studio in Flatiron, and while I haven’t been yet, it’s been described to me as “getting a haircut in a spa.”

Body: Method Body Wash and a classic Dove Soap Bar - I do not like showering. I find it annoying, another thing to add onto my day. It’s a chore, a necessary chore, but a chore nonetheless. But, while I’m in there scrubbing away at my body, I use two soaps. I first clean with a classic bar of Dove. This makes me feel like I’ve really gotten the grime of New York away. Then, I lather up Method Body Wash - currently in the coconut scent - to make sure I leave the shower feeling clean and smelling good.

Makeup: Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer and L’Oreal Telescopic Lift Mascara - Since leaving my full time job and working mainly from home or from lululemon, I have drastically pared by my hours spent in makeup. But two products that makes me feel light and and pretty are the Rare Beauty tinted moisturizer and L’Oreal mascara. My blemishes are covered and my lashes are long. What more can a girl as for?

Clothes

Denim: AGOLDE Minka Cargo Jeans and GAP High Rise Barrel Jeans - I recently decided that I love jeans. I’ve always owned a bunch of jeans, but I think it’s now time to make it official. I love jeans! My current favorites are, of course, my AGOLDE cargo jeans. These are THE jeans. The ones I sat in shit in. But they are comfy and long and baggy. Perfect. In February, I decided I wanted a few new pairs of denim. I went to GAP and was reminded of why I have always loved it there. I bought two pairs, and the stand out are the barrel jeans. They are too barrel-y and fit me just right.

Shoes: Target GANNI dupes and my Adidas Sambas - Flats are back in a way my childhood self would have never guessed. I cannot afford $400+ GANNI flats, so last fall I bought a $20 Target version. They are red, embellished with a buckle, and very comfortable. I’ve been wearing them to the office lately (yes, I’ve been going to an office lately). Another favorite is my pair of Sambas. My dad laughs every time I wear them because my brother and I basically grew up in Sambas. Every summer, we’d walk over to the sports good store and try on a new pair of Sambas, purchasing them for ~$20. Now, they sell for $100 at minimum. But I wear them essentially every day, so the cost per wear is in the cents now.

Bags: Polène Numéro Dix and Madewell’s Essential Bucket Tote - A few years ago, I traveled to Europe on my birthday for a work trip. Because I would be away from home and from my friends, I wanted to treat myself. While in Paris, I walked to the Polène store, was met with the smell of leather, and bought a bag. It was the first ever designer-esque bag I ever purchased. I felt grown up! I love this bag so much. It’s black leather with grey tweed. It’s my staple bag that I wear to dinners, dates, and nights out. Because I’ve been on the go lately, in and out of the city, I wanted an upgraded work bag. I have been relying on my green Baggu shoulder bag for a few years, and while I love it, it definitely dresses down my look. So I scoured the internet for a leather bucket bag. I found just the one, a cinnamon tote from Madewell being sold for considerably less on Poshmark. I clicked purchase and am now the proud owner.

Outerwear: Aritiza wool coat and Steve Madden varsity jacket - Living in New York means you actually need to wear coats. Because I commute via public transit, my body is a victim to the elements! Coats are essential. A few winters ago, I bought myself a very nice, 100% wool coat from Aritzia. It’s chic, black, and long. I love her. Another one of my favorite coats is a simple varsity jacket by Steve Madden. I bought the coat after renting it on Nuuly and wear it so often one of the snaps fell off. While I was in Paris last fall, my mom and I clumsily communicated to the tailor beneath our apartment, asking her to fix the snap. She did, so now my jacket is both rented and repaired by a Parisian.

Accessories: INDY Sunglasses - Years ago,

Zoe

and I found INDY on Instagram. She was a local artisan making sunglasses in Brooklyn. Since then, she sold her business to URBN. But her sunglasses are still the best. I have so many pairs, she used to send me ones for free. My current favorite are a thick, dark tortoise shell pair that very much block my sensitive eyes from the sun.

Places in NYC

Restaurants: Eyval, Bangkok Supper Club, and Pasta Night - Going out to dinner with friends and chatting in ambient lighting with a stiff cocktail is one of life’s greatest joys. New York is filled to the brim with restaurants perfect for this very setting, but I can only give you three. Eyval is the best restaurant in the city. It’s deep in Bushwick on a street with warehouses, but the moment you walk inside, your welcomed. Its Persian food is lick your plate good. My favorite dishes are the tahdig, the whipped feta, and striped bass. I don’t eat meat, but everyone I know who does says their lamb rack is to die for.

Bangkok Supper Club is the kind of restaurant you want to tell everyone about. It’s located on Hudson in the West Village and seats its diners either at 5, 9, or 11pm. The vibe is like a swanky hotel lobby in a far away land. It boasts Thailand’s best bartender and serves incredible cocktails. And every dish is a spectacle. The must have dishes are the uni and crab tartlet and the Chilean sea bass curry. I can’t wait to go back. A new spot, literally went there last week, is already a favorite of mine.

Pasta Night - located on Vanderbilt in Prospect Heights - is cozy and absolutely delicious. I took my parents and we fell in love. The food is Italian goodness. The must haves are the white bean dip, the pesto, the bosco nero, and according to my mom, the lasagna bolognese.

Dive bars: Sophie’s, Do or Dive, and Brooklyn Inn - The bulk of my bar going life has been in New York City, the best city for nightlife. I’m spoiled. There are a million dive bars, good and bad, on every single street here. Sophie’s in Alphabet City is one of the best. It’s a dive faithful to it’s name. Zoe and I used to go when I lived only a few blocks away. We crammed into a small booth, pull out cash to choose music at the jukebox, and gleefully order beer from the grumpy bartender. A few years ago, it was written about in The New York Times. I was worried the press would ruin it’s impeccable vibe. But, Sophie’s stuck to it’s roots and remains a dirty dive.

I first went to Do or Dive two summers ago. I’d purchased new sandals and took an Uber to the spot instead of walking because I didn’t want my feet to hurt. Located on Bedford Ave in Bed-Stuy, Do or Dive is exactly what is needed on a sweaty summer night. I’ve only ever made it two steps in before seeing someone I know sitting in the small booth right by the window. They serve their cocktails in big glasses and play, loud 80s music. I can’t wait to go back.

My all time favorite dive bar was introduced to me by

Emily Gaus

. Brooklyn Inn is old, so old that the building dates back to 1870. It’s tucked away in Boerum Hill on the corner of Hoyt and Bergen. The bouncer is an older man with long, stark black hair, who is always dressed like he is scheduled to be on stage with Rod Stewart later that night. Like every good dive bar, Brooklyn Inn has a pool table that takes up an entire room. It also has little side rooms for private conversations, a long bar, cheap drinks, and of course, grumpy bartenders.

Other things and places I love

• My strawberry Baggu laptop bag

• The gingham Quince duvet cover that refreshed my bedroom

• Brick Art and Gifts on Vanderbilt

• My cozy and chic Brooklinen towels and robe

• My floating kitchen island that my uncle built for me

• The Wiz lightbulbs that make the lighting in my apartment much cozier

• Greenlight Bookstore for all things books and trinkets

For those catching up….