#8 Of note, recently
January in review, from the best damn bagels to much-needed Miami warmth
January felt like a slog, making this recap a bit of a chore, but it seemed worthwhile to find moments of joy—especially knowing how much harder the month was for those affected by the LA fires. My partner and I mostly stayed put in Philadelphia, aside from a late-month trip, which is freshest in my mind, so let’s work backward from there.
Returning to our LA favorites was a delight. Courage Bagels remains in a league of its own—find me a more elite bagel. Loquat still makes our favorite cappuccino in the city (though Maru, which we revisited, also re-impressed us). Loquat’s sister shop, Fondry, for pastries is worth the queue (the almond croissant is a must). Erewhon’s prepared foods and smoothies? No notes—just relief that we don’t live near one. Perilla has become my go-to for a nourishing, feel-good “box” lunch, while Lowboy remains the ideal casual spot for catching up with old friends. And how could I forget Awan? The best vegan “ice cream” we’ve ever had.
New spots we tried, at opposite ends of the spectrum in vibe and price: Playita Mariscos, for fried shrimp and fish tacos, and The Tower Bar at Sunset Tower. Playita Mariscos is exactly what you want from a casual seafood spot—fresh, unfussy, and deeply satisfying. The Tower Bar is all about classic Hollywood charm—the kind of place where you slide into a dimly lit booth and feel like you’ve stepped into another era. The food is straightforward and well-executed—nothing reinvented, just done well.
I also fell hard for homeware shop The Good Liver—every object there feels meticulously chosen. Exhibit A: an impossibly chic mini dustpan, easily an upgrade from anything else out there.
After years of keeping Denim Doctors on my radar, I finally visited to hunt for vintage Levi’s. I tried on about a million pairs before settling on a mid-wash style. The sizing journey was wild—despite my modern jeans ranging from 24-26, the perfect fit here was a size 30. Proof that vintage denim follows its own chaotic logic. They include hemming in the price, and not just any hemming—they expertly age and distress the bottoms so the jeans look seamlessly worn-in, no awkwardly crisp edges clashing with the rest of the faded wash.
A trip to Miami meant warmth, bare arms, and exceptional meals, thanks to our generous hosts. We ate ridiculously well, from a local meal delivery service to Miami’s trendiest spots. Dinners at Sunny’s, Maty’s, and Contessa did not disappoint—Sunny’s, in particular, runs like a well-oiled machine. Is it blasphemous to say Miami’s food scene feels more exciting than NYC’s right now?
Other January highlights:
The workout pivot. As an injured runner (truly the most maddening cycle), I had to shift gears. I already follow a handful of YouTube workout channels, but KBodySculpt was a new find—her compound movements are deceptively tough, even with just body weight or light weights.
The hair saga continues. After five more hours in the salon (with the ever patient Jacob Lee), I straightened my perm, chopped off most of it, and landed in long bob territory. Naturally, I’m already itching to take it to chin-length. Next time!
January: The month my wishlist shrunk (and My Closet Grew) January was anything but a low-buy month. I blame boredom. I basically hunted down my entire wishlist. A round-up is coming, but for now, I’m sitting with the slight guilt.
Too many news subscriptions? How many paid subs is too many? I fully support paying for good journalism, but I physically cannot keep up with all of mine: NYT, FT, Apple News+, Puck (a new favorite), and a stack of Substacks. Cutting back seems necessary—but on what?
Confession time: I joined TikTok. Again. (I once attempted a post-a-day challenge and failed miserably.) I restarted with a fresh account at the end of December (ban be damned), but to my surprise, it feels much more freeing than Instagram. It’s helping me shake off the perfectionist mindset—just posting without overthinking, the way Instagram felt back in 2011-2012, when it was actually fun. These days, I spend way more time on Substack and TikTok than anything else. That said, recording myself still feels unnatural, and rewatching? Woof. Nothing makes you more aware of your weird speech idiosyncrasies. Ick.
Also, in a completely unrelated but equally shocking development, I finally updated my commercial photography portfolio after years of neglect.
Wrapping up with this excellent book, which I’ve been feverishly annotating—though nearly every page is worth highlighting.
Moar bagels and warm sun.