Hey, hi, hello!
I’m so glad you’re still here (and if we’re being honest, I’m so glad I’m still here too!).
The weather is just incredibly beautiful for this first week of fall, and I’m feeling extra happy we decided to move to Charlotte. Right now my days allow for meandering walks, and I love getting to go out and soak up my neighborhood and the city.
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My work with Art Search Charlotte has introduced me to so many special spots and in a way it makes me feel like I know the Queen City unlike anyone else. And cooler nights have sent me burrowing under the covers with my sweet Meow and a book, which means this past week has been my preferred ratio of equally cozy and active.
Here’s a glimpse of the last week:
Reading & Watching
I’ve worn quite the path between my home and my local library. In the past week or so, I’ve finished The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris (a socially-conscious page-turner to start, some dotty sci-fi in the middle, and an ending that, well, doesn’t do right by its deserving main character), Beach Read by Emily Henry (wonderfully predictable, and the kind of book you’d pick up for a weekend at the beach), and The Guest List by Lucy Foley (a juicy murder mystery that leaves you guessing both whodunnit and who-got-it-done-to-them until the very end). I’m also slowly making my way through the audiobook version of The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult when I’m taking a walk or doing household chores.
Michael and I are currently streaming season five of The West Wing, and I’m surprised how well it’s held up as a whole (although I cringe on behalf of a lot of the female characters). I’ve also taken to streaming Grace and Frankie while I knit, and the character overlap between the shows makes it extra enjoyable. I’ve also seen a couple of episodes of Sparking Joy, but it’s not quite as enjoyable to me as the first series. I think I prefer peeking into people’s homes more than their businesses (not sure what that says about me).
Internet-wise, in planning my return to this space I’ve pored over some of my old favorite blogs (in this new version of life, I’ve asked myself “What do we even talk about anymore?” multiple times. I know I’m not alone in feeling socially-awkward). I’m sad to see error pages where bright pockets of knowledge once were. I also feel somewhat relieved to see that many have taken a hiatus like me – it makes me feel less alone. And I’m inspired to see that others have pushed forward, forging a new path in a world that looks so different.
Some favorite links:
–It feels so good to laugh about all of the ways our bodies betray us.
–Yes, I think so.
–One of each, please.
–It’s German Week at Aldi (I can’t wait to try the Bienenstich)!
–More about France’s Savon de Marseille.
–I don’t have TikTok, so this YouTube Channel has been an essential source for cat videos. (edit: I am on TikTok now)
–We’re taking a day trip to Greenville tomorrow for Indie Craft Parade. Just look at this maker lineup!
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Charlotte
Charlotte is a sprawling city, but with the exception of one venture across town, this week we stayed pretty close to home. Michael and I spent Saturday morning cleaning up the Rail Trail along with South End Social, followed by a hard-earned lunch at a favorite all-day cafe. We also stopped by our local zero-waste store to fill a large old pickle jar with body wash from Durham-based Fillaree (naturally it goes into an old Aesop bottle, because, pretty). I
also wandered through one of our Goodwill boutique stores, because I find I prefer shopping at smaller stores these days. I used to get a thrill from digging through massive, warehouse-sized spaces, but my anxiety would be through the roof if I entered a space like Unclaimed Baggage in Alabama today.
With the weather turning cooler, Michael and I have been more inclined to find ways to be active outdoors. Last weekend we explored more of Reedy Creek Park, although admittedly we were looking for more than just exercise – we were on the hunt for paw paws. Our nation’s largest native fruit can be found near rivers and streams in this region as well as in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio – where there was a festival dedicated to the fruit last weekend.
After striking out last fall, we were desperate to get our hands on some this year. And we did! After getting fooled by some lookalike trees, we finally found paw paw trees bearing fruit. We were careful to only take ripe fruit by shaking the tree and collecting the fallen ones, leaving behind any that were too firm and not ready. They don’t really ripen off the tree, and the reason you’ve never seen one in a grocery store is because they don’t transport well.
There were several casualties during the drive home, the fruit’s bruised skin unable to contain the custardy flesh within for more than an hour. (And the drive was a bit longer than usual because we stopped for takeout from one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, and completely worth it). Even so, I processed about three cups of pulp – and now have to decide whether to make ice cream or jam from it.
One of the first things we did after moving here was join the local YMCA – months before we braved the DMV to get our NC licenses. Once businesses started shutting down due to COVID-19, we canceled our membership. My last in-person group workout class was in March of 2020, that is, until this week when we attended an outdoor HIIT class at a new local gym. It totally kicked our butts, but we’ll be back for next week’s session.
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Home
Most weeks I like to try a new recipe or two, but I haven’t spent as much time in the kitchen lately. We still primarily eat all of our meals at home, but I’ve been really leaning hard on easy-to-assemble meals like sandwiches and sushi burritos. I think the tradeoff has been finding more time for knitting and yoga. I think many of my gifts for the holiday season will be handmade, and I’m starting to put my meager knitting skills to the test by making scrunchies, hats, and scarves for friends and family.
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Style
My body has changed since the start of the pandemic (actually, since injuring my back right after we moved to Charlotte – but the pandemic is the main reason it has changed so much), and after months of squeezing myself into too-tight clothes, I eventually gave in to some shopping at the end of the spring, and have sporadically purchased things since then.
About 90% of this shopping has been done secondhand – sourcing items online from eBay, Instagram resale platforms, and Poshmark, and in-person at local shops like GW and Uptown Cheapskate. I started with loungewear, replacing uncomfortable or worn-out items like non-stretch silk pants or holey leggings with flowy jumpsuits, relaxed joggers, and tunics with pockets. My goal, essentially, was to feel as comfortable as possible in my house clothes, yet not feel inappropriately dressed if I were to open the door for a visitor.
Next came seasonally-appropriate workhorses – mostly linen jumpsuits and surprisingly feminine (for me, at least) midi-dresses. You’ll probably see some of those over the next few months as our weather cyclically warms and cools before dropping for the winter.
Mostly, though, I’ve been living in easy tee + jeans combinations with minimal accessories. I tend to wait until the last minute to get dressed to avoid cat hair, which makes me reach for the obvious options. This week I received a pair of COS wool lounge pants from a seller on eBay to wear later this season (similar option), and also bought three items from GW: a striped tee, a heavyweight ribbed batwing tee, and a patterned pleated midi skirt (all linked to similar items).
The tee and oversized top are right up my alley, but I was surprised how drawn to the skirt I am. I’m definitively not an animal print person – love it on others, not on me – but this pattern is more abstract than animal. I can’t wait to wear it now with a silk tee or tank, and later with a relaxed sweatshirt or chunky sweater.
Although I’ve added to my closet lately, I’ve removed very little in the past year, because I don’t really know where my body will land. This means my wardrobe is larger than it has been in five years, but I’m allowing myself some grace – and by thrifting much of the new pieces, I can expect to recover a similar amount financially if needed.
How has your week been? It’s incredibly boring to talk of the weather, but does it feel like fall where you are?
