*Hint, Hint*

A gift guide of trinkets, gadgets, and other curiosities...

This dispatch has been sponsored by Mulberry. Say hi and thank them in the comments!

I always find myself writing a newsletter around Thanksgiving, not because I’m particularly festive about this holiday but because I like the idea of providing a read that helps during the tedium of waiting for dinner or an escape when the family conversation turns into an interrogation regarding marriage and dating. ‘T’is also the season to commence (passive) aggressively hinting at the items on your holiday wishlist. That’s where I come in!

I had been deliberating on a gift guide, but then Mulberry inquired, which solidified my decision to at least attempt. The task felt like a feat because I haven’t shopped or been particularly interested in trends this year. Nevertheless, I persevered. I tapped into my preferred gifting experience while pondering what I want and what I “need.” I’m big on pragmatic gifts, so I opted to create a prompt that is as enjoyable as it is enriching. Grab your phone and tune out your family as I present a holistic guide of objects and gadgets I relish, desire, or have tangibly improved my quality of life. Thank you again to the Mulberry team for sponsoring this dispatch! Working with you all has been a dream.

I recently worked on a social media campaign with Mulberry. When the team sent me the selection spreadsheet, the silver Lana bag captured my attention immediately. I selected the bag because I wanted something different and didn’t have a silver bag in my wardrobe. My admiration for the bag expanded once I started wearing it, though. Beyond the color and brilliance, the shoulder bag is a workhorse! It can be a day bag, carrying the styling load when I dress plain, and an evening bag when I need something to carry my keys, hide a canapé, or start a dinner conversation.

It’s bag charm mania right now! Brands and retailers are falling over themselves, creating miniature personalities for your pochette. So when I saw this adorable little coral shrimp (potentially a crawfish) keychain by Mulberry, I thought, "How trendy!" Gallivanting with a shrimp on my bag would be different, but it's the perfect foundation for a personalized collection of trinkets for my (two) keys. There are other available shapes, such as crab, poodle, and seahorse, to name a few! (If you need the extra push, the keychains are produced from surplus bovine leather. I love that sustainability fact.)

I mentioned these briefly in an unboxing but didn’t elaborate because I was saving my adoration for this exact moment! The Ganni Betzy Jean had been on my Payday Wishlist for approximately two years. When I received them, I unabashedly wore them for an entire weekend, observers be damned! They are the perfect cut, length, and leopard print (kitschy without appearing cheap or cheesy). Whoever designed these pants deserves a raise. I’ve worn them to the museum with sneakers on a lazy day and platforms in an entire leopard outfit during a night out. It’s the optimal choice when simultaneously attempting to be comfortable and display a little personality.

I have been looking for the perfect red boot for quite some time. I was searching for a boot that wasn’t quite a stiletto and not a block heel but something simple to support sidewalk strolling during the day that wouldn’t cut off my circulation by night. Then, as if by sorcery, I noticed the Vagabond Vendela ankle boot. The sophisticated and sleek bovine and goat leather boot checked every box. Between the tapered square toe and the sculpted pitch, there’s a refinement to the boot. It would look marvelous with a pair of deeply cuffed denim or trousers. *Hint, hint!*

A beautiful loafer is hard to find. Seriously. The tongue is either too short, the heel too low, the topline too high, there’s no saddle, or it’s polyurethane. That’s how two weeks ago, amongst all the treats in the Freda Salvador store, like red intrecciato ballet flats in calf leather, my eyes landed on the Elba spazzolato loafers. Well, actually, I was dazzled by the light reflecting off the shiny, spazzolato leather. I prefer brushed leather over patent or flat leather. I find the material easier to clean, and I don’t have to be so precious about touching the wrong thing lest I encounter irreversible stains. The shape also drew me in. I’m fond of the rounded toe box, the contrasting welt, and the angled heel. I immediately envisioned the Elbas styled with my corduroy overcoat, mohair skirt, or the aforenamed Betzy jeans. I presume the Elbas will be the tony classic to balance out my quotidian razzmatazz.

This selection is controversial, but I’ll explain my reasoning. Amazon? I know. However, the Kindle immensely renewed my love for reading and facilitated a way for me to complete books with ADHD. Advanced classic texts felt accessible to me when reading via an e-reader. What about the DRC? I’m so glad you asked. I selected this specific e-reader because it is powered 100% by recycled cobalt. I believe it to be a small but valid step in the right direction. (Buying refurbished e-readers is also an option.) Isn’t the Kindle a never-ending money pit with all the books you must buy? Not at all! I haven’t bought a book for my Kindle in years. I use the Libby library app, which connects to my New York Public Library card, to get most of my books. The price for this e-reader is steep; however, I firmly believe we must counteract the 13 years of No Child Left Behind by developing our encephalons in every possible way.

Speaking of building libraries, I like the idea of embossing the pages of my books so: 1. when I lend them out, I can effortlessly identify and retrieve them, and 2. I can contrarily reclaim the book I purchased from the grips of celebrity book club endorsements. I saw this little gadget while browsing William-Sonoma. More affordable options are on the market, but I figured I’d highlight the best.

Even though applying lotion takes 90 seconds at most, I’m disgruntled every time I moisturize. I can pinpoint this feeling to being anticipatory for bed by the time I exit the shower most nights. I can comfortably say that my disdain for ash and my love for Koba are the motivating factors keeping me moisturized nowadays. Koba’s Get Whipped body balm is the real deal. A portion the size of a silver dollar is enough to polish my body from neck to toe. Though developed for dry skin, the lotion doesn’t require ample massaging to be absorbed by the skin, thanks to its ample slip. I particularly appreciate that the fluffy concoction can be applied year-round, keeping me moisturized throughout the winter without feeling heavy, sweating off, or staining my softer fabrics like thicker butters. It’s an investment, for sure, but a worthwhile one.

It’s no secret that I am a fan of the Aēsop brand. Incessant evangelizing about my dependence on their scent, Gloam– an iris, mimosa, and saffron-based parfum– has become commonplace in my life. Before Gloam, however, there was Karst. The intoxicatingly spicy bouquet of juniper, sandalwood, and cumin is a mainstay in my fragrance rotation. I prefer to wear the fragrance at night as it is more sensual, bringing allure to every hug and imparting a fantastic impression in its wake.

As an only child, I have mastered occupying time through solitary activities. An example of this is puzzles. At the height of the pandemic, I began collecting these miniature Areaware puzzles to relieve the monotony of lockdown. Besides being adorable and food-shaped, they were a fantastic wind-down activity before bed. With benefits like reduced anxiety and increased mindfulness and concentration, the compact puzzles seemed like the resolution. If I’m a bit wired before bed, I start a puzzle. However, by the time I finish organizing the pieces, my eyelids are heavy, and I’m ready to doze off. It helps most when I need to unplug, or I’m experiencing anxious ruminations. The best part is I can solve them multiple times, and no two ways are the same. Don’t underestimate them because of their size, though. They may be small, but they’re more challenging than they appear!

I get questions about these journaling prompts whenever I share them via social media. I aim to journal twice weekly, and the prompts have helped hold me accountable. I leave a journaling prompt on my coffee table at the beginning of the week to return to later. When I feel inspired to open my journal, I set my timer for 15 minutes and let my thoughts flow freely, doing my best not to overintellectualize my feelings. The Writer Within cards have been a valuable tool in helping me gain control of my thoughts and identify my emotions this year.

Resisting productivity and grind culture is nearly impossible living in NYC. We are a city of ambitious go-getters who emerge from our bijou apartments daily, attempting to chase our dreams slash pay the rent. The Rest Deck recalibrates me when I’m capitalism-ing a bit too close to the sun. When I’m stealing my own joy by comparing my journey and successes to my peers, I shuffle the deck and tack a card to the wall as a meditation. Messages such as, “The systems you live under are trash. You are enough,” stare at me throughout the week, reminding me to divorce my work from the accolades, realize the joy, and rest.

For transparency, I’m wearing this Kule x Brooklinen robe as I write this communiqué. I contacted a connection at Kule to get my hands on this robe (for research purposes) before finalizing its place on this gift guide. I wanted to ensure it’s as good as the fashion girls assert. I’d been looking for a robe that holds a fine balance between playful and cozy for years. Something to wear in the morning while drinking matcha and eating my daily oatmeal. I got butterflies once I saw this robe; when it arrived, I knew. I stayed in the robe for 2 hours the day it came; the Turkish cotton was just that homey, and I was excited. If you want a 5-star hotel robe feeling at home, buy this robe! Its plush snugness is conjuring memories of lazing around The Standard (Miami) or the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley at this very moment.

I like to lounge around my apartment in coordinated pajama sets like Regine Hunter. They make me feel put together like the “adults” in the sitcoms I watched growing up. They’re my laze-around clothes. My “house suit.” (Though, I believe I could fool the public if I wore these pajamas outside as an outfit. I’ll test that theory someday.) They're the warm and homey garments I reach for when I don’t have the energy to muster an ensemble to sit at my desk and write. My special brown gingham with cornflower trim pajamas by Damson Madder permit me to feel comfortable and put together while getting work done. Not to mention answering the door promptly for the Fed-Ex driver!

I cannot tell you how much my sleep has improved since I began wearing a sleep mask! My bed and window face east, resulting in my eyelids catching the early shift of sunlight– usually before I’m ready to wake up at 8 a.m.. An eye mask ensures that I awake when my circadian rhythm (or alarm) rouses me. Aside from reducing light exposure, eye masks, of which I have four, are said to increase R.E.M. and promote relaxation. I can confirm that it does help me fall asleep quicker than usual. Some mornings, I wake up perplexed about when I drifted to sleep. If better sleep is one of your 2025 resolutions, I highly recommend a sleep mask. The Damson Madder sleep masks, in particular, are positively winsome with an array of colors, prints, and trims!

Hopefully, you were inspired or at least entertained by this gift guide. My eyes are fried after writing 2,000 words. Luckily, I was writing about my favorite things, so the experience was enjoyable. A few of these items have brought me a lot of joy. I need to go now because I’m not packed, and I’m flying to Indiana tomorrow. Oh, the things I’ll do and the places I’ll go so my candied yams and macaroni will touch. Pray for me!