The Note / 10 new things
Hello from Paris, where I’m spending a few days before heading back to Marrakech to tend to my proverbial garden. My birthday week has been challenging—it feels like the Universe is reorganizing my life.
For my own good, but slightly against my will.
That hasn’t stopped me from spending quality time with my friends. Or from getting excited about the small things that make life fun.
Here are ten little new things.
1/ A BUCKET HAT.
Gah, this one is so chic, and I think it’ll be quite effective against the Marrakech sunshine—it basically covers my whole face. The best part is that you can just throw it in your bag when you don’t need it, it doesn’t get smashed. So it’s not just cool, it’s also super functional.
2/ A BOOK.
This one made me so happy. It’s Sarah’s first book who, if you remember, decorated my LA house. Working with her was such a joy —I LOVE her!— and flipping through the pages of her gorgeous book made me realize how talented she’s been at crafting her own creative language and built an entire business around it while staying completely herself.
3/ A PAIR OF EARRINGS.
I know when something is about to become a super favorite, and these are it. They’re an instant classic, and just like my Monica Vinader, you’re going to see me wear them a lot.
4/ A SUNSCREEN.
A new absolute favorite in my sunscreen rotation. It’s SPF50, the formula is light and gorgeous under my foundation. I really love it.
5/ A REGRET.
When I got to the Acne Paper Gallery at the Palais Royal, is was closed. So I had to view the The Women Of René Bouché exhibition through the window. It was still so inspiring. Go for me if you’re in Paris!
6/ A RESTAURANT.
Not new to Paris, but new to me—and I have no excuse, as I live three minutes away from it. Believe it or not, I’m not crazy about sushi. I think I’ve eaten so many bad ones that I’d forgotten what good sushi tastes like. But this… This is GOOD. Go to Oiji. It’s incredible.
7/ A STRAW BAG.
It looks artisanal because it is, but I bought it in Saint-Germain-Des-Prés. A bit like the hat, I bought it because I wanted something easy and practical. I needed the handles to be large enough to carry it on my shoulder. It’s lined inside, with pockets. It’s the perfect size, not precious, a perfect carry-all. And I think that it will age well.
8/ A STORE.
I couldn’t wait to go to Papier Royal, the new stationery store imagined by Ramdane Touhami, the genius behind Officine Universelle Buly. It’s beautiful, and I love all the engraving options, but I’m slightly disappointed by the offer. It’s mostly a few notebooks and some pens. I adore stationery stores and was dreaming of treasures—maybe when they get a bigger space, they can do that for me?
9/ A SWIMSUIT.
This collab between Sézane and Ysé is super flattering—and this is coming from someone who’s not done more than 4hrs of exercise in the last four months. Putting it on made me happy, and got me dreaming of my pool, which right now looks like this… ooops.
10/ AN OUTFIT.
This is my ideal outfit right now. I love a light jacket in this season—when I’m not ready to go full tank top out. Also, bermudas are the best, and after three years of resisting them, I think I’m ready for a (very small) heeled flip flop. Finally, this bag is just so good. You can find all the items in my closet, right here.
11 (BONUS!) / A THOUGHT.
Transformation takes years and it goes through phases. If you, like me, are going through one of these phases that force you to shed the old to make place for the new, don’t forget to do two things. Give space to the tangible, the action, the practical, and when you’re in that mode, don’t let emotions filter through.
And then at night maybe, or early mornings, or when you’re in trusted company, let go. Start working on the emotional clean up. Cry it out. Write it down. Philosophize with your friends. Craft the story you will tell yourself about the challenges you’re going though. This work will take the longest, but, in the end, it’s the most enjoyable. And the most beautiful—it’s giving meaning.
Oh and don’t worry for me! I’m totally fine. It’s just life being life. I’ll tell you about all of it soon enough.
Love,
In my last Letter, I shared fifteen reasons that make me completely undateable. And why it’s a fabulous achievement!
This is the link to our last live, and let’s meet again next week, May 13th at 6PM Paris time, just here.
Big kisses!!!
Oh how i resisted the flip-flop tooo so i feel you. And then ... i did one last summer and it's the only shoe i wanted to wear in a quick trip out of the cold to Florida in February to the point that now i cannot look back and have overwhelm about which pair to level up to next.
❤️