Gabbing Away
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I’m sitting on the couch after having a full pint of ice cream watching 11.22.63 on Netflix, which is pretty good. What’s not so great? My stomach. I’ve been healthy for me down in Florida and the last time I had a pint in one sitting was at the start of Christmas break. It’s amazing what just 4 weeks of a slight reset can do to and for the body…
Anyways, I fully consider myself a Floridian now because it was about 50 degrees when I walked Sunny this morning and I was upset my heated vest wasn’t charged. Women around me were wearing hats and gloves, and I looked at them with jealousy. “It’s too cold for me!” I’d whine to Sunny, and that’s when I knew, I was screwed for my drive up North this Saturday.
The day has finally come. I leave for Charlottesville Saturday with movers coming Monday. Yes - I will be driving through whatever snow storm awaits me.
I’m sad to leave Florida, my daily beach walks, the warmth, living with my parents, but one must move on.
Reading
I was kind of slow reading this past month. I was about to blame it on the Artist’s Way, but I’m just going to chalk it up to me being lazy.
The Stationary Shop: This was one my mom had that I just decided to pick up and it was a really lovely read. People have been so taken with Heart the Lover and this is kind of reminiscent of that in a totally different culture and period. But young lovers paths’ diverge, with the real reason unbeknownst to them, and they’re forced to move on, find love and happiness in new ways. Eventually, they’re reunited and it’s a really beautiful closing of one’s life. The truth is revealed and it left me wondering what could have been. 5/5
The Correspondent: Book club pick this month. Thanks, girls, for not kicking me out of the chat while I’m no longer a New Yorker! This book has been recommended to me multiple times and it was an amazing read. So uniquely written - Evans’ ability to develop characters so perfectly through sporadic letters is incredible. Sybil is someone everyone can fall in love with, and it’s a beautiful exploration of second-life chances in all forms. I cried at the end, from genuine heartbreak, and it very much reminded me of The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett. 5/5
I finished The Correspondent and went to the bookstore to pick up three new books I’m excited for, only to read that it’s my no-read week on the Artist’s Way. That was disappointing. What do people typically include in their no-read week? Obviously I have to read my work email and millions of resumes, but I’m staying off of reading Substacks, random emails, books, and trying not to read long captions on Facebook lol (I’m super invested in the Beckham-Peltz/Beckham drama. Please text me if you’d like to engage and have theories to share. I stand with Victoria). I’m obviously skimming this right now, which probably goes against the no-read policy.
Shopping
Given I’m in Florida with a car already full of luggage and some HomeGoods finds, I’ve been trying not to shop, but you know I can’t go cold turkey. I have a few things I’ve shipped to Charlottesville I’m excited to open, and a lot of home items I’ve purchase.
For the home, (lol I really think I’m an influencer don’t I?!) my dad gifted me an All Clad stainless steal cooking set, which I’m thrilled about. I also got two of these pillows this duvet set, and these sheets for my guest bedroom (inspo photo below). My bedroom has most of what I need, but I got this duvet set for it and then a blanket from HomeGoods to go on top - I’ll share pics when I’m all settled should you care to see. I’ve also been crushing FB Marketplace, and found a table, desk and desk chair for my guest room there!
For ME, I recently switched electrolytes to GoodOnya, which was a recommendation from Ivey herself when I met her in her NYC shop. I really like the simple lemon flavor! I keep finding a need to switch up my electrolytes every now and then because the flavor can only taste good to me for so long. I got myself another Eres bathing suit because I was wearing my other one to death. They cover my goodies nicely, and wear nicely too (as in the color doesn’t seem to fade and they don’t get gross after being in the water/wash). For that price, they better last forever. I also pulled the trigger on the Gap Vegan Leather Jacket. Someone at Niz’s wedding was wearing it and said she wears it all the time and then I saw this Alexa Chung photo (below), which was all I needed to send me over the edge and purchase. I want to recreate her look and also get these jeans from AYR, what do you think? I alsooooo got a new lipgloss and LOVE IT. The color is just perfect to throw on for a no-makeup day when I’m on zooms to make me feel a little pretty and it feels really good on my lips. You know I’m a sucker for lip things, so yeah.
I’ve also been on a bit of a hair journey because I’m having weird growth or breakage where most of my friends have postpartum hair growth. ChatGPT thinks it’s breakage and I’m not sure what to do about it, but the weirdness made me try a few Roz products. Now people, listen closely here. You can do a two week trial of up to four products. They send you the WHOLE product, not just samples, and they’re brand new. For free. At the end of the two weeks you can either keep the products, or return them. For the ones you keep, you’re charged. But here is the other thing about Roz. They don’t accept returns because it’s “not sustainable”. So you will not get charged for those you want to return, but then they’ll tell you to gift the product to a friend. Kind of crazy? Have zero idea how it’s sustainable from a financial perspective, but I was pretty pleased to learn this when I went to return two of the products. I tried the Milk Serum (love the smell, but think it may be too heavy for my thin hair?), the Salt Scrub (my favorite by far), the Willow Glen Treatment Oil (probably good for some, but not something I will actually ever invest in doing again - LMK if you want mine), and the Foundation Mask (another thing I went to return because realistically I felt I wouldn’t take the time to do it, but now that I have it for free I’ll keep and use).
My mom also very kindly gifted me a Doen dress that now appears to be sold out, but looked kind this in a different pattern, and has been worn to death. And this top, which has been my go-to date night top (not that I’ve been on many dates people, don’t get excited) or dinner-out top while down here. I find Doen sizing veryyyy odd and constantly changing. I got the dress in a Medium and the top in an XXS. Do what you will with this information.
Watching
Honestly, I kind of want to skip this section because I have been consuming a lot of TV and I’ve enjoyed it all. If you want recommendations of what to watch, comment below (or text me). My top recommendations right now is probably His and Hers and Hijack - I’m apparently very into thrillers this winter. Obviously I also watched Heated Rivalry and recommend. The last two episodes made it for me (can’t remember if I already recommended this, but oh well).
Since I can’t read this week (ha it’s only Tuesday), I watched Kim K’s interview on Khloe’s podcast (I love the Kardashian’s right now) and I’m newly obsessed (deep dive obsessed) with Alix Earle and watched her Vlog here. I would really love her abs and it makes me sad when I remember she’s 25 and I’m 33…
Doing
Now, as you know, I’m leading a very quite, nice, secluded life here in Florida. But I am consuming my time with the Artist’s Way, which is forcing me to do a few things I wouldn’t normally, or to stretch myself creatively. Also, truthfully, work has been insane. When I joined Sotheby’s, they weren’t in a great place - we were doing layoffs and the art market was in a decline. There were still roles to recruit for, but we weren’t in growth mode. The second half of 2025 has changed my 3-year experience at Sotheby’s and we ended on a really strong note. Not only was it exciting as an employee, but it’s a great sign for the art market and what’s to come in 2026. That said, the company wants to hire. And they want people starting like yesterday. I have consistently had 8 interviews a day Monday through Thursday, and 8 interviews is my limit (even Gabby has to stop gabbing at some point). So I’m tired!
BUT, the Artist’s Way has nicely challenged me, and I’ve gotten back into my shell art, making frames and a trinket box for Lila, made bouquets as inspired by my trusty co-worker, Mads, from Trader Joe’s, and did a sound frequency & journey activation workshop at this hippy yoga studio down here. Maybe in a few weeks I’ll do a full post about how I’m feeling re; the entire experience?!
I’ve also just been doing a lot of hot yoga in general and I forgot how much I love it. I haven’t really done it since the summer, and I’ve found studios at my mom’s and dad’s I just love. My body feels better in general and I think my skin looks better? Maybe I’m crazy, but whatever. The one at my dad’s is totally woo-woo, but I’m here for it.
Other fun things have included a 6-hour experience with mom at Seminole Hard Rock to see Chris Stapleton in concert (he’s amazing), a shopping afternoon and dinner at the PB Grill with mom, seeing Marty Supreme with mom and Barbara (insanely chaotic movie - not for me), cooking this and perfecting this when cooking it a second time for dad. I’ve been eating in mostly, but got to try The Blue Door with the Jazlets (Niz and Austin) and we’re going to the Polo Room for dinner tomorrow and I’m most excited by the ice cream sundae (so much for being healthy). Oh, I also went on a date to the Miami Heat game, which was so fun, and visited Jamie in Miami for a night. We went to a bomb sushi spot where the sushi was served on boats floating by on this water, conveyor belt situation and Pastis for brunch. It was the best!
I’m hitting publish on this and will probably think of a few more things I wanted to share, which I’ll just have to save for another day. Wish me luck on my drive! I’ll be finishing my audio book of The Sun Does Shine and can’t wait.
