Stuff I Like: This and That

I could whine about how hard it is to get a house ready to sell but instead I’m going to tell you about some stuff I like because it’s more fun than whining. (I’ll whine more later, no worries there.) First up:

A movie that’s just visual joy
Have you watched Flow yet? It was having a moment after it won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature and as a verified Cat Lady I was super excited to watch it. I’m not sure what I was expecting but it fully exceeded any expectations I had. It’s a beautiful animated feature that’s pure visual art but also a compelling story about a spiritual (and literal) journey. Parts of it are sad and I had a lot of anxiety every time that cat ended up in the water, but it’s worth it.

You probably need a silk pillowcase
If you want your nighttime skincare to stay on your skin and your hair to look less like an angry toddler’s matted head when you wake up, you need a silk pillowcase. I bought this one from Quince a while ago and really love it - it feels like nice quality silk, it’s washable, and it has a zipper closure. Recently it started to rip next to the zipper which was alarming but I couldn’t remember exactly when I bought it. I looked it up and y’all, I bought that thing in 2021. So, four years of constant use and throwing it washer/dryer every week? I think I got my money’s worth. I bought another one to replace it and it’s been just as delightful.

A good gel pen
While shopping with friends a few weeks ago we found a tiny art supply and stationery store that was full of tempting things like critter-shaped sticky notes, cute notepads, and really good pens. I am a sucker for a good pen and bought two of these Zebra Sarasa Clip Vintage Gel Pens (non-Amazon link here) because they are cute and satisfying and inexpensive. It’s just nice to have a decent pen, especially one that writes in eggplant purple ink. (I’m normally a black-ink-only kind of gal but it’s currently my favorite anyway.)

Sometimes you just want to buy something
A friend of mine recently bought this beautiful lace-inset blouse from Madewell and suddenly I was seeing lace/pintuck white tops everywhere online with Sezane being the main offender. So pretty! I don’t know that it’s really my style and didn’t want to invest in something I wasn’t sure I’d wear, so when this version from Old Navy crossed my path I decide to take a chance on it. It’s sheer-ish but very pretty and 100% cotton. Also, it was $24. Thanks, Zac Posen!

Cut the sides, and don't touch the back
This isn’t new, but if you don’t listen to the Decoder Ring podcast, the mystery of the mullet episode is where you should start. Just trust me on this. (Spoiler: The Beastie Boys had something to do with it because of course they did.)