Do you ever feel like life is moving at the speed of light and crawling at a slow pace at the same time? Like time with my parents. I don't have enough days left with them and this pandemic continues to take those days away. At the same time, I've lost track of each day, hardly remembering what I had for lunch the day prior. The days blur together to the point where a weekend no longer feels like a weekend and 2020 (and now 2021) became one long endless week.

The days when we can step on a plane and off into a foreign land seems so far away, I cannot imagine it. 

So in these strange times, what strange things have you taken on or integrated into your life to maintain you sanity? I'll go first.

Shopping. I've spent a good fortune on clothing that I cannot wear anywhere. The majority of my money has been going to the following brands: 

  • seoooocookie.kr - Love their quality. Their clothes appeal to the Francophile in me but feels timeless.
  • HBX - A great source for the hype beast in me. I'm impressed with the shipping time considering it's based in Hong Kong.
  • The Moonstoned - Delicate to vintage jewelry. I purchased a pair of dagger drop earrings from them recently and haven't taken them off. There are 3 stones on each earring; 1 diamond and 2 sapphires with amazing attention to detail.
  • WithHoneyPlease - The teenage girl in me couldn't wait to own one of these colorful whimsy pearl necklaces. Go support independent shops.
  • Mona Jewelry - I've been obsessed with this New York-based designer for a few years. Her pieces are so sophisticated and feminine. I love all the pearl options - If you can't tell, I'm obsessed with pearls. Most of her inventory isn't on her website so I just DM her to make a purchase when I see something that strikes my fancy in her feed or stories.
  • Sandy Liang - The anime eye items in her recent collection are a must have.
  • Orseund Iris - This brand can take all my money. I own this skirt in both colors and the majority of the items in their shop.
  • Vegamour - I am now a believe in eye lash growth serums. The pandemic killed any opportunity to wear lash extensions, but they introduced me to this miracle innovation that is now more affordable than ever. My lashes are long tendrils that wisp over my lids. I have never been more in love with my eyes. Economically, these are way more affordable than extensions, and best of all, it's your lashes. 
  • The Label Rae - Corsets are back and I'm here for it. Corsets that are handmade from independent designers are even better. In small batches, up cycled fabric. Nostalgic. This ticks all the boxes.
  • This list has to end here because I'm ashamed to admit how much I shop.

Pottery. I feel totally safe at my pottery studio. And I am so grateful for this space. We have a head count limit, we bleach everything, socially distant and have plenty of ventilation. If I didn't have pottery during this time I would go crazy. Do not underestimate the value of a creative outlet. I remember when I was in middle school and had no friends to hang out with during summer break, I'd sit in front of the computer and teach myself photoshop to make pretty collages for my MySpace page. It probably saved me from drugs. /sarcasm but you get my point

Sweets. Covid has driven me to crave sweets. I never had a sweet tooth. I don't even drink soda. But now all I want is bubble tea, ice cream, and cupcakes. Is this happening to you too?

Monitoring the status of my packages on a daily basis. There's an app called "shop" from the creators of Shopify, but it synchs with your inbox and will automatically add all your shipments and send you updates. I use this app more than I use Instagram sometimes. 

Penthouse. This is the most ridiculous, outrageous, and over the top Korean drama. And I am addicted. Season 2 just started.


xx