Little luxuries
A collection of what I'm loving lately
My word of the year is wonder, and a big part of that has been celebrating the little gifts and lessons I encounter each day! I think of them as “little luxuries” — so here’s a collection of the little luxuries I’m enjoying right now!
“I’ve got time!” I was deeply inspired by Mari Andrew’s recent post “Take your time,” in which she explored the joy and generosity she experiences when she gets to tell someone, “I’ve got time!” She says it in line at the grocery store, when someone has a story to tell her, or in the face of random inconveniences. It’s a luxury to have time, and it’s a luxury to offer that time, unburdened, to others. This week, I’ve been trying to say “I’ve got time!” as much as possible. Not only do I think it’s a gift to hear that, but it makes my life more fun, too! Those words led to catching up with friends after Mass, enjoying spritzes on my friends’ patio, and being able to sit with a friend who is grieving and hear beautiful stories about his loved one. Time is a gift! And we have more of it than we think.
Coffee before work. I’ve enjoyed taking a long walk to my favorite coffee shop in Georgetown before going to work. It takes about 40 minutes round-trip, and I get to see so many beautiful little houses and trees and kids heading off to school! It’s a great way to start my morning.
Letting my hair air dry. I pretty much never have time to let my hair air dry, but when I do, I feel so rich! There’s nothing better than a long shower and sitting down to read or call a friend or cook a meal, and then knocking out the final dampness with my Drybar hot brush (one of my very favorite tools).
Celebrating three new restaurants below my office! Three new spots just opened near my office in the past month. That’s so exciting because it means that working in the office is so back! We lost so many great restaurants during Covid, and I’m excited to give these new spots a try.
Noon Mass. When time permits, I love going to noon Mass! It’s a perfect 30-minute break in my day, and I love running into friends for a quick catch-up!
Making myself breakfast and lunch! I’ve gotten back into smoothies, and I love the Ballerina Farm protein powder, which I mix with spinach and almond milk, ice, and sometimes bananas for brekkie. For lunch, I’ve been loving making little rice bowls with my chicken and Soyaki sauce from Trader Joe’s, as well as yummy pastas.
Wearing fun upcycled clothes. Something is in the air — I have been gifted so much clothing in the past two months! My friends’ spring cleaning is my treasure :) I especially love my new half-length trench coat, fun new workout tops, a fun spring jumpsuit, and some summer dresses!
Friends out and about. It is so nice to walk around my office and my city and run into friends! There’s something so beautiful about being in a place where you feel known.
Watching flowers unfurl in my living room day after day, I used to disappear for four days at a time, and now I get to experience a full week of flowers instead of just new and then… dead lol. Now I get to see their whole lifetime, at least from the moment they land in my vase. Swoon!
Absolute gift life hack: Uber Eats-ing gifts. This weekend, I was tight on time and needed to run to Georgetown to pick up a personalized Le Labo candle. I went online and was SHOCKED to discover that they’re on Uber Eats?! Within 20 minutes, and for a $5 delivery fee, the personalized candle was gift-wrapped and at my door. What a GAMECHANGER for gifts!
Paid Substacks. Last night I took a wander around my Substack and realized how many (amazingggg) blogs I am paying for! At first, I thought, “This is crazy, I should not be spending $40 a month on Substacks.” But then I realized — what’s the point of making and saving money if I don’t get to spend it on things I really love and believe in — like my friends’ art! It’s probably the happiest $40 I spend every month — I get little treats of their writing in my inboxes every week or two, and I’m always delighted, challenged, and edified by their work. Here are a few of my current favorites:
Caroline Lunne’s Noticing — I LOVE her fashion and home recommendations, seeing how she decorates her cute little house in Charleston, and she’s inspired me to do The Artist’s Way!
Alison Chepardek’s Elevate Etiquette — Alison is a dear friend! And her Substack is always so timely and educational. She mixes modern etiquette with so much style and inspiration. I’m a big fan!
Claire Swinarski’s Catholic Feminist — I’ve been a Claire Swinarski fan for a long time, and her Substack continues to deliver thoughtful, grounded reflections on our faith and the world
Emily P. Freeman’s Soul Minimalist — I love Emily and her podcast, “The Next Right Thing.” Her reflections are so good, and her posts are so thoughtful. A great, reflective read always!
What little luxuries are you enjoying right now? Reply to share, or comment below!
In Christ,
Jane
What I’m loving lately
Hello from Richmond!
Last night I bopped down to Richmond, VA to watch the Cal Bears Men’s Club lacrosse play in the National Championship finals! It was a delight to be there — especially because one of my best friends’ brothers is also on the team! Although they didn’t win, it was a BALL of a time. Go Bears!
Incoming: Bishop Boxie!
One of my favorite priests in the world, Father Boxie, was just called to be an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC! I cannot tell you how much joy this news brought me on Friday. Fr. Boxie is one of the most brilliant, humble, generous, and kind priests I've ever met. I cried watching his comments at the press conference, starting at 22:50 here:
Prayer intentions
For Caroline’s birthday this week
For a special intention!