The girls are wearing corded headphones.
how to get PR packages, what really matters when you're dying, connections in a new city, on repeat tees, and the best marketing tactic I know (Noticing Vol. 71)
On Wednesdays, I share a list of things I’m seeing, liking, thinking about, etc. This is my weekly bulletin board!
NYC BUCKET LIST: On Monday, I walked into a local grocery store. Shamefully, this is the first time I’ve gone to stock my fridge since arriving in New York City. I’ve been living on spritzes, martinis, slices of pizza, bodega sandwiches and a prayer. I’ve been acting like it’s my Freshman Year of college — no parents, new city, so much fun to be had. When I woke up violently hungover on Sunday morning, crawling to my tiny kitchen to find nothing in my fridge, I realized something needed to change.
I grabbed my tote bag and walked the few blocks to a local grocery. I pursued the aisles alongside older women pushing carts and nice men stocking the shelves. I stopped at the deli counter, reading over the premade offerings, when a man behind the counter said, “Are you new here?”
I guess New Yorkers can just tell.
I responded, “Yes! I’m here for the summer!” He wondered because he’s never seen me before. He said I looked good and fresh. He shared his name, asked me what I did for work, told me he was here to help, and told me to come back often.
I walked away with warmth in my chest – a sign of a rare in-person connection.
When my mom was dying, I half expected the lyrics of Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Are Dying” to come to life. Like a syllabus for end of life – riding bulls, jumping out of planes, fulfilling “bucket list items.” I quickly realized that it was the little things under our feet that mattered most.
It’s never the grand experiences that come to mind when you’re told your time is up. You think of the micro, nearly-missable human connection points that live in our day-to-day lives. Your couch, your walk to work, your coffee, shared laughter and text messages – little things like these rise to the top of the priority list.
I keep wondering about my New York bucket list. What do I want to do while I’m here? Walking out of the grocery store, I felt like I crossed one thing off.
Befriend a butcher.
The richest experiences are always in the tiniest of things.
BEST BASIC TEES: In my first week in NYC, I picked up this t-shirt in white and navy at the Leset store down the street from my apartment. I understand all the buzz. I love them! One of those things that is worth the money. If you’re looking for a fitted tee – I love this $12 option. I also wear this striped tee a lot, and it’s currently on sale.
MORE EXPENSIVE STUFF THAT IS WORTH IT: My entries include: a Dyson Airwrap, a biweekly cleaning service, a Crown Affair hair towel, a Goyard Plumet crossbody, a Lola blanket, an Amex, and an amazing team to help you.
A SMATTERING OF OBSERVATIONS: I’ve noticed a few random things during my time in NYC
1. People are drinking orange juice again. I haven’t really ordered orange juice since I was little at Bob Evans with my grandma. Now I’m seeing chic girls drink it on benches and fresh-squeezed options everywhere. Interesting.
2. The corded headphone craze. When did we all decide that it was cool to have corded headphones? I literally do not see AirPods anymore. They’re being treated like an accessory? Is this a symptom of analog summer?
3. Bandana print continues to reign. I’ve always had a crush on Call It By Your Name since I spotted in Le Bon Marché in 2022. I went to Printempts this weekend to take a look at their selection. I’ve also been wearing these bandana socks. How cool is this jacket!? Similar online here. One on Poshmark here!
4. People are smoking cigs. Are they chic again? Seems like it. Controversial but … just an observation!!!
WHAT IS YOUR EGOT? This is one of my favorite questions to ask my friends. ‘EGOT’ is an acronym used in the entertainment industry – Emmy, Grammy, Oscar (Academy Award), and Tony – the highest awards you can win.
If you were reaching for the highest possible things, what would you want to accomplish in your life? Answers range from going to the MET Gala, to being a bestselling author, to purchasing a home in a dream destination to being married and having children. I think I probably got this from Eli Rallo and have been using it at drinks and dinners lately. Sparks fun conversation and is more fun and approachable than “What are your goals?”
HOW TO GROW ONLINE: Boiling it down to one observation – you can be naturally really hot, or you can tell a good story and build a real connection. But being a good storyteller arguably makes you hotter, so these don’t need to be mutually exclusive …
Yes, you can get PR packages regularly! Yes, you can sign 5-figure brand deals. Yes, this is possible, and the tools are free and at your fingertips. And yes, it is incredibly difficult (and mostly mental) to begin and keep going. Honest tips and insights from going from 10K to 60K followers in a year:
Do I want to be really hot or do I want to tell a good story?
It’s already 10 pm, and my day feels the same as each one that came before it. A relentless routine of hoping I would make something, only to not do it. “So many other things get in the way!” I repeat to myself, easily passing blame onto a litany of external circumstances.
ZARA FINDS: Been eyeing these fun pieces —
Pulled even more fun finds here!!
YOUR BEST MARKETING TACTIC IS BEING YOURSELF: But this is the hardest thing to do. The best artists are authentic to themselves, and because the internet is an art form, this applies to creating content as well. We recently published this piece on the Migrate Substack all about aligning with your inner voice so you can keep making great work.
I often think of a conversation I had with Lucie Franc de Ferriere’s husband at her cookbook event in Charleston this spring. Lucie started the iconic bakery From Lucie in the East Village, and her husband owns Sunday to Sunday. He was telling me about the process of creating the cookbook and Lucie’s approach to work in general. I am paraphrasing here but he said something along the lines of – “She has a very strong vision. Even if she doesn’t know exactly what something should be, she knows when it is not right. She says “this isn’t what I want” and when we ask “what do you want?” she doesn’t know, but we work until it clicks.”
This! I think about this conversation all the time. It perfectly sums up the process of creating in partnership with your inner voice. I think the strongest indication of vision is not knowing exactly what you want, but knowing what you don’t want. To be original, you must create something new. To do so is often unimaginable, like a blurry outline in your mind’s eye. During the creative process, your job is to uncover it. It’s hard to know exactly what the end product should be, but you do know when it’s a few degrees off. To make authentic work, you must listen to these cues.
Anyways – more on this here:
I DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK I’M CRAZY: I loved this interview with writer Terry Tempest Williams. She talks about how she doesn’t want people to think she is crazy – and how many women with big ideas might feel this way. I agree. Is the risk of being yourself being called crazy? It’s a very grounding episode. Listen here!
ANOTHER CREATIVITY BOOK REC: I started reading Art & Fear last night and can’t put it down. As always, I’m here to remind you to read The Artist’s Way. We just completed the last chapter with our book club here on Substack (paid subscribers have been walking through each chapter with me!), and I shared a recap of each chapter here.
Sending love!
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I honestly started posting online because of you. You have made it seem so inviting and the encouragement to be myself has given me the push 🫶🏻💓
the honesty tee should come in a million colorways!! so good