The DM | Issue Twenty One
Or the one where we travel to Italy separately but at the same time
Hello everyone from across the pond. Yes, that pond. Devon and I both write to you separately from the idyllic countryside of Italy where we are traveling near each other but not with each other. It’s an excellent story with a happy ellipsis at the end such as, ‘To be continued…’ or ‘Stay tuned…” and for those of you who know the tale, cheers.
We’ll keep this short and sweet like a limoncello shot from a friendly elderly Italian woman and say this, take a freaking vacation dude. IDK about you but the burn out after the dramatic real life soap opera that was/is 2021 is real. And even if you aren’t traveling across the world, there’s something to be said about a long weekend without your work email.
Arrivederci and we’ll see you stateside cool cats and kittens.
From Meg
You give love a plaid name
There are two famous Megs in the world. Meg from Family Guy and Meg Ryan. One is universally the butt of every joke and one is universally known as the official goddess of fall style. I claim both in equal capacity as my own but today we’ll be chatting about the latter because it’s PLAID SZN.
Editor’s note: This is the first of topics that I had to steal from Devon because while I believe Devon to be a clear Meg Ryan as far as style, I am Meg in name. Ipso facto, I win. Sorry Devon. Plus, we look alike. Right? RIGHT?!
Anyway, apparently in the world of TikTok, Meg is having a MOMENT (unsurprising). Leave it to Gen Z, to take the previous generation’s blazers and trousers and cute little leather loafers, name them trendy, and sell them for 80 dollars a piece at Urban Outfitters. You know who did that first, Gen Z? Millennials. URBAN OUTFITTERS IS OUR BABY!!!! I digress.
Of much con-sequins
In another dimension of fashion goddess realms, I recently went to their show at Red Rocks and fell in love with Laura Lee, the beautiful and shiny bass player of this talented chill trio. This chick is a literal rock star (obviously) but also she has the best rock star clothes I have ever blessed my eyes with. I’m considering sequins again for the first time since grade school just to have even an inkling of her cool factor.
And I’m not the only one. Who What Wear made a video of her closet and---WHAT THIS IS A GIFT (deep breath)--- it is 14 minutes from your sequined, stiletto, shiny dreams. Take notes, bring tissues, you’ll weep with joy at how cool she is.
A few things I’ll be thinking about until we meet again
A Haim sister in an adorably quirky chick flick? I AM HERE FOR THIS.
Move over Goldbelly, Doordash has started delivering nationwide.
You can now buy iconic New York Magazine covers for your barren sad walls. I like this one and this one.
Good news for that bad decision that one night when you were 19.
That’s a Moray (I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to share the best headline I’ve ever read and from Italy feels like as good of a time as any).
From Devon
Puzzle me this
I’ve never been into Sudoku, most crosswords bore me a few ‘acrosses’ and ‘downs’ in, and I flaked out on Words with Friends a long time ago - but for some inexplicable reason, 7 Little Words Game has me hooked. It is also a phone app, so yay, yet another thing to your why-I’m-addicted-to-my-phone mix!
Art for the rest of us
As always, the seasons change, and with it often comes the desire to mix up things on the home decor front. In case your home/office/whatever/wherever needs some new eye candy, some suggestions to peruse and consider:
Frame-worthy artistic takes on movie and TV posters. My choices: Fleabag + a Pulp Fiction dance montage.
Martha Oakes’ nature and landscape-inspired paintings. Love this one.
Travel illustrations of cities across the world, like Rome (had to), Paris, and NYC
Mouth breathing
In true Type A fashion, my brain never shuts off and seems to go into overdrive right as I attempt to go to sleep. No remedy has helped me find consistent REM cycle bliss yet (melatonin and CBD gummies have proven, for the most part, fruitless,) - so, when I was recently reminded of the good ol’ 4-7-8 breathing method, I put it back to practice immediately. It’s been helping me ease into sleep more quickly, and I’ve also been keeping it in my back pocket for when life’s stresses (or, you know, long, sleepless, the-Xanax-didn’t-help solo plane rides to Italy) start to get the better of me. Will it work for you? No guarantees but, hey, just give it a shot and call me in the morning.
Getting an earful
Fun fact: at the ripe age of 32, I still don’t have my ears pierced. I’ve said I was going *finally* do it, like, once a year for the past six (sorry for dealing with me, the girl who cries wolf, Kait) but I’ve been seeing some v cute earrings that are *maybe* *possibly* pushing me closer to pulling the trigger. For those who aren’t weirdos like me, here’s what my eyes have been looking at lately for ears (maybe mine, hopefully yours): beaded fruit earrings (bonus points for shrimp cocktail ones), Maggie’s ojo hoops, these floral jeweled stunners, and some glitzy ‘rain’ earrings. Also, witch hat fringe earrings cause ‘tis the season.
Cin cin, amici
Not to be your BEC or anything, but here are three things, all in the spirit of la dolce vita:
At an excellent little wine bar last night, they served these amazing little snacks and I ate about 500 and you should order them ASAP to have on hand
(Yet another) reminder: Negronis are an excellent fall/winter/whenever cocktail and a three-ingredient recipe that should be put to your memory pronto
These retro Italian cocktail glasses are fab and should be used to serve said Negronis
And, before you go, a snapshot of what I’m currently:
Wearing: this rollerball ‘fragrance oil’
Listening to: ‘Losing You’ by Solange / ‘Best To You’ by Blood Orange / a cover of ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me) (songs with ‘You’ is a theme apparently)
Leaning into: the shacket
Reading: a profile about Will Smith because I love Will Smith
Thinking: that this might need to be my Halloween costume lol