VARSITY READER: issue #36
speed friending, health insurance woes, and the $32 barrel pants of the year
Hi! Happy Thursday. The weather has been so icky & gray in NYC recently. But! The spirit of summer prevails. Kelly Nolan (a great follow for all things time management) recently shared this post about how to tactically enjoy summer—sounds unsexy, but it’s a reminder we all need.
Know that people are going to take longer to get back to you. Enjoy the extra time to cook a meal, take a morning walk, and indulge in a hobbies you don’t usually have time for. Summer only comes around once a year!
My own summer pursuit is an ice cream tour of NYC. I’ve been to Glace (an uptown favorite) before in warmer months and love every single menu item. This is their brown butter vanilla soft serve topped with chocolate sauce and gluten-free cookies. I’m usually a chocolate > vanilla lover, but anything brown butter has my heart.
Not only was this sundae delicious, but I loved the creativity of the chocolate-coated cup. You crush the shell and little chocolate shards fall into the ice cream. So good (and more ice cream shops should take note!)
Let’s dive in!
This week’s media diet
As a massive fan of all things Bravo-verse, I’ve been loving NEXT GEN NYC. I was out on it at first—I put it on a night when I was super tired and promptly fell asleep. But that says nothing about the quality of the show! I gave it another try when I was more alert, and it’s GOSSIP GIRL meets REAL HOUSEWIVES. The show chronicles Bravolebrity kids that take on NYC.
- surfaced this article about speed friending. In a loneliness epidemic, I can’t think of something society needs more! And a better way to assess friendship chemistry than platforms like Bumble BFF.
- (formerly of Retail Diary here on Substack, now with Puck News!) wrote this great piece about Donni. It’s an influencer-favorite brand that you’ve probably heard of—they’re famous for breezy matching sets. The founder (Alyssa Wasko) built a $10M - $20M business with no investors…the Donni customer base is just that sticky. Puck News is paywalled, but you can sign up to unlock one free article without a subscription.
A New York Magazine investigation about food in the U.S. vs. Europe.
As someone who reluctantly moved to the Upper East Side (I thought it was a total museums-and-mommies neighborhood), I’ve absolutely grown to love it! This Culture Magazine piece highlights the best spots in the UES from entrepreneurs and tastemakers. Great if you’re planning an NYC trip soon!
The career corner
A bit of a niche soapbox this week. But over the past few months, I’ve met so many talented entrepreneurs and founders who happen to let it slip that…they don’t have health insurance. !!!!!!! Though they have the financial means to get insured, they don’t think it’s necessary…and are willing to take that risk every day.
I’m all about taking risks. However, you never know what life will throw at you. Whether you’re founding your own company, on a career pause, or taking a beat between roles, please do me a favor and get insured.
I personally pay ~$375 per month for my catastrophic health insurance—it really just covers me in case of an accident or a sudden, serious health condition. I do admit that I am lucky enough to be in good health and only have one prescription, which of course impacts my rate. But I would be happy to pay more for peace of mind in the case that something God forbid happened.
If anyone is in need of insurance, I am happy to connect you with the great insurance broker who helped find me my plan. You can feel free to email me (smarterinasec@gmail.com). I don’t make anything from this introduction. I just want everyone to get the cost-effective coverage they need!
Three damn good buys
It’s officially summer (“high summer” as the retailers call it!) and everyone is craving a bit of a wardrobe refresh. Here are three picks that are worth every dollar!
Barrel pants are trending. And regardless of how popular they are now, I can see them being an enduring wardrobe staple. They’re slouchy without being sloppy and are the perfect throw-on-and-go piece (the polar opposite of skinny jeans!)
These pants are truly my find of the year. Look like the pricey Nili Lotan version for a fraction of the price. I’m surprised they’re fully in stock! Come in a rainbow of colors, but the olive is my favorite!
I am a huge proponent of gauze > linen. I feel like a giant wrinkle whenever I wear linen, so I’ve completely eliminated it from my wardrobe. So this gauze button-down is a perpetual go-to.
However, sometimes I want something cool…but a bit more polished. That’s when this ruffle-trim gauze cardigan comes into play! I snagged it yesterday in-store and will definitely be pairing it with dresses this summer. A great piece for the office too!
I’m a sucker for a good resortwear piece…but it doesn’t make sense to spend a ton on this part of my wardrobe. How often am I really in a caftan or a crochet skirt?!
I saw this skirt in-store and immediately sprung for it. Excited to wear it with a loose button-down and black sandals. $70, but looks far pricier.
In case you missed it…
When you feel remember these…stories & reframes that are instant mood boosters
Life is all about balancing something cheap with something expensive
DITL of an entrepreneur with a portfolio career…cosplaying as a mom influencer
Beauty products & procedures that seem ridiculous…but are worth your $$$ (part 2)
Beauty products & procedures that seem ridiculous…but are worth your $$$
DITL of an entrepreneur with a portfolio career…that was a little weird
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I agree with Melinda, I love the idea of a slower summer. Currently thinking of ways I can implement this at work 💭
Health insurance is SO important. I have taken/stayed at certain jobs in the past primarily for coverage.
I also love the idea of a slightly slower summer. In Austria, they have lots of public holidays and it's very normal for things to take longer than it would in the US. Realtors don't even work on weekends here! It's been an adjustment but I am really learning to love it.