weekly r.e.p.o.r.t. c.a.r.d #2
a weekly download of the ideas, things, and people that inspire me
Happy Thursday! Am I still in Mexico?!? It was 60 degrees in NYC yesterday, and I was walking around without a jacket in sight. š«
If youāre new around here, welcome to the weekly r.e.p.o.r.t c.a.r.d. Itās weekly grab bag of the ideas, things, and people that Iām loving. You can find the first issue here. A fun addition to the VARSITY READER fold.
Letās dive in!
Without further adoā¦
Reading: My friend Nan recommended this juicy NYC-based thrillerāI started last night and am loving. We both live uptown and were talking about the wild Facebook group for moms in our area. Someone invited me to the group because I was being recommended for career strategy, and WOW I will never leave. The drama is too good.
āHypotheticallyā¦how much would you have to donate to [school] to get in?ā āWhatās the best winter jacket for kids under $1000?ā Both real questions Iāve seen in the group. š Anonymous posting is allowed, so thereās lots of talk about marriage and kids definitely not fit for print.
SO this book is about an anonymous forum for wealthy NYC moms that gets hackedāand lots of secrets get exposed. Highly recommend for a fun and fast read!
Eating: Iāve been on a better-for-you gummy kick. I *love* sugar (on my birthday this year, one of my friends joked that he was shocked I hadnāt died of scurvy yet). BUT I really do try to eat mindfully when Iām at home and splurge when Iām out. So a low-calorie gummy that DOESNāT have 90% of my daily sugar allotment in a few bites?! Count me in.
I first shared about these better-for-you sour gummies (the perfect hit of sour and Iām shocked I love them so much, as I much prefer sweets!) Last week, I shared about Blobsāa sweet gummy snack that tastes just like Haribo. Both are 10/10!
This week, a friend (an attorney who should really be an influencer) introduced me to theseā¦my new fixation!
Whatās the difference between Blobs and the Alani Nu gummies? Blobs have more of an individual fruit taste (e.g., the pineapple tastes like pineapple). No funky flavors.
The Alani Nu gummies have that delicious yet indistinguishable gummy flavor. One of the flavors they offer is āapple and grape.ā I have no idea what that tastes like in real life. But in gummy world, itās damn good!
Playing: This might sound nutty, but Iām playing with the idea of throwing away all of my socks (except for a few prized pairs!) and replacing them with twenty pairs of white socks. I saw this hack on TikTok, and thought it was brilliant. How easy would laundry day be?!
I feel like I spend so much time and energy chasing down socks. And then I always put the lonely socks in a random, hidden place!!!
Obsessing: Miss Peaches. She has consumed every inch of my TikTok FYP and Instagramā¦and I want *more.*
If youāre not already clued in, Miss Peaches is the six year-old pitbull adopted by Barstool founder Dave Portnoy. Over the last two weeks, his content has transformed from bro-y (pizza reviews and sports) to cuddly, cute, and dog-centered. And since her adoption, merch with her face on it has raised over $350K for dog rescues around the nation. Highly recommend following! š„¹
Recommending: If youāre looking for a healthy meal prep service that *actually tastes good,* I highly recommend GoMethodology. I was kindly gifted a weekās worth of meals earlier this month, and TBH, expectations were low. In the past, I stupidly paid for an influencer-favorite āhealthy cleanseāā¦that tasted like dust. There also wasnāt enough food and I was dreaming of McGriddles every night.
Not GoMethodology. I donāt have pictures of what I ate (only have videos, accessible through my highlight), but everything blew me away. Can confirm that the professional photo above is what the food truly looks like.
My favorite meal was the Cajun Shrimp Gumboāwhich I got on the fourth day. COOKED FISH that tasted fresh after being shipped!?? Thatās some kind of sorcery.
Itās pricey, but if youāre slammed for time or simply want a reset, I highly recommend. The four-day cleanse ships nationwide and includes breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. Itās $464, and you can use the code SMARTER10 for 10% off.
Treating: Who doesnāt need to drink more water? I know I do. And for some reason, the whole Stanley craze never appealed to me. As a weapon, maybe (those tumblers are HEAVY!) But when I drink water, I want something a bit more aesthetic!
When I moved back to NYC, I splurged on these beautiful blue polka-dot glasses. Theyāre stunningā¦but I mostly reserve them for guests because theyāre not dishwasher-safe!
So for day-to-day water consumption, Jennifer Fisher Kitchen (a great follow for dairy-free and gluten-free recipes) influenced me to buy this set of six glass water bottles. Theyāre pretty, dishwasher-safe, and functional. Plus, easy to dole out to guests! At $25, theyāre a great buy.
Cutting: Creators who donāt add value. When I go on Instagram or TikTok, I want to be inspired, educated, or entertained. Ideally, all three! Itās astounding to me how many creators have built immense followings doing none of the above. My time is preciousā¦and so is yours. If someone isnāt offering you anything differentiated (or even worse, constantly complaining about inane matters), stop engaging.
Admiring: On the people front, I am so moved by Dr. Ruth Gottesman. A former professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, she recently donated $1B to the school. (Her late husband was an early investor in Berkshire Hathaway). If you havenāt watched this video of its students squealing with delight, please do. What an incredible gift that will help so many (and hopefully inspire other billionaires to step up).
On the shopping front, this green toile dress is currently in my cart. My friend Meghan Guffey (a fantastic fashion follow) recently shared it, and I was immediately drawn to it because it matches my bathroom wallpaper! (If my landlord is reading, donāt worryā¦itās peel and stick).
But beyond the coincidence, I love the timeless pattern and shape. Iām planning to snag for upcoming spring and summer weddings! At $295, itās priceyābut Iām OK to spend on a print if I know it will endure. And this one will! Iāll pair with either raffia or navy accessories.
Referring: I loved every tidbit of advice in
ās latest edition of . Layla is a tech CEO and mother of three young children. Every week, she doles out smart leadership lessons.The most recent issue of her Substack (absolutely subscribe!) tackled meetingsā¦and what happens to the culture of an organization when leaders continually cancel meetings. Iāve been in cultures like thisāand it leads to so much resentment and unproductivity. I wish they took Laylaās advice!
Daring: Iām currently daring toā¦make my closet functional. I love living in NYC, but things get cramped fast. Iāve been in my apartment for the last six months, so now that Iāve spent a chunk of time here, Iām doing my best to make the space work for me. For inspiration, Iām looking to professional organization accounts like Imagine It Done and Better Than B4. They also have great product recommendations for anyone tackling a similar project!
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Thanks for sharing the GoMethodology. I just did my first Hungryroots order as I was looking for a healthy meal prep option. Jury is still out as I feel like its so hard to nail the meal delivery product due to either changing plans for meals or recipes that don't deliver. Will be interested to hear how it does with the methodology one.
I have only black socks and it's a wonderful life.