weekly r.e.p.o.r.t. c.a.r.d. #25
a new work bag obsession, unsexy but necessary convos, and fall transitional picks
Hi! Happy Monday from Florence! I’ve been in Venice for a wedding since Thursday, so my husband and I decided to extend for two days and go to Florence—where I studied abroad in college.
Mandatory gelato snack in Venice!
Excited to stop my by all-time favorite gelato place (Edoardo). I went there pretty much every day when I studied abroad, but totally played it cool when my parents came to visit: “I want to take you for gelato…I’ve only been there once but it’s amazing.” As soon as I walked in with my parents, the staff immediately exclaimed “JULIA!!!!” Cover blown.
P.S. If you’re new around here—welcome to the weekly r.e.p.o.r.t c.a.r.d! It’s a weekly grab bag of the ideas, things, and people that I’m loving. Check out the last issue here. It’s a fun, light addition to the VARSITY READER fold.
Reading (book): One book I’ve been recommending a ton recently (to clients and in the DMs) is CAN’T HURT ME by David Goggins. Part memoir, part roadmap, it includes stories of inspiration and tools to push past your mental roadblocks.
The author endured an awful childhood and later trained as an Army Ranger, Navy SEAL, and Air Force Tactical Controller (the only person to do all three). He dreamed up the 40% rule—the idea that most of us only tap into 40% of our mental capabilities. I know you will take away so much from this book—and that its contents will help you reach your next stage of career growth.
Reading (article): I love a juicy scam story, and this Bloomberg article doesn’t disappoint. It unpacks the life and career of Christine Hunsicker—the founder of CaaStle, an aspiring Rent The Runway competitor. Hunsicker is accused of falsifying fraudulent financial statements in order to inflate her company’s value…the same charges brought against Charlie Javice.
There will always be fraudsters. But in an era where everything has a paper trail (our inner thoughts are next), do people really think they’re savvy enough to trick investors? Go belly up the honest way and start dreaming up your next company. Lying is never the answer.
Eating: Seed-type crackers usually taste like dust. Not these!!! They’re incredible and have the best lemony tang. My new snack obsession.
Other snacks I’ve been loving recently: these protein pretzels (originally recommended by
), these 100-calorie lemon wafer snack packs, my all-time favorite protein bars (which taste like a chocolate-covered marshmallow), and these dark chocolate-covered rice cakes.Playing: With fall fashion! It’s been unseasonably warm in NYC—a great push to get outside, but also a reality that’s challenged my sense of fashion. How do I wear my beloved olive barrel pants when it’s 80 degrees? What summer dress do I pair with these brown suede boots?
Items I’ve been turning to again and again in this strange (but welcome) weather:
This sweater / jacket / cardigan combo that looks like Toteme for a fraction of the price (I have it in gray, but also eyeing other colorways)
This cable-knit lounge set that always makes me feel pulled together
This ruffle denim jacket that feels very GANNI / DÔEN (a great layering piece)
Many of the items in my chocolate brown edit (especially these chunky brown and silver boots!)
Obsessing: My mother-in-law introduced me to these sheet masks. I’ve found they have so much more “liquid gold” (aka serum) in them than other sheet masks!
I relied on them a ton before my wedding, and will even sleep in them if my skin is feeling super dry. I use them once a week (or even more when I’m traveling) and they’re great for a quick moisture boost.
Recommending: I got married nearly two months ago, and now that the ink is dry, it’s time to start thinking about our next stage of life as a couple. We signed a prenup (something I 1000% believe in and recommend to everyone) and are now starting the long-term estate planning process. We’re working with Steward to create a comprehensive estate plan—a will, trust, power of attorney, and healthcare directive.
Similar to a prenup, all of these documents are best created proactively rather than reactively. Do you really want to be creating these documents in the face of something difficult? Absolutely not...that’s when rash financial decisions are made.
And as the societal perception around prenups is changing, the same goes for estate planning. Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy. It’s for anyone who wants to make sure their wishes are respected, their family is cared for, and their assets transfer smoothly without unnecessary cost or conflict. Think of it as a cornerstone of your overall financial wellness, alongside tax planning and retirement planning.
Steward makes the entire process simple and cost-effective. Rather than hiring a traditional attorney who charges sky-high hourly fees, Steward charges a flat fee— there’s no limit to the amount of time you spend with your attorney. The company is disrupting a broken, expensive process and making it seamless…and I can’t recommend them enough!
Treating: I have been on the hunt for a showstopping brown work bag for years. I purchased my beloved black bag during the heart of the pandemic and have worn it nearly every day since. It checks all of my boxes:
Fits a laptop
No visible designer logos or branding
Some sort of unexpected design element (I can get a basic leather tote bag anywhere, but it’s the special details that really make an outfit)
And in Venice, I finally found an incredible brown bag that fits all of my criteria. A splurge, yes! But an absolutely worthy one. The belt detail is so fun.
It looks small, but it fits my laptop. You can loosen and tighten the belt depending on how big or small you want the bag to be.
If you’re also on the hunt for a great work bag, I did a roundup of the best work bags a few months back. Lots of great picks!
Admiring: The incredible tablescape from the Venice wedding we attended this weekend!
The brocade-printed tables were my favorite detail.
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Love all the content and the brown bag XO