weekly r.e.p.o.r.t. c.a.r.d. #52

a juicy business memoir, AI hacks, and escaping gel manicures

Happy Sunday from a very happy NYC. Go Knicks! My husband is a massive Knicks fan, and has been predicting this 2026 win for years. He couldn’t be more thrilled—and I loved seeing the streets come alive last night (and so many strangers come together in celebration).

A post from September! There are two more posts on his feed predicting the 2026 win too. 👀

This is a very travel-heavy summer. I’m headed to another dear friend’s wedding in Italy next week, and have two more weddings in Europe later this summer. My husband and I joke that while we don’t have kids yet, we sometimes feel like we do because the cost of weddings feels like the cost of daycare or a nanny. But alas…I couldn’t be happier to attend. We got married last year, and our friends & family showed up for us. We are thrilled to do the same for our nearest and dearest.

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know how much I love my lymphatic drainage & compression leggings. I wear them every single time I get on a plane, and they significantly reduce post-travel bloat (and with regular wear, have reduced my cellulite). However, they are expensive (yet so worth the money). But they are FSA/HSA deductible! As I always say, everything tastes better on the corporate card. If your employer can partially pay for bougie travel leggings, you’re golden.

Last week, I talked about all things Georgia (the country). This week, the rise of phone calls vs. voice notes, a genius makeup wipe innovation, and how I’m slowly escaping the grip of gel manicures.

Reading (book): This juicy business tell-all was originally recommended by Hitha Palepu (an oracle about so many things!) and came up in conversation with a friend this week.

We were chatting about the SpaceX IPO—and naturally, the topic of uber-successful people doing bad things came up. Written by one of the first employees at a Big Tech company you interface with every day, you will see the company (and one of its most golden senior executives) in a very different light. A must-read.

Other books I recommended to friends this week: this morbid yet highly effective book on time management and this true story about a frat gone wrong.

Reading (article): Spontaneous phone calls are my love language. I love a voice note, but there's something about just picking up the phone and calling a friend that hits. This Town & Country article gets into it.

I devoured this WSJ piece about women earning over $775,000 a year. Lots of insights into how they manage money and climbed the ladder to success.

Eating: I'm a sucker for a healthy snack and these are IT. I was addicted to the Quaker rice cakes for years, but these are a great (and way more natural) alternative. Just as delicious and much better for you!

Recommended to me by Alexandra Sall (a dear friend and one of my all-time favorite IG follows for clean snacks). I’m equally obsessed with these chocolate-covered rice cakes and these protein-loaded pretzels.

Playing: I am on a nail journey. I got a Russian gel manicure three weeks ago, and it still looks fantastic. However, I am trying my hardest to wean off gel (and my Russian manicure experience certainly isn’t making it any easier!) I’m super fair and have a history of skin cancer in my family, so continued exposure to UV light isn’t healthy.

This Russian manicure was perfect…but took 2.5 hours to pull off. Beauty takes time! I went to this spot in Chelsea, which is open until 10PM if you need a late-night mani.

I made an exception this time because I’m traveling a ton over the next few weeks, but I’ve loving this 100% natural polish set. It’s so easy that even a motor skill-challenged dummy like me can do a quick at-home mani and immediately feel very pulled together. Highly, highly recommend! The polishes last super long, too!

Recommending: One of my newest (and favorite!) additions to my AI stack is WisprFlow. It’s an app that enables precise dictation—much more precise than your iPhone or other AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT. For instance, I dictated the content of this Substack while I was on a long walk (and therefore majorly reduced my screen time). You can get a free month of Pro here! Absolutely worth paying for.

It’s just one of the few hacks that I learned from my incredible AI tutor, who has taught me so much about how to structure my life (and work) with AI. He is a total genius about all things AI. Bring him a problem and he will immediately come up with an AI-enabled solution. He works with small business owners, entrepreneurs, and those who are AI curious.

He works by referral only, so feel free to email me at julia@smarterinasec.com. if you want to be connected with him.

Admiring: Some things, people, and content I’ve been loving this week:

Thank you Julie Fratantoni, PhD for this level set:

• These makeup wipes are my new holy grail. They contain 4X more serum than your traditional makeup wipe (which, let’s be honest, tend to be bone-dry). They’re a one-stop shop for makeup removal as well as skincare. The proprietary serum removes makeup and moisturizes!

  • Though I’m still loyal to my skincare routine, I have seen a difference in the plumpness of my skin since I started using them. They’re a great option for travel. I’ve become pretty reliant on them, though, so will probably start using them at home too.

• I’ve been lapping up Mindy Kaling’s new show NOT SUITABLE FOR WORK. The humor is super sharp and it’s such a quick, fun watch. On Hulu!

• This capsule set is the ultimate practical gift for dads who travel a ton. Your dad doesn’t need another sweater! They’re magnetic, travel-sized capsules that click together and hold pills, creams, rings—anything that needs to be tucked away safely. I live and die by my set, and it’s kept me sane during this season of here, there, and everywhere.

• This navy pointelle tee just arrived (I already have it in white). Beyond good and fits very similarly to the LESET Margo tee. You won’t believe the price.

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And finally, Substack Saves—a new section spotlighting the pieces worth your time.

• A searing look at STRANGERS from Lane Anderson—and how Belle Burden’s story is more ordinary than you’d imagine.

• Loved, loved this spicy take on time management from Casey Crowe Taylor. A step-by-step guide to “making time your b*tch.”

• If you haven’t already read YESTERYEAR, it’s one of my favorite reads of 2026 (so far). elle jones dives into it all (and comparisons to the spectre of Ballerina Farm).

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