Annnd, it's back!
On viral crossbody bags, good collaborations and the perfect croissant.
Hello! It’s been a while. I’ve been MIA for many reasons, one of which is having returned to work from mat leave. Life has been busy, but I’ve been itching to write again. I know there are a few new faces here since I sent the last newsletter, so I thought I’d reintroduce myself. I’m a (new-ish) mom to a 16-month-old son. I currently work at Pinterest and prior to that, I was an editor working in the publishing industry for over a decade (my primary beat was beauty—once a beauty editor, always a beauty editor!). Romance novels, beauty, travel, food and fashion are just some of the things I love and this newsletter is the culmination of all those joys and my way of sharing them. Speaking of which, here’s what has brought me joy lately.
The worth-it viral bag
If you've walked into a Uniqlo store lately, you’ve probably seen the candy-coloured wall of the brand’s very viral round mini shoulder bags. Besides being visual ASMR, they’re also incredibly practical, while managing to look immensely chic. They’re discreetly capacious and extra perfect if you’re a mom looking to be hands-free. The bags ($24.90 at Uniqlo) are available in eight colours from a dusty pink to a minty blue, all of which happen to be equally appealing. Case in point: I have the one in pink, am getting the beige and still have my eye on the navy (how many is too many?).
Kotn + Maha's Brunch: a match made in heaven
Last week, I visited the newly-opened second Toronto location of Kotn, a sustainable clothing brand that offers up wardrobe staples made from Egyptian cotton. The store shares space with a favourite food spot of mine, Maha’s Brunch (the partnership is based on their shared Egyptian roots). Like Kotn, this is also Maha’s second location, which is good news if you’ve ever braved the weekend line-ups to get one of the coveted tables inside the restaurant. Shop for some feel-good clothes (I really love this lightweight unisex knit in green) and on your way out, grab the best honey cardamom latte you’ll ever taste.
The perfect croissant doesn’t exis—
When I think about small joys, croissants are almost always on that list. So I posed a simple question to three people who I consider to be croissant experts: what is the best croissant you’ve ever had? Here’s what they had to say:
“During one of the many mental health walks of 2020, an intense waft of butter hit me. This intoxicating smell came from Geste Croissanterie, a small shop run by two French-trained pastry chefs who doled out the most innovative creations. The mark of a good pastry is a simple butter croissant, and did they ever deliver. Warm out of the oven, it was the perfect combination of flaky and soft, with an audible crunch as you took your first bite. Rich with butter, it had me coming back for more. In my croissant hunt of 2020, I gave this perfect little spot a 10/10.” - Sarah Botros
“Lafayette in New York City because it has the perfect golden brown colour—crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, exceptionally flaky, buttery taste, and lots and LOTS of layers. Plenty of places make tasty croissants. And plenty also make beautiful croissants. But very few hit all the marks consistently like Lafayette does.” - Isabelle Cheng
“The only thing that can motivate me to wake up early on a weekend is the pistachio croissant from Emmer in Toronto. To me, it is perfect. Luscious, flaky pastry is filled with glorious pistachio frangipane and topped with bright, vibrant green Sicilian chopped pistachios. I’ve tried croissants all over the world and nothing tops this for me, but be warned: it often sells out minutes after the bakery opens, so be sure to get there early!” - Lara Buchar
One good book recommendation
The romance book slump has been real. Until I picked up Scandalized by Ivy Owens, a book I've been meaning to read, but have kept putting off in favour of newer releases. When I finally did get around to it, I was hooked from the very first chapter. It’s a second chance romance between two childhood friends, an investigative journalist and an A-list celebrity, who run into each other years later. I love a good celebrity trope, but so few authors do it well. This one was fun, thoughtful and smart. If you’re a romance novel lover like I am and don't recognize the author's name, it's because Ivy Owens is the pseudonym of Lauren Billings, who is one-half of Christina Lauren. I’m convinced this underrated book slipped under the radar last summer, but is worth the read!
From my bookmarks:
Watch: The new season of Ted Lasso on Apple TV. Gezellig. ⚽️
Listen: The Who What Wear podcast episode with journalist Maggie Bullock on her book, The Kingdom of Prep for anyone who obsessively followed the Jenna Lyons era of J.Crew. 🧥
Make: Eric Kim’s sheet-pan kimchi fried rice. 🍚
Read: Here’s how to practice self-compassion and be kinder to yourself. ♥️
Welcome back! And what a great first read back :)
So happy to see Small Joys back in my inbox! Boulangerie on Dundas is my favourite place for croissants.