January edit
On phone charms, cookbooks and cozy candle warmers.
Hello to the new faces who may have discovered the newsletter through Girl Boss! I’m so happy that you’re here. January is always the roughest month of the year, and this one in particular felt a bit like a sucker punch with everything going on in the world. I found some solace in winter glimmers amidst all the gloom, as well as hope in knowing that the days are getting longer. The sun set around 5:36 pm! We’re almost there!
This monthly edit is a roundup of things I bought, read, watched or enjoyed in January.
String Ting Wristlet Phone Strap
This colourful phone wristlet was a gift from my friend, Renée. It’s from String Ting, a London-based brand beloved by celebs like BlackPink’s Jennie and Dua Lipa. The embellished wristlets, which are made with acrylic, glass and resin, are a little hit of dopamine and such a great conversation starter (much like my Jellycat croissant bag charm!).
Jenny Bird Art Heart Button Earrings
There are so many things from Jenny Bird that I keep adding to cart. Luckily, I just received this dainty pearl and shell necklace for my birthday. I’m also very into the new Love collection. I currently have a notification alert set for these out-of-stock button earrings. The asymmetrical detail with the opposite-facing hearts is perfection. I’m usually a gold girl, but I’m working to expand my silver jewellery collection after a colour assessment concluded that I’m a cool winter.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
I love that collective energy when it feels like we’re all reading or watching the same thing in real time. The reading journey for Rebecca Yarros’s Empyrean series has been so much fun for that very season. As I read the book, I was trying to enjoy all the great memes while also avoiding all the spoilers online. Post-book, I’ve been nose-deep in all the Reddit theories (that ending!) and casting speculation for Iron Flame. Who should play Xaden??
Coconut & Sambal: Recipes from an Indonesian Kitchen by Lara Lee
My name is Mishal Cazmi and I can’t stop buying cookbooks. Lately, I’ve started borrowing cookbooks from the library and then deciding whether I want to add it to my collection (I only have so much shelf space!). My current favourite checkout is Lara Lee’s cookbook featuring so many great Indonesian recipes. What I’m planning to make on repeat: the Cucumber, Chili and Shallot Pickle, Beef Rendang and the Vegetable Nasi Goreng.
Uniqlo Jersey Barrel Leg Pants
I finally decided to wade into barrel-leg pants territory with Uniqlo’s version. You get the structured silhouette of a barrel pant, plus the comfiness with just enough stretch. The blessing and curse of finding a Uniqlo pant you love is then proceeding to buy them in every colour (which is what I’ve done with the pleated denim).
XO, Kitty (Netflix)
I liked season 1 of XO, Kitty—a spin-off of the Netflix series, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, which follows Lara-Jean Covey’s sister Kitty in Seoul—but I really enjoyed season 2. It was messy and chaotic, which I just chalk up to life at that age being exactly that. I loved the evolution of some of the characters like Min Ho Moon and Q. I also enjoyed the generous sprinkle of K-drama energy. The thing that To All The Boys did so well was the chemistry and all those can’t-keep-it-bottled-up-inside feels of first love. The second season comes closer to capturing that feeling with the love interests.
Zing Hakka-ish Garlic Chili Crunch
In a recent NYT Cooking newsletter, Melissa Clark wrote that there’s no such thing as too much garlic and she’s absolutely right. More garlic in everything, please! It’s why I love Zing’s extra garlicky and ultra crunchy version of its Hakka-ish Chili Crisp (which I’ve also written about before). I add it to everything from fried rice to stir-fry and it’s just the perfect condiment.
Chat Papier Vinyl Stickers
New year, new Moleskine and new stickers to dress it up. This year, I decided to get these vinyl stickers (the sticker sheet is not vinyl) that I found via Etsy. My favourite sticker is Donut forget to take breaks because it’s harder to ignore a cute reminder.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Green Fig Cleansing Balm
The British brand finally made its way to Canada last year. I have several favourites from Elemis like the Pro-Collagen Anti Aging Marine Day Cream (gorgeous texture, sinks right into parched winter skin) and the Superfood Hydrating and Nourishing Facial Oil (I use it as part of my nighttime routine because the scent sends a signal to my brain, telling me that it’s time to wind down). The brand’s newest launch is the Fig Cleansing Balm. Cleansing balms aren’t a staple in my routine, but this one has convinced me otherwise. I love the scent, texture, and it removes all the grime without any greasy residue.
Candle Warmer Lamp
You’re telling me that I can smell the scent of my favourite candle wafting in the air without ever lighting it and bask in the soft, gentle glow of the lamp? The electric lamp basically warms the wax to produce the scent, which means no open flame, and the other functional part of the lamp, which is the light, offers major ambiance. I’ve cut down on lighting candles around our home since having a child so this feels like a safer option for our household.
A croquembouche—but with beignets!
- put together some great tips for making busier morning better.
Instant click: your romance trope according to your zodiac sign.
The joy and connective power of letter-writing.
How not to take things personally, according to experts.
I enjoyed this ELLE profile on Rebecca Yarros.
Love this idea: 40 letters written by friends and family to celebrate a 40th birthday.
I'm almost done with S2 of XO, Kitty! It's cute.
I love that the String Ting phone wristlet is giving you so much joy! <3