Itās time for the February Recap. Hereās a little look at what I read, did, and loved this past month.
Pssst, not a subscriber? Come join the fun:
āØ February Check-in āØ
My February was all about getting shit done.
Compared to January it wasnāt exactly a āfunā month. January was all about my trip to Los Angeles. Because of that, I had pushed a lot of things that I really needed to do to February. Iām talking doctors appointments, haircut, meetings, all those kinds of things.
Iām feeling proud of myself that I crossed a lot of things off my to-do list ā I finally went to the dentist which I had been putting off since November. I went to another dentist for my TMJ-related issues and got my retainer thatās been giving me issues adjusted. I crossed off going to the gyno and now donāt have to think about that for another year.
These arenāt exactly fun things to have to cross off my to-do list, but it feels good to be done with them.
Two other big things happened in February:
I hired a manager for my business. This has been a long-time dream of mine as a content creator and I canāt believe itās finally happening! Iāve been doing this all solo since I first launched a blog in 2011 and Iām *so* excited to have additional support. Growing my business is a big focus of mine in 2024 and Iām excited to take this big step towards making that happen.
I started taking an SSRI. Iāve debated whether or not I should share this publicly just yet, but fuck the stigma, I think this is something super important to share. When I first started seeing my therapist at the beginning of last year, she suggested that I might find going on an SSRI helpful for my anxiety issues.
I met with a psychiatrist over the summer to learn about my options, but Iāve put off taking the leap until now. I was worried it would make me feel even worse during the adjustment period, and I hate admitting this, but I was worried about the potential weight gain.
Going into my whole history of anxiety issues is another post for another time, but the long story short is this past year Iāve been experiencing these really bad nausea episodes and stomach pains that seem linked to anxiety. Iāve always been an anxious girlie, but things have been worse lately.
At my yearly physical with my primary care doctor this month I brought up the issues Iāve been having and my hypothesis that I probably have IBS (a Jewish girl with tummy aches, how originalā¦)
She suggested I start taking an SSRI as a first step. I realized Iām ready to live my life again without the constant worry that my anxiety is going to get in the way.
So, I finally started taking an SSRI.
Iāll share more about this as time goes on, but now 3 weeks in, I am starting to feel a difference. Itās hard to explain the feeling, but itās almost like the volume has been turned down and thereās a damper on how loud itās allowed to get. Thereās still noise and music, but itās not getting to the alarmingly loud level anymore. Hopefully, that makes some senseā¦
As always, this is just my own experience and not a professional recommendation of any sort. But if youāre struggling with anxiety: Iām giving you a big virtual hug and I encourage you to learn about the best options for you.
š Everything I Read in February š
It was a short but very good reading month ā both of these books are SO good!
Good Material by Dolly Alderton
I had really enjoyed Dolly Aldertonās previous novel, Ghosts, and was super excited to see the direction she went next. Good Material centers on a male comedian in his mid-30s as he gets back on his feet after a break-up. Itās an interesting take as a female writer talking about a break-up from the male perspective. I found it super interesting and really thought-provoking about loss, moving on, and both sides of one story.
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars ā
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Willams
I read and loved Seven Days in June by Tia Williams and was super excited to see this new book from her getting a lot of good buzz on social media. And rightfully so, it did not disappoint.
I almost donāt want to tell you too much about this book as the beauty is watching the story unfold. But hereās what you need to know: Itās a love story that takes place in Harlem but during the present day and the 1920s. Youāll see how it all connects.
Iāve gotten picky about the romance I read lately ā itās gotta have something āspecialā about it that makes it feel different. This book had that something special.
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars ā
š Favorite Things from February š
going to Bibliotheque
Have you seen the viral videos about the new bookstore, Bibliotheque, thatās also a coffee shop by day and wine bar by night? I had a coffee catchup with my friend, another Kayla who Substacks, and it was so stinking cute. It can get crowded during the day with people working on their laptops, but I saw you can get a reservation at night. A very cute spot to meet up with book-loving friends.
the crispy rice bowl from Sweetgreen
At Sweetgreen Iām usually a Guacamole Greens girlie, but lately, Iāve been OBSESSED with the Crispy Rice Bowl. Itās such a lovely mix of flavors and textures
Seeing Spamalot on Broadway
It was super fun to see this current cast on Broadway take on this material. I had seen the original Broadway show back when it first opened (and yes Iāve seen the movie) but had forgotten about so many aspects of the show.
Getting a keratin treatment
Every time I get a keratin treatment I am SO happy that I did. Iām a big fan of Cezanne in particular as it works well for my hair and has pretty easy rules to follow after treatment (use sulfate-free productsā¦ otherwise youāre good to go).
My hair is naturally pretty straight but frizzy and deceptively thick. I find that the keratin makes it easier to manage ā it cuts down on dry time and turns out perfectly with minimal effort. If youāre in NYC I love Davide Hair Studio for keratin ā if you mention my name get 10% off a keratin treatment.
in my Stanley Tumbler era
I hate to say this, but I am in my Stanley era. The company kindly sent me a very cute pink tumbler and Iāve been using it all day ever since.
For me, itās a bit too bulky to carry outside of the house ā I have a different water bottle I use for working out and such ā but at my desk and sitting around my apartment Iām loving it. Itās got me drinking more water which is a win.
these black leggings
Iāve been a Lululemon Align girlie for years and while I still love them, I donāt love the new fabric they started to use for them in recent years. I wanted to find another black legging thatās butter-y soft, comfy, and versatile for both barre and strength-training workouts. After ordering a bunch of different leggings from Athleta, I think I found my new favorite! I wore them for barre this morning and they were amazing.
this pink pill organizer
You know youāre in your 30s when youāre hyped about a new pill organizerā¦
dinner at TABLE by Little Beet in Gramercy
The crispy spirulina rice with shrimp added is SO good!
I canāt stop wearing this perfume
Itās called Core Memory which feels very fitting as it reminds me of a perfume I used in high school.
this sweater for book lovers
itās so cozy!
Thatās all for today. Hope you have a lovely weekend āØ
Kayla