10 of My Favorite Things

I while ago I read a post on Cupcakes and Cashmere about the brand’s favorite question to ask potential employees during the hiring process. Founder Emily Schuman asks wannabe editors to provide one sentence about each of their ten favorite things. It’s true that you can infer a lot about someone based on these answers (I love seeing how she dissected Leslie’s responses) so I thought I’d share my personal ten favorite things…infer what you will.

Note: This was hard! I may have to do a follow-up post with 10 more things.

Grocery Shopping: I’m my most creative and relaxed self while dreaming up recipes on the fly in a grocery store and feel like a ninja for knowing how to navigate the insane Trader Joe’s line.
The Kitchen and Bedroom Windows in Savannah: I require coffee in the morning and the best place to sip it is in my childhood home in Savannah (still “home” despite nearly 14 years in NYC), which has gorgeous, calming views of the marsh and trees dripping with Spanish moss.
Spring Awakening: Getting dressed up, enjoying pre-show cocktails, admiring the theater’s architecture…going to a Broadway show is an “event;” and while I have many favorites (like RENT, In The Heights, and Dear Evan Hanson), Spring Awakening is one I’ve seen three times and holds a special place in my heart as the first show I saw when I moved to NYC (and was well worth the hours spent sitting on grimy Times Square streets for lottery tickets).
Seersucker: This fabric reminds me of home, and although it may seem out of place in New York, I’ve incorporated it into everything, from my bedding to my wedding.
Peloton & 305 Fitness: Sweating it out in a group fitness class with energetic beats and a highly motivational instructor gives me the same high as a drunken conversation with ~~new best friends~~ strangers in a bar bathroom.
Taco Tuesday: With jobs that keep us out several nights a week, my husband and I try to maintain this weekly ritual of decompressing over tacos while watching This Is Us and sharing the sweet and sour of our respective days – I don’t think we’ve missed a week in almost 3 years.
Surprises: Far from making me anxious, all of my favorite memories (like a completely unexpected bridal shower or visit from my best friend) involve some sort of surprise, which is basically extreme happiness bursting out of nowhere.
My Bookshelf: I don’t typically re-read books but staring at my bookshelf is like visiting old friends (like imaginary bestie Pat Conroy) and is the best home decor hack – more reasons why physical books are superior to digital ones; I will die on this hill.
Central Park Conservatory Garden/Meer: This area of Central Park is an oasis in the middle of the city and a reminder that Harlem, my chosen and favorite neighborhood, is full of beauty and culture.
Theme Parties: My favorite might be a Mad Men housewarming party we threw (where I learned how to make a perfect dirty martini), but I generally love themed events for the attention paid to the smallest of details and the opportunity to entertain my pastime of dressing up – costume or black tie, doesn’t matter.