Notes from the Week, Vol. 1
The start of something new!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s been a wonderfully chaotic and productive start to the year and I’d like to thank myself for an actually restorative holiday. I stayed in LA and rested, read, saw my friends, stayed in alone, stayed out all night, cooked, and drank sooo much wine. It felt like a staycation and I’ve got to say, I locked in and hit the ground running this week and it’s felt damn good. There is so much to look forward to this year and I am genuinely so excited!
I’ve had my eyes set on leveling up this Substack for a while now. And considering a year ago today, I was evacuated from my house from the Altadena fire wondering if my house would burn to the ground… this year is off to a way better start.
To that point, I’ve realized how much of my life lives in fragments. Screenshots, saved links, voice notes, texts sent to the group chat. If I don’t write it down on a notepad or my Notes app, it didn’t happen.
Notes from the Week is where I’m keeping track of the everyday things and thoughts that make up a week: links I sent to friends, recipes I actually cooked, what I’m reading, wearing, and recommending. No theme, just an archive of what felt worth sharing with you all. I hope you enjoy it and find it helpful. Welcome to Vol. 1!
As always, if you’re enjoying my Substack, it would mean the world if you heart this post, share it with a friend you think might enjoy it, and subscribe! I work on these late at night after my long work days because I genuinely love it, and I hope you do too :) Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here 🤍
xoxo,
Cat
A pretty rummikub set. Let’s be real — the original set is ugly. This one is much more appealing to the eye. Also, if you haven’t gotten into this game yet… what are you waiting for?!
Heart the Lover by Lily King. I loved this book and finished it in two days. It’s a story about love through different chapters of life and how love can linger. The ending wrecked me. It was such a beautiful read.
I convinced my bff to get a Kindle. It’s so nice to read on a plane or in bed without the lights on. It’s light and easy to travel with. And the Kindle prices for books are significantly cheaper. That said, there are certain books I prefer to get in physical form. It’s just a ~feeling~ I guess :) I just went to Vroman’s in Pasadena the other days and spent an hour wandering the aisles. It’s heaven.
A knock box for your espresso machine. I was making an espresso and my bestie’s house and she didn’t have one, which made me realize how useful this is! PS. I’ve had the De’Longhi La Specialista for five years and love it.
These espresso cups. I bought these for my best friend and another best friend’s mama for Christmas and they were such a hit.
The easiest and most delicious roasted chicken recipe. It’s 3 ingredients: a chicken, olive oil, salt. This recipe really goes to show that simple is best. I should start a series on cooking for one, because I’m really mastering it. This lasts me an entire week and it’s versatile. I use the carcass to make broth — just add water, whatever scraps you have (celery, herbs, lemon, onion peels, whatever) and simmer for hours. I let mine go overnight so it’s upwards of 12-16 hours. Then, I freeze half of it in these incredible silicone trays. Then I put the carcass and scraps into my Mill Food Recylcer — yes, the bones too! — and it’s a zero waste meal. Pretty incredible, right?! Thanks to my dear friend Hayley for this recipe. And my friend Geri Hirsch also agrees that roasting a chicken is life-changing.
The best roasted chicken recipe, reminding me that I really need to get a stockpot. Ottolenghi’s Roasted Eggplant with anchovy and oregano is so damn good. I helped my girlfriend Anna make this on NYE and it was so easy and delicious. Ps. all of Ottolenghi’s cookbooks are my favorite.
The LL Bean Tote. As basic as it is, I really do use the LL Bean Tote a lot. I have the Medium, which is the perfect size to fit my lunch and liquids to the office.
The wet vac + vacuum combo. No matter how many times I post this wet vac on my Instagram, it gets the most clicks and someone’s buying it. It also prompted me to share the best vacuum (Miele, obviously) again. Wet vac for hardwood floors, Miele vacuum for rug / carpet. No better combo.
Winter skin must haves:
Saie’s Super Glowy Gel in Warmglow gives you an instant warmth and glow on your face.
OSEA’s Body Oil + Body Butter and/or Body Lotion combo is what I swear by in the dry winter months (and the post-beach summer months too). Code: catchen10 :)
Cosrx snail mucin sheet masks 2x a week in the winter is a must.
Nail polish of the week: The Celisse Sheer Quickcoat in Vanity is the perfect nude. I had it on for 10 days before a chip! And the top coat might be one of the best I’ve tried since Seche Vite — IYKYK! I just added both of these to my Master Beauty List, by the way!
Great turtlenecks. I lived in this Guest in Residence cashmere turtleneck all week (and all winter) and it’s currently on sale! Then rotated in this Christy Dawn cherry red turtleneck that’s sadly sold out, but all their sweaters are incredible.
Loafers. I’ll admit I don’t wear them often, but when I do, they are the best of quality because you really can’t be walking around in shitty leather. This week was my tried and true Penny Loafer in Oxblood by Jamie Haller and my Aime Leon Dore loafers — both of which I’ve had since 2021. I really thought I was the baddest bitch on the block when I got those baby blue ALD loafers… they are still cute though!
RŌZ Root Lift Spray. I ran out of it a couple weeks back and finally got a new bottle and wow, I can really tell the difference without it. Thank god for the restock. (code: cat15)
Guest in Residence cashmere turtleneck on sale! It’s humidifer season. My mom was so good about having a humidifier in our house growing up and I just pulled mine out of the garage a few weeks ago. It’s such a game changer to combat dryness.
This $12 stainless steel vase. It’s actually a mint julep cup, but I saw Emily Schuman post this once and I was easily sold. The steel with roses makes me so happy.
The $12 mint julep cup that I use as a vase for my roses :) It’s fireplace season. If you didn’t see what I bought myself for Christmas, it was a delivery of 1/2 a cord of almond wood for my fireplace. I swear by these natural firestarters. I am not a duraflame girl. PS. If you live in Pasadena or are in East Los Angeles, call my buddies at Alpine Firewood for firewood delivery, or swing by to pick up a wheel barrow of great firewood. I can never get the bundles from Whole Foods again.
Butterfly clips and a kids apron. Two adorable gifts I recently got for my little besties.
To-go containers for traveling. I just texted this to my bestie. I got these so I can bring my own food on the airplane and toss afterwards. They don’t leak and are the perfect size. I also use these chefs containers at home and for travel!
Kids apron and butterfly clips for my little bestie
Heart the Lover is sitting on my nightstand, and this just inspired me to crack it open!
Adding the nail polish to cart!