Happy Friday!
This past weekend, bustled up indoors from the winter storms, I found myself wrapped in some of the most soul-stirring comfort content: Theo of Golden and Les Misérables. Two very different worlds. Two very tender reminders. And both circling the same exquisite truth: to love another person is to see the face of God.
There is something about stories of redemption, loyalty, sacrifice — the quiet, stubborn choice to love anyway — that steadies me when the real world feels sharp around the edges. In both narratives, love is not naïve. It is costly. It is inconvenient. It asks something of you. And yet, it is the only force that ultimately redeems.
This week carried its own heaviness. You may have felt it too — the low hum of headlines, the collective fatigue, the temptation to harden just a little. When that happens, I try to turn my attention deliberately toward the good that still pulses through humanity. The small mercies. The unseen sacrifices. The neighbor who shows up. The friend who checks in. The stranger who chooses gentleness over indifference.
If awe is a practice (and I believe it is), so is generosity of spirit.
So today, consider this your nudge: look for the good. Name it. Thank it. And where you can, become it. Extend the kindness. Offer the softer response. Let your love be sturdy and active and unembarrassed.
In a world that can feel cynical, choosing to love — deliberately, expansively — is its own quiet act of defiance.
Wearing | Mongolian Cashmere Oversized Boyfriend Cardigan Sweater
This cardigan is a full-fledged pillar of my wardrobe at this point. I am, quite transparently, collecting the colors like they are infinity stones. At this rate, I will achieve sartorial omnipotence via knitwear.
Eating | Van Leeuwen
True decadence with just the slightest crunch. It’s creamy with that caramelized honeycomb crackle folded throughout. It tastes like something you’d order at a tiny European café and then immediately try to recreate at home (you won’t; just buy the pint).
Reading | The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
I just finished this novel, told exclusively through letters. No traditional narration — just correspondence unfolding over the course of decades. The characters are deeply flawed, occasionally maddening, yet so very human that I felt emotionally tethered to them by the end. There is something intimate about reading someone else’s letters — it made me want to bring pen to paper myself!
Watching | Bridgerton (Season 4)
I am watching as I pen this letter, and the costuming alone deserves its own award category. Absolute visual confection. The colors, the tailoring, the absurdly romantic lighting — pure eye candy. It’s escapist in the most sumptuous way, and frankly, I am not above being swept away by it!
Listening | Two Guys, Five Rings
Somehow NBC-sanctioned and delightfully unhinged. Hosted by Las Culturistas (aka Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers), this Winter Olympics podcast is sure to carry me through the lead-up to and coverage of Milan. This week's episode with Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir is hilarious and features a good bit of Traitors insight!
Trying | Hatch Restore 3 Alarm
Preface: This product was gifted to me by Hatch, but this review is entirely my own.
Carter and I have had an absurd amount of fun setting up our nighttime wind-down and morning wake-up routines. I especially love the wind-down alert — our cue that it’s time to go analog. There is something so gentle about being ushered toward sleep instead of crashing into it.
Champagne | The Upside Fleece
Cozy. Melt-worthy. The kind of jacket that is a need in this Atlanta cold snap!
Frites | Old Navy Sherpa Quarter-Zip
A playful little counterpart for under $25. And in so many delightful designs! Soft, cheerful, and perfect for school drop-offs, coffee runs, or layering under a bigger coat when the temperatures dip. Not everything has to be investment-level to be delightful — sometimes you just want something fuzzy and fun that does the job beautifully.
STORIES
Books I Read | January 2026. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)
Happiness Bluepring #5. By Professor Marina Cooley
If One or Both of You Dies: A Calm, Adult Framework for Things You Hope You Never Need. By sj.chiovitti
The Invite-Only Superfake Birkin Economy of the Upper East Side. By Carson Griffith
YOUR APPOINTMENTS
Your January Appointments. By Lauren Tilashalski (that’s moi!)
CLOSET
Latest Finds | January 2026
Tuckernuck New Arrivals | January 2026
Sadie Loving
If your feed is craving a little color therapy, allow me to direct you to Sadie Loving of Charleston. Her world is bright, buoyant, and blissfully un-beige. Think saturated hues, joyful pattern play, and outfits that feel like they were assembled with both confidence and a wink.
What I especially love is her knack for high-low magic. She’ll pair an investment piece with an accessible find in a way that feels thoughtful rather than try-hard — aspirational but never untouchable. It’s that sweet spot where style feels elevated and still entirely wearable.
I’ve heard the Correspondent on Audio Book is great as there are multiple voices. On my list!
Lauren, once again I'm giddy at how you are both brainy and effervescent. And your writing, so beautiful. 💗