Recently Enjoyed Things | July 25, 2025
The Best of 36
It’s my birthday today! And like thee most stereotypical Leo, I love attention and this is really a week that I thrive in. For 7 days, I’ve been coddling myself with little treats and excuses, all in the name of birthday week. You deserve it girl.
I’m turning 37 which is kind of exciting because I’ve officially been responsible for keeping myself alive and well for longer than my parents were. And they say there aren’t any exciting birthdays after 21!
Honestly, I don’t feel old. Actually, it makes me roll my eyes when my friends and especially young people say they feel old. Like babe, someday we might be 72 and maybe even older and the 30’s are going to sound deliciously young. So agile! Such tight skin! It’s all so subjective anyway, you know? I remember being 16 and thinking 28 sounded old. And being 30 and thinking 45 was old. And now, I’m like, maybe 75 is old? Anyway, I feel good and I’m mostly healthy and I guess that’s good enough for me.
I don’t have 37 things I’ve learned in 37 years to present to you today because I think those are boring to read. They’re all the same. But more importantly, I haven’t learned anything prolific or out of the ordinary. I guess I could tell you that I’ve learned 4 minutes is the perfect amount of time for my ideal boiled egg. But that’s not helpful to anybody because boiled eggs are surprisingly personal. It did take me well into my 30’s to nail that down though.
What I do have today is an edition not dissimilar to those traditional end of the year posts. You know, “Best of 202X” that we see all over the place in December. This is my personal new year, and I’d like to review. I’m going to follow the usual format of this newsletter, but fill it in with all my favorite finds from 36. Not my whole life. Just the year I was 36. It was a good one!
But first, some housekeeping: there’s some affiliate links in here. But aren't they everywhere? Anyway, if you click on something and buy it, I might earn a commission at no cost to you.
Also, if you’re enjoying what I’m enjoying, I’d love for you to stick around!
Recently Enjoyed
Reading
I’m passionate about reading and sharing books that are readily available at your library and don’t feature a waitlist 47 people long. So these are rarely new, hot releases, but if you’re intrigued, there’s a good chance for instant gratification at your library.
What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by
// Borrowed from my library and then purchased as soon as I had to give it back. This is the most down to earth cookbook filled with easy dinners that don’t require an online order from a fancy cooking store for spices I’ll never use again. Everything is easy and it’s all delicious. No exaggeration. Frequent fliers at my house are the Peanutty Brussells and Rice and Beans.A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (+ everything else he writes) // I know this isn’t new by a long stretch, but I just read it earlier this year, and the way I fell in love with this man’s writing. I promptly followed it by Table for Two and Rules of Civility and I recently picked up The Lincoln Highway. Easily one of my best and favorite discoveries of being 36.
A quick hit of reads I really liked this year: Yolk, Astor, Long Island Compromise, and Rodham.
Shopping
Azelaic Acid // I know this is dramatic, but this stuff is $12 and it changed my skin. It just cleans everything out and after about a week of use, cleared up every weird spot, leaving my skin just looking bright and clean. I use it clear down to my clavicle because the universe saw fit to give me acne on my neck and chest (into my late 30s!) and this somehow handles that too.
Dysport // It’s expensive, but it does precisely what it says it will do and that’s an anomaly in the beauty industry.
Additions to my make-up drawer // Tower28 mascara for crisp lashes that don’t clump and zero fallout. Urban Decay Dewy Setting Spray because it smells nice and dries not too dewy and not too matte. Rare Beauty contour in Mellow for some blendable color that makes me look tan.
Replica Endless Summer // I’m still somewhat allegiant to glossier You as a staple, but this Endless Summer is my Q3 obsession. Orange-y but not gourmand or too feminine. It’s hard to describe, but I read a review that called it an Aperol Spritz and I was like, that’s it!
And this $34 linen dress that is a GD workhorse for all the places you can wear it. I have it in three colors (black and white because I’m practical, and purple because I am also sometimes not!).
Recent Saves
New year, new me vibes.
Perfect Weekend To-Do List
The gift of a Friday birthday is a full birthday weekend. In that spirit, we’re scheduling fun.
Make a red velvet cake. I’ve never made one of these before, but I have a real hankering for cream cheese frosting and full trust in Pinterest recipes.
Have my sisters and their kids over on Friday night for pizza and a movie and a bonfire. I’m making it sound like I’m over the top today, but really I’m going to work as usual and then I just want to hang with my best friends and drink a bottle or two of good wine while our kids run feral through the yard.
Sunday is for coming to terms with being older and still having shit to do and not being old enough to retire yet. I’ll clean up the house, run a load of laundry and probably make a grocery list. Ugh. Is it possible to already have Sunday scaries on a Friday?
Sending You on Your Way
(Interesting things I found on the internet this week)
Oh my gosh, a real Father of the Bride II moment!
Bad week for love, ya know? Venmo and the Coldplay Jumbotron will out your bad judgement: 16 chaotic ways people found out they were being cheated on.
A fun read via A Cup of Jo: What small, inexpensive things make your life better? For me, it’s the $15 pooper scooper that helps me keep my yard safe for children and the variety of $10 candles I get from TJ Maxx.
Last Week - In case you missed it:
The weekend did end up being pretty relaxing.
PS -
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Happy birthday! I also turn 37 this year and don't feel old at all. I hope you had the best day today.
Azelaic Acid is really THAT bitch! - I use prescription-grade, and it's a necessity at this point.