15. Looking back at 2024
We only look back when the view is great, I once read on tumblr
Hello my friends!
It’s my final newsletter of the year, so obviously I’m doing a 2024 review of some of my favorite moments.
It’s been a big year. Some of the lowest lows and certainly some of the highest highs. But that’s life, baby. Ever the optimist (unless Jake is reading this, in which case I’m totally a realist), the good easily outweighs the bad when I get to spend the days - high and low - with my loved ones❣️
So may I have this moment to look back at the year with you?
Launching talking to myself out loud 🫒 was definitely a highlight. I love it here with you guys, and I hope to spend much of 2025 being more present, consistent, and curious, and fashionable, duh, with you all. This newsletter has been an exercise in creativity and discipline for me, and I truly think I’m a little better for it.
If I’m being honest with you, I’m not totally sure what my grand plans are for this little corner of the internet, but I do have some plans. Think: hearing from fashionable people, awards season recaps, and more of the rest of it.
And hey, thanks for choosing to spend some time with me in 2024. Here’s to more of us in 2025!
Okay gag me, we’ve gotten the sappy party over, let’s dive into the good stuff. Read on for what I’ve been wearing lately and my favorite things from the year - best buys, tv, NYC recs, and pics of Olive.
But first!
What I’m Wearing
You’ll find the OOTD part of this newsletter a little light today. Other than the red sequin skirt I got in Paris that I’ve worn to every holiday party, I’ve literally been in sweatpants. And I mean like a single pair of sweatpants.
2024 look back: things work the $$
In fashion adjacent news, I’m sharing some of my favorite purchases from the year.
👚 Years of searching have brought me to the perfect black sweater, thanks Gap. Like, I’ve won the black sweater lottery with this one. I ordered in “tall” so it’s long enough to wear with leggings. Photographed above….more than once in the few weeks I’ve had it.
👖 The Anine Bing Gavin jeans I wear several times a week.
🧥 As I’m waiting to stumble upon my perfect forever leather jacket, I like the quality and variety of the BLANKNYC faux leather jackets. I just bought a second one after having another for 4+ years!
🩴 Ever controversial, you’d have to kill me to get me out of my hot pink platform crocs. They make walking the dog much more joyful. Sue me.
💋 Merit Perfecting Complexion Stick. The god tier product behind my switch to a minimal makeup routine after years of wearing three layers of foundation. You can take the girl out of the pageant lol…
🧴 For my dry skin folks it’s the Naturium Glow Getter Body Oil Wash x Lanolips x La Mer Renewal Oil (reminder I work for Estee Lauder Cos. but don’t get commission for promoting this. I also probably couldn’t afford this if I didn’t have an employee discount lol, but it’s worth it if you can).
💅 This Kur Nail Concealer with a gel topcoat is a perfect solution for someone who now cares what my nails look like but hates getting my nails done.
💍 Oh, and if you’re looking for an engagement ring, Frank Darling has been a hit for me personally.
Most of the goods are linked in my Amazon storefront!
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2024 look back: things worth listening to
Further diving into the 2024 recap, I consumed a lot of media this year. I’m talking top 8% of Spotify listeners and living with a real TV guru.
🎶 From Pumpkin Pie Spice 90s to Pink Pilates Princess Roller Skating Pop and some Boujee Strut Rap, my Spotify wrapped was all over the place this year. It’s equally likely that my taste ranged as it was just Spotify’s firing the wrapped team last year and going all in on AI probably messed it up.
2024 look back: screen time
On the visual media front, it was a great year for Emili’s TV and Movie viewing 📺. Some of my favorites:
Nobody Wants This, Netflix, takes the cake for the best new show.
Girls, Max, isn’t new to TV but new to me. This show literally shaped most of my year.
Silo, Apple TV, so good. Ready to dive into season 2!
The Day of the Jackal, Peacock, had our friends doing a full guided discussion over Christmas dinner.
Home, Apple TV, is the best easy/background watch.
Martha, Netflix, no explanation necessary.
Black Bird, Apple TV, also not new, still a great watch.
Avatar the Last Airbender, Netflix, coming in hot for the best rewatch.
Wicked, duh.
The Greatest Night in Pop, Netflix, was an incredible recco by my mom.
2024 look back: book club
While I didn’t hit my lofty goal of 25 books (I don’t know who I was when I set that goal 🤡), I did read 13, which is the most I’ve read in…okay that’s probably none of your business. Here’s what stuck with me:
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow is definitely my favorite non fantasy read from the year.
Recursion was a close second!
I think Fourth Wing may have crept above the Throne of Glass series as my favorite fantasy!
Throne of Glass was a phenomenal series, but there was a lot of length that I just didn’t need. It actually just left my itching to re-read ACOTAR.
For further reviews or recommendations for me, shall we be pals on Goodreads?
2024 look back: girl’s gotta eat
And this year, the food did not disappoint 🍱.
Marea was Jake’s pick for my birthday this year. Coastal Italian was the right pick.
Trying to keep up, for his birthday, we did Mission Ceviche for something new to us and Grand Banks, an annual oyster, fries, and champagne tradition. Big fans of seafood.
Cafe Chelsea in the Hotel Chelsea was an easy to get reservation and crowd pleaser. Fair warning, burger is great but sodas are cocktail prices…so just order a drink before you spend $30 on Diet Coke -_-
Sushi by M has received Jake’s Stamp of Sushi Approval, which isn’t easy to come by/
My girl Mary hooked us up with a res at Carbone Privado and whew, baby, I won’t forget that one anytime soon. It’s also where she asked me to be her MOH :’)
On the home cooked front, I’m a big fan of
Gordon RamseyJake’s Slow-Cooked Fiery Lamb Shank.
2024 look back: more of the good stuff
Around NYC
Fell in love with Karaoke this year - recco RPM Underground and Miss Kim’s for a very good, very loud night out in NYC.
Whilst wedding dress shopping for my girlfriend Kelly, The One Bridal in Brooklyn was a personal fave of mine. Gorg selection, totally private, and the most helpful stylist.
After seeing Uncle Vanya and The Nutcracker, I’m basically a regular at Lincoln Center these days. I’m, like, so cultured 🎭.
But home is where the heart is…as well as where I spent most of the year. Happily.
For all the going out, it was also a big year to Be Inside. Love a girl’s night in - paint nights and DIY clay trinkets were the craft night hits this year.
🌲 After many Decembers longing for a Christmas tree in our apartment, we were finally home long enough to make it worth it. Thanks to my girl Soph for coming by to commemorate with a few pics.
You can see more from our apartment, including home renos like the blue ceiling, in a the DINKWAD edition of the newsletter 🏠.
This year brought a lot of quality time outside of NYC.
Girlfriends here, girlfriends there, hanging with my girlfriends and their dogs everywhere.
Paris Fashion Week. Chills.
Did I ever tell you guys my parent’s yard flooded this year? Washing up HUNDREDS of sweet potatoes. Sorry to the yard, but I’m still giggling about this one.
Sweet Potato-gate. Always remember. And last but certainly not least…remember that time Jake and I got engaged!!!???
2024 look back: the best of Olive
More Olive, more happy!
How’s that for a snippet of the year? Going through the photos, reservations, and memories has left me grateful. And pretty pumped for the next go round.
Make it a little extra sweet for me, won’t you, by sharing talking to myself out loud 🫒 with your pals.
See you soon?
XX,
Emili
What a year!!