Lifestyle

On My Radar

January 7, 2022

Happy New Year, friends! It’s been a while. If you’re wondering where I’ve been, I got really sick in the fall and had to take a step back from blogging to focus on resting and getting healthy. I’m thankful to be feeling much better now!

Since we have a lot to catch up on, I thought what better place to start than with an On My Radar post that recaps everything I read, watched, bought, and loved over the past few months.

Read

I didn’t have enough energy to crack a book during most of the fall, but more recently, I reread Eat Pray Love, one of my all-time favorites. The older I get, the more I appreciate the book and relate to Liz Gilbert’s story of trying to find herself. I’m also three-quarters of the way through Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty. Written by Anderson Cooper, the book chronicles the lives of notable Vanderbilt family members. If you enjoy history or are at all intrigued by the Vanderbilt family, you’ll enjoy this book. The fact that Anderson Cooper himself has Vanderbilt genes makes it that much more interesting.

Watched

I watched Most Likely to Succeed (2019), a documentary that follows four high schoolers who were voted most likely to succeed for a decade after they graduate. I love how the film captured the universal human experiences of dreams and aspirations, disappointment, heartbreak, and ultimately, personal growth.

On New Year’s Eve, we watched Don’t Look Up, a star-studded satirical science fiction film that follows two astronomers as they try to warn humanity about an approaching comet set to destroy Earth. The movie has Leonardo DiCaprio. It has Meryl Streep. It has Jennifer Lawerence. Seriously, it has everyone. Beyond the cast, I enjoyed the film’s commentary on the current political state in America. I thought, Finally, someone’s saying it!

On the TV front, I kept up with Survivor each week. I also binged the latest seasons of Selling Sunset and Emily in Paris. Then, Netflix, with its clever algorithm, served me The Parisian Agency. The reality series follows the Kretz, a down-to-Earth French family that runs a luxury real estate empire. It was a fun watch, even with the subtitles, and I hope they’ll renew the show for a second season.

Bought

I finally joined #NapDressNation. Hill House Home’s Ellie dress in navy was majorly marked down for Black Friday, and I decided to see what all the hype is about. Now I get it. The silhouette is feminine and flattering. Simply put, I feel good wearing it!

It was time to replace my comforter. I decided to go with a duvet cover and insert this time so I can more easily throw the cover in the wash. I’m picky when it comes to bedding but am thrilled that I found this classic white bedding with navy trim.

My daily walks in the cold prompted me to buy base layers (which were previously a foreign concept to this southerner!). I got the midweight base layer crew top and midweight base layer tights from REI, and I am thoroughly impressed by how warm they keep me. I was also delighted that the tights come in petite sizes.

Loved

I’ve been blocking out 45 minutes each day to take a walk in nature. Getting outside, breathing in the fresh air, and moving my body have done wonders for keeping my anxiety in check.