#31: The March Edit
Yoga cookies, the world's greatest art thief, an Italian dictionary, and my new fave bathing suit!
The Monthly Edits are a casual round-up of eats, reads, finds, & experiences. They also include Lauren’s Lists—a collection of links from around the web to capture your attention or get you thinking. Buon appetito!
March was courteous, consistent, and plentiful. Honestly, the content I consumed this month felt extra brilliant and creative. Maybe it’s the unveiling of spring? Or maybe people are just getting more and more impressive? Either way, the cherry blossoms have filled our city with pink confetti and life is starting to feel a little brighter. If you’ve been to Victoria, you know this is an annual festival of beauty. If not, you can check out our cherry blossoms here. The collective sigh of relief blew strongly this year as we finally had some sun-filled days. For a month that started with snowfall and super puffs, I cannot believe we ate dinner in the backyard last weekend! Thank you for all the kind comments and messages on my last post. Talking about the weather often gets labelled as “small talk” but it really does affect our lives in a big way.
Quick note: I decided to take next week offline (a modern luxury) so this monthly edit is coming to you a week early. My brother will be visiting for Easter long weekend so we’ll be going on a few hikes, playing at the board game cafe, and cooking all sorts of delicious meals. Enjoy the rest of the month everyone! Eat some chocolate if you can, get some rest, and I look forward to catching up with you in April.
Alright, here’s how the past few weeks went:
Scott and I have this dream of owning a multi-level home someday and speaking different languages on each floor. We’ve decided on English for the main level, Italian for upstairs (more romantic), and an undecided third language for the lower level—suggestions are welcome. We always talk about learning Italian but have yet to memorize more than the days of the week. So I bought an Italian dictionary this month and we’ve been reading through a couple words each night with dinner—abbagliante (dazzling!).
I’ve been going on long meandering walks with friends a lot lately. Breaking up the work day with lunchtime visits and getting lost in the neighbourhood on Saturday afternoons. It’s wild how 2+ hours can pass when you’re just chit chatting about life. Below is a little snap of my lovely friend Emma and I enjoying some vitamin D on our faces.
My posture has been feeling extra terrible so I’m trying to work on stretching and strengthening. After several trial weeks on different platforms and subscription services, I couldn’t decide what to commit to and didn’t feel like wasting any money. I’ve gone back to Yoga with Adriene—a tried and true instructor who is free on YouTube. I love her approachable nature and gentle guidance. Most days after work I put on a quick 15 minute video before I leave my office.
In addition to yoga on a mat, I’ve also been making my yoga in the form of a cookie recipe. Smooth sunflower seed butter, nutty buckwheat flour, plant proteins, and dark chocolate chunks—they are the best little midday snack!
Earlier this month I visited the Left On Friday headquarters for a personal bathing suit fitting. Their team was kind, accommodating, and warm—an overall super positive experience. For anyone with a larger chest who can’t just buy any little bralette on the internet (I wish), they have some great options for D+ sizes. I got the Top Shelf + Hi Hi Bottoms in the colour Punch (shown on model below). I also got a black Top Shelf to use as a multi-purpose crop top/comfy bra/bathing suit. The fabric is beautiful and the cut is perfectly simple. I’m obsessed.
Lauren’s List Vol. 10
A creamy cauliflower galette & a spring asparagus galette.
This interview with Dakota Johnson.
Architectural embroidery looks like a nice hobby.
Loved these essays: My Anxiety & How to dress for cancer.
George Clooney’s voice work is hilarious (via Alex).
These sisters are too darn cute!
Easter hosting tips from the greatest.
Spaces: This seaside cottage on a NYC rooftop, an elegantly crafted hotel, & is boring architecture making us depressed?
It’s a vibe: puffy laptop sleeve + puffy bag, quilted placements + quilted Easter goods, ribbed wedges, + ribbed stoneware plant pot.
This month in reading:
The Art Thief by Michael Finke (2023). I was dedicated to my art theme this month, lol. This true story covers the life of the world’s greatest art thief and how he curated a personal collection (while living in his mother’s attic). He stole two billion dollars worth of goods from museums, galleries, and auctions. For someone with a psychology background and an interest in art, this was a fascinating story!
Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino (2024). I didn’t even read the synopsis before ordering this one—Dakota Johnson’s first pick for her book club launch was all the info I needed. I devoured this story and already look forward to picking it back up again for a second read.
This month in watching:
Poor Things (2023). Deliciously brilliant—a six tiered cake of visual delight. Scott and I had hours of conversation from this one. The costume designs sent me down so many rabbit holes—I am just in awe of Holly Waddington right now (great interview here).
Silo (2023). I started this a while back and ended up dropping it. Then after watching Dune Part Two, I returned to get a little more Rebecca Ferguson time. A good twist, I’d watch a second season.
The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down (2024). My friend casually mentioned this and I was like….hold the phone! It’s just about as wholesome as you could imagine a Canadian spin-off of the much loved baking battle could be.
As I wrap up art month over here, I finally got around to hanging some art in our new place. I used butcher paper and painter’s tape to map out the start of a very humble gallery wall. If you’re interested in starting an affordable art collection of your own, make sure to check out this post. The creative world can seem intimidating but no matter your budget, knowledge, or experience, there is something for you to enjoy!
I hope you’ve had a plentiful March. Thank you so much for reading and as always, I would love to hear from you!
Do you speak another language?
What are your Easter weekend plans?
Any content really inspiring you right now?
I’ve been thinking about pulling the trigger on a Left on Friday suit. I have Ds so I appreciate that recommendation!
I keep a supergoop glow stick spf on my desk for those spontaneous walks and it’s so easy to apply (and without a mirror!)
I love the idea of speaking a different language on each floor of your home! My fiancé is French and we live in France, but we spend most of our time speaking English together. Maybe we can divide our single-story apartment into French vs. English zones? The kitchen and bedroom sound perfect for the French part. 😂