This Is the New Year and I Don't Feel Any Different
Welcome 2025, let's continue to inspire one another to enjoy our lives and be great
It was late one night and I was lying in bed scrolling through TikTok and I had that very profound realization that I’d been stuck in a mindless loop of content. I stopped and thought to myself, “What am I trying to find here?” Obviously there’s an addicting nature to social media, that hit of dopamine that makes it’s way to your pre-frontal cortex thanks to seeing something you’ve never seen before. We all feel like explorers from the comfort of our phones. I put my phone down and laid in the darkness lingering on the question, “What am I trying to find here?” I sat with the question for a while, watching the little lights behind my eyelids flicker, searching for some kind of answer or truth. “Inspiration,” I said in my head, “driven by a very curious nature to want to know more.” This was the articulated version, btw, the Bobby of the next morning deciphered those late night thoughts into something meaningful.
This is why I started writing nearly 18 years ago. There’s so much to see and know and feel and the best way to experience as much as we can in this short little time we have together here on earth is to share the things we love. I use “inspiration” as quite a catch-all term but it’s the best word for it, as it entails the idea of a thing inspiring a positive feeling. I know in 2025 I’ll keep sharing the culture and art and food I’m passionate about because it’s important, in it’s own small way. And by creating these small gestures, I hope to attract others who are like me, who want to enjoy the world in the ways that I do. Here’s to a fantastic and fulfilling 2025 💙 Ciao!
Handful of Links
Next week I’ll be settling in for a full-blown edition of interesting items to share, I’m still getting over the chaotic last couple of weeks. I’ve been griping over on my Instagram about how crazy it feels to have holidays fall in the middle of the week, which has totally thrown off my schedule. Excited to be back on track!
Financial Times speaks to the who’s who of interior designers to get their take on how we’ll live in 2025. Faye Toogood says we’re embracing DIY (and individuality) again, Mark Allen sees sausage-y sofas on the horizon, and Joa Studholme of Farrow & Ball thinks we’ll see daring combinations of earth tones.
Sharing these now as they’ll all sell out soon, A Kind of Guise has partnered with the Quecha craftswomen of the Peruvian Andes to bring to life the Qichwa Bag. These colorful bags are hand-embroidered with the most charming details, with plant and flowers motifs covering every part. Such a lovely project.
If you’re into podcasts I would highly recommend Spencer Bailey’s Time Sensitive, and the perfect place to start his episode with Richard Christiansen of Flamingo Estate. To be honest, it was nice to hear Richard’s story of being the child of farmers, and that the world he’s created is the byproduct of loving to grow foods and keep bees. I wish I had met him (and visited the estate!) when I was in LA.
Little martinis are having such a moment! Wallpaper* put together a list of the best places to sip in London, and I think it’s so interesting to see all the different variations and permutations of the classic cocktail. If you come to Barcelona, be sure to hit me up so we can imbibe one or two at Dry Martini, my favorite local spot.
Lastly, if you haven’t had a chance, be sure to give this month’s OÍR a spin (Soundcloud link), I think it’s quite nice!