#7: Fruitful events, considering dog sweaters, & gothic horror
Dear reader,
Happy 2025! If you’re like me, it’s been hard this past week to slow down but also keep up with all the noise and to-do lists and vision boards that the new year brings. What I can tell you is, the new year has started off surprisingly eventful with:
a rolled, swollen ankle (mine, of course) - the size of a loquat,
a La Casita Coffee date at Half-Price Books,
an emergency vet visit and a sweater from Ross for Juni,
the best Buc-ees shirt I’ve ever seen,
a dreamy swim in pasta,
a night spent watching the new Nosferatu, and
a late morning discovering Buzz & Bustle’s new location + dog-friendly seating.
a rolled, swollen ankle (mine, of course) - the size of a loquat
There is not much else to say except for hopping on my right leg, like a little flamingo, was the path to excruciating imbalance and swelling in my right ankle. My small, timid trunk of an ankle buckled underneath me, sending me timbering over like a tree cut down by a beaver, and I landed, taken aback (literally) on my bottom, mouth gaping in pain and shock. (Important context here: I’ve rolled both ankles a handful of times in 2024.)
When I imagined starting the new year off with fruitful visions of goals and new habits, I wasn’t thinking of growing a swollen ankle up to the size of various fruits - a strawberry, loquat, blackberry, raspberry.
I hope the swelling and blueberry-colored bruise along the base of my foot were omens for bearing less painful fruits this upcoming year, and stronger ankles.
a La Casita Coffee date at Half-Price Books
Somehow, the next day, I managed to hobble my way over to Half-Price Books with my boyfriend for a light brunch at La Casita and a spontaneous book buy - One Hundred Saturdays.
an emergency vet visit and sweater from Ross for Juni
One moment you’re shuffling through Ross, looking for a dog sweater; and the next moment, your wish to keep Juni healthy in 2025 is immediately put to the test when she suddenly develops a UTI.
All I can keep saying, really, is that we’re just putting one paw in front of the other, and hoping for more healthy days than unhealthy ones in the upcoming months. On a lighter note - I’m on the hunt for more dog apparel for Juni. Something in the back of my mind is telling me I should learn how to knit or crochet her a closet of things… to be continued.
the best Buc-ees shirt I’ve ever seen
In case you’re wondering what I’ll be wearing every day until 2026:
After a recent visit to Buc-ees for fun with my west coast prince (Buc-ees is a must-visit), I bought this and didn’t look back. I have been wearing it ever since. You know how they say, “I don’t make the rules”? Well, I do, and the rule is: I’m never taking this off.
a dreamy swim in pasta
Made a long, overdue visit to Ciccio Trattoria, one of my family and I’s favorite Italian places in the suburbs. Food featured: beet & blood orange salad, wagyu skewers, chicken rigatoni, and shrimp linguine.
a night spent watching the new Nosferatu
As a newbie to the gothic horror genre in general, Nosferatu was definitely An Experience. The blue and black twilight scenes, eerie pockets of silence, storytelling by shadow, Count Orlock’s gravelly voice rolling through the air, and more gore than I’d usually watch made for an uncomfortable, gripping night.
I’ve yet to see the original silent film, but this new remake seemed like an artful homage to it. It’s also sparked my interest in learning more about silent filmmaking.
a late morning discovering Buzz & Bustle’s new location + dog-friendly seating
Before dropping my boyfriend off at the airport, we stopped at Buzz & Bustle together with Juni in tow.
The trip’s always worth it there for the breakfast tacos - but to our pleasant surprise, the trip was even more with it once we discovered the coffee shop had moved locations - updated with a spacious interior and outdoor dog-friendly seating. A perfect way to spend the first Saturday morning of the year.
Here’s to taking in January slowly (or quickly, if that’s more your speed), and making the most out of a new beginning to the year.
Reading gems
Words (and ideas) I love from other writers:
“Between the Shadow and the Soul” from The New Yorker by Lauren Groff
The color of 2024: every shade of refusing green by
In the Presence of Possibility I Find Transformation by
the revenge of the percy jackson kids by
Words recently written by me:
i've been thinking of crocheting sweaters and collars for my cat! you should definitely crochet something for Juni :)
Always look forward to your weekly updates where you consistently find the light in every day, even when you hit snags and hardships. Can’t wait to try your restaurant recs!