march recap
— seasonal allergies, 10K on tiktok, and social campaigns galore
Coming to you live from Masters weekend with a belated March recap. I always find March to be a hopeful time because you get a few random warm days to break up the monotony of winter — and with “spring forward” it stays lighter a lot later after I get home from work which makes the days feel longer. I usually have some spring allergies, but this year, the pollen has been impacting me in a way I haven’t felt since I moved to Charlottesville for college. I ended up going to urgent care with such a sore throat thinking that I might have strep, but the doctor determined it was from allergies and ended up putting me on prescription allergy meds. Since those have been in my system, life has been so much better!
One cool thing that happened this month was that I was invited to check out the Roller Rabbit Georgetown pop-up before it opened to the public. Before the pandemic, I used to go to brand events all the time — blogging was one of the ways I met some of my best friends in DC, and as 20-somethings, it was so fun to meet up at various happy hours for complimentary libations and appetizers. I still am invited to events from time to time, but it takes more to get me out of my routine these days.
That said, when the Roller Rabbit invite came across my desk, it was an immediate yes. They set up a cool preview before work where creators could come in and check out the pop-up and enjoy some breakfast treats. I didn’t know if I would know anyone there ahead of time — and it’s always a little nerve-wracking walking in solo — but luckily, a few old friends were there and I was also able to meet some new friends that I’ve kept up with on Instagram and TikTok since the event. I left with a pair of their exclusive DC print pajamas, but more than that, I was really inspired creatively in a way I haven’t been in a long time!
Speaking of, March was an incredible month for my creative projects! I hit 10K on TikTok, which has long been a goal of mine. I started posting on TikTok in 2023, and have gone through various periods of consistent and inconsistent posting — usually correlated to how busy I was at work — but have really tried to increase my consistency in posting this year and aim to post one video every day.
I also sat down and really thought about my strategy now that I’ve hit this milestone. The TikTok algorithm is so good, but it is definitely niche-driven. My home decor content does so well on TikTok, but when I stray from that content with things like travel recaps or needlepoint updates, my videos don’t do as well. So I made the decision to keep this main account focused on home decor — and adjacent topics like thrifting home decor — and started a second account to post other types of content when creativity strikes. This second account is more for me than anything and not one I plan to have any posting goals around — at least for now!
I had a really cool opportunities come across my desk this month — I was invited into Arrels DC — which is Michelin-Star Chef' Pepe Moncayo’s take on modern Spanish cuisine — to try out their new menu. I’ve been invited to meals and trips before because of my blog, but this one was special because it was the first time I was able to take my boyfriend as my +1. We had such a fun date night — and the menu at Arrels was so good. I especially loved the crudo, patatas bravas, jamon croquettas, the lamb, and the wagyu. After dinner, we went upstairs to check out the ART DC Rooftop, which offered stunning views of both the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building. It was a really warm night when we went, so it was a great way to end the evening. Check out the Reel I posted about our evening for a full recap!
Last week, I read a post on Substack by Kayla Doris that really resonated with me: Why do we consider travelling as “living” when it’s the opposite? Before the pandemic, I traveled all the time — for work and for pleasure, and there were months in a row where I wasn’t home for a single weekend. I came out of the pandemic much more of a homebody, and while I still do enjoy traveling, I also love being at home and in my routine. So I’ve been more thoughtful about travel over the past several years — especially how often I go and how close together they are.
That all said, I do love having things on the calendar to look forward to, and I realized that my summer was looking pretty light travel-wise, which is always a good time for me to get away from work since the office is quieter. My sisters and I try to take at least one sisters trip every year just the three of us. We’ve done Quebec (2019), Asheville (2021), Ocean City (2022), The Greenbrier (2023), Punta Cana (2023), and Cancun (2024). So when I wanted to schedule a summer getaway, I immediately knew who to text.
Our family went on a roadtrip through New England when we were kids, and we all fell in love with Maine. I’ve wanted to go back ever since, so I pitched Jennifer and Lindsey on the idea of a roadtrip through Maine as our 2025 sisters’ trip, and they were an easy sell. We’re going at the end of July, and will be spending time in Kennebunkport, Portland, and other small towns throughout Maine, as well as Newburyport, Massachusetts, on the recommendation of my friend Annaliese! Now that we have our flight, hotels, and route figured out, I’m excited to start researching where to eat and shop!
march five-star reads —
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors — I loved this book — it was such a great look at sisterhood and an amazing character study that also had a lot of plot. The story follows three fiercely independent sisters, Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky, who grapple with grief and the scars of their past after the sudden death of their sister, Nicky. Each has taken a radically different path in life, but they are drawn back to New York to confront the potential sale of their childhood home. As they reunite, long-buried truths surface, forcing them to confront not only their shared history but also the personal illusions they've clung to in order to survive.
of particular note —
I have to dress at least business casual for work, so I have been building up my work wardrobe over the past several months. Ann Taylor has some really great pieces for spring if you’re also in the market — I especially love this tweed button shift dress and this tweed shift dress that I recently picked up.
Last year, Old Navy sold these amazing linen-blend skorts, and I was so excited to see they brought them back for this year as well. They are such an easy summer staple to wear on the weekend. I grabbed the light blue floral and am considering going back for another color. There’s also a matching crop top if you’re cool enough to pull that off! (I am not.)
I’ve also had a lot of luck at H&M, but I think the key — at least for me — is shopping in-person since their sizing can be very inconsistent. I grabbed this A-line dress with gold buttons on the shoulder, a puff-sleeve dress in a beautiful floral print, and a jacquard weave shift dress.