Three years ago I planned a quick trip for me and my husband to NYC around Valentine’s weekend to have dinner and see a Broadway show for the first time in at least a decade and before we even came home I said that I wanted it to become a new annual tradition for us. I spent my college and grad school years in and around NYC so every time I go back it feels like going back home (I swear that I sleep better with the sounds of the ambulances and the honking taxis outside then I do in the quietness of the suburbs) but the real joy is spending time in a theatre watching a live performance. Some people are concert people – but I am one-hundred percent a theatre person. This year was extra special because we went to Carnagie Hall for the first time ever – which in itself feels like claiming a piece of NYC history for yourself – but also enjoyed a night with one of my favorite performers – Jinkx Monsoon – which meant that the audience was almost exclusively made up of members of the LGBTQIA+ community which is another level of homecoming for me that I don’t get to experience as much as I would like to these days. The overwhelming happiness and comfort that I get from spending 2 hours in the dark surrounded by this community, listening to this medium, in this city that I hold so dear is unmeasurable and I am so grateful to have a partner who is more than happy to be my date each and every time.

I do think the promise of good food on these trips also sweetens the deal and this time we went back to one of our favorite restaurants in NYC – Monterey. It’s a pink and turquoise Miami Art Deco steakhouse with an excellent wait-staff, great dinner music, and really good seafood! My new favorite dress from my absolute favorite store – Unique Vintage – fit right in. If you follow me on IG stories you’ve probably seen me share all of my vintage inspired clothes that I’ve been re-filling my closet with for the last two years and I couldn’t recommend them enough. Other than this trip, though, we’ve mostly been hibernating in the house this month…which means that I have been keeping lots of candles burning. After the holidays I really like to burn lighter, slightly sweeter smells that remind me of the outdoors – like my current favorite Pink Pine from Illume which is a mix of pine, amber, and melon.

I checked the first thing off of my 2025 DIY list and finally finished the crown molding on the first floor by tackling this beast of a wall connecting my living room and kitchen. I will say it a million times if I have to – the single best thing you can do to improve a builder grade home is to add trim to your windows, your doorways, and your ceilings. Whether you do it yourself or hire it out, take it on all at once or do it room by room — it is one of the easiest things you can do to elevate your home.

In February I make a point to make sure I am focusing on Black Authors to honor Black History Month, but by no means is that the only time I do. If you’re looking t diversify your reading list one of my favorite resources is the organization We Need Diverse Books or I am always on the look out for amazing Book-Tok creators to follow who focus on spotlight diverse voices.

• The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray
• If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
• Kindred by Octavia E. Butler – FAVORTIE THIS MONTH
• The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty