Report 44: Why I Wish I Was at Coachella
+ gift ideas for all the taurus' in your life
It hit me while writing the newsletter this week—this little corner of the internet has become something I didn’t know I needed. It is truly a circular place of confidence. Highly unlike the chaos and comparison trap of other social medias, Substack has become a space that feels creative, supportive, and deeply personal. We recently hit our 100th post (!!!!!) right on the heels of our one-year anniversary. I didn’t even realize until I looked back and saw all of you showing up week after week.
So this week’s Report is a little love letter to that energy—peppered with Taurus-season indulgence, a NY Times article that had me spiraling (but in a self-aware way), a proud Coachella moment for someone I’ve known forever, a gallery show worth RSVPing (and crying) for, and yes, the kind of sushi that resets your soul.
Before we get into it, congrats Joelle! You are the winner for last week's giveaway . Details on how to claim your gift are in the chat. The chat has been popping, I love it.
READING: This New York Times article stopped me in my tracks. For the first time, someone was describing feelings I’ve had since I was a kid—feelings I always chalked up to being insecure. Naturally, I took it to therapy and built an entire brand around becoming less insecure and more confident.
Reading about something called Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, which is often linked to ADHD, was strangely validating. Not because naming it made me feel better, but because it explained how my body reacts to rejection, criticism, or even the idea that I’ve failed.
Failure–that last one really stuck with me. I’m incredibly hard on myself, and while that can be painful, it also pushes me to achieve more. And while I don’t know if this comes from how I’m wired or from childhood trauma or some combination of both, what I do know is this: we all show up in the world with a mix of nature and experience. The work is to understand ourselves, be kind to the parts that are hard to live with, and keep growing anyway.
EATING: Felix and I took ourselves on a date night to try the most exclusive, members only, Omakase in New York City: Fly Fish Club. At first I was a little intimidated by the 17 course meal, but after I had my first bite (and my lychee martini) there was no going back.
The fish was juicy, fresh, and flown directly from Japan. Each roll was more impressive than the last, but Felix and I both agreed that the Otoro (fatty tuna belly) was our favorite. It had this buttery texture making each bite literally melt in my mouth. The ambiance is very very sexy and luxe. I highly recommend.
PROUD OF: Growing up without close family in NYC, my mother made sure we had one. Her best friends had kids around my age, and we grew up like cousins. Lucas and Eric were basically my brothers. We lived a few blocks apart on the Upper West Side and spent every school break together.
But I was ten, their mom/my aunt told us she was having a baby girl. Not gonna lie, i wasn’t exactly thrilled LOL. I didn’t want some baby messing up the dynamic. But when I went with my mom to the hospital and only family was allowed into the maternity ward, my feelings changed and I realized how lucky I was to have Amanda in my life.
Now she’s 22, a DJ and a fucking STAR. It’s been incredible to see her growth in such a short period of time.
Amanda aa Zulannnnnn just played her first set at Coachella, dropped her debut single Forever, and I’m so proud I could scream!!!!! Not gonna lie, this is the one thing that gave me FOMO from not being there.
Be sure to follow her before everyone else does.
OBSESSED: TAURUS EDITION
I’m lucky to be surrounded by Tauruses—my ride-or-die assistant Abby, my glam king Mitchell, and my BFFs Kitt and Natasha. They’re practical, grounded, and still somehow the first ones to suggest caviar on a Tuesday. In honor of Taurus season, here are a few of my current obsessions that strike the same perfect balance between chill and indulgent.
I’m obsessed with my tangle teaser brush and I love their astrology collection. Such a thoughtful gift idea
I own so many bathrobes including this one. They are the epitome of luxe.
This is the perfect scent for summer. I love it so much.
I keep reaching for this bag…and it’s only $35.
This throw pillow was randomly on my vision board last year and I think I need it.
A coffee Table Book is never a bad gift idea!
WATCHING: I went to see the play, John Proctor is the Villain, knowing literally nothing except that Sadie Sink was in it, and honestly it really moved me. It’s a dark comedy set in a 2018 high school during the Me Too era and it’s so smart, specific, and genuinely funny. The acting is unreal. There are even a couple Taylor Swift references, which felt like a fun nod considering Sadie starred in All Too Well.
And then right at the very end, I just started sobbing. Like full-body tears. If you want to laugh, cry, and get off your phone for two hours to see something that actually makes you feel something, go see it.
You can buy tickets now through July 6th, let me know what you think!
TRAVEL: When I don’t travel, I try as much as possible to enjoy the city I live in, which happens to be the best! That’s why in the first spring-like weather week of the year, I did it all: A birthday party in Central Park, a dog event in the West Village and a private opening to Borrowed Spotlight in a gallery in Chelsea.
This exhibit is dedicated to supporting Holocaust survivors by pairing them with a celebrity in these huge, very moving, black and white photographs. Hence the name “borrowed spotlight”, the celebrities (Cindy Crawford, Chelsea Handler, etc) get people’s attention and then forces you to read the story of each of the survivors. It’s open until this Sunday so if you are in NYC, check it out at Detour Gallery.
On the wall, I saw a saying from one of the survivors: My grandchildren are my revenge, I guess. Both my maternal grandparents escaped Poland and Germany during the war, it made me feel proud to be able to continue my family story just by being alive.
Life is never a given.
So try to treat every day like it’s your last.
XO SFK