Little nice things that got me through quarantine...

Now we’re entering day #80 of quarantine… how’s everyone doing? Here are some little things I bought recently that I loved during this time.

Soft PJ Sets

Locked in my apartment for three months straight, I got tired of my free college t-shirts and long to look more put together.

Then I found this silk PJ set and this cotton PJ set from Papinelle (below)! I absolutely love them. They are extremely soft and luxurious but also not so expensive. I’ve been wearing the silk ones all last week!

About the cotton set, it has a thin fabric that mimics a high thread count bed sheet, making it very breathable but velvety. Good for summer, and they are so cute!

For a walk once in a long while…

On Memorial Day I went outside my apartment building for the first time in almost three months, for a walk in the park in this Faithfull the Brand dress (same cut, different pattern). It’s so great to be outside again that everything feels like a ceremony. The act of putting on makeup, picking out your outfit and finally walking out the door - it feels like triumph to me. I got my life back again!

I also felt amazing in this dress. At times when you can only go outside once in a long while, you need an amazing outfit that makes the trip worth it, but also comfortable enough for your revenge walk of 90 streets (yes, I walked till 89th street from 43rd and all the way back). A dress like this is a great choice.

I’m a fan of Faithfull the Brand recently. Its very feminine - sensual and youthful at the same time; looks good on both teenage girls and mature women. They have a macaron-like color scheme combined with vintage floral prints, which is very unique. I’d be wearing this kind of dress for my future walks again.

Also love this and this.

Talking about food…

I love these Martha Stewart English Garden dinner bowls! The plate is very large and sturdy; would function great as a pasta bowl. Brightens up your entire dinner.

Also, they are on sale at 10 bucks, when their original price was $20. Unreal.

Lastly, a book I’m reading

Setting the Table by Danny Meyer. Image from Union Square Hospitality Group.

Setting the Table by Danny Meyer. Image from Union Square Hospitality Group.

Danny Meyer is a famous NYC restauranteur who opened Shake Shack, Eleven Madison Park and Union Square Cafe. I first heard him talk at the New York Food Festival last September, and it was very fascinating. He said whenever he goes to a restaurant he likes, he would really analyze what makes it great, from its layout, to the service and the food, etc. Then he talked us through the designs of Union Square Cafe - how he hang panels from a high ceiling to make it appear lower, so that the ambience is more intimate. How he chose the artworks one by one for his restaurant, and so on. It’s amazing how he strives to create a magical experience for his guests in his restaurants, just like orchestrating a concert. One of my dreams is also to do something he does via hosting great dinner parties, so I bought his book to learn the trick of hospitality.

Moreover, I’m quite inspired to see how he found his path. In his mid twenties, he turned down an opportunity to run his former company’s London branch as a successful salesman and instead took a job as an assistant in a restaurant. Sometimes that’s all it takes to get yourself on the right path, but it definitely takes a lot of courage. Reading his life story is very inspiring, as I am still trying to figure out what to do with my life.

Et voila, that’s the few things that got me through quarantine.

What are some little nice things you had that got you through your quarantine?

Ballet during quarantine and work life balance

About ballet during quarantine

Ballet has taken a back seat during my time sheltered in place - I now only take one class per week instead of four. Maybe I got worse, or I didn’t make as much progress as I should be, but I am not feeling too guilty. I’ve got other stuff to sort out during this time. Sometimes you need to take a break from your previous busy routine and re-evaluate your priorities, before hitting the road again.

About quarantined in New York

Having not stepped out of my apartment building for two months, I do dearly miss the city I live in.

I miss Friday nights when the city gets buoyant after a week of work, with people gathering cheerfully in the warm lights of bars and restaurants along the sidewalk.

I miss the performers in the Time Square subway station, New Yorkers’ sense of fashion, and the dogs on the street.

I miss the Met, MoMa, the Whitney Museum, Lincoln Center, The Union Square Greenmarket, the Whole Foods in Bryant Park, my neighborhood butcher, Central Park, sunset on my roof, my commute to my ballet class, my ballet studio. The crowds spewing out of the Joyce Theater after a performance - artsy people gathering around discussing the show, the dancer I admired on stage smoking a cigarette on the street, the elegant middle aged couple heading to a bar. And the 15 min walk to the subway along the brownstones on Museum Miles, with the sun setting, brightening up the clouds on Madison Avenue, after an afternoon at the Met.

I miss my friends - the Saturday night board games, the dinner parties, the girls night outs, the brunch dates. Their jokes, their sense of fashion, the good and the bad we shared together.

New York is the city that nurtured me, and I feel lucky I have the privilege to live here in the first few years of my adult life. And my heart warms up everyday at 7pm, when I would hear people open up their windows, scream, clap their hands, whistle, or bang their pots and pans to cheer for the healthcare workers. Even the people who are just standing at their balcony with a phone trying to record all this - that brings a smile to my face.

Glenn Close says it the best below.

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You can't always get what you want

Now we’re entering the second month of quarantine… how’s everyone holding up?

Last Saturday, there was a virtual charity concert held by stars and celebrities around the world. As timeless as Rolling Stones, they once again performed the song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want“. Even though the song was originally about drug and politics in the 1960s, it somehow rings true to the current COVID-19 situation as well.

The lyric goes like this:

You can’t always get what you want

but if you try sometimes, well, you might find

you get what you need!

Isn’t this the story of our lives?