“I’m so sad—my drug dealer is moving,” my friend complained to me one evening. I live in San Francisco with a lot of friends in tech, who have a ton of disposable income and stress to blow off, so there’s always someone on retainer for events like Burning Man and […]
Arab Fashion
Every Which Way to Tie Your Sweater
On the hottest day of the year, with the sun baking the sidewalk and the air heavy with humidity, knitwear was not top of mind for most New Yorkers. But inside the converted Centre Street walkup, super baby alpaca scarves, soft cotton separates, and chunky hand-knit sweaters adorned the all-white […]
Four Days in Edinburgh: Strawberry Season in the Heart of Dark Academia
When I heard that JetBlue was debuting a new direct flight from JFK to Edinburgh, all I could think was, “Finally, I can see that damn Starbucks.” I’m a hardcore fan of dark academia TikTok and, as such, have seen endless videos of the amazing view of Edinburgh Castle from a […]
A Review of Spa Valmont at Le Meurice in Paris
I love a facial—I mean, who doesn’t? Yes, it’s not necessarily a necessity but, in my opinion, it’s an easily justified indulgence. For example, think of what your apartment looks like. Now think of what your apartment would look like if you never gave it a deep clean—if you only […]
GCDS Creative Director Giuliano Calza Is Constantly Shopping
Designer Giuliano Calza, 34, still looks at life through the eyes of a child. “Sometimes precious things are the ones that makes you scream, ‘Cute!’” he laughs, about to take a sip of a bedazzled SpongeBob SquarePants water bottle. “I really find the most weird things beautiful.” His retro-futuristic GCDS […]
ULUM Brings Unpretentious Luxury to Moab
The two-hour drive to Moab, Utah from the Grand Junction Airport is peppered with tumbleweeds, UFO-themed roadside attractions, and a parched desert framed by photogenic red rocks. This is my first time in a state bordered by more than one right angle, and the cartoonish landscape conjures familiar images of […]
Her Majesty Arden Cho
When photographer Lenne Chai envisions a royal court, it isn’t white kings or queens that sit on the throne. It’s Arden Cho. Chai befriended the Korean American actress—and her similarly majestic dog Chewy—a few months ago and immediately began conceptualizing a shoot with Cho cast as a Korean monarch. The […]
San Antonio’s Hotel Emma Review
When I was invited to TripAdvisor’s top-rated luxury hotel in the U.S., I immediately began wondering which major airport to mentally prepare myself for. JFK? LAX? MIA? I soon found out it was none of these, and was actually clean, pleasant, and easily navigable SAT—the International Airport in San Antonio, […]
A Deep Dive of Nostalgia in Beauty
Whether it’s the iconic scent of Clinique Happy that your mom used to wear or your very first Lip Smacker (in Dr. Pepper flavor, no less), there’s a reason why certain beauty products make our stomachs and hearts flutter. The look, sensation, and smell of particular makeup, skincare, and fragrances […]
Why You Should Take A Death Anniversary Trip
Every June for the past nine years, I dread the 27th—the day my mom died. In a death-phobic culture that lacks mourning rituals for honoring those we’ve lost, I never know what to do with myself. Since a death anniversary is something only the bereaved experience, it can be incredibly […]