Frivolity isn't frivolous at all

It makes you smarter, too.

What a week. I just got back from Americasmart in Atlanta, where I went to my first book event ever ahead of its release in less than two weeks(!!). It was held at a massive showroom on the 18th floor of Building 2. (If you’ve never been to Americasmart, just picture multiple high-rise buildings that each stretch a full city block, full of showroom after showroom of furniture, food, gifts…from basically every brand you’ve ever heard of, plus thousands you haven’t.)

It was incredibly overwhelming. “Market” as most people call it, is work, even though it sounds like hours of shopping.

It also got me thinking about frivolity and how for so long, design and decoration were thought of as…merely fun. And they can be! But they are also increasingly important, I think, as our homes are now becoming our gyms, our workspaces, and first and foremost, our sanctuaries.

Often, we speak about home decorating as being frivolous, as opposed to another interest seen as something more: some sort of intellectual pursuit, or something that makes one smarter, or stronger, or somehow more well-rounded.

But what I realized, in watching countless buyers and shop owners spending hours and days scanning the wares at market, is that there’s nothing frivolous about it at all. And you know what? Loving our homes and loving to search for beautiful things (which is just another form of appreciating art, really) actually makes us all smarter, too. And happier!

In fact, back in 2012 (years before we even knew we would all be stuck at home for months and years during a pandemic), University of Kentucky gerontology professor Graham Rowles talked to US News & World Report about how happy our own homes actually make us. "There is pretty strong evidence that the environment in which people live is closely linked to their well-being.” He also compared the human attachment to home to that of an animal’s attachment to their territory. In other words, as he described, it’s literally “built into our DNA."

And because it’s hard to argue with science, I think that means none of us should feel bad about decorating our homes, gathering inspiration or shopping for them with abandon.

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Designer Pierre Gonalons said he “couldn’t resist to bring a touch of fantasy” to his really fabulous take on the R5 Diamant, a car he designed for a French auto show. The vehicle isn’t actually available on the market, so don’t get too excited, but his steering wheel design is the most fabulous thing I think I’ve ever seen.

Speaking of great design, Genesis Belanger makes incredible works of art (some of which double as practical items, like lamps.) I am particularly fond of how she incorporates body parts into many of her pieces.

Janie Korn’s hilarious candles are the kinds of pieces that make excellent gifts — and truly take your thrifted candelabra to the next level.

This is simply the cutest little crossbody (I love a crossbody for your ability to go hands free whilst thrifting or grocery-shopping and this one hits all the marks: great size, chic and impossibly fun thanks to the green and checkerboard mix.)

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A Fast-Food Frosty Masquerading as a Protein Shake.

This is my go-to protein shake recipe. I realize most of you likely aren’t in the market for a protein shake recipe, but who are we kidding? This is a milkshake. In fact, it has the consistency of a Wendy’s Frosty’s but is (at least, I hope) better for you.

You’ll need:

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I just use the Publix Greenwise variety but anything works)

1 spoonful of creamy peanut butter

1 frozen banana (to freeze bananas, just get them nice and ripe, peel them, and cut them in half and put them in a Tupperware or bag in the freezer)

1 tsp. honey

five small ice cubes (this is essential for the creaminess)

1 splash (I’d say 1/4 C.) almond milk

1 scoop of Cocowhip

1. Throw it all in the blender (with the exception of the Cocowhip) and mix it up until nice and creamy. Top with the Cocowhip.

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Recommended reading/listening:

• Influencer/lover of attention Caroline Calloway’s “$3,000 Murano glass chandelier” is neither worth $3,000 not is it Murano glass. Discuss amongst yourselves.

• I was so lucky to get to meet designer Carmeon Hamilton while at Americasmart. During a Q&A, she spoke a lot about her favorite trends — but also touched on burnout, which she experienced firsthand. She spoke to Insider about the same thing a couple months ago and it really resonated.

• I have recently become obsessed with the You’re Wrong About podcast and it’s the only thing I wanna talk about. Like, I want to start a podcast just about how good this podcast is. Every single episode goes back in time to a really pivotal pop culture moment you probably remember (Tom Cruise on Oprah’s couch, the D.C. sniper, Martha Stewart doing prison time). But the twist is: you almost certainly remember it wrong (like you probably didn’t know that the entire D.C sniper thing was essentially a domestic violence case, and not terrorism, which we all thought). Highly, highly recommend. Listen to it and then DM me about it so we can chat.

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And I’ll leave you with this….