Little Luxuries
A few odds & ends I love
What would you steal if you knew you could get away with it?
It’s a question that comes up in the absolute best show that’s streaming right now — Beef — but it’s also one that I surmise the folks who stole this $58,000 Roche Bobois Mah Jong sofa also asked themselves.
It’s a stunner, to be sure — clad in a mix of striped, floral, and punchy Missoni fabric with a silk and corduroy texture. It’s the kind of piece that makes a room; that would look as sexy in a Malibu beachside living space as it would in a mid-century Detroit conversation pit. Stealing it, though, seems really challenging. For one thing, it has multiple parts and pieces, and those would take time to get in the getaway car. For another, it’s an iconic piece of design, so it will be difficult to offload without alerting authorities.
Most of us don’t have $58,000 to spend on a sofa. And most of us aren’t inclined to steal one, either. But we all want nice, pretty things that make us happy. And some of those things are perfectly attainable. Below, I’ve rounded up my favorite little luxuries of the moment — things that feel rich but won’t actually break the bank (or require a dead-of-night-pilfering).
I shared this tee on Instagram Stories recently because it’s my newest obsession. I bought it in two colors — Onyx and Marble — and have already worn both multiple times. I also washed them and they held up perfectly! They are the perfect size (I took a small and it’s still slightly oversized, which I love). It grazes the body really well and can be tucked in, or not. The neck is really nice, too, because it looks great with necklaces.
Speaking of basics, these Toteme leggings hit all the marks. To be crystal clear, these are not workout pants, nor are they even athleisure. They’re meant to be worn as you would jeans, but they’re so much more comfortable. Plus, the zippers on the ankles allow you to alter the flare at the lower hem — keep them zipped, and throw on a sweater with flats. Zip them up and add a strappy heeled sandal.
I remember very clearly when I first realized this now cult-followed hand wash was becoming “a thing.” I was working for Eater at the time and we had something called Eater Days, which was a weekend spent in New York going to all the best restaurants (and, because we worked for Eater, it included things like Chef Daniel Rose and Restaurateur Stephen Starr personally serving us every item on the dessert menu at Le Coucou while we ate next to Lee Radziwill—it was one of the more fantastic weekends of my life). Anyway, every single restaurant we went to had this hand wash in the bathrooms. It is so luxurious, largely because it has finely milled pieces of pumice throughout, so it feels like a little spa treatment every time you’re at the sink. The smell is divine. This makes such a good gift.
This is one of my all-time favorite coffee table books and it was published way back in 2008. Influence, by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, came out even before “influencing” was a thing we talked much about (i.e. before it became a word mostly — and sadly! — used to shame people). It also came out a couple of years before the former actress’ genius apparel and accessory line, The Row, debuted. It isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s full of really interesting things that will, frankly, influence you—artists you never knew about, music you’ve never heard…just lots of good stuff you’ll want to eat up with a spoon on a lazy Sunday with coffee.
And if you like good coffee, you should invest in a coffee grinder. Grinding fresh beans really does make a difference and it’s become a ritual for Tom and I to collect bags of beans in every city we visit. Our coffeemaker has a built-in grinder but this touchscreen version is very minimal and easy to use.
Some other odds & ends from the week behind us:
Gonna have to mention Beef again here because it is simply so damn good. The soundtrack offers a delightfully nostalgic journey through the 1990s and early aughts and the themes and acting are just so throught-provoking and incredible. I believe everyone involved in this will be nominated for an Emmy so watch it now before you’re sick of hearing about it.
The world’s smallest dog is shorter than a popsicle stick, lives in Orlando, and loves to dress up. Meet Pearl.
As if we didn’t have enough to worry about: a new jellyfish just dropped.
and I’ll leave you with this…