Souvenirs #7

Everybody's journaling; the Wirkin; and some pics from my week

Jan 17, 2025

Hey, happy Friday!

Here are three photos from my week:

1 / My daughter learned how to take selfies, which has led to some delightful surprises in my camera roll. In the midst of catching her in the act, I taught her bunny ears.

2 / My mom was in town and we went out for brunch on Fillmore. We popped into Nest, a home store that has been there for a bagillion years (30 to be exact), and which I hadn’t set foot in since I worked in the neighborhood circa 2010. Discovered the most delicious candle, and was reminded why you should revisit your old haunts.

3 / Surveying losses with LA County’s Damage Inspection Database; I screenshot something to send to a friend whose family was waiting to find out the fate of their house.

This week’s Souvenirs is long and let me tell you, I had to cut about ten links to save for the next one. There’s so much to share, so dive in over the long weekend and enjoy!

(Psst: Gift links are all noted with an asterisk * )

A mix of articles on the topics that have been in the news and on our minds.

LA

On everyone’s minds, so much so that I don’t even know where to start. Amidst a week-plus of scrolling and worrying, here are three links I wanted to share:

1 / First, here is a helpful roundup of various ways to pitch in, things to look out for as you do, and a ton of linked organizations to check out. I know we’ve all seen lots of links and resources online already, but this condensed many of them into one place.

2 / Architect Geoffrey von Oeyen writes thoughtfully about how L.A. can be rebuilt. (Article is free with email signup)

3 / Alarming and terrifying, but important to consider (and share with anyone who may be impacted): on top of everything else, LA likely has long term toxicity to contend with.

There is no good segue when there is so much tragedy, trauma, and grief, so I’ll simply encourage everyone to please take care of each other, help where you can, and check in on your people. This message, too. LA—my one time home, my escape all those years ago—I’ve been thinking of you constantly.

Journaling and Archiving

With 2025 in full swing, I’ve spotted lots of pieces on journaling. Do you keep a journal? These days I write in one sporadically, filled with loose, stream of consciousness thoughts, or sometimes the beginning of essays, or sometimes to-do lists. Somehow, it never occurred to me that I could make one with daily ephemera, and so…

1 / I loved this peek into how book designer

Nathaniel Roy

keeps a journal/notebook, as well as…

2 / This essay on how to build an archive practice for yourself, and then…

3 /

Becca Freeman

tapped five women to share how they journal, with peeks inside their notebooks.

4 / Plus, the NYT Style Magazine gathered tips from writers and artists on how to start and keep a journal.*

Not for nothing, I’m partial to simple hardcover spiral notebooks for my journals. Blank pages only. Small, so they’re portable. Black covers for uniformity. Something like this!

The benefits of booze? Maybe N/A.

The Surgeon General recently called for warning labels on alcohol, and this week it was reported that (shocker) folks 35 and over experience “different physical effects” from booze. (But, I mean…anyone 35 and over could’ve told you that).

In any case, it’s not surprising to me that all things NA are in the news:

1 / Like, what it means to be “soberish,”* as well as the fact that…

2 / The Times and Bon Appetit both featured up and coming NA shops around the country, and…

3 / Ghia founder Melanie Masarin did a Q&A with Feed Me readers, which was a fun read from a brand/marketing perspective too!

4 / And then there’s The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson, who wrote, “‘Every drink takes five minutes off your life.’ Maybe the thought scares you. Personally, I find comfort in it.*”

The lap lack of luxury

Did you hear about the Wirkin bag that took social media by storm?

1 / Ok, first: Everything to know about the faux WalMart Birkin that went very very viral.

2 / Maybe people are into it because by all accounts, luxury “is in a death spiral”?*

3 / Hermès Reddit talked about it of course, though the general sentiment on the Wirkin and the latest dupe appears to be…tepid? Indifferent? (See: article #2, plus (literal) threads like this.)

1 / I read this bonkers bananas article* on Wednesday night and…maybe I’m a new school luddite, but I want 2012 internet back.

2 / “Some of what you loved most about your partner was actually your own goodness reflected back to you; it’s yours to keep and carry forward.” Beautiful sentiments amidst a high profile divorce, this essay was so wonderfully reflective and graceful.

3 / How does where you live shape your beauty standards? A great observation from

Jess Kirby

, and let me just say: once I moved to SF from LA, I never thought about getting done up for a trip to the grocery store ever again.

4 / Ok, now this was thought-provoking: a super interesting op-ed on fixing America’s two-party system.*

6 / I’m totally obsessed with the Substack Looking at Picture Books, and this week’s analysis of the classic Goodnight Moon was one for the (picture) books.

7 / Local SF readers, you’ll love this: I recently came across San Francisco Story, a free weekly newsletter with historical perspectives from around the city. Recent reads that were great: why Rincon Hill isn’t exactly hilly, and a look at Carzonia, a former development of cable car apartments near 5th and Cal. (I walked by here for years and never knew what was once there!)

1 / Illustrator

Jacob Souva

on finding your “what,” and a great letter on how he sorts through the noise and makes use of the Internet for creative work.

2 / Querying writers, this directory of successful query letters was interesting to scroll through!

3 / Author Chelsea Bieker writes about the one the thing that might be holding you back from making anything, and remembering that “no one will do it like you.”

4 / An oldie but goodie: give yourself permission to be creative.