Sweetest Batch Blueberries, $600 Fish, and My 2025 Winners Circle

A late but necessary breakdown of my favorite things I consumed last year

Hi from 2026. I’ve been really lazy at keeping up with the Kardashians - just kidding, at keeping up with this. I won’t bore you with how I feel or my ~*creative process*~ which consists solely of opening my laptop and typing whatever words come to mind but all that to say, I should’ve sent this out before 2025 ended so you could know all my favorite things I consumed last year.

What will you do with this now?

I don’t know. Maybe it’s dated. It’s kind of last season but you know what they say, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. So you can take all my things and pass them off as your own if you want to be as cool* as me.

*Cool = Babies smile at me.

*Cool = I think I’m cool.

*Cool = 1000 followers on Instagram.

A few things to caveat before we get into my favorite things I consumed this past year.

There is a lot of recency bias in here. I don’t remember further back than like 2 weeks so most of this was consumed in the last 2 weeks.

Also if it’s older than 2 weeks then it’s because I took a picture of it. But I almost exclusively use my film camera now so I don’t have that many pictures of my life.

Okay that’s it with the caveats. Here we go!

Best Things I ate in 2025

Baguette with butter from PartyBus Bakery

I dream about this. Well actually I dream about the first baguette with butter I had from PartyBus Bakery. The second one I had wasn’t as well made - there were chunks of butter in it that kind of made me gag but the first one I had (and subsequent ones minus the second one) were perfectly buttered. The baguette is crunchy enough you have that texture but not so hard it scratches the roof of your mouth. The butter is perfectly salted. It’s the perfect little hand snack as you walk around Dimes Square.

the beautiful desserts at Stissing House

Stissing House

Talk about an experience at a restaurant. I went with my friends and one of them (though not engaged) inquired about having her future wedding there. It’s not just the food that’s standout, it’s the setting, the service, all the characteristics of each little room. They have this amazing punch that they serve in a silver troff with a silver ladle. There’s many fireplaces, a waiting room. It feels like going to a non-tacky reenactment of Colonial times. Very coquette. And a lot of hot groups of girls were there the night we were there if you’re into that kind of thing.

i'm sorry to be rude but don't offer me blueberries at your home unless they are sweetest batch

Sweetest Batch Blueberries

A staple in our home that ranges from $7-$18 for a little box of blueberries but we’re sweetest batch blueberry pilled forever. Can’t eat other blueberries. These juice bombs taste like candy. They’re big, sweet and crisp. Get them. And if your grocery store has either Harry’s Berries or Sweetest Batch Blackberries, get those too. Those are even rarer - they’re like Pikachu Illustrator cards.

Vato / Son del North / Los Burritos Juarez

New York had a major glowup on tacos and burritos. This is more focused on burritos because despite new taco spots like Santos, the number 1 taco in my heart is still the Adobado at Los Tacos Numero 1.

Here’s what you have to get. At Vato the bean & cheese and cinnamon roll. At Son Del North the carne asada and at Los Burritos Juarez the beef & mole with potatoes.

You can also get other things. I don’t care.

You also don’t even have to go but in case you were curious, my mouth is collecting more saliva as I’m writing this section - I think some of you that speak english as your first language refer to that as mouth watering.

The thing I like about all these places is that there’s this movement towards the skinnier, cleaner burrito. This is the antithesis of a Chipotle burrito. Which means you can often eat 2 or 3 and try a variety of flavors if you’re really hungry. You can also get one and it becomes the perfect little snack.

Okay that’s it with the eating section. I really liked all the food I ate this year. I probably had some bad foods but life is good if you can’t remember the worst thing you ate.

Best Place I Visited in 2025

the beautiful spaces and places at La Posta Vecchia

La Posta Vecchia

I love love love a luxury hotel and one done by Marie-Louise Scio is always at the top of the list (with Il Pelicano being another all time favorite) but this one was different. It wasn’t just a luxury hotel but it was historical, built on top of ancient ruins with a rustic quality that seeped into the neighboring town that countered the hotel in the best way. I have no idea what the town was - I could google it but we would ride our bikes into town and walk down the boardwalk that looked like a mix of the Jersey Shore trying to be Ibiza with hints of Atlantic City.

The hotel was built directly on top of the ancient ruins which remained preserved in its basement, converted into a sort of museum.

Every single room was different - which was fun since we were there with a group of our friends. We drank and ate all day and night. Played games in the beautiful rooms. Swam in the sea and rode our bikes around.

A friend on the trip (also not engaged and not even coupled up) inquired about having their wedding there. That seems to be a theme among my friends. Which is fun.

Best Things I Read in 2025

I Who Have Never Known Men

This book was originally written in the 80s by a French author but had a resurgence from BookTok. If you don’t like to read, this book is for you because it’s more of a novella than it is a book. You could read it in one sitting. A really dystopian alternative universe that gives you no answers. It’s really good.

Egg Harvesting NYTimes Article

I’m kind of giving it away with the way I’m describing it because it’s actually supposed to be about surrogacy and the business around fertility globally but the article is an investigative piece about how women in Thailand were duped into thinking they were going to be surrogates (and paid based on when they could get pregnant) but they were actually being harvested for their eggs. It’s really interesting with tidbits about the full global economy around fertility, the grey (gray?) laws around it, and touches on workers who go to other countries for better work.

It’s a really long read but would highly highly recommend reading it. If you want to be smart!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

This is an old book that I’ve had on my list for years but I read it this year and wish I could read it again for the first time. It takes place at the start of the 20th century and follows the story of a young girl and her family growing up in Williamsburg.

You can also look up synopses to all the things I’m writing about here so maybe I’ll instead focus on why you might like this book.

If you’re into multigenerational type stories then you might like this.

If you’re into New York City stories you might like this.

If you have a heart you might like this.

Didion & Babitz

This was a book that actually took me some time to get into. I started it because AirMail was pushing it aggressively - the author is one of their journalists but I didn’t initially like how biased it was (that author is like the biggest Babitz stan and kind of hates on Didion).

Then upon the recommendation of a friend - who described it as salacious and learning the ins and outs of LA & NYC in the 60s - 80s I picked it back up.

It’s a really fun story with lots of fun cameos. Like Harrison Ford. Steve Martin. The Chateau Marmont.

This article is long so if you want to take a break now you may. I am taking a break from writing to get a cup of tea before I resume.

Okay, I’m back.

We’ll continue on with our regularly scheduled programming.

Best Live Things I Saw in 2025

Weer

If you did not see Weer while it was playing at Cherry Lane Theatre I feel so bad for you. Natalie Palamiedes playing two characters was hands down the best thing I saw this year - and likely in the top 3 things I’ve ever seen. The show was indescribable so I will not describe it.

Metropolitan Opera

I’ve been to see the NY Philharmonic and shows at Carnegie Hall but I can’t believe in my 15 years in NYC I have never gone to the opera. It was fun! I’m going to go again!

Best Things I Played in 2025

Kind of cool. This is only thing that gets its own header description like thing.

Like everyone this year I tried to decrease phone time. And so I played lots and lots of games with my friends. If you’re my friend you’ve played one of these games with me while we’re at my house or we’re sitting outside having coffee. If we’ve never done this then we’re not really friends.

Monopoly Deal

This was introduced to me a while ago by my friend Binnie but we played a lot and also came up with sidequests this year, which included not only the winner but person who ended up with the highest net worth. Fun, portable. I have 2 sets of the game, one for my purse and one for my home.

Kings Corner

I first played this game over Thanksgiving with my in-laws and since then we’ve probably played it over 500 times. With friends, with my family in Korea. It’s easy enough you can quickly learn it. There’s not that much strategy, though there is some. It can be played with 2-4 players. It’s really good. I’ll teach it to you next time we hang out.

Code Names

A game more for at home game nights but I supposed if you want to lay out 25 cards somewhere in public and carry the game around you can. We played this during a big group trip we did to Italy with teams. People will inevitably be called out for giving eye movements and small physical gestures that give hints. Cheaters will try to do compound words which aren’t allowed. Or first name last name which also isn’t allowed. The most impressive knock out I’ve seen is “Wembanyama for 5” and the person guessing got all 5. It was very cool.

Best Things I Bought in 2025

Brick

Coming off of the less phone time, screen time thing. I like everyone else bought a Brick. I’m obsessed with it, not because I actually use it a ton but because I actually feel like it reset my relationship with my phone. And if and when I need another reset I have it available. That said, I do use it when I can feel myself getting sucked into the vortex of doomscrolling.

If I knew how to do affiliate links this is where I’d do it but I’m bad at making money and have very little interest in figuring this out so here is just a normal link if this is interesting to you.

Le Bonne Shoppe Sweaters

I have so many things and clothes. So I have my staple sweaters I like but I got a few natural fiber sweaters (and other things from their pointelle line) from Le Bonne Shoppe and I wear them pretty much every day. They don’t have any synthetic fibers and they have a really nice boxy fit to them.

In case you’re curious some other sweater brands that are a little less mainstream that I love : Howlin, Atelier Delphine, Lisa Yang, Eterne.

I really can’t believe how long this is. If you’ve made it this far, you get a gold star. It would be cool if I dropped a code word right now and if you say it to me, I give you a $2 bill.

Best Things I Went to Shopping in 2025

Officine Universelle Buly

I bought a lot of gifts this year from Officine Universelle Buly this year but I wouldn’t recommend it because I did have to pay tariffs on it before I receive the package which was almost as much as I spent on the gifts. However, if you’re ever in Paris or in Seoul you should 100percent seek out an Officine Universelle Buly to buy your favorite people monogrammed gifts.

Porta Brooklyn

Have you ever wanted to purchase a $600 articulated fish or the same kind of sculpture as they have in season 2 of White Lotus at the hotel of the upside down Italian men? If so, you’re in luck with Porta Brooklyn. It’s filled with magical, whimsical, expensive gifts that serve no other purpose than looking beautiful.

Merci-Paris

Okay a lot of Paris things in here despite not having gone to Paris this year. But it’s another Parisian store I love and another one where you have to pay tariffs if you’re ordering. But they really have everything. Furniture and clothes. A Hello Kitty collab. Really cute tote bags - cuter than the LL Bean tote bag because it’s French. Oui oui! French kiss! Fromage! S’il vous plait!

Losers of 2025

This is deeply personal.

I’m getting really vulnerable right now but there are some things I did this year that made me sad and ugly.

I don’t like to dwell on these things but these are the things that I think about probably once a day since they have happened.

Getting a haircut

On October 17th I got my haircut. It wasn’t an impulsively scheduled haircut but what happened at the hair salon was impulsive. I had all these knots and various rodent nests in my hair and was first like let’s do a trim of the dead ends and then pivoted within 25 seconds to chop it.

I haven’t worn my hair down since.

I really don’t like it and I read that your hair grows about 0.5 inches per month so I’ll probably have my hair up until at least June of next year :(

Sometimes when I am really sad I look at pics of myself pre-October 17th.

THESE! don’t even tell me these look good. I already know they do.

Losing my Sunglasses in the ocean

When Matches was going out of business and they started with doing 10% off, I bought a pair of Saint Laurent sunglasses. They became my favorite pair. They were dark enough you couldn’t see my eyes, small enough you could still see my (beautiful) face, tortoise so they matched with everything - browns and blacks. Just perfect.

Then . I . Went . Into . The . Ocean . And . Got . My . Sh*t . Rocked .

I lost my bathing suit bottoms for a few seconds and by the time I pulled them up realized I’d lost my sunglasses too.

I wish I’d lost my swimsuit bottoms permanently that day instead of my sunglasses.

They do have the same exact pair at the Saint Laurent in Meatpacking so if you feel like spending $400 on me let me know and I will put you in touch with the SA.

BTW I can think of a few people who should buy me a nice gift. Because I’ve done a lot of nice things for them.

Losing my Celine beanie

I don’t technically know if this happened in 2025. Actually I think I did because I remember a dinner in February that I wore the hat too at Rule of Thirds. But it was the softest (and pretty subtle in terms of designer things) beanie and it looked really pretty with my long hair. Who knows if it’d look good with my short hair so maybe it’s good I lost it in the end.

That’s it. I have some fun idea for 2026 that I’m going to write about so if that’s intersting to you smash that Like, Subscribe and Share Button + FRENCH KISS me.

Okay, we’re done here. Bye.