The new year for many, has us looking forward at what is possible. We’re creating goals, designing vision boards, setting intentions. I happily do most of these things myself. What I fail to do most years however, is reflect on the previous year and note my takeaways. What were the highs, the lows, my best of? I’m still working on the highs and lows (that takes some time to consider and I won’t do it publicly) but I do have a best of list that I am delighted to share.
I often find myself reading the best of lists of tastemakers, creators, musicians, and other fabulous people and find “new to me” content that I wouldn’t have known had I not read their lists. I do not categorize myself as any of the above who rightfully create these sorts of lists. I do however, enjoy ruminating on things that I enjoy and asking myself why I enjoy them. It requires me to understand what’s important to me and helps define a bit of who I am now. Whether you’re interested in this kind of contemplation, I do believe more than anything this list may inspire you to try something new or may be a whisper to watch, listen to, or do the thing you’ve been mulling over for a while.
Best Show/Series
When I tuned into The White Lotus I did it because a Content Creator I follow re-posted an interesting article about the shows wardrobe design decisions. I thought that if so much went into the wardrobe of GenZ characters on the show then it may be worth watching. One episode in and I was hooked! I binge watched the entire series in a matter of 2 days and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. Without giving any spoilers, the series follows the guests and employees of the fictional White Lotus resort chain whose stay is affected by their various psychosocial dysfunctions. The first season is set in Hawaii and the second season is set in Sicily. I’m a huge fan of what I like to call “slice of life” stories. These stories center around real and normal people and the dramas that arise from everyday life. While The White Lotus follows the lives of the affluent guests at the hotel, it also tells the stories of the employees and people impacted by their proximity to them. I am in no way affluent but I’ve been in close proximity to those who are all my life. I saw so much overlap in my experience being adjacent to those with money and how they elicit control with those around them with their wealth. Aside from being a case study into that part of human behavior the show is riotously hilarious!
Best Movie
Ok so I know Coda wasn’t released in 2022, however that’s the year I watched it and of all the movies I watched throughout the year ( Glass Onion, The Menu, Everything Everywhere, All at Once), it was the best I’ve seen. Released in 2021, Coda tells the story of a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA) who attempts to help save her parents fishing business while also pursuing her own passions of being a singer. This movie had “slice of life” all through it and I by the end the headache I got from crying was so intense I had to lay down and process it all. What I came up with was that I share the hopes and dreams that practically all parents have for their children- for them to be happy, and that ultimately we all have to let go and let them live and navigate their own lives without us.
Best Album
Beyoncé “Renaissance”
If you know me then my choosing Beyoncé’s Renaissance as the best album of 2022 may not come as a surprise. The 9 Grammy nominations the album has received proves that I’m not alone in my opinion. I could go on and on about the accolades the album has been given, the famous TikTok dance it inspired (and the only I’ve ever participated in) and the countless ways the music has been a backdrop of everyday life in 2022, but I won’t. I will simply say this album is inspiring! It is unapologetically LGBTQIA focused without being preachy and while fun it is also socially conscious in the most inconspicuous of ways. As the self-proclaimed Queen of Christmas (move over Mariah) I was counting down the days to the first of the year so that I could play Renaissance without the guilt of not being able to fully commit to my 200 song Christmas Spirit playlist.
Maren Morris “Humble Quest”
While the Renaissance may have been a no brainer for my 2022 album of the year, Maren Morris’s Humble Quest was an unexpected favorite. I’d always been a fan of Maren’s music but never listened to a full album until Humble Quest. Part country, part soul part rock, this album is filled with contemplative lyrics like…
” Some folks are fair-weather
Some just drift in and out
At my worst or my better
You always stick around
And if we live to a hundred
Or through to the next drink
I swear to God on my heart
Nobody will know you like me”
and incredible melody, I couldn’t stop coming back to this album over and over. I loved it so much in fact I broke my I’ll never attend a country music concert again rule (long story but it involves a Dolly Parton concert and a rude and racist guest) and went to the Humble Quest tour at the Hollywood Bowl. I was on my feet the entire time singing from the top of my lungs and am reconsidering my country music concert ban.
Best Book
I read over 10 books this year. Of them “The Midnight Library” was the one that I couldn’t put down and found myself re-reading to completely appreciate. The description goes a bit like this “Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?” I was hooked by that description alone. Add a mix of powerful storytelling, heavy doses of wisdom thoughtful self-reflection paralleled by my own experiences…well you can see why The Midnight Library makes the list.
Best Podcast
With stories titles like: “Between Friends: Stories about Race and Friendship” “An Update from the Sex Worker Next Door” and “Cut Loose: Your Stories of Breaking Up.” One can immediately tell that Death Sex and Money is as “slice of life”, (and if you’ve read this far down my best of 2022 list you know how I feel about “slice of life” stories) as you can get. This podcast’s storytelling abilities are in my opinion the best in the business of podcasting (and I listen to The New York Times: The Daily, well…daily). Host Anna Sale’s ability to create candid and insightful conversation with guests intrigues me. I’m often left contemplative about the subject matter long after the podcasts ending and have even come to terms with some of the questions and difficulties in my own life as a result to listening to those of others.
Best Restaurant
I’m not ashamed to admit that I get major FOMO (aka pissed off) when I learn about a hot new restaurant and bring said restaurant up to friends whose response is “oh, I’ve already been”. Not because I wanted to necessarily be invited to go with them. I mean I get it, maybe they went on a date or with family or some other sensical reason. More so I get pissed because I pride myself in keeping up with the food scene in LA. I get joy in analyzing what new foods are popular and realizing that I knew a bit too late makes me feel like I’m not foodie I think I am (file this under 1st world problems *eye roll*). Girl & the Goat was that dining experience that it seems everyone had already had but me! I tried and tried to get a reservation but it seemed each time I planned, the reservations were few and far between…until. Mother’s Day of this year, I’d come from the day spa and hung out with a friend. I’d had the whole day and night to myself and refused to go home until I’d taken advantage of all the me time I could, even if that meant sitting on my friends couch drinking wine and watching Netflix. When I suggested going to dinner I tried Girl and the Goat to see if there were reservations and Happy Mother’s Day to me I’d found one! The experience was worth the wait and it combined everything I like about dining – intimate and inviting atmosphere with comfy seating, a deliciously light yet heavily flavorful menu and service that felt both nurturing, informative without being overly pandering. It was family style and I honestly don’t enjoy family style (especially when I’m hungry), but it surprisingly worked perfectly and allowed us to taste quite a few dishes. Every dish was delicious but the pork belly salad, grilled skirt steak and sautéed green beans were stand outs.
Best Recipe
Hungry Lady Salads: The La Scala Chopped Salad
I am a self-described uninterested cook. By that I mean I do enjoy food, I am not however, interested in the process of making it. With that said, being an uninterested cook who enjoys food comes with its complications and because of this conundrum I am constantly on the lookout for quick and hearty meals that require less than 15 minutes in the kitchen because as I’ve learned, an initial 15 minutes actually computes to 30 for uninterested cooks like me. Kathleen Ashmore not only fulfilled this requirement but up the ante by re-creating a 5 minute salad that takes me 15 to make. It is inspired by the famous chopped salad from La Scala Beverly Hills and has 5-6 ingredients. I’ve made it at least once a month since learning how, and apart from being quick and easy it is filled with flavor and healthy. When I make it, I make enough to have over the week for lunch and to my surprise it holds up the entire week!
Best Food IG Account
Speaking of Kathleen Ashmore, aside from the above La Scala Chopped Salad, I’ve found myself coming back to her Instagram account for her “Hungry Lady Salad” series, where she creates meal in a bowl salad’s that are both healthy and delicious. I’m not a “salad” person, in fact of all the persons I could be when it comes to food, I’d file me under “carbs and meat” person. So, the fact that I continue to come back to Kat’s account to learn about creating salads with your own dressings (the two I made and loved are here and me actually making one on my IG is here) is a testament to how approachable and delicious her recipes are. What I also love is that the ingredients Kat uses are easy to find at the grocery store and that she takes recipes that we already know and love and adds her own personal touch with the addition of a creative ingredient to turn it on it’s head.
Best Personal Moment of 2022
My Amazon Studios Job Offer
This was hands down the best moment of the year and that’s saying something when you have a 2-year-old who does a lot of cute shit throughout the year, but indeed, this moment took my breath away. I was at a point in my career where I felt stuck, I’ve always loved what I do and I’ve done it for so long and for so many different industries I really couldn’t see how I would get “unstuck”. But this moment aside from being breathtaking has been confirmation in the power of setting intentions and believing the intention will be realized even when you can’t see how. While I’m still in learning and development, I am doing so for the folks who bring you all the shows you know and love on Prime Video, which in itself has been a pleasant surprise because after close to 30 years in the business I didn’t truly believe there was anything new left for me to learn. Well, that couldn’t be further from the truth because this career shift feels I’m starting from scratch, only with the knowledge and experience I’ve had up to this point. I’ve been in for about 6 months and in that amount of time I’ve learned so much about my own abilities and what faith, prayer and God can do when set the intention and put effort behind it.
Best Purchases of 2022
Living Space Couch
I’d been looking for a couch for over a year but couldn’t get with the trendy beige and white cloud couches that were a constant in my Instagram feed. Aside from the risky color choice (I mean what person in their right mind would get a white couch with a toddler?), I couldn’t find a couch that was stylish, comfortable and not too costly. I went to a Living Spaces outlet on a whim one Sunday afternoon with the intention of only looking at what was out there. Before I’d left I’d purchased the above sectional and was counting down the days (3 months to be exact) until it would be delivered. I can’t tell you how happy I’ve been with the purchase! Aside from its comfortability and vibrant color, the fabric is stain resistant even after multiple toddler and adult spills! When people enter my loft, they are taken by how rich the color of the couch is and even more taken back by its comfortable. This purchase (while big) is not one I regret in the slightest and when I fall asleep with my daughter in my arms or get lost in a good book I am so grateful I wandered into Living Spaces that day.
Kitchen Organization & Loft Redesign
When I created my 2022 vision board I added pictures of impeccably organized and designed homes. I had images of a Home Edit refrigerator, color coordinated by vegetables and fruit and a color coordinated and curated book case. Those images were my inspiration in my home update. When I became pregnant in 2020, I hired a organization expert to come in and organize my closet and help design and organize my daughters room. Since then, I’ve treasured these spaces and have seen how organization has positively impacted my life. When you don’t have to scour your house for your child’s shoes or toys and everything is in it’s rightful place, it takes the stress out of life and has allowed me to live with more ease. I knew I would have Jamilah Lang come back once I’d saved enough money for a complete kitchen overhaul. As Jamilah worked on my kitchen we chatted about how decluttering was a way to manifest abundance in your life. She told me about clients who she organized for who’d found money and checks that they’d completely forgotten about and while she was organizing my home, I got the initial call from Amazon to interview for the position that would ultimately become the life changing best moment of 2022 (see above). Coincidence? I think not. Once I got the job at Amazon Jamilah came back twice to complete the re-design of my bedroom and living and dining spaces. These were true investments and I look at them as I would a savings account -By clearing out the old, I’ve given space to welcome in the new, new opportunities, new experiences and new joys. I look around my home and feel a sense of pride and joy that is hard to describe. I can feel the blessings already doubling with these amazing new additions. Note: I will do a full post about these spaces so that you can see them more in detail but for now I hope the above images give you an idea about how I’m now utilizing my space.
It was super fun to review my best of 2022. Thank you for continuing to support this space. I am truly grateful to create content that resonates with you. I look forward to sharing more in 2023 . You can definitely expect more content that centers on the things that are brining me joy and allowing me to continue to live my life like it’s the weekend 7 days a week!