Flashback to what seems like an entire lifetime ago, I worked as a junior marketer at a stationery e-commerce in my early 20s. While I eventually left that post after a year, it was there where I developed a lifelong appreciation for stationery, especially fancy luxury stationery. There is, admittedly, a lot of frivolity and ... Read more

I’m in a season of my life where I take immense pleasure in — perhaps even love — cooking. Just last week, I scoured my local Indian supermarkets for spices and whipped together a hearty potato chickpea spinach curry and chicken tikka masala. (Thank you, Food with Chetna!) Similar to gardening, preparing ingredients helps me ... Read more

I approach thrifting like a treasure hunt, staying open to all of the wondrous possibilities that the thrift store holds. That said, I do find it useful to go into the store with some kind of mental framework for picking out pieces. It helps me avoid the all-too-common pitfall of hoarding stuff just because it’s ... Read more

At the end of South and West, Joan Didion writes, “The particular flat expanse of the Central Valley comforts my eye…I am easy here in a way that I am not easy in other places.”  The Central Valley is known for being somewhat flat and beige — some might even say dull and bland. But ... Read more

In the early days of the pandemic, I found a knockoff Prada(?) faux leather bag at Goodwill for $4. After a few solid years of use (and many compliments, I might add), a handle ripped off, and I was forced to search for a new neutral-colored leather bag. Cute as it may be, my giant ... Read more

Do you feel extra pinched for money these days? I almost wept while picking up a carton of eggs at Save Mart the other day. The inflation struggle is real, and even thrift store treasures can cost a pretty penny if you don’t know how to score the best deals.  I’ve cut back a bit ... Read more

Autumn is a gloriously overstimulating time of year at the thrift store. Everything is a smorgasbord of jack-o-lantern neon orange and muted pumpkin pie filling burnt orange. Nylon puffy jackets and woolly vintage grandma sweaters are back on display. In the background, you might hear half-working Halloween animatronics playing on a loop while Adele belts ... Read more

As an avid trinket collector, I adore stocking stuffers. I also have a difficult time buying just one thing for each person on my Christmas list, so I love the idea of gifting multiple presents in a cute giant gift sock (which you can very easily find at thrift stores this time of year, FYI).  ... Read more