letters to 2024: my favorites

music, books, shows, pop culture, podcasts, activities, sweet treats, beauty

here are some various lists of my favorites in 2024. these things made my life vibrant, luxurious, mindful, beautiful, or at least entertaining and cute.

side story - i went to a ski village over the break. no, i don’t ski, i have a body meant for indoors thank you very much, i’ll stick to twirling and climbing on my pole than go injure myself in the harsh elements. me and two other ladies (the three wives, so traditional of me) were walking around, and it became our joke to say “is it cute?” when someone asked if we wanted to do something. if they answer was yes, it’s cute, then we would say, “well then let’s do it!”

this isn’t just a joke from a ski village. this is how i live my life. if it’s cute, i’m doin it.

and i think this list is pretty cute.

so enjoy.

<3

Podcasts

Giggly Squad

Giggly Squad is my favorite podcast. It’s silly, not serious, gossipy, and always makes me giggle. I love both Paige and Hannah so much.

Just Break Up

Sam and Sierra give the best and most insightful relationship advice. I am deeply in a parasocial relationship with them, and that’s fine with me.

Hello Hayes

Hayes is so grounded and kind, but will also call people on their shit in this advice podcast.

Long Winded

Gabby is hilarious. I fell in love with her on The Bachelorette, and I’m even more in love with her silly videos.

Creators

Eli Rallo - lifestyle for the girlies

Karley Fiebig - lifestyle, makeup, and itineraries

Gina Denny - editing and writing tips

Hannah Connolly - author of “notes on” here on substack

Ginger Valentine - an amazing burlesque performer and teacher

Kristen & Maddie - book recs

Alexie Gigi - spirituality content

Maria Dominique Lopez - CPTSD advocacy

Ashlee Jordan - spooky scary story times

Lauren’s Little Library - honest book reviews

My Top Songs

Fortnight 0.05%

Pretty Girls

Down Bad

In the Kitchen

Good Luck Babe

Shows

Derry Girls

this show is so cute and hilarious!!

Kevin Can F Himself

SO GOOD. it’s been on my list since it came out, because i adore annie murphy, but when it hit netflix, i devoured it. it was so creative, insightful, funny, dark, and sooo well done. i also respect a show that knows exactly when and how to end it.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

so underhyped. why does no one talk about how damn good this is? also, fun fact, for some reason, i know all the words to the first episode because i transcribed it in high school in an attempt to write fan fiction.

Sex and the City

my first time watching, can you believe? it made me wonder… should i try writing a lifestyle column? (hehe hi)

New Girl

jess is my comfort person

The Office

i’ve lost track of how many times i’ve watched this, but the superfan extended cut episodes are amazing

Jury Duty

this was the sweetest “prank” show i’ve ever seen

Movies

Wicked

i watched it 3 times in 2024, and as i’m writing this, i’m waiting for my husband to wake up from his nap so we can watch the movie at home. 10/10 no notes

Sleepless in Seattle

i saw this for the first time at a brunch series a theater in my town does. now it’s my favorite.

Little Shop of Horrors

i also saw this for the first time, and i am so sad i waited so long! but now i can’t stop singing “dowwwntoooowwwn”

Mona Lisa Smile

cozy, autumnal, feminist, sweet. what more could i ask for?

Death Becomes Her

i was totally inspired to watch this from the sabrina music video, i’ll admit. but damn it was good!!

The Love Witch

what a mind fuck of a movie. strange, beautiful, cheesy, and filmed like a vintage movie but it aired in 2016. i weirdly loved it.

Mamma Mia

i saw this again in theaters (don’t worry, not for the first time). i highly recommend watching in a theater if you can, it’s sos fun.

When Harry Met Sally

i also saw this at the brunch series at the theater. i love to hear the laughter in the theater.

Beauty

Nest Sunkissed Hibiscus Eau de Parfum

my go to in the spring and fall. here’s what their description says:

This radiant solar floral eau de parfum blends warm golden amber with layers of classic white florals and frangipani, a tropical floral with a creamy coconut accord.

LA VIE EST BELLE EAU DE PARFUM

my go to for winter and special occasions. here’s what the website says:

Precious iris padilla notes, sustainably sourced iris padila butter. Vibrant earthyhy patchouli. Sensual warm vanilla, with spunsugar.

The other perfume I like a lot but don’t currently have a full size bottle of is the vanilla Juliette Has a Gun, but i might purchase it around summertime.

TOP NOTES - Sea salt

HEART NOTES - Natural Vanilla Absolute, Orchid Absolute

BASE NOTES - Absolute Brown Musk, Bezoin Absolute, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean

Haus Labs TRICLONE™ SKIN TECH Foundation

i bought this for my wedding, and i have literally never purchased anything for beauty over $15. this was soo worth it. it was great on my skin, stayed all night, and felt smooth.

Also from Haus Labs: LE MONSTER LIP CRAYON

i also bought this for my wedding and i fell in love. i have dry lips, and this was so creamy and pigmented and lasted a long time. i’ve also worn this (and the foundation) while performing, and i’m a sweaty gal! it still looked flawless at the end of the night.

Elf halo glow

this is a product more in my comfort range. it’s so glowy and makes my skin look so alive.

Brown Eyeliner and Mascara

i think it was 2024 that i started rocking brown eye products > black and i loved it. i always wondered why you would possibly want brown lashes when you could have more noticeable black lashes! but it makes my eyes look more natural and i love it. i also think it draws less attention to the bags under my eyes. i will still do black lashes or a black wing for a special occasion, to really draw attention, but 9 times out of 10, i wear brown. the brand is most often elf.

Trader Joe’s Ulta Hydration Gel Moisturizer

or whatever it’s called, i can’t be tasked with waking to my bathroom to check. this is a nice moisturizer that lasts a long time and doesn’t make me break out. and it’s pretty inexpensive.

Also from TJs, their dupe for SuperGoop sunscreen (hey that rhymed!)

this stuff is almost exactly like the more expensive brand, but like a third of the price.

Life

Pole

this was the start of my pole journey! sadly, i took about 5 months or so off when my mom passed, which is unfortunate, but i understand why climbing half naked on a silver rod wasn’t my priority at that time. because of that delay, i am still very much a beginner, but i’m excited to hopefully get confident this year. i’ll also be adding in weight training, which i’ve heard accelerates pole progress.

doing pole is such a reclamation of my body and my sensuality. even though i’m not at the point where i feel all that sexy.

my stage name is vivienne luxe, and my instagram handle is vivienne.luxe if anyone wants to come follow my progress. it’s private, so if i don’t accept right away, feel free to message me that you know me from here. :)

Hosting

i hosted more in 2024 than probably all other years combined. weekly bachelor and bachelorette nights, galentines, my birthday, friend’s birthdays, easter, halloween, and a couple random themed parties just for fun. not to mention the smaller groups of one or two friends or hosting friends for a weekend stay. i loved it. admittedly, i might opt to host less this year, or at least this winter, but i genuinely love throwing a little party and planning a way for everyone to have fun and feel at home. it’s also very special for my inner child, who was never allowed to have anyone over or have parties. to see a house, my house, filled with laughter, cups, games, and talking makes me so happy.

Cleaning my car

sadly, it took until 2024 to clean my car regularly. now, i clean my car once every 6 weeks or so, and it makes a world of difference. my car is sacred, and should be treated as such.

The right medication combo

thank you to my psychiatrist for adding in wellbutrin because that made me not dread waking up everyday at a time where i needed it most. medication isn’t for everyone, but the stigma is silly. if you’re suffering and feel like you’ve tried everything, why not try it if your doctor is okay with it?? i had maybe three days of bad side effects, and then i was immediately brighter, more grateful, and more awake.

Collages on Pinterest

i don’t know if this feature has been there for a while, but i found it mid year sometime and never looked back. i love her.

Paint by numbers

it’s so fun and it’s not just for kids! i like to put mine on the kitchen table and paint while i make dinner. it’s so soothing and a great way to use your hands while listening to an audiobook or talking on the phone or just being silent.

Calling friends just to talk

speaking of, i embraced the art of calling friends to talk, something i used to do when i was a little girl almost every day if i could get away with it. it’s such a nice way to connect with a friend, even if it’s just for a couple minutes.

Being blonde

i can never stay away from herrrr! i’m naturally dirty blonde, but i love to be blonde blonde. i’ve resisted it for years. to be serious™️ for a moment, i used to resist going blonde because my mother would force me to dye it blonde growing up because it supposedly made me look prettier, even though i didn’t really want to. people always tell me i look better blonde, so i stayed a dirty blonde / light brunette and even died my hair darker as a rebellion. (side note… it’s kinda rude to tell someone they look better than the hair they naturally have, but whatever.) but… i do feel so pretty as a blonde, and maybe that’s my internalized misogyny, but you know what? it’s fine. i’ll fight back another day.

Scrapbooking

this year, at the end of every month, i printed out photos from the month and put them in my scrapbook. it was an amazing way to inspire myself to do things i knew i wanted to do but didn’t really feel like doing when it was time to get ready. (so long to doing it for the gram, i did 2024 for my scrapbook!) my scrapbook is literally stuffed full of photos of beautiful memories now. have you heard the saying that a tracked number grows? well, i think monthly printed photos helped me grow my joy.

Sweet Treats

Bombolinis

i discovered these in february, and i fell in love. i discovered them at Cafe Chica in albuquerque, nm. if you are near there, check them out.

Oat milk vanilla lattes

yum yum yum i am a basic girlie who wants the same drink everywhere i go. i also loooove my local coffee shop, Castle Coffee. they ask me if i want my usual and say, “hey sam how are you?” aka i’m basically lorelai gilmore… and they’re all my luke danes?? hmm that doesn’t seem right. i’ll just be lorelai and they can be who they are. or i’ll just be sam.

Earl gray macarons from Whole Foods

enough said, go try. they are expensive but… if you have the extra dough, it’s sooo worth it.

Taylor swift chai cookies

i’m waiting to not be contagious from norovirus (i spent new year’s eve with a diaper on, i’m not too proud to admit, and even the wellbutrin didn’t stop me from wishing i could just meet my end), and then i’ll make a batch for myself and my loved ones.

a fun tip, try out lavender and earl gray tea instead of chai. you can make a london fog cookie. last year, i brought a tin into Castle as a thank you, and i think the tea flavored cookies went over well.

Cream soda ollipops

MY FAVORITE. in fact, i wish i had one in my fridge right this moment. i think it’s tastier than regular cream soda and is somewhat gut healthy. though i doubt there’s enough probiotics in it to do much, but i don’t really care. i like to pour a cab into a wine glass and sip it while scrapbooking, painting, cooking, watching tv, whatever. fancy glasses don’t have to just be for alcohol.

Books

i read more 5 star reads than this (a post you can go back to), but these were my TOP top. my 6 stars.

The Unmaking of June Farrow

what a beautiful book full of yearning, mystery, romance, philosophy, and just creativity. i even wrote a letter to june a week or two ago on my substack.

Just for the Summer

this whole series was special. i’m picky when it comes to romance. because i love the genre, and have studied a lot because i write it, i have no tolerance for weak character development and stories that wouldn’t succeed without the romance element. if you write romance, you should read this series.

It’s OK Not to Be OK

this book saved me. it is the absolute best book on grief without bs and faux spiritual wisdom and platitudes. it’s real and raw and beautiful.

Happy Place

by far my favorite emily henry book. i listened to it first (all hail julia whelan), and then read it on my kindle a few months later. i think the character development and friendships in this are stellar. emily henry is the goddess of romance.

Lady Macbeth

my top book of 2024. fitting because juniper and thorn was my top read of 2023. i am an ava reid stan to my core. i read an arc of this in march, which was maybe one of the coolest things in the world?? i’ll publish my entire thoughts on this soon. and… maybe i’ll purchase a physical copy now that it’s out to annotate.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

talk about yearning. what a beautiful story. this was my first book of 2024, and is probably my #2 all year. it’s poetic, it’s sweet, it’s heartbreaking. i read it physically, but julia whelan narrates this, so i might listen to it soon.

Alone With You in the Ether

olivie blake will never fail to deliver a creative and original story. this was a love story creatively told from two mentally ill people’s perspectives. if you have bipolar disorder, i would imagine this could be triggering to read, or it could be very comforting, i don’t know! my only critique is that she put the content warning in the author’s note at the end, which felt like the opposite of where it should be?

and that was 2024!!! that, and a lot of other things, but this is what i’m telling you about. ;)

i hope you enjoyed, and maybe even take my advice and go try an ollipop cream soda (i’m not sponsored but oh my goddess, that would be my dream) in a wine glass, read lady macbeth and eat a trader joe’s earl gray macaron.

did we have any overlapping favorites of the year? <3

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