💖✌️🌮 Love List #3: Chill Spring Vibes Edition

Plus important podcast updates (where is that episode I've been promising?)

Welcome to another edition of Love, Peace, and Tacos, a weekly newsletter where I share what I’m feeling, loving, and eating.

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The mini record store at the Edgewater Hotel in Seattle

How does one create everything they want to create without burning themselves out? This is a question I’ve been wrestling with lately.

As you may have noticed, I haven’t dropped any new episodes of We’re Never Doing This Again since December.

(More likely, you haven’t noticed and I’m the only one obsessing over this! Hi, anxiety!)

The long and the short of it is that I’m still recovering from 2023. Last year, I lost my Dad and then a few months later, went through a traumatic breakup. Pushing myself to write and create through it all seemed like the best thing at the time but it left me feeling burnt out.

(I knew I needed to take a break in December when I recorded an entire podcast episode only to realize I forgot to press “record.”)

So, what was originally intended to be a quick vacation from the podcast over the holidays, turned into a longer hiatus.

As a self-employed creative balancing clients with freelancing, a newsletter, podcast, Instagram/TikTok and (now) regular travel, feels a bit like playing in a one-man band. I’ve got all the instruments set up but haven’t quite figured out how to get them to all move in time.

Self-employment in a nutshell.

I’ve felt so much guilt around taking time off (a podcast can’t grow if it isn’t consistent!) but I also know that how I was working before (pushing and pushing some more to get things done) didn’t feel good.

My big dream is to eventually have the resources to pay a line editor — or even better have a production studio behind me — so I can focus on being “the voice” of the show.

Until then, thanks for being patient while I figure out how to get this one-man band playing the right tune.

I’m starting to feel more like myself lately and I’ve enjoyed having extra breathing room to just *live*

At the end of February, I was in Vancouver for a week and took my sister to see Madonna’s Celebration Tour - a teenage dream come true that I’ll likely write more about shortly. In the meantime, you can watch the reel I made about it here.

I also took a press trip to Seattle and spent a couple of very cozy nights at The Edgewater — an iconic hotel that’s hosted everyone from The Beatles to Kurt Cobain and Pearl Jam. Fun fact: it’s the location of the famous photo of the Beatles fishing from their hotel room.

Me — doing my best Beatles (sans fishing rod because the day I purchase fishing gear is the day you should stage an intervention.)

Here are some more things I’m loving:

💖 Kali Uchi’s new album, Orquídeas (“Orchids”). Kali Uchis's music always sounds like spring to me. Orquídeas is no exception. It’s dreamy, sexy, and full of femme fatale moments. Since returning from Mexico City, I’ve had the album playing non-stop. Favorite tracks include Igual Que Un Ángel and Heladito.

💖 What I’m calling the “quiet side of YouTube.” In true Virgo fashion, I’ve started watching decluttering videos on YouTube. My favorite channel is The Carla Project. Unlike much of YouTube which feels like everyone is on too much Adderall, Carla’s approach is calm, empathetic, and most importantly, realistic (you won’t see picture-perfect spaces organized by ROYGBIV or guests who are forced into someone else’s brand of minimalism). In the fall, I decluttered 465 items from my space, and watching Carla help the people around her has encouraged me to keep going.

💖 Going to the gym 4x a week. A week surfing in Nicaragua was the perfect reminder that I feel most like myself when I challenge myself physically and learn new skills. So, I signed up for a new gym program to learn how to lift heavy weights. I’m only one month in, but I’m already lifting more than I thought was possible.

💖 Making reels on Instagram. My friend Almie and I have been pushing ourselves to create more on Instagram and I’m enjoying making more short-form video content. Note: If you like Disneyland, Almie’s Instagram Always Sunny in Anaheim is cute and entertaining.

What’s bringing you joy right now?

Let me know in the comments!