Happy birthday to this little one-year-old newsletter. I know this milestone doesn’t mean nearly as much to you as it does to me so I’ll save the sappy stuff for my inner monologue, but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been here since the beginning and everyone who has joined us along the way. I started this thing on a total whim and here I am, 84 newsletters later, still cosplaying as Carrie Bradshaw and staring out the window as I contemplate how punctuation marks work with parentheses. I look it up every week and I think I still have it wrong.
From the beginning it was important to me that what I shared here would be of value, especially if people were going to be paying to read it. I also decided that if I was going to be putting time and thought into writing it that it would have to be valuable for me, too. The majority of my posts are for paid subscribers only, but for the next month I’m going to make five of my favorite past posts free to read for those of you who are newer here. Sort of an À La Carte sample platter!
Five newsletters that are free to read for the rest of February:
No. 1: Odd lists and instant coffee: My very first newsletter, and one that includes something practical I do to stay curious.
No. 16: Bows, crispy rice, and high fashion: I wrote about an exercise I sometimes do in museums to engage with what I’m looking at.
A Note From Me: Something I wrote when I relaunched my design studio last year.
No. 22: Vacation inspiration, a cookbook, and silver mary janes: This one describes the thing I do when I’m on vacation to get inspired (and to remember it later).
No. 28: Portfolio sites, why they’re important, and how to make a good one, ft. Alysia Alex: I asked my friend Alysia, who is the Director of Career and Professional Development at ArtCenter, to give us the lowdown on what makes a good online portfolio.
And in between all of those there are tons of shopping curations, interviews, essays, mood boards, gift guides, and more. The newsletter continues to evolve as I gravitate towards certain subjects and discover new formats to try, but the point of it all will always be the same: to test the theory that if we pay attention to what’s around us we can develop our own points of view and continue to explore them through what we make, what we read, what we wear, what we buy, what podcasts we listen to…the list goes on. À La Carte is not meant to dictate that you must love all the same things I do, but instead to inspire you to find what feels like you. The newsletter is an expression of my own little world and I hope that I’ll be writing it for a long time.
Book on my nightstand: I’m 31% of the way through Maame by Jessica George—so far I’m enjoying it but it’s too soon to draw any conclusions. I DO have a recent art book acquisition, however, that I’m emphatically recommending: Women Holding Things, a book of works by the artist Maira Kalman. My friend Jessie gave it to me for my birthday and it instantly melted my cold midwinter heart.
It’s very sweet and I think it would make a great Valentine’s Day gift for someone who you feel supported and loved by.
Something I bought recently: A men’s rollneck sweater from J. Crew. Originally released in 1988, the brand brought back their iconic pullovers and I am veryyy happy about it. They’ve reintroduced the style for women, too, but I’m partial to the shape of the men’s fit: it hangs straight down and doesn’t get caught on my hips, making it the perfect thing to wear over my workout leggings or an easy pull-on trouser (like these silky ones I love from Donni). It’s also 100% cotton, so I have a feeling it’ll get a lot of use year-round. I have the navy in a men’s medium but I think the white might be next for me.
House I wish was mine: I’m not shy about the fact that I am a huge fan of the design firm/LA-based home store Nickey Kehoe and you already know about my pistachio green phase, so no one will be shocked by my love for this New York City loft. My sister and I went into the NK store last week and I had to laugh; my apartment is really starting to look like it could be their eastside showroom. But anyway, elements of this gorgeous apartment remind me of Villa Necchi in Milan but with a New York-y spin: the green, of course, but also the wallpaper, the texture throughout, the mix of medium-to-dark wood tones…
What I’m eating: Currently, as I type, Torres Extra Virgin Olive Oil Potato Chips. And also, because my birthday was last week and I didn’t have a centralized all-of-my-friends party this year, I went to SO MANY DINNERS this month. I finally made it back to Étra…twice. Bacetti, of course. Perle, which I went to for the first time, is my new favorite restaurant in Pasadena. Some sort-of-newish spots, three nights in a row: Shins, Barra Santos, and Little Ripper. Antico Nuovo, which was as good as everyone said it would be. Bavel, which still holds up. And maybe the one I love the most, which will always be at the top of my list: Houston’s. Catch me all of February eating Trader Joe’s soups at home.
Currently working on: We’re making good progress on Iris+West’s new retail space (which I wrote a bit about here)—I can’t wait to show you when it’s all done. Katie AKA Beautification Solutions has been painting the signage this week so if you happen to drive past it on Sunset in Echo Park send me a pic!
I’ve been in the concept phase for a new branding project this week that has been transporting me to the French countryside—I won’t spill yet but I can already tell it’s going to be very very fun to work on.
And I’ve been doing my taxes…less fun.
Artist to know: Ukrainian painter Aliya Abs. I recently stumbled on Aliya’s work while cruising the Tappan website and was drawn to her figurative paintings and their worn-in, dusty color palettes. I was just looking at this painting of hers on her Instagram and had to laugh; I’m sitting here at my dining table in a striped sweater, leg up on the chair, white coffee mug beside me.
I think that’s what I like about her work: her portraits feel familiar, like they could be of me or my friends, and I find something really comforting in that.
Follow Aliya Abs on Instagram here.
A thing I’m looking forward to: I’m throwing a little Pasta Girlfriend Galentine’s Day dinner party with Bacetti for a few friends, so I’ve been fixated on all the little details. Per usual, I’m spending way too much time thinking about what the table will look like and how I’ll decorate the room…just know that I cut out 500 strips of paper the other night to turn into garland.
I wish I could throw a birthday party for À La Carte because you all would definitely be on the invite list. The best gift you could give me: if you know someone who might like the newsletter, share it with them! The more the merrier.
x
Ali
In case you missed it:
Last week I made a mood board about Pantone’s divisive color of the year: peach fuzz.
The January Specials included an archival Instagram account I love, the concept of a “reading vacation”, and a design newsletter I’m really enjoying.
Chloe Lucas-Walsh was my At The Table With guest this month—I switched the interview format up a bit and I think it’s pretty fun!
Joyeux Anniversaire! I love reading ÀLC and hope that you do make it to Carrie's milestone of 25 years. That NYC loft is a total dream and Women Holding Things looks very heartwarming. Cheers to an abundant 2024! xx
Happy birthday ALC...and thanks for the LA recs!