On My Mind: Grub Street Diet, Madame X, and the Best Mouth Tape

Plus another weekly shopping wishlist

I read the Grub Street Diet religiously every Friday before I order lunch. I love to read it while I’m a little hungry and get some inspiration for my lunch order. This week’s was by Aimee France, one of my favorite follows on TikTok. Everything Aimee eats looks so good. I also love her food rules: she has a “three-drink minimum” at breakfast (tea, coffee, and juice usually) and “always something fresh on the side.” I’ve adopted the “fresh on the side” idea — even if it’s just a clementine or some cucumbers alongside my buttered bagel. Health!

I saw Gypsy this week, starring Audra McDonald as Rose. It’s the first Broadway revival in over a decade, and the first time the show has ever featured a Black actor in the lead role. Audra was amazing, but my favorite part was the second act number “You Gotta Get a Gimmick,” when three aging strippers—Mazeppa, Electra, and Tessie Tura—teach Louise how to perform burlesque. My only complaint was the show’s length - three hours is a long time to sit!

I’ve been reading Notorious by Maureen Dowd, a collection of her celebrity profiles, political columns, and cultural essays spanning four decades. It’s juicy, gossipy, and fabulous. The vibe reminds me of Vanity Fair Diaries by Tina Brown — one of my favorite reads.

On Wednesday morning, I attended a tour of Sargent and Paris at The Met, led by curator Stephanie Herdrich. I love Sargent, and it was incredible to hear Stephanie speak in detail about the works. Central to the exhibition is the iconic Madame X, a portrait of Virginie Amélie Gautreau, which famously caused a scandal at the 1884 Paris Salon. I loved hearing about the people behind the portraits - from the famous red-cloaked Gynecologist Dr. Pozzi to Gautreau’s beauty routine (rouging her ears, wearing “too much makeup” and maybe even ingesting arsenic to keep her skin pale). I also had an emotional reaction to one of Sargent’s Morocco paintings — Fumé d’ambre gris (1880) — it feels incredibly intimate and mystical in person. It’s an amazing exhibit, and the treatment of hands in Sargent’s portraits is especially worth noting. Sargent was known to have subjects pose for hours with their fingers in contorted positions — a way for him to highlight his technical skill and attention to detail. The show is on view at The Met through August and is well worth a visit. If you’re not in NY, Stephanie has a fabulous coffee table book you can buy here. I also highly recommend following Stephanie on Instagram!

A few things I’ve been using and liking:

• Lemme Sleep Gummies – I’m loyal to Unisom if I need help falling asleep, but I liked these as well. Much lighter than Unisom and no groggy feeling the next morning.

• Crown Affair Hair Oil – Smooths the ends of my hair without making it heavy or greasy. I use it after blow-drying and on day-two hair.

• VIO2 Mouth Tape – I’m on the mouth tape train! This tape is gentle, stays put and don’t leave residue. (Breathing through your nose at night helps support better oxygen flow, which may improve deep sleep.)

Weekly Shopping Wishlist:

• Jean Paul Gaultier Lace-Up High-Rise Straight Jeans – If I’m going to wear jeans, they need to be kooky. These remind me of the Miss Sixty jeans of my youth. Perfect for a going-out top.

• Loewe Paula’s Ibiza Cat-Eye Sunglasses – I love a fun sunglass for the summer, and this blue is so cute.

• Dolce & Gabbana Capri Cava Printed Espadrille Wedges – I’m an unapologetic wedge girlie forever and these are on sale !

• La Vie Style House Straw Hat – I’m extremely serious about my sun protection, and I love this hat. Most of my straw sun hats are a little too big for daily use — I bought this one and this one for easy everyday wear.

• Victoria Beckham “Eyewear” Cream Stick in cornflower blue and Victoria Beckham Eye Wardrobe Palette in Navy Noir - Inspired by my friend Christina Grasso, who posted the prettiest blue eye makeup look last week on IG

• Shop 437 Wrap Top – Just ordered this cute wrap top for my pilates era

• Bode Howard Studded Suede Jacket – I love Bode and I like the Western vibe of this jacket to toughen up my floral dresses.

• Prada Triangle Logo Cropped Jacket – Cropped jackets are so good for over dresses - I can never have enough!

One more thing: Our biggest drop of the year at Hill House is next Tuesday, 5/6 at 12pm ET. I’m so excited!!!! Follow @hillhouse on Instagram to see all the sneak peeks leading up to launch.