state of the table * volume 1
books, pho, bedsheets
i can’t focus too much about the fact that i am “bringing back” my newsletter because friends and family are rolling their eyes as i speak but i’m excited to be here, i consider myself an arbitrator of taste and recommender of great recommendations, so here we are. there’s no prescribed structure to this at the moment because i want to have fun and just tell you what i like, but i will probably always try to include some gift-giving, because it is a true joy of mine.
so what am i loving and consuming right now?
i’ve been on a big pho kick the past few months, though if you are not a vegetarian, please take my recommendations with a grain of msg. it’s one of my favorite meals to eat by myself, often in the least frills possible place on a tuesday night with my phone propped up on the sriracha and hoisin bottles and rewatching game of thrones. my go to is pho vietnam because i like all the vegetables they use, but pho 2000, hoi an 1608, tin, miss saigon are great too.
i have been lucky with a lot of the books i’ve read in the past two years - they have been fantastic and memorable. i recently read stay true by hua hsu which has fundamentally changed the way i think, a rare quality in a book, and a marker of a perfect book. i think there’s something to be said about a memoir written by an ordinary person. the book stuck with me because it romanticizes life in a very realistic way (seems contradictory, but it’s true) — hsu goes to college and takes classes for the sake of learning, not for the job he’s going to get after; he spends hours combing through records in the record store; he celebrates friendship; he speaks to the asian american experience. everything in the book was a highlight, but one of the best parts for me was the faxes he exchanged with his dad in high school. please read this book, please let me know how you feel about it!
everything tekla. have not pulled trig on anything yet but some of the robes are on sale, so i might? this feels like a good gift for literally anyone who likes things for their home. i’m in the process of creating a new painting for above my bed (the canvas has been hung up for 2 months and all i’ve done is stare at it) and am nervous to purchase sheets of any new color way until i have an idea of the painting. i spent two hours curating a cart of perfectly aligned towels, but fell asleep before ordering. will keep the group updated if i buy anything, for now i’m watching every tiktok and instagram story that has the tekla logo in it to satiate myself.
this week’s gift ideas are all about graduation and mother’s day
for grads, i like to give a gift that represents “the real world,” something nice that ushers them into adulthood.
acne bifold wallet (i just bought this for my brother for grad, and for myself)
for mother’s day
a flower arrangement in an ikebana vase. make it yourself and show her how to use the vase
if you live near your mom, and she has the space, plant a garden for her
my mom cooks almost every day and has the worst knives. get your mom a nice knife, i have these and this, and i love them. you can get them monogrammed too!
plan a day trip or weekend trip just for you and your mom. does not have to be fancy or far away, just be intentional with the plans and reserve everything in advance
my brother gets my mom a lululemon jacket or joggers every year, and they’re always appreciated
thanks for being here! enjoy your week, see you next week.