Reviews #10

So much for starting March on a positive note…I’m definitely in need of a morale boost. Do you ever feel like you could cry at any moment? That’s where I’m at right now. I’m tired of this moment in time, and I’m sure some of you can agree that winter weather + COVID-19 = bleh. I’m struggling to find the motivation to do the most menial tasks like getting dressed and exercising, but I’m also struggling to get up and work my full-time job. Continuing on the honesty train, I’m not quite sure how to get out of this rut. So I’m just going to tell you all about the new stuff I’ve bought and the new restaurants I’ve tried. Disclaimer: buying things and filling your life with activities provides temporary relief but does not solve sadness. 

I recently saw a TikTok shitting on Pastis, which is sad because I went for the first time with Sebastian a couple of weeks ago and loved it. Ok, I love that in the first sentence of this paragraph I already see an opportunity for a learning lesson (!!). You can take negativity and throw a ton of positives at it and hope that it drowns out the negativity. Let’s try this exercise with Pastis. Our server was a homie and made us laugh with his genuine remarks, the menu offers something for everyone, and the outdoor seating is warm enough and so well built that you feel warm and in an intimate setting. Take that, Audrey Peters! We ordered the French onion soup, the beef tartare, and escargot to start, shared the lobster as an entree, and finished the meal off with a creme Brule. Everything was buttery, incredibly filling, and divine. I’d go back for a special occasion since it was quite expensive. 

In this same week, I went to Osteria 57 for brunch with Alex, which was also an idea courtesy of TikTok. We sat inside, which wasn’t the best idea in the end because the restaurant door ended swinging open every 2 minutes making it freezing inside. There was also a miscommunication with our order, so the food took a while. We shared a mushroom frittata, brussel sprout salad, and cacio e pepe fries. Brunch at an Italian restaurant is usually a good move because you can get the savory lunch/dinner menu items with some sweet breakfast additions. If you decide to go, sit outside and enjoy the beautiful setup they have. 

After brunch, I made the conscious decision to go into Sephora and do some retail therapy. I genuinely could not remember the last time I bought myself new makeup goodies and it was so fun. I treated myself to two Laura Mercier eye shadow sticks and the Rare Beauty liquid blush. I later went on Amazon and bought more stuff - a Stila liquid eye shadow and a highly rated mascara. The Laura Mercier sticks do the job, but they aren’t as good as the Stila liquid eye shadows. The Rare Beauty liquid blush is really awesome and definitely a worthwhile purchase. The product is VERY pigmented and will probably last me forever since you need so little to get the job done. Lastly, definitely try out the Essence mascara. It’s one of the best volumizing and long-lasting products I’ve tried. And it’s only $5!

I also took myself on a long walk around the Central Park Reservoir. This was probably the best decision I made all week - I really needed a moment to clear my head and spend time outside. If you’re living in NYC, I highly recommend doing this walk. It’s the best way to feel like you’re getting out of the city while still being right in it. Walking the Reservoir is also a way I remind myself how much I love New York and how thankful and lucky I am to call it my home.