Offbeat Aquarius ♒️ & Brooklyn babies [Like You Know Whatever]
Plus: belated Emmy fashion opinions.
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Hello my darlings!
How are you doing? I’m doing quite swell! I just got back from a long weekend in Brooklyn where I attended, truly, the wedding of the year. I know it’s only January, but wrap it up engaged folks, because no one is outdoing this couple. There were so many little thoughtful details scattered throughout the event–like an audio guestbook on an old rotary phone, napkins honoring the couple’s late pets, and the staff bringing espresso martini shooters to the dance floor just to amp the dancing up that last notch. It would be easy to focus on things like the gorgeous, unique flowers, or the insane amount of food at cocktail hour, or the fact that the staff made sure my wine glass was never, ever empty, but what really made it a spectacular wedding was the beautiful, heartfelt ceremony. They had readings from James Baldwin and Frank O’Hara (soo New York!), and their personal vows, oh my god! I laughed, I cried, I felt truly honored to bear witness. I love their love! 😍
It also happened to be the most fashionable wedding I think I’ve ever attended? Everyone looked fucking awesome, and there was a lot more color than you’d expect at a New York winter wedding. The bride and groom are both very stylish people, so I guess we all felt the need to show out. I know that for me, as a Libra, wearing a great outfit to someone’s event is how I show the utmost respect. I wore this fuchsia tulle dress and these glitter boots which were actually super comfortable. I paired that outfit with some rhinestone hoops from an Etsy store that’s now defunct, eyeshadow from the Huda Beauty Rose Quartz palette, and this about-face lip butter which matched the dress. The only hitch was that I had just gotten my hair cut to a new length and couldn’t figure out what the fuck to do with it, so I threw it back into a sloppy mini bun. You know it was a good wedding because this was the only picture I got of myself in this look, in the cab on the way there:
While this was an extraordinarily well-crafted and executed event, I certainly don’t think all weddings need to be that way. I once attended a very DIY wedding where we had to drag our chairs across the grass from the ceremony to the reception and dinner was several hours late, and that was actually one of my favorite weddings I’ve ever been to, because it had such a touching sense of community, like an old-fashioned barn raising. It’s all about the people, people, not the top-shelf liquor or the big white dress (okay, sometimes it IS about the dress though–you should have seen how stunning my friend looked last Sunday! I still can’t get over her hair).
Since my husband Ross and I had just taken a trip to the New York area over Thanksgiving that was super family-focused, this trip was all about seeing friends for me. The day after the wedding, I got to catch up with a bunch of buds and some of their babies who I’d never gotten to meet before, and OMG, they were so cute!! Especially bundled up in the 17 layers required to insulate a baby for Brooklyn’s January weather. It is truly a trip to watch my friends who I have known since our debaucherous early 20s parent small humans now! I know I’m supposed to be the cool, easy breezy childfree aunt, but I am way more anxious in the presence of these kiddos than their parents are. They will just toss these babies around like little sacks of laundry and meanwhile I’m here with my hands up like, “Don’t you need a spotter for that?!”
Other highlights of this trip: Catching up with friends at the wedding who I haven’t seen in far too long! Getting to experience snow for the first time in years!! Hanging out with my friends’ adorable, snorty little pug puppy who is obsessed with attacking socks, whether on the floor or on my feet! Eating all the pizza and bagels and drinking all the east coast beer! Dancing to “Deceptacon,” my personal anthem, as the last song of the night at the wedding! (I was thoroughly touched about that one.)
Apologies for gushing over an event that most of you did not get to attend, it was just such a special day. But enough already, let’s get into some things:
- A bit of housekeeping: as part of my reevaluation of this newsletter and its future, I’ve decided to end the paid subscription program as of today. I tested it out for a year, and I am ultimately just not happy with the premium content I’ve been able to offer and the demands it placed on me. Also, I don’t want any more of your money to have to go to Substack. I’m going to set that cancellation into motion via Substack and Stripe later today*, and then pro-rated refunds will start happening through their automated system. I am not sure how quickly they will process—maybe give it until Monday.
If you have any issues with your refund whatsoever, like you think the amount is off or anything like that, PLEASE don’t hesitate to reach out to me personally at lizgalvao@gmail.com so I can make it right! I don’t have a lot of details on the refund process but I do NOT want anyone to feel cheated here. And thank you SO much for supporting me, whether you were a paid subscriber for one year or one day, it really means a lot to me!
I’ll have more info on Like You Know Whatever’s migration to a new email newsletter platform next week (because yes, we ARE moving). Stay tuned!
*This newsletter is pre-scheduled to go out at 9 a.m. Eastern/6 a.m. Pacific, when I am usually asleep, so please give me a couple of hours to take care of this. Thanks!
- Aquarius season starts tomorrow! Aquarians are creative, independent, humanitarian, intellectual, community-minded, out-of-the-box thinkers. One of the biggest misconceptions about Aquarius is that it is a water sign. I know, their symbol is the water bearer, it makes no sense, but Aquarians always defy expectations. They are actually an air sign, and therefore can be a bit thinky, detached, and aloof. They are ruled by Uranus, which is known in astrology for its unpredictability and for shaking things up when you least expect it, so expect the unexpected when you deal with an Aquarian. They are known for being free-spirited, rebellious, and nonconformist, with a stubborn streak. Aquarians make great artists, community leaders, and any role where they’re in charge of rallying a group. They are known for their people skills, but also known for being loners and somewhat distant in relationships. Aquarius just needs a lot of freedom and space to think things out sometimes.
Two of my dearest friends are Aquarian women, and what I love about them is how they Get. Shit. Done. while always rocking their cool, unique personal styles. I have worked on creative group projects with both of them, and truly, there is no better teammate for that situation than an Aquarian. They’ll bring ideas and insight and organizational skills but leave the ego at home. I also really admire how good my friends are with people. One of them I admire for being an incredible connector who’s helped me find multiple jobs, apartments, and friends over the years, while I admire the other one for always being two steps ahead of what’s cool in technology, music, movies, you name it. Also, one time I went to a joint birthday party for both of them in college where one of them fired a firework off her ass and had to borrow my Neosporin for a week (I let her keep it…). Like I said: free spirits!!
Famous Aquarians include Mozart, Abraham Lincoln, Bob Marley, Paul Newman, Harry Styles, Alicia Keys, Yoko Ono, Oprah Winfrey, Mahershala Ali, and David Lynch. Many of these people have committed much of their lives to humanitarian causes. Others, like Harry Styles, Alicia Keys, and Mahershala Ali, constantly resist categorization and defy our expectations. And I mean, my god, is there a more classic Aquarian man than David Lynch? His projects always have a unique but unmistakable personal style, and yet, you’ll never be able to predict where they go. He also created the David Lynch Foundation to bring meditation and mindfulness practices to schools and at-risk populations. Plus, he often collaborates with the same people, so you know that even though he’s a bit eccentric, he’s great to work with on a team.
So, how best to celebrate Aquarius season? For god’s sake, go see some art! Or live music, or a foreign film, or experimental theater! Start a group creative project! Wear something stylish but strange! Get lost in your own mind! Defy convention! Stubbornly stand by your ideals! Stay cool, feelings are for Pisces season!
And with that, I have officially covered every single zodiac sign in this newsletter! Wow! We did it, y’all.
- Traitors (Peacock). On the plane, I started watching season one of this reality competition show starring some of the most infamous characters from reality TV, and I really got sucked in! First of all, Alan Cumming is the host, and he does a fantastic job, in various fabulous tartan outfits. Secondly, it takes place at an incredible estate in Scotland, and the scenery is to die for. I think locations are very underrated as an aspect of reality competition shows. And finally, what other show could bring together Arie from The Bachelor, Brandi from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte? The first season also has “normie” people on it who are not reality TV stars, just people from professions that might make them especially good at sussing out liars. Supposedly. They mostly seem cool, but the half-and-half casting strategy is a bit strange. The series also has a second season with a cast that is ONLY reality TV stars, and I’m excited to catch up on that after I finish season one.
After binging The Devil’s Plan, I am just so into reality competition shows these days! Please share your favorites with me, if you have any!
- The Emmy Awards (FOX). While I was in Brooklyn, I was staying with my friend who writes for a celebrity and pop culture magazine and she had to watch the Emmys for work, so I ended up watching most of the show with her. How odd it was!! I’m no spring chicken, and they did SEVERAL segments honoring TV shows that aired before I was born! For me, it all just felt very dated and out of touch. Like, aren’t the Emmys supposed to be about honoring the best in new and current television? Why are we beating the dead horse that is Cheers nostalgia? And how come only two people were part of The Sopranos reunion? You’re telling me Steve Schirripa was busy that night?!
As always, my favorite part was getting to see all the LEWKS on the red carpet, although I agree with Evan Ross Katz that whoever designed the step and repeat backdrop needs to be banished from society. Hideous!!! Some of my favorite looks were from Bella Ramsey, Rachel Brosnahan, Ayo Edebiri, Jessica Williams, Ali Wong, and, of course, Princess Poppy’s goblin drag was incredible. I thought Jenna Ortega’s dress was stunning but I remain unconvinced that that is her color, I love Simona Tabasco’s dress but for a spring event, not for the Emmys in January, and I LOVED how much yellow-green and chartreuse was on the red carpet! I thought this event was a rare misstep for Quinta Brunson (the dress looked wrinkled and the color did nothing for her IMO), Aubrey Plaza’s dress was strange (although points for memeability, I guess?), and Suki Waterhouse’s weird apron + vagina bow was a big swing and a miss. My favorite speech was from Niecy Nash-Betts, who managed to be confident and vulnerable at the same time. Damn, does this mean I have to watch Dahmer now? Ugh.
- First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. The first new thriller I finished this year turned out to be a fantastic one! First Lie Wins is about an undercover criminal agent who assumes various fake identities to pull off different jobs for her boss. She’s in the middle of a new job and kind of falling for the mark when she’s introduced to a woman who has an identity she’s very familiar with… because it’s her own, true identity! That’s just the beginning of the twists and turns this story takes, and I loved them all! A truly well-written book with some very memorable characters. Even if you don’t normally like thrillers, I think you would probably like this one, because it’s not super murder-y or gory.
- Spike Lee: Creative Sources at the Brooklyn Museum. My buddy from the Vassar film program and I had a free afternoon in Brooklyn the day before the wedding, so we decided to check out the new Spike Lee exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. After all, who’s more Brooklyn than Spike Lee? It was interesting to compare this exhibit to the one for John Waters that I went to a few months back at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles. This exhibition was based around sources of inspiration for Lee’s films, rather than being a straight-forward retrospective of his work, so there was less memorabilia from the films themselves like costumes, props, etc. and more personal items like photographs of family members and Black art. There was a very large portion of the exhibit dedicated to Lee’s relationship with sports and different athletes that did not do much for me, but seemed impressive (he sure owns a lot of signed jerseys!). Overall, I think I would have preferred a more traditional retrospective, but I’m very glad I went to this one. The exhibition is only running through February 11th, so get your ass over there soon if you want to see it! (You’ll need to buy a special ticket for it, but it includes general admission to the rest of the museum.)
- Twilight x ColourPop. So, ColourPop did a collab with the Twilight movie franchise, and it sold out in minutes, which sucks, because I actually kind of wanted a lot of this collection? Don’t get me wrong, I think Twilight is dumb as hell, but I love the gloomy, earthy aesthetic here, like the damp, misty woods of the PNW. The lavender highlighter looks gorgeous, I want all the lip oils, and I’ve been obsessing over finding a dupe for that shifty forest green shade in the eyeshadow palette (“Lion & Lamb”). They are supposed to do a restock, but the Twihards sold out the first round so quickly, I don’t have much hope for snagging any of this. Overall, though, I have to say, well done, ColourPop! I think this is a beautiful collection and a great way for them to kick off 2024. What did you think of the collab?
And that’s about it for this week! Please remember to take the reader survey if you haven’t already, it’s real quick! I’ll be back next week with a whole new newsletter.
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Until next time—hope you are having as fabulous of a January as I am!
Love,
Liz
XOXO