This is the Friday post at Downtime, a feel-good weekly roundup of recommendations and delightful distractions. If the email cuts off, you can view it on the web.

Happy Friday, friends! How was your week? After a few drizzly few days this week, Daylight Savings has finally brought with it additional hours of sunshine, giving me an immediate boost of happiness and good vibes. My week was filled with simple joys: spotting pine cones in the yard with my daughter, cutting and gluing our way through spring crafts at the library (GOD BLESS and protect our local libraries for providing free and engaging events for tired parents and their toddlers), and just soaking up the slow shift into brighter days.

As you read this, I’ll be on my way to a weekend girls’ trip. What is it about vacations that make us all panic-shop all of the things?! I made an intention to shop more mindfully this year, and I completely, shamefully broke it this past week as I popped all the “low-heeled minimal sandals” that would express-ship to me into my cart as I was convinced that this was The One Closet Gap I Needed to Fill ASAP. Groan. (I did find these shoes however, which I do like...) How do you avoid pre-trip shopping sprees? Any tips for next time?

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Today’s issue is PACKED (2,000+ words!) with inspiring things that caught my eye this week, including:

• A curated edit inspired by the early spring rain

• March book releases I can’t wait to dive into

• A few thought-provoking reads worth your time

• 3 beautiful art finds, including one made with a traditional European printing method

• … and other bits of inspiration to accompany your next cup of coffee or tea. Hope you find something you love.

—Alisha

👀 Previously on Downtime…

• Spring outfit formula inspiration and cozy basics

• The best Etsy shops and advice for new moms with Jessie Randall

• The art of friendship with Aliza Sir

Edit: Cozy, Rainy Spring Days

There’s something about a rainy spring morning that makes the world feel softer, like it’s been wrapped in a cool, damp embrace. Mornings like this make me think of the garden, of hands in the dirt and that quiet, steady work of coaxing things to grow. Rain taps against the window, the kind of sound that makes you want to curl up with a book, but instead, my mind drifts to seeds, to roots, to the way life keeps moving forward, one soft, steady drop at a time. In honor of this feeling, an edit, below.

• Waterproof clogs in a joyful daffodil yellow.

• Alexa Chung’s Barbour collab — full of joyful inspo! (Sadly, the pieces seem to not be available, at least in the US, but I found this yellow Barbour on Poshmark.)

• A cutie umbrella!

• Tulip bulbs emerging in beautiful pottery.

• Sturdy garden work pants: new or lots available secondhand.

• A joyful rain jacket or trench: my current favorite, a dream purchase, classic with a bit of pep, or a sporty streamlined workhorse.

• A cozy, classic book to cuddle up with (I’m reading Emma).

• A beautiful mug for tea or coffee.

This Week’s Recs

Reading, watching, listening, making…

• Listening: Back After This by Linda Holmes on audio, which I’ve just started after a recommendation from Michelle Martin. “A podcast producer agrees to host a new series about modern dating—but will the show jeopardize her chance at finding real love?

• Reading: Emma by Jane Austen. As mentioned above, I’m doing a reread of this classic novel as part of the Novel Pairings podcast’s community readalong. It feels nice to really dig into a classic book with expert guides like Sara and Chelsey. Can you tell I miss my English Lit classes?¹ (Per their recommendation, I purchased this pretty version of the book.)

• Watching: With Love, Meghan on Netflix. This show has been discussed ad nauseum, so let me be brief in my review: I’m happy that Meghan is going back to her Tig roots. The episodes where she leans into the role of a humble student rather than a polished expert were much more successful for me as a viewer (i.e. the Roy Choi episode). Meghan is incredibly stylish and wears luxurious Jenni Kayne-esque knits (though I worry about all that beige and cream in a kitchen). I’m genuinely curious to try the forthcoming products from her brand, As Ever, especially that raspberry preserve. I’m nervous about how successful they will be without meaningful brand activations or partnerships. It can’t be easy to succeed in CPG in this landscape! I’m wondering why she chose to go this route versus a pure curated-retail route, but I’m now getting into a business analysis exercise, not a TV show review. Overall, the show gave me happy, easygoing vibes, which is the whole point of the show. And in that, it was successful. It’s a cheery weekend watch that you can half pay attention to. (If you’re looking for more dramatic fare, I’ve been half-watching Paradise on Hulu, which my husband is into.)

• Making: I did not cook or make a single thing this week! We are currently renovating our floors, kitchen, and dining room and everything has been thrust into beautiful chaos.

Shopping Break

• I picked up these white linen pants to try from J.Crew (petite gals, rejoice because they have petite sizing) during their sale.

• I am curious about the drawstring jeans trend. A good compromise between soft and hard pants?

• At this point, I have a closet full of Hotel Lobby candles and thus can give you a definitive ranking of their scents: Signature, Blue Skies, Miami, and Hamptons (a tomato-y limited edition for the summer).

The rest of today’s post is continued after the paywall.

Keep reading for…

• The new spring books I’m looking forward to

• 3 beautiful, inspiring art finds

• TONS of good reads & links open in my tabs this week (including a guide to the best cozy pants)