Downtime Diary: a candle-obsessed perfectionist with no chill 🕯️

A ridiculously fun thing I did recently was play the Blockbuster Game at that dinner party—is it a dinner party with only two guests? I get so competitive, and I’m not even good at movie trivia! You do a head-to-head round with a prompt, like “Movies that start with the letter B.” You think, "Easy, Braveheart!" You tap the buzzer, but then all of sudden it’s your turn again, and you’re like, "Are there even any other B movies?!" Before you know it, it turns into a game of strategy. The goal is to collect one card from each of the eight genres (think drama, comedy, horror, family, etc.). At first, it’s all laughs, but towards the end, when both teams are missing horror, it’s cutthroat.

What’s your motto?
Shop small and be kind. Neither one is possible 100% of the time, but if you try at both, I think life is more rewarding.

What small thing is bringing you joy lately?
Spooky movies. I loved horror movies growing up then got too scared for a while and now I am really enjoying them again. My favorite are the scary movies that suck you in like It Follows and The Guest, but I also really love campy horror like Ready or Not and Freaky. I love the whole process of getting into a scary movie—closing the curtains, lighting a candle, and grabbing a blanket.

Speaking of blankets, throw blanket or throw pillow?
Blanket, because we’re going into cozy season. This is kind of embarrassing, I have a blanket I carry around from room to room like a child. It has a satin trim and I carry it from the bed to the living room and back to bed every day. It’s just comforting to rub the satin edge. A habit I can’t seem to break, even in my 30s.

What small business do you love?
Sloan Shop, owned by a woman in New Zealand who custom makes clothing to your exact measurements. She will make clothes for any size, in a variety of styles and prints, and her stuff is affordable for being completely custom. I just can’t say enough good things. The face-print dress I’m wearing in my photo is from her shop.

What was the last thing (song or podcast) you listened to?
I used to listen to a lot of podcasts, but lately it’s all audiobooks. I just finished a thriller, Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier (content warning: this book is about a high school assault). I feel like thrillers can either hook you to the point where you NEED to find out what happened or you’re like, "Do I care?" This one hooked me.

Your desert island...

• Bagged snack food? Hi-Chew or Swedish gummy candies, I just love gummy candies.

• Candle? I don’t think you understand how hard it is for me to pick a favorite anything but okay: I’m just gonna say the Stevie Venus candle. It’s a recent find for me, and I was shocked by how much I liked it.

• Houseplant? Hoya obovata—they’re easy to care for and just so beautiful.

• Miscellaneous item under $25? The pumpkin bagels and pumpkin cream cheese from Trader Joe’s. I can’t help it, I look forward to it every year.