Image credit: @sevadesign

Good morning!

The daffodils’ vibrant green stems are currently on full display in our neighborhood, their yellowing buds just beginning to push through. On Saturday, I went to a baby shower where floral dresses and open-toe sandals reigned. On Sunday, during an outdoor brunch, I began to sweat in my too-heavy jacket, which I happily peeled off. I squinted into a blue sky, the sun beaming down.

Spring is finally here (well, technically, on March 20th), and as we enter a new phase of covid* in the U.S., I’m feeling a certain twinkle of hope I haven’t felt in a while. Knock on wood. (*shoutout to caretakers of little ones under five and the immunocompromised, who may not feel the same right now.)

But with the coming of a potentially-social spring (so many weddings!) and some rituals slowly rolling back to “normal,” I’m also experiencing an adjustment period. Mainly: pre-event anxiety. I admit I googled “how to have a conversation with strangers” before one of my plans. I immediately exited out of the article, feeling like a total weirdo. But...I forgot how to do this. I have to talk to people I don't know? In a space other than my home? (By the way, the event ended up being fine; really fun, even!) I'm both excited and nervous to work up my conversation muscles again.

How are you anticipating the arrival of spring, and with it more get-togethers? Are you excited to meet new people? Anxious? Practicing opening lines? Let me know.

—Alisha Ramos 

P.S. We are donating 10% of revenue from today’s newsletter to support World Central Kitchen’s ongoing efforts to feed fresh meals to the Ukrainian people and families who are fleeing their homes or remaining in place. Please join us, if you can.

This Week's Recommendations

Some Women-Owned Creations We Love

1. Hotel Ceramics by Sara Lioanag. (We hear a restock is coming soon.)

2. Bembien by Yi-Mei Truxes. Handwoven pieces, perfect for warmer weather.

3. Eadem by Marie Kouadio and Alice Lin. Skincare for women of color.

4. Ita Leisure by Jade Akintola. Prettify your beach reading situation.

This Week's Reads

• Read about Ukraine's rich cultural heritage. So many beautiful crafts and handiwork to admire in this educational piece. (Prior)

• Neat new column alert: a day-in-the-life of someone's Internet. The first installment features a TikTok influencer. (Vox, The Goods)

• Friend Maybe Bit Too Available After Having Baby. 😂 (The Onion)

• Shonda Rhimes's NYC apartment is dazzlingly regal and reminiscent of some Bridgerton vibes. (Architectural Digest)

• An interview with the author Lauren Groff, who we can't get enough of after reading her beautiful novel, The Matrix. (Toast)

• The Age of Anti-Ambition. Are we in an age of rethinking what work and ambition looks like for us? "The act of working has been stripped bare. You don’t have little outfits to put on, and lunches to go to, and coffee breaks to linger over and clients to schmooze. The office is where it shouldn’t be — at home, in our intimate spaces — and all that’s left now is the job itself, naked and alone. And a lot of people don’t like what they see." (The New York Times gift link)