Issue #123: 11 Things I'm Obsessed with from 2023

Plus my favorite books, movies, and shows.

Morning Person is a weekly newsletter packed with obsessively-curated recommendations and ideas—let’s get to it!

Amid the chaos of editing my book, separating from my husband and buying a house on my own, dating for the first time in a decade, adopting my dog full-time, healing my relationship with my mom, and a million high-highs and low-lows, there were tons of smaller discoveries. I’ll be kicking off the year with fresh recs next week. Until then, here’s a collection of recipes, products, and routines I discovered and love from 2023, plus my favorite shows, books, podcasts and movies from the year…

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1. My lunch salad. For years, I wrote the “Not Sad Desk Lunch,” column at Food52, a gig that involved creating weekly solutions to pep up your work lunch (in reality, crumbs from my daily grilled cheese fell across my keyboard). Earlier this year, I began making myself a salad every day that I have yet to tire of, and is exactly what I crave. It’s packed with greens, seeds, fat, and protein, so it also keeps me full until dinner.

2. Jojoba oil. My conversation with

   Jessica DeFino
   earlier this year about the beauty industry stuck with me. At the time, I had pared down my makeup routine to three products, but still used lotions as part of my skincare routine. When I finally ran out of the supply of fancy creams and serums I’d amassed over years of working in lifestyle media, I took Jessica’s advice and switched to jojoba oil, which most closely resembles our skin’s natural barrier. It’s inexpensive, can be purchased at stores like Whole Foods, yet is as emollient as any $100+ serum. My mind was blown by the simplicity of it. I add it to my face after washing it in the evening and before applying SPF in the morning. That’s my skincare routine.

3. Stretching and rolling out. I’ve long been resistant to stretching, which felt like a punishment after working out (I didn’t even learn my lesson when I ran the L.A. Marathon on several torn ligaments and tendons in my left foot, as a result of not stretching…). This year, I finally began to see the value in slowing down and stretching, for both physical and mental health. I now stretch after most runs and workouts, and attend at least one restorative or yin yoga class each week, where poses are held for an extended period of time. I also now regularly roll out my legs on a foam roller, which helps me unwind in the evening and, I’ve noticed, aids in feeling less sore the next day.