September Edit: Working Womanhood, Adaptogen Mocktails, and All the Anchovies

What's helping me sleep, eat, and cope these days

Oct 04, 2025

I feel like I say this every month, but September was a whirlwind! I started a new job and adjusting to being a hybrid corporate girlie now has been…an adjustment.

Everything was down except my step count. My mental energy, my physical energy, my reading…all down. I’ve had plenty going on outside of that, too, but I’m getting the hang of it and still had my fun (see below!).

I haven’t had time to finish any essays, but I have more writing coming soon. That’s good news if you’re here for that and not this. I still have plenty of thoughts and opinions, don’t you worry.

Do let me know if you like these posts, though—I’m thinking about changing the way I do these wrapups in 2026, even though they’re fun for me. Anyway…

Using Beli to track restaurants I’ve been to and want to visit—so fun! I’m apparently more active than 98% of Atlanta diners on the app. Oops.
Now that I know how to use lip stains properly, this Fenty one has been the perfect amount of lip color for me.
Instapaper filled the Pocket-sized hole in my heart (RIP), and I now have a place to save and read articles again.
I own an insane number of mule/clog-style shoes. These half socks, which I bought years ago and admit look ridiculous, have come in clutch to prevent friction/sweaty feet now that I’m wearing all my mules a lot more (thanks to work).
My cozy, colorful Hommey robe (also affectionately known as my “congrats on your new job robe”).
I painted my nails in DND’s Blossom Pink, the perfect Barbie pink. It was bright and cute, and I’ve never gotten so many compliments on a nail color.
This “rolling bones” graphic tee has been perfect for the start of fall while still allowing me to wear a vibrant color (it matches the aforementioned nail color, too).

Made many anchovy recipes at home: arugula salad with anchovy dressing (a longest-reigning household fave), one-pot smoky fish with tomato, olives, and couscous, and garlicky chicken with lemon-anchovy sauce.
In the latest “trying to be better at sleeping” news, the Aplos chili margarita mocktail with adaptogens has been a huge help and a nice wind-down drink.
The fun to snack on (but kind of insanely expensive) Magic Spoon protein treats.
Botiwalla Indian Street Grill makes a delicious lunch. It’s a new-ish restaurant from the folks behind Chai Pani, one of my favorites in the Atlanta area.
Necessary Purveyor. Their focaccia sandwiches have me in a chokehold.
So So Fed, finally, after at least three people told me I needed to eat there. It lived up to every ounce of hype.

I finished five books in September, and these are the three I want to tell you about:

The Wedding People: A Novel: Swoon. I detailed why I loved it in this recent post about my favorite books of the summer.
Are You Mad at Me?: How to Stop Focusing on What Others Think and Start Living for You: I liked and needed this more than I expected. It’s written by an actual psychotherapist, and I’m putting it in my “self-help that doesn’t suck” category (I might write a post about that soon).
On Women: Essay collections written by brilliant people are always inspiring to me, and this one was no exception. I expected to be wowed by the essays about facism—and I wasn’t—but the ones about aging and beauty stood out most.

The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019): This might’ve been my first A24 movie. It’s about gentrification, friendship, and the meaning of home. It doesn’t tackle any of these things perfectly, but I loved it all the same.
One Night in Idaho: The College Murders (2025): The case still stumps me and it’s so incredibly sad. This was a well made documentary, though.
Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War (2025): Maybe one day I’ll get tired of watching religious trauma documentaries. But not yet. This one was wild.
The video of civil rights icon Cecil Williams walking at NY Fashion Week. I’ve watched it so many times and it makes my heart smile. 🥺

Olivia Dean’s soulful new album, The Art of Loving was my favorite release of the month. Excellence from start to finish!
Khatumu’s new album, free therapy. I fell in love with her indie folk music after discovering “hunting days,” and I’m so happy she has more music out now.
I’ve really enjoyed Lola Young’s new album, I’m Only F**king Myself (especially “d£aler”!).
For my instrumentals while working, these lofi autumn beats, autumn vintage jazz, and chillhop playlists.