April in Chicago is a month unlike any other; it’s when the city really starts to wake up, to show proof of life. Chicago spring energy is the precursor to Chicago summer energy, which is absolutely batshit. I can’t quite explain it unless you’ve experienced it firsthand. People are just so hype — ready for anything and everything, ready to party. So, April has been a slow burn. Also, the Pope died, a devastating blow for Catholics across the globe, including Chicago’s exceptionally large Catholic population. I happened to see my mother Monday night for unrelated reasons, and like clockwork, she pulled out a bottle of holy water, insisted on blessings, and handed me yet another gold cross. Wild. But being that the other half of me is Greek, I was more than happy to oblige. Gold is in our blood. Anyway, aside from that, here are my absolute favorites of the month, all wrapped into one.
Beauty
I’ve been going hard on Pearfats Rabbit Rabbit lately. It’s modeled after carrot cake, but on my skin it wears much crisper and fresher than you'd expect — more sharp green than sweet spice. With notes of juniper and turmeric up top, carrot cake and apricot in the middle, and barley and galangal at the base, it opens bright and herbaceous, then settles into something lightly sweet and grounding. The projection is lovely without being overpowering, and I get a solid 4–6 hours of wear. It’s perfect for spring, green without being dewy, thanks to the turmeric and apricot — and despite the barley note, it never leans too hay-like or grassy, which I was a bit wary of at first.
Last year, I fell utterly in love with August Bader’s Rich Cream. Like, I was down bad. It also happens to retail for $305 for 1.7 ounces, and as much as I love it, I’m having a very hard time right now justifying that price for a daily moisturizer. So I took to Reddit — the harbinger of truth on the internet, a light in a dark place — and a lot of people were saying good things about Avene Cicalfate+ Recovery Emulsion, including that it’s a pretty solid dupe. I’m happy to report: it is. It’s creamy and rich without feeling clogging or heavy on my oily skin. It’s great for hydration and helps build a healthy microbiome for skin healing. I have some mild scarring and discoloration, and it’s been wonderful for that too. Anyway, it’s really great.
Also, my nails this month. Perfectly on brand.
Experiences
At the end of this month(ish), I went to Expo Chicago, a giant contemporary art fair at Navy Pier. It’s one of the few things that’ll actually get me to a tourist hell like Navy Pier. But it was really fun — there was so much beautiful art. Literally countless pieces; in 2024, there were over 170 galleries from 29 countries exhibiting. I saw art from just about every price range, from $5,000 collages of Queer love letters to $65,000 sculptures. Midway through, my partner and I grabbed some champagne and talked about everything we liked before continuing to look around. One of my favorites was a piece from Ryan Patrick Krueger called Letter to Vince. I also enjoyed a number of his other pieces, for obvious reasons.
Fashion / Style
Chicago’s weather has been back and forth, but overall it’s been light jacket season. Last winter, I grabbed this really cute Nike windbreaker on a Cyber Week deal, and this is the first time it’s been truly appropriate to wear it. Anyway, I’ve been wearing it a lot this month and really appreciate how comfortable it is. The interior lining is soft and keeps you decently warm in Chicago’s 50–65 degree weather. I also think it’s pretty sleek as far as windbreakers go — not too puffy or overbearing. 10/10 for practicality.
I spend a lot of time looking at things from the past, and I also spend a lot of time obsessing over music. Lately, I’ve been really into that 2000s-does-70s sound, but with a rock twist — think The Donnas, or bands like Morningwood. They had this very ’70s rock energy that also pulled through into their style. You could go sleek and polished with it, or a little dirtier and punk. Lindsay Lohan immediately comes to mind: bootcut jeans, some kind of tight top, and a very pointed stiletto. Even Beyoncé, Hilary Duff, and countless other mid-00s artists and starlets were wearing some version of it. I think most of this really peaked around the mid-00s, especially with the rise of the YSL Tribute Pump — a platform high enough to see God. Pretty interesting when you think about studies suggesting that as the economy goes down, heels go up... so I guess we’re due for a new heel trend. Good. Maybe we’ll finally ditch Crocs. God willing.
Anyway, I’ve been really into 2000s-does-70s lately — but not in a gross Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderrama kind of way.
Food & Drinks
I have a dirty new obsession: Saint James Tea — particularly the Red Raspberry one, though Mango is a close second. Both are super light and feel really smooth. I don’t find the flavoring too artificial, which is usually my main complaint with raspberry tea. I also really appreciate that both of these flavors have zero sugar.
I love a true Greek salad — not anything with lettuce, but an actual village salad. I make mine with feta (Dodoni is the best), kalamata olives, grape tomatoes, and Persian cucumbers. I personally skip the onions. I sprinkle on some extra virgin olive oil — I’ve been using Yaya’s and Friends lately — Maldon sea salt, a very small drizzle of local honey, and just a bit of lemon. Mix it together, and that’s lunch. When buying feta, I always recommend getting it in the brine and keeping it in there — it stays fresh way longer. Also, look into what types of milk are actually in the feta. I’m very partial to Greek feta, which is often sheep’s milk (sometimes with a little goat’s milk mixed in). I personally do not recommend or care for American feta, which is largely cow’s milk.
Home & Lifestyle
I have a friend visiting this month, and I’m hosting her for a couple of days, so naturally I wanted a very clean house — but honestly, sometimes I just don’t want to do a deep clean myself. This time, I tried a new cleaning service. I’ve used various services in the past, but I went with Well-Paid Maids and was really impressed. They did an exceptional job and cleaned everything quickly and efficiently. What I appreciate most about Well-Paid Maids, and why I chose them, is the benefits they offer their workers: PTO, 80% subsidized health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their dependents, and a $26 starting wage. So many maids are underpaid and exploited for their labor — according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean hourly wage for cleaners is only $15.35. On top of that, many cleaning companies misclassify their employees as contractors, denying them benefits like sick leave, vacation, and health insurance while sometimes paying less than minimum wage. I can’t recommend Well Paid Maids enough!
This month I also found a new candle company, Blackbird Goods, and picked up a few of their candles. So far, I’ve only made my way through their Hedge Witch candle, and it’s really lovely. With notes of fig, green leaves, bamboo, forest floor, and lavender, it feels very spring-forward — light and airy with a hint of earthy sweetness. It’s handmade in Chicago’s North Shore and uses soy wax. I do find the projection to be best for a bedroom or office, since a single candle doesn’t quite fill a larger space as well. Nonetheless, their scents are really nice. I especially like this one for working or writing — it’s not too overpowering or distracting, and its lightness keeps things feeling creative.
Media & Entertainment
I’ve been a diehard Righteous Gemstones fan since day one. Easily one of the silliest, smartest, most unhinged shows on TV. The writing? Impeccable. The performances? Deranged in the best way. I’m genuinely bummed it’s ending, but honestly, I respect a show that knows when to wrap while still on top. This season, they really turned up the crazed mania and just said, “fuck it, let’s ride this thing till the wheels fall off.” Also, I’m completely mesmerized by Judy’s fashion this season.
I’ve been really revisiting Morningwood lately. They’re very rock-pop, very “song playing in the background of a 2009 VH1 or Bravo montage”—which is honestly a great way to feel. If you haven’t listened, I’d start with Nth Degree, Sugar Baby, New York Girls, and Take Off Your Clothes. In doing a bit of digging, I found out their album Diamonds & Studs was released in 2009 by VH1 Records—a short-lived label owned by Viacom. Morningwood was their first and only act. Their song Best of Me was also the theme for Daisy of Love, which tells you everything you need to know. Anyway, they’re a fun time.
Here are some things I read that I liked:
Dating Apps Are Using Roleplaying Games to Fix Your Rizz
OpenAI is building a social network
How Nuuly Ruined My Personal Style
MAGA’s Class Warfare Against Knowledge Workers Is Personal
The Spectacular Burnout of a Solar Panel Salesman
What these 4 portraits reveal about Trump's second term
Things I Wrote/Created
Alt-Right Aesthetics: How the Internet Is Radicalizing Women Through Culture
Smells Like Ashlee Simpson: Scent Pairings for Every Album
Life After Tech Layoffs in Chicago | A Realistic Week in My Life
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