The Weekly Edit: The Flying Monkey Circus

Oct 4, 2018

Last month, I decided to take a break from politics.  I turned off my Axios alerts.  I snoozed all of my Facebook friends who talk politics.  I banished CNN from my television.  And I decided to take a step back.

This is no longer my circus.  These are no longer my monkeys.  (My new monkeys fly.)  And I didn’t want to imperil my slowly improving mental health by stepping into a political firestorm while holding a soup-spoon full of water.

Yet, I am still emotionally exhausted.  When a topic is just floating around in the ether, you can’t avoid it.  You see it on the faces of your friends.  You swipe left on Instastories meme’ing it.  You hear about it passing co-workers in the hallway.  You catch glimpses and fragments of it everywhere.

By the time you realize that there is no escape, it’s too late.  Your armor is pierced.  The bruises are forming.  You’re snapping at your boyfriend, angry typing emails to your boss, and failing to keep hold of the positive.

So this week’s Weekly Edit contains everything that I tried, and failed, to distract myself with this week.  Because you can’t take a step back if the crush of people behind you is relentlessly charging forward.

Somehow, I missed out on the cultural phenomenon that is comedian Ali Wong.  I blame law school.  But this week, I really needed a good laugh, so my friend Sarah prescribed a double dose of Ali.

Admittedly, her humor is a little raunchy for me, but her breathtaking honesty more than makes up for it.  Both Netflix specials, Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife, are definitely worth watching.  You trap his ass, you trap it…(it’s funny, because it’s true).

Makeup removal, a thankless, tedious, awful task that cannot be avoided.  If you’re sleeping in your makeup, all the magazines say that you might as well kill someone and get sent to prison, because prison skincare is what a person like you deserves.  But for the rest of us — those who abide by the law of drugstore magazines everywhere — we just want a safe, effective, inexpensive way to take the paint off.

I was using coconut oil, which was great for my skin, but murder on my bathroom pipes.  I’ve sworn off face wipes because they’re 1) bad for the environment, and 2) give me breakouts.  So I went to my handy Makeup Eraser, a microfiber towel that removes all makeup with just water.  One problem though, if you wash your face a lot, somehow both of your erasers will always be in the wash.  What’s a girl to do?

Meet the Miss Savage Microfiber Pads.  For $15, you get five pads and an exfoliator mitten.  With rinsing, one pad will remove all of your makeup.  They’re fabulous.

I keep my dirty ones in a mesh laundry bag and wash five at a time.  I pretreat them with a little Shout spray just to get them extra clean.

Do you love to read?  Listen to podcasts?  Devour audio books?  Are you always looking for more recommendations, but you read the book your friend is recommending ten books ago?

Reco is an app that helps you find new books, podcasts, and audio books to read later.  You can make recommendations, curate lists, and share with friends.  It also lets you choose from lists curated by thought leaders and celebrities.  So you should never run out of books to read again, let’s hope.

I post this LL Bean jacket every fall.  I post it because it is one of the Top 5 Best Purchases I Have Ever Made.  Stylish, utilitarian, goes with everything.  It also wears like iron.  $99, also comes in petite and women’s sizes.  And if you don’t like the green, there are a handful of other colors to choose from.

I liked this jacket so much, that I recently decided to buy the Sherpa-lined version.  Fall here can be chilly, and I wanted something a bit warmer for working in the yard and walking the dogs.

If you’re looking for a field jacket, with additional warmth or not, I can’t say enough good things about this one.

Since I’ve been skipping out on my steady diet of CNN, I have hours per day that need to be filled with something else.  That something else is podcasts of the true crime variety.  (So basic, I know.)  This week’s choice is Up and Vanished, which follows the story of a missing woman to unravel the mystery accompanying her disappearance.  There are two season, so that should keep me busy for a while.

Foot sweat, not a pretty topic, but one many women struggle with.  To keep my feet dry when wearing ballet flats, I recently started buying SmartWool No-Show Socks.  It seems counter-intuitive (because wool = warmth), but these wool socks keep your feet dry and comfortable all day.

They also come in a variety of colors from a light beige to black.  I buy the ones that match the color of my shoes whenever possible.  Sadly, they peek out of my pointed-toe Rothy’s more than I’m comfortable with, so I’m still looking for a solution for those.

{this post contains affiliate links that may generate commission for the author}

Features, The Weekly Edit

share this post

Leave a Reply to Belle Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. evelyn says:

    For your Rothy’s, may I recommend gekks shoe liners?
    They stick to the inside of your shoe so they are not seen at all and they do a great job!

    • KATEL says:

      Would you consider doing a “saw it on social” on Gekks or a general post about shoe liners? I’ve tried a ton of cheap options, haven’t pulled the trigger on some more expensive options and generally like none of what I have tried.

    • Michelle says:

      I can’t figure out how to get the sticky part off them so I haven’t used them, took too much effort so I gave up. So I’d love a post on your experience or tips!

  2. Laura says:

    How is Sophie doing?

    • Belle says:

      Her knee pops in and out at will. We are headed to the orthopedic surgeon tomorrow. but her spirits seem good, she mostly just mad that I insist on carrying her everywhere. Thanks for asking.

      • CS says:

        Poor Sophie! My chihuahua mix tore his patella when he was 9 months. I ended up having it surgically repaired and he was fine after surgery and a cast. He turns 16 this month and while the surgery was crazy expensive I’d say it was worth it to not have him limping around in pain in his old age or worrying about him jumping on and off the couch with a bad knee. Good luck!

  3. Ellen Bolen says:

    If you like Ali Wong, have you watched “Elder Millenial” on Netflix with Iliza? Highly recommend both that special and “Confirmed Kills.” Hilarious and a little less raunchy.

  4. Sharon says:

    I remember the first time I ever watched Ali Wong do a stand-up bit. She had been on one of the late-night shows and my roommate made me watch it on Hulu with her. We died laughing and 6+ years later, we still reference some of the jokes from that appearance. She’s incredible and so Asian-American (as am I) that it feels like talking with an older sister when I watch her on stage.

  5. Jennifer says:

    You mentioned the LL Bean jacket is one of your top purchases ever…would love to see you do a post on what the others would be!

  6. Allison says:

    I have a question I’ve always wanted to ask about makeup removal. Why do women need it? I wash my face at night, that gets the makeup off? I’m really not into beauty stuff, so I’m really ignorant here. But I’ve always wondered!

    • J says:

      My understanding (per an aesthetician) is that washing your face with makeup on just rubs the makeup (not good for your face) into your face rather than actually cleaning your face.

    • Hannah says:

      If you wear makeup, or even SPF, you need something to remove that, whether it be a first cleanse, or makeup removal. Once that’s off, you can actually cleanse your skin. Doing this made a huge difference in my skin! I prefer a cleaning balm to makeup remover, unless I need heavy duty eye makeup remove.

    • J says:

      I think it depends on how much and what type of makeup you wear. I usually only use a non-waterproof mascara, a little eyebrow pencil, and a small amount of foundation. My facewash (good old Cetaphil) takes it off easily on the first wash, and then I typically do a light second wash to cleanse/make sure I got everything. I imagine this routine has to look a lot different/involve removal steps for more makeup and/or non-waterproof products.

    • Belle says:

      So the thing is, face wash alone doesn’t always get the makeup off. It can leave a residue on your skin. So by taking some of the makeup off before you wash, whether it’s with a remover or a cloth, you know you got it all off.

  7. Ling says:

    Not sure if you heard of Bombas socks. They have a no-show version which I wear with my sneakers, and their ankle socks is my go-to. I have not tried the low-cut no show, as I don’t have those kinds of shoes that needs it. I only have open toes or boots.

  8. Casey Jacketta says:

    Dr. Death! An amazing podcast. I like The Nest – it wasn’t my favorite book. The woman in the window is GREAT; and I’m reading The French Exit which is a fun quick read.

  9. Kate says:

    The LLBean jacket is officially on my list for Black Friday shopping. Thanks for the stellar suggestion!

    I use coconut oil to remove make up for about 4 years now. I use cotton ball to wipe the residual off and throw them in trash before cleaning my face(it takes about 2 times but I find it soothing as facial massage). My pipes are still surviving.

  10. Nellie says:

    Belle – I’m looking for a casual, short jacket that would be good for about 40-60 degree weather. Do you think the sherpa-lined is too warm for that? I could see the flannel-lined one working as well. I tried on the unlined one in the store and don’t think it’s warm enough for what I’m looking for. Thanks for suggesting this!

Join The List

Stay up to date on the latest from Capitol Hill Style!

sUBSCRIBE

Beauty Review: Bondi Boost

As I age, I notice many changes in my body. Most are fine. Some are frustrating. Like many women, I lost a lot of hair in my postpartum phase. Being anemic for more than a year after, it didn’t grow back in to its former glory. So I’ve tried any number of shampoos, pills and […]

0

READ MORE 

Recent Posts

The Find: Shirts That Don’t Gape

I remember when Rochelle Behrens launched The Shirt — a button-down blouse with anti-gape technology (a patented internal button that keeps the look smooth). The idea seemed brilliant, but at the time, my bust didn’t require an extra button. One baby later, I understand the need for some extra security.

5

READ MORE 

The Range: Printed Shirt Dresses

If you’re preparing your wardrobe for the warmer weather, don’t sleep on shirt dresses. Casual when worn with sandals or sneaker, dressy with flats or heels, they’re great for any work situation. They’re a great piece that you can throw on any time you need to look pulled together. Here are a few choices.

6

READ MORE 

VIEW ALL POSTS

Beauty, Top Posts | March 27, 2024

Beauty Review: Bondi Boost

As I age, I notice many changes in my body. Most are fine. Some are frustrating. Like many women, I lost a lot of hair in my postpartum phase. Being anemic for more than a year after, it didn’t grow back in to its former glory. So I’ve tried any number of shampoos, pills and […]

0

READ MORE 

Fantastic Finds, Posts, Style | March 27, 2024

The Find: Shirts That Don’t Gape

I remember when Rochelle Behrens launched The Shirt — a button-down blouse with anti-gape technology (a patented internal button that keeps the look smooth). The idea seemed brilliant, but at the time, my bust didn’t require an extra button. One baby later, I understand the need for some extra security.

5

READ MORE 

Features, Posts, The Range | March 26, 2024

The Range: Printed Shirt Dresses

If you’re preparing your wardrobe for the warmer weather, don’t sleep on shirt dresses. Casual when worn with sandals or sneaker, dressy with flats or heels, they’re great for any work situation. They’re a great piece that you can throw on any time you need to look pulled together. Here are a few choices.

6

READ MORE 

Features, Monday Mornings, Top Posts | March 25, 2024

The Mondays: March 18, 2024

This weekend was a tricky one. The warm weather and bright sunshine of last weekend disappeared in a flurry of wet snow trapping our very active 18-month-old in the house with us. Plus, our babysitter cancelled, so neither of us feels ready for the week ahead. But in between making mac-and-cheese and watching Aristocats for […]

6

READ MORE 

RECENT POSTS

©2023 CAPITOL HILL STYLE | SITE BY LEIGH THE STUDIO