Last September I created a blog post filled with my favorite things. It was a sort of random, meandering list of things I love. I wanted to write a blog post that was a bit of an escape from reality for a moment since we were deep within the pandemic. We are still in that pandemic, but at least now we are feeling like there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Many of my family members and friends have already been vaccinated, and they are feeling better about life in general. That makes me happy.
Since posting that list last year, I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback about it, so I decided to do a “part 2” of my favorite things. Just like the original list, this list is quite random and in no particular order. I also like doing this because it’s a bit vulnerable to just list a bunch of things I love. It shows a non-business side of me. Sometimes potential clients want to know a bit about me before working with me. Well, this does present a bit more about me! Maybe some of these things are your faves too. Maybe you’ll be curious about some of these and want to learn more about a few of them. I hope this list stirs up curiosity, and perhaps you’ll even create your own list of favorite things!
Even though I’m hardly a fashionista, there are certain fashion pieces that I do like including straw handbags, Jackie O. sunglasses, clutch-style handbags, wide-leg pants, and white, linen pants. I have also always loved those navy, sailor-style pants with the buttons at the hips. And I’m a huge fan of Matt and Nat handbags. I first found them on a work trip to Memphis many years ago in a cute store named Muse.
Other random faves are: vintage city bikes, brownstones, city living, porch swings, farmers’ markets, Southern Gothic anything, Moroccan tiles, baby owls (Google them; they’re adorable!), Ibrahim Ferrer, Chloe Coscarelli and her fabulous cookbooks, sad French films, making playlists, getting out of my comfort zone, sleeping on a mostly flat pillow (not down-filled), keeping a journal, figuring stuff out, chaise sofas, wooden salad bowls, cloth napkins, magnolia trees, cicchetti, wrought iron, remembering my dreams upon waking, and painted metal chairs. Random, I know. But these are things I love.
As many of you know, I live in Savannah, and I absolutely love it here! I moved here in December of 2019 from Massachusetts. Here are some of my Savannah faves: The Black Rabbit restaurant and bar, Sulfur Studios, Henny Penny Cafe, Unforgettable Bakery, Cedar House Gallery, ShopSCAD, Le Chai Galerie du Vin, Forsyth Park, specifically Kayak Kafe‘s tiger tofu quesadillas, Savannah’s once-a-month Art Walk, E. Shaver Bookseller, the dark chocolate silk-filled bullets from Chocolat by Adam Turoni, Fox and Fig‘s not-currently-on-the-menu-but-I-hope-it-returns-soon breakfast burrito, mushrooms from Swampy Appleseed, Brighter Day Market, and the French fries at Sly’s Sliders. At some point in the future, Savannah faves might be its own blog post…stay tuned!
OK, moving on, some more random favorites are: Edith Wharton’s short story, “Roman Fever“; if you have never read it, do yourself a favor and take 15-20 minutes to get lost in it. It’s a story that starts out mild enough, but then gets quite intense! I also love the comedy of Wanda Sykes, especially her “Esther” skit. (Please note that this skit includes swearing.) I love Chaka Khan; I’ve loved her music since I was a teenager! I also love the music of Gloria Estefan and Cat Power. When I was a kid, I listened to Duran Duran, and to this day, hearing their music makes me smile.
Amber Ruffin is a new favorite of mine. She has a very funny skit that she does on Seth Meyers’ show called “Amber Says What.” It’s quite funny and always timely! She also has her own show now.
Philadelphia is one of my favorite cities; I still think that someday I might live there. I also love New Orleans with its fabulous nightlife and music! I loved visiting Sorrento, Italy with its warm, lemon-scented air from the hundreds of lemon trees that grow everywhere there! Another magical Italian place that’s on my faves list is Piazza San Marco! What a lovely, unique place! I must get back there someday. I love living near water, especially the US coasts. So far, I’ve only lived near the Atlantic Ocean, but I have swum in the Pacific Ocean, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Lastly, I have great memories of the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco. I only went there once, but I remember it being a calming spot.
I’ll end this random list of faves with some of my favorite movies: Pane e Tulipani (Bread and Tulips), C’est la Vie, Knives Out, Get Out, Sorry to Bother You, and Incendies. Before you go and stream/rent/borrow/buy these films, please know that my taste in films is not mainstream. I like intense, suspenseful dramas and films that make you think. And I also like comedies that can be a bit out there! I very much like and appreciate a film with an unexpected twist at the end.
I hope you liked reading about some of my favorite things! If you have questions about these or are interested in any one of these in particular, feel free to reach out! Until next time, I hope you are able to enjoy some of your own favorite things!
Cheryl Russo
February 2021