know I start nearly every Menu with some sort of sentimental yet surprised statement about how fast time is moving or how quickly the year is flying by, with the exception of January, which always feels like the longest three months of the year. As I repeat this monthly reflection, I’ve also noticed that these Monthly Menus keep track of time as I constantly complain about its fleeting nature. I have a log of what I liked, what I did, and how I felt for every month since October 2024! So, let’s get on to May’s Menu—a menu of minimal things, but still a cheat sheet on the passage of time.
Orbiting Around My Neck
If you’ve been here before there’s a chance you’ve read Springs Cookbook, a philosophy on seasonal dressing. In the cookbook I discussed my gravitation towards natural materials void of perfection and my affinity for semi-precious stones. Earlier this monthI took a long walk and stumbled into somewhat of an indoor alleyway where I found a store filled with rocks and minerals, the owner claiming they sourced ALL of the stones for the Safdie production “Uncut Gems”. I’ve had a picture in my mind of a necklace for sometime. I tried to tell him a bit of what I’ve been orbiting around and he immediately blurts “so… you want a planetarium?” Yes, exactly. I picked out the exact stones I wanted– some quartz, tigers eye, catseye, evil eye agate, rhondonite and so on… I cam back a few days later to pick it up and the stones have been orbiting my neck nearly every day since.
Facials are the only service I look forward to. I’ve tried nearly everyone in NYC worth trying.
My dear Katie Stone has posted about Spencers and got me interested in them. Not to mention their stunning “Ethnic Chic” coded interiors and the fact my cousin gave glowing…literally glowing reviews. So naturally I stopped in a few weeks ago and had the best facial I’ve had at a new spot in a while.
A Salad A Day
I’ve had the kale salad from Westville at least 3 times a week this month. Originally I was attracted to the sweet potato fries but over time the fries left center stage and the salad became the main reason for ordering (particularly with shrimp!)
October Song
My whole life I’ve been an Amy Winehouse fan. I have always loved the way her song October Song sounded, upbeat but still grounded, like the first day of good weather after a pattern of rain and gloominess. Kind of like a random summery day in the middle of October. Somehow I never read the lyrics, which is odd because reading lyrics is a pastime of mine. This month I realized that this beautiful song was a beautiful song about one of the most complex and ugly yet beautiful things a person can go through…grief. This made the song even more beautiful.
I am aware that I have deemed Experiments Molecular Mesh “The Moisturizer” but I do have a new contender coming in second place on the Menu. Anua’s PDRN Hyaluronic Acid 100 Moisturizing Cream is quite similar! It will last all day and make you feel just as fresh and plump from the second you put it on to the moment you wash your face.
Confetti! Dot Cakes! Sprinkles for Shoes!
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These shoes were made in a lab of scientists looking to create “The most Phia shoe ever” and they succeeded. These Tabbies have been worn nearly everyday! They match everything! Despite being a little snug, I’ve been able to successfully break them in and let me tell you it is so worth it! Breaking in shoes is almost a lost art in our convenience based world!
7. A Shower Candle?
I recently became a fan of pillar candles, something about them screams zen and calm. Maybe it’s their lack of packaging or the fact that they’re a fraction of the price of most candles thar get attention these days! I’ve been loving a simple vanilla scented set, and light them while I shower or while I read in bed. They are the perfect wind down signal.
Now Innersenses I Create Hold still reigns supreme, but I’ve been loving this new Cecred gel as a more “cosmetic option”.It’s a bit more light weight and more of an edge control in terms of utility to me. I’ve been using it to lay my edges and hair down when I wear scarves or really anything on top of my head. Its very light weight and dries very quickly, so I find it to be an easy option for when I just want my hair to be flat in specific areas and my gosh! It is so good that it solved a need I dint even know I was looking to solve!
Drugstore make up and I have been really getting acquainted over the past year or so. In 2025 I grabbed the Loreal Lumi Sticks and have loved using it as a slight shimmery way to add some dimension and glow to my minimal make up looks. A few weeks ago I found out that they had liquid blushes and ordered them IMMEDIATELY. I find them to be a but similar to the Charlotte Tilbury Pinkgasm wand, but a bit easier to travel with, the fact that it could even be compared to Pinkgasm says enough!
10.Moment of The Month: The New Jersey Gem Show
If you read Springs Cookbook, you know of my childhood obsession with rock and minerals, and most importantly that I used to drag my parents to gem shows and conventions I found on all corners of the internet. This month I decided to tap back into that and find another dimly lit gym to oohgle and oggle at stones. Doing something off the beat and path made it such a fun day. Meeting local vendors and small businesses made the experience even more fun than it had been when I was a kid!
This Month’s “Tasting Menu”:
I’m volunteering to teach english!
Sewing my own clothes with my Singer.
This Zure Solaris serum (gifted) for post sun skincare.
Thanks for Consuming!
Phia
“Everyday is all there is”