Footnotes: The Bay Area, Funemployment, and Other Things I Loved In February
Surprise, surprise!
Hey, sometimes a girl wants to talk about more than just books! So, welcome to Footnotes, a monthly rundown of all my off-the-page side quests—places I went, the shows I binge-watched, things I bought, and more.
A Black-owned business block party! I kicked off the best month of the year at the Paramount Studios for Fifteen Percent Pledge’s 15th Street Block Party. It was a fun weekend shopping, snacking, and celebrating Black entrepreneurs.
I got laid off! I know, I know. You’re probably like, “And that’s a highlight?” Well, maybe not for my bank account in the long run, but definitely a highlight for my mental health. Frankly, this “company restructuring” couldn’t have come at a better time, and I’m (dare I say?) excited to rest and reflect on what I actually want career-wise going forward.
A new personal website! On that “new beginnings” note, I’ve been working on updating all of my internet spaces. After going back and forth on whether I should do something more minimalist or be a little extra, I obviously chose to be extra. A sneak peek at the in-progress homepage of my website is below.
A weekend in Oakland/San Francisco. As a big That’s So Raven fan, of course, I had to go see Raven Baxter’s house! Other standout moments include walking half of the Golden Gate Bridge, touring Alcatraz(!), a very delicious oyster po’boy from The Cook and Her Farmer, and a visit to Marcus Books, the nation's oldest Black-owned independent bookstore.
Still dreaming about that po’boy!
Harlem (Amazon Prime): The series finale brought happy-ish endings for the four friends navigating love and life in New York City. I still have mixed feelings and wanted MORE for all the characters especially Grace Byer’s character Quinn, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up a bit at the end.
School Spirits (Paramount Plus): I’m soooo invested in Season 2 of this supernatural teen drama (following an eclectic group of ghosts haunting the halls of a high school) that TikTok keeps showing me fan edits of Milo Manheim.
Captain America: Brave New World: As someone who finds pretty much every Captain America movie to be pretty meh (except for Winter Solider, because Bucky 😍), I thought this one was pretty good! Decent fight scenes, great banter between Sam (Anthony Mackie) and Joaquin (Danny Ramirez), and a too-short-but-still-amazing cameo! Is it the best MCU movie? No, but definitely not the worst either (*coughs* Thor: Love and Thunder *coughs*).
I’m a sucker for cute packaging and this flower-shaped fragrance (in Berry & Mandarin) from DAISE Beauty caught my eye during a stroll through Ulta. Also snagged this fun “mac and cheese” hat.
Standout lyrics, especially for the season I’m in:
'Cause when water ain't wine, sometimes it feels like it's final
But this life is mine, so I'm gonna do it right 🧡
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Alexis, I'm sorry to hear about the layoff but I'm glad you're excited for what's next! Also, your weekend in San Francisco sounds and looks SO fun. You've got me daydreaming ◡̈
So sorry to hear that you got laid off but happy that it’s giving you the space to reflect and that you won’t be tied to something detrimental for your mental health.
Also enjoyed the new Captain America movie!