10 Offline Things I Did This Week
Woolsoap, winter movies, and minty candles for long nights
Good afternoon, and welcome to 2025. It’s the first Sunday of the year, and I hope it’s been exactly what you needed—whether you’re preparing to jump back into the usual grind tomorrow (like most of New York is) or you’re still soaking up the slower pace of break (I am the former).
New York is experiencing a polar vortex, and it’s REALLY COLD. The “real feel” has been hovering between 11-15°F during my usual morning walks with Samson. It’s been so frigid that my teeth were hurting. They couldn’t handle hot tea or ice cream. Don’t worry, I ordered hand and toe warmers so I’ll be okay.
I look forward to sending this week’s longer-form essay to paid subscribers. It’s about exercise and how the anti-diet culture space (which I once… embodied? championed?) taught me—through 1:1 sessions with a Health At Every Size coach and guidance from trained mental health professionals—that I’d never be able to exercise like a “normal” person, and that engaging in daily exercise was inherently participating in diet culture.
In this essay, I’ll also tackle questions such as: what if *gasp* you prefer your body and how it “feels” and looks more when you are exercising regularly? What if it’s not “disordered” to get anxious if you miss a workout? I’m really excited to share it, especially at a time of the year when the gyms are crowded and the resolutions are high.
10 Offline Things I Did This Week
As a reminder, none of the items mentioned are affiliate links or advertisements. They are all things that family members or I bought for myself. Thank you for your monetary donation to keep Offline Time ad-free, a rarity on the internet these days.
Started slathering my face with Aquafor every morning, noon, and night. It’s a cold snap, and my eyes are freaking out—the corners and hoods become sensitive, red, and tender in the extreme cold and wind. Eczema runs in the family, so the solution is not a $99 eye serum but this pharmacy-ready thick clear cream, applied diligently before sleep and EVERY walk or run. Bonus points because it’s universally available and gives a glow that looks like a Miracle Balm? It’s on my skin all day these days.
Goat soap. My mother gifted me goat soap wrapped in wool for Christmas, titled “wool soap”. I broke it out this week in the shower and love the sensory experience of the soft soap suds with the roughness of wool. Natural wool exfoliation is IN for 2025.
See the litttle piece of bar soap peaking out from under the wool? The tower of the tossed Christmas tree. Every year, the government asks New Yorkers to drag their trees to the closest park to be part of Mulchfest, a weekend-long recycling program that turns all of our farewell firs into mulch and woodchips that anyone can take home. The ending result is a magnificent tower of delicious-smelling evergreens.
A pile ‘o trees for you and for me Bought myself some Diptyque candles. As the cold, dark days of winter approach us and the holidays are gone and over, it’s vital for me to find ways to bring joy during the long nights ahead. Enter: Diptyque candles. They are bougie and they bring me joy. We don’t apologize or feel guilty for spending money on nice candles in 2025.
Diptqye Menthe Verte is a soft green, minty smell with a light, clean throw. Did laundry. Laundry day in New York City is a schlep. I do not have a washer/dryer in my building, nor on my block: I have to roll and carry my clothes three blocks away. But you know what? It’s a spectacularly unspectacular, unifying action in this city. I’ve started to bring a book (currently reading Big Swiss on my Kindle) instead of going back to my apartment between cycles. The cutest thing? I left a pink Bombas sock on the floor and the laundry lady carefully tucked it into the hook of my washer door so I wouldn’t lose it.
Sent out a few snail mail thank-you cards to loved ones far away for their thoughtful Christmas gifts. Never underestimate the power, especially in 2025, of a hand-written thank you card. Here is your permission, your sign, to invest in some lovely stationery, I love these from Etsy. It is a simply beautiful process. Whip out the stationary, pick up your favorite pen, and write them a love letter. Lick it sealed, plop a stamp on it, and walk it to the local collection box. Love, sent the old-fashioned way.
Practiced steaming milk. I’ve had my espresso machine for nearly eight years, but somewhere along the way, I forgot how to steam good milk. I’ve been settling for warm, silky-ish milk, but in this weather, foam is non-negotiable. After 20 minutes on YouTube and some practice, I’m proud to say today’s latte was foamy perfection.
Watched I Am Love. This movie is quite possibly my favorite Luca Guadagnino (of Call Me My Your Name, Challengers) movie. It has everything you’d want in a Guadagnino film: snowy, dark, Christmas-y Italy, a wealthy family, unexpected love stories, tussles over power and status—and, of course, Tilda Swinton. A perfect winter movie.
Turned this Indian Butter Tofu recipe into a soup. FYI, a reader noted that her local public library offers a free subscription to New York Times Cooking! I love the app and use it daily. For this Tofu Makhani, I added coconut milk, water, and veggie broth around step 3 to get a soupier recipe. It was delicious.
Samson in his Barbour jacket:
That’s all for tonight. I’ll see you back here on Tuesday for my essay on exercise. Goodnight, and Happy New Year!
I ALSO made the NYTimes indian butter tofu recipe this week!! It's a staple in my kitchen. Also, super looking forward to the essay later this week on diet/body/HAES culture!
I am also a huge Aquaphor lover and weirdly love winter because I can use it everywhere!! Stay warm out there :)