I finally feel like I am coming up for air after a busy few months, so I felt the need to jump back on here and catch y’all up-to-date! Now, this isn’t my typical post where I recap the month and all the notable reads that I have devoured. Truthfully, I haven’t been reading much lately. My focus has been elsewhere, and I have been enjoying a break from my typical routine. Ok, so what have I been up to?! February felt LONG! I spent this “short” month grinding at work and preparing for my half marathon all while the weather sucked. I kinda felt like a machine on autopilot, which led me t ..read more

Well, Congrats everyone…we survived the longest month! It definitely felt like it was creeping by, but as I sit here typing, I’m also in shock that it is February. While I love the start to a new year and the idea of a blank slate, January isn’t my favorite. It equates to cold weather, darkness, and a long stretch to Spring Break. Theoretically, I should have been using the time to read and put a dent in the stack of books littering my apartment, but I somehow found myself in the trenches training for a half marathon, consuming any WW2 movie/tv show I could find, and using any excuse to go out ..read more

Happy New Year and Hello, 2024! Each year, I select a motto to recite, rehearse and inspire me throughout the year. Borrowing from the great Reese Witherspoon, my 2024 motto is to be a radiator. A radiator is someone who is positive, helpful, and someone that you are drawn to be around. I loved this idea, and felt this was an inspirational motto to help frame my actions and thoughts in the new year. One way I hope to be a radiator is through this blog, and creating a reading community where we can share and learn from one another. If you are in the DC area, please join us for the next Closet H ..read more

Wow, November was fun! It feels like a blur since it went by so fast, but the month was action packed with fun social engagements, holidays and birthdays, and some new Closet Hook opportunities. I started training for a half marathon, saw 2 comedy shows in DC, celebrated some friends and my dad’s birthday, went home to Virginia Beach for Thanksgiving, and worked with some new Closet Hook personal styling clients. In addition, I hosted the first ever Closet Hook book club, where we discussed the book, Bright Young Women. The event was such a great way to bring book lovers together and meet a co ..read more

October was BUSY! Here are some highlights- I worked with some personal styling clients, I met my family for a long weekend in St. Petersburg, I ran the MCM 10K with friends, and I saw a comedy show to name a few. The weather this fall has been great, and I am determined to enjoy every moment while I can! While October has been good to me, I am excited for the holiday events and fun that November is about to bring. I am hosting a book club event on Thursday, November 9 (7pm) at the Boardroom in Clarendon. We are going to be discussing Bright Young Women (reviewed below), but more importantly ..read more

I was dreading the end of Summer, but September and the start of fall turned out to be pretty great, all things considered! This is the first school year since Covid that has felt normal, and it allowed for an easy transition after my epic summer of fun. It has been so nice to be at work without covid related stresses and seeing all of my work friends. I am incredibly blessed to work with some of my closest friends, and it is something I never take for granted. In my free time, I am relishing the fall weather, seeing friends for trail walks, hitting up Soul Cycle via classpass, working with pe ..read more

I returned to work this week, and besides losing my ability to sleep in every morning, I wasn’t the least bit sad! That is because my summer was EVERYTHING I could have wanted and more. So many coworkers stopped me to say that they were following along on Closet Hook, and my travels looked amazing. I truly feel blessed to have the gift of summer break to rest, recover, and recharge. August alone brought so much fun! This past month had the capstone trip of my summer travels…a trip to LA to see Taylor Swift! Despite a very arduous journey to get to LA (read- cancelled flights due to a storm, an ..read more

It has been far too long since I have brought a Lauren Loves post (last fall I believe?)! Lauren Loves is an outlet where I can share the clothing and products that have caught my eye or that I have been using/loving lately. This post is definitely more fall focused, since those are the items that are now rolling out in-store and online. As always, I hope you find something here that inspires you or you might want to try! J.Crew Pre-Fall Collection J.Crew is back! Since my sister works fo J.Crew, it is a brand that I am personally invested in making a comeback. However, takeaway my bias, J.Cre ..read more

Holy hell, where did July (and the Summer for that matter) go?! I logically know that the Summer (my life of blissful freedom) goes by quickly, but it truly takes me my surprise each year how fast August comes. That is because, I was very busy in July having SO. MUCH. FUN. What did I do, you ask? Well, just about everything I damn near wanted- slept in, took so many workout classes, went to movies, caught up with friends, and drank many glasses of wine. In addition, I also went for a quick weekend trip to Charlottesville (my favorite town) to celebrate my parents 45th wedding anniversary. Then ..read more

I wish I could say that I enjoy cooking, but I am not going to lie to you! I would rather be doing almost anything else than spending time in the kitchen, especially after a busy work day. The flip side is that I like to eat healthy and workout daily, so getting delivery or takeout isn’t an appealing option for this avoidant cook. This is where Vegetable + Butcher has solved my healthy food needs! So what is Vegetable + Butcher? V+B is a pre-made, healthy meal delivery service in the Washington DC area, which has vegan (vegetable’s basket) and non-vegan (butcher’s box) meal options. This me ..read more