Local Love

Saturdays are my permission slip to slow down and choose what feels good. My best friend and I bundled up, dropped the top on the convertible, and let the day take the lead. Our first stop was Crown Brew , where we thawed out and settled in for a couple of hours. I ordered my usual matcha latte with oat milk and honey. Matcha always gives me calm focus and steady energy, and it is one of my favorite ways to ease into a morning. We split our go-to peanut butter chocolate scone

Last night felt like one of those moments that reminds you why community matters. Hangar 9 was packed for the second line dancing party, and the energy in the room had its own heartbeat. Urban Cowboy Line Dancing came in from Nashville, and Cowboy Kyle had the entire crowd moving with these smooth, fun routines that made everyone feel like they could dance, even if it was their first time trying. This night was a collaboration with Eccentrics Boutique , and it felt special

Tonight felt like a quiet reset that I did not realize I was craving. Jennifer with Bits and Pieces Art and Antiques hosted the sweetest letter writing workshop at Milkweed Provisions on the Marion square, and the space felt like it was wrapped in its own kind of calm. The lights were soft, the conversations moved slowly, and for once there was no pressure to rush or produce. We simply sat, wrote, and allowed ourselves to be fully present without the constant pull of notifi

Some days are not meant to be planned. They are meant to unfold in their own quiet way. My bestie Sarah and I had no agenda today, which might be why everything felt so easy. We drove with no real destination, talked about everything and nothing, and let the day guide us instead of the other way around. We stopped into Eccentrics Boutique (Carterville, IL) and Faye (Murphysboro, IL), two places that always spark something in me. I spent nearly a decade working at Eccentrics