Tea notes: February

Sardine bowls, a chic python belt, and the book that'll get you out of your reading rut

Spring has soft launched in Colorado. It’s been an atypically radiant week of 60-degree days. The fleshy tips of tulip leaves are poking out of the dirt all around the neighborhood, as if daring to unfurl early. My mail carrier has already switched to the shorts version of his uniform, for goodness’ sake.

Flip flops in February feel wildly disorienting, especially while my New York friends hunker down for record-breaking snow days, but here we are. Below, a few recent faves and links to love…

• Currently obsessed with consuming sardines. This simple creamy lemony-herb sardine recipe from The Wellness Wahl has become a weekly snack. I’ve been buying these Ortiz jars that are readily available at Whole Foods, but I am game for some specialty e-grocery dabbling or getting on a sardine subscription, so send me your recs.

• Lily King’s Heart the Lover was the key to ending an embarrassing reading drought. I pageturned through the beautifully tender novel about loves past and present over two late nights.

• Snagged this snakeskin belt from one of my favorite accessory brands a few weeks ago. I’ve been surprised by how often I reach for it — it’s just the 10% to zhuzh up your outfits, per Kelly Williams’ genius advice.

• Enamored with this fringed top that has a cult following for a reason. It’s the perfect going-out top with jeans, it’s cocktail attire paired with satin trousers, it’s relaxed vacation vibes with sheer beach pants.

• This is your sign to go frame the thing. Framebridge opened up an IRL location in my neighborhood, and I brought in the mini abstract landscape from Art de Avalo that’s been buried in a cabinet for far too long. With the help of the in-store designer, we selected this rounded burl wood frame to go with, floating the piece on an off-white mat. The rounded frame gives it a bit of a vintage vibe — perfect for the lake house — and the float mount adds depth, showcasing the texture of the canvas edge. If you’re stuck on how to frame a piece and have a location local to you, I highly recommend popping in to browse all the framing ideas they have displayed. Steve and Cleo gave the jar of milk bones 5 stars, too.
  *Framebridge gifted me $150 toward my frame to visit the new shop.

• Denver friends, Florence Supper Club is my new favorite restaurant in town. I hesitate to share since reservations are difficult already, but I’m not one to gatekeep a good time. Named after the chef’s grandmother Florence, the Italian red-sauce joint hits all the notes: a menu of cozy classics, nostalgic decor, and the warmest hospitality. I’ll be back for date night, a girls’ night, or maybe even a solo Wednesday happy hour for a glass of bubbles and slice of cheesecake at the bar.

• A peek into what creatives carry in their “analog bag” to stay inspired. ( A Whimsical World )

• How to quit the apps and cook more. ( LIVING SMALL )

• Jessie Randall, top-notch gifter, shared everything she uses to wrap the perfect gift — you know I bookmarked this letter so fast.

• These friendship meet-cutes are motivating me to make new friends in my 30s. ( Platonic Love )

• Loved reading this spotlight on female art collectors. ( NY Times )

• A fun new-to-me newsletter with weekly art picks you can buy.

• How magical does look? A floating sauna and cold plunge in the San Francisco Bay.

P.S. Practices I’m bringing into 2026 and the routine that’s saving my dehydrated winter skin.