See You Next Tuesday: Vol. I, No. One
Welcome to My Newsletter
See You Next Tuesday is a newsletter for the woman who regrets nothing except how she over plucked her eyebrows 20 years ago. Welcome to the first edition!
Write the blog that you are dying to read.
In 2008, that statement, made by Wonkette Ann Marie Cox, led me to create Capitol Hill Style. I envisioned a fashion blog for professional women who were too busy to shop (and too poor to wear designer labels) but who wanted to walk into work feeling ready to take on the world. It’s incredible how spending a muggy afternoon in August deep in the recesses of the Blogger platform changed my life.
Now, fifteen years later, I’m older, grayer, and a bit wiser. I have a husband, a daughter, a law degree, a mortgage, and a slightly broken heart. The pandemic wasn't easy on any of us. On top of that earth-shattering event, I piled two cycles of IVF, a tough pregnancy, a near-death experience, and a career implosion. And as much as I’d like to talk about navigating this middle part of life, I just can’t right now.
Every time I sit down to write Balancing Act, something in me just cracks. I’m just not ready. So I went back to Wonkette’s advice: Write the newsletter that you are dying to read. And right now, I need something light. Something joyful. Something with interesting links, curated recommendations, and a little bit of sass.
Enter: See You Next Tuesday.
This is the newsletter I want to read. It’s the newsletter I want to write. A repository for all the articles saved to my Pocket app, the items in my shopping cart, and the posts saved in my Instagram. A newsletter that arrives in your inbox and you can are excited to read what’s inside.
So let’s get started.
One // Always at The Carlyle on Prime Video // This delightful documentary tells the story of the iconic Carlyle Hotel on New York City’s Upper East Side through the eyes of the loyal staff and the celebrity guests they serve. Kyle and I were just looking for some background noise when we turned this on last weekend, but it was so charming, we found ourselves mesmerized by it. Perhaps someday, we’ll take a trip to NYC to sip martinis at Bemelman’s Bar and rest our heads on their custom monogrammed pillowcases.
Two // Spaghetti all’Assassina from The Kitchn // When I was young, broke and single, I ate pasta constantly. As a result, I no longer eat Italian food. But when I spotted this recipe on Instagram, I was intrigued. The Assassin’s Spaghetti involves charring dry noodles in a pot of crushed tomatoes and then slow-cooking the noodles like risotto. With a bit of spice to keep your taste buds interested, this dish looks perfectly comforting for a solo night in or as a great side dish for a dinner party.
Three // Thinking ‘Bout Love by Wild Rivers // My daughter has incredibly sophisticated taste in music — for an 11-month-old. This breakup song by Wild Rivers is on her nanny’s Spotify playlist, and every time it comes on, she is transfixed. One listen, and it isn’t hard to see why it’s Sloane’s favorite and now on repeat on my playlist as well.
👵🏻 Jessica DeFino explains why there’s no ethical way to sell anti-aging products. I feel this so deeply. I want to look good, but I don’t want to look young. The trouble is that I’m not practiced at looking my age because today is the oldest I’ve ever been.
🏖️ Why your quest for the perfect vacation is ruining everyone else’s. **Hi, it’s me!**
📚 A page turner I read last summer that’s free on Kindle.
💻 How to feel happier at work when you can’t quit because very few of us in the middle-age group can just walk away from a paying gig.
❄️ TikTok is convincing Gen-Z women to freeze their eggs in their 20s. Want more info on fertility? Follow Dr. Lucky Sekohn on Insta.
💃 This gorgeous (bra friendly) dress is ready for wherever you want to take her, even if it’s just to the farmer’s market.
🪢 Message boards for women are filling up with anonymous posts about divorce. Marriages are like grass, they grow where you water them. It’s hard to keep up the maintenance, especially when one partner is usually doing most of the work.
👖She sized up a pair of jeans and got a lesson in body acceptance. I did this four years ago and never looked back.
☀️Reasons to Be Cheerful is a website filled with only good, interesting stories that are designed to bring good vibes to your day.
🧦 When I tell you these are the “good socks,” know that they are the good socks. I’ve never been so happy with an Amazon purchase. Ever.
💰Does using “weak language” actually help women get raises? Is it a tic or a tactic? In my case, as a feminist working in Republican politics, sometimes I use weak language because saying, “I’m not sure this is right, but we could try…” helps new ideas land better in a room full of older men.
Please know that this newsletter is a work in progress. The layout, the content, the logo, they all need refining. But for the first time, in a long time, I’m excited to build something new. Just like with Capitol Hill Style, I’ll find my way to the right thing with time and effort.
I hope you’ll come back next week.
I’m Abra Belke, and I will see you, next Tuesday.
{this newsletter contains affiliate links that may generate commission for the author. over time, I intend to remove the affiliate links and rely entirely on subscriptions}