Kicking things into high gear
Read along for some exciting updates.
I started Coffee Order in 2022. I wanted a place to write every week without having to apply or be rejected. I wanted to be my own editor, and I wanted to join a community of people also trying to start things.
Since starting this little blog, Substack has taken off exponentially. I don’t even call this a blog anymore when I’m talking to people, I say that I have a Substack, and then explain what Substack is when they don’t understand. I’ve been to countless events in Manhattan hosted by fellow writers and have made some friends along the way, friends I wouldn’t have made without this platform. I’ve made meaningful connections, recieved priceless advice, and have become more motivated than ever to put actual effort into this.
You may have noticed that I turned on paid subscription options. I only did this because I wanted Substack to start promoting me, and I was getting frustrated seeing people on the rising lists with less subscribers and likes on posts than me. Everyone has told me that if you want to grow you have to go paid, which I held off on doing for as long as possible. Please do not feel obliged to pay for Coffee Order, nothing will change and you will still receive (better than ever) sends every Monday. If you so choose to pay, you will get an extra post every Friday, starting this week, and some other surprise things I have planned for the rest of this year, like more specialized gift guides and holiday lists.
At work this week, my coworker/friend, Victoria, told me that I should start watercoloring my cover images every week. I really loved this idea because watercolor has become such an amazing, calming hobby for me and my mental health, and I often aimlessly paint if I don’t have a friend’s birthday or special occasion coming up. I also decided to take this a step further, and start a Coffee Order Instagram (formerly my finsta—whoisoliviahawkins. Every week, I posted a recap of my weekend aptly titled “le weekend”, which I also would write about in these sends. This seemed like a serendipitous moment to marry my love of posting on Instagram too much and also posting on Substack, and let you all experience Coffee Order on a more informal basis every day. Sometimes there’s news I’d like to cover but after a week, it’s cold tea. This way, we can strike while the iron is hot. You can follow me here. Some of you are already grandfathered in.
These changes may be small, but they mean a lot to me. It’s exciting to care so much about something even if you make $0 from it, and I hope you all can tell that even after almost four years, I’m just as—if not more—excited about Coffee Order than before.
Without further ado, let’s get back to regularly scheduled programming.
I forgot to report last week on my first Russian manicure, which I am obsessed with and still looks brand new seven days later. Essex Beauty on Grand and Essex has a first-timer’s offer of hard gel for $60.
On my way to pottery on Sunday, I stopped by the grand opening of Rainy Sunday Morning, a chic home store on Essex and Hester that recently moved from a few blocks over. Their owner was very cool, and I went home with this soap from House of Soobido that has toys inside to turn into a keychain once you use it. It’s so fragrant that it fills up my bathroom with the scent of sweet lavender without getting wet. She sent me on my merry way with a pack of Chapagetti as a sweet gift with purchase for their grand opening and a note that now lives on my fridge for the rest of my life (or lease). I highly recommend paying them a visit because their assortment was truly spectacular.
On Monday, I had the pleasure of seeing Sarah Jessica Parker, live and in the flesh at one of the 92nd Street Y’s Recanati-Kaplan Talks. She was discussing her SJP LIT venture with former editor of New York Magazine, Adam Moss, and the latest author added to her roster, Victoria Redel, writer of historical fiction novel I Am You. I had no idea what the book was about, and they were very serious about keeping us “on topic” (no Carrie Bradshaw questions), but nonetheless it was very fun and a great conversation to witness. It inspired me as a writer and someone who often struggles with fiction, and I went with my best friend who is a kindergarten teacher with a masters in literacy from Columbia, so talking about the state of publishing and books was great for her as well.
The 92nd Street Y is one of my favorite parts about living in the city. In the past, I’ve seen Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, and recently found out they have ceramics classes. Their Collective membership allows “20-30 somethings” to attend talks at a discounted rate, join together for exclusive events where I think I could possibly meet my husband, and first dibs on their calendar. The only downside is that it’s very far from my apartment that’s sub-Houston Street, but the 4/5 express is a wonderful thing.
We ate at E.J.’s before the talk and I just love that place. You’d be hard pressed to find a diner that gives you a milkshake in the glass AND the steel cup on the side.
I really loved my outfit on Tuesday, I decided to break out the leg warmers I recently got from Kith Women even though it was going to be 80 degrees. My compromise? Gauchos, of course. I felt like the girls I see on my commute to work who are taking the F Train the Joffrey Ballet School.
Sweatshirt from Kith, Amazon Gauchos, Kith Women leg warmers, Kith Women for adidas Taekwondo, Amazon scrunchie.
I was very bad about shopping this week, but they were very justifiable purchases. I’d like to start with my brand new UGGs. Is there anything better? The smell, the fresh lining, just the best thing ever. I sprayed them because I was raised correctly and let them sit for 24 hours before allowing them to touch pavement on Friday.
These are the ones that I got, also from Amazon because they came in one day. Here’s the spray link.
As an early Christmas present, I got the Timex x Dime Piece (Dimex) Indiglo. I wear my aunt’s watch every day as a gracious gift from my cousin, but I wanted something a little bigger and to expand my very beginner collection. I really like Brynn and besides her being one of the cool girls of Instagram I’m greatly influenced by, I also think her business is very impressive, and as this was her first collaboration, it made the choice all the more obvious. I had to get mine from eBay because the original drop had sold out, a little higher than market value.
I finally was able to wear the vintage Dolce & Gabbana jacket that I got from The Real Real because last week was blessed with some chillier mornings. I loved how I styled it and will be wearing it very often.
On Friday night, my coworkers and I paid a trip to Goldie’s in Greenpoint and picked up Chrissy’s Pizza on the way. I was lucky to be one of the guests at Chrissy’s Superiority Burger midnight popup and I’ve been craving it ever since. They didn’t have my favorite arugula pie, but the vodka and spicy white did just fine. Make sure you have water nearby because there’s an emphasis on the spicy. I only look out for very few things like this:
I woke up very hungover on Saturday and then punished myself by going on the rowing machine at the Equinox because
has been inspiring me with her Instagram stories. Then it was time to go to one of my best friend’s birthday parties that was happing at Lucinda’s in the East Village. That’s an excellent bar that I’m excited to return to, the drinks were great, the vibe was right, and it was very spacious. I wore my Cleo Camp dress and then drunk messaged Cleo herself asking when I could buy the blue version of her famous top that I often rave about.
I was excited to style my Dimex with a more going-out outfit, and was very pleased with the results. I then returned home to my NikeSKIMS, which I haven’t taken off since they came into the mail besides to dress up for the birthday party, and slipped them back on before heading to Dumbo to spend some time with my college friends. I didn’t want to love NikeSKIMS as much as I did, I’m literally wearing them as we speak, but I’m happy to have them now. I highly recommend the basketball shorts and the tank that I got.
I now must be off to see the Life of a Showgirl movie at the Union Square Regal. I’m very excited and no hate will be tolerated on this page or on the new Coffee Order Instagram. FOLLOW ALONG!
the dolce jacket is everything