This is Hyper Fixated, the newsletter. If you’re wondering why it’s worth adding to an already-cluttered inbox, consider the following: 

If you’re prone to Googling niche topics and D-list celebrities with “Reddit” at the end, this is the newsletter for you. If you do thesis-level, cross-referencing, deep-diving research before making a purchase, this is the newsletter for you. And if you’d like to feed yourself and others without having to think (or work) very hard at all, this is the newsletter for you. 

Each week I’ll regale you with what’s clattering around in my skull the loudest (On My Brain), the items I’m keeping open in tabs or things I’ve bought and loved (In My Cart), and what food or recipe I’m shoveling down on repeat (In My Belly). Aka…all the things I’m currently hyper fixated on. 

I’m also taking questions, conundrums, tasks, and what have you at the end of each issue, so scroll down to the bottom for more on that.

Now, onto the meat of things. 

First Thing’s First: Who Am I?

Here’s the gist: I’m a writer and editor in a ~professional~ sense, and I’ve been working in the home and lifestyle space for 7+ years. I started my career in print magazines (ha!), and since then, I’ve worked and written for lots of different brands like Forbes, Apartment Therapy, Domino, The Strategist, etc. (pls see the portfolio section on my website for a full breakdown). 

I’ve done an exhausting amount of professional testing and research on plenty of product categories, so if you ask for a specific recommendation, I likely have one. Robot vacuums? Got you. Kitchen organizers? I’m here for it. Bed sheets, smart bulbs, washable rugs, and coffee table books? I have thoughts. I also pride myself on having like, really good taste, so there’s that. 

Beyond my career, I’ve come into my own as a home cook, and I have plenty to say about the merits of quality butter, how a good knife can change your life, and why Diamond Crystal kosher salt is really the only option. Oh! And I live in Jersey City with my fiance, Jeffery, and our French bulldog, Oswald. We’re getting married next year, and wouldn't you know? I have plenty to say about the wedding industrial complex, too. 

In sum, even after years of internet trolls trying to burn me at the stake (most notably for my declaration that mason jars are tacky, IYKYK), I still have a lot of opinions. And you know what? I need a place to scream ‘em… so here we are. <3

On My Brain

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Doc 

If you loved “Cheer” on Netflix you will most certainly devour “America’s Sweethearts,” and perhaps even find it hard to kick a Texas drawl for days after binging like I did. The world of professional dancing and cheerleading—especially in the South—is so unfathomably far from my day-to-day reality that I find myself enraptured by the behind-the-scenes spectacle that is the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading team (or DCC, as those in-the-know call it).

And if you know me, you know I love a halftime show, so by the time the show FINALLY gave us a full version of the opening dance to ACDC’s “Thunder,” I was on the edge of my friggin’ seat. I loved every second of this show, from little Reece—who’s charming as all hell despite saying she’s a dancer because Jesus moves through her (yes)—to the absolute cultish devotion these women have to their organization (even though they’re paid like, $500 a game).

Apparently the internet is divided between those that blindly support the DCC’s all-American right to shake it for Jesus in bootyshorts, and people who are outraged by the measly paychecks the Jones family doles out—but both things can be true at once, imo. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are a mesmerizing, glittering spectacle to behold, and it seems like the institution shows no sign of slowing down. But do I wish these sweet girls didn’t have to work full time jobs as nurses or that their partners didn’t need to uproot themselves to sell power washers in a Dallas suburb just to scrape by? Of course. You’ll just have to watch and leave a comment because there’s too much to unpack.

Charli XCX x Troye Sivan x Terry

@charlixcx

epic choreo moment incoming on sweat tour ! @Troye Sivan @terrencefoconnor

It’s Brat summer, that much we know. And I also know that Charli is going on tour with Troye (ethereal twink to end all twinks) and that Terry (photographer, hottie, boyfriend to Benny Drama) is BFFs with Charli, but to see all three of them doing a dancey dance to “Apple” really just tickled me. Dream blunt rotation, ideal Challengers cast, etc. One thing about me: No one (and by that, I mean Jeffery) is allowed to skip Charli, Troye, The Eagles, or Steve Miller Band in the car. I don’t make the rules! (Except I do, and I enforce them brutally). 

Do Not Play Lists for DJs

I might offend some people with this one, but as with most things in life, I’m extremely particular when it comes to music. Maybe that’s my ADHD, maybe that’s the control freak in me. Either way, I have micromanaged a “Do Not Play” list so hard I might never find a DJ who will agree to my terms. I also have a “Must Play” list, but I think that one is more normal and less… authoritarian.

Generally speaking, I love to let talented artists and creatives do their thing. Our photographer, for example, is killer at what she does and I can’t wait to see what she cooks up. But wedding DJs? Idk, I can’t say I’m super into defending their creative liberties, especially when they’re often yelling over the music about how hot the bride looks, and “isn’t the groom the luckiest?” I’ve been to enough weddings to know that the reception music makes a big difference in the vibe, so if I’m to be labeled an aux cord dictator, that’s just something I’m going to have to live with!

Below, a list of songs, artists, and genres I will absolutely, by no means, ever allow at our wedding:

Still with me? Phew.

In My Cart

The Most Perfect, Most Adorable Pens 

You know when you’re signing a check at a restaurant and the pen is so good you involuntarily emit an “oooooooooh this is a good pen”?** That’s what these little kitty cat pens evoke every time I use them. The first of these pens came into my possession when I used one at my aunt’s house and immediately started angling for her to bequeath it to me. Naturally (as I am beloved by her), I quickly became the proud new owner of a delightfully crisp, 0.38mm tip pen with a kawaii kitty cat lid. If you’re like me and don’t fuck with any ballpoint over 0.5 or you happen to love Muji’s 0.38 pens, you’re gonna love these. Luckily, they’re only $5.39 for six on Amazon, and they make the perfect little giftie for any stationary or Japan lover, too (I would know). 

**As a former waitress: No matter how good the pen is (unless it’s branded with the restaurant name), don’t steal it. It’s likely the personal property of the waiter/waitress. Sucks, I know. 

Sock Stuff 

A good sock is hard to find—straight up. I’ve been on the hunt for the socks-to-end-all-socks so I can throw out all the crusty ones taking up space in my drawer, but unfortunately, socks are low key expensive? Below, a peek into my exhaustive research. 

I recently purchased the above set of thick, walking-around-in-my-New-Balance-9060’s socks from Uniqlo. They’re also great, I’ve found, for wearing with my broken-in cowboy boots and cushioning the back of my feet in my yet-to-be-broken-in leather platform Chucks. They’ve stayed soft through many washes, unlike my former go-to crew sock from G*ld T*es. Smh.

Also in my sock search, I found that lots of people swear by Le Bon Shoppe “her socks.” Apparently they’re the perfect midweight, ribbed cotton socks that come in fifty three different colors and patterns. I’m utterly overwhelmed by the amount of colors I want, but my top faves are the kelly green, flame, and varsity socks in fern and azure. These ones are chef’s kiss for a pop of color with loafers, ballet flats, and Birks.

Another pair of socks I love for boots and hanging around the house are actually from Baggu. While I usually steer clear of any socks that aren’t majority cotton, these are made from bamboo rayon, so I’ll let it slide since it’s a soft natural fiber. I love the ribbed socks in all the different colorways, and reach for them over and over in the winter months.

Cool Girl Sunglasses

If you’re as chronically online as I am, you may have seen a number of TikTok girlies posting about the Lexxola Jordy sunglasses and how they seem to look good on everyone. And while I have been known to drop $$ on sunglasses, I’m not currently in an expensive sunglasses era? I guess it’s the whole having to pay for a wedding thing. Anyway, I did a little searchy search and found these babies that give a very similar vibe, and I feel very much like a cool girl in them. I got them in black, too, and I’ve been wearing them both in heavy rotation this summer. 

In My Belly

Bomb Ass Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad 

Even though my mom only made this a handful of times, I was struck by such an intense craving for it the other day that I needed to make it immediately. All that’s different from a regular caesar salad is the addition of well-salted farfalle (or any pasta shape you want, really) but it transforms from a side salad to a full, filling meal. If you’re in the market for a new caesar dressing, here’s my ratio:

Depending on who I’m serving or what I have kicking around in the fridge, I’ll scale back the anchovies and add some soy sauce and white miso for the salty, umami hit. These measurements are approximate, but in general, I love a creamy caesar with plenty of acidity from lemon and garlic. When you’re taste testing for seasoning, dip a piece of lettuce in the dressing instead of licking your finger, because you’ll often need more salt than you think. Oh, and it must be Hellman’s mayo. Sorry!

The Best Nut Butter I’ve Ever Had… and Greek Yogurt 

Everyone’s sick of me talking about Bear Butter, okay? The other day I said to a friend, “omg, have I made you try the Bear Butter?” and she said, “no, but you’ve been talking about it every time I see you.” And you know what? I stand by it. Bear Butter is a godly creation I recently discovered on a trip to the Berkshires to visit our wedding venue. We got breakfast at a coffee shop and the yogurt bowl I ordered had Bear Butter on top, and honestly, it sounded like a health food I wouldn’t usually go for. 

Almonds, vegan vanilla protein, hemp seeds, golden flax seeds, cacao nibs, goji berries, and coconut flakes—hear me out. Holy shit is this stuff good. I don’t love the Stevia aftertaste from the protein powder, but the coconut flavor is addicting, and I find the chewy berries and crunchy cacao to be such a textural delight. A big scoop on top of plain Greek yogurt is my breakfast of choice lately and I cannot get enough. 

An Eggplant Dip to Convert Even the Eggplant Averse 

Listen, I love a mezze platter with a basket of piping hot pita, and I certainly love a balanced babaganoush. Even if you’re not an eggplant lover, and even if you’ve never really liked babaganoush, this dip rules. I bought an eggplant the other day with no real purpose, and after letting it languish in the vegetable drawer for a few days, I remembered a fave recipe from a fave old coworker, Rebecca Firkser.

rebeccafirkser

View more on Instagram

The genius addition of labne or Greek yogurt to the usuals (roasted eggplant, tahini, garlic) makes it creamy, cuts the bitterness, and perfectly balances it with acidity. I toasted some naan and thinly sliced everything bagels that were hanging out in the freezer and served the eggplant dip with some fresh hummus, Greek yogurt, and cucumber red onion salad. Perfect pool snacks.

Submit a Q

Need a gift suggestion for your mother-in-law’s birthday? Stuck on how to rearrange the furniture in your living room? Want to know what to do with a jar of marinated artichokes? Come to mama. Hit me up with your questions, and I'll answer them in an upcoming letter.