22 Best Moments of '22
From skinny-dipping to concerts, canyoneering, and dancing. It was a year of new experiences and big achievements!
Last week, I had the extraordinary opportunity to spend the night aboard the iconic Venice Simplon Orient Express during its inaugural journey to the French Alps. I’m not going to go into too much detail on the experience itself (and why it’s called the VSOE as opposed to just the OE) because I was invited for work and I’ll be writing about it for AFAR magazine. But it inspired me to sit back, scroll through my photos, and remember some of the other incredible experiences I had this year—both personally and professionally—and, wow, it was an epic year! Which is kinda ironic, considering I’m ending it feeling ready for some big shifts in 2023…! Still, this being the last letter of 2022, I thought I’d share some of the highlights with you. And then, as usual, after spending time working on it, I got all in my head like, “Geez, Sara. Way to be boastful. Maybe offer them something useful. It’s all YOU, YOU, YOU.”
Mais non. I cannot delete yet another draft. (In this case, I am legit thinking of YOU, the reader, lest this thing never go out!) And I will not let the air out of all the colorful balloons I amassed this year out of fear of being canceled for my appreciation. Because that’s what it is: appreciation and gratitude. So! I’m going to (humbly) let those balloons float up in the hopes they not only inspire you with their promise, levity, and range, but also encourage you to do the same: look back and reflect. To find and honor the small joys, the big wins, and maybe a bit of the struggle from the last year before launching into the next. You’ve still got a week left, after all. And if you’ve already got some top of mind to shout off, pop ’em in the comments below.
As for mine, some are specific, some are general. Some are profound, and some are shallow. Some were planned, and others (7, to be specific!) were spontaneous. Many were solo, but most were with dear friends or family. But upon reflection, all feel like gifts that leave me wanting little else this holiday season. Alors! In order of occurrence:
Receiving my 10-year resident card. EN FIN!
Meeting my literary agent IRL. When you wish upon a star…
Getting a facial at the DIOR spa at Cheval Blanc Paris. Bliss.
Doing a beer crawl on a sunny day in Oakland, CA. Day drinking, holla!
Visiting Crystal Cove where they filmed Beaches. Nostalgia FTW.
Sleeping overnight in the Moulin Rouge. Feathers and fringe, oh my!
Boating to a private cove on Sipan island, Croatia. Pinch me.
Solo sunrise yoga in the Negev. Annnnnd breathe.
Doubling up on Shabbat dinners in TLV. Beshert.
Getting my first tattoo. Already want another.
Canyoneering, aka “aqua rando,” in Corsica. Slip ’n slide.
Watching (read: dozing off) during a movie outside the Louvre. Magical.
Positive home deliveries: AC and a bedframe! Game changers.
Sunbathing by a pool on Governor’s Island. New Yorker 4 Life.
Cal’s first concert at the Montauk Lighthouse. VIPs.
Floating on the canal with Mom while Dad was on DJ duty. Home.
Skinny dipping in the south of France. Free the nipples.
Seeing Arcade Fire live in concert. Everything WOW.
Off-season surf watching in Hossegor. Happy Place 2.0.
Hiking and live performances in Meudon. Nature + artistry.
Viewing the semi-final World Cup match aboard the VSOE. ALLEZ!
Dancing at La Samaritaine to Mariah Carey’s AIWFCIY. Shimmy.
Wishing you all your own memorable moments for the remainder of ’22 and beyond. Bon week-end, bonne fétes, love and light, xx — Sara
Clickable
My Girl Crush on adapting her novel for TV. | The Atlantic
Three pregnancies. Three states. Too many abortion rules. | WaPo
Patti Smith’s “state of nothingness.” | Harper’s Bazaar
When a fruit is not just a fruit. Or an eggplant. | T Magazine
Guess which Paris hotels made the annual Gold List? | (Me for) CNT
For the women of Iran: Be their voice. | The Cut
In which movie trailers are BS marketing schemes. | Vox
Dissecting the “Nepo Baby.” | Vulture
Watchable
I am still not familiar with H.E.R., but, er, her performance as Belle in the recently-aired TV special of “Beauty and the Beast” has officially made me a fan. Be sure to watch through to the end for an ELECTRIC surprise!
As a Barbie lover, one-time player, and collector, I couldn’t be more psyched to see Margot Robbie cast as the leggy doll herself, not to mention my hunk-a-hunk-a-burning love Ryan Gosling as her main squeeze, Ken. With indie darling Greta Gerwig directing the “satirical science fiction” film, it’s bound to be a hoot. Come on Barbie, let’s go party! (Ooo ooo ooo)
Currently overthinking…
…what to pack for LA in winter, especially shoes…whether the first line of my intro to this letter is grammatically correct…
Souvenir: Ricola Commercial
It’s the season of sickness, which got me thinkin’ about cough drops, which got me thinkin’ of the Swiss lozenges commercial for Riiiiiiiiicola! Man, they were ahead of their time in creating a meme/Reel/TikTok for the ages!
Loved this round up of an eventful year!