Washington, D.C.—that politically-charged swamp-turned-status-symbol where ambition goes to put on a tailored suit and yell into a microphone. But like every power player, this city has an origin story. So grab your metro card and a sensible pair of walking shoes, because we’re time-traveling through the surprisingly messy, mildly shady, and definitely weird history of America’s capital. The Birth of a City (That Nobody Really Wanted) Back in the late 1700s, America was still figuring things out. They’d kicked out the British, written some spicy new rules called the Constitution, and now they needed a capital. But choosing one? Nightmare
Author: Kristen Grace
Beauty junkie, food obsessed, and constant wanderer.
I Made Walt Disney’s Favorite Chili — And It Was Mid
I’m not saying Uncle Walt didn’t know his way around a good story or a charming mouse in red shorts, but when it came to chili… the man may have been coasting on nostalgia. According to The Official Disney Parks Cookbook by Pam Brandon and the “Disney Chefs”, this recipe—now served at the Carnation Café on Main Street, U.S.A.—was Walt’s favorite meal. And I mean, cute! Historic! Culinary Disneyland lore! Of course I had to make it. I just wish the results lived up to the legacy. Let’s Talk Ingredients First off, this recipe is trying to do a lot. You’ve got two
The Scented Truth: Fragrance in Cosmetics
You know what sucks? Spending $85 on a moisturizer that smells like a botanical garden and then finding out it might be ruining your skin barrier and inflaming your sinuses. Welcome to the chaotic world of fragrance in cosmetics—where everything smells suspiciously like roses, but costs more than your student loan payment. Let’s sniff our way through the history, science, and scandal of cosmetic fragrance. Yes, that’s a sentence I just typed on purpose. 💐 A Brief History of Smelling Fancy Fragrance in cosmetics is not new. Ancient Egyptians were slathering themselves in scented oils around 3000 BCE because hygiene was a flex and a
An Open Letter to Victoria, British Columbia (From a Tourist Who Was Just Going to “Pop In” and Accidentally Fell in Love)
Dear Victoria, You mischievous little imp. I came to you thinking, “Cute place. Bet I can knock it out in a weekend.” What I didn’t realize was that you’d quietly rearrange my internal compass, ruin me for every other small coastal city, and have me googling ferry schedules and real estate listings like I was starring in a Hallmark movie. Let’s start with the harbor. Are you kidding me with that view? Boats bouncing, seaplanes landing like it’s no big deal, seals occasionally popping up to say, “Hey, this is our neighborhood too.” Meanwhile, I’m standing there with a coffee and an
Padma Lakshmi: Culinary Queen, Jewelry Icon
If you’ve ever found yourself watching Top Chef and caring more about the earrings than the entrée, congratulations! You, too, have fallen under Padma Lakshmi’s spell. Let’s get one thing clear: Padma is not just a host. She’s a cookbook author, producer, activist, mother, UN Goodwill Ambassador, and yes, an absolute fashion juggernaut. And while she serves up plenty of jaw-dropping red carpet looks, her true style secret weapon is her statement jewelry. Not content to let a borrowed diamond necklace do the talking, Padma comes armed with bangles that could double as armor, earrings that dare gravity to step up, and necklaces
A Whirlwind Tour of the Royal British Columbia Museum (aka: I Tried to Be Cultured but Got Distracted by a Glowing Sea Lion)
Back in July 2017, my man and I took a trip to the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, BC. And look—I’m ashamed to admit how long it took me to write about it. Because this place? Delightful. Absolutely, gloriously delightful. You know what wasn’t delightful? Realizing mid-selfie that the full name of the museum didn’t fit in the frame. That’s a lot of syllables, y’all. Let’s Start With a Confession I’m not what you’d call a museum scholar. My approach is more along the lines of: • Step 1: See shiny things. • Step 2: Gasp. • Step 3:
Spotlight: Hung Vanngo — The Man Behind the Face
Let me paint you a picture. You’re scrolling Instagram. You see Karlie Kloss looking like a literal Renaissance painting. Selena Gomez with skin that glows like she bathes in moonlight and Serums Only Sold in Heaven. Kendall Jenner with the kind of softly smudged eyeliner that makes you whisper “teach me.” And in the comments? One name, over and over again: Hung Vanngo. At this point, I’m convinced the man doesn’t blend makeup—he whispers blessings into the brush. And as someone trying to claw her way out of a makeup rut (hi, it’s me, Kristen), I had to know more about him.
How to Find Your Undereye Bags and Actually Do Something About Them
Let’s be honest: I don’t wake up looking like a glowy woodland fairy. Most days I wake up looking like I’ve been personally victimized by fluorescent lighting and unresolved trauma. And if you’re reading this, I’m assuming we’re in the same club. Welcome. We have concealer and emotional support water bottles. Now, let’s talk undereye bags. Not the cute “oh I stayed out too late dancing” kind, but the “I haven’t slept properly since 2007 and I might cry at any moment” kind. The kind that no amount of caffeine can fix—but the right technique can. Step 1: Meet Your Bags
📸 That Time I Tried to Become an Egyptologist (But Mostly Took Pictures)
A Royal BC Museum Adventure | July 2017 ✨ The Grand Plan Back in July 2017, I had Big Main Character Energy. I was visiting the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, BC, and I was fully prepared to emerge from the Egyptian exhibit with enough notes to write an academic paper. Maybe even a new career path? Kristen: Amateur Egyptologist. It had a nice ring to it. My intention? My reality? 📷 The Exhibit Was That Good Let me be clear: this wasn’t a failure of willpower — this was a failure of awe. From the moment I stepped into the exhibit, it was dimly
Brands – I Was Promised Alpine Wellness and All I Got Was Glowy Skin: A Deep Dive into Susanne Kaufmann
Let me tell you about a woman who took one look at the high-maintenance chaos of the beauty industry and said, “No thanks, I’ll just be quietly perfect over here in the Austrian Alps.” Her name? Susanne Kaufmann. Her brand? A minimalist-glass-bottle fantasy of spa-level skincare that smells like a luxury resort and works like a lab experiment gone right. It’s the kind of brand you instinctively whisper about, because it feels like shouting in the middle of a hot spring. Let’s get into it. 🏔 From Alpine Grandma to Global Glow-Up Susanne Kaufmann didn’t stumble into beauty from a