Hi my dears. We’re still in shock over the devastation from the LA fires. It’s very unlikely they’ll reach the South Bay, where we live. Here, everything is coated in ash and the kids are having indoor recess due to crummy air quality. We’ve been so grateful for each check in text from faraway friends.
Gratefully, we were able to offer bread, baby clothes, books, toys, and art supplies to a few families who lost their houses and came to stay with loved ones in our neighborhood. Tonight the teenagers in our ward are making 100 sack lunches for displaced families.
I also have to say how moved I was by the football aspect of it (words I never thought I’d type). The NFL quickly made the decision to relocate both LA teams’ playoff games to Arizona over the weekend, which is a massive logistical undertaking for the players and staff from all three teams involved, thousands of people. Over 50,000 tickets sold out in less than two hours, can you believe that? The LA Rams filled thirty buses with fans and drove them out there the day of the game, and the Arizona Cardinals provided space for the players to practice and even transformed their field with hundreds of gallons of paint and stocked LA merch in their gift shops. It just warmed my heart to see all this effort — effort from real human beings, and so many of them — to help make these games happen for LA in the middle of a crisis.
May I offer a suggestion, especially if you aren’t local or in a financial position to donate: serve someone in your neighborhood. Make treats for your local fire department, spend a morning picking up trash in your park, take in your neighbors’ garbage bins. Yes, there is a special need for help in LA right now, but people are quietly struggling everywhere, and you can change someone’s life wherever you live.
“The miracle is this: The more we share the more we have.”
— Leonard Nimoy
today’s bouquet
Happy birthday to my wacky wonderful quiet Lucy, who is somehow nine, the most bittersweet milestone. She picked out this reversible jacket and cherry cardigan. (I’m regretting not adding this to our order.) Carnations, whole milk, chocolate ice cream, West Hollywood, snails, and the word “snuggle” will always remind me of you, Lucy Cup.
Over Christmas break, we ate at my friend Matt’s restaurant The Pizza Yard (you guys, everything was delicious). They had paper and crayons for kids, which came in the cutest mini red enamel cups. Naturally I went hunting for them and found out they come in so many colors, both mini and tumbler size. We’ve been using mason jars for the last four years since I tossed all our plastics in my fertility cleanse, so I ordered eighteen on the spot! The shipping was ghastly expensive but I’m so excited about them. (Similar styles here and here.)
Portland readers, pleeeease go see the Witches of the West art show and tell me everything!
The most magical post I’ve read in 2025.
It’s thank you note season for me, aren’t these pretty?
A very cool read: detention in the art teacher’s room.
“Our children are best served by learning skills that set them apart from machines.”
I am on a major Benson Boone kick (is everyone?). His VMA performance knocked my socks off!
Marvelous art work #1: x-ray photographs. You just have to see them.
Marvelous art work #2: transparent quilts. The artist statement, oh my gosh.
Watched this six times in a row. (via Lizzy)
You must eat the lemon. Haha.
My sister took a jewelry making class at Sundance over the holidays (we each took an art class there! It was so fun!) where her teacher told us about this local Utah jewelry shop whose pieces are actually handmade to order and not mass produced, like lots of other “small business” jewelers in Utah. I’m going to order a mini birth flower band with my babies’ birth flowers! (via Emily)
handpicked shopping
Note: in a world where mothers are being marketed to more than anyone, I worry a lot about whether I’m harming my readers by sharing even more stuff to buy. I’m going to try keeping the shopping links mostly in one place in the newsletter so you can skip them if you prefer — will you let me know what you think?
Cute heart sweater!
Wish I was brave enough to wear these sexy black boots.
This dress actually made my jaw drop.
Joined the waitlist for this tee, bien sûr.
This denim dress would make a great year-round staple (similar here). It reminds me of Beth Dutton, in a non-crazy way :)
Have you seen the Ralph Lauren x Naiomi Glasses collab? This sweater is art.
My sister Mary found this patchwork jumpsuit at our new FP in San Juan Capistrano and I haven’t stopped thinking about it.
Snatching these before they sell out in my size again.
Thanks to readers Kristen S, Ruth L, Jojo B, and Kelly G, I have learned the secret to staying warm: wool and cashmere! It’s like magic. I grabbed two of Kule’s 100% cashmere Betty sweaters used on eBay and they’re so cozy.
Thank you for shopping and clicking! Each time you purchase through my commissionable links, I make a few dollars and I am so grateful.
last thing
Although I’m not on Instagram or TikTok, I LOVE sharing and I think I’d implode without this newsletter, haha. If you’re interested in starting a newsletter/ have q’s about Substack, I’m happy to chat! Email me anytime, alex@alexsteele.co
Readers today: 1,910
Grateful for you.
I love your suggestion about how to help and also these details about how the NFL helped? The news has been so hard but seeing people take care of each other has been so healing for me (at the risk of sounding so sappy).
1) Lu's carnations are poppin!!!
2) YES i really really like having the "buy this" links all together so that my brain knows what it's signing up for and can opt in or out of links for purchase! Thank you for being considerate!!!!!