March Edit

welcome :)

Welcome to Limited Friction

Hi hello!

Thank you for being here :’)

Limited Friction is a space for me to share recommendations + reflections.

Every month, I’ll send an update on what I’m reading, what & where I’ve been exploring, who I’m following, current hyperfixations, playlists + podcasts I’ve been listening to, new discoveries, and general musings about life.

---

Following

• Step Your World — Google Maps meets Beli. City guides & recommendations from tastemakers all over the world. Beautiful UX. 10/10 content curation.

I still use Google Maps as my primary tool for saving, organizing, and sharing recommendations, but I absolutely love what Step is building. It’s a beautiful app and a great place to discover new places from global tastemakers + influencers.

Instagram / Step iOS App

---

• Perfectly Imperfect — Former Meta engineer, Tyler Bainbridge, created a newsletter + Instagram page that has morphed into a new kind of social network. The website + app feel refreshing and janky in the best way. No ads, no algorithm, just vibes.

“Perfectly Imperfect gazes back nostalgically to an era when corporate algorithms didn’t control cultural discovery" — Joseph Bernstein for NYT:‘Can Everyone Be a Tastemaker?’

Substack / Instagram / PI.FYI App

---

• Depthsofwikipedia — A brilliantly curated feed of weird, hilarious, and very random things that Annie Rau & her followers have discovered on Wikipedia.

  I love silly, random facts. Annie’s curation is 10/10 and personal account is also worth following. Bonus Points: Get to know Annie by reading her Perfectly Imperfect feature.

---

Reading

• Every book Jen Beagin has ever written

  Big Swiss was the best book I read last year. I just finished her other 2 novels, Vaccum in the Dark and Pretend I’m Dead and absolutely devoured both of them. I’m addicted to her writing style & such a fan of her relateable, well-rounded, and deeply flawed characters.

• I’m a Fan by Sheena Patel

  So unbelievably good. The narrator forms an unhealthy obsession with an influencer that is sleeping with the same man as her. The entire story is told through short, non-linear chapters with hilarious titles.

• The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty

  A quick, messy read. Slightly dystopian setting with weird rituals, a teacher x student affair, and lots of uniquely fucked up characters.

• The First Bad Man by Miranda July

  Miranda July is a creative genius. Her writing will make you uncomfortable in the best way possible. If you like this one, her short story collection No One Belongs Here More Than You is equally disturbing + delicious.

---

Exploring

Williamsburg & Greenpoint

1. Diamond Lil — Came across this spot when searching for an after-dinner wine moment. Beautiful mosaic tile floors & stained glass decor. Backyard patio, good tunes, & perfectly soft lighting.

2. Nick + Sons — Easily the best croissant I’ve ever had. Odd hours. Line is never too long but go early if you can; they sell out quick.

3. Spoonbill & Sugartown Books — Independent bookstore in the heart of Williamsburg. Great place to shop for gifts & gather inspiration from unique art + design publications.

4. Wei’s — Perfect for date night, solo dumpling side quest, or a night-cap. Portion sizes are epic and the red lighting is so cozy & inviting.

5. Happy Medium — Went to the opening weekend of their new location in Greenpoint & loved it. Absolutely worth the hype.

6. Bakeri — I always deserve a little treat, so naturally I find myself here at least once a week. Every pastry is delicious & the staff is so friendly.

7. Diner — The perfect bar + restaurant. In the body of a 90-year-old Pullman dining car.

---

Listening

I’ve been making Spotify playlists religiously since 2012. The best thing about using Spotify like a maniac is that I’ve created a playlist for every friendship, relationship, road trip, celebration, and feeling that I’ve experienced for the past 12+ years. I can look back at my playlists and map a very honest, vulnerable, and accurate timeline of my feelings and life experiences.

Here are the songs that accompanied me through March:

And 2 podcast episodes:

---

Reflecting

I love being ridiculously open & honest on the internet.

I started using Tumblr when I was 12; sharing bad poetry & immature thoughts with strangers.

From the ages of 15 to 22, I had a very active private Twitter account where I tweeted 32,000 thoughts & feelings:

Even though platforms like Ask.fm were incredibly toxic, I loved answering anonymous questions with brash openness.

Even Facebook used to be a place where you could feel empowered to share things like:

I don’t tweet my stream of consciousness anymore, and I’ve stopped writing captions & sharing photos of myself on Instagram; the whole platform feels much less personal now.

My intention isn’t to start using this newsletter as a diary — that’s what the notes app is for.

I’m just really looking forward to having a place where I can share (and overshare), reflect, and keep up with friends from New York to California, Vancouver to London, and everywhere in between.

See you next month :)