The Spiritual Experience That Is Singing In Your Car

That feeling; it just can't be replicated

During the five years I lived in DC without a car I did a lot of walking. And almost always those walks were paired with headphones and a playlist. Sure, there was the occasional podcast, and when that walk was to a bus stop I would usually pick up my book then, but a lot of my music was consumed while walking.

Since moving back to the suburbs I have done little walking, which means I listen to music in a different way: in my car.

Listening to music while you’re walking is an entirely different experience to listening to it your car. In the most internet-esque description possible: listening to music on your walk is like a soundtrack, like a performance between you and the people and the things around you even though no one else can hear what you’re listening too, they don’t care, but nonetheless it still feels like a sort of performance. But, listening to music in your car is so much more personal, that space is like your own microcosm of life, free of all inhibition.

You can’t just sing along to your music walking down the street.

I play this song every time I get into my car. This song requires you sing along. Same can be said with the new Olivia Rodrigo album. If I’m walking through Dupont Circle and “get him back!” is playing in my headphones how can I not sing along? And don’t even get me started on the vault songs from 1989. (This one is my favorite to sing in the car).

What I’ve learned since moving back home is that I really missed carelessly singing along to music in my car alone. It’s a scenario that can’t be replicated without 1) a car and 2) the open road which are hard to come by when you’re city living.

alright, let’t f*cking gab

#1 The Met Gala theme has been announced! “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” I love this theme, specifically the aspect of bringing back really old and hard to wear styles of clothing. I’m hoping there are a lot of art history nods in the carpet looks because how else are we supposed to know what people were wearing in the 1600s unless they were painted in it. I think these would be really cool references to see on the carpet:

(Left) Margaret of Austria, there are probably a million royals to choose from but I lover her collar and cape sleeves. I want to see someone in that, (Center) The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck, the perfect idea for a couple, (Right) The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, no better time than The Met Gala to reference this Rococo icon

#2 This piece written by Eliza Dumais for Vice, Sundays Are The Best Weekend Day, Don't @ Us which I couldn’t agree more with. Sundays are the best day of the entire week: Sunday breakfast, Sunday lie in, Sunday board game, Sunday book read. The list goes on and on and those things are just better on Sundays.

#3 Patrick Dempsey announced Sexiest Man Alive

Shocked it took McDreamy this long to be picked

#4 Alison Roman’s Thanksgiving video. This is my Superbowl. I really don’t like stuffing, but I think I’m gonna give the recipe in here a shot.

#5 Playing Bananagrams on a Sunday in front of the fireplace.

Wazoo- a person’s buttocks or anus.

#6 The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I remember being assigned to read this in high school, but I never actually read it in its entirety. I listened to it on audio while reading it, which I hate doing, but the writing style required some verbal guidance. On Spotify it was read by Hilary Swank which was so weird. Don’t recommend that audio book, but I do recommend reading the book.

pg. 57

#7 Harry Style’s shaved head. Yay or nay? Please comment below.

#8 I finished an entire balm dot com this week which in my world is a feat.

#9 The Crispy salmon with coconut rice & crackle sauce from Molly Baz’s More is More. Probably the most normal recipe title in this entire book. 10/10 meal! It was easy and inexpensive to make, really delicious and easy leftovers!

That’s all for now!

Xx,

Gabbie

(If you’ve read both my newsletters you deserve an extra sweet treat today)