Trying to keep myself uplifted, so, I’m gonna dream.
Here are some items I’m dreaming of and a full bank account.
Chanel: Mini Classic Handbag
I have not seen this in person, but I think it would be a great addition to my capsule wardrobe. If the leather is like it looks here, I’m sure it can really withstand years of use. I’m sure it is really beautiful – lambskin.
I have seen this purse in person numerous times – the design is timeless, especially with the monogram. I love it and hope to add it to my capsule in the near future. I just read about the details of the bag on the website and it is canvas.
I doubt most people know that. Looks like leather.
I’ve had a few pair of these and I really enjoy them, however, I would prefer that they were still full leather. I lived in these during the Fall and Winter months, however, if they continue to fall apart after a few wears, I will stick with my second hand Frye Boots, for sure (I may need to do a whole post on my Frye Boot collection). I really like the design of these boots, they are very simple and greatly enhance my Capsule Wardrobe, but come on, Michael of Michael Kors. Come on.
I am more of a Honda fan, but they keep discontinuing the cars that I like, so I’m moving on to Toyota. I love the new Prius design, but that price tag? It needs to be fully electric in my opinion. If I were rich, I’d buy this car and convert it. This would be an upgraded version of the CRZ for me.
Recently, I’ve really enjoyed tagging some of my favorite artists on TikTok, hoping that I can participate in their creative process as well. I am not sure that any of my comments have gotten to them, however, I have been doing that for a while and I hope that they enjoy it and know that I think about them frequently. They have added so much joy and thought to my life. I aspire to be like them in some ways.
As I peruse the app for creative inspo, I have found some very entertaining things. I want to share them here, though I cannot say that they will still be active by the time you all find them. Especially this first Creator. I don’t think that many of my readers know this but I have attained fluency in Spanish though I am continuing to strengthen my skills. This Creator is sharing how to speak dirty in Spanish, and he sure is GOOD AT IT.
@elniggatino – Wanna learn how to curse or speak more explicitly in Spanish, this is the way to go. He is a cutie and of age! He even has a real explicit Spanish course available for purchase. Just 10 bucks!
@Blackbean_cms – What a talented artist. Not only are his paintings amazing but his videos are sooo good! He makes me laugh a lot. In one of his latest vids, he shared how to make paint from clay. Pretty cool if you ask me.
@novianwright_ – I really like this guy’s music. It is so vibey. He is BOSTON based and I was trying to share his work with people that I really admire, I’m not sure if it went anywhere. My heart belongs to them, Novian. YouKnowWho? I really like Sabotage and the feature below, ‘i wonder’.
A lot of life occurred in 2025, so much that I cannot blog about it all. I’ve considered vlogging some things, but I think that writing on my blog is truly the best medium for me right now.
I personally support each and every one of these recommendations. I have first hand experience with them. All things mentioned in this post have helped to make this year really great in some way and I want to share the experience with you. I hope that you take some time to either visit, purchase, or listen. Let me know if you feel similarly, have different opinions, or suggestions of your own. I’ve made this post specific to Atlanta as I am Atlanta based, however, most products or media can be found online, if there is something that must be done in person, please consider giving ATL a visit. 🙂
We’re full, but not so full these days.
Without further Ado.
Best of the year Nellielytu – ATLANTA 2025
Hair/Beauty/Skin
Most of my content has centered around this the entire time the website has been up, but I do have a products that I want to spotlight.
Lady Speed Stick Brazilian Mist Leave in Spray – I found this product at DOLLAR TREE of all places. I love the ingredient list, it works very well for my hair, it is super cheap (I go through a lot of this product as I use it as a daily refresh spray, so the price point is amazing. Pro tip: add aloe vera juice for additional moisture.) And the scent! It smells so much like Sol De Janiero (pistachio!) that it is hard to beat. The best, truly. A runner up would be Lola from Rio Rapunzel leave in. Also good but about 15x the price at my local Beauty Master.
Entertainment
Sinners. I know that everyone has been into SINNERS over the last year and I am no different. This movie was truly a treat – not too scary, fun, creative, well shot and acted. I love the use of imagination to create this work. I plan on seeing it again as they have brought it to IMAX for an additional showing. Woah!
Monster Rancher. What a blast from the past. I saw a post about this show mentioned on Threads (my newest social media obsession) and I knew that I had to watch it again. I have not been let down. UPN69 ahead of all the other stations with anime. Definitely worth a new watch.
Lupe Fiasco’s free concert in Boston. Lupe Fiasco and MIT hosted a concert in May with the Orchestra program and it was definitely worth flying in for. Anytime he posts about these types of events, try to check them out.
Interviews
I really love this man.
When I’m working, If I’m not listening to music, I’m listening to interviews/podcasts. I listened to this interview several times throughout the year and it is a good listen every time.
Food
Slim and Huskys. Best pizza on the planet this year! My love of the pizza that they serve is so great. The Rony, Roni, Rone is my go to. As I’m not a tomato eater, their pesto and Alfredo sauce is top tier. Add in that jalapeno cilantro dipping sauce and it is truly a treat.
Music
One Republic. Anything from them or from The Fray is on this list. Their music catalog got me through the workday on days where I’m doing a lot of data work.
Clothes
Rainbow Dresses. I love the simplicity of the standard rainbow dresses and you cannot beat the 10.00 price tag. The look good on everyone with a body con fit – just layer them with some thin heat tech and you are good to go for the winter. I’ve been trying this out during the late fall in ATL and it has served me well without having to pull out the chunky coats. I am just as sad as everyone else that the temps have been hovering around 35-45 degrees, but this combo has kept me well in the early mornings as I walk to work.
House Maintenance
Brookstone heating blanket – I have two of these and they are so helpful in the winter so I’m not running my heating bill through the roof. I have one for my bed and one for my couch.
Places to visit
ATL Botanical Garden – This is truly one of the best places to visit in Atlanta. I have been so many times over the last quarter – they have some of the best exhibits bar none (Alice in Wonderland) and the best winter light show in A.
I think of this brand as a lower budget alternative to La Mer. Not only do the products contain similar ingredients but they are much, much more cost effective. I tried this skincare a little over two years ago, and I’ve watched them as they have updated the line little by little. And let’s be honest, Pharrell has truly great skin. Who would not want skin like his? I do think that I have pretty nice skin, but his is amazing! I hope to see it in person one day.
As I am aging, I thought about getting La Mer, however, the prices for the products are so high that I shopped around for alternatives. I do, truly like the products, however, I truly think that the real secret of La Mer’s efficacy lies in moisture and fermentation.
I think that Pharrell’s products in the Humanrace skincare line are good alternatives to La Mer. (I have tried La Mer, I think that the products are wonderful – just a note, if you decided to spring for La Mer, try the mattifying cream, that is my personal favorite. I do really love the HumanRace moisturizer, it does not make me overly greasy. I was a terrible oil slick during puberty, Niacinamide has changed my life.)
I tried this part of the line when it first launched and I was really pleasantly surprised and quite happy with the results. In fact, I am pretty sure that the moisturizer is meant to be a dupe of the La Mer moisturizer. The cleanser is not drying and I feel as though the products pair very nicely with other products in my skincare regime. I like to use the Retrograde gel cleanser as a full body cleanser as well. Have any of you tried Pharrell’s products line or do you think that he’s just trying to profit from his lovely skin and crazy slow aging?
Here is a video he made during covid speaking about the product launch:
Another of him and Tyler speaking about the products and how they take care of their skin:
Love him – both he and the products are Nelliel Approved!
I have been on a YouTube kick for many years. 10 or so years ago, I found out about vlogging. I wanted to try my hand at it, however, my life just isn’t conducive to it. I have, however, found many, many YouTubers that have brought joy and laughter into my life in ways unexpected. I really appreciate YouTube, not only for existing, but for introducing me to these good people and giving them a platform to create in such ways.
During this time, the vloggers I watch have changed, however, I have been enjoying the ones listed below for almost 5 years now. Though they may not be in my life forever in this capacity, I do really like their work and growth. I’m sharing as I hope that you will enjoy them as much as I have.
AllyiahsFace
This vlogger has a lot of travel and fashion content. I really enjoy her personality and sense of style. I would say that she fits into a more LUXE niche, however, she puts a nice mix on the types of topics that she explores via her content. There is a lot of shopping, nail, and hair talk. She is very up on the trends and fashion. I loved that she was Atlanta based, however, she is now in New York and abroad most of the time. Her aesthetic is similar to my own. She is in her early thirties and seems to be thriving. She is so fun to watch.
Kirah makes similar content to the aforementioned vlogger, however, these two vloggers could not be more different. I love that Kirah’s honesty. She is so fun and unique. Kirah also makes a lot of travel and beauty content. I have not watched her as frequently, however, it is so dope to see the city of Atlanta feature in her vlogs so much. She is a laugh riot, insightful, always has some cool restaurants featured, and most recently worked with Beyonce (whoa!) on a Cecred campaign.
Sharing one of my favorite music and fashion artist today. Pharrell Williams. The cutie. ? With such prolific amounts of work, it is hard to pick one. This man was in Atlanta this past week, however, I did not get an exclusive invite to his award ceremony. ?
His work has grown more and more unique as time has gone by.
I’m sharing Lupe Fiasco’s latest work – Samurai. He now has a deluxe version – hard to find the work as a whole together so I am just linking to the original released in 2024.
Take a look at his insta to see what he has been up to. Loved the images and video captured of him running the 5k through Japan with the ASAP crew. Check it out here.
I am a hardcore Naruto fan – the anime is great – but I do not want to talk about that right now. What I want to talk about is how Naruto used to chow down on that ichiraku ramen (I’m sure those days are long gone as he is now married ?). I didn’t understand it, the Maruchan ramen is good, but not that good. Prior to eating at Okiboru, I’d never had ramen made by a professional chef. Truly it is a treat for the tastebuds. The ramen costs no more than $16.00 a bowl. Such a nice treat. They even have mochi ice cream desserts.
The ambiance is beautiful, the food is delicious, and the service is truly great. Just so you know I’m also a fan of their rice bowls.
The Buckhead ATL, Ga location is rarely packed. You can sit and enjoy for a while. Oh and did I mention that this chain of restaurants has received a Michelin star? ?
Check them out in the Atlanta Georgia area, NYC and LA.
You will not be disappointed. I thought that it was a great experience for my first time trying true Japanese ramen. ? share what you think about this spot if you’ve been.
The lucky winner is Lupe Fiasco – I’ve been sending this man items that remind me of his songs. 🙂 I will include this in his latest package.
Thank you. Sorry I haven’t been updating. I’ve been really busy. I do plan to have some posts on hair soon and I’ll probably share some updates on my threads, I just posted something we made up today – I called it a Kimchi Scramble.
Pro tip, unless you like warm Kimchi, add it at the end. On top with the goat cheese. Yes!
Btw, Lifeline brought Flow back. 🙁 I love this little beautiful kitty but I don’t think that my cats can tolerate another one indoors, I’m trying to get my sister to adopt Flow and King Louis Vuitton. I need to try to get King Louis to Lifeline for a neuter. It has been hard to do without a car. The older cat that keeps dropping by chases him away but I love his tenacity – I’m clearly someone he loves and trusts.
