At the beginning of 2019 I asked you guys on Instagram what kind of blog content you would like to see in the new year.  It was beyond helpful to look through tons of your responses, and it was clear that while y’all love fashion and style, it’s more insightful and personal content you’re really looking for.

So I wrote down a ton of your replies and there one I saw many times was, “how do you make friends in a new city?”  Today I’m rounding up the strategies I’ve used when we’ve moved time and time again.

7 Tips for Making Friends in a New City

1.  Go to a workout class.

I love to workout from home in SF because now I have to calculate the 10-15 minutes it takes to walk to the studio and then instead of a quick class it’s larger time commitment… but I still make myself go once or twice a week just too have that female social interaction.  A spin, yoga or pilates class has continued to be where I’ve met likeminded girls.

2.  If you have a dog, linger at the dog park.

Despite the fact that she’s definitely made finding housing more difficult, Bailey does help us be more social with our neighbors and neighborhood.  It’s how we’ve met countless people – just lingering with the dog in the front yard or walking her around the block.

Dogs and kids can be great icebreakers!

3.  Find a church or a small group.

We have usually found our church by narrowing down the church options in a certain radius and then literally searching their reviews on Yelp. No lie.  We will try 3-4 different churches and usually find one we both like!

Or you could even use services like Bumble BFF.

4.  Say yes.

Over the years I’ve become much more of a homebody.  It feels like instinct to say no to invitations or events because I’d rather be home.  However when I’m new to a city, I always try to say yes.

And almost always, I’m glad I did.  The social interaction and putting yourself out there is key to making new friends!

5.  Make Plans with that friend-of-your-sister-in-law’s sister.

You know that family friend that you haven’t seen in 15 years but your mom keeps telling you to reach out?  Or that friend of a friend?

Again, even though it’s tempting to stay at home in your sweatpants watching Bravo! (because you know I passionately love that), reach out.  There’s a 75% chance (or more!) that you’ll have a great time.

6.  Make an effort with coworkers.

When we first moved to Orange County, my job was essential to how I met other young women in the area.

And now that I work on CBL full-time, I am fortunate to get invited to events, and I always try to go if my work schedule allows.  I have showed up to many events not knowing a single person, but I’m always proud of  myself for being brave enough to go.

I know not all jobs put you in a position to be around people your age, but if you can make it happen or prioritize making some friendships in the break room – it makes a huge difference!

7.  Volunteer somewhere.

I love volunteering for three reasons:

• It makes my heart feel good.
• If I’m blue, it takes me out of my own life and reminds me of how much I have to be grateful for.
• It’s a great way to meet others with big hearts and honest intentions.

You can’t go wrong with volunteering because it’s always time well spent.

I read Christian this list to see if he had anything to add, and he made a great point.  Be proactive in pursuing your hobbies, and be open to meeting people while you’re at it. Because when you’re out and about doing something that interests you, you might meet someone else who enjoys that same thing.  And then you already have that thing in common.

Do you have any tips or tricks to add to this list? I’d love to hear what they are!  Thanks so much for reading and sharing, and I hope this will be helpful to some of you!  XO –

Last year around this time I shared this post with some of my favorite Netflix picks… because I’m a TV junkie.  Truth be told, I spend a lot of time at my home office, at my desk editing photos, putting together collages like the one above, writing blog posts, answering emails, etc., so I often have something on TV in the background.

My ideal pick for days like this are things that don’t require my full attention (which is why I’ve yet to sit down and watch Bird Box – I know I need to give it 100%!).  Anything too intense doesn’t work for my daytime marathons since I only give about 40% of my attention, but I save the more dramatic ones (like Ozark, House of Cards, etc.) for evenings when I can really concentrate on them.

With that being said, let’s get into some January goodness!

1 | Friends from College, Season 2 | Christian and I randomly discovered season 1 when it came out years ago and we binged it in two days. I LOVE Keegan-Michael Key on a spiritual level.  It’s hilarious, such a talented group of actors, and we loved both seasons so so much.

2 | Private Life | I heard about this movie from Sundance, and when it hit Netflix, I think I watched it the first day it came out. I love both lead actors, so I knew it would be worth the watch. And WOW. I was blown away at how raw, honest and heartbreaking it was, while still having laugh-out-loud moments.  It really helped me to understand more about women who have gone through IVF, and I feel more empathetic than ever about the process.

3 | Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat |  My friend Jennifer Rose recommend this four part docuseries and it’s both fascinating and adorable. The host may be the most enthusiastic and likable person I’ve ever seen in a documentary. If you love food or cooking – I think you’ll love this!

4 | Atypical |  I’d seen this on my Netflix homepage but I never watched the trailer.  On the first week of January when there was nothing going on, I dipped my toe in.  I watched both seasons that week. I can’t express enough how much I love shows like This Is Us, Atypical and Modern Family that highlight family dynamics that are anything but cookie cutter.  It’s insightful, endearing and helps us all be more understanding of each other.

5 | Queer Eye |  I LOVE these boys. It’s impossible to watch one of these episodes and not fall in love with them.  What’s great about this series is that you don’t have to follow anything in a particular order. You can just grab a quick episode when you feel like it.

6 | Sebastian Maniscalco |  My favorite shows of Sebastian’s are here and here, but this one is still worth a watch! I find myself saying “what’s wrong with people?” perhaps a little too often.  His small annoyances and observations are truly hilarious.

7 | You |  So many of you recommended this show and WHOA. Penn Badgley plays one convincing creepy guy.  Warning: it makes you want to do a background check on anyone you go on a date with.

8 | Gaga: Five Foot Two |  I’ve always been a Gaga fan, but this documentary revealed things about her I never would have known had she not been so vulnerable.  If you already love her, you’ll love her even more.  If you don’t, I think it will show you how talented and big her heart really is.

9 | Schitt’s Creek |  Ok so I have to confess I’ve only seen one episode of this show. My best friend Katie told me to watch it years ago, and I watched the first episode. I have no idea why I didn’t stick with it! Now my parents and so many friends LOVE this show. So I’m going to pick it back up. Everyone says it’s hilarious and it seems like the perfect show to tune into while I work. I’m on it!

For more recommendations, be sure to check out this post from last year.  And if you have a show you love that isn’t on either of these lists, I’d love to hear about it!

Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –