SOUPE DU JOUR: APRIL 2026
what Team TOGS is doing when we aren’t researching or writing about clothes
Hello, Toggsers!
Welcome to April’s Soupe Du Jour, our monthly round-up of what each of us have been reading, cooking, wearing, and more.
As always, we’d love to see any of your own finds, obsessions, or recommendations in the comments section. (In fact, this is a potluck, and it’d be a little uncouth if you didn’t help make this meal a feast!)
Bon appétit!
Reading
Vigil by George Saunders-ate this one up in two sittings. This book had me thinking a lot about what to do with “bad” people. People who end up, through their lives' work, destroying nature and humanity. It’s easy to know what to do with “good” people. We exalt them, we praise them, we thank them. But it’s hard to answer the question of what if you were just born that way. That way, being incapable of making the kind, gracious decisions that lift humanity? Are some people just destined to be evil? And what do we, society, do with that?
Collected Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges-a gift from Pierre, a book I’m slowly making my way through. I started with, and loved, the Library of Babel. His writing is so inspiring—a way to think and write more creatively and beyond normal human constructs.
The Land In Winter by Andrew Miller-I have a few more chapters till the end, but I was instantly dropped into the lives of the characters by page 2. A novel that looks at the everyday existence.
The Patch by John McPhee-in my dreams, I am back in university, taking a class with McPhee and soaking up all the ways he crafts sentences to make such clear short stories.
Listening
Dialectic Podcast with guest Celine Nguyen. I would say I fall under the category of people who are generally content with life and, at times, even overwhelmed by the beauty of living. But every once in a while, I’ll feel a sense of being off balance. 100% of the time it comes from a lack of reading AND writing pieces of substance. In preparation for the baby, I’ve been head down in finishing a big copywriting project, writing TOGS, and getting my butt kicked by French taxes (who knew US taxes could feel like a breeze). It’s been months since I’ve met with my writing group, and months since I’ve written the kind of piece that recenters the balance. The kind that pushes me to think hard and big. Life moves in stages, and I recognize that I’m simply in an administrative, pay-the-bills, be-ready-to-bring-in-another-human stage, but the podcast with Celine reminded me to put importance back on the kind of active reading, thinking, and writing that makes me feel like me.
On Being Podcast-Turning Unbearable Loss into Grounds for Shared Life. Pregnancy hormones have left me feeling pretty weepy (not in a bad way), but challenging for this current news cycle. Just thinking of all the innocent humans whose lives are destroyed by senseless wars gets the tear ducts flowing. This podcast planted a seed of hope and reminded me of the beauty of human resilience. It goes very well with one of my favorite books-Apeirogon by Column McCann.
Watching
The Constant Gardener-an older classic that I love.
Shrinking-Recommended before, but I adore this show. Fun fact, Harrison Ford was my neighbor growing up! I have no idea what Pierre and I will watch now that the season is over.
The Pitt-ER nor Grey’s Anatomy never tickled my fancy, but I’m down for the Pitt.
Sentimental Value-A testament to what feels like the slowest French learning progress in history, was watching this film, which is in Norwegian, with French subtitles, and understanding eighty percent of this film (I think).
Planning
Big outdoor adventures are no longer on the table at this phase of pregnancy. But I’ve been planning out a little trip to Paris I’d like to take before Peanut’s arrival. Thank goodness good art gives me the same endorphin high as sports. Top of the list is seeing the Nan Goldin exhibit at the Grand Palais, the Sebastião Salgado exhibit at Hotel de Ville, eating a pastry at Utopie, and searching for a pair of pants with an elastic waist (nothing fits anymore) and a vintage nightgown for those future 2am wake-ups. If Paris is out of the equation, I’m determined to at least make it to Grenoble for Bernard Descamps exhibit.
Image by Sebastião Salgado 
chemin de la philosophie, 1994, Japan, Bernard Descamps
Reading
A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia Savage McAlester. I’m a fan of any book that offers a new lens on a familiar subject. Upon reading this one, you may find yourself engaging in something like birding, but for domestic architecture.
The classified ad section from The Cut’s “Personals” newsletter, which has singles from cities across the U.S. pitching themselves to potential suitors in 100 words or less. The entries come from all ages and all types, and besides being hilarious, are an entertaining reminder of both the universality and idiosyncrasy of desire.
“How Zac Posen Went from Making Ball Gowns to Remaking the Gap” by Rachel Syme. Mall brands are mounting a comeback—or they’re at least trying to. This article profiles fashion wunderkind Zac Posen as he tries to reinvigorate the Gap.
Listening
Courtney Barnett’s new album, Creature of Habit. The Australian singer-songwriter’s lyrics are as deadpan and indecisive as ever, and I’m here for it.
For whatever reason, I had a few errant lines from N.W.A’s “Express Yourself” stuck in my head during a ski tour last weekend. I couldn’t get past the couplet “’I’m expressing with my full capabilities / And now I’m living in correctional facilities” so I listened to the whole album when I got home and I think you should too.
Breakfasting
My brother introduced me to chia pudding while I was visiting him in the Bay Area this past November, but when I flew back home I felt too cold to eat it in the mornings. Now that it’s spring (and berry prices are dropping!), I’ve been back on my game. I use this NYT recipe as a base and usually opt for full fat coconut milk from the can, because, well, yum.
Doing
One of my favorite ways to welcome the spring season is to block off an entire Saturday, gather (or join) a group of friends, and cast out on an ambitious bike ride that’ll take most or all of the day. The whole thing is less about endurance than it is about setting yourself up to goof off in the woods, lose track of the clock, and return home having had an experience.
Wearing
Here are some things I’ve been enjoying doing with clothes lately, with some notable ones numbered.
1. Putting unexpected things, such as my travel mug or 3 avocados, in the giant pockets of the Gramicci Voyager Pants 2. Ski touring in the Klattermusen Syn LS Shirt, which is delightfully airy, even when you’re roasting on a glacier 3. Running in the Klättermusen Diser Running Short, which has the most charming little exposed waist cinch and diagonal bottom hems 4. Putting the Sim Works Twist Flower through the pen loop in my mega-brimmed baseball cap.
My apologies for a very skimpy Soupe Du Jour from my end this month! It’s been one of those freelance months (well, a few of those) where everything happened all at once and it’s been buuusy busy. I haven’t had a single day where I wasn’t either driving or working (except for one very fun wedding Saturday—thanks, Tom and Lollie!)
I’m really looking forward to May where things will slow down…
… I have blocked off time to rest, charge my crispy little batteries, and write and research for TOGS while the tulips bloom! Hallelujah!
Listening
I haven’t had any time to read, but I have been listening to lots of things on long drives!
Charley Crockett’s new album Age of the Ram. Sometimes when you’ve been on a rural Colorado road for 5 hours, a western tune just feels right.
Astral Weeks by Van Morrison. It’s a bit sacrilegious to play this out of my clapped Jeep speakers and not on a hearty crackling record player, but some Van is better than no Van.
Tom Misch’s new album Full Circle. I love “Red Moon.”
Down Time’s Latest Dreams. My buddies’ band—they so literally rock.
Podcasts: NPR’s Up First, The Daily, This American Life… in that order. Amy Poehler’s Good Hang to bring morale back up, when needed. (Which is often.)
North’s section above has informed me that Courtney Barnett has a new album! BRB!
Doing
-Utilizing my Paper Republic journal that I picked up in Austria, its place of origin. Such a beautiful and helpful tool! I’m still ultra-reliant on my Google Calendar, but for to-do lists and ideas, having a physical place for creative thoughts and shopping lists has been lovely.
-Attending Boot Tan Fest for the first time last weekend! I was organizing and emceeing the inaugural fashion show which was so sweet and special and I just had the best time being around so many stoked women.
Designing
I’ve been a part of a lot of incredible projects in the past few months, none of which I can really talk about yet, but here are some teasers:
-I helped a ski company that I’ve designed for in the past create their new collection and campaign for winter 26/27. It has my favorite color palette yet and I truly don’t know how I’m going to pick one. Coming out this fall!
-I’ve been designing a line (for the past year!) with a really special women’s outdoor brand. Print lovers assemble! Coming out this spring :)
-A very exciting knitwear project with an extremely talented fiber artist. Coming to you in December-ish!
-A house! All of this workin’ because we are in the very earliest stages of building a house on a little patch of land that we now own. Eeep! My pinterest board is overflowing. Coming who knows when!
Watching
-Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, I’m such a fan of the TV show and the movie was fun! Not quite the same, but still fun. What I did love was hearing two of my favorite artists on the soundtrack: Fontaines D.C.’s Grian Chatten and Lankum.
-Modern Family from Episode 1. Now that’s feel good TV.
Wearing
It’s been a function-forward spring!
Lots of spring looks for partnerships with brands over on Instagram— I really loved all of these ones so much. (It’s worth noting that I turn down a lot of potential partnerships because the style or quality of things aren’t up to my standard, and if you ever see me endorsing anything anywhere, It’s because I’ve already tested it and I mean it!)
Mountain Hardwear Sundrift Cooling Longsleeve: I am, admittedly, not a fan of sunhoodies. I understand their purpose, but think they are.. unpleasant on the eyes. But I found this boxy, collared sunshirt be really nice looking and incredibly comfortable for hiking.
REI Co-op Barrel Pants: My favorite piece from the new REI trailmade collection. A great lightweight, affordable hiking pant.
Mountain Hardwear Men’s Cloud Cipher Rain Jacket: I love a cinch-able bottom men’s jacket. It just makes the right shape. And this color is so fun!
Oakley FLG pants. Oakley has some of my favorite baggy hiking pants from the past few years. If the theme of this month has been wearing lightweight hiking materials then these certainly fit in the category. They have great unisex styles and cool zip-offs!
Thanks for reading this month’s Soupe Du Jour! Make sure to drop your own finds, obsessions, or recommendations in the comment section.
Thank you so much for reading and see you on Friday.
xo
TOGS