My Favorites in 2025

I’m usually hesitant to name favorites, but looking back on 2025, there were a few things that stayed with me. Not because they were the best, but because they felt right in the moment. This is a small list of what I loved this year.

Favorite trip: DC

This was a really hard one, since we took so many wonderful trips this year and also went home to see family. In the end, though, I think my favorite was our trip to DC. We had planned the trip to visit friends, but they unfortunately got sick. Since our tickets were nonrefundable, we decided to go anyway. We stayed at a lovely hotel, explored the city, and spent a lot of time in museums. Even though we’ve both been to DC before, and I’ve visited my friends in Maryland quite a few times, this trip felt different. It was spontaneous and relaxing, which made it especially memorable.

Favorite new-to-me restaurant: Rule of Thirds

This was also a tough one, and I have a feeling I’m going to say that about everything. My friend and I went to Rule of Thirds to celebrate our friendiversary, and we loved both the food and the atmosphere. I’m usually not a non-alcoholic drink person, but both the mocktail and the complimentary NA wine were delicious.

Favorite bakery: Radio Bakery

I don’t know if it’s cheating to have both a favorite restaurant and a favorite bakery, and I’m probably also going to name a favorite dessert spot, but I make the rules, so it’s all good. We had so many focaccias from Radio Bakery this year. Sometimes we stood in line, and sometimes we didn’t have to. Either way, we loved their sandwiches. My favorite is the scallion cream cheese sandwich on everything-spice focaccia, which I kept coming back to.

Favorite dessert: LÀ LÁ Bakeshop

I told you this was coming. This was another tough one, since I probably eat a little too much dessert for my own good. But the coconut pandan sticky rice cake at La La Bakery is truly something special. The longan jasmine tea is just as good. After we tried it together, my friend couldn’t stop thinking about it, and she ended up driving four hours just to come back for more. I think that says everything.

Favorite exhibition: Porcelain Garden: Vladimir Kanevsky at The Frick Collection

I made a conscious effort this year to visit museums I hadn’t been to before, and it certainly paid off. I loved The Met Cloisters, too, and it was hard to choose between that and The Frick Collection. In the end, though, seeing Vermeer’s Love Letters and Porcelain Garden stayed with me the most. The flowers and bouquets were absolutely beautiful and so lifelike that I kept forgetting they were porcelain. I also couldn’t get enough of the Fragonard Room, returning again and again just to stand there and look.

Favorite recurring joy: Long walks by the river

During the warmer months, this was probably my favorite thing to do. I took long walks by the river, people-watching as I went, watching the water move, the light shift, and the sun slowly set.

Favorite thing I tried for the first time: Escape room

I’m very late to the party, but I really enjoyed going to an escape room. I went for the first time this summer, and then ended up going twice more with friends. It turns out I love solving puzzles. I’ve always enjoyed Rubik’s cubes and jigsaw puzzles, so I probably should have known I’d like this. 

Favorite book:???

I’m going to get back to you on this one. Choosing feels impossible, and I have a feeling this will turn into a longer list later.

What a year it’s been. Looking back, I feel grateful for all of it: the planned trips and the spontaneous ones, the familiar comforts and the small surprises. Thank you, 2025.