• Celebrating love!!!- I have been on my annual wedding tear and I am so lucky to have friends that have impeccable taste (in both wedding curation and in partners), and who have chosen the most incredible locations to collect their friends and family. It has been really cool to see how many of my friends have taken a non-traditional approach to a very traditional affair, claiming the parts of it all that resonate with them, and bringing quite a bit of new into the mix, as well. Last weekend in Costa Rica we, the bridesmaids and bride, arrived by speedboat onto the beach barefoot, and dropped a handcrafted, botanical love elixir into our champagne to cheers after the fact. The weekend before we incorporated pre and post wedding yoga classes at the bride’s yoga studio that she founded and opened in Detroit. There are no rules!! In all seriousness, though, weddings always serve to remind me that there are very few things as precious and rare as deep love connections (both romantic and not), and that getting to do life with people you love, and who love you so deeply in return, magnifies the beauty and richness of it all tenfold. A big shoutout to our founder Nicole who got engaged this summer to the angel and support system that is her now-fiancé, and is in wedding planning mode herself. Cannot wait to celebrate you. 

What we’re listening to: 

• Brat (obviously!): I need not go in-depth here, but this album was released since we last wrote a newsletter and I would be remiss to not throw it in the mix. Highlights include Girl, so confusing version with lorde, Guess, and I think about it all the time. I admit I am a bandwagon, late-to-the-party Charli fan (despite some people’s best efforts) but at least I am here now!! 

• Summertimesculpted: My latest Sculpt class playlist for your listening pleasure. I am quite sick of it because I’ve been teaching it for the last month, but you don’t have to be! My new sculpt playlist will be debuting next week and will be loosely an ode to New York and the closing of beautiful life chapters. But for now, sweaty, nasty, poppy summer vibes. 

What we’re reading: 

• Martyr! A Novel: This is my favorite book in recent history. Let that be enough! But if you don’t believe me, or don’t yet trust my taste, all of the critics seem to agree. I felt uniquely tied to the story- the journey of a young Iranian man who emigrated to the US after the Iranian Revolution (and a tragic familial accident), a huge part of the story centering around an experience at the Brooklyn Museum, and generally the listlessness of quarter-age crises around purpose, love, and identity. The author, Kaveh Akbar, is a well-known poet and in his first work of fiction weaves poetry in both literally and through some of the most beautiful, allegorical descriptions I’ve read in a novel in some time. I enjoyed my time spent with this book so, so much, and I hope you do, too. 

• The Death and Life of Great American Cities: A tucked away update for the LookUp community… I am moving to London (!!!) where I will be studying Urban Design (the program is formally called “Cities”) at Central Saint Martins, while continuing to work at my incredible creative agency, and also creatively support LookUp. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be able to hold space for my current creative pursuits and passions, while simultaneously pursuing a passion that I hope to fold into my career over time. All that to say, this book, gifted to me by a best friend who shares this passion, is a love letter to both New York City, and to the art of city making at large by the inimitable Jane Jacobs. It is absolutely packed with information and a dense but beautiful read. Perfectly paired with a novel to alternate between, and something that will be highlighted, annotated, and returned to again and again. 

Something that reminded us why we started LookUp:

• Getting into our first retail location!!: Find us (soon!) at Huset on Abbot Kinney, the cutest furniture/ homeware/ fashion/ accessories store that is truly the perfect fit for LookUp. We’re excited to expand further in retail settings in both NY and LA, and if you have a shop you know we might be great in please do let us know. It still is genuinely so exciting seeing our products out in the wild. Our hats have been spotted organically too at the airport, in a non-LookUp TikTok, and out on a boat docking in San Diego. Keep texting us when it happens, it warms our lil hearts! 

Best thing I ate this week that made me put my phone down: 

• Cervos (& Eel Bar and literally all of their restaurant group restaurants): I hopped, skipped, and tripped into a dinner at Cervos the other night with one of my best friends after walking into the general vicinity and wondering if we maybe should just sit down for a snack?! The snack of course was yellowfin tuna, white prawns (a la plancha), and their epic piri piri chicken with fries that cannot sit out of the reach of your oily fingertips for more than five seconds. I also recently went to Eel Bar, the newest restaurant in the group, and while you may walk right by it because it literally looks like a garage with no door, once you’re inside you will be in heaven. Make sure you get their signature martini, the meatballs, the potato salad, the black rice, the burger, and honestly just the whole menu (that was a lot of it). I know I need not say more, but also in the restaurant family are Harts and The Fly and they just don’t miss!! 

Stay cool and Look Up. 

Xo, Jackie, your LookUp Creative Director and phone-health evangelist 

Together, we’re holding space for conversations with creatives, from chefs to artists, athletes, and founders, on what it means to scroll less and LookUp more. In celebration of Mental Health Month and as part of this partnership, LookUp is committed to donating 5% of sales to The Charlie Fund during May.

Our next two conversations were with Dianna Cohen, the founder behind @crownaffair, the clean haircare brand rooted in taking your time, building community, and providing thoughtful guidance, and Jesse Israel, the founder behind the mass meditation movement, @thebigquiet, known for touring with Oprah and cohosting broadcasts with Deepak Chopra.

An announcement for our NY-based LookUp crew that will be in the city on Saturday, June 15th (tomorrow!!)! Join us for an epic block party in Soho with OnFemme and Nordic Poetry (and sponsored by our favorites- Hampton Water and Rosaluna), for vintage shopping, no-phone fun, and sips.

RSVP HERE!!!!

An Offline Encounter with Dianna Cohen

1. What does having and keeping rituals mean to you?

The power of a ritual is in consistency. It’s about showing up every single day for yourself— that’s where you see reach change and transformation. It’s the days you don’t feel like doing it or don’t think you need it that the best work comes out. My daily rituals keep me ground in who I am and they make me feel whole.  

2. When things start moving too fast, how do you slow down + reconnect with your rituals?

Our connection to our breath is one of the most important things we have. When things start moving too fast I instinctively take a few deep breaths. It immediately regulates my nervous system and brings me back to my meditation cushion I sit on in the morning. No matter where I am or how overwhelmed I feel, those breaths ground me back to my daily practice and allow me to move on to whatever is ahead with more ease and grace. 

3. How do you connect to yourself? (offline, no screens!)

I feel most connected and inspired when I’m in nature or around art. I love going to museums to fuel me back up. Spending time alone is essential for me to reconnect with myself. I carve out time weekly for ‘me’ creative time away from screens. 

An Offline Encounter with Jesse Israel

1. What are some practices or rituals you engage in to quiet the outside world and tune into your own voice?

I love making my phone boring. Here are the ways I do that: my iPhone homescreen is almost entirely empty — I only have 2 main apps and 1 folder of most used apps. I've got notifications turned off for everything except phone calls. I use app blockers that allow me to only check apps like Instagram at set times after work hours. I keep my phone charged in the bathroom when I sleep at night. I don't check my phone for the first 30 mins of every day. 

My phone doesn't control my attention. Instead, I choose when I bring my attention to my phone. And as a result, I can turn up or turn down the noise of the world -- making it easier to hear who I am along the way.

2. Constant digital connectivity can make us feel less connected physically. How do you use your online community to build and facilitate connections IRL? 

I've always been a big social club guy. Over the past 15 years, I've run cheeseburger clubs, bike clubs, meditation clubs, ocean dip clubs. Anything that allows people to come together IRL and connect over simple and fun activities. People are hungrier than ever to connect -- and most people just need to be given permission for that connection to occur. Clubs grant that permission and bring more joy into people’s lives -- and are a perfect way for online relationships to become in-person connections. 

I like asking people: "If you could start a club around 1 hobby that you love, what would it be?” 

3. How do you connect to yourself? (offline, no screens!)

I’m all about the art of solo-time. Solitude Deprivation (a term coined by Cal Newport) is a real thing, as it’s become almost impossible to experience distraction-free time and just be by ourselves with our thoughts. Solo-time is critical for processing emotions, thought generation and ideation, accessing innate creativity and making sense of our life’s purpose. 

The most profound way that I experience this is by planning 1 solo trip a year where I’ll rent a small home or cabin in nature for a weekend or longer without my phone or laptop, and without seeing other people for the entire trip. Every time I leave a solo trip I come back into the world with more love for myself and my relationships, more excitement for my projects and work, and clearer about why I’m on this earth. It’s the single most potent modality I have in my toolkit. For people who want to give it a try, I have a starter pack document at bit.ly/solonaturetrip 

Thank you to Dianna and Jesse for joining us in our Offline Encounters series, and for being a beautiful reminder to us all of the beauty that exists outside of our screens.

We challenge you to take one piece of inspiration out into the world with you this weekend- find some solo-time to connect to yourself, make a thing, head to a museum, unplug.

Stay cool and LookUp,

Your favorite phone-health evangelists

Together, we’re holding space for conversations with creatives, from chefs to artists, athletes, and founders, on what it means to scroll less and LookUp more. In celebration of Mental Health Month and as part of this partnership, LookUp is committed to donating 5% of sales to The Charlie Fund during May.

Our next two conversations were with Edgar Gonzalez, the founder behind @andafterthatnet, part creative agency, part community project and maker who focuses on cut and sew pieces inspired by film and music, and Liz Ridgeway, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Psychotherapist and founder of @mentl.sesh, who specializes in providing individual therapy to elite athletes, high performers, and creatives.

An announcement for our NY-based LookUp crew that will be in the city on Saturday, June 15th! Join us for an epic block party in Soho with OnFemme and Nordic Poetry (and sponsored by our favorites- Hampton Water and Rosaluna), for vintage shopping, no-phone fun, and sips.

RSVP HERE!!!!

An Offline Encounter with Edgar Gonzalez

1. What makes film + television such a strong connection point for people? 

Media in general is, in my opinion, is at best just a mirror to whatever we are living through and while preferences may change we have all experienced the same emotions- joy, loss and everything in between and through seeing it on screen we can better understand it/ come to terms with it. 

2. Through that, how does it feel to know that your designs help people connect offline through media they’re passionate about? 

It’s my favorite type of message, a common one too, “I bought the t-shirt before I watched it but it is now one of my favorite movies”  all of the media I base my work on is either close to my heart or to people around me whom I keep close to my heart. 

3. You’ve built a creative community largely through your phone from McAllen, TX. with people from all over the world. What’s it like when you finally get to be in the same room as those people? 

It’s always beautiful and overwhelming- there’s a sprinkle of nerves and impostor syndrome but it is largely forgotten when the love and conversations start flowing. 

4. As someone whose work depends so heavily on screens, how do you make space to disconnect + be creative? 

It is something I desperately want to get better at, but lately there has been many large changes in my life and I have been going on long long morning walks in the mornings- and I am learning to cherish those quiet moments so much because of the peace I am able to feel within.

An Offline Encounter with Liz Ridgeway

1. How do you think about fashion as a way of getting to know yourself? What about for channeling creativity?

For me, fashion has always been a way for me to explore my interests, tastes, tell my story, and express myself.  I think of it as a nonverbal way to communicate who I am as a person to others.  It definitely helps with my career as a therapist too - connecting with clients or potential clients, because I’m a firm believer in showing up authentically as myself, including my style and what I wear.  It’s quite common to catch me in nostalgic pieces, whether it be rocking vintage sportswear, or Disney apparel, it’s a way for me to connect with my inner child and have a reminder of the things that make me happy and memories associated with that.  Personally, I struggle with my own confidence, self esteem, and loving my body, so experimenting with fashion and my personal style is another way that allows me to channel my creativity (I love fun textures and color/pattern play) by working on improving the relationship I have with myself.

2. The internet is full of outfit guides and style how-tos. Do you have any tips for developing personal style without all the noise?

It’s really important to find the balance between what’s true to you and being open to taking inspiration or tips from the internet.  One important reminder is that just because a lot of other people online are doing something, doesn’t mean you have to follow or do the same.  Try to take inspiration from the style you resonate with and put your own spin on it. Think of who you are as a human being and the story you want to visually tell and do your best to tell it through your style. Think of the qualities or characteristics you can show through your outfits. Prioritize comfort.  Follow people online who you feel motivated by, rather than those who make you feel insecure, jealous, or bad about yourself.  Know that it’s okay to experiment and see what works for you and what doesn’t work when you are trying to find your personal style. It might take some time until you pinpoint this for yourself, but ultimately if you like it and it makes you feel good, then that’s what matters.

3. What are some ways you connect to yourself (without screens)?

Some ways that I connect with myself sans screen is by playing sports, cooking, spending time outside, trying new restaurants with friends - really just remembering all the other facets of my identity and honoring them by making a point to do those things.  I grew up a huge Philadelphia sports fan, so now that I live in the Philly suburbs I’ve been spending a lot of time at games.  I also really enjoy cooking because it forces me to be present and can be a challenge, so I try to cook dinners for my family during the weekdays.  I spend a lot of time outside in nature, going on walks, playing tennis, or with my dog.  I think for me the biggest way to connect with myself is to constantly remind myself that my identity isn’t just that I’m a therapist, or someone with a social media presence, that I’m so much more than that.

4. Who is someone in your world who inspires you to LookUp? (put your phone down, be present, etc)

Someone in my world who inspires me to LookUp is my friend (and also my talent manager) KJ.  Even though both of our careers involve being online, we do a really great job when we are together to be present in the moment.  Something KJ always says is “if you like it, then it’s cool” and this always reminds me that our personal style is truly unique to who we are as people.  Owning our authenticity is way cooler than being a clone.

Thank you to Edgar and Liz for joining us in our Offline Encounters series, and for being a beautiful reminder to us all of the beauty that exists outside of our screens.

We challenge you to take one piece of inspiration out into the world with you this weekend- check-in with a friend, make a thing, unplug.

Stay cool and LookUp,

Your favorite phone-health evangelists

Together, we’re holding space for conversations with creatives, from chefs to artists, athletes, and founders, on what it means to scroll less and LookUp more. In celebration of Mental Health Month and as part of this partnership, LookUp is committed to donating 5% of sales to The Charlie Fund during May.

Our next two conversations were with Tara Thomas, an NYC-based chef and food artists who has worked with brands like Glossier, contributed to Apartamento cookbooks, and been profiled in Cherry Bombe, and Amy Mazius and Davy Greenberg, the founders behind metahaiku, a creative studio with a physical space in the Art’s District of LA. The metahaiku HQ hosts popups, photoshoots, and also has its own soap with Graza.

Also an announcement before we jump in! We are collecting a bit more information from YOU, our community, about how you want to see LookUp make its transition out of your homes and into the world. Take our SUPER quick survey here and share your thoughts with us! We would be so eternally grateful.

An Offline Encounter with Tara Thomas

1. What do you think is so special about the human connection formed over food?

The most special human connection happens through the medium of food whether it’s dining together, cooking, sharing ingredients, or farming. The connection between all facets of food brings us together. I will die on the hill that food sovereignty will bring world peace, conflicts between communities around the world begin with food insecurity and oppression through nourishment. Food connects humanity and humanity to the biome, to experience commune nourishment and space to experience compassion for one another is truly powerful.

2. What questions do you ask yourself when you're putting a room together?

When putting a room together I ask myself a few questions:

• Does the atmosphere and objects communicate the purpose of guests coming together – is everything there to have the experience I’ve envisioned?

• Are all guest accounted for and am I prepared to provide the a hospitality experience that welcomes them and respects their boundaries?

• What are guests taking home from this experience physically mentally, spiritually? Does this experience have the ability to become a nostalgic moment that lives in space and time!?

3. How do you connect to yourself? (offline, no screens!)

Well, I’m a bit of a cyborg but I’m very much a human. Daily I have rituals around my bedtime routine, a fabulous everything shower and getting cozy. I live part-time in Norway so a few times a year I escape to our farm to just be in a space that I don’t typically pick up my phone in, some times we go to the cabin where there is zero service… it’s so restorative to foster that human experience without devices.

An Offline Encounter with Amy Mazius + Davy Greenberg

1. Communication is the foundation of any good relationship, personal or professional. You two balance both under one roof. What tools have you developed or leaned on to be intentional with your language when communicating with each other?

We truly believe we’re on the same team. Communication comes surprisingly natural for us which is probably a big part of why this works. We both voice our opinions while also keeping perspective. It’s important to remember that even if something feels critical in the moment, it’s always best to take a step back and look at in context of the bigger picture (and our relationship). We both win by remembering what really matters. 

2. What's the best advice you've received about maintaining a healthy relationship working with a partner?

We remind each other constantly that our value is more than our work. The things we believe in, the way we spend our time, how we show up for others and ourselves is just as big a part of who we are as anything we do for work. It’s a slippery slope to hinge all your value on external success; we try to look at life holistically. 

3. How do you connect to each other outside of work (+ without screens)?

We take the saying “touch grass” seriously in this household. Phone-free hikes are a regular part of our routine. When we get the chance, we love getting outside of the city, getting our bare feet on the ground and waking up surrounded by mountains/desert/forest. 

Another quick fix is a delicious, phone-free meal. Connecting over our shared vegan-ethos and enjoying every bite takes us out of a work headspace and allows us to just experience the moment with each other. 

Thank you to Tara, Amy and Davy for joining us in our Offline Encounters series, and for being a beautiful reminder to us all of the beauty that exists outside of our screens.

We challenge you to take one piece of inspiration out into the world with you this weekend- cook a meal with a friend, make a thing, unplug.

Stay cool and LookUp,

Your favorite phone-health evangelists

Together, we’re holding space for conversations with creatives, from chefs to artists, athletes, and founders, on what it means to scroll less and LookUp more. In celebration of Mental Health Month and as part of this partnership, LookUp is committed to donating 5% of sales to The Charlie Fund during May.

Our first two conversations were with Camilla Marcus, the founder behind , a thoughtful pantry-staples brand with a mission to do better for the planet, and Nate Brown, a NYC-based creative director who’s worked with Beyoncé, Calvin Klein, and Nike for over 15 years. He’s also the cofounder behind Rosaluna Mezcal. Most recently, Nate launched Handstand, his agency fueled by curiosity.

An Offline Encounter with Camilla Marcus

1. Food and language have such a strong connection. How has life as a chef changed the way you communicate outside of the kitchen?

When you live your life connected to how food is grown and then transformed to nourish others, I look at everything through an even more intentional lens. Quality time is my love language, so it grounds me to bring people together. I’m also a very fluid, visual creator, and I think that infuses into how I communicate and show up in the world - with passion, some spontaneity, vibrance, and care.

2. How do you think a meal changes when you approach cooking with curiosity and creativity?

My cooking philosophy is all about playing jazz - letting the ingredients, your mood, the occasion, and some outside inspiration guide you as you dance through the process. To me, the thrill and vibrance of creating a meal and taking care of others comes in act of creation - not knowing completely how it will come out in the end and taking chances on a new piece of produce or technique I’ve not tried before. In that way, it becomes an adventure and meaningful growth experience, rather than a routine or chore.

3. How do you connect to yourself? (offline, no screens!) 

I try to do something every day for me, just for me - a solo bright spot.  Sometimes that’s a walk with my dog, sometimes it’s a solo hike, other times it’s just hanging with our chickens and listening to the garden, while other times my moment is cooking testing out a new recipe or idea. I find meditative practices in really being with my own thoughts, giving time and open space to a creative spark, or just even an indulgent nap when my body feels I need it.  It’s never the same respite, but it’s always intuitive.

4. Who is someone in your world who inspires you to LookUp? (put your phone down, be present, etc)

There is nothing more grounding in my life than my children and our animals. They have an innate cosmic connection to the universe that’s raw, unfiltered, and spontaneous. Their limitless capacity for joy, exploration, and unpredictability keeps me on my toes and pulls me into reality at any given moment, away from the world of tech and responsibility. Being with them, you feel everything without distractions if you let yourself fully surrender to the moment with them.

An Offline Encounter with Nate Brown

1. Creativity can be so subjective, what does it mean to you?

Finding the answer to the unanswered questions.

2. How do you suggest finding and nurturing your own unique creative voice?

You already have the voice, creativity is the act of revealing it. Reveal it by making things, failing at it, learning and adjusting, and making more. Enrich yourself by learning about as much as you can, and surround yourself with people who show you new things.

3. How do you connect to yourself? (offline, no screens!)

Meditate, write, and sleep.

4. Who is someone in your community who reminds you to look up?

I am always inspired by one of my best friends (we also co-founded Rosaluna together), Terry Lee. We’re always sharing books, music, travel, food and more together, and we’re never on our phones when we hang out.

5. Bonus question: You mentioned you’ve been experimenting with making a concerted effort to spend less time on your phone, even deleting social media from your device. Have you felt this impact the way you approach your world, if so, how?

It has, reality is what you want it to be, so my reality just shifted, and you adopt pretty quickly. I use social media, though, it’s a powerful tool that has connected me to many talented people around the world in ways never possible without it. But I took it off my phone to break the habit of mindlessly opening it.

Thank you to Camilla and Nate for kicking off our Offline Encounters series, and for being a beautiful reminder to us all of the beauty that exists outside of our screens.

We challenge you to take one piece of inspiration out into the world with you this weekend- cook a meal with a friend, make a thing, unplug.

Stay cool and LookUp,

Your favorite phone-health evangelists

• Leaning into our passions outside of work: The jury is still out on whether our day jobs should be something that deeply fulfill us, or if it is better to lean into our strongest skill sets and focus on the outcome of a paycheck that will then allow us to live the fullest and most aligned life outside of work, but either way I do know it is important to make space for what lights us up. And for me, as the most gemini-y gemini, I have a wide and ever-changing rotation of passion areas (see the guitar, keyboard, paint and canvases, and more scattered around my apt). One of my long consistent passion areas though is art, and more specifically art in public spaces. This week I was lucky enough to attend a chat about the art featured around our NYC Transit system and station refurbishment projects, as well as a discussion between Sarah Sze, a world-renowned contemporary artist (literally just back from her install trip to Venice for the Biennale) who created a massive hanging art piece in LGA’s Terminal B, and Teju Cole, a decorated photographer and writer/commentator, hosted by Public Art Fund. The consistent themes centered around the democratization of contemporary art (at a time when so little of our lives and enjoyment comes “free”) and the implicit message to communities and city constituents that they matter when the places they frequent on the day to day are up-leveled and honored. While harder to track, these works are correlated with a decrease in violence and crime, and anecdotally with bringing a huge amount of pleasure to commuters (I mean, duh, but still).

Art in public spaces like our subway stations and airports quite literally bring our eyes up during our commutes. These often stressful moments are diffused and interrupted by moments of surprise and beauty, and the space that is created for inspection and imagination. For now public art and spatial design are passions, but maybe one day will be a space I work in.

What we’re listening to: 

• Love Me JeJe, Tems: We’re leaning into some New Music Friday picks this week. The weather is turning and I’m on the hunt for my songs of the summer. You know that playlist you make that ties you back to a moment in time? Well I’m building mine now, and like all playlists I make and love, Tems has a central place on it. This was more mellow than I had expected the new single to be, and yet I can’t stop listening. Just good vibes. 

• OK (feat. MAVI), Amindi: Like Tems, Amindi is a playlist staple and an artist I’ve been obsessed with since her album, Take What You Need, came out last year. Green House remains my favorite song of hers but OK is a bop and getting a feature on the summer playlist. She comes to New York mid-June and I will be at her show, come with! 

• Colors, Black Pumas: Okay I’m deviating from my own theme of New Music here, but I started thinking about Amindi’s show this summer, and it reminded me of another show I’m incredibly excited for, which is the Black Pumas at the recently refurbished and reopened Brooklyn Paramount Theatre at the end of July. I knew the Black Pumas before but really locked in on my love for them when they came on at a small vinyl listening bar I happened upon in Mexico City last fall. They belong on all playlists, can really fit all vibes, and will be such an incredible live show. 

Something that reminded us why we started LookUp:

• Getting featured in Dieline!! Listen, we’re not in this for the press, but as a small, three person team who for the large part of the last two years were building something behind the scenes, it feels really, really good to know that what we’ve worked so hard to create is something that people understand, appreciate, and are starting to really resonate with. And honestly, having our product finally out in the world has also meant starting to receive real feedback based on people touching, feeling, and actually using the product, and we are so excited and grateful to hear it all. It has led to such interesting and honest conversations around phone usage, how hard it is to really, actually put it away, and what those inhibitors are. We’re also learning more about what people want to see from us as a brand, from events and activations, different sizes and variations of the box, and more. If you have thoughts, too, please reach out!!! We’re all building LookUp, the brand, and LookUp, the habits, together. 

Best thing I ate this week that made me put my phone down: 

• The Hoxton Williamsburg Lobby: I spend more time here than I’d like to admit, but it is truly the best coworking space and a short walk from Corepower (where I the rest of time). Everyone is so locked in on work and I’m so productive here, but maybe more importantly, the food is fantastic. I guess it is really coming from the restaurant downstairs, K’Far, and not the generic “lobby” itself, but my favorite order when here is their Tuna Melt. It’s on a Jerusalem Bagel (a long, thin, seed-covered loaf situation), and it is both divine and massive. I am a tuna sandwich GIRL and while I’ll usually take a (well-made) cold tuna salad sando over a tuna melt, I do not discriminate and I look forward to treating myself to this sandwich once a week or two. I just ordered one right now, happy Friday to me. :)

Stay cool and Look Up. 

Xo, Jackie, your LookUp Creative Director and phone-health evangelist 

Ways we’re looking up: 

• Book Club: I’m very lucky to be surrounded by more intelligent, curious, crazy funny, and beautifully warm-hearted women than I can count, and one of my many deeply treasured friend groups puts on the most successful and long-running book club I have ever had the pleasure of joining. We meet once a month and genuinely do read the book, or at least over half of it. Not only do we read the book, but we really do talk about it!! Thoughtful, vulnerable questions. Open conversation. Whoever chooses the book hosts the gathering and oftentimes has snacks (or a full-on dinner) themed around the book, too. I’m up this month and chose “The Biography of X,” which is well over our roughly 350 word limit, but when I brought it to the chat, everyone was immediately up for the challenge which warmed my heart in a way I can’t quite articulate. Love you book club. 

• Cherry Blossoms (with a side of the Brooklyn Museum): I’m going to truly make an effort to not talk about my museum outings every week, but I joined two of my best friends for a day at the Brooklyn Museum to visit the Giants exhibit- a selection of works from Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz personal collection. I cannot recommend you visit enough, the Meleko Mokgosi room was my favorite, and Gordon Parks and Kwame Brathwaite’s photographs were a fast follow. We also stumbled upon the unexpected opening of Hiroshige’s “100 view of Edo” (which you now know as Tokyo), with additional honorary reworks of a few “views” by Takashi Murakami. Hiroshige’s collection hasn’t been displayed publicly for over 20 years and arriving the day after its opening by chance felt kismet. As inspired by the magically featured cherry blossoms within his works, we made our way outside and into the Brooklyn Botanical Garden to see the first blooms of the season. If you are a true cherry blossom chaser like I am, and have been refreshing Cherry Watch everyday this week, I’ll see you back at the BBG this weekend- the esplanade blooms are finally live!!!  

A moment of honesty: 

• I’ve had a pretty shit week. I won’t get into any personal details here, but in life’s more painful moments I’ve so often found myself looking to fill that searing “hole” with the endless scroll. And each and every time the longer I scroll the wider the hole expands until I fall down into a state of numb nothingness. In seeking connection and support, I reach for the tools designed to bring me just that, and yet I couldn’t feel farther from reality, or from my own thoughts and feelings, which I suppose is what I’m after and exactly what I don’t need. Nicole and I talk about this all the time; we may have started a digital health company but we are so far from perfect and when confronted with difficult life moments we are reminded why we believe so strongly in our mission. I haven’t used my LookUp tin this week. I feel extra attached to the semblance of security my phone is bringing me but my goal is to get there soon. To be able to put it away and sit with myself in silence, to allow myself to go inwards. I will take it back out for all of the beautiful phone conversations I’ve been having with friends though, those can definitely stay. 

What we’re listening to: 

• Silver Springs, Fleetwood Mac: Did anyone else have a point in their life where they fell deep down into the Silver Springs-lore? All of the Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham theories that we’ll just never fully know the truth behind?! I mean when you watch the 1997 live performance we can all agree something happened there. The musical compatibility and romance and the intensity of a fire that burned too bright to not consume its parts. Or something like that. I can’t get enough of it and if you need the next best thing then first read, then watch, Daisy Jones and the Six, it's the perfect fan-fiction for the Fleetwood-obsessed.

• Binz, Solange: It’s all about comfort music this week and this was my number one most listened to song last year. I knew this song and adored it even before I knew it was Solange singing, and when I finally discovered it was, it all made so much sense. She is the coolest person. A genuine creative, experimenter, multi-disciplinary, world-builder, (interior designer?), and someone I’m incredibly inspired by (minus the singing bit, that will likely never be me). I have friends that have made the case for Solange as the superior Knowles, and while I may not go so far, I do think I’d choose to spend a day hanging with Solange over her icon of a sister. Controversial! 

Something that reminded us why we started LookUp:

• The opportunity to work with the coolest people!! We’ve brought on the most incredible creative consultant, Emma Apple Chozick. Emma is based out of Miami and recently left her role with Thingtesting to go full-time freelance with the coolest rolodex made up of the who’s-who of brands, and we’re so lucky to have her with us at LookUp and to be among them. You know when you start brainstorming and strategizing and building with someone who just gets it right away? It is the most energizing feeling, and while we won’t say too much about what's to come just yet, we are more excited about what we’re building than ever, and so excited to bring such real value and learning and change to our community (that is you!). Stay tuned. And if you are a design lover and don’t already follow Emma on TikTok or on her Substack, get on it, because her curation and features are full of undiscovered gems and inspiration. 

Best thing I ate this week that made me put my phone down: 

• Birds of a Feather: I’m not sure how it took me this long to talk about a major favorite of mine and my friend’s, but nothing like a cozy night-in with one of my best friends yesterday, where we over-ordered and over-ate to remind me of it. Birds of a Feather is a Sichuan Chinese restaurant in Williamsburg that is just the right level of spicy to have you sweating but never compromising on taste. Do not miss the Spicy Fish Filet, the Duck fried rice, or the Dan Dan noodles, and add in a veg for that “green thing on the table” factor, and for the fact that they are all so damn delicious. I have been to Birds with best friends, on first dates, and ordered it in alone, and it is perfectly perfect in every which scenario.    

Stay cool and Look Up. 

Xo, Jackie, your LookUp Creative Director and phone-health evangelist

• The Eclipse!!: If you were anywhere near the path of totality in the US this week, you might have witnessed what I did, which was clusters of people all around you, off of their phones, looking (hopefully through those little cardboard glasses, passing them around to friends and strangers), up in the same direction towards the sun. It was so beautiful to witness. There are so few things these days that make us genuinely feel connected to humanity at large. To our innate sense of wonder, to the collective, to any moment where that connection is felt and seen viscerally and not through a screen. It reminded me of the moment in a workout class where every person is moving to the exact same beat for those thirty seconds or so of synchronicity and something happens. It's almost vibrational. That feeling of “we are one.” The eclipse made me deeply crave more of these moments of connection. 

• Voice Notes: One surefire way to not be looking down at your phone texting is to just leave a voice note instead. I know people are generally in two camps here, and feel quite strongly about the one they’ve chosen, but how is it not better to hear your friends and loved ones’ voice and inflection (and sure, sometimes the very strong winds they’re walking through) as they tell you a hilarious story or just ramble along until they eventually remember what they were voice-noting you about in the first place?! They’re beautiful and intimate and I keep every single one I receive. To me, a voice note is the modern love letter. Having a voice note to listen to on my walk home from the train or on a bike ride is the coziest feeling and if you’ve ever sent me one, know that I listened to it at least three times.   

What we’re reading:

• Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design, Charles Montgomery: This book is about exactly what you think it is, and I have been moseying my way through, enlightened at every turn. I’m finding such joy in each narrative outlining the often simple interferences into urban design in both small towns and big cities around the world, made through the lens of optimizing happiness rather than profit. A foundational profile within the book is that of Enqrique Peñalosa, a previous Mayor of Bogota, Colombia, often called the Mayor of Happiness. He believed that he “might not be able to fix the economy but [he could] design the city to give people dignity, to make them feel rich. The city can make them happier." Many of these interventions had to do with cutting down on the presence of cars and overall commute times. One study I found fascinating is that cutting down a single person’s long commute to a short walk had the same effects on them as finding a new love. In Bogota specifically, Peñalosa’s time in office saw a decline in car accidents, murder and crime, an increase in air quality, and importantly an increase in reported happiness and well-being and hope for the future.  

What we’re listening to: 

• After Hours, Kehlani: You know those songs where you listen once and you’re like, “I mean, yeah!” but then you listen a couple more times and you can’t take it off repeat? This was that for me. My friend went to her listening party last weekend and the videos were just so epic that my love for Kehlani has continued to swell since. Girl can DANCE.

• MAMA’s EYES, METTE: Please, FOR ME, watch this music video, I beg of you. I just learned that METTE was a background dancer for Pharrell before launching her music career and that becomes clear in this video. The song is somehow both deeply emotional and an absolutely banger- not sure if I want to cry or run through a wall. I’m in love with it and cannot stop listening. It’s on my playlist this month for Corepower Sculpt class, which I’ll include here for a little self-promotion, and it gets the yogis going. 

• UFO, Olivia Dean: Okay, speaking of my Corepower class, the highlight of my life in the last year was having Olivia Dean herself come and take class while she was visiting New York on her tour. She was obviously just as cool in person and I was fangirling the whole time I was teaching. I desperately need her to release new music because her voice is magic, but for now I’m still on Messy and not at all sick of it. 

Something that reminded us why we started LookUp:

• I was lucky enough to be invited to a beautiful dinner party in a Tribeca art gallery last weekend put on by a burgeoning global collective called Rendez-Vouz. Their goal is to enjoy great meals, drinks, laughs in beautiful spaces centered around conversation, art, music, and generally celebrating the talents of its larger collective. I found the group to be so incredibly welcoming and warm, which could easily not be the case in building something inclined to be or assumed to be “exclusive.” I felt inspired by this achievement and realized that feeling is exactly something we want to apply back to the community we’re continuing to build with LookUp. We think the coolest people in the world are the ones that aren’t attached to their phones, but we also want everyone to be a part of that community and are here with open arms to welcome them into the movement. Not exclusive, but desirable and sought after and ready for you when you’re ready to opt-in. Also, this gorgeous long dinner table set-up (pictured below) immediately made us realize this table needed LookUp tins as centerpieces! Note to self to always come to events with two tins minimum. 

Best thing I ate this week that made me put my phone down: 

• Eyval: As a Persian girly, I have been dying to try this (not that new anymore) modern Persian restaurant in Bushwick and it genuinely blew me away. I went with a large enough group to merit a prix-fixe menu, which also meant getting to try all the hits. The Ghormeh sabzi, chicken Fesenjān, and kofta kebab were my highlight. So nostalgic and so incredibly well executed. The saffron martini was perfection and the ice cream sandwich (pistachio, saffron, rose, all the Persian hits) paired with a tea was the loveliest end to the meal. We somehow sat there for over three hours and closed the restaurant down. That’s when you know! This is my promise “out-loud” to myself that I will learn to make at least two Persian dishes at home this year. I may never do it like my grandpa or my mom, but dammit I will try. 

Stay cool and Look Up. 

Xo, Jackie, your LookUp Creative Director and phone-health evangelist 

• Museums: If you know me, you know that its actually a little crazy for it to have taken until our THIRD newsletter for me to talk about an art museum. While I couldn’t pick a favorite in New York (it would be the Brooklyn museum), I’m a member of the Whitney because I became obsessed with Henry Taylor and between going to see his show twice and then taking my mom, it just made financial sense. Last weekend I ventured to the west side to see the Whitney Biennial, their recently opened showcase of over 70 contemporary artists that debuts against a new theme every other year, this year’s being, “Better than the Real Thing.” What I find so beautiful about the Biennial is the Whitney’s incredibly thoughtful and diverse curation, really becoming a giant gallery space, giving each artist their room to breath and take center stage, while allowing the visitor endless opportunities to connect with a wide variety of medium, environment, and commentary. A few of the artists I loved this year included Sharon Hayes (video), Mary Lovelace O’Neal (acrylic on canvas), Eddie Rodolfo Aparici (sculpture), Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich (video), and Rose B. Simpson (sculpture). I’ll be going back at least twice more so if you’re my friend (or a friendly stranger) reading this and want to come with, text or DM me.  

• Concerts: I went and saw Romy last weekend at the Knockdown Center and if you’ve been reading, you know I featured her album Mid Air as a favorite a couple of newsletters ago. It was my first time at Knockdown Center and let me just say that venue is massive and if you think you’re close to the stage when the lights are low, just keep pushing forward. One silver lining to our back of house status was room to dance. And we danceddd. I have been craving a dance-y night out, jumping up and down in a massive, sweaty group of people, feeling attuned to that rare “at one with a collective” sensation, and I’ve finally emerged out my winter hiberation to do so. I gave myself permission to take two videos of my favorite songs, then put my phone away to enjoy the majority of the show unencumbered. It felt like just the right balance, and a practice I’m planning to try to stick to as I venture to concerts and shows around the city this summer. 

What we’re reading:

• This is Happiness, Niall Williams: While I don’t currently have the time and space to read a full book each week and share it back with you, I am a quarter of the way through This is Happiness, and I know whole-heartedly that I stand behind its recommendation. I originally found the book through Ann Patchett, author of Dutch House and many other notable works, and her Tiktoks that she records in her independent bookstore, Parnassus Books in Nashville. Her video about this book stuck with me- noting it as many authors favorite book and one you want to move through slowly to be able to soak up the prose. From my experience thus far I am highlighting passages every few pages and, while the book is about electricity finally making it to a small town in Ireland, it is more notably a reflection on the summation of the small, formative experiences in our young lives that craft us into the people we become. I’m generally less of a “reread their favorites” type of book-consumer, but I can already tell this is one I’ll come back to just to sit and stew within Williams’ words and the particularly cozy feeling of a warm memory that he wraps you into so poetically. 

What we’re listening to: 

• Girls on HBO Playlist: I’m rewatching Girls right now, which has felt like a universal experience per the internet sphere, and like many others, have been enlightened to the accuracy and hilarity of the show, especially now actually being a young woman living in Greenpoint where most of the show was filmed. Another revelation has been just how incredible the soundtrack was/is and if you didn’t lose your mind to the scene when Hannah and Marnie start dancing to Robyn’s, “Dancing On My Own” (Season 1, Ep 3), then I’m not sure we can be friends! 

• A Case of You, Joni Mitchell: Joni Mitchell left Spotify in 2022 in solidarity with Neil Young over misinformation concerns around the Joe Rogan podcast (which we won’t get into here), but over the last couple of weeks has returned her catalogue to the service. Joni is an icon that I candidly did discover through Love Actually (you know the scene) and this song is one of my favorites of hers. It was also more recently covered by James Blake, who paid homage so beautifully.  

• Bless the Telephone, Labi Siffre: This is actually my all-time favorite song. I could listen to it on repeat for hours whether I’m happy or sad, whatever the time of day. It is, to me, the most beautiful, pure thing. Labi has an incredible discography beyond Bless the Telephone, too, and this week while listening to My Song, I somehow finally realized that it is heavily sampled on Kanye West’s, I Wonder. Fun fact!  

Something that reminded us why we started LookUp:

• Yesterday I was reading a Substack from Juliana Salazar, an incredible mutli-hyphenate and Creative Director, where she spoke about the phenomenon of feeling more and more lonely and disconnected despite our highly (digitally) connected world. She’s lived in LA, NY, and now London, and has found this to exist amongst herself and her peers, often regardless of the physical place.

  “It seems like this is the consequence of individualism and hyper-individualism— the defining principle and the by-product, respectively, of the American dream we were all once sold. Almost all problems in our modern world can be traced back to hyper-individualism.” 

  Its a phenomenon I can myself relate to, a desire to feel more deeply connected to the community and people immediately around me. This was a reminder to me that we don’t have to prescribe to the hyper-individualist belief-system we’ve been sold, that we can and should lean on our friends, get to know and rely on our neighbors, and create a richer social fabric around us by peeling ourselves away from our screens at home (get out of the house!), and especially our screens in public (be where you are, lift your eyes up, be open to conversation). 

Best thing I ate this week that made me put my phone down: 

• Paulie Gee’s Pizza: A classic case of IFYKYK, Paulie Gee’s is many New Yorker’s and especially Brooklynites favorite slice (between this and L’industrie), and a Greenpoint staple. I’m a regular at the slice shop- always a Hellboy on a classic slice- but this week I finally made it to the sit down restaurant over by Transmitter park and it was even better experience than expected. Its a great place for a big crew, very reasonably priced, solid cocktails (dry gin martini with a twist for me), and most importantly unbelievable pizza. Give me Mike’s hot honey over some lil’ pepperonis and I am a very happy girl. Special shoutout to the Mootz if you’re a white pie lover, it was a sneaky favorite and a nice switch up amongst all that tomato sauce. 

Stay cool and Look Up. 

Xo, Jackie, your LookUp Creative Director and phone-health evangelist 

• Going to the movie theater: I finally took myself on a solo-date to see Dune 2 this week at Nitehawk. And okay, yes, this is also staring at a screen, WE KNOW. But there is something different in letting yourself be immersed in the collective movie-watching experience with a giant theater full of strangers’ oohs, ahs, and giggles, and your favorite movie theater snack (I am a Raisinette’s girl, and I won’t be taking any slander). My attention span is zero these days and being forced to be off my phone for the entirety of a (Dune-length) movie is something I struggle with on my own at home (and actually now when I most often use my own LookUp tin). 

Fun fact: There are no phones in the Dune universe that we see in the movies because years predating Dune One, humanity had waged a war with AI and subsequently outlawed all technology. We posted about this on our Insta this week. Make sure to follow for inspiration to stop your scroll.

• Hitting the farmer’s market: There is no time to look down here because the McGorlick Park farmer’s market is a true feast for the senses. I invited a couple of girlfriends over to my neck of the woods to experience my favorite Sunday ritual of wandering the market and picking up both things I don’t really need, and some things I definitely do. A sausage roll from my favorite meat-pie stand is included in the latter. Save yourself the purchase of one of those artsy “what's in season” posters, and spend that money on the fresh produce at your local farmer’s market instead. 

• This building. The way the sun hits this red color at dusk stops me in my tracks every single time. This is my “Perfect Days” moment (see below).

What we’re watching:

• Perfect Days: I can’t even begin to describe how incredibly touching this film is. It should be required watching for any of us who occasionally lose perspective in the world of keeping up with Jones’, hustle culture, and chasing a continuously elusive form of happiness fed only by acquisition and aesthetics. In the film we follow Hirayama, who cleans toilets around Tokyo, through his daily routine- the blips of interruption into the mundanity, sure, but mostly through the parts of his day that stay exactly the same. If you have a deep love of music and its ability to call you back to specific moments in your life, or have ever found yourself taking pictures of random trees (or buildings) and felt almost brought to tears by the way a beam of sunlight filters through the leaves, you’ll feel seen by this film. Not to mention how incredibly cool the featured public bathroom designs around Tokyo are.. but that’s an aside. The quote from the movie that best summed it up for me was, “Next time is next time. Now is now.” May we all slow down and see the world through Hirayama’s eyes.

What we’re listening to: 

• Babylon, David Grey: This song came out in 1999 and 25 years later (?!) it continues to hit. I’m calling it now, this will be my most played song of the year because I start pretty much every morning hopping onto my Citibike and putting it on. 

• The Perfect Days Soundtrack: When I said you’d love this movie if you love great music, I meant it. Nina Simone, Patti Smith, Otis Redding’s “Dock of the Bay,” and more- a perfect album to put on for a slow-paced work session or a walk through the park. 

• BLACKBIIRD, Beyoncé: Beyoncé covering one of my favorite Beatles songs, and probably one of my all-time favorite songs, was not on my Cowboy Carter bingo card, and I could not be giddier over it. Even cooler that Bey brought in four young, up-and-coming black country artists on the track. Also on Cowboy Carter I’m loving Jolene (that little Dolly P intro!), II Most Wanted with Miley, Protector, and Riiverdance.  

Something that reminded us why we started LookUp:

• Okay, I was a bit hesitant to write on this one, but I live in New York and the discussion around men’s violence towards women has been a more-than-usually hot topic this week. It started with a viral TikTok video posted by a New York influencer talking about her experience being assaulted on the street while walking and looking down at her phone. Countless videos of women detailing similar assaults followed and older videos of the like resurfaced. Let us be crystal clear, neither looking at your phone nor ANYTHING else you might be doing, wearing, or saying, merits violence towards women, or anyone. No victim-blaming in this house. What we do want though, is to continue to promote safety and awareness, something that goes hand in hand with staying present and vigilant while out in and moving through the world. New Yorkers and women everywhere- please keep your eyes up in the streets and on the train, pay attention to the people around you, and look out for your friends. We are so used to being heads down and removed from reality, lost in a recent email, a text from a friend, or a funny video. I myself am often in my noise-canceling headphones, podcast or music on, and when my eyes are down I could truly be anywhere, completely in my own world. Our mission is to build better habits for digital health, and this week we’re reminded that these habits go even further than protecting our mental health, and are important for our physical safety, too. 

Best thing I ate this week that made me put my phone down: 

• Wu’s Wonton King: Your neighborhood “Grade Pending,” BYOB Chinese restaurant with the most perfect invention at every table (a lazy susan, obviously). The Peking duck in bao buns, General Tsao’s chicken, fried rice and chow fun were my highlights. Over-ordering and bringing your own favorite bottles of wine (pet nat and orange for our crew), take this experience from incredible to perfection.  

Stay cool and Look Up. 

Xo, Jackie, your LookUp Creative Director and phone-health evangelist 

Ways we’re looking up: 

• Yoga: I am a “Sculpt” teacher already (shoutout any CorePower go-ers out there), but just started my 200-hour yoga teacher training this week to really get an education in the fundamentals and to be able to teach at any studio anywhere in the world. The goal for me is to further tap into the Mind, Body, and Breath integration that yoga is founded upon. What is more LookUp than that?!  

• Getting the sun on our face: While last week’s “spring” was a full on teaser (this happens every year, we should know by now) it is at least sunny outside and that is something to hold onto. Please don’t tell me it’s going to rain this weekend… I know, and I’m ignoring it. 

What we’re reading:

• Heaven and Earth Grocery Store: I’m all over the map when it comes to Podcasts and allowing myself to dig into an audiobook rather than my usual hard copy has been such a treat, especially paired with getting outside and taking a walk. This book started slow for me, but the effortlessly woven character development and attention to detail painted a picture of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and specifically the Chicken Hill neighborhood, so clearly that I feel like I could take you on a tour. The story takes us back to the “melting” period of the mid-20th century that contributed to the American “melting pot” we celebrate today, following the influx of first generation immigrants into an already deeply diverse Pennsylvania community. A group of people whose country of origin, religion, and color of skin were only the beginnings of their differences. As much as it is a story of these differences and deep prejudice, it is ultimately a story of hope, improbable friendships, and the moments where humanity and connection supersede the rest. 

Also a hot tip in case you don’t all already know… there is a huge selection of free audiobooks to listen to if you have Spotify premium!! Go take advantage!  

What we’re listening to: 

• Eternal Sunshine, Ariana Grande: I mean, obviously. We are Robyn lovers here and it is calling us back to some of our favorite sad girl dance anthems. 

• Mid Air, Romy: I just bought tickets to Romy’s show in New York and talk about an album I cannot wait to dance to live (but already dance to alone in my apartment). 

• I like the way you kiss me, Artemas: If you have Tiktok (remember to set a daily time limit for yourself!), you’ll probably recognize this song. Artemas finally dropped the full track after teasing the clip and driving people wild. This will be on repeat for me all summer. 

Something that reminded us why we started LookUp:

• This article from the New York Times titled, “The Internet is a Wasteland, So Give Kids a Better Place to Go.” There isn’t much that can be agreed upon across the political aisle these days, but the fear surrounding what social media is doing to kids and the desire to find a solution is fairly universal. Michelle Goldberg talks about building up a few more online guardrails while simultaneously allowing for more freedom offline- there is such a need for finding and creating safe offline spaces for kids to express their autonomy IRL. In this article LookUp meets my passion for urban design and reminds us that Third Spaces are needed for every cross-section of our communities, especially our youth. 

Best thing I ate this week that made me put my phone down: 

• For all my New Yorkers and more specifically Brooklyn-dwellers, if you haven’t yet been to Land to Sea in Williamsburg, you must go. There is a hot-dog pastry there (I know how that sounds) that changed my little life. As they say, don’t knock it until you try it. And please, please go try it. 

Stay cool, and Look Up. 

XX, Jackie, your LookUp Creative Director and phone-health evangelist 

P.S. Let us know what else you want to see as we bring you Offline Encounters weekly, or any cool kids you know who are doing cool things Offline that we should feature here. 

What’s so weird is the night before launch, our neighborhood had a blackout. It was just me and my boyfriend at 5% battery. We were sitting there with a candle and so excited to just be together with no worries because the blackout was our excuse. It felt the universe was telling me…this is exactly the business you should be launching by letting you feel what it’s like with no lights, no phones, no nothing.

As a reminder, we were founded to remind you that life is cooler when you’re off your phone. Our abstract objects are designed for your everyday spaces. Each piece serves as a gentle reminder to put your phone down and reconnect with the world around you. 

We are so excited to launch our first product: A sardine-inspired Tin that will serve as a “Do Not Disturb” vessel for your phone. Your Tin can fit up to three phones, so you can build a better phone routine with others or when you feel you need to unhook from the digital noise. Get to know our Tins…

 Our Cloud Tin: A playful representation of our brand and our logo - inspired by the clouds in the sky we see when we remember to LookUp. Ready to live on your coffee table, stacked on your bookcase, or wherever you're ready to give your phone a little nap.

Our Vintage Tin: Inspired by classic sardine tins seen in Italy, Portugal, and in your friends' homes. Ready to live on your kitchen counter, stashed in your pantry, or wherever you're ready to give your phone a little nap.

 Our Cloud Hat: Our hat serves as a reminder- losing your head in the clouds is often the best way to unlock your creativity.

Our Vintage Hat: A signal to yourself and others that you’re looking up. Whether it’s getting outside fishing, swimming, being active or just sans-phone.

Each Tin includes a deck of cards as a reminder of all that exists for us sans-phone. Play some cards or lay around! The world is your screen-free oyster!

I can’t believe it. I’m so dang proud of what we’ve created.

GET YOURS BEFORE THEY GONE’ (FISHING)

Life in the US kicked off with working my butt off to get straight A’s in high school, while joining 5 different extracurriculars, playing a sport, and applying to top colleges across the world. Then VROOM. I’m at the University of Southern California. Four of the best years of my life. There I kept up with every social activity, class and adapted to living in a new city that was even faster paced than what I’d experienced in Seattle. I was partying, dancing, living, studying and repeating it all week after week. The thoughts of how I could fit in more, how I could achieve more, were constantly running through my mind.  Somehow, though, on top of that there was a whole new world competing with my current one, taking  up so much of my space & time. Instagram. 

I saw my friends change and adapt and they began to focus on posting the perfect picture or at least creating the “perception” of the perfect moment captured. And I was doing the same. In fact, I catch myself still doing the same. It felt like the digital world became reality and constantly being available for communication became the norm. I was phone-obsessed, phone-reliant and I was developing a phone-addiction. 

Fast forward post college where I went straight into an Accenture consulting career. MORE GRIND. MORE INSTAGRAM. Then I was off to NYC, talk about continuing to ramp up on pace of life, to work at two startups that redefined what it meant to GRIND. More work, more events, more pictures, more posts, and pretty soon…. I snapped. It was November 2022 and I didn’t want to run or to “hustle” anymore.” I was deeply exhausted and all I wanted was to find peace so I asked my team if I could take a mental health break or “sick leave” to go upstate to a phone-free retreat I decided to curate for myself.

The first day of no-phone was weird. I didn’t really know what to do with the jitters. I felt confused that the hours that used to go by so quickly were now soooo slow. I decided to walk into town and grab groceries for the week which would kill 2 hours. Now what? 

Then day 2. I woke up in a sweat, went to grab my phone to realize it was off. I could do this - I thought to myself. I decided to do a workout and then walked the property again. I was so in my head asking myself why I was doing this and putting such stress on myself. Then I kept asking myself “when could I ever do this for myself again?” Best to take advantage of the opportunity. I later met the property manager and he offered to take me on a walk the next morning. He said he’d meet me downstairs at 10 am. I got nervous that I'd sleep in because of not having a phone alarm.

But to my suprise on day three, I woke up rested. I checked the clock and it was 8am. I couldn’t believe I didn’t feel groggy. I had no idea what time I actually went to bed, but I didn’t have this high-stress tightness in my chest that I needed to be somewhere or do something - I could just be. 

After all of my tech-sales burnout I didn’t really want to talk to anyone, but oddly with this property manager I felt so chatty. There was something different. Pure, genuine connection. I didn’t have to care about his social status or what he did for work - I was so excited to just ask him questions and interact with someone without needing to close a deal. He was the happiest man ever and thought he had the best job in the world. I’ll never forget it and how much of an awakening it was that I didn’t need to be the best or to be constantly striving to do more - I already had it all.

I slept great on the fourth night. I journaled every day and had nowhere to be. No constant notifications pinging me and taking my thoughts away that I couldn’t find a way to grasp back. The reaction to respond right away fell away.

It was on this journey that I started to reflect on how I could bring this short but life-altering experience to other people during a time when phone-detoxing isn’t yet prevalent, or always accessible without going away to a retreat. A time where millions of people spend more time on their phone than they do interacting with others. Where anxiety and depression rates are higher than ever, including mine. I thought, what if I looked up more instead of down? All the things I missed by looking down, whether it was walking in NYC  and not remembering how I got home, or being with friends and not feeling present because I was texting someone who wasn’t there. I was so phone-reliant. What was the solution to my phone impacting my happiness? A phone lockbox was my  first thought. I felt so strongly that I decided to quit my job and figure out how I could create a solution out of an unexpected concept that serves more as a reminder to look up, than a punishment for looking down, that can live within our homes. Enter… LookUp. A brand here to invent fun, unexpected, and functional objects that help to remind you just how good life can be when you put your phone down.

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