A Message from Kels:Curation. It’s a word I’ve thinking about for the last 3 years. The world is getting louder. Everyone has something to say, to share. The direction of social media has encouraged everyone to be a creator and there is something beautiful about that. But there’s also so much damn clutter.

Tumblr was always my favorite social media app. I miss it so much because it has the missing ingredients we lack now, taste and curation. Older apps like Pinterest and Tumbler weren’t driven solely by creation. If you had something worth sharing by all means you could. But the beauty of that era was tastemaking and curation. It was about distilling the noise, finding the beauty, and developing an eye.

That’s what the I’ll Thank Me Later newsletter is setting out to do. Once a month. Themed curation of my favorite things across digital space, including my own blog. A practice in refining my eye. And in building your trust.

Your time is valuable and your attention is what billion dollar companies are fighting for. I find it flattering that you’ve so freely given me your attention here. I hope you find this winding curation of interesting thoughts, beautiful things, and tastefully constructed themes valuable. Thanks for trusting me!

With love,Kels

You’re reading I’ll Thank Me Later no. 1, my curated newsletter. It’s dense, link heavy, and visually rich so set some time aside for this meeting of the minds.

Section 1 is on tastemaking. I share memories from the Black girl led European Renaissance that happened this summer, reflect on how the blogging era is back, and share a list of books narrated by some of my favorite people before they passed.

Section 2 is a reflection on my break up with big cities. I’m dating tier 2 cities now and loving it. I share a bunch of articles about the phenomenon of folks leaving big cities in favor for smaller ones and little joys I’ve found since moving home

Section 3 covers my newfound obsession with people who are masters at their craft, starting with the Queen - Beyonce!

Let’s get to it…

1. Grab a drink you can slow sip, you’ll be here for a little bit.

2. Open this issue in your web browser on your laptop, if you can. It will look much better.

3. Get comfy!

4. Proceed to issue no. 1 of I’ll Thank Me Later

I’LL THANK ME LATER NO. 1

section 1

🤌🏾 TASTEMAKING

A European Renaissance

spain.

Chioma (@chi.elsie) at la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

(Ibiza, Spain via @chi.elsie)

french riviera.

Amala Okpala (@amala_okpala) in Ezè

Nathalie Wijeyewardene (@naaatw) in Côte d’Azu

(via @naaatw)

St. Paul de Vence

paris.

portugal.

Chinelo Ikem (@chineloikem) in Porto, Portugal

We’re Blogging Again. Yes, Blog with a B.

I’ll Thank Me Later by Kelechi Ohiri.

Drafting a blog post in 2023 is a full circle moment if I’ve ever seen one. I started my first blog back in the early 2010s as a high schooler. It was the blogging era and back then if you wanted someone’s thoughts you had to go to their personal website to find them. It’s an energy we need to bring back.

I’ll Thank Me Later: The Blog is coming soon!

Amanda Said So by Amanda Scott.

Amanda, best known for her role in the Sweet Life: Los Angeles just launched her personal blog as well.

Gifts Left Behind By My Favorites

I love consuming audio media. I spend a good chunk of my day listening to audiobooks and podcasts. A few of the people who inspire me the most wrote fantastic books which they personally narrated prior to their passing. Listening has been such a joy. Here are a few Audible links to incredible books by incredible people that have passed…

Kitchen Confidential x Anthony Bourdain

The Chiffon Trenches x Andre Leon Talley

Sula x Toni Morrison

section 2

📦 SECOND TIER CITIES

This American Life x America’s Big City Brain Drain

I remember sitting in my 325 sq ft studio apartment in SF. I was paying well over $2K a month for the place. I’d just lost my tech job, I was mourning a painful breakup, and I knew I wanted nothing more to do with the city. I was determined to move to NY, until I listened to this podcast. Something clicked when one contributor described hauling laundry through 3 blocks of snow every week while living in NY. I don’t think the big city is worth the trouble anymore.

Inbound Migration Into Sacramento Creating a “Megaregion”

So many people are leaving San Francisco for Sacramento that experts are predicting the emergence of a “megaregion.”

tiny joys.

Part of moving home was the hope of experiencing a lot more tiny joys.

7 little joys I’ve experienced since I got back…

1. I don’t pay for parking, haven’t paid a single toll, haven’t gotten a parking ticket, haven’t had to circle the block multiple times to find parking outside of my house - this might be a BIG joy

2. My little brother comes over often

3. I hardly need to use a GPS

4. The hope of being able to buy a home has been restored

5. I’ve eaten my mothers cooking more often this past month than I have since I moved out at 17. Today is my 27th birthday.

6. I WFH with my dad sometimes

7. I have MUCCHHHH more space for less, including the urban luxury of a defined dining room

The South Got Something to Say

Have y’all given some genuine thought to moving to the South? I haven’t stopped dreaming about owning a home in New Orleans since the day I left in February.

Did you know that 9 of the 15 fastest-growing cities by population are in the South, according to the Census Bureau:

• Georgetown, Texas—14.4% (July 2021-July 2022)

• Santa Cruz, California—12.5%

• Kyle, Texas—10.9%

• Leander, Texas—10.9%

• Little Elm, Texas—8%

• Westfield, Indiana—7.7%

• Queen Creek, Arizona—6.7%

• North Port, Florida—6.6%

• Cape Coral, Florida—6.4%

• Port St. Lucie, Florida—6.4%

• Conroe, Texas—6.3%

• Maricopa, Arizona—6.2%

• New Braunfels, Texas—5.7%

• Lehi, Utah—5.6%

• Medford, Massachusetts—5.2%

Speaking of which, here is an amazing deep dive article on Andre 3000’s iconic Source Award speech.

section 3

✨ THE IMPORTANCE OF BEARING WITNESS TO EXCELLENCE

Beyonce “Never Seen a Budget in My Whole Life” Knowles Carter - Renaissance World Tour

F1 in Monaco

Daniel Roseberry - Creative Director of Schiaperelli

27.

My entire life I’ve wanted to be 27. There was something about this specific age when I was a little girl that appealed to me. It’s young but it’s grown. It’s flirty but it has space for elegance. I’m a woman now, the type of woman I’ve always wanted to be. No other version of Kelechi could have created and carried out an idea like this. Thank you for reading I’ll Thank Me Later no. 1.

Signing off for now to go enjoy my birthday,

Kels