Before I give out too much tea—hello all, it’s me, Rosa-Lee. I am an Aotearoa-born writer, conversationalist, and creative contributor to the Sauce Mag. As a perpetual sentimentalist, I am forever collecting data—things felt, seen, heard, spoken. I move very fast, and I sometimes give myself vertigo, but words help anchor me down. I’ll be here regularly—between monthly moon cycles—to offer keepsakes, laughter, and digital effervescence.
Universally, 2024 was quite the circus–economically, emotionally, and politically. But despite the chaos, I felt an undercurrent of connection running deeper through the channels of the universe more than ever. Never had I felt more alive and connected to the world around me. A result of my finally developed pre-frontal cortex? Or perhaps the internet? Or maybe the multiple pockets and communities I found myself in throughout the year?—or rather, an elixir of all three.
I lived multiple lives last year. I lived on the West Coast of Canada on a small island a two-hour ferry ride away from Vancouver, moved to a snow-covered ski town, spent two weeks bustling through the anxiety-inducing tube rides of London carrying a 30kg suitcase (never again), hiked through Joshua Tree, spent ten days in Mexico surviving off a lick of Spanish realising I was not fit for group trips (anything over five people is too much in my opinion)...and then finally, back to Aotearoa, to plant my feet in my native soil. Funny, that out of all these lives, maybe my favourite life of them all was the one that I left behind–the life where I could greet people in Te Reo Māori.
Last year, constant travel and packing up my life meant I was perpetually dog-earing things: chapters in my inexhaustible pile of self-help books, Google Chrome tabs with half-read Substack essays, quarter-watched movies, unfinished journal entries. As much as some may see this as non-committal, there is something lovely in returning to something you once put down, something hopeful in picking up where you left off.
For me, dog-earing in December meant merely planting the seeds for January and returning to see them in their activation phase. Below are a few things I dog-eared last December, which I am returning to now and recommend you do, too.
READS
Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being
This recommendation is far from original, but this book has kept me trusting in the magic this year. Whether you’re finding inspiration for an upcoming marketing campaign, your next advertising pitch, article, book, song, or album, Rubin’s creative wisdom is guaranteed to help you get in touch with the Source (you’ll have to read to get the reference). The best thing about this book is that you can microdose it: read a chapter, dog-ear it, put it down and pick it back up whenever you need a dose of inspiration.
“The magic is not in the analyzing or the understanding. The magic lives in the wonder of what we do not know.”
― Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being
Jarod K. Anderson, My Harmony With the Heron
I spent much of my many lives this year hiking in the wilderness of British Columbia, touching grass and connecting to things outside of LinkedIn. In an excerpt from his new memoir, Something in the Woods Loves You, Jarod K. Anderson shares how nature became a balm for his mental health and depression. This excerpt is a potent reminder that the most profound connection we can ever have is the one with our natural world. Here are some of my favourite lines:
Alone in the woods, I was different.
I wasn’t an employee.
I wasn’t a spouse or a son or a student.
I wasn’t friend or teacher.
I wasn’t patient or client.
I was just there.
I had no cultural or social role to perform.
Just me.
An animal.
A collection of senses.
No one was asking what I did for a living or waiting for me to make a witty observation.
No one was giving me a sales pitch or expecting one from me.
FOCUS ON INPUTS INSTEAD OF OUTCOMES
You achieve one thing. A better job. A better salary. You keep pushing because the world expects you to keep achieving. In a world that constantly changing, not having that sense of grounding is exhausting. Outcome keeps you in stuck in an hamster wheel of overworking, overthinking and over-consuming. Perhaps it’s time to focus on inputs. The process of creating, setting the right intentions, becoming set us free.
MOVIES
ALL WE IMAGINE IS LIGHT
Payal Kapadia's Cannes Grand Prix winner is a celebration of women’s endurance and a meditative slice of life. Described by some critics as deeply intimate celebration of humanity. Her meticulous crafting of characters and tenderness in this film makes you feel a sense of stillness throughout the film.
2025 PREDICTIONS
“There are so many changes this year, so much newness – which isn’t to say that it is bad or scary or negative – it’s simply new. I don’t think any of us have moved through the last several years without feeling a pressure cooker of energies. We can all feel that things are shifting and yet, toward what we do not know” – a footnote I took away from a recent horoscope I read. In a dog-eared fashion, the article suggests: “In 2025, it’s like the structures and foundations for the next chapter begin to land, new visions take focus.” May 2025 be a year of putting down and picking up back up. A year of returning to things.
In a recent Substack, What to expect in 2025, a few Substackers weighed in on what they’re anticipating. Themes included more vibrant literary criticism, more practicality in fashion, and “Phoenixing.”
Liana Satenstein predicted: “I see fashion moving away from dressing for social media— no more every-hair-in-place looks. No more hyper-curation! No more pristine looks. Now, we are going back to dressing for reality.” (cough, cough, more outfit repeating!)
Emma Gannon predicted: “A publishing trend that is not slowing down: women in literature wanting to be alone and seeking pleasure.”
My personal 2025 predictions: more communal dinners in local parks, writing postcards, and having a pen pal. The beautiful part of having lived overseas and returned home is that I now have a long list of international best friends to write love letters to. #everythingissentimental
SUMMER FASHION
Block colours, lettuce hems, and asymmetric necklines have been popping off this year, and I predict will be popping off right into the new year. Below are two Australian and New Zealand female-owned labels that fall into the frilly category for summer.
Made-to-order production processes are in for 2025. Slower consumption means waiting patiently for our purchases–making us appreciate them even more. I am a proud owner of the Riri Vest Baby Pink (sadly, now sold old) however, I also love the Wrap Top W Bra.
Meticulously crafted by in-house makers in Naarm, Australia, Emily Watson’s pieces are made for the fashionista pixies. Her swimsuit-adjacent garments make for the perfect summer staple, like the Frilly Tie Up Hot Short or the Bikini Bolero.
Sauce Sundays are here to offer recommendations that bring connection digitally, physically, and spiritually: books, reads, movies, and recipes. A regular reminder that joy comes from the small things, the simple rituals. Life doesn't have to be grandiose.
Until next time,
Your overly sentimental friend,
Rosa-Lee
I can’t wait to watch all we can see is light! So many good recs Rosa ❤️