The Margins 2.1.2026
Over here at RPC, we’ve been heads-down preparing for a busy & beautiful upcoming wedding season. We’re popping up for air (and dusting off the ol’ blog) to share some bits & bobs & musings. Spoiler: we serendipitously beat the January blues, and this month flew by in a whirl of beauty & inspiration (who woulda thought?!). Keep reading for our loves of the month and a bit of a Winter survival guide from 3 Southern girls who are just trying to get through these below-freezing temps.
Reader’s note: Don’t be alarmed that this is written from multiple POV’s - we all got things to say.
PARIS!! Need I say more? (yes).
In an unexpected work-turned-play girls weekend, Molly and I spent a few days in Paris this month. There’s just so much beauty to be found in the City of Light, and I have the camera roll to prove it. As a dear family friend just put it, “That enchanting place lingers in your soul, doesn’t it?”. The 10+ hr flight home was the perfect time to scroll through said camera roll and create an expertly-curated guide to Paris via Apple Maps. Seriously, I’m itching for someone to ask me for recs, and I’m using this as my outlet.
Here are some highlights:
To Eat… Maison Louvard, Café Central, Le Square Trousseau, La Maison d’Isabelle, Café Varenne, Les Antiquares
To Drink… Bar Hemingway, Noir Coffee, Harry’s
To Shop… Officine Universelle Buly, Balzac, Antoinette Poisson, Claudie Pierlot, Kujten, Bienaimé, Mélodies Graphiques, Messy Nessy’s Cabinet
To Do… Sainte-Chapelle, Musée Rodin, Rue Cler, Rue du Bac, Versailles, DIOR Galerie, Musée D’Orsay
And for as many things as we did, I now have a list twice as long of everything we didn’t quite get to… until next time, Paris!
Trying new things
At the beginning of 2025, my “resolution” (more of an open-ended intention, we aren’t rigid over here) was to incorporate new things into my life. Bonus: be thoughtful about the new things, reflect on them, enjoy the process of learning and trying my hand at something I’ve never done before (see: hand-marbled paper). I decided to re-up on this idea at the start of 2026. First up: needlepoint! Watch this space, y’all.
Spotlight on Art
One of Atlanta’s best yearly Artist Markets just wrapped up, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time perusing. A few artists who caught my eye:
Homeworthy Tours
Speaking of eye candy… every so often I find myself in a Homeworthy rabbit hole (which, if you’ve never fallen down one yourself, you’re in for a treat). The more rambly, the better! I find it cozy, and it scratches that itch to be nosey in other peoples’ homes. A few all-time favorites: Robert Rufino, Sarah Corbett-Winder, Jess Druey and Brittany Bromley.
Awards Season
Even though I haven’t seen 99% of the heavy-hitters on this years’ film & tv awards circuit, I always love awards season. In case you’re wondering, Tuckernuck’s round up of Golden Globes fashion is pretty spot-on with my favorites.
Yes, we’re finding beauty in January, but we’re also allowed to dream of warmer days with this delicious candle.
Cookbook Club
A standing date I’ve looked forward to: cook book club. As of late, I’ve started cooking through Ina Garten’s cookbooks with friends. Our most recent pick was Go-To Dinners.
Plaids!
My Pinterest board is filled to the brim with different plaids… nothing new but I’m fascinated!
My nightly tea ritual
Though a hot cup of tea is a nightly occurrence for me, it becomes a bit of a treasure in the bitter cold (cold for this southerner, at least) weather we are having as of late. Especially since my very dated apartment, complete with single pane windows, struggles to keep up in its efforts to heat my little unit. This tea is lovely on its own, but I like to add peppermint or ginger to it as well, which I think makes all the difference. Best enjoyed after a warm shower, in your coziest pajamas, curled up with a good book. Equally as enjoyed (& most often the case for me) while addressing envelopes at my dining room table. I snagged these mugs when we were in Atlanta for the Huff Harrington Holiday Market from Provvista and I’m convinced they make it taste even better.
A good book (or two)
Speaking of curling up with a good book, might I suggest a few? If we’ve spoken for more than thirty minutes, chances are, you are well-versed in my enchantment with the Chronicles of Narnia. But for those of you who haven’t borne the task of hearing me run my mouth (for far too long, might I add), indulge me for a moment. A dear friend recently sent me this quote as we discussed the profound nature of children’s books, “Fiction is not the gospel, but it can be a voice crying out in the wilderness and for the writer and reader who know grace, it will not be a cry of despair but a cry of hope–a voice crying in our wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord.” These words sum up the experience of reading the Narnia series exactly. I’d recommend starting with The Magician’s Nephew, putting into practice Lewis’ words: “No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally–and often far more–worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.” If conquering the series of seven books feels daunting, might I propose a much shorter, but no less impactful, read: You Are Special by Max Lucado–you’ll likely need a tissue nearby when you finish.
The Little Things
January repeatedly gets a bad rep, especially as most days are bleak and if you blink, you might miss the little daylight we get. On the rare occurrence of a sunny day, especially in the mornings or evenings, I’ve been more keenly aware of how much light floods through the windows now that the trees are barren. Though we long for warmer days and to skip through the so-called “winter blues,” I’ve savored the imagery of light pouring in abundance because of emptiness, sustaining us as we wait for the hope of Spring.
And if you’ve made it this far…
Thank you, thank you for lingering in The Margins with us, and for all your support of Ross Street Paper Co.
xo!
Harper, Ashton, & Molly