the sparkher 10/21

Hey Besties, welcome back!

The “Level Up” section of this edition is more of a diary entry. TW: death.

We’ll resume more business-y topics next week, but this entry felt necessary, so I hope you’ll stick around. I’ll keep the rest of the letter light ¨̮.

WHAT’S INSIDE

• A reminder to be kind 💌

• ICYMI, brainfeed, and things to send to the group chat

• Upcoming events & deadlines

• Her hustle & coffee: Ankita @ Khalo

LEVEL UP

If you had asked me at any point in the past 13 years what is one thing I wish I could spend it on, I would’ve told you a 1D reunion ticket (floor tickets obviously). I am not even exaggerating when I say I would have dipped into my savings + retirement fund for it. I mean, they were (somehow) still my top artist on Spotify until 2021.

If you knew me at 12, you knew I was crazily obsessed with One Direction. The whole nine yards – posters in my room (I had these cute little dangling heart cutouts with their faces on them), iPod case (and if you unlocked it you would see only 1D things on it–  I probably didn’t even have a picture of myself on it, unless it was something with me and One Direction), fan art (lol). They were even my very first concert. So, like millions of others this past week, hearing about Liam Payne absolutely broke my heart. I will forever remember the moment I found out. I was laying on my couch and reading, decided to take a break, went on Instagram and saw a meme page post “Liam Payne Dead at 31.” I audibly gasped and immediately went to Google. And my heart sunk as I read the headlines to confirmed it. I frantically texted my sister in disbelief. I still can’t believe it, and I think it’s because they hold a special place in my heart and a reunion was something I truly believe was coming soon.

It’s not just my 25-year old self grieving and processing this. Instead, it’s me

• At age 12, just starting to listen to their music, watch their vlogs, learn everything about them

• At age 13, having butterflies the night before the concert and seeing them perform for the first time live in my hometown

• At age 14, finding comfort after a hard day by watching the "Best Song Ever" music video on repeat

• At age 15, being heartbroken (for the first time) when Zayn left

• At age 16, re-listening to their songs through my first actual heartbreak

• At age 17, saying goodbye to a band that added color to my formative years

Even though I haven’t closely followed their solo careers, I always knew enough to stay connected. I knew that, until last week, Liam had been receiving so much hate online, and now, suddenly, the internet has shifted to pouring love and grief. It makes me wonder—why do we wait until someone is gone to show them how much they matter?

People deserve to feel that love while they are still here.

This brings me to something more personal. If you know me well, you already know that I lost one of my best friends, Kris, in a car accident last year. It was sudden and devastating. What I haven’t shared widely is our last conversation. Kris was in North Carolina, preparing for the re-launch of his company, Classic Carolina. He had been working tirelessly, and I had texted him some business questions for thinkhers. He called me while I was at the gym, and even though I was in the middle of a workout, I picked up. We talked about his excitement for Classic Carolina and mine for thinkhers. Before he hung up, he told me he was proud of me. That was the last time we ever spoke. If I hadn’t answered that call, I wouldn’t even remember what our final conversation was. If I could talk to him one more time, I’d tell him how much life has changed and how deeply his influence still impacts me. But a part of me believes he already knew. Just like how I hope Liam knew how much he meant to millions.

Kris and Liam, wherever you are, thank you for contributing to my life in different ways and stages in my life. The world feels a little less bright without you two. Love you both deeply ❤️.

All of this is to say—be kind. If you love someone’s outfit, tell them (it could completely change their day). If you’ve been upset with someone for days, let it go. Tell people what they mean to you now, while you still can. Because in the end, all we may have left are memories.

BRAINFEED & SHAREABLES

• ICYMI – The FTC just dropped a new “click-to-cancel” rule that makes it easier for people to cancel subscriptions, putting an end to those annoying hurdles. The rule also forces companies to get clear consent before charging you and bans sneaky marketing tactics with subscriptions. It’s part of the FTC’s bigger plan to protect consumers in today’s digital world, where signing up is way too easy but canceling can be a nightmare.

• ICYMI – The 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (soooo worth the watch) returned at Brooklyn Navy Yard, aiming to blend its iconic brand identity with a modern push toward inclusivity. Tyra Banks headlined the event, which featured original "angels" like Adriana Lima and Candice Swanepoel, alongside a more diverse cast, including plus-size and transgender models. While the show marked an effort to modernize its image, some industry observers viewed the attempt as performative, particularly given lingering critiques of its limited size offerings compared to competitors like Savage X Fenty. As Victoria’s Secret continues to navigate evolving consumer preferences, its challenge lies in balancing aspirational branding with the demands for greater inclusivity. Overall, they put on a great show and I can’t wait to watch the next one!

• United Airlines is taking an interesting approach to expansion – instead of offering the same destinations as many other airlines, they have decided to add unique routes to help them make more $$ (I think I learned this in an ad, but I thought it was interesting)

• Did you know the CIA has VC arm??

• S.O.S. Meta is firing employees for misuising their WFH dining credit

• Universal is opening a theme park in 2025 in Orlando – I recently learned that they cluster because it saves marketing $$ (makes sense, but I didn’t realize it).

• Halloween Dog Parade in NYC will boost your serotonin

• Punny Halloween Costumes

• Look up when your absentee ballot is due!

• This worked well last time… so does anyone have recommendations for what to watch?!

• 🎧: my fall playlist (but if you also miss one direction, teenage dirtbag with liam’s amazing solo)

• 📖: A short, motivational post by one of my favorite accounts

• What’s hot 🔥: corepower sculpt class, avocado toast (hmu if you want my version), sourdough bread, the one direction community

  What’s not 🙅‍♀️: the obvious from this letter

• 🔝High of the week: trying lucali’s with my little sister ❤️

BITES

This week, I tried Lucali’s, a hot reservation to get.

Some history on the popularity of Lucali: Lucali is widely regarded as one of the best pizzerias in Brooklyn, attracting attention from many celebs. The long wait for a reservation just adds to the fire. But trust, it’s worth it. The interior is so gorgeous– it feels like you stepped into a restaurant in Italy.

My thoughts: Overall really solid pizza. Apparently this is a hot take, but the order → calzone < pizza < pasta.

What I got and liked: def get the off-menu pasta. It’s phenomenal. Pizza with basil and garlic. 2 calzones. The vegetarian one had peppers, onion, and garlic. The non-veg option had pepperoni + hot pepper (which was recommended, but I can’t speak to this)

What I wouldn’t get: Honestly, I think they’re best known for their calzones, but I’m not a big mozzerella cheese person so I would skip that if I went again. The pizza, however, was *chef’s kiss*.

If you want to get a reservation, I went on a Thursday, got in line at 3pm and was able to choose a time around 4/4:15. That’s the only way to get one.

Cost: $140 total with tip for 3 people

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

• 🗽: Reading Rhythms (10/22): 120 minutes of reading with people in NYC! + Free :).

• 🗽: Concept Studio Launch Party (10/24): ​​​For creatives – come join the launch party for the rebrand of Passion Project → Concept Studio. You’ll meet a bunch of really cool poeple (I’ll be there too!).

HER HUSTLE & COFFEE

I love finding new coffee shops and meeting other female founders, so I started a series to share stories of female entrepreneurs at coffee shops around New York City.

Ankita Sankla, is a co-founder of Khalo, the first-ever Ayurvedic food brand bringing functional olive oil cooking pastes to the market.

Check out the full video interview here, or highlights from our conversation below.

Why did you start and why is this important to you?
I had my own gut health issues and I was going on a healing journey. I wanted to figure out how I can heal without taking tall these pills and powders.

How did you formulate these?
Actually formulated these myself. I went to an ayurvedic culinary school where I studied with Divya Alter. I had so many amazing advisors who are ayurvedic practitioners.

What is one habit that has changed your life?
One is breathwork. The second is this book (Artist Way). It’s about every morning writing three pages. It takes away all of the clutter that’s sitting on top of your brain.

📍Blank Street (855 lorimer street): 8/10 – coffee was actually really good + so perfect on a nice sunny day

Unlike most quotes or reminders that I finish off with, this actually your sign to slow down. Listen to your body and take a rot day if you need (I will be as soon as I write this letter).

xoxo,
Prasiddhi
thinkers, founder

Sponsor us!