Magnetic presence. Clear boundaries.
There’s a quiet assumption that when someone remains single for a long stretch of time, it must mean something is closed off—too guarded, too rigid, too unrealistic. In my experience, the opposite is often true. Time spent alone doesn’t harden you. It clarifies you. When you’ve learned what genuine peace feels like, you stop inviting…
Sometimes the moment isn’t who you’re with—it’s what keeps pulling your attention back.
By the time she was home, the city had said enough.
Cashmere softened the edges of the day. A tank. Loose pants. Hair gathered into a knot that didn’t require a mirror. This wasn’t about looking put together. This was about feeling settled.
Illustration created for This is Kendra.
This was taken in the year after my divorce, during a stretch when life felt lighter in small, unexpected ways. Not a turning point, just a moment of ease finding me where I was. I remember how unguarded it felt, how quickly a daydream could slip in, how softness didn’t need to be explained to…
She wasn’t dressed for spectacle.
She was dressed for movement.
Blue jeans that had already lived a little. A white button-down that didn’t ask for attention.
Illustration created for This is Kendra.
When the mind demands logic and the heart refuses to be silenced, tension follows. This essay reflects on the quiet war between analysis and emotion, and the grounding role consistency plays in restoring clarity, discipline, and internal balance.
Illustration created for This Is Kendra.
In Italian cooking, sugo is about tomatoes, time, and trust in simplicity. This is a foundational tomato sauce I return to again and again—whether for pasta, pizza, or anything that calls for restraint and flavor over excess.
A mimosa doesn’t need much explaining. It’s simple, familiar, and meant to be enjoyed without fuss. Traditionally made with champagne, it works just as well with a good Prosecco or any dry sparkling wine you enjoy. Fresh orange juice and a little attention to proportion are really all it takes. Whether it’s part of a…