Welcome back to another Kurated by Kate R.E.P.O.R.T , my little corner of the internet dedicated to the things worth noticing, enjoying and occasionally spending money on.
This fortnight, I’ve been reading about how to be sensible with money while simultaneously finding new things to spend it on (balance haha). I’ve eaten some exceptionally good pasta, spent an arguably excessive amount of time fussing over my dogs and been reminded that sometimes the best things in life are worth waiting for.
A collection of small pleasures, personal recommendations and minor contradictions. Because good taste isn’t necessarily about having more things, but knowing which ones are worth making a fuss about.
Reminder for you, here’s what to expect from my R.E.P.O.R.Ts:
Reading: What I’ve been reading, underlining and finding excuses to bring up in conversation.
Eating: A meal, a recipe or something bought on the understanding that I deserved it.
Playing: What I’ve been listening to and where I’ve been spending my time.
Obsessing: Whatever I’ve developed a mildly unreasonable attachment to this week.
Recommending: Something good enough to warrant an unsolicited “you need to try this” message.
Treating: A little something for myself. I’m a person worth buying presents for, too.
Reading - The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
I’ve been reading a book about money (which has been on my reading list for the longest time), which sounds terribly grown-up of me. Except it turns out that being good with money has little to do with knowing anything about finance and rather a lot to do with understanding yourself. A slightly uncomfortable revelation for someone who can justify almost any purchase as an investment in her future happiness.
There’s something quite personal about giving someone a book on a subject they’ve mentioned wanting to learn more about. It says I was listening, which is arguably one of the nicest things a gift can say. Although gifting someone a book about money does require a certain amount of tact.
Eating - Bruco, Ancoats
Another addition to my ever-growing list of reasons why living in Manchester is a very good idea: Bruco in Ancoats. We started with a pan-fried flatbread and garlic butter, which is exactly as good an idea as it sounds, followed by a slow-cooked beef short rib lasagne that practically melted in our mouths. The sort of meal that makes you go quiet for a moment, which, if you know us, is quite the compliment.
A reminder that sometimes the nicest thing you can give someone is a dinner reservation, a couple of hours of uninterrupted conversation and the luxury of not having to do the washing-up.
Playing - With my Doggies
If there is one thing I will never grow out of, it is being completely and utterly obsessed with my dogs. I spend an unreasonable amount of time asking for photographs of them when we’re apart, only to spend our time together taking approximately 300 more hehe.
Obsessing - With the quote “An idiot in motion gets a lot further than a genius at rest"
I’ve been thinking about this quote rather a lot lately. As someone who can spend an impressive amount of time thinking about doing something instead of actually doing it, it feels like a fairly necessary reminder. We put so much pressure on ourselves to have the perfect plan before we begin. Meanwhile, somebody with half the information and twice the audacity has already given it a go.
Perhaps there’s something to be said for being a little less concerned with looking clever and a little more willing to look silly.
Recommending - Flashback camera
I went for drinks with Joe and some of his work friends recently, and one of them had a Flashback camera. Naturally, I was intrigued. The concept brings back the joy of disposable cameras, minus the trip to Boots. You take your photographs and wait for them to develop. No checking whether your eyes are closed, no demanding another photograph because you don’t like your chin. Just a little delayed gratification in a world that has become rather impatient.
I love the idea of giving one to someone ahead of a big birthday, a holiday or a wedding. Not just a camera, but the promise of photographs they’ll have forgotten were taken by the time they see them.
Treating - Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser
One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2026 was to start Project Pan, which, for the uninitiated, means actually finishing the beauty products you already own before buying more. A radical concept, I know. I’ve been making my way through the half-empty bottles cluttering up our bathroom, and Aesop’s Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser is my rather lovely incentive to keep going.
Fresh, citrusy and botanical, with the added benefit of making my bathroom feel considerably more expensive than it is. I can’t promise it will change your life, but it might make getting out of bed in the morning slightly more appealing.
Turns out, using things up is quite satisfying, although I suspect the real test of my self-restraint will come when the bathroom shelf starts looking a little bare. I’m increasingly convinced that a little luxury feels even lovelier when it’s something you’ve waited for.
And that’s my R.E.P.O.R.T. A little reminder that the good stuff isn’t always something you can add to a basket. Sometimes it’s a really good meal, a photograph you didn’t know was being taken or someone remembering the little things you love.
Until next time,
Kate x