L.A.-based creator and podcaster, Jennifer Romolini, is a reformed workaholic who spent greater than 20 years in high-profile positions at ladies’s magazines and life-style web sites. Her 2024 memoir, “Ambition Monster,” chronicles how, after a “harrowing and violent childhood,” she used skilled achievement — and the exterior validation that got here with it — as a salve of kinds, a approach to cover from her ache and from herself.
She purged these demons — however wasn’t executed having conversations about them. Her new podcast, “Prolonged Scenes,” is about “redefining ambition and success within the second half of life.” It additionally delves into no matter is haunting Romolini, personally, be it parenting a teen, engaged on a brand new novel or her ageing 52-year-old physique.
She nonetheless works exhausting, however her ambition is now pushed by readability and objective. “I’m not chasing something anymore,” she says. “This podcast, I’m making it for me. I’m so proper with why I’m doing issues.”
Having a really intentional strategy to self-care additionally helps hold Romolini, at the moment senior magnificence editor at Yahoo, centered at a time when the world feels particularly chaotic. On this interview, edited for readability and size, Romolini shares her favourite Los Angeles escapes to seek out peace of thoughts, little-known magnificence provide outlets that rival Sephora and the place to discover a game-changing chocolate thunderbolt smoothie.
What does wellness imply to you? Each time I take into consideration wellness, I take into consideration the way it’s been commodified, and the way white it’s, and the way a lot it’s about shopping for [stuff]. However when it comes to what’s actual, private success for me at this level, it’s being able to know your self nicely sufficient to remain regulated. Permitting your self to be seen and seeing others. And loving and caring for your self. One of many hardest issues is totally permitting your self to be seen. I believe we spend numerous time operating from ourselves. We run from ourselves in methods the place we’re looking for success, the place we’re looking for cash. However even in self-care, which has turn into virtually aggressive and performative, it’s exhausting to seek out the place it actually matches into your life.
So what does self–care seem like for you in L.A.? As you grow old, sleep is so necessary — your physique turns into a science experiment, particularly as your hormones are altering. So sleep, for certain; some form of motion. However actually, what I’m trying to find, is emotional regulation. I’ve arrange my life the place I’ve areas the place I can really feel emotionally protected and simply keep calm and current — that’s the final wellness for me. As a result of let’s be trustworthy, being a human being is ridiculous proper now, it’s so overwhelming. So self-care is about defending my peace.
What are a few of these areas? I reside in Silver Lake. And I really feel like group is every part proper now. I’ve been going to my group park, Bellevue Recreation Middle. There’s slightly piece of woods there the place you possibly can sit and meditate. The Philosophical Analysis Society in Los Feliz — superb vibes. The bookstore, the campus — I attempt to attend occasions there at any time when I can. It’s simply essentially the most peaceable place. There’s additionally an incredible smoothie place in my neighborhood, which isn’t one of many stylish locations. It’s the old-timey Naturewell and has been round for many years — it simply looks like the true, crunchy deal. They’ve a chocolate thunderbolt smoothie. Typically I’ll choose one up if I want a break.
Additionally, I began taking part in playing cards with pals. I’m making an attempt to see individuals in particular person extra typically. So the again backyard at Tales Books & Cafe. Simply spending time — and area — with different individuals and never simply being alone. And when all else fails, there’s all the time soiled martinis and fries at Taix.
What’s your train routine? I raise weights at house. However I additionally go to the All people fitness center — I like it a lot. It’s essentially the most chill and great and welcoming fitness center I’ve ever been to. It’s in Cypress Park. It’s only a actually inclusive and wonderful and low-key fitness center. I get on the machines and I additionally take yoga lessons there. Lifting weights, I’m simply making an attempt to maintain this outdated husk limber and I wanna be capable to have a wholesome ageing. I wish to be bodily in a position, if I will be. I wish to be mentally in a position. That’s my objective.
You’ve already written a memoir about ambition and success. Why launch a podcast on the identical subject? My guide, “Ambition Monster,” was all about coming to phrases with what I chased for the primary half of my life. The form of skilled success that’s nonstop and compulsive, the exterior validation I used to be looking for. I wasn’t completed having these conversations. I’m making an attempt to determine a approach to reframe success and discuss to individuals about how they really feel about success at this second in time, in a crumbling world, when every part form of feels pointless, and when it’s actually exhausting to dream. And in addition within the second half of life when dreaming feels tougher, while you’re up in opposition to ageism, or getting in your personal manner. These are conversations I’m not seeing had loads.
So with the podcast, plus a full-time job at Yahoo, a e-newsletter and a novel in progress — to not point out a teenage youngster — do you ever have downtime? And if that’s the case, how do you fill it? I eat a ton of tradition — my husband is a tradition critic — and I do have inventive initiatives, whether or not rearranging a room or balcony gardening. However I’ve this loom! Once I’m not doing something I’m typically simply weaving. I map out these weavings, after which I spend a few weeks making them, and so they typically are ugly and I fail. However I believe it’s necessary to have one thing you’re doing that you just’re an beginner at, that you just’re not making an attempt to become profitable on.
There’s a terrific wool retailer on Vermont Avenue, the Little Knittery, that I like going into. I purchase a bunch of wool in numerous colours and sizes and shapes; then I draw a diagram of what the weaving will seem like. I don’t know what I’m doing, that is all YouTube taught. The loom is pretty sizable: three ft by two ft. And I make these tapestries — we don’t even put them up. I simply get pleasure from doing it. It shuts me down as a result of it’s so tactile and so repetitive. It’s simply enjoyable.
You’re the senior magnificence editor at Yahoo, the place you write about magnificence and ageing for ladies over 40. Any native, little-known haunts we must always take a look at? I don’t imagine you have to spend some huge cash on skincare in any manner. It’s about on the lookout for particular substances. There’s a very good skincare retailer on Sundown, Credo Magnificence, the place I am going to check numerous issues as a result of they’ve such an array of manufacturers, and so they’re principally all clear manufacturers. It’s a kind of issues the place it’s like, I didn’t even know this was right here on this neighborhood! I believe it rivals Sephora. And it’s proper subsequent to Pizzana, the pizza place! One other one which has a ton of fantastic make-up and perfume manufacturers is Le Pink & Co. on Sundown. I attempt to deal with Los Angeles like New York — the place I lived for a very long time — so I stroll round loads and check out to not get in my automobile except I’ve to.
The place does meals match into all of this for you — what sort of eater are you? Perimenopause modified the best way I eat loads. I’ve celiac illness, and I’ve had it since earlier than being gluten-free was stylish. My mom has it, my sister has it. So I don’t eat gluten. However I’ve seen that the best way my physique processes meals is totally different now — my digestion is slower than it was. I attempt to keep away from sugar, it doesn’t work for me. I eat sugar and my complete mind clouds up. It’s actual unhappy and actual boring. You end up all of a sudden choosing up a guide known as “Nom Nom Paleo” and it’s like nicely, right here’s the place we’re at.
I like Botanica, a restaurant in Silver Lake. I store at regular locations. I am going to Lassens loads — I’m a Lassens over Erewhon particular person, although they each in all probability have horrible politics.
What age do you are feeling inside? I really feel 52 and I’m very happy with being 52. I announce it on a regular basis. I write about it on a regular basis. I simply suppose we have to normalize it extra. Normalize getting outdated and being cool. It’s high quality.
