Bits of ✨everything✨

Coming to you live from 38,000 feet

Ally Case
July 03, 2024

Hello! And welcome back to bits of ✨everything✨

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I used to share my monthly intentions for personal/professional growth on my IG story on the 1st of every month. Seeing how much it inspired so many of you kept me going for 2 YEARS (!!) without missing a month! It’s been a while now since I took some time away from sharing them publicly but I finally feel that it’s time I bring them back :-) Moving forward, each newsletter with be started with my personal monthly intention(s). I hope it inspires you to set your own ❤️

July’s monthly intention: Say yes to new opportunities. Don’t shy away from discomfort. Get a lil uncomfy outside of your norm — use the discomfort to fuel your growth.

If you’re looking for inspo for yours, here are some of the intentions I’ve shared in the past that are saved to my IG story highlights: Intentions story highlight 1, Intentions story highlight 2, Intentions story highlight 3. I re-reference these frames often to check in on my progress over the years.

CURRENTLY: I’m writing this email from 38,000 feet on my way to London for a [flight attendant] work trip. I have a 26 hour layover then return back to Miami the next day. As happy as I am to be in LHR again, I’m also so excited to get back home to Rafi and my routine again. I’ve been gone a LOT this month.

Sad news: My grandma passed away this past week. I can’t even put into words how much of an impact she’s had on my life across my childhood and adult life. With the kindest, most loving, beautiful soul, I’m completely heartbroken and will miss her every day for the rest of my life. Even though a heart wrenching occurrence, I keep reminding myself that I’m very lucky I got to hold her hand and to see her in the hospital before she passed.

Since her passing, I feel her with me everywhere. The day after she passed, a butterfly landed on me on my walk and stayed with me for almost 5 minutes, hopping from my side to my arm to my back. You’ll see in this video how the emotions keep building with each passing minute 😭 The same night, this was the sky.

I swear my grandma painted the sky for me. An “x” for hugs and an “a” so I’d know it was for me ❤️‍🩹 I feel her everywhere 🪽

Coping has been very tough. I had a work trip the day after her passing and I know no one would have blamed me to get personal days off but unsure how to cope other than to continue with business as usual, I went on the trip anyway. If it weren’t for flying with one of my best friends, I don’t think I could have done it. I’m not sure I feel ready to fully process her being gone. I cry 100 times a day but I know my Grandma Evy would want me to be strong. ❤️

EVENTS: I joined #paid at a creator/marketer dinner in Miami last month. We had an amazing night of dialogue surrounding the creator economy. I’ve joined several dinners with #paid in the past and I love how interactive they are. It’s rare that creators and marketers are in the same room, conversing about trends in the industry, each parties’ pet peeves, recent discoveries and so on. I always learn SO much and am honored to be able to share my insight with the other creators/marketers in attendance as well. Each dinner typically has 2 creators and 10-20 marketers from world renowned brands and agencies across the US and Canada.

Major takeaways from creators: Creators want to do what they do best: create. When working with brands/marketers, it continues to be highlighted as a pet peeve when content requirements include too much of a product focus and less of a genuine storytelling element. The creator wants to integrate this product/service into their life. Not turn this product into the highlight of their life. The topic of authenticity pops up time and time again. It’s so important for creators to stay true to their voice for their audience (and for themselves) and creators want to remind that to brands. Marketers, we know that sometimes there are 500 product highlights you want us to highlight in a video but if it strays away from our authentic voice and ability to story tell effectively, the content won’t perform as well as you expect. At the end of the day, creators will always know their own audiences best!

Major takeaways from marketers: Brands/agencies don’t always have a large budget allocation every month — even if they don’t have a budget for creator partnerships when you first get in touch, that could change in the future! Staying in touch and building an organic relationship is key for staying on a brand/agency’s radar. Marketers have hundreds (if not thousands) of creators reaching out daily. Do something to stand out! What’s your edge? What story can you tell about their product/service? What value can you bring?

Reminder for both sides: who you’re emailing is an actual human being! Always be kind, professional and respectful 🙂

IN THE NEWS:

B.T.R. Nation launched in Costco in the southeast US region! I popped by the Flagler location in Miami to support my dear friend and founder of B.T.R. Nation, Ashley. I high key got a Costco membership just so I could stock up some bars 👀

If you’re in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, or Tennessee: run to your local Costco to grab a box (or two or three or four) before they’re gone! The launch is limited and the deal is insane (16 bars for $16.69). If you’re not near a Costco, you can see what the hype is about and order online. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how much I love these bars. They’re the cleanest, most satiating, delicious protein bars I’ve found on the market. And the founding story is so beautiful. You can shop here and use the promo code ALLY for 15% off your purchase if you decide to try. Bonus: a new flavor JUST launched this week!! I placed an order SO fast.

TRAVEL:

THE PALM BEACHES: Rafi and I spent a weekend in The Palm Beaches with the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County and I vlogged our weekend filled with arts and culture. I had no idea there were SOOO many things to do (there are literally hundreds of cultural organizations across the county). We had SO much fun and I’m already so excited to go back again soon.

RIO DE JANEIRO: We also spent a weekend away in Rio!! Rafi’s best friends / roommates from college ran a Half Ironman there (SOO impressive!!). We went to cheer them on! And one of the said best friends/roomies proposed to his girlfriend on our last day. They’re THE sweetest couple and being able to fly in for the two events — being there to support our friends — was so special.

My life in a nutshell: constantly looking around thanking the world for the opportunities I have and have created for myself. Like we went to Rio…for the weekend…??? I’m so damn lucky to be able to do that. I’ll never take it for granted.

MISC: We’ve also been spending some time finding new weekend activities in Miami like Puppy Yoga?! I have a lil clip from our visit saved to my Miami IG story highlight here. On our way home we found this amazing bakery with vegan/gf challah bread. It was an easy 10/10.

LONDON: What’s it like working to London? It’s interesting because after 5 years of being a flight attendant, I feel like the queen of jet lag tips. However, when you’re working a flight, you can’t sleep inflight like the majority of my tips recommend (minus the 1-3 hours that each FA gets for breaks in the crew bunks). So every time I land in a new city after working a trip, I usually feel more off than I would if I were just a passenger. TBH though, I can’t complain. I get paid to travel the world. And I still can’t believe I can say that.

Stay tuned for jet lag tips in upcoming newsletters! And feel free to reference my IG/TT/YT for tips in the meantime.

Random thought: I wish we still got VAT returns on shopping in London but since the UK left the EU in 2021 (Brexit), we don’t 🥲 My favorite region to shop is in the EU because you save so much $$ on taxes returned as a tourist.

Last time I was in London I visited the Covent Garden storefront for the UK-based, viral clothing brand, oddmuse. I discovered OM on socials a year or so ago (after many videos went viral) and fell in love with their timeless designs. It took until I was in their physical store to pull the trigger on a few pieces and they’re low key some of my favorite pieces I’ve purchased this year. Since that trip, I’ve also placed a hefty order online and will probably pass by their store in Covent Garden again today when I land :-)

Top to-do on my list for this visit: Abbey Road. For some reason I thought Abbey Road was in Liverpool (?!) so I never thought of going on a layover before. The Beatles is one of my favorite bands of all time and I’m already getting emotional thinking about walking the same steps as them.

Coming up this month: Vegas couples trip with 2 of my best girlfriends and their S.O.s (+ Rafi ofc), a fam trip to Sapphire, NC (we go every year), a few work trips keeping me in and out, and staying home in between because I’m in need of quality at-home time w/ the bf.

What I’ve been loving:	Content I’ve been consuming:	Snacking and sipping on:
Form50’s Reformer Workout Class in Wynwood (I always book on Classpass) — this class will give you some SERIOUS shakes. I’m a reformer girl through and through and since my friend Leili introduced me to Form50 last month, I haven’t been able to get enough. I thought about buying a membership but as a big travel girly, Classpass always ends up making the most sense for me. For 2 weeks of free classes on Classpass and an extra 20 credits, use this link to sign up for a no commitment trial!	Pimsleur for language learning. I’ve used apps like Duolingo in the past which I’ve liked, however, I’ve always felt these types of apps were more vocab based and less sentence structure focused. I discovered Pimsleur about 2 years ago and have LOVED it since. There are 30 minute lessons every day, all auditory. So you can listen while you’re on a walk, in the shower, cooking, etc. And at your own pace. I’m a visual learner to my core so learning like this is new to me but my language skills and auditory learning abilities have significantly approved since signing up!	Sprout Living Vanilla Lucuma protein powder. I use this for smoothies, desserts, and protein oats. The flavor actually tastes good and it’s super super clean. I’m an OG fan of the vanilla lucuma but I’ve also been obsessing over the Green Kingdom flavor, loaded with greens. I use this one for smoothies only (it’s taste isn’t neutral like vanilla for adding to desserts) but it’s definitely another favorite. Use the promo code ALLYCASE20 for 20% off your purchase at Sprout Living.
Dolce Glow Contour Self-tanning Sculpt & Glow — I didn’t know I needed a product so badly until I got this. This contour wand uses self-tanner to contour your face to perfection. The color is bronzy, glowy and natural. Since adding this to my everyday makeup routine, the compliments have been endless.	I started watching Owning Manhattan on Netflix this month and I’m OBSESSED. I’m a sucker for real estate and reality TV. Combine the two and I’m in heaven. Owning Manhattan is similar to Selling Sunset but with a NY edge. I’m a few episodes away from finishing the first season and will be patiently waiting for Season 2.	Orgain Vegan Protein Ready-to-Drink-Shakes — I picked up an 18 pack of these when I was at Costco and they will definitely added to my monthly shopping list. There’s 20g of protein in each bottle. They make for great grab-and-go breakfasts, as quick snacks or for post-workout. I’m usually a vanilla girly but the chocolate doesn’t disappoint.
Angie Hot & Flashie Travel Brush Set with Pouch — I use full size BK Beauty brushes at home and recently got their travel brush set. I’ve since started using the pouch for not only the brushes, but also for holding my everyday makeup products. If I had to guess, it’s likely not advised to put more than the brushes in the pouch (oops) but it’s been working great for me with adding just my everyday essentials — one concealer, a tinted moisturizer, my dolce glow contour stick, a polite pop blush and an eyebrow pencil. It fits the brushes and these extras perfectly!	Money Musings newsletter written by my wonderfully, talented cousin Ashley Feinstein Gerstley (@thefiscalfemme). She is the queen of financial wisdom (especially geared towards women) and as a subscriber for the last 5+ years, I can promise you it’s worth the read each week! Ashley is also the author of two best-selling books: 30 day Money Cleanse and Financial Adulting. I recommend grabbing a copy of each if you want to feel more financially confident and conscious!	Live Healthillie’s Minerals & Chill adrenal mocktail mix — loaded with vitamin c, sodium, potassium and magnesium to regulate the body’s stress response. In true LH fashion, the ingredients are of the highest quality and the absolute cleanest. Live Healthillie has been an Uppercase Media client for over a year now. I’m SO lucky to be able to work with such forward thinking brands on a day to day basis. You can use the promo code ALLY for 10% off your first purchase from LH!

What I’ve been loving:

Content I’ve been consuming:

Snacking and sipping on:

Form50’s Reformer Workout Class in Wynwood (I always book on Classpass) — this class will give you some SERIOUS shakes. I’m a reformer girl through and through and since my friend Leili introduced me to Form50 last month, I haven’t been able to get enough. I thought about buying a membership but as a big travel girly, Classpass always ends up making the most sense for me.

For 2 weeks of free classes on Classpass and an extra 20 credits, use this link to sign up for a no commitment trial!

Pimsleur for language learning. I’ve used apps like Duolingo in the past which I’ve liked, however, I’ve always felt these types of apps were more vocab based and less sentence structure focused. I discovered Pimsleur about 2 years ago and have LOVED it since. There are 30 minute lessons every day, all auditory. So you can listen while you’re on a walk, in the shower, cooking, etc. And at your own pace. I’m a visual learner to my core so learning like this is new to me but my language skills and auditory learning abilities have significantly approved since signing up!

Sprout Living Vanilla Lucuma protein powder. I use this for smoothies, desserts, and protein oats. The flavor *actually* tastes good and it’s super super clean.

I’m an OG fan of the vanilla lucuma but I’ve also been obsessing over the Green Kingdom flavor, loaded with greens. I use this one for smoothies only (it’s taste isn’t neutral like vanilla for adding to desserts) but it’s definitely another favorite.

Use the promo code ALLYCASE20 for 20% off your purchase at Sprout Living.

Dolce Glow Contour Self-tanning Sculpt & Glow — I didn’t know I needed a product so badly until I got this. This contour wand uses self-tanner to contour your face to perfection. The color is bronzy, glowy and natural. Since adding this to my everyday makeup routine, the compliments have been endless.

I started watching Owning Manhattan on Netflix this month and I’m OBSESSED. I’m a sucker for real estate and reality TV. Combine the two and I’m in heaven. Owning Manhattan is similar to Selling Sunset but with a NY edge. I’m a few episodes away from finishing the first season and will be patiently waiting for Season 2.

Orgain Vegan Protein Ready-to-Drink-Shakes — I picked up an 18 pack of these when I was at Costco and they will definitely added to my monthly shopping list. There’s 20g of protein in each bottle. They make for great grab-and-go breakfasts, as quick snacks or for post-workout. I’m usually a vanilla girly but the chocolate doesn’t disappoint.

Angie Hot & Flashie Travel Brush Set with Pouch — I use full size BK Beauty brushes at home and recently got their travel brush set. I’ve since started using the pouch for not only the brushes, but also for holding my everyday makeup products. If I had to guess, it’s likely not advised to put more than the brushes in the pouch (oops) but it’s been working great for me with adding just my everyday essentials — one concealer, a tinted moisturizer, my dolce glow contour stick, a polite pop blush and an eyebrow pencil. It fits the brushes and these extras perfectly!

Money Musings newsletter written by my wonderfully, talented cousin Ashley Feinstein Gerstley (@thefiscalfemme). She is the queen of financial wisdom (especially geared towards women) and as a subscriber for the last 5+ years, I can promise you it’s worth the read each week!

Ashley is also the author of two best-selling books: 30 day Money Cleanse and Financial Adulting. I recommend grabbing a copy of each if you want to feel more financially confident and conscious!

Live Healthillie’s Minerals & Chill adrenal mocktail mix — loaded with vitamin c, sodium, potassium and magnesium to regulate the body’s stress response. In true LH fashion, the ingredients are of the highest quality and the absolute cleanest.

Live Healthillie has been an Uppercase Media client for over a year now. I’m SO lucky to be able to work with such forward thinking brands on a day to day basis.

You can use the promo code ALLY for 10% off your first purchase from LH!

TRAVEL TIP FOR THIS MONTH: For long-haul flights, preorder your inflight meals online when you book! This is great for making sure you always get your first preference and essential if you have a dietary restriction or preference (GF, veg, kosher etc). Special meal requests will be catered onboard for you for the duration of the flight. And you usually get yours served before anyone else :-)

EVERSET: In case you didn’t know this already, I’m the founder of the clothing brand Everset. I launched in November of 2022 and while we started off with a bang, I haven’t been able to dedicate the time that I would like to this side hustle / passion project. My goal for this quarter is to step it up again!

If you’re a content creator who would like to shoot/style some pieces to share on your social media pages and/or want to include Everset at one of your events, send me a note! I’m going to be offering a handful of giftings this season. And if you’d like to shop, the website is currently on sale! Each piece is made of 100% buttery soft, eco-friendly lyocell. The pieces are SO comfortable, breathable and available in a few fun colors :-) Black and white styles sold out veryyy quickly (the first month we launched) but we have pink (flamingo), blue (pacific) and beige (sahara) in stock and ready to ship.

I vlogged the entire process of creating this clothing line on Youtube. Watch here if you want to see how a clothing line is ✨actually✨ made. Hint: it’s not easy.

These styles / colors won’t be restocked once sold out so shop them while they’re here.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Don’t wait for opportunity, create it.

- George Bernard Shaw

SHOUTOUT OF THE MONTH: My Grandma Evy. Even though I’m heartbroken that you’re not with us on earth anymore, I know Heaven is a better place with you in it. Thank you for teaching me to keep the small things small, to be kind to everyone and to find the fun in everything. Thank you for fueling so many of my creative ventures, for your endless love + support and for showing us what it’s like to be strong. I don’t know what life will look like without you but I feel at ease knowing that you’ll always be watching over your kiddos and grandbabies that love you so so so much.

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If you have any questions for me, click reply. I’d love to chat, answer any questions and hear feedback on what you want me to share next.

Thank you for being here, I’m so grateful for this growing community every day <3