February Newsletter

Your Monthly Update!

Feb 16, 2026

Welcome back, squeaks! It’s time for our second edition of the Monthly Newsletter, and I am so excited to share some of the things I have found last month.

If you’re new here, I’m Pia, a 25-year old native-Floridian. I love the arts and creating new things, and my goal for this year is to “know that I know nothing,” allowing me to explore new things in the hopes of learning more about them.

Our first newsletter started off smaller, but I have compiled more journal prompts, more reads, and added some movies into the mix. If there’s anything you think I should try this month, let me know!

February Check In

Some journal prompts to guide you through February!

What habit am I committing to (choose ONE) that I actually stuck to last month and have the capabilities of following through?
Am I giving myself enough grace on the days I cannot commit?
Have I allowed myself to slow down and reset?
January tends to feel like the longest month, only to be followed by the blip of February: What would you like to leave in the darkest time of the year, as we shed our last winter coats?
How will you embrace the feeling of living and being loved?
Are you allowing yourself to explore? Are you keeping things safe because comfort feels kinder?

February’s Tunes

SO many new releases this past month! I have to feature them all in the mini-playlist, of course.

I unfortunately did not score Harryween tickets, but will be seeing Noah Kahan, Yungblud, Ashnikko, and 5SOS this year! Would love to write some pieces on the shows as they come about (all of them being in the summer).

Things I Enjoyed

Activities:

Latin Night for the Florida Panthers Hockey Team: VAMOS GATOS!

Bonfires during the colder nights down here in Florida
Closed over $800k in sales at my new job!
Saw around 50 manatees at the Manatee Lagoon

Eats:

So much soup! Dontee’s Diner, East Wok, and more!
Trying new dishes regularly at Dontee’s Diner
- BLT with Egg and Cheese
- Split Pea Soup
- Chili
- Avocado Toast with Egg
- Reuben melt (literally the best Sauerkraut I've had in Solo)
Valentine’s dinner date at Cafe Centro in Northwood

E.R. Bradley’s in West Palm Beach
Obviously Skinny Lou’s and Groves Coffee again

Movies:

The Housemaid (in theaters)
- The movie was pretty on-par with the book, which I had read back in 2022/23. The only complaint I had was how nice that room looked for the entire first portion of the movie. Once she was trapped, the room looked more book-accurate. The whole point was to create a sense of desperation - she was willing to live in the dingiest of spaces because of her past. I fear that taking that detail out of the movie actually did some harm to the effects of the plot twist, because the viewer does not question “why would she be doing this?” early on like they should have been. Regardless, a great movie and I loved Sydney Sweeney’s acting in it. It is sad to see her take the route she is taking, placing this image of “hyper-sexuality” because she is convinced that is how society views her, and she “might as well play the part.” She is a great actress and she genuinely will sell herself short if she continues on this silly Skims route…
Iron Lung (in theaters)
- Great movie all around. I have not seen the video game prior, but am a huge fan of Markiplier and his streaming. I have been on that side of TikTok since COVID, so I loved seeing someone outside of Hollywood take a franchise so far. The tension was great, the details connecting to the game itself were solid, and personally, I think this left very little open-ended, but just enough to create a sequel, or prequel (to dive into those who went down before him) in the future. I feel like a proud fan seeing someone take something they adore and turn it into something massive.
Marty Supreme (in theaters)
- As a marketing girlie, the promo for this movie had me in clutches. I knew I was the target audience, if I was foaming at the mouth with a new clue to what the movie would be about… I could not bear to watch it on streaming, I needed to be supportive! The marketing alone was so great, that I felt the team deserved insane box-office numbers, and I wanted to be a part of that. I loved that it took a true story and turned it on its head enough to be its own entity. Amazing acting from quite literally everyone, but Kevin O’Leary stole the show. If business interests you at all, you should see this film solely for the efforts that were put into it to create something so great.
Midsommar (because I love that movie)
- I’ve seen this film more times than I can count, and every time I finish it, I am reminded of why I felt so let down by Hereditary. An amazing work of art, for real.
Masterminds (streaming)
- This was a feel-good from 2016. I could not stop laughing, which is much needed after some of the more serious films I had been watching.
Black Swan (streaming)
- Full disclosure, I saw this film when it first came out… I was 10. I made my boyfriend watch it so we could better understand the comparisons coming out for Him.
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (streaming)
- Another funny, feel-good movie to add to your list. The early 2000s had an influx of comedies like this, and truly 2003 was an era within itself.

Shows:

Fallout
- I am so excited for the new season! The final episode referencing New Vegas has everyone looking forward to the next chapter. The character development is 10/10, for everyone from main characters like Cooper, down to minor characters like Thaddeus. A well-rounded show! I will be honest, I started watching it after seeing the house at Halloween Horror Nights in Universal Orlando Resort. I have always trusted HHN to give their all to the right franchises, and seeing Fallout pop in nearly guaranteed viewership from me.
Stick
- Owen Wilson does a phenomenal job at tugging at your heartstrings. I have seen a handful of sport-comedies where the main character was washed out or retired and took someone under their wing, but the way Stick handles such well-rounded people with a variety of backgrounds is new to me. I cried, and will leave it at that.
Abbott Elementary
- In some cases, this show is simply too accurate when it comes to the school system. Unfortunately, being from Florida, I have the lowest rung possible, and anything that Abbott struggles with has probably been forced upon Florida teachers in ways that a mall won’t help. I resonated deeply with the passion each teacher had, regardless of the failed system, and give deep kudos to the real teachers out there that are sticking to it. I tested the waters for two years, and saw the inevitable failure that has come about even beyond when I was in school - I only graduated in 2018, it shouldn’t be that much worse. The reality is, it is.
Palm Royale
- Now THIS is a great show for Palm Beach locals! It feels like a giant game of “Where’s Waldo,” but for different landmarks they have edited out to make the setting more historically accurate. This show is spunky, and the twists seem to never end (even up to the final episode). Hoping for another season, soon!
Chad Powers
- My only complaint with this show is that we did not get to see the final game. Much like Stick, this was a tear-jerker and felt very well-rounded in the washed-up world of sports. The Manning cameo made it a 10/10, automatically.
Started Member’s Only Palm Beach and gagged too hard, so I had to turn it off.
- I have too much to say, so I will say nothing at all.