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If you watched all three Netflix movies in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, you know who Anna Cathcart is. She stole the show as Lara Jean’s (played by Lana Condor) little sister Kitty. In fact, she became such a fan favorite, that Cathcart got her own spin-off show, XO, Kitty, currently in production.  I caught up with the 19-year-old star over Zoom to find out everything I could about the anticipated Netflix show, how she’s handling her newfound fame and her modern partnership with Lego Dot®.

You teamed up with Lego Dots on a limited-edition poster drop. That’s different from the Legos I’m used to!

“I partnered with the Lego Group to help create three different posters that all have different aesthetics,” Cathcart says. “And all of them are personalizable with Lego dots and Lego dots patches.” She shows me the “Wandercore” poster behind her, a pastel design that would look cute in any dorm room. It’s adorned with these Lego dots, something I, as an elder millennial, had never seen before. They’re not like regular Legos.

“My favorite part about them is there are no set directions,” she continues. “You don’t have to build them in one certain way. You can just keep designing them and then even once you put them on your poster, you can still take off the tiles and redesign them. Because nothing’s permanent.”

She and Meghan Trainor are helping others express their creativity with a huge pop-up in Los Angeles this weekend.

Hosting a pop-up, filming a Netflix show — it’s a lot of pressure! How do you decompress?

“It can definitely be overwhelming,” Cathcart says. “I think social media is a great thing. But it can also cause a lot of stress, especially when it’s a part of your career, when there are certain expectations and it definitely can get to me. I’ve learned to go on Instagram only when I feel like it.” She’s not on the apps 24/7 or they would suck up all her time. (I need to take some of that advice.)

“I’m definitely a creative person,” she says. “I journal a lot and I draw a lot…And just surrounding yourself with good people. I’m best friends with my older sister, and we hang out a lot and just talk and rant about different things. Spending quality time together is definitely a way for me to decompress and feel just calm and on track and know I can continue and keep going.”

Source: Instagram

You aren’t very active on TikTok even though you have more than 2 million followers.

“I cannot bring myself to go on this app, because I will be on it for another four hours,” she admits. “And I know I can’t afford to do that.” She was just too busy in the XO, Kitty world to find time, plus she would get in a lot of trouble if she accidentally spilled set secrets.

“So much of my camera were things I’m just dying to post when the show comes out that I have to hold for so long,” she says. “That definitely was a part of it. I think photo dumps are my new favorite thing because there’s so much pressure and you can just sum up like the last few months of your life.”

Speaking of the show, what does it mean to you to be a part of a series that features such great Asian representation?

“Our cast has so much diversity,” she says. “A lot of different ethnicities. Especially because we’re based in Korea, our show is about an international school there, and we have a lot of Asian representation. It’s so exciting to see that happen more and more often…This should be normal. But I love that we are headed in the right direction.”

“I think what’s cool about it as well, is Kitty just happens to be Asian,” she continues. “She’s just a girl who’s living her life. And she’s exploring who she is. She’s in high school and she’s doing her thing. Of course, [being Asian] is a really big part of her. And we do dive into that a bit. lt’s just a beautiful part of her. And that really special type of representation, I love getting to be a part of.”

Cathcart understands how important it is for people to see themselves on TV, to feel understood in media as a whole. “It’s such a magical feeling that you can’t compare it to anything else,” she adds. “I love getting to be a part of that.”

Source: Instagram

How was filming in South Korea?

“It sounds maybe dramatic, but I mean, every word of it: it was seriously the coolest thing I’ve ever gotten to do, to be immersed in a different culture, getting to live there,” Cathcart says. “I had been there when we shot the third movie, but that was a couple of weeks when we went to Seoul. This time, I was there for four months. I got to like really see the city and live there and experience it in such a different way which I loved and a lot of the cast as well were local.”

“I’ve been home now for like a month and a half,” she says. “I’m still trying to process what just happened. I can’t even believe that was real life.”

Source: Instagram

The beauty and fashion in South Korea are unlike anything else. Was it inspiring?

“The beauty industry there and style is so amazing,” she says. “Everyone, everyone, is just so stylish. Me and my mom would talk about it all the time. We’re walking down the street and go, ‘how does everyone look cool here?‘ Everyone just always looks awesome. I definitely went shopping a lot and tried to get inspiration.” She tells me the cute shirt she’s wearing is actually from Korea.

Of course, she had to get into Korean beauty while she was there, too. “I definitely got some face masks,” she says. “I had never had a facial before but I got a few facials while I was there and it was amazing. I’ve been missing out.”

What’s your beauty routine usually like?

“In general it’s low key,” she says. “I’m pretty natural but [beauty] is so much fun to play with and I love doing my makeup.” She uses a lot of drugstore items and cannot, cannot live without lip balm and/or gloss. She loves Glossier’s Balm Dot Com — but only the clear or mint ones. “That is my favorite because it works on a no-makeup face and makeup days because it works as a gloss but also works as a normal lip balm,” Cathcart adds.

Good taste and a hit Netflix show in the works? This girl is going places.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

If you watched all three Netflix movies in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, you know who Anna Cathcart is. She stole the show as Lara Jean’s (played by Lana Condor) little sister Kitty. In fact, she became such a fan favorite, that Cathcart got her own spin-off show, XO, Kitty, currently in production.  I caught up with the 19-year-old star over Zoom to find out everything I could about the anticipated Netflix show, how she’s handling her newfound fame and her modern partnership with Lego Dot®.

You teamed up with Lego Dots on a limited-edition poster drop. That’s different from the Legos I’m used to!

“I partnered with the Lego Group to help create three different posters that all have different aesthetics,” Cathcart says. “And all of them are personalizable with Lego dots and Lego dots patches.” She shows me the “Wandercore” poster behind her, a pastel design that would look cute in any dorm room. It’s adorned with these Lego dots, something I, as an elder millennial, had never seen before. They’re not like regular Legos.

“My favorite part about them is there are no set directions,” she continues. “You don’t have to build them in one certain way. You can just keep designing them and then even once you put them on your poster, you can still take off the tiles and redesign them. Because nothing’s permanent.”

She and Meghan Trainor are helping others express their creativity with a huge pop-up in Los Angeles this weekend.

Hosting a pop-up, filming a Netflix show — it’s a lot of pressure! How do you decompress?

“It can definitely be overwhelming,” Cathcart says. “I think social media is a great thing. But it can also cause a lot of stress, especially when it’s a part of your career, when there are certain expectations and it definitely can get to me. I’ve learned to go on Instagram only when I feel like it.” She’s not on the apps 24/7 or they would suck up all her time. (I need to take some of that advice.)

“I’m definitely a creative person,” she says. “I journal a lot and I draw a lot…And just surrounding yourself with good people. I’m best friends with my older sister, and we hang out a lot and just talk and rant about different things. Spending quality time together is definitely a way for me to decompress and feel just calm and on track and know I can continue and keep going.”

Source: Instagram

You aren’t very active on TikTok even though you have more than 2 million followers.

“I cannot bring myself to go on this app, because I will be on it for another four hours,” she admits. “And I know I can’t afford to do that.” She was just too busy in the XO, Kitty world to find time, plus she would get in a lot of trouble if she accidentally spilled set secrets.

“So much of my camera were things I’m just dying to post when the show comes out that I have to hold for so long,” she says. “That definitely was a part of it. I think photo dumps are my new favorite thing because there’s so much pressure and you can just sum up like the last few months of your life.”

Speaking of the show, what does it mean to you to be a part of a series that features such great Asian representation?

“Our cast has so much diversity,” she says. “A lot of different ethnicities. Especially because we’re based in Korea, our show is about an international school there, and we have a lot of Asian representation. It’s so exciting to see that happen more and more often…This should be normal. But I love that we are headed in the right direction.”

“I think what’s cool about it as well, is Kitty just happens to be Asian,” she continues. “She’s just a girl who’s living her life. And she’s exploring who she is. She’s in high school and she’s doing her thing. Of course, [being Asian] is a really big part of her. And we do dive into that a bit. lt’s just a beautiful part of her. And that really special type of representation, I love getting to be a part of.”

Cathcart understands how important it is for people to see themselves on TV, to feel understood in media as a whole. “It’s such a magical feeling that you can’t compare it to anything else,” she adds. “I love getting to be a part of that.”

Source: Instagram

How was filming in South Korea?

“It sounds maybe dramatic, but I mean, every word of it: it was seriously the coolest thing I’ve ever gotten to do, to be immersed in a different culture, getting to live there,” Cathcart says. “I had been there when we shot the third movie, but that was a couple of weeks when we went to Seoul. This time, I was there for four months. I got to like really see the city and live there and experience it in such a different way which I loved and a lot of the cast as well were local.”

“I’ve been home now for like a month and a half,” she says. “I’m still trying to process what just happened. I can’t even believe that was real life.”

Source: Instagram

The beauty and fashion in South Korea are unlike anything else. Was it inspiring?

“The beauty industry there and style is so amazing,” she says. “Everyone, everyone, is just so stylish. Me and my mom would talk about it all the time. We’re walking down the street and go, ‘how does everyone look cool here?‘ Everyone just always looks awesome. I definitely went shopping a lot and tried to get inspiration.” She tells me the cute shirt she’s wearing is actually from Korea.

Of course, she had to get into Korean beauty while she was there, too. “I definitely got some face masks,” she says. “I had never had a facial before but I got a few facials while I was there and it was amazing. I’ve been missing out.”

What’s your beauty routine usually like?

“In general it’s low key,” she says. “I’m pretty natural but [beauty] is so much fun to play with and I love doing my makeup.” She uses a lot of drugstore items and cannot, cannot live without lip balm and/or gloss. She loves Glossier’s Balm Dot Com — but only the clear or mint ones. “That is my favorite because it works on a no-makeup face and makeup days because it works as a gloss but also works as a normal lip balm,” Cathcart adds.

Good taste and a hit Netflix show in the works? This girl is going places.

National Dog Day is celebrated each year on August 26. The buoyancy our furry friends provide is balm for our Covid-weary spirits. Pets made great companions during the throes of the pandemic. I experienced separation anxiety when we felt brave enough to take our first trip (as I’m sure they did, too. “Wait, I thought we were BFFs,” their imploring eyes and barks conveyed.)

Baby Boomers Were the First Generation to Make Dogs Part of the Family

Baby Boomers were the first generation to go all in on pet ownership. Prior to this generation, dogs and cats were found more often in rural America, where they had jobs and subsisted off table scraps and outdoor scrounging. Baby Boomers brought them inside and made them part of the family.

A Tale of Two Dogs

My husband and I started out with one dog, a Bichon Frise, weighing in at 13 pounds. Manageable, right? That is, until Chloe began biting people. I’m not talking about a little nip at the heel; I’m talking about ankle biting sharp enough to draw blood.

She bit our friends; she bit our family; she bit a trial lawyer! Who was really upset! That was it. We didn’t have the heart to put her down. She was a rescue dog purchase who came with ‘issues’, or as my friend Suzan suggested, she was a repo dog, returned, no reason given.

Our self-esteem could not handle having such an inhospitable dog. (My husband and I fancy ourselves to be hospitable people, wanting our guests to feel warm and welcome, not screaming and bleeding.)

So, we did the only logical thing; we bought a second dog. A labradoodle puppy.

My dogs Jozy and Chloe

We spent 10 years in the company of a 60-pound, sweet, charcoal gray, not too bright Labradoodle, and a 15-pound mean, white, wicked-smart Bichon Frise. Chloe was the brains, Jozy the brawn within this dynamic duo.

My grandma name became Jozy as a result of the dog’s persistent presence in FaceTime exchanges with my granddaughter. Maya associated the name with me and began calling me Jozy. (Our family has a history of naming people after pets. Maya’s brother was named Rusty in honor of their first Labradoodle.)

These two have taken up a good bit of psychic, physical, and financial real estate in our home and budget. Twice-a-day walks are a must to keep the dog poop from overwhelming our 2000-square-foot back yard.

Their organic, grain free, non-allergenic, senior dog food costs $70 a bag. And don’t get me started about the price of our Vet bills (x 2 where the tech never failed to up-charge at every visit). Then there is the $50 per day charge for a dog sitter to stay in our house (because we couldn’t risk boarding a biting Chloe) when we had the audacity to leave them for work or fun.

Dogs Are Hyper-Aware of Nuances 

Dogs are hyper-aware of nuances – opening a certain dresser drawer cued them I was about to put on a bra, which inevitably meant I was leaving the house. Chloe took her job as chief of our security quite seriously. As deputy, Jozy’s job was to use her husky, deep voice to scare away possible intruders.

A squirrel passing gas three streets away still elicits a good 15 minutes of barking. Of course, if actual human strangers lurk in our yard, nary a yip can be heard. They reminded me of canine secret service agents. I really could picture them in sunglasses alerting each other of our movements by talking into the wires concealed in their fur.

It’s Easy to Ascribe Human Characteristics to Our Pets 

God forbid we would make a move to go upstairs. The murmuring would commence: “They’re heading up,” Chloe would whisper into her paw. “Got ‘um,” would come the immediate reply. “You coming? Wait, she closed the door, LEAVING US OUT,” Jozy would wail.

Chloe would roll her eyes. “For heaven’s sakes, Jozy, it’s been 10 years. You know the drill by now. You know they can’t live without us at their side. Mom and Dad just think they need a little alone time. Watch and learn, again,” at which point she would start scratching and throwing herself against the door.

“They will relent, feel bad about us, and let us in sooner than later,” she explained patiently, if not a little patronizingly. Of course, she was always correct and within minutes, the door would open. Chloe, casting a self-satisfied glance back at Jozy, would swagger into the room, assuming her rightful place. “Sure, they get a little mad, but it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.”

Don’t get me started about the grooming of these non-shedding hypoallergenic breeds. These engineered breeds have hair in lieu of fur. The upside is they don’t shed and leave vestiges of their coat all over the living room sofa. The downside is they must be groomed. And grooming is not cheap.

About six times a year, we would take our two for what we lovingly labeled a spa day. These spa days typically cost upwards of $170 once the tip has been included. Following one such visit, I asked Chloe if she enjoyed her experience.

“What the hell do you think?!” she demanded. “They put their fingers up my butt, water boarded me like I was a terrorist at Guantanamo, and for intellectual torture, threw me in a cell with a damned corgi, who, let’s say it together, is an idiot. They stuck me into one of those damn tutus for fufu dogs and put a bow in my hair like I’m some kind of fur-kid. I could not believe it!”

Jozy, rarely the complainer, always looks as sleek and beautiful as a runway model. But this still goes down as a “No good deed goes unpunished.”

My hair stylist told me her labradoodle ate a $100 bill. She spent the next couple of days following her dog around collecting poop to sift out the paper pieces. Her bank teller was less than thrilled when she presented her taped-together Benjamin Franklin.

Losing a Pet Can Be Wrenching 

We had to put Chloe down in the early months of the pandemic. I felt like an executioner as I was the one that brought her to the vet. The loss I felt that day hasn’t really gone away.

I overheard my oldest grandson telling our youngest grandson that Chloe was dead. Ru began to cry saying, “that’s not very nice.” I felt exactly the same way. Jozy is now 12 and plagued with arthritis and other ailments. I can’t bear the thought of losing her too. 

Our 12-Year-Old Girl

It’s kind of amazing the spaces they fill in our lives after our nests empty. Caring for others, even those with fur, keeps us from slipping into self-absorption and takes our minds off the anxiety of a scary medical diagnosis or the political fractures in our world. Pets foster an environment of loving, a quality much in demand in our human world. (And best of all… they don’t ask for a car or college education!)

Pet Ownership Is an Equation 

Pet ownership is an equation. On one hand, you have the expense and effort; on the other, the much-needed intimacy, love, and laugher. I plan to be a dog owner until such a time as I meet up with my dearly departed ones in pet paradise where they live in a leash-free world filled with unconditional love and lots of fire hydrants. That sounds like a great version of heaven.

Do you have a dog or pet who is a member of your family? Please share a story about your furry friend. 

So, you find yourself single, a bit distant from your twilight years, but not exactly in your 30s or 40s. I can tell you as a dating coach for over 30 years, there are good men out there. Why? I get to meet them every day!

Perhaps you have been married for 30 years and suddenly end up divorced. Or like me, married for 25 years, divorced, but wasn’t quite ready to date with an ailing father and two teenage daughters. But, three years later, now the excuses are gone!

Whether you are just in your 50s or hitting 65, the dating world can be a scary place. It’s new, we didn’t grow up with it – after all in the 80s and 90s, what a stigma there was around using a dating service. Plus, popular online dating sites didn’t really hit their stride until around the year 2000. By then, many of us were wrapped up in relationships, perhaps children and marriage.

So How Does One Find Love as a Middle-Aged Woman?

What do you do when you realize you are ‘out there’ again? Footloose and fancy-free, no longer spoken for, no longer tied down, partner-less, SINGLE?

It’s probably not what you had in mind for this stage of your life, but let’s face it, it’s not all bad either. Perhaps you have left a toxic relationship behind; perhaps you just grew apart; perhaps there was more for you to experience and this was just part of your personal journey.

Regardless of how you got there, dealing with being single can be tough at any age but there are pros and cons to being out there again with a little experience under your belt.

Let’s Start with the Positives

1. When you are in your mid years, you tend to know yourself better. You know what you want, and what you are willing to settle for.
2. You have probably had a few relationships, or at least a long-term one, and you know what you love and what doesn’t float your boat.
3. I believe, as older women, we accept ourselves more. We don’t tend to be as picky about our bodies, our personalities, and are more aware of our wants and desires.
4. We have been ‘around the block’, so to speak, and know we can survive on our own if we need to. We are often more self-sufficient and independent and have established friendships that can sustain us through challenging times like breakups.

There Are Some Negatives as Well

1. Previous expectations can interfere. I tell my clients that every man you go out with doesn’t have to be your next husband. Once you learn this, you will actually become quite good at dating. After all, a first date is nothing more than an audition for a second date, right?
2. With over 1400 dating sites in the US, you would think there would be one good match out there, but it’s quite overwhelming to find it. What do I choose? eHarmony, Coffee Meets Bagel, okCupid, Zoosk, Tinder, Bumble, Silver singles, Elite singles… the list goes on.
3. You may not feel confident putting yourself out there so you do nothing. You think you will bump into a good man at the grocery store or church. But let’s face it, that’s like playing the lottery.
4. Listening to your married or single friends stunts your dating life. Of course, they are your friends for a reason: they love you. But that doesn’t mean they know anything about online dating strategies!

It’s True That Dating Takes Guts

Dating and being single in our middle years is quite daunting.

When we were younger, it was simple. You see a boy. He sees you. You like each other and go out on a date. Not these days. Not even close.

And guess what? Most of it is good!

A few weeks ago, in my line of work as a dating coach, I had written my 66-year-old client Anna’s dating profile, chosen the dating site and her photos, and posted it all online for her. Imagine her shock when she woke the next morning to 63 likes. What? She called me and said those men were not what she wanted – and how could she possibly read through all these messages and profiles.

I laughed and reassured her, “Don’t worry, those are just likes, not your matches. You and I are now going to find the right men for you based on your criteria using the search engines and algorithms,” which I began teaching her.

We went over individualized messages for each potential date – there is definitely an art and science to crafting good messages that get the response from the men you want to meet. As I told her, a heart or like gets you nothing! Almost at once, she saw what she called ‘normal’ men, and we were off to the races!

Anna now has been on four first dates, two second dates, and has a third date coming up with one of the gentlemen we found for her. Her confidence is soaring as she’s realized, yes, there are normal, terrific single men out there!

In addition to online dating, find hobbies you like, rediscover yourself as a single person. Be kind to yourself. And, when you are ready, go out and date as a social activity.

In the meantime, just enjoy! Every interaction you have teaches you something about yourself. So put on your dancing shoes, get out the glitter, pull out the golf clubs or pickleball paddle, and go out there and have a ball. Let’s face it, half the fun is in the looking!

Do you think there are pros and cons to dating when older? Are there qualities you’ve gained with the years that have helped you with online dating? What are they? How did you cultivate them?

Chanel Ayan’s Black and White Dress

Real Housewives of Dubai Season 1 Finale Fashion

I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news for Chanel Ayan is that Caroline Brooks indeed did not throw up on her dress. The bad news for us is that if we want to get our hands on it the stock is very limited. Which I may need a bottle glass of bubbles to handle, kind of like Caroline.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her Givenchy Dress

Click Here for Additional Stock 

Originally posted at: Chanel Ayan’s Black and White Dress