Through the first two years of the pandemic, my husband and I saved our pennies and dreamed of a trip to the Amalfi Coast of Italy. I can’t even guess the number of travel videos and articles we viewed, planning our “someday” trip.

In May 2022 we landed in Naples to begin our 3-week adventure of several cities in the beautiful Amalfi Coast, Italy. It was a dream come true! Below are a few things we noticed that may also interest you.

Intense Beauty

Everywhere we looked along the coast of Italy we found inspiring, breath-taking beauty.

We stayed only along the coast, purposely choosing spots with a view of the sparkling blue water. As we walked through cities, we noted nothing was new and shiny, but old structures and homes were etched with centuries of weathering or covered with moss and vines. The Bougainvillea Flowers were abundant, adding pops of color everywhere we looked.

Friendly Italians

People are friendly but not obnoxious or invasive. Most would greet us with a friendly “Buongiorno” or “Ciao.” If we said it first, they would respond with friendliness that lit up their faces.

One time, an older gentleman passed us, saying something we couldn’t hear. It may have been “salvo,” a common Italian greeting. Our Minnesota brain did not figure this out in time to greet him back, until he was past us.

He stopped and said in English, “Are you just going to pass without saying hello?” We explained that we didn’t understand what he said and were so sorry. He then was quite friendly staying to chat a few minutes about our stay in his city.

Supermarkets

Grocery stores or supermercatos, stock very different items than in the US. Due to their size, I would liken them to a corner market in a small US town, not a supermarket. We walked through every short isle several times wondering what we could possibly fix other than pasta.

Local fruits and vegetables were in abundance with fresh fish caught that day. One time, we bought what we thought were two large clear bottles of water. The label had an Italian word written on it, which wasn’t unusual. Parched and needing a drink after a long walk, I realized that we had bought something else, when it stung the whole way down my throat! That was embarrassing.

I confess that most of our meals were not made in our Airbnb stays! We indulged in good Italian food that left a delicious impression on me. I’ve been inspired to make authentic Italian food ever since we returned.

We were surprised to find that not all Airbnbs in Italy have ovens. Most of the meal preparation is done on a stove top. This threw me off for a bit. The stove tops had all the directions written in Italian, of course. I could not get the hang of it and called our host twice to figure it out.

Even then, I never got it working. Apparently, I had to hold one knob for 6 seconds, while turning another for 10 seconds, or was it the other way around? I gave up on fixing morning coffee to sip on our balcony and gladly went to the nearest café for excellent Italian Cappuccino!

Coffee Bars

We also found out that there is a sitting fee at the café, unless we chose to sip our coffee standing at the coffee bar. I watched from my chair as Italians would stand at the coffee bar, order their perfect small cup of espresso, use a small delicate spoon to stir, then down it like it was an alcoholic shot.

Gray Hair

Many older Italian women don’t let their hair go gray. I wondered if the reason I got some attention was due to being an older woman with gray hair. I mean, what else could it be?

Beaches

The beaches are full of women in two-piece swim wear. I was overdressed in my tankini and swim shorts. Women, young, old, large, small, pregnant, or not, wear thong swim bottoms. Italian men generally wear Speedos. In a way, I respect that! No hang ups or body shaming.

On another note, the water is so clear and refreshing, you can see your feet, as well as rocks on the bottom even in very deep water. The beach was rocky not sandy so using water shoes helped tremendously.

Transportation

Transportation is available in many forms: train, bus, water ferry, or a private driver. (We opted not to rent a car ourselves).

Which travel option is best? We used them all. Travel is time-consuming and frustrating. The frustrating part? The buses were sometimes full and didn’t let us get on though we’d waited for quite some time. Reading the Italian key for times/places was confusing.

We figured this out eventually, but it left us with many questions, such as,

• If we get to the neighboring town, will the bus be available after several hours to bring us back?
• When the bus didn’t arrive as scheduled, were we in the right place?

At the time of our visit, masks were required in all forms of public transportation, but not in restaurants or shops. If we forgot to bring a mask, the driver would not allow us to board. There were no extra masks free for uninformed travelers like us.

One time, after a day at the beach, we waited a long time in the sun and heat for the city bus to arrive. We had forgotten to bring masks to the beach so when the bus finally arrived, the driver would not allow us to board. We had to walk back up insane amounts of steep steps and windy paths to our destination!

Women drive scooters or motorcycles as much as men do. They get their permit for a motorcycle at age 14.

Sometimes we watched horrified as motorcycles took chances on those small cliffside roads, passing the busses who were stalled when larger cars clogged the street. If we met a normal sized car (for US standards) the bus could not proceed.

In such a scenario, the cars were forced to back up around corners on narrow cliff-side passages, until there was space just wide enough to allow the bus to squeeze through. While waiting in this jam, motorcycles would speed ahead weaving in and out of stalled traffic. It was a crazy experience to behold.

In some cities, there are no traffic lights or lines on the road. People would drive every which way. Surprisingly, we did not witness road rage or accidents, just horn honking!

Speaking Italian

Even if you don’t speak Italian, chances are someone speaks English just around the corner and could help to interpret for you. We tried to learn key phrases before our trip. However, when spoken to in rapid Italian, everything we learned was useless.

The kindness and patience of Italian people helped us through our whole vacation to have a wonderful, unforgettable experience. Yes, you guessed it, we have started to plan our next Italian trip.

Did you notice any of the things I mentioned when you spent time in Italy? When was the first time you visited Italy? What is your advice to others? Join in a conversation and share what you are planning or what you noticed while in Italy.

Of course, it is important to strengthen all our major muscle groups to protect against sarcopenia, the progressive and gradual loss of muscle mass and strength as we age. Should we fall prey to significant sarcopenia, we will most likely experience a greater loss of balance, functionality, and independence.

And, we will be more prone to the increased risk for falls,, fall-related hip fractures, buttocks, lateral hip, or groin pain, and experience a reduced quality of life. That’s simply what the data shows.

Obviously, the older we get the greater the likelihood of succumbing to these potential conditions and injuries, hence, the importance of strengthening our muscles as we age. As such, working diligently to maintain our muscle strength may be the most important thing we can do to maintain our independence and mobility whether we are 60, 70, or 80+ years old.

Much has been written on sarcopenia and the development of overall muscular strength, but the focus of this article is preserving and strengthening our gluteus medius muscle.

The Gluteus Medius Muscle

Prime Action

Hip abduction or moving your leg away from your body midline in the frontal plane.

Other Actions

The anterior portion also performs hip flexion and internal rotation. The posterior portion also performs hip extension and external rotation.

Other Important Function

Serves as the prime lateral stabilizing muscle of the hip joint.

Why Focus on the Gluteus Medius Muscle?

Again, without taking anything away from the importance of strengthening other important muscles that cross over and act upon the hip joint (like the gluteus maximus, hip flexors muscles, the tensor fascia latae muscle, etc.), it is important that extra consideration and attention be given to the gluteus medius muscle for the following reasons:

We Primarily Move in the Sagittal Plane of Motion

Most of what we do or how we move is conducted in the sagittal plane of motion, or moving anterior-posterior and up and down. For example, consider the hip movements when we walk, jog and run, sit down and stand up. These actions all occur in the sagittal plane.

We typically don’t do a lot of movement in the frontal plane or side-to-side. As such, the muscles that perform movement in the frontal plane of motion (the gluteus medius being the most important muscle in frontal plane movement at the hip joint) usually are not worked/challenged as much in our daily routine. Therefore, they need more attention in our training regimens.

Its Importance in Balance

Again, other muscles of the hip and certainly those around our ankles are important in balance, but the gluteal muscles, and especially the gluteus medius, play a key role in maintaining balance and stability in the frontal plane, and especially when weight bearing on the leg.

Its Essential Role in Preventing Pelvis Drop

When performing these mentioned activities, the gluteus medius muscle prevents the pelvis from dropping to the opposite side when supporting the body weight on one leg. Not only is this an essential feature when walking but plays an important role in maintaining balance.

Further, a weakness in the gluteus medius and the consequential abnormal movement in the pelvis (known as pelvic drop) due to the weakness, can lead to repetitive abnormal stress and injury to the low back, hip, and knee joints.

Note: When strengthening the gluteus medius muscle, you are also strengthening the gluteus minimus and tensor fascia latae muscles as they too perform similar actions as the gluteus medius and also help support the hip laterally.

Five Exercises That Target the Gluteus Medius Muscle – Progressing in Intensity

Single Leg Stance

When standing on one leg, the gluteus medius muscle on that same side must contract to keep the pelvis level and from dropping to the opposite side.

• To increase the challenge to the muscle: Hold a dumbbell in opposite hand while standing on one leg. This added resistance forces the gluteus medius to work harder to maintain a level pelvis.
• Rx: Hold single leg stance position for up to 30 seconds or as long as you can. Perform multiple reps throughout the day.

Standing Single Leg Abduction

Simply move your leg away from your body. This will work the gluteus medius muscles on both sides of the body.

• To increase the challenge to the muscle: Place a TheraBand elastic band around the leg you are working to increase the resistance.
• To decrease the challenge to the muscle: Perform moving your leg away from you while lying on the floor. This position helps eliminate or reduce the gravitational force and reduces the intensity of the exercise.
• Rx: Perform a set of reps until fatigued (or 10 reps) and multiple sets throughout the day.

Sidewalks with TheraBand

Place a tied off TheraBand elastic band around both legs at just above the knees and side step – lead leg first followed by the trail leg. This exercise works the gluteus medius muscles on both sides.

• To increase the challenge to the muscle: Use a TheraBand of greater resistance or increase the length of your side step.
• Rx: Perform multiple sets of side stepping throughout the day.

Side Lying Leg Lifts

While lying on your side (hip to be exercised on the “up” side), lift your leg upward overcoming gravity and the weight of the leg. This movement is known as hip abduction and is primarily performed by the gluteus medius.

• To increase the challenge to the muscle: Place a TheraBand elastic band around your legs and then perform the movement.
• Rx: Perform a set of reps until fatigued (or 10 reps) and multiple sets throughout the day.

Side Planks

Simply maintaining a plank position works the gluteus medius muscle on the downside leg.

• To increase the challenge to the muscle: While holding the plank position, raise the upside leg. By doing so, both gluteus medius muscles are working.
• To decrease the challenge to the muscle: Instead of keeping the downside leg extended, flex the knee. This makes the pivot point at the knee instead of at the foot which decreases the strain of the exercise.
• Rx: Perform a set of reps until fatigued (or 10 reps) and multiple sets throughout the day.

Do you really want to maintain your independence and mobility into your 70s and 80s? What is your plan to “START NOW” to ensure strength, balance, and mobility and your ability to go and do?

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.

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.

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.