play it again Archives - This Time Tomorrow

July 20, 2022 — 2 Comments

play it again: volume 35

2 minute read

I read a quote from the sculptor Isamu Noguchi the other day that read: “When an artist stops being a child, they stop being an artist.” And that stayed with me. Because here’s the thing: that child you used to be? The one you were so eager to leave behind in pursuit of adulthood? Of responsibility? Of accomplishment? Don’t be afraid to go back to them. Look with their eyes. Wonder with their heart. Seek answers and understanding with their curiosity. That child, in a beautifully ironic sense, actually knew more about living, truly living, than the years since have taught many of us. Hold onto them. Keep them close. And when you’re in doubt, I hope you can quiet the noise and listen to what they have to say.

Hope you enjoy this week's playlist — it's a catch-all for everything we listened to while traveling around Italy. Prepare to dance a little, cook a little and generally live la dolce vita while listening! Andiamo!

Daphne Wilde dress — red and rose print (gifted) // Vintage Hermes scarf (similar style here) // J. McLaughlin sandals (gifted)

Photography by yours truly and my love, all on a Rolleiflex medium format film camera

April 20, 2022 — 2 Comments

play it again: volume 34

2 minute read

When I'm alone, my mind travels to a lot of places. Ones I've been to and ones I've only imagined from afar. Familiar faces and strangers meet me there, as well as my dreams, my hopes, my worries — the noise that keep me up at night. But without fail, when it's deeply quiet and I'm truly alone, my mind always finds its way to you. And I relish the company.

Hope you enjoy this week's playlist — no general theme this week. Just a collection of feel-good, I can almost taste spring songs that encourage you to open the windows while you're working and dance for a track (or two).

Mara Hoffman dress (old, similar style here) // Chanel slingbacks // Staud bag

Photography by Marcus Richardson

August 25, 2021 — 2 Comments

play it again: volume 27

3 minute read

The other day, as I was walking along the stretch of 5th Avenue that hugs Central Park, the setting sun splashed through the trees and something struck me. A feeling of quasi déjà vu — a recognition of a moment that I hadn't exactly lived, because I recognized it from a daydream. A moment that I had pictured years before moving to New York, of seemingly normal walks back home, or to the train, or perhaps to meet friends at restaurants I didn't yet know — equal parts lost and belonging to the streets of the city I hoped to call home someday. A moment I had framed in my mind to capture how I thought I might go about living in New York — of summer nights walking alongside Central Park with nowhere to be, but absolutely everywhere to go at my fingertips. And there I was, on a seemingly perfect August evening, doing exactly what a younger Krystal had only dreamed about years earlier.

I suppose this is my way of reminding myself (and you all) to honor those moments — the moments you realize you are living exactly what you dreamed of only a few years before. Admittedly, they can be easy to miss in the shuffle of things (especially when new dreams float in) but if and when you sense them, try to walk with them for a bit. Recognize and appreciate where they carried you and, if you happen to be taking the long way home like I did the other day, whisper where you'd like them to carry you next...

And on that note, hit play on this week's playlist. I know it's been a minute since I've shared a weekly playlist around these parts (a styling project coming up in September is currently taking up a lot of my time) but given yesterday's news of Charlie Watts's passing, I figured a little Rolling Stones was just what the doctor ordered for everyone.

Zimmermann dress // Sarah Flint sandals (gifted) // Staud bag

Photography
Allie Provost

July 28, 2021 — No Comments

play it again: volume 26

2 minute read

On my way to the train the other day for an early morning shoot, I passed a sidewalk note scrawled at my feet, one that I often find in different pockets all around the city — "Dream until it's your reality." I'm not sure who needs to hear this, but I hope this post and today's playlist serves as your reminder to do just that. Don’t stop dreaming until it's your reality.

And on that note, hit play on this week's playlist. I think there's a little bit of magic infused in this one — sure to make you stop and dream for bit. Enjoy!

Tibi slip dress (old, similar style here) // Shot on location in East Marion, Long Island

Photography by Léanne Ansar

July 7, 2021 — No Comments

play it again: volume 24

3 minute read

My apologies! I never intended to take a break from our weekly playlist installments — but a few out of town trips and elaborate photoshoots got the best of me, and well, here we are. Thankfully, now that we're in the thick of summer, music seems to ooze out of everyone's pores, mine included! Everywhere I turn in the neighborhood, music greets me. An open apartment window blasting Fleetwood Mac. The bar downstairs with their Prince cranked a bit louder than they should, but after the year we just had, who cares? Down the street, a convertible cruises to the beat of Frank Ocean's "Super Rich Kids" and it's officially stuck in my head for hours. And in the park, a quartet serenades families and lovers alike with their rendition of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." Yep. New York is an orchestra right now. And her melody is sweet, vibrant and ALIVE.

On that kick off note, I hope you enjoy this week's playlist. It's a bit random and all over the place — but much like New York, I prefer it that way.

Mary Katrantzou dress (similar style here) // Sergio Rossi heels // Featuring a 1958 Morris Minor on display for Jo Malone London // With my dear friend Igee Okafor

Photography
Allie Provost

June 2, 2021 — No Comments

play it again: volume 22

3 minute read

During my many walks around the city over the course of lockdown, visiting The Plaza always felt particularly comforting to me. In the best of times, the hotel sits so proudly at the corner of bustling 5th Avenue traffic, a stoic guard watching over Central Park. And in the most quiet of times, like much of 2020, it felt like an old friend I needed to see every so often — a beacon of what makes New York so special; a magic that could never be extinguished. In those early months of quarantine, I’d pass those iconic gilded doors and think to myself, “I can’t wait for the day you’re open once again.” And I’d daydream about a return of parties and late night rendezvous that lead to midnight champagne and dancing until our feet hurt, dressed in our very finest. If the city is our oyster, the Plaza is most certainly the pearl. A testament to everything that heady, whirlwind New York romance is made of. And each time I’d walk past, I promised myself to savor the moment their doors were open once more — a moment, I’m so pleased to announce is finally upon us.

As of a few weeks ago, our dear Plaza, the stomping grounds of so many quintessential “only in New York” memories is re-opening and I, for one, may have teared up a bit when I breezed through their gold revolving doors for the first time in far too many months. My dear Plaza, it’s so lovely to see you again. I’ve missed you so.

And in case you want to get in the overly sentimental Plaza mood like me, look no further than today's playlist, which I think would be fitting for roaming the many grand hallways and ballrooms of my favorite New York institution. Heck, would be perfect for dancing down the hallway, too.

Carolina Herrera gown (borrowed) // Vintage Chanel earrings (similar style here) // Shot on location in the Grand Suite on the 20th floor at The Plaza Hotel (which is now reopened!)

Photography
Allie Provost

May 6, 2021 — 1 Comment

play it again: volume 20

2 minute read

Do you have a favorite Beatles song? I know — it's nearly impossible to narrow down. And I have many top contenders, but I always revert back to my longtime favorite from the 1965 Help! album: "I've Just Seen a Face." Coincidentally enough, it fits perfectly with this week's obsession with meet cutes in film, TV and yes, real life. Here's a snippet of the lyrics to show you what I mean:

"I've just seen a face // I can't forget the time or place // Where we just met // She's just the girl for me // And I want all the world to see // We've met // Had it been another day // I might have looked the other way // And I'd have never been aware // But as it is I'll dream of her // Tonight"

And isn't that just the magic of serendipitous meetings? Mere chance and circumstance — a glance, a passing encounter, a happy accident causing the crossing of two paths?

With that spirit in mind, this week's playlist is dedicated to all the chance encounters — of friends and lovers in equal measure. Sometimes, all it takes is being open to the possibility of it (as opposed to looking for it specifically) that sets the right people in our path, exactly when we need them there.

My two cents? Listen to this playlist for your next neighborhood/park walk and don't look at your phone. Be present. Take in your surroundings. Be acutely aware of them. Appreciate them. And see who else might be doing the same. You might be pleasantly surprised by what (or who!) you find.

Photos are from our Funny Face series shot back in 2019 — see the original post here for all outfit and story details.

Photography by Grant Legan

April 14, 2021 — 1 Comment

play it again: volume 18

3 minute read

When I think about last spring, April of 2020, my mind flashes to a lot of places and just one place all once — and that's our apartment here in New York. I won't lie — it's hard to reflect back on and even the sound of a siren today, a seemingly normal occurrence in a city this size, makes me think about walking down 7th Avenue on what would by all accounts be a beautiful spring evening, to only find it deserted. Stores and restaurants shuttered, with nothing but a consistent ambulance wail piercing the 70 degree skies.

I know I'm not alone when I say that each day in 2020 brought a new sense of fear and anxiety, while we tried our best to remain hopeful that little by little, light would lead us out of such a dark time. Plans were canceled. Family visits were postponed indefinitely. Harrowing headlines punched us in the stomach. And we lost loved ones. Too many loved ones. The world of our making — of theater, of concerts, of crowded restaurants, stopped spinning. Practically overnight. Of course, the outside natural world didn't stop, as winter slowly loosened its grip, giving way to spring. I remember watching the tree in front of our window, my portal to the outside world as I thought of it then, admiring it as it stretched its limbs and flowered once more. Birds chirped, happily unaware — flitting from branch to branch, perhaps building a nest or two. It was a spring season none of us could touch. None of us could bask in. None of us could relish. How could we? The stakes were too high to do so.

I thought about all this last week, as I sat under the wide branches of a cherry blossom tree in Central Park. Petals seemed to float around me as the breeze kissed them, the early morning sun dappling through to warm my dawn chilled skin. If last spring was seemingly stolen, I thought to myself, I would try my hardest to steal it back this time around, in all the ways that I (safely) could. Starting first with this magnificent tree near the Strawberry Fields entrance — the perfect spot to sit alone with my thoughts, as the city I love slowly comes to life for the day. Now tell me, how are you relishing spring these days?

As for this week's playlist, I'll admit it's a bit of a mixed bag of artists and genres (which is exactly how I like it) but I promise there was an undercurrent of "feel good nostalgia" running through it, perhaps perfect for your next spring evening walk when you need to clear your head and lift your spirits. I know this week (and the past several weeks/months/past year) have been incredibly heavy so I wanted to put something together that could make you feel reassured, and songs from my youth always make me feel that way. And if all else fails, listen to Des'ree on repeat until further notice.

La Ligne dress (on sale here!) // Behida Doliç hat // Vintage bag

Photography by yours truly

March 31, 2021 — No Comments

play it again: volume 16

2 minute read

When I was in elementary school, my mom insisted on picking us up from school most days, as opposed to letting us ride the bus home. While part of me, like any kid who feels deprived of "what the other kids are doing" felt like I'd rather be chatting with my friends and swapping leftover cookies we didn't eat at lunch on the bus, there was something undeniably nice about hopping in my mom's car at the end of the day. Like we had the rest of the day to get into trouble. And by getting into trouble, I mean heading over to Barnes and Noble where I might pick out a new book. Or perhaps to her favorite antique store, where I'd help her pick out silver pieces to add to her tea set.

She'd be sitting there, in her Toyota Landcruiser, sunglasses on, blasting her favorite radio station — Magic 95.5. I can still remember the station jingle and I bet if I heard some of the disc jockey voices, I'd be transported straight back, to the backseat with my sister, windows rolled down (the A/C didn't work well in her car), singing along to the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Annie Lennox and, of course, the inimitable Tina Turner. Strong front women, with grit, with style, with presence.

Last night, like some of you perhaps, we watched the Tina Turner documentary on HBO, and I was instantly reminded of these late afternoon drives with my mom. And it made me smile. So this week's playlist is a sweet homage to Tina, of course, and a few of the other leading ladies of that era who, without my 10-year old self realizing it, taught me something about love, heartache, owning your own power and, yes, throwing your hair around wildly while you dance, because why the hell not?

Racil tuxedo suit on loan via Nova Octo (available on sale here) // Sergio Rossi heels // Vintage Dior earrings (similar style here)

Photography
Allie Provost

March 24, 2021 — 1 Comment

play it again: volume 15

2 minute read

Over this past summer, I wrote a post all about romanticizing your life. A means of putting yourself and the details that inspire you on pedestals. A means of seeking out inspiration, no matter where you may be. A means of seeing yourself as the main character in a movie that you really want to see. A character you admire, one you root for. You can read the full post here.

Of course, I chuckled at the fact this past summer, Gen Z latched onto a similar idea — a phrase that aptly goes: "main character energy." And you know what every main character needs? An incredible soundtrack. One that narrates without narrating, cueing the quiet moments of introspection, the depths of melancholy and the swell of elation without uttering a word.

Oddly enough, just last week, Allie mentioned my other job really should be as a music supervisor for films and TV shows and before she could even finish her sentence, I yelled out, "I know! I would love that!" There's something about the subtlety to a beautiful musical score that conveys so much emotion and feeling for an audience — and I'm endlessly inspired by people who get to tell stories that way.

All of this is to say, this week's playlist is a sampling of some of my favorite (mainly orchestral) musical numbers from beloved movies and shows. I hope it reminds you, in some small way, that your scenes are always the most important ones.

Featuring vintage pearl earrings (similar style here) // Brothers & Sisters scrunchie (gifted) // YSL Libre perfume (gifted)

Photography by yours truly

March 10, 2021 — 1 Comment

play it again: volume 13

2 minute read

I’ll let you in on a daydream of mine. Someday, when I’m a little old lady, retired and happily set in my ways, I’ll walk into my garage at a summer home I bought in Tuscany and pick out a classic car to drive for the day. Perhaps it’ll be a 1962 hunter green Mercedes convertible with the most beautiful tan leather interior. Or maybe I’ll opt for something a bit more sporty, a two-seater MG from the 70s — candy apple red. And I’ll drive into town at a speed “too fast for my age” (a comment from locals that will only make me drive faster) and I’ll pick up my groceries for the week. I’ll apply my lipstick in the rear view mirror with the utmost dexterity thanks to years of muscle memory, fasten a silk scarf over my already wind tousled hair and I’ll smile and playfully wink at some of the tourists in town, as they wonder, “Now who could that be?”

Of course, until this day arrives, I’ll happily dream about it every time a classic car catches my eye, which thankfully in New York, happens quite often.

As for this week's playlist? It's very much inspired by this daydream of mine — a collection of swelling, feel-good, roll the windows down, step on the gas and drive kind of songs. And now with temperatures creeping into the mid-60s this week here in New York? Well, all the more reason to daydream about carefree spring days not too far off.

Hope you enjoy and if you have any mood/theme requests for these weekly playlists of mine — please do let me know!