What’s in my Bag?

By: Yashna Patel

What’s in my bag? Keep reading to get some insight into my life and maybe some tips and tricks along the way to help you through your “Junior Leaguing” day!

To start off, I carry a lot of baggage in my durable L.L. Bean Junior League tote bag. This bag is my “go-to” in order to promote Junior League locally and also because it stores so much! You can call the JLC office to purchase your own Junior League tote bag.

I generally have several meetings and events that I go to in a week. Whether it is a founder’s event for the Cincinnati Art Museum or checking in on cute penguins at the Newport Aquarium, I am prepared. I serve as a board member for the W.A.V.E. Foundation at Newport Aquarium and boy, does this badge come in handy when you are walking around Newport on the Levee and pop in for a visit at the aquarium! I also carry my Junior League badge because I am constantly going to events and never want someone to feel awkward if they forgot my name. My other passion is art. By joining the Catalyst board for the Cincinnati Art Museum, I hope to get more people engaged in museum events. One event that we are hosting soon is called “A Happening,” featuring the new Pablo Picasso exhibition. My handy invitation that I have pictured came in the mail the other day and I like carrying it around in my bag to show to other people I think would be interested in the event. Two other items that I have from the Cincinnati Art Museum are my ballet painting wallet and lotus compact mirror. (Tip: CAM has a great gift shop filled with unique and cute essentials. This is where I find my friends some awesome gifts for special occasions! Fun fact: the gift shop was started by the Junior League through the honored late Sustainer, Marjorie Motch!)

My current read is the book “House of Jaipur,” by John Zubrzycki. This book is about the historical Gayatri Devi who was a princess consort of Jaipur, India. As a welleducated poised woman, she is someone that was the Indian equivalent to Kate Middleton. My “Nauti Nite” gala photo booth picture from Newport Aquarium is my bookmark. My agenda is my life. I love crossing out things that I have done and I also use it to quickly take notes during Junior League meetings. One meeting in particular that I need my pen for is the Perspectives content meeting. I carry this magazine to mark inside like a Vogue editor on what we can change or how we can make the magazine more aesthetically pleasing. It also inspires me to read through and jot some creative ideas down for the next issue. After a long day of meetings and events, I use my rose quartz gua sha or take in some deep breaths of my rose scented moisturizer and eat my Trader Joe’s snacks. The espresso beans are the best dessert to end the day. It is my tiramisu in a bag!

Since I have moved to Cincinnati, I have realized that the weather is very unpredictable. I always carry my umbrella that keeps my southern blowout fresh incase it starts to drizzle. If it is super sunny and hot, I am constantly staying hydrated with my large water bottle. It also helps me if I sip water before I present to an audience! I have also started carrying it around more because I just joined a local Barre class to keep myself on top of my health and well-being. Barre is what centers me as we usually end the session in mediation after challenging yoga moves.

I hope you had fun being nosy and getting an insight into my life! Keep “Junior-Leaguing!”

What does my bag say about me?

That I am really involved in the community and attend many local events.

What are some items that I consider as a must-have? Obviously, my keys, wallet, water, and emergency snacks from Trader Joe’s (I always fall for their marketing.)

If you could gift anything in your bag, what would it be? My lotus compact mirror. It is super pretty and comes in handy before I walk into a meeting or event.

If you could switch bags with someone, who would it be?

Emma Watson! She fills her bag with natural skin products, and she is naturally cold like me, so she carries a blanket in her bag, and she always has some interesting reads!

Would you recommend the Junior League tote to other members?

Absolutely! I find this bag to be durable, cute, and stores more than you think.