On "the art of caring less" with Audrey Lynn Davis

I met up with Audrey Davis, 28, at the Sandeman (Largo Miguel Bombarda 3, 4430-175 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal) in Gaia, Portugal on a foggy turned sunny afternoon. We caught up over Port Wine cocktails and vinho verde and enjoyed the sun on our backs before returning to Berlin where the weather forecast would be controlled by dementors for the foreseeable future.

Q: Audrey, what drew you to Portugal?

A: All my coworkers from Portugal won’t shut up about how amazing it is, and they were right.

Q: What's your favorite thing about Porto?

A: That everyone is friendly, 5 dimensions (the fifth one is perpetual music), natas, and Sandeman everywhere. The city has a familiarity to it even though I’ve never been here. I feel comfortable here.

Q: What fashion trends are you loving right now?

A: Turtlenecks with an oversized coat ( à la the Copenhagen girl) and beaded fashion croakies.

Q: What song can't you get enough of?

A: Brian Robert Jones' rendition of "This I Promise You" - listen until the drop at 6:30.

Q: What's your motto for the month of October?

A: September's motto was "care 5% less" and redistribute that focus into things that were worth my energy. I don't like getting worked up about details or people/things that are outside my control. I'm setting boundaries to protect my energy.

This month I'm focusing on strength: mental, physical, and emotional. And to wear more lipstick. My sister sent me a red lipstick that makes me feel like Taylor Swift in her "1989" days.

Q: What are your vacation packing vibes?

A: Everything must fit in my backpack. I have this one in the color "atmosphere."

Q: What’s your morning routine?

A: Wake up at 7, text Shanzi so she thinks I’m awake, cancel running plans, snooze.

Finally wake up at 9, put my contacts in (-4 prescription not covered by German health insurance), wash my face with the Neutrogena face wash (in the orange bottle), and pat on the orange Herbivore face oil. While it soaks in I brush my teeth with my Sonicare electric toothbrush, put on face lotion (varies with the mood / what my sister sent me in the latest care package), make coffee and an oatmeal bowl (oats, 10% fat yogurt, nuts, coconut shreds, seasonal fruit). Depending on the day I have German class or I’ll log onto work around 9:30.

Q: And your nighttime routine?

A: Shower, take out contacts, floss, blue herbivore face oil while I brush, dab on some Kate Somerville acne cream, put some face cream or anti aging cream on (don’t forget the neck), put my retainer in and send Shanzi an indecipherable voice message.

Q: What advice would you give someone moving to Berlin?

A: even though a lot of people speak English, learn German so that you feel like less of an outsider. Try to avoid the blank stare when people talk to you. Learn greetings and excuse me.

Q: What's your next vacation destination?

A: I'm headed to Bari & Corfu at the end of October. Fingers crossed that neither become a risk area before then! Corfu comes highly recommended by some coworkers and Shanzi has been begging to go to Puglia to get a "sale" cellar.

Q: What are you currently watching on Netflix?

A: I'm willingly binging Please Like Me and rewatching the most recent season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I'm unwillingly watching Emily in Paris.

Q: What's on your fall bucket list?

A: Continue doing: 11pmbed time, walks, runs; Do more: strength exercises, routines, cooking, lipstick; Do less: "caring", checking my phone, stressing

Q: What's your favorite Saturday night Berlin destination?

A: Any bar within walking distance (Prenzlauer berg or Mitte). And no night is complete without a visit to K'Ups Gemüsekebap (Kastanienallee 102, 10435 Berlin) for a doner.

Q: Who do you call when you need advice? To vent?

A: I call Shanzi when I need advice and when I need to vent or my friend Jaime in the US if it's a reasonable hour.

Q: What’s one thing you wish more people did?

A: Be nicer.

Q: Go to coffee order?

A: A cappuccino, bitte!

Q: Go to drink order?

A: a gin & tonic if I'm in the mood for a cocktail. If not, a pilsner will do.

Thanks, Audrey! See you in Berlin!