Newsletter Contents

The November 8th edition of The Seaesta Surf Zine, written by Julia Wheeler, announces the brand's last fall drop and offers a holiday gift guide for dads, along with recipes and shopping inspiration. The issue is organized into several clear segments.

The Final Fall Drop

The newsletter opens with the news that the brand is finally launching its holiday collection for boys, which includes flannels, jackets, and more. Readers are encouraged to watch their inboxes and stay subscribed to the email list so they do not miss launch announcements. Wheeler explains that she overhauled the email list a year earlier because the brand's messages were landing in spam folders. New subscribers are offered 15% off their first purchase. She promises photos from the launch in a few days and, in the meantime, shares images of last year's flannels, noting that the new styles will be similar but in different colors.

Holiday Gift Guide for Dads

The second major section is a gift guide for dads. It features a mix of kitchen, outdoor, lifestyle, and apparel picks, including an Ooni pizza oven, an East Fork mug, a Windansea print, the Borderlands cookbook, Decade Big Earl sunglasses, Yucca camo print fins, a Camp Snap digital Super 8 video camera, an LL Bean boat and tote in camo, an HWY tee, a Cycle Zombies hat, Seaesta men's boardshorts, a Seaesta adult beanie, and a Seaesta Surfing Cowboy adult hoodie. A link directs readers to shop all of the gifts for dads.

What I'm Cooking

Wheeler shares a short list of recipes and food inspiration:

• An artichoke dip inspired by a Giada post, described as high-fiber and vegan.
• A Lebanese lemon lentil soup, chosen even though it is not truly soup weather in San Diego. She notes that her kids will eat lentils especially when they are served with bread.
• A loaded baked sweet potato idea based on a legitimate sweet potato recipe. She chose not to link to the original sweet potato posts because they appeared to be on AI-generated profiles, and she also pointed out that a photo she had intended to use was ChatGPT-generated, although a real chef developed the recipe.
• Miso tomato soup served with scallion grilled cheese, which she finds an interesting spin on a classic pairing. She states firmly that her household will use butter rather than mayo on grilled cheese.

What I'm Shopping For

• Satin track pants and a faux fur leopard coat from Z Supply, both of which she is excited about.
• A peptide scalp serum meant to help with thinning hair and increased shedding that she has noticed with age.
• A natural deodorant from Curie, which she says performs well even during workouts. She remains loyal to Salt + Stone deodorant.
• A wool rug with fringe from Ruggable. It is not machine washable like the brand's other rugs but is said to resist stains better, and it is currently on sale.

Subscription Note

The newsletter notes that the reader is a free subscriber and invites them to upgrade to a paid subscription for the full experience.

Products Featured

Seaesta Products

The newsletter highlights several Seaesta products. The brand's upcoming holiday launch for boys includes flannels and jackets, with new versions of last year's flannels arriving in new colorways. In the gift guide, Seaesta offerings include men's boardshorts, an adult beanie, and an adult Surfing Cowboy hoodie. The newsletter does not provide detailed specifications, prices, or materials for these items.

Products from Other Brands

Many of the gift guide items come from other companies, including Ooni, East Fork, Decade, LL Bean, HWY, Cycle Zombies, and Camp Snap. Wheeler's personal shopping picks come from Z Supply, Curie, Salt + Stone, and Ruggable, along with an unnamed peptide scalp serum.

About the Store and Writer

Seaesta is a surf-inspired clothing brand, and its online presence at seaestasurf.com is the hub for its collections and launches. The newsletter reveals that the brand relies heavily on email to announce drops, which makes the email list an important way for customers to get early access and promotions such as the 15% welcome discount for first-time purchases. Its catalog, as shown in this issue, leans toward casual, outdoor, and vintage-inspired apparel for men, women, and boys, along with a range of gift ideas.

The newsletter is written by Julia Wheeler, who appears to be the face and voice behind the brand's communications. Her writing is personal and conversational. She shares family-friendly cooking, honest opinions about food, and candid thoughts about her own shopping and beauty routines. She also demonstrates a transparent approach to content, openly explaining why she avoided linking certain recipes and why she replaced an AI-generated image. The newsletter is published through Substack, and the footer indicates Wheeler's mailing address in San Francisco, while her references to San Diego suggest that she lives there.