CHAPTERS: Calia Booth
Every (life) chapter has at least one memorable moment, sentence, or story.
Every (life) chapter has at least one memorable moment, sentence, or story. What are yours? In Chapters, I ask creative people to reflect on the stories of their lives and respond to any of the below prompts (in whatever way they wish).
In the latest installment, we hear from Calia Booth—social media maven, small business owner, and the mind behind Library Booth—who shares resonant reads, travel musings, and the joys of floral storytelling.
Calia’s Chapters
I. Slow Story
I read Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin a few months ago and while it’s a shorter novel, it took me a little longer to read than expected (and I’m a fast reader). Baldwin’s prose isn’t necessarily hard to read or understand, but each sentence is packed with themes, metaphors, and is so lyrical I found myself rereading passages just to enjoy them again. It was that beautiful. I wanted to savor it.
II. Love Story
It seems cheesy to say, but I am a true hopeless romantic, so I adore a good love story. I love them with happy endings, incomplete endings, sad endings… each love story is so nuanced, and while I appreciate a good rom-com that’s buttoned up, I also tend to gravitate towards heart-wrenching stories because I’m a sad girl deep down. One that caught my attention was Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield’s forthcoming romance film “We Live in Time.” Their chemistry jumps off the screen even in the trailer, and I found myself sobbing at the end of it.
III. Short Story
I recently subscribed to The Paris Review, and with the latest summer issue, I opened up the literary magazine to the first short story titled “That Summer” by Anne Serre. It was a deeply personal one that resonated with me—interacting with a loved one whose mind is no longer here nor there but in a space outside of time. You can read the story here if you’re a subscriber, or at least get an excerpt.
IV. Your Story
Many of my friends call me a multi-hyphenate, which I find very flattering. My background is in social media marketing, and I still do that full-time, but I have so many things I’m passionate about and am always craving something new creatively. I run a floral business called Copine de Fleur on the side, usually keeping it to small events and dinner parties on the weekend that help fuel my visual appetite. And, of course, I started Library Booth a few months back, which has been such a great experience and a true test of slowing down. Each piece I write takes a lot of time and energy in order to get it right. My day job requires a lot of time spent on the internet, so my side projects are the antithesis of that. Florals are something tangible that feels so meditative, and writing on Substack (while on the internet) doesn’t feel as ephemeral as creating an Instagram post.
V. Summer Story
Two summers ago I traveled to a small town outside of Nice, France, and stayed in the most magical Airbnb that I still have dreams about. It didn’t feel real, and sometimes I find myself looking back at my film shots to relive it again. We spent all day reading by and in the pool, eating pain au chocolates for breakfast and dessert, and rented a convertible Mini Cooper that we drove along the countryside in the thick, humid heat of Southern France. On the drive, we stumbled upon a quaint town called Mougins, where we hiked up to the first restaurant in sight, only to realize afterward it had a Michelin Star. We didn’t make many plans, and I loved that about this trip. A bit of summer spontaneity.
VI. Color Story
Since I make floral arrangements on the regular, I’m always thinking about a color story. I love perusing the flower market in downtown LA, strolling aisle after aisle to decide what my palette is going to be. Sometimes, a client will give me direction, but when I’m making something for myself, I let my mind wander. I’ve been really into deep burgundies and soft pinks—a bit of hard and soft, with lots of contrast. It may seem a little out of left field for the high summer months, but surprisingly, a lot of products that are in season from June to August can be moody! Like smoke bush, roses, rudbeckia, lisianthus, and chocolate sunflowers, to name a few. Pictured above is an arrangement I made during peak summer that celebrates this palette, grounded with a bit of green and white.
VII. Travel Story
This past May, I traveled to Copenhagen for the first time and, like many, fell in love with it. I only had two full days to spend in the city but I packed every second with places to eat, drink, and things to see. I always keep my Contax T2 in tow when on the go in a new place and put my phone to the side if I can. The imagery that transpires from a film roll has such a different feeling, and the thrill I get when the files get dropped into my inbox is a new kind of high.
VIII. Calia’s Story
Calia Booth is a social media strategist and content creator based in Los Angeles, CA. Primarily having worked in the fashion industry, Calia's expertise lies in building successful brand stories in the ever-changing digital landscape. With a background in writing, photography, and video editing, Calia has a full 360 approach when it comes to social media. With her creative marketing experience, she's also built a floral business on the side called Copine de Fleur and started a substack titled Library Booth, where she captures the essence of her favorite literature through imaginary dinner party settings. She has a passion for visual storytelling that comes to life online as well as offline.
Thank you, Calia!
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