Monday Memos // 74

Listening:

"For You" by Elephant Parade.

"Sleep Till They Die" by La Luz.

(Courtesy deejay DQ)

Reading:

Shameless self promotion — This Cinnamon Raisin Bread Did More for My Love Life Than Tinder.

That tousled hair really does make one feel a certain way — Timothée Chalamet Made Me Do It.

Comfort Foods for Discomfiting Times — Chicken Pot Pie "Make one the size of a baby elephant, crawl inside, and shelter in place until science makes a comeback."

By Olivia de Recat via the New Yorker

I love this image. I ate several slices post photo shoot. (photo by Alex Lau and styling by Emily Eisen)

Craving:

This week was a serious carbohydrate extravaganza. I ate so many of the most delicious things. 

On Wednesday, there was a catered work lunch by Gordon Savory and The Good Batch bakery. I ate half of a roasted chicken caesar sandwich (roasted chicken, caesar dressing, parmesan, bread crumbs, aioli, seeded polenta bread), half of a warm burrata sandwich (burrata, roasted winter squash, parmesan, basil, pickled chili, toasted sourdough focaccia), some sweet and sour Brussel sprouts, and some seasonal farro salad. Wow. It was all delightful. Plus, I sampled the Chocolate Impossible Cookie (almond flour, gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, loaded with dark chocolate chips and chunks), the Sophisticate Cookie (oats, currants, pistachios and dark chocolate), and an oat strudel jam bar. I stopped myself from sampling the array of cookie ice cream sandwiches, but I know I'll have to go visit both shops in the future. 

I also got to experience the sheer joy and option overload of Café Altro Paradiso’s second-annual Bake Sale to Benefit Planned Parenthood. From what I can recall from the pastry blackout: a savory ricotta onion scone from Reynard Restaurant, an apple galette from Poppy's, one of Alison Roman's salty chocolate chunk shortbread cookies, a fudgy coconut brownie from the Smile, a walnut raisin sourdough loaf from Sullivan Street Bakery, a fig and smoked white chocolate oatmeal cookie from Otway, a peanut butter and jelly and a chocolate chip cardamon cookie from I don't remember, a sweet potato sourdough roll from Hemlock, a corn cookie from City House Nashville, and wow wow wow. Are you disturbed or jealous or both?

The decor of Cafe Altro Paradiso is lovely and I want to go back for a meal. I saw Dorie Greenspan there. It was baker foodie heaven. (image via Nick Solares)

Wearing:

My favorite things I wore this week: a cropped paisley button up, tan Sven clogs, red ankle boots with gold studs, sparkle socks, a denim jacket and my X and O earrings. Golden sparkles is a good theme.

I now want all the Carhartt Work In Progress clothes, particularly the teal and rose and dusty blue jackets and pants.

Watching:

Movies: A Quiet Place. Terrifying, endearing, and captivating. John Krasinski should feel proud. "a nerve-shredder. It’s a movie designed to make you an active participant in a game of tension, not just a passive observer in an unfolding horror." — R.E.

Also watched 6 Balloons. "Over the course of one night, a woman drives across Los Angeles with her brother, who is addicted to heroin, in search of a detox center." It had so many people I admire and enjoy on screen (Abbi Jacobson, Dave Franco, Jane Kaczmarek), but I didn't love it. It felt like it was missing something.

TV: Watched Barry. Satisfied and entertained, though not the same anticipatory nature as other HBO hits like Westworld or Insecure. 

Saw two more episodes of The Characters on Netflix starring John Early and Kate Berlant. Riveting and emotional and embarrassing aka HIGHLY recommend. It's fun to see how various comedians take the open-ended constraint of 30 minutes to do and play whatever they want. 

“Vicky With A V.” Also, fact: John Early officiated Amy Schumer’s wedding as Vicky. (image via Netflix)

Treasuring:

Writing words: I felt so excited to put out some personal words for Bon Appetit's Healthyish aside from simply writing about sales and gadgets. My coworkers had really nice things to say. I feel like I am inching toward getting good at this. Now I just need to get back to more journaling too — though I think that is roughly what this has become. 

My continual thought: WWDSD? David Sedaris in his Raleigh, North Carolina apartment in 1980. (Photo by Jeffrey Jenkins via the New Yorker)

Monday Memos // 62

Listening:

"Funnel Of Love" by Wanda Jackson.

Take note of the songs that make you run faster.

"Let's Get Lost" by Chet Baker.

Perpetual "I need something to ease my mind" song.

"New Year" by Kyle Sammond.

Find a friend who will make a song and give you a supportive shout-out on it. 

New Year by Kyle Sammond, released 08 January 2018 I'm stepping out into the new year I'm not beheld to my old fear Like a light upon the lawn Like a cemetery dawn I'm rearranging all my space It's helps to forget about your face I'm stepping out into the new year I'm thinking like I never knew ya Time has a way to just confuse ya It fails when the arrow goes right through ya I've been thinking all night long Like an early morning fawn On some plain we haven't seen Was it real or just a dream?

Reading:

My latest library haul includes:

"Forest Dark" by Nicole Krauss. "One of America’s most important novelists" (New York Times), the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of The History of Love, conjures an achingly beautiful and breathtakingly original novel about personal transformation that interweaves the stories of two disparate individuals—an older lawyer and a young novelist—whose transcendental search leads them to the same Israeli desert. I really loved "The History of Love," so fingers crossed.

Will Write for Food by Dianne Jacob. "Whenever someone emails me about how to pursue a career in food writing, I politely tell them they're in the wrong place, that I have no idea what I'm doing, and to buy this book instead." - Deb Perelman, author of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook and smittenkitchen.com

My latest internet dive recommendations:

Katja Blichfeld Gets What She Wants. As a fan of the series "High Maintenance" I was interested, but it goes way beyond that. One of the other tattoos she got this year is of the words “Best Crab,” an inside joke with Gregory. According to him, it’s about how she wants “to nurture and grow people,” sometimes at her own expense — like the character in Joy Luck Club who takes the worst crab for herself, rather than reaching for the best one. 

"I Made the Pizza Cinnamon Rolls from Mario Batali’s Sexual Misconduct Apology Letter." The recipe calls for too much icing, and the result is that the rolls are drenched in it. We’ve reached the “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME” portion of the recipe.

"Blichfeld treats everyone she interacts with pretty much exactly the same, which is to say, she treats everyone with patience, curiosity, openness, and honesty, and then at the end of the interaction she gets exactly what she wants." (Photograph By Lia Clay via nymag)

Craving:

I did a fair amount of driving, wandering and exploring last week. I went to D.C.—journal store, book store, post office, cafe, hot foamy drinks and a sense of contentment. I went to Princeton, New Jersey—Thai food, introductions, wonderment, brisk air, architecture, ginger turmeric tea, bustling shops and the best gooey chocolate chip blondie. I went to Baltimore—terrible drivers, brick streets, velvet clothes, fizzy pineapple water and the best air vents by way of H&S Bakery (it's like I could taste warm cinnamon raisin bread from the gusts of wind). 

The sunshine pairs well with everything.

Wearing:

In the spirit of "dress for the job you want," I got myself some glittery socks and a blue velvet top. I'm not sure exactly what this says, but I like it.

I love Isabella Rossellini. (image via David Lynch's "Blue Velvet")

Watching:

"The End of the F***ing World." One day last week I went to Netflix and this show was the first image on the page. I hovered over the title as the trailer played and found myself intrigued. Fit my British kick of late and seemed like a love story I could handle without crying. Then it proceeded to exceed my expectations. The music is superb. The characters and actors are heartbreaking and hilarious. I wish there were 20 more episodes to watch. For your own curiosity and the slightest of descriptions, it's "deceptively endearing for a story about a 17-year-old self-diagnosed psychopath and the teen girl that he’s determined to murder in cold blood."

Alyssa (Jessica Barden) and James (Alex Lawther). I did still cry, but it was worth it. (image via Netflix)

Treasuring:

The sky. The other day I noticed my photo feed was filled with pictures of the sky. I've been getting so excited about how beautiful it looks. To be so enamored with the sky, what a great feeling! Saturday I was driving on a highway ramp, getting on I-95 South, when I gasped, I hollered, THE SKY! It was one of the most incredible views I've ever seen—even in all the grime of the city and cement. The brightness, the vastness, the glow, the colors, the clouds, the shadows and shimmers in a billowing smokestack... I wanted to take a picture so badly, but—I'm responsible—and I just wanted to savor the moment with my eyes and my mind.

Throwback from the eclipse.

P.s. Happy Birthday to my sweet baby angel, Joshua. 

Monday Memos // 24

Listening:

"Love Forever" by The Babe Rainbow.

Another case of a modern band looking and sounding old. Still, the song is catchy and feels like the perfect day before Valentine's Day pick. 

Reading:

"One Part Plant" by Jessica Murnane. 

I know I mentioned this just a couple of weeks ago, but my advanced copy came in the mail today and it is superb! 

First off, the foreward by Lena Dunham is wonderful. Second, I want to make everything. Third, it makes plant-based meals easy and approachable. I'm more likely to make things again and again if the recipe doesn't confuse me or require extensive grocery lists. 

Plus, the glimpses of Jessica and her wardrobe and family are beautiful. I want what she is eating and wearing. 

It comes out Feb. 21! (via amazon)

Craving:

Dates!

Particularly Medjools or Deglet Noors. Plain, stuffed with almond butter, thrown in a smoothie, covered in chopped nuts... I am liking any and all varieties. 

Bucket list: get a date shake in Palm Springs. 

I could make my own, but still, I really want to go to Palm Springs. (image by Alex Lau via bonappetit)

Wearing:

A faux fur bomber. 

I had a couple holiday returns and exchanges, so that left me with some gift funds to use for something new. I had been eyeing this faux fur bomber after seeing it posted on Studio DIY, and when it went on sale, I decided this would be my belated present. 

The color is amazing. I only wish it would actually get cold again here in Florida. 

Dusty pink: the color alone is worth it. (via asos)

Watching:

"Girls."

Last night, the first episode of the final season aired. It was a really good one. Without spoiling anything, my favorite parts were: Riz Ahmed, the "Modern Love" column and Montauk ocean feelings. 

I've been watching this show since the beginning and have always appreciated Lena Dunham. I feel like as a 20-something female in flux (life and confusion and emotions and dreams), I can always relate on some level. 

I'm excited for this last season and a bit sad for the end. 

These scenes really made me feel nostalgic for vineyard summers. (image via HBO)

Wanting:

Glittery, shimmery, sparkly socks. 

Perfect for this in-between weather, I could use a selection of sparkling ankle socks. 

Shimmer Dot Socks (via anthropologie)

shimmer colorblock ankle socks (via madewell)

Hansel From Basel Shimmer Socks (via brit.co)