Monday Memos // 99

Listening:

"Quarry Hymns" by Land of Talk.

“Look At What the Light Did Now” by Little Wings.

Reading:

Good story - 23andMe Informed Me My Husband and I Are Related

Kids these days! - Teen Seals Are Snorting Eels in Worrying Viral Challenge

Sweet thoughts - 21 Completely Subjective Rules for Raising Teenage Boys

Essential for life - The Calm Place

I’ve had this image stuck in my head all week. I’m sorry. “A teenage Hawaiian Monk seal executes the Eel Challenge.” (Photo: NOAA Fisheries/Brittany Dolan via nymag)

Craving:

Saturday night I went to a latke party. From the lovely people to the dogs to the coziness, it was wonderful. But then, the fried foods—WOW. Fresh batches of latkes dipped in homemade applesauce and spicy mustard sauce. Little cornichons and dried figs and apricots. Fresh, piping hot arancini (stuffed rice balls coated with bread crumbs and filled with gooey, cheesy centers) with homemade chili dipping sauce. AND homemade doughnuts! They were little pillows of heaven and powdered sugar, which we dipped in cookie butter and jam. I had to stop myself at the savory doughnuts with mushroom and creme fraiche topping—too full. Happy Hanukkah!

There was even a box of goods from NY’s Dough Doughnuts. I had a bite of a lemon poppyseed one. Amazing. (image via doughdoughnuts.com)

Wearing:

It’s COLD. But also, this week was full of work events, so last Monday I stepped it up with a touch of glamour by way of a nice, new black denim wrap top and my old red boots with gold details. Also, there was a launch party for the Cook90 cookbook (go buy it! it’s amazing! I’m even in the dedication page!), where my Epicurious coworkers and I all wore matching shirts that said: “Do you even nextover?” You’ll have to read the book to get it.

Watching:

Last week I just needed to cry a lot and I found a show to match my sentiments. It’s like an alternate to This Is US and it is called A Million Little Things. It’s so cheesy, full of over the top drama and complications. There are affairs, secrets, cancer, suicide. There’s an important plot vehicle by way of yin yang necklace. There’s that “Riptide” song by Vance Joy that seems to be in a lot of shows at emotional moments. Still, I’m going to keep watching it. Berger is in it! (Ron Livingston. He’s a lot of amazing people from movies and tv, but my first thought is always Jack Berger.)

I don’t really know much about any other actors in this except for the guy next to Ron, who was in Psych, and the guy on the end, right, who was in Weeds.

Treasuring:

Good stories and kind people: I met Ted Allen and talked to him about his favorite All-Clad whisk. I saw a taping of Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me at Carnegie Hall. A jewelry designer told me my grandma’s ring looked beautiful on me and gave me an orange. The day I was reminded of my cinnamon bread story, I saw this truck with a giant image of cinnamon raisin bread. Someone told me to enjoy the wandering and vast loneliness I feel now, because I’ll miss it one day when everything is familiar and comfortable.

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)