Monday Memos // 91

Listening:

This musical portion is brought to you by going to a Saintseneca show and having a really great time.

"Pillar of Na" by Saintseneca.

This verse cracks me up: Call in "I Will Always Love You" to the radio / Either version's cool / But I like the original

"Soft Stud" by Black Belt Eagle Scout

"Afraid of Me" by gobbinjr

"Emilia" by Horsebeach. This was just recommended to me on the topic of shoegaze and I dig it.

Reading:

Deleting Instagram, Installing Instagram: The Vicious Circle

Elevate Your Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Mokonuts’ rye-cranberry chocolate-chunk cookies. (photo by Gentl and Hyers for The New York Times. Food stylist: Frances Boswell. Prop stylist: Pamela Duncan Silver.)

Craving:

This week there were some Thanksgiving desserts being made and photographed at work and I couldn't say no. One was a Pumpkin and Cookie-Butter Sheet Cake With Toasted Meringue and the other was a Chocolate-Pecan Sheet Pie With Molasses. I carried them in my purse to a gallery in Brooklyn, to a show in Manhattan, and then home—where they were eventually consumed for breakfast. 

I also devoured a new flavor (coconut cashew) of Purely Elizabeth granola in record speed. 

So good. (image by Chelsea Kyle via epicurious)

Wearing:

IT WAS COLD THIS WEEKEND. I was thrilled, even when it was grey and rainy. On Sunday I wore PANTS AND A SWEATER AND A JACKET AND WOOL SOCKS AND BOOTS. Maybe aggressive but I was never sweaty and uncomfortable. I am looking forward to more layers and scarves and socks. 

Last week I got my aura photographed, so here is what I'm wearing energy-wise. 

Watching:

I finally saw Crazy Rich Asians — most enjoyable rom com.

I'm curious to watch the new Showtime series with Jim Carrey, Catherine Keener and Judy Greer. It's directed by Michel Gondry (where has he been??) and one of the producers is Jason Bateman, so promising. Jeff, aka Mr. Pickles, is an icon of children's television, a beacon of kindness and wisdom to America's impressionable young minds; when his family begins to implode, Jeff finds that no fairy tale, fable or puppet can guide him through the crisis.

(image via showtime)

I was reading an article about celebrity doppelgängers and remembered how someone once told me I looked like Léa Seydoux (flattering). This brought me to find out that she is in a movie called ZOE as a character named Zoe. Wow. Weird. I'm going to have to watch it. "ZOE tells a tale of forbidden love between an engineer and a robot. ZOE (Léa Seydoux) and COLE (Ewan McGregor) are colleagues and veiled lovers at a lab working to perfect romantic relationships. But their relationship is threatened when Zoe discovers the truth about their relationship, sending them into a spiral of confusion, betrayal and the most intense of human emotions, love."

She even has the bangs in the movie. 

Treasuring:

Cheesing: This refers to busting out big grins while wandering aimlessly. This refers to daydreaming while eating a muffin. This refers to laughing out loud in the living room with the windows open. This refers to reading horoscopes and enjoying phrases such as: "you can follow your body as it carries you... you can follow your glittering dreams... slowly, the world might start to change color around you — a quiet shift in the sky’s golden light."

DAVID BENJAMIN SHERRY Monuments

Monday Memos // 78

Listening:

"This Is America" by Childish Gambino.

"The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire (Father John Misty cover). 

"Break-Thru" by Dirty Projectors. 

Reading:

The Double-Layer Chocolate Cake I Make for My Son’s Birthday — I hope to one day have a column or book chapter called "on dessert."

My parents followed this rule and clearly it shaped me: Why I Let My Kids Eat Dessert Every Night

I might have to take on Dorie's tradition for myself or someone in my family. Chocolate-chocolate birthday cake. (image by Gentl and Hyers for The New York Times. Food stylist: Michelle Gatton. Prop stylist: Amy Wilson.)

Craving:

I participated in a taste test of store-bought kosher dill pickle spears this week. It was one of the first taste tests that didn't make me too full or too lethargic. Maybe a little extra salty. My favorites were Claussen and Boar's Head.

When I went to pick up the few remaining jars of pickles I saw Alec Baldwin. I'm always tempted to tell these celebrities in my sightings that I love them in _____. I usually just end up playing it cool and letting them be on their way. I saw another woman do a double-take and wait outside the Whole Foods (she then ended up at another little market down the street too). I went on my way, lugging four or five jars of pickles back to Tribeca — in great fear I might drop the bag and have to start the pickle pilgrimage all over again. 

I remember one summer my cousin went through a massive jar a day. (image via the splendid table)

Wearing:

I've been dreaming of a specific pair of coveralls. A boilersuit. A jumpsuit. Whatever you call it, I have been searching everywhere I go for one. I wanted it to be somewhat fitted. I wanted it to be zippered or a button-up situation. I wanted it to be a color I enjoy and/or could easily wear (no white, no orange, etc.). I wanted sleeves — long or short but not sleeveless. For months and months I have been plagued with this desire to find one. So many online shopping carts filled and abandoned. If I had my sewing machine around I might've crafted one by now. 

Saturday I found it. It's a rich cornflower blue. It's cordouroy. (I almost got one in a Bill Cunningham blue, but I put it on hold at the vintage shop, walked down the street to their other shop where I found the winner, which fit even better.) I cannot wait to wear it all the time. 

I miss Bill. (Photo by Patrick Demarchelier for Harper’s Bazaar)

Watching:

Saw: Disobedience. Powerful moments, beautiful moments, intriguing moments, and slightly cheesy moments. David Edelstein says it best: [it] isn’t packed with surprises, but that’s not why you go to a movie like this. You go to watch humans with wayward emotions labor to make peace with (or opt to war against) a formal, ritualized way of life. You go to see them argue over such words as “freedom” and “choice.”

You've Got Mail. I started watching this movie sometime in 1998 or 1999 and didn't get to finish it. Instead I witnessed some horrible animal behavior and was a bit scarred. Anyways, I finally watched the entire movie last weekend and really enjoyed it. Plus, it's set in and around my new running route and neighborhood. Even the smaller roles are great: Parker Posey! Greg Kinnear! Heather Burns! Steve Zahn! Now I've got "Dreams" by The Cranberries stuck in my head. 

I still need to got to Barney Greengrass, I do love some good smoked fish.

Treasuring:

Mornings: I tried out a new routine last week. I woke up at 6am every morning and ran outside. The early light, the blooming flowers, the podcasts, the flush on my cheeks, it felt so nice. I was exhausted by 5pm each day, but it was fun. I like trying out these new routes and ways of life. The morning is a grand time.

Truth. (via emily mcdowell)

Monday Memos // 33

Listening:

Via suggestions, feelings and just because, here are some frequent listens this week:

Reading:

A hodgepodge of recent article reads:

Mommy Dead and Dearest: Murder, Munchausen, and the Story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard - I learned about this story from My Favorite Murder and it's so bizarre. I was interested to see this project is directed by Erin Lee Carr, daughter of the late David Carr.

SMITHFIELD: THE “SEINFELD” OF THE MIDWEST - Go read some pictures.

Meditation for Real Life - I haven't read them all, but I love the ones I've read so far. Simple and wonderful.

How to Be Mindful at the Gym (image by Sam Kalda via nytimes)

Craving:

Staying near a Whole Foods for the last week has been lovely and dangerous. I have been lured to the cookie bar more than twice. (Apparently today is "national chocolate chip day," so maybe I'll have to venture over and get my fix.)

Favorite discovery: cake balls/truffles. Bigger than a cake pop, they are balls of cake (chocolate with cookie pieces, carrot with nuts) covered in a shell of icing and a sprinkling of crumbs and such. I'm salivating. 

I'd be up for this challenge: The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in Los Angeles (via StudioDIY)

Wearing:

Suitcase living means a rotation of the same things, more so than usual.

My typical daily uniform entails jeans or black leggings, a striped or black tee or dark-colored dress, and a sweatshirt or jacket. It's supposed to warm up in the Northeast this week though, and I'm doing more public-facing jobs and events, so I'll be stepping it up with some pizzazz in the form of patterns, dresses and a new zebra/tropical themed bandana. 

Watching:

"Master of None" season 2.

I haven't had much patience for tv-watching lately, but the other day when the new season of "Master of None" dropped, it was the right time and place for zoning out with Aziz. 

And just like that I have one episode left (no! why?!). I really enjoyed the first season (which I watched too quickly as well), but I think I like this one even more. There are some really creative episodes (#6 'New York, I Love You' and #8 'Thanksgiving') and it is really hitting the spot. I've laughed so much and felt this heartwarming connection to humanity (for real! I love it!). 

Dev and Arnold are the best little and big friends. (image via Netflix)

Wanting:

I've done a lot of window shopping lately (NYC, parents' house next to a mall, etc.) and here are things I held, touched or just simply sighed upon seeing:

& Other Stories is so dreamy. Velvet Sequin Heel Sandalette. (via stories.com)

We could all use some metallic flames. Metallic Flames Suede Mules. (via stories.com)

This is very me. (via stories.com)

Silky zebra power yeah! A pajama shirt for any time. (via madewell)