Monday Memos // 52

This week is brought to you by overwhelming loneliness, too much sugar, really nice weather, and general life confusion.

Listening:

"Diamonds" by Kevin Krauter.

"Dancing In the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen. Prepare yourself for Bruce's outfit and dance moves, wow!

"Stoner Hill" by Brian Blade + The Fellowship Band. Make sure to listen to Brian speak at the end, his happiness—"there's not thoughts of other things in these times..."

"Dirty John" a podcast from the LA Times. I've been blowing through podcasts as I walk for hours through Brooklyn. I just started this one—A true story about seduction, deception, forgiveness, denial, and ultimately, survival. Reported and hosted by Christopher Goffard.—I'm about halfway done and it is disturbing and fascinating. If you like S-Town or Serial, this is similar.

Reading:

"Jitterbug Perfume" by Tom Robbins.

I went in search for "Still Life with Woodpecker," but this was the Tom Robbins selection in two different book stores, so I took it as a sign and bought a nice worn copy. Widely considered a cult classic and one of the "Best books of the 20th century," I'm excited to dig in. Robbins knows his way around wild ideas and words. 

Trivia: His dog's name is Blini Tomato Titanium and his sons have the names Rip, Kirk, and Fleetwood. I'm calling him when I get another pet or have a baby.

Some good 1984 graphic design.

Craving:

I can't stop going to Cinnamon Girl. I've tried the monster cookie, breakfast cookie, apple bran muffin, double chocolate chunk cookie, and Brooklyn blackout cake. I should start avoiding that side of the street when I walk home.

I've also become a big fan of Silver Rice, a simple and delicious Japanese eatery. I've had their special rice cup a couple of times (flaxseed rice, pumpkin, kale, salmon, cucumbers, avocado, spicy mayo) and tried a couple different soups (a kabocha squash and a miso broccoli rabe and quinoa).

All the rice and soup and hearty desserts have been soothing on my stomach through a short bout of food poisoning and a constant bombardment of anxiety. 

Wearing:

Pants! It's been so long since I've reached for pants on a daily basis. I keep going back to the same pair of blue jeans and black slacks with a tiny quotation mark print. Back and forth and a rotation of black tee-shirts.

I've also been wearing socks on a daily basis (Florida summer made me really neglect my sock drawer). Stripes, black, and artichoke print have been the rotation.

Watching:

"Maggie's Plan."

This movie was just what I needed last Friday night. Maggie (played by Greta Gerwig) reminded me of myself, for better or worse. Some New York shenanigans and life confusion and hilarity. The cast too—Ethan Hawke, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Julianne Moore... a wonderful story of comedy, chaos, and love. 

Maggie Harden, a director of business for the art and design students at a university, decides she wants to have a child and enlists a former college acquaintance, Guy Childers, a former maths student to donate his sperm. Guy is a "pickle entrepreneur."

Travis Fimmel and Greta Gerwig and the pickles. (photo by Jon Pack)

Treasuring:

The telephone and faraway friends. 

This week I watched "This Is Us" while on the phone with a friend. We synced up the episode and pressed play at the exact same moment. It was wonderful to keep up a weekly tradition—to awww and laugh and cry together, even hundreds of miles apart.

Talking to my mom on a particularly rough day and then on a much better day was great. I loved hearing my dad's uproarious laughter in the background. Plus, I heard my boy Oliver meowing and I was tempted to FaceTime with him.

There have been moments this last week when my feet ache from the miles of walking, but the air felt so good, and I'm teetering between being okay or not—ring ring!—a voice of familiarity and comfort! Thank you! I get to step out of my head and talk about life and feel connected to great things. 

Now if only I could find a place like Carrie's and have her writing gig and pick the carpenter. (image via HBO)

Monday Memos // 38

Listening:

"Rican Beach" by Hurray For the Riff Raff. (Found this via Kate Miss and her always enviable music mixes.)

"Mississippi" by The Cactus Blossoms. (Heard this on a new Twin Peaks episode.)

"Moses of the South" by Colour Revolt. (Discovered this through a favorite music recommender.)

Reading:

The Writing Process. This is perfect. 

I want to see the movie "The Big Sick." Here's a story behind the story.

I want to read this children's book: "What Are We Even Doing With Our Lives?: The Most Honest Children's Book of All Time." 

From "What Are We Even Doing With Our Lives?" (via amazon)

Craving:

Chocolate chip studded stuff. 

Last week I made mixed nut butter chocolate chip cookies (adapted from this recipe) and chocolate chip banana bread bites. In total, I think I ate 26 of the 30 baked goods. Delicious, and actually fairly nutritious. I need to go make more; I'm thinking chocolate chip zucchini something.

I love chocolate chip cookies, truly. (image via acozykitchen)

Wearing:

I put on many things last week I've never worn or only worn on occasion. It was nice. Refresh!

Top picks: a shiny skirt, an off-the-shoulder striped dress, and thick canvas tank top. 

Cher is always in my thoughts when it comes to dressing. (image via paramount pictures)

Watching:

Dave Chappelle's Netflix special "The Age of Spin." Brilliant.

"The Wedding Singer." Killer soundtrack and terribly wonderful outfits. 

Julia Gulia. (image via the movie review)

Wanting:

"Salad for President: A Cookbook Inspired by Artists." By Julia Sherman.

The creator of the immensely popular Salad for President blog presents a visually rich collection of more than 75 salad recipes, with contributions and interviews by artists/creative professionals like William Wegman, Tauba Auerbach, Laurie Anderson, and Alice Waters.

This book looks beautiful and delicious. I want to be like Julia Sherman.

You had me at Heirloom Tomatoes with Crunchy Polenta Croutons. (via amazon)

Monday Memos // 37

Listening:

Land of Talk's "Life After Youth."

NY Mag has a column this month called "That's a Bop"—an effort to introduce you to artists and songs beyond the top-ten list. The headline for the article on Land of Talk called to me: "This Song Will Motivate You to Pick Up That Side Project You’ve Been Neglecting." 

I don't want to waste it this time / I don't want to waste it, my life

Reading:

"The African Svelte: Ingenious Misspellings That Make Surprising Sense" by Daniel Menaker & illustrated by Roz Chast. 

During his time at The New Yorker, Daniel Menaker happened across a superb spelling mistake: “The zebras were grazing on the African svelte." Fascinated by the idea of unintentionally meaningful spelling errors, he began to see that these gaffes—neither typos nor auto-corrects—are sometimes more interesting than their straight-laced counterparts.

Menaker glances at familiar fumbles like "for all intensive purposes" and "doggy-dog world," but readers delighted by language will find themselves turning the pages with baited breath to discover fresh howlers that have them laughing off their dairy airs.  

The introduction is by poet Billy Collins, too. 

Craving:

Mediterranean fare.

I've been consumed by the thought of falafel and hummus and tahini dressed things this week. I could go for a gyro or pita platter, too. I think the seed was planted when I saw these falafel waffles. 

Oh, Ladycakes makes to most delicious looking foodstuff. (image via ohladycakes)

Wearing:

The shoe archive.

I've been digging around my closet, dusting off old favorite shoes, letting neglected pairs out for a walk or two. 

Chunky white ones, spray-painted red-toed ones, super metallic strappy ones, old slipper-like ones, etc.

Watching:

Currently watching a hodgepodge of shows I've already mentioned here before. However, what I really want to see is the new movie "Band Aid."

A directorial debut from Zoe Lister-Jones, the story follows a couple (played by Lister-Jones and Adam Pally) who can’t stop fighting and end up working through their grief by turning all their fights into song. Fred Armisen plays the drums. 

Wanting:

A beautiful, affordable, comfortable apartment. Wood floors would be nice. A decent closet would be great. Come on universe!

Hey, I could hang with this kitchen if I had to. (Image via The Los Angeles Times California Home Book)

Monday Memos // 36

Listening:

"The Socialites" by Dirty Projectors. 

For some reason, I feel like I never heard this song until now—even though it came out five years ago. I'm in my Coffman phase, so maybe that's why I happened upon it. The whole album, Swing Lo Magellan, is lovely.

"Walk On By" by Dionne Warwick. 

I heard this during the closing credits of an episode of "I'm Dying Up Here" (see below) and I can't stop listening. I wouldn't be surprised if next week I'm on a Burt Bacharach

Reading:

"Swing Time" by Zadie Smith. 

I'm only a couple dozen pages in, but I think this is going to make me feel some major feelings.

This opening paragraph from a NY Times book review should draw you in: "There’s something beautiful about the way young girls choose their best friends. A swooning, love-at-first-sight experience, it rarely takes into account social hierarchies, societal expectations or even basic commonalities. And it can be surprisingly decisive, cementing a relationship that persists for decades without any logical basis. It is in this way that the unnamed narrator of Zadie Smith’s latest novel, “Swing Time,” meets her best friend, Tracey."

Dance, fame and friendship. (image via Amazon)

Craving:

Delicious routine meals.

I've been eating a lot of the same things each day: quinoa pilaf with a fried egg and greens; bananas or blueberries; oatmeal cookies; chicken sausages. Health, convenience and tastiness is a food rut I'm happy to be in. 

I still dream of one day trying this Sorrel Rice Bowl with Poached Eggs from Sqirl. It's like a better version of my everyday eats. (image via bonappetit)

Wearing:

Sunscreen, sleeveless dresses and shirts, shorts, sweat.

Jordan Sondler is so great and so are her illustrations. She drew a slice of pizza with flower toppings for me at Create & Cultivate as we talked fondly of Baltimore. (via jordansondler.com)

Watching:

"I'm Dying Up Here."

An American comedy-drama television series created by David Flebotte, the series is set in Los Angeles in 1973, where it follows the up and coming stand up comics performing at goldie's, a comedy club on the Sunset Strip.

A lot of interesting people are in it, writing episodes and producing—plus, I really like the bellbottoms, music and interior design. 

RJ Cyler as Adam, Michael Angarano as Eddie, and Clark Duke as Ron (photo by Lacey Terrell via Showtime)

Wanting:

To go to a disco. 

All these visual reminders of the 70s and all these sequins and platform shoes in my closet need to get out and boogie.

Donna Summer in 1978, yes. (image via thebostonglobe)