New podcast! We talk about what you should be allowed to get away with if you work a minimum wage job, Nathan’s abnormal annoyances and my thoughts on Joker! Fun one!
“Why don’t you just become trash” is so perfect, I can’t stand it.
It Pop-Up Bar in Chicago
Replay Lincoln Park (in Chicago) is about to host a pop-up bar inspired by the Stephen King book and movie It. WHY IS CHICAGO NOT CLOSER. According to the Facebook event, when you enter the bar, you'll be transported to Derry where you'll encounter Pennywise and the rest of the Losers Club.
You'll be able to visit sights from the movie including the abandoned house near the train yard and the whole thing will be '80s themed and also feature movie trivia and a fun house. They'll also be serving up Pennywise-themed drinks like the This Is IT, featuring black vodka, cherry juice soda and a pearl dust garnish, and Pennywise Punch, which is dark, light and spiced rum with passion fruit and citrus juices. Kill me. This sounds amazing.
There are also three doors at the bar, labeled "Scary, Not Scary, and Very Scary," alongside three shots with the same names, which is brilliant. If you can’t wait until the 11th when it opens, they’re letting people preview it early if you’re so inclined.
I Might Regret This By Abbi Jacobson - A Review
Are you seeing a pattern with the books that I love to read? Funny, talented women. That’s it. That’s my type. It’s good to learn these things about yourself.
How did it take me so long to read this?! I loved Broad City! So no surprise, the book’s great. Favourite parts ahead!
“Aren’t we all secretly terrified that we’re not understood, not seen, not loved, not wanted?”
“Real mail leaves an impression because it’s an event - the surprise of receiving it, the examining of the envelope, and the reveal when you open it. It’s tactile and ritualistic.”
When she’s discussing cursive handwriting: “Not to put cursive in a category, but it was grandparent cursive. It’s different, it’s thoughtful, it’s beautiful.”
I absolutely loved the story about an old letter that was somehow delivered to her home from the 1940s, there’s a New York Post article about it, too.
She has the world’s greatest opening line if you’re trying to hit on someone: “I think you’re adorable. Let me know if you’d ever want to get a drink. No pressure!” and then walk away. SO. PERFECT. (I mean, she didn’t say that you should walk away, but I’m adding that in because I think it’s way smarter. You say what you need to say and then leave. If they’re interested, they’ll come to you and if they’re not: sweet, sweet, silent rejection. Win win.)
I equal parts hated and loved the whole paragraph where she talks about her trolls dolls because I collected them too and I also knew the difference between the newer generation of trolls and the older ones, so this part just felt like she was stealing my life?
“When people arrange stuffed animals in the back of their cars, is it for us, or them?”
“Memories fascinate me, how they gain or lose weight over time, always fluctuating, just like our bodies, becoming lighter or heavier the more they need attention.”
“There’s a quiet epidemic of women taking and absorbing the blame for other people’s mistakes, because of some inherent attribute deep inside us, constantly trying not to be difficult.”
Ah man, that last bullet point? This book is great. As I was browsing a book store the other day, I noticed a reprinting of this book that said there was an added chapter in the new version! What the hell! That’s allowed?! Anyway, I’ll remember to read that new chapter the next time I’m in a bookstore and I’ll add to this post if anything great jumps out to me and demands that I share it. God, I miss Broad City. (SIDENOTE: if you too miss Broad City - the show Tuca & Bertie on Netflix is so, so good and so, so similar in how great it is, just a tip.)
UPDATE: I went to a book store to read the new chapter added and it’s very sweet. Love that the new last line is, “I don’t regret it.”
Every Ad Is A Juul
I did Nathan’s podcast this week and we talked about Louis CK in Toronto, ads that lie to you and how I don’t understand vaping! Enjoy!
Are You Afraid Of The Dark Reboot
Nickelodeon has announced that it will debut the first two hour-long episodes of the three-part limited series at an event at this year’s Beyond Fest, on Monday October 7 at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theater. It is an “all-ages, family-friendly event” designed for fans both old and new. It’s also free for those with a ticket obtained via RSVP, which you can get now at EventBrite. However, “seating is subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis,” so if you plan on attending, you might want to get there early for the 7:30 pm start.
No, I am not a fan of reboots, but this a specific situation here. As long as the writers are creating NEW episodes, I’ll be a huge fan of this. It’s sort of the same situation when they created The Haunting Hour, which is like an updated/scarier version of Goosebumps for kids. Love both those shows. So hopefully this is what’s happening here. In any case, I can’t wait to watch.
SNL Apple Picking Ad
Fantastic.
September Shenanigans 2019
This is how I feel about the beginning of October.
To put it mildly, I’m excited. But before we start the greatest time of the year, here’s what went down in September!
I can’t seem to stop going to L’Artusi in the West Village, I might have a problem. This will be the only place I take all visitors for pasta from here onward. Recently I went to try this beast (shown below): the summer ricotta gnudi with chanterelles, sweet corn and chilies. They also had their wagyu steak tartare as a special (they do this every once in awhile) and it’s by far the best steak tartare in this damn city. SO GOOD. And since summer was still well under way, I also got the corn with pepperoni, chilies and scallion ash as a side dish. (What the hell is scallion ash? Absolutely couldn’t tell you, but I gobbled it up.) SIDENOTE: I still can’t stop making their mushroom ragu at home. I tried it with Banza and holy shit, it was still good. I think I’ll be taking a break from making it any time soon since I’ve made it approximately 12,000 times, but you should definitely try it out if you haven’t already.
I’ve made this Crispy Balsamic Chicken a few times now because it’s insanely easy to make and comes together crazy fast. Also, I think I’ve learned the secret to crispy skin every time: PAT THE CHICKEN TOTALLY DRY! Maybe everyone knew this already, but I certainly did not.
Nathan and I saw It: Chapter Two and loved it! I wasn’t expecting to since the first one is so great, but I might have liked this one even better! Also, hot tip: you know the Chinese restaurant they’re eating at in the beginning of the movie? Apparently (sources say) that was filmed inside the Mandarin on Matheson in Mississauga! That’s my Mandarin! I’m definitely going to ask about it the next time I’m there, because if that’s true that is MADNESS. So cool.
Since horror movie season has begun, Nathan and I watched Halloween 2 and Halloween 3: Season of the Witch and you know what? Not terrible! I remember seeing them as a teenager and bitching about how lame they were, but I was just acting my age, I think. Solid ass movies.
We also watched Psycho II and Psycho III and thought the same thing! Great movies! Okay, not great - but definitely not bad. Psycho II was a delight. We’re not better than horror sequels, people. We might think we are, but we ain’t.
I tried the new eyebrow pencil from Fenty and even though it’s a good product, it’s definitely not worth $20. I could get three Colourpop ones for less than that and it’s pretty much an identical product.
I’m a stone cold sucker for new Trader Joe’s products, so obviously I tried the new Organic Sparkling Apple Cider Drinking Vinegars and they. were. delicious. Both flavours. Insanely good.
I have been on a mission to find yellow underwear lately and finally found the motherlode at PINK. Yes, I hate that it’s part of the Victoria’s Secret brand, but I’m still on the hunt. Recommendations welcome.
I watched the new, short 9/11 documentary In the Shadow of the Towers: Stuyvesant High about the kids who went to school near the towers and it was really well done. Obviously incredibly sad, but I can’t help but watch any new 9/11 stuff that comes out for some reason.
I also watched Chelsea Handler’s new documentary about white privilege and parts of it were good, while other parts just made me roll my eyes a lot. The fact that there’s ever even a debate about white privilege will forever blow my mind. I get what she was trying to do with this project, but it kind of just missed the mark ultimately.
I finally wrote about my experience at the new TWA Hotel at JFK.
I have been toasting garlic and breadcrumbs in a saucepan until it’s lightly golden brown and then adding it as a heavy garnish to my pasta dishes lately and… I think I’m a new woman. Tastes unreal.
Here are some of my favourite photos from the summer and yes it looks like I love summer but I still think it’s the worst season, I promise you.
I wrote about our trip to Vermont last month.
I assessed how many things got done off of my summer list.
I rarely listen to new, whole albums anymore because… actually I don’t know why I don’t do that anymore. But people really wouldn’t shut up about Taylor Swift’s Lover, so I listened to it on Spotify and it was actually pretty good. Not all of it, god no. But my favourites include: Cruel Summer, The Archer and Paper Rings. And of course, I still can’t stop listening to this song.
I went to Bar Sardine for the first time and here’s what I didn’t like: the seating is wildly uncomfortable (stool seating? in 2019? pick it up, industry), the food was extremely decent but overpriced and the waitstaff (at least our waiter) was too pushy. Yes, the burger was good (I mean, what burger isn’t?), but for $17? Eat me. No. What are we doing here.
Also went to The Happiest Hour and passssssss. I’m so sick of this trend of TINY ASS BURGERS costing more than $15. Fucking done with it. I’m THIS CLOSE in vowing to never eat a restaurant burger again and just get Shake Shack instead. So sick of this shit.
I made my autumn list of things I want to do!
Some things that I’m looking forward to this month: new Big Mouth episodes on the 4th, I might take a day trip out to Sleepy Hollow, I plan to decorate, I’d really love to have an autumn party (and make use of this great punch bowl idea), think of Baby Dog’s Halloween costume, I’ll definitely watch a few of these, I may partake in the Pumpkin Float, I’m intending on doing my 31-days-of-Halloween celebration yet again (which means that I’ll try to do at least one spookily themed thing each day), and I cannot wait for the return of Riverdale (!) on the 9th.
Helloooooooo October, get your spooky ass in my bed.
If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in August over here!
Autumn List 2019
There are so many things I want to do this season, it makes me want to collapse out of excitement. Here are some of my ideas:
Drink at least one cup of tea each day. (In an attempt to get rid of the old-ass tea that I’m sick of having in the house, but also because autumn mornings & tea are a such a sweet pairing and apparently I’m an old white lady now.)
Finally make Ina Garten’s famous roast chicken.
Host an autumn party (!) with spookily themed delicacies.
Eat the new caramel apple cruller from Daily Provisions.
Eat spaghetti squash for the first time. This is the year to take on this disgusting task.
Indulge in the greatest thing this season has to offer: the thanksgiving croissant from Momofuku Milk Bar. (Bonus point if I can force Nathan to eat one, too.) (Why would I have to force someone to eat something so delicious? He’s a complicated man, let’s not get into it.)
Make a savory souffle because fuck they fancy.
Visit the real Sleepy Hollow (can’t believe how close it is to NYC).
Decorate the house as if this is the last autumn season I’ll ever see. There shall be a pumpkin in every windowsill before week’s end, so help me god.
Try some sort of pumpkin coffee that’s not overly sweet (I’ve never cared for PSLs before because 1) they seem too sugary and 2) I’m only half white).
Some other small things that I do each autumn? I’ll break out the warmer comforter for the bed this week, cannot wait. I’ve started the official planning of this year’s Halloween costume. This is also the time of year when I have to remember to lotion my elbows as much as possible (daily) because as soon as the temperature drops, it’s ash-city. I’ll officially unpack and display all of our autumn/Halloween stuff this week. This will be the first year in a long time that I won’t be going to Downey’s with my family, so that’ll be weird and sad so let’s not talk about it. Other than that, I’m really just going to try and enjoy this time of year as much as humanly possible because spooky season comes but once a year and it’s fun as hell.