December Dalliances

by Liz Heather in , , , , ,

So many things happened last month, highlights ahead!

  • I literally started doing my hair instead of just letting it air dry and it’s kind of nuts how easy it is to do.

  • I started using Origin’s GinZing Eye Cream and even though it’s only been a few weeks, I’m really liking it. Is it actually lightening my dark circles? I’ll be able to tell within a few more weeks, I think, so I’ll come back to this next month.

  • I made cauliflower hummus for the first time and it was not a hit. Maybe ‘cause I couldn’t get it as smooth as I imagined it should be, but still - not good at all.

  • I visited the Glossier flagship store in Soho and it was pretty fun and only slightly ridiculous. The robot mechanism that delivers your purchase to you at the end made me laugh. No opinions on their products as of right now since I only went to buy a Christmas gift for someone, although I did try a sample of their Milky Jelly Cleanser that felt pretty nice. The big drawback of the place is that it’s credit-card-only (no cash), which I have pretty strong opinions on. This is a great piece on that whole issue.

  • I went for food at Lillie’s Victorian Establishment in Union Square for their $13 lunch special (which includes a drink) and it’s probably one of the best lunch deals in that area for sure. Also the decorations at Christmastime are insanely lovely and aggressive.

  • Ate the smash burger at The Spaniard, which was really, really good but of course it was because it was a Pat LaFrieda blend. The bun was so perfectly toasted and it’s now definitely one of my favourite burgers in the West Village. Only thing I didn’t like were their onion rings - waaaay too doughy. Gotta keep it real with letting the onion shine through.

Smash burger at The Spaniard

  • Finally tried the Bite Agave Lip Balm that was part of Sephora’s yearly birthday gift and it’s definitely nothing special, way too sticky!

  • Also tried the Bite Lip Crayon in Glacé that was also part of the Sephora birthday gift and it’s so wearable and lovely, I’m excited for the 2019 Sephora birthday gift options (they just announced them!)

  • I got my hair cut! I went to Davidov Salon in the city for the second time, and I think this’ll be my regular place from now on.

  • Made a ton of chickpea nuts and they’re such a good and fast snack to have around. Favourite’s probably the BBQ.

  • HUGE fan of this eggplant lasagna.

  • Watched the latest Chilling Adventures of Sabrina holiday special and for a few scenes, it was actually kind of scary, which weirded me out. I still can’t decide if I hate or like this show.

  • Watched Salt Fat Acid Heat and loved it. Samin Nosrat has such an approachable nature, I wish there were tons more episodes. I also loved the last bit of the series when she says, “For me, cooking has never been about the food. It’s about what happens at the table. Making good food accessible is really important to me. And any little way that I can do that, from inviting a bunch of friends over for a simple meal, to making them help out in the kitchen when they arrive, just helps make it feel like good cooking is within reach for everyone. My ultimate goal is to make people feel comfortable and taken care of so that they can just enjoy the moment. And maybe eventually pass that kindness onto others. Cooking for them, with them, just happens to be the easiest way I can do that. Anyone can learn to cook and do it well. Be thoughtful. Be curious. And use salt, fat, acid and heat to guide you to delicious food. And if for some reason a dish doesn’t turn out well, it’s okay. You can always try again tomorrow.“

  • I’ve been using Kate Somerville’s ExfoliKate as a face exfoliator once/twice a week for the past few months and I absolutely love it. It’s crazy gentle and smells so weird that you feel like it must work.

  • Can’t stop making this incredible firecracker chicken. Tastes like take out.

  • Why do I continue to watch the new Fuller House episodes? I wish I could tell you. It’s the only show I hate watch at the moment. I fully hate it. The jokes are bad. Everything is corny. I’m unhappy when I watch it. Okay, it’s over. I’ll never watch it again.

  • I have so many thoughts on this dog cloning article and I have absolutely no idea which side I’m on. Obviously it’s seems like a wildly controversial and terrible idea… but also what if you just miss your dog so much and it can bring you happiness? Also, the fact that people with money are already doing this makes me all kinds of mad/crazy/excited? I don’t know, man. I’m all over the place with this.

  • I tried the hair mask from Trader Joe’s and I love it, I just wish the packaging were bigger.

  • As you already know, I started watching This Is Us and even though I’m only halfway through the first season, I have a couple thoughts. I hate the character of Kevin so much - it’s either him or the actor, I don’t know. His storyline is just so boring, I want to scream. Also, I’m not actually convinced it’s a good show. Everyone won’t shut up about how good it is, but it’s definitely got its moments of pure cheese. I’m just not convinced. I'll give it a few more episodes to make sure I’m not wrong.

  • I watched The Year Without A Santa Claus for the first time and it was cuuuute. Love that old school animation so much.

  • Tried Smashbox’s Super Fan Mascara - and it’s not great so I’m thinking I’ll exchange it for the Make Up For Ever one (Smoky Extravagant Mascara) that I really like.

  • Ate the French onion soup burger at Le Rivage and it was only okay. They kept bragging about how many awards that burger has won, but I mean… it wasn’t anything special. I think that if they replaced their English muffin bun with a potato bun then maybe they’d be cookin’. Their escargots, however, were dynamite - I love it when they’re served while they’re still in the shells. So fancy.

  • Have you ever had a dunkaccino? It’s a half hot chocolate & half coffee drink from Dunkin Donuts. I recommend.

  • In love with this new shirt that I got from Uniqlo. Every woman on earth should get this crazy soft, perfect shirt.

  • Baking Hack: if you don’t have any brown sugar, do you know that you can make some by combining white sugar and molasses? Insanity. It really works. Check online for specific measurements.

  • Went to see the Rockefeller Christmas tree with Nathan!

(If you have any interest in past monthly roundups, they can be found here: November 2018, October 2018, September 2018, August 2018, July 2018, June 2018 & May 2018.)