Summer Saturdays Vol. 4
BAKING
It’s a no-bake recipe, but it’s a dessert so I’m counting it as summer baking. I really want to make the at-home version of Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding for Canada Day since I make it at least once every summer.
Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding
COOKING
These summer stuffed shells are everything.
CRAVING
I’m never above a new flavour of Coffee Crisp.
Coffee Crisp Cold Brew
DRINKING
Homemade hazelnut iced coffee on repeat.
EATING
I’m on a real chicken fajitas kick. The onions, green peppers, red peppers and mushrooms? Heaven on a sizzling plate.
EXPERIENCING
Going to do this wardrobe challenge again because it makes me use my entire closet and it feels so satisfying.
LISTENING
It’s an 80s week, I don’t make the rules.
LOVING
My cousin Sue made this key holder that’s made from the piano keys of my grandmother’s piano from the early 1900s! Is this not amazing?
Piano keys as a key holder
SHOPPING
The Bath & Body Works sale is on right now so I loaded up on foam soaps and three-wick candles.
WATCHING
It’s the perfect time of year to watch any of these end-of-school summer movies.
WEARING
Forever a sucker for a nationalistic temp. tattoo. (Sorry, Marla!)
Canadian tattoos from Canadian Tire
You can see last week’s Summer Saturdays Vol. 3 over here if you like.
Summer Saturdays Vol. 3
BAKING
I made these blueberry bran muffins and they’re fantastic.
COOKING
I always forgot how good at-home quesadillas are. These kale and corn ones are unbelievable.
CRAVING
I’m counting down the days until summer tomatoes have arrived so I can make this heirloom tomato toast daily.
Heirloom tomato toast
DRINKING
Got drinks at the Chelsea Hotel with some friends and ended up in the lobby the whole time, which I kind of prefer over the actual bar area. Love this place.
EATING
My love for caesar salads is endless.
EXPERIENCING
We saw Stranger Things on Broadway and the visuals were incredible. It ran a bit long and I really don’t love the newer theatres, but I’m so glad we went.
Stranger Things on Broadway plushie
LISTENING
1950s are were on repeat this week.
LOVING
The wedding cookie from Crumbl was actually great, I love a frosted cookie.
Wedding cookie from Crumbl
SHOPPING
I tried on dresses at Zimmermann the other day and they are absolutely not worth $900 per dress, but I truly love how they fit.
Zimmermann
WATCHING
Almost finished my rewatch of Downton Abbey and wow does that show take a turn for the dreary. I might have to stop before it ends, it’s just such a downer.
WEARING
This years-old Zara dress continues to dominant my summer wardrobe.
You can see last week’s Summer Saturdays Vol. 2 over here if you like.
Summer Saturdays Vol. 2
BAKING
These blueberry breakfast cookies are insanely good. I keep them in the fridge because I love a cold cookie in the morning.
COOKING
I’ve been baking a lot of salmon lately - nothing too special. I top it at the end with a garlic/soy sauce/maple/mustard glaze and I haven’t grown tired of it yet.
CRAVING
Two things mainly: June strawberries & lap swimming. I don’t ask for much.
DRINKING
When I was in Turks and Caicos earlier this year, I had the same lunch smoothie each day from a place in town and we’ve made it here at home almost 100 times since then it’s so good. Almond milk, chocolate protein powder, green apple, honey, peanut powder, cocoa powder, frozen banana & ice. Heavenly.
EATING
I’ve been slow-cooking the garlic & peppercorn pork tenderloin from Trader Joe’s and making spinach wraps (which is just spinach blended with eggs and then pan fried to resemble a tortilla) with feta for lunch this week.
EXPERIENCING
So happy to have seen the New Jersey town where the original Friday the 13th was filmed so many years ago.
LISTENING
I went mad with organizing all of my playlists on Spotify, so this week it’s the 1970s that's on repeat at the moment.
LOVING
My dad turned 102 this week (!), which is obviously incredible.
SHOPPING
Repurchased my favourite coffee beans (hazelnut creme) from San Francisco Bay Coffee.
WATCHING
I’m in the middle of a rewatch of Downton Abbey, which has been great because it’s been so long so I’ve forgotten most of it. Poor Edith.
WEARING
I’m still living in these Target wedge heels. Best thing I’ve bought all year, by far.
Friday The 13th Day Trip to New Jersey
For years I had no idea the original Friday the 13th was filmed in New Jersey (Blairstown and Hope, specifically). So we took a a day trip to go visit some of the spots from the movie and it was too much fun.
Hope Junction Antiques in New Jersey
The daytime diner/general store at the beginning of the movie is now purely an antique shop - Hope Junction Antiques in Hope, New Jersey. They sell Camp Crystal Lake signs and other small items to commemorate the movie.
Inside Hope Junction Antiques in New Jersey
Inside Hope Junction Antiques in New Jersey
The sign we bought from Hope Junction Antiques in New Jersey
And just down the road is Moravian Cemetery (the character Annie walks infront of it in the beginning of the movie).
Moravian Cemetery in Hope, New Jersey
From here, it’s about a 15 minute drive to Blairstown Diner (where the new owner of Camp Crystal Lake, Steve Christy (Peter Brouwer), spent most of that fateful night back in June of 1980) where we had lunch. The diner itself is celebrating its 75 year anniversary and it was wonderful. There are specialty items (like the Jason omelette, the slasher burger) and everything tasted great. I had the Summer Campers omelette (avocado, bacon, sausage, spinach) and it was perfect. Possibly the best home fries I’ve ever had. And the house-made sausage? A dream.
When you’re done at the diner, it’s only a three-minute walk north on Carhart Street and there you can find the First National Bank building still standing brick-for-brick and column-for-column as it appeared in the film. This is part of Blairstown's famed historic district and the bank is where the exterior shots of Annie entering the daytime diner were filmed. There are a number of Friday the 13th-related stops to make while visiting the historic district, including Roy's Hall. The non-profit offers special screenings of Friday the 13th each year, so plan ahead to see if there are any screenings.
The actual Friday the 13th woods!
Our last stop was to see the outside of Camp Crystal Lake (actually called Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, Hardwick Township, New Jersey). While Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco has hosted thousands of Boy Scout troops since its inception in 1927, it is also where the majority of Friday the 13th was filmed. The only way to see the inside of the camp is to book a tour through Crystal Lake Tours where fans can visit the camp and explore nearly every square inch of Friday the 13th's Camp Blood. We didn’t book a tour, but here’s what others have said about them:
The real life Camp Crystal Lake campgrounds
“Visitors will find the original Crystal Lake sign hanging approximately 20-30 feet away from a replica of the Jeep that both Steve Christy and Mrs. Voorhees drove during the movie. And nearby, a solo canoe floats on the water. There is also a chance to inspect the archery range where Brenda (Laurie Bartram) was shot down by Mrs. Voorhees. Not everything about the filming location has remained the same. The camp’s docks are now slightly differently from the movie's, and the lifeguard tower has been significantly altered in appearance. But the beach where Alice battles Mrs. Voorhees is eerily similar, and it's easy to envision the two of them engaged in their final battle to the death. Fans can expect to walk up to a mile while taking in the campground, but the tours can last two or even three hours depending on the amount of time each group spends inspecting all of Friday the 13th's interior and exterior sets. Tours are offered in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings, but there's also a special "flashlight" session at night, which adds that spooky feel horror fans crave. Plus, some of the camp's other special activities include archery and canoeing sessions.”
Crystal Lake Tours plans numerous events where fans can meet the original cast and crew (namely on big anniversaries like today). I do really wish we had managed to go to their gift shop to get a sample of Crystal Lake's waters from the Angry Mother Bottling Co. but next time for sure.
Summer Saturdays Vol. 1
Welcome to the return of Summer Saturdays! I started doing these in 2023 and I write them mainly to reiterate to myself that I am a human woman who is capable of doing fun summer things. For most of my life I’ve hated this horrid season (the heat, everything smells, children run wild/free = all reasons to naturally hate it), but I’ve actively tried to change that mindset these past few years. So these posts are here to stay (until Labour Day). And you might say that summer starts on the 20th, but it starts when I says it does.
BAKING
This is in no way a fun muffin, but these black bean muffins are good, I promise you. Full disclosure: you will not like them, but I do.
COOKING
At-home steak salads are always the answer. And it should be illegal for one to be anything upwards of $20 at a restaurant, I will die on this hill. We used to be a country.
CRAVING
The vegan tahini soft serve from Seed + Mill in Chelsea Market. Top three best soft serve in the city, hands down. Try to ignore the vegan/tahini part of the description because it’s actually really good.
Soft serve from Seed + Mill in Chelsea Market, NYC
DRINKING
LOVE the Schweppes seltzer flavour concord grape. Tastes so much like a purple Crush only without the raging sugar headache.
EATING
A few months ago I realized the secret to an incredible at-home chicken parm - you have to get bone-in chicken (and then just slice it before you cook). Made it countless times since then and it tastes phenomenal.
EXPERIENCING
Saw the new costume exhibit at The Met and of course had many thoughts.
LISTENING
Made a 1960s playlist that’s been on repeat for about a week now.
LOVING
This long sleeve bodysuit from Aerie. I got them in two colours: navy & “canyon sun.” What the hell is canyon sun, you ask? Brown. It’s just brown. People hate the word brown so much they’re willing to come up with the nonsense that is “canyon sun” shoot me.
SHOPPING
Just reordered the Urban Skin RX Dark Spot Facial Scrub. It smells great and really gets rid of any recent acne scars.
WATCHING
The second episode of And Just Like That. I’m very into the idea that there’s a new love interest for Carrie. I’m sure it’ll end badly and she’ll just stay with Aiden, but at least we don’t have to just watch her wondering around her house all day. Also, is it just me or was the show more fun when she wasn’t rich? I’ve rewatched the series so many times over the years and I think I’m onto something here.
WEARING
Wore this gorgeous Simons dress to a wedding because I’m trying to unlearn how much I’ve hated how my arms look in the past. Progress!
You can see last year’s Summer Saturdays series over here if you like this series but live in the past. Volume 2 coming next Saturday!
Superfine: Tailoring Black Style - The Met's 2025 Costume Exhibit
“The Costume Institute’s spring 2025 exhibition presents a cultural and historical examination of Black style over three hundred years through the concept of dandyism. In the 18th-century Atlantic world, a new culture of consumption, fueled by the slave trade, colonialism, and imperialism, enabled access to clothing and goods that indicated wealth, distinction, and taste. Black dandyism sprung from the intersection of African and European style traditions.”
This display is maddening, EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE THINGS AT EYE LEVEL
Okay, it was a perfectly fine exhibit. (Can you sense my subtle annoyance?) My major problems were these…
WHY IS EVERYTHING LIT SO OMINOUSLY? I’ve had this issue with exhibits from the past and it’s so infuriating. Also, the majority of these garments are dark colours so why would you showcase them against dark backgrounds? Dark colours pop against light backgrounds and vice versa. This is… science?
The entire exhibit was a tenth of the size compared with exhibits from other years.
Why was it focused solely on male tailoring? Especially when they certainly had the space to include more.
That being said there were definitely gorgeous pieces.
House of Balmain, Olivier Rousteing, pre-fall 2023
Jeffrey Banks, ca. 1980
Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh, autumn/winter 2021-2022
Progress Tailoring Co., 1940-1945
Zoot suit, ca. 1943
Oh and one more issue - STOP PUTTING PIECES TOO HIGH SO PEOPLE CAN’T SEE THE DETAILS ON THEM (see below).
Infuriating, there’s absolutely no reason for this nonsensical placement
Why in the hell would these be displayed like this?? It makes zero sense. All in all, the exhibition was only all right this year. Definitely not a must-see (unlike last year’s).
The exhibit is open now until October 26, 2025.
And since I was already there, I saw the new rooftop exhibit Ensemble by Jennie C. Jones (on view until October 19, 2025) since it’s the last rooftop commission until at least 2030.
Ensemble by Jennie C. Jones, The Met rooftop 2025
The large sculptures are “based on string instruments that are supposed to play sounds activated only by the wind” - which sounds great, but I was there on an extremely windy day and didn’t hear anything. I respect the effort, though.
Ensemble by Jennie C. Jones, The Met rooftop 2025
And look, it sounds like I’m overly picky but I think it’s just because nothing will ever top the Jeff Koons rooftop pieces from 2008. Oh! And lastly, look at this adorable dog kennel that was made for Marie Antoinette’s dog. In love.
Kennel made for the dog of Marie Antoinette, ca. 1775-1780
Past fashion exhibits I’ve seen at The Met:
2024 - Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion
2023 - Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty
2022 - In America (Part Two): An Anthology of Fashion
2021 - In America (Part One): A Lexicon of Fashion (as well as the updated Part One that a few months later)
2018 - Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination (not a full post, but a brief summary)
2016 - Manus x Machine: Fashion in an Age of Technology
I’ve also written about the Thierry Muglar exhibit as well as the Christian Dior one (both at the Brooklyn Museum).
The Best of May 2025
Forever favourite blue
Forever favourite blue
This has been the longest spring of all time and I’m not complaining. Here’s what went down last month.
The best tweets of the month can be found over here.
I finally reviewed last year’s Met costume exhibit (this year’s 2025 exhibit review can be read over here).
Bought/love this travel box for jewelry. Also got these great swim trunks for Nathan (love non-bland menswear).
A bunch of new candles came out at Trader Joe’s so obviously I’m on it.
Got this great quilted sweatshirt for $10 on sale at Banana Republic Factory.
Made this sausage, pesto, ricotta pasta on repeat for a few nights. Also made this bread pudding with vanilla sauce for a friend’s birthday that really turned out well.
I visited the new Printemps (french department store) in the city, which is really lovely. The design of the space is worth seeing if you’re in the area. Keep in mind that practically nothing is priced under $100.
Printemps in NYC
We went to Ruta in Astoria, which is probably the best Mexican in the neighborhood by far. Their deep red salsa will fix you.
At Ruta in Astoria, Queens
Here were my favourite Met Gala looks this year:
Kerry Washington at the Met Gala, 2025
Katy Perry at the Met Gala, 2025
Nicole Kidman at the Met Gala, 2025
Cardi B at the Met Gala, 2025
So I tried a retinol night serum on my face and I was warned that some flakiness might occur but this was next level flake city. I had to stop. I also do not care about the benefits of retinol, so let’s never speak of it again.
The chain Toasties in the city? What garbage! Never again. How do you mess up lunch?
I can’t stop texting this image to people (below).
I was looking for a new (not drugstore) mascara and I found a fantastic one - the Glossier Lash Slick. In love with the wand, it catches every single little hair.
I tried the Trader Joe’s strawberry gluten free muffins and they were okay, but nothing can top their GF cinnamon coffee cake ones.
I was invited to see Mel Robbins at The Beacon (with a very lovely new friend) and I’ve got to be honest. This woman is… just not for me. I’m happy that people seem to get something out of what she says, but I just can’t. Wellness can’t be bought and I will die on that hill.
Marla came for a visit and it was a blast. She stayed at The New Yorker hotel (which was old, wonderful and perfect), we did a million things in 48 hours and ate at Modern Bread & Bagel approx. twenty times. It was perfect.
Was so, so pleased that she agreed with me about how incredible the tart frozen yogurt is at Madison Fare.
Madison Fare frozen yogurt with raspberry
She also treated us to a Broadway show (this woman cannot be stopped in her generosity), so we saw Real Women Have Curves. And it was good!
I poached some salmon in a coconut cream sauce and it didn’t come out that great, so I think I’ll just stick to baked salmon.
I think I’m suffering from Pinterest-aesthetic-brain-overload because I was on such a mission (for some reason?) to find a perfect black cardigan to layer with some outfits I have - and I found one at Uniqlo. But once I tried it on I realized how very basic-white-woman it is and put it back. It can be very hard to fight these things that the internet tells me that I’m supposed to have. (I did buy this great baseball t-shirt, though.)
I went to Edith’s for the tahini iced coffee and it was very good. I also tried a bite of their chicken caesar and it was nothing special. Main reason to go here is definitely the coffee.
Edith’s tahini iced coffee in the West Village, NYC
Edith’s in the West Village, NYC
I got a lash lift and it’s only week one, but I can see the appeal of getting them done. I’ve been using Nulastin for a few months and I’ve been seeing length, but they’re not very curly so I guess we’ll see if this makes a longterm difference or not.
We went to visit the town where the original Friday the 13th was filmed (it’s just under two hours from NYC) and it was so much fun. I’ll do a full post on it here soon. We also went to a wedding in the Poconos and it was such a great weekend.
Some things I watched:
Final Destination Bloodlines - not as awful as I expected! The beginning scene was the most memorable/best part.
And Just Like That (newest season) - okay, this was the craziest part of the first episode:
…what the hell? Were we all supposed to think that is a normal thing to say? Infact this insane sentence is making me want to do a deep dive on ALL of the wildly dumb things these women have said over decades and we all have just eaten it right up and accepted as normal! Madness.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I really want to go to Modern Bread & Bread for their night menu, I want to make this chicken Diane recipe at home, I think I’m going to start doing my Summer Saturday posts again starting this week (the season starts when I says it does) and I might have to pre-order the Jaws popcorn bucket (below).
You can read last month’s roundup over here.
Just a reminder that you should take way more photos of your friends everywhere
The Best Tweets of May 2025
The Met's 2024 Costume Exhibit - Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion
YES, this exhibit review post is a year late. Sometimes time moves too quickly, I don’t make the rules. (I did see this year’s exhibit the other day, so you can expect that post a lot sooner (haha, am I lying? Nobody knows).) Thoughts below!
The 2024 Costume Exhibit at The Met, NYC
Absolutely loved the 2024 exhibit. The items were lit very well against a white background (why would they ever deviate from this idea?) and the entire exhibit made great use of the space. It’s true that I don’t (and never will) like when they display things too high up (see above photo), but since there were so many pieces to display I suppose I’ll allow it this one time.
I’ll never forget the Alexander McQueen exhibit from 2011 (Savage Beauty). I wish I had this site back then so I could have documented how gorgeous and well done it all was. (This oyster dress is burned in my memory forever.)
There was a “smell experience” also within the exhibit that was a good idea in theory but didn’t really land in execution. But that didn’t bother me (surprisingly?) because I respect effort.
Oldest line in the book
Love this idea
I’m patiently waiting for the day that The Met decides to do a wedding costume exhibit. Can. you. imagine. the. decadence. You’d need a whole wing of the museum to do it properly, too. None of this up-high nonsense. I want to see TRAINS. Can someone please put me in charge of something.
I didn’t realize cocktail aprons were ever a thing and now I need one (below).
Reminded me of how much I loved that Collina Strada bodysuit from the 2022 exhibit.
I don’t know if that’s supposed to be hilarious (above) but it is and I love it.
Bug dress!
Okay, I love this rose dress. I mean, I kinda already designed it but as a headpiece.
French ball gown, 1957
Why aren’t we all wearing more capes?
It’s wild that an H&M dress (below) is in this exhibit but I do love that it’s recycled from shoreline plastic waste. Considering how much harm this company has already done to the planet, this seems… dense.
There’s something so timeless about a Dior gown. Just the definitely of elegance, I love them so much.
I recognize these two Dior dresses (above and below) from the 2016 Manus X Machina exhibit.
A man whispered, “I’ll have the branzino” to his wife while looking at this dress (above) and I’ll be honest, I really laughed. So dumb. People do take this stuff so seriously sometimes, so it’s nice to hear people’s out-loud thoughts.
BRING BACK THE CLOAK.
I really love how much fun the Iris van Herpen pieces are. I remember seeing her work for the first time in the 2020 About Time exhibit (online, since it was 2020). I mean, look at how whimsical this one is.
There was an entire room devoted to poppies, which I didn’t love. I mean I get it, poppies are associated with remembrance and eternal sleep so it does fit the theme - but I wasn’t in love with the pieces used.
Will forever adore any sort of draping.
Sidenote: I loooove this wig coat with my whole heart.
Nothing better than a big bouncy dress and I love Oliver Theyskens. Look at this other breathtaking gown he made.
Would die for a Rodarte gown. I still have dreams about the one I saw from the In America: A Lexicon of Fashion exhibit from 2022 (seen here). Oh! And can’t forget this gorgeous dress from the Women Dressing Women exhibit in 2024.
Properly lit and positioned garments make me swoon, I’m sorry
Okay, look at how much fun this gown is.
Note: this exhibit was on view at The Met from May 10 – September 2, 2024.
And since you’re here, I’ll show you what the rooftop exhibit was at The Met for 2024 as well:
Petrit Halilaj, Abetare, The Met Rooftop, 2024
Petrit Halilaj, Abetare, The Met Rooftop, 2024
Petrit Halilaj, Abetare, The Met Rooftop, 2024
Past fashion exhibits I’ve seen at The Met:
2023 - Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty
2022 - In America (Part Two): An Anthology of Fashion
2021 - In America (Part One): A Lexicon of Fashion (as well as the updated Part One that a few months later)
2018 - Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination (not a full post, but a brief summary)
2016 - Manus x Machine: Fashion in an Age of Technology
I’ve also written about the Thierry Muglar exhibit as well as the Christian Dior one (both at the Brooklyn Museum).