God forbid I want to watch a movie with my boyfriend!
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The Best of April
Iām really hoping that May is a more uplifting month than the last two months combined, I need it to be. Weāre still staying at home and doing the best we can, but there have been so many things cancelled lately and I really just want to look forward to something. Hereās what went down this month.
I watched the first season of Dave on FX and wow. Just wow. Itās such a good show and Iām so glad I listened to my brother Robbie and watched it. Ten episodes. Each better than the last.
I also watched the new Mindy Kaling creation on Netflix, Never Have I Ever, and it was as good as I hoped it would be and more. Again, there are only ten episodes and I wish there were more. Also, the soundtrack is killer, see for yourself, bud.
I made this banana cake with coffee cream cheese frosting and it was heavenly.
If you are looking for an uncomplicated curry recipe to make, this is the perfect one (I used green beans instead of snap peas and it was still great).
My mom sent me this song for obvious reasons and now I canāt stop playing it.
So excited to hear that Shrill got confirmed for another season! Perfect show.
Do you know about Pluto? Itās a crazy good streaming platform and dare I say, better than Netflix (as long as you donāt care about the occasional ad).
Best tweets of the month:
Tip: never get tomato paste in a can. Tastes so tinny! Did everyone else already know this?
I tried Halās New York Seltzer water in the COLA flavour and HOLY CHRIST. Tastes exactly like Coke. Itās fucking wild. Shoulda bought ten of them but when I went back they were all gone. Like a mirage.
Is it abnormal to share a photo of a gorgeous woman? āCause I saw this photo of Lili Reinhart (from Riverdale) and my jaw dropped, so gorgeous.
I finally finished this season of Curb and the last two episodes were probably the best. There were definitely cringey parts in a few episodes this season, but overall it was pretty good. I really think Larry David is probably just an asshole who happens to be funny sometimes, just my impression.
Iāve been burned so many times, but Iām never buying Barilla pasta again. Their no-boil lasagna sheets no-joke look like recycled sandpaper and taste like ASS. Never again. Also, I think Iām against no-boil lasagna sheets. Just boil some sheets! Whatās the big deal! Youāre not busy!
And speaking of lasagna, Iāve made this mushroom spinach lasagna three times this month and itās heavenly. The only thing I do differently is that I use a food processor to grind up the mushrooms so theyāre almost like a paste. Tastes incredible. It tastes better when itās reheated the next day, too. Lasagna lunch? Get out of here, best day of the week.
These blueberry breakfast cookies are now officially in the recipe rotation since Iām about to make them for the third time. They taste better after being chilled, in my opinion. And not to be pornographic, but a blueberry bursting in your mouth? Yes, please.
I just tried this bath soak and itās made me want to create a bath basket for myself, which is basically just a basket full of bath shit like Epsom salts, bath oils, bubble bath, bath bombs, etc. Future me is gonna be relaxed as fuck.
Love reading what people want to eat out when life is back on again. If you donāt think I already have a list going, THINK AGAIN. Iāll post it when better days are near.
Weāve entered the part of quarantine where Buzzfeed listicles are making me laugh. (Specifically #2 and #6.)
I made this cauliflower bolognese and look, it was good but Iāll never make it again because it took WAY too long for what youāre ultimately getting. Itās not a bolognese. Nothing meatless should be allowed to be called a bolognese, itās unjust.
I watched The Phantom of the Opera for the 11th (??) time when it streamed for free a few weeks ago and it was, as always, magical. I maintain that Colm Wilkinson was the very best phantom there ever was. (P.S. I will always love these types of videos, below.)
Still in love with this egg salad recipe.
I didnāt know it was possible to do anything with stale bread other than make them into breadcrumbs or croutons: How to Revive Stale Bread
Canāt stop making these wildly easy smashed potatoes. When Iām feeling real fancy, Iāll make the sauce from this baked pickles recipe for dipping.
Yes, I have three books in my pile to be read right now, but Iām still really excited for this one. Already pre-ordered.
Really good article: Why Life During A Pandemic Feels So Surreal
Some of these quarantine tips about staying in touch with friends are actually good, not all but some.
I did a Zoom call with my whole family and we played games on jackbox.tv and it was actually really fun. Might become a standing Sunday morning activity.
When Iām not crying or drinking or taking a bath, I like to do beauty masks. But hereās the thing: I think all hair masks are a scam. How can you tell that theyāve DONE anything to your hair? Donāt you think that some charlatan could easily just put some basic-ass conditioner into a tiny disposable package and label it as some hair rejuvenating miracle? And while weāre here, itās 100% likely that face masks are bullshit too. Weāre being bamboozled and at this point I canāt even care about it because itās genius. Iāll keep buying them and theyāll continue to do nothing.
Nathan started a Patreon! Check it!
This photo (below) from this nurseās personal account of whatās going on right now is so good.
I tried a sample of Dr. Dennis Grossās face serum and whoa. I love the idea of using a serum right after washing your face, so I just bought a reward-sized sample of this Drunk Elephant serum (itās on its way) thatāll hopefully feel somewhat similar.
Loved the peachy smell of this Peter Roth cleanser from a sample I got.
I rewatched some of Master of None and it remains great.
Other still-great things that I also rewatched: Arlington Road & House of Sand and Fog.
I made the Dalgona coffee that everyoneās been making, but I didnāt put it on top of milk (that sounded gross). I put it on top of iced coffee for, like, some kind of super coffee. It was really good. I was jacked for hours. (And I havenāt tried it, but this Dalgona frosted chocolate cake looks nuts.)
Obviously loved hearing the Queenās address.
Iāve been on almost all of Nathanās podcasts this month, so just go on over there if you care (there are video clips too). Personal favourite is the bug mug one.
I rewatched most of Community and I truly forgot what a great show that was. The first three seasons, I mean. MAYBE four. Best episodes: the missing pen one, the chaos theory one, love the Halloween ones, and the video game one is great. I will continue to hate musical episodes of any show, why do they do it? Who is it for? Iāve never heard one person say that they loved when a regular show did a musical episode. END THIS NONSENSE.
So I attempted to make the Asiago Chicken Bowtie Pasta from Jack Astorās from this copycat recipe, and even though it reeeeally doesnāt taste the same, itās still a decent recipe. It also tastes way better reheated the next day.
I made these chocolate chip cookies and they were very good. Not a super complicated recipe either, which is always a plus.
Tip: you shouldnāt just plop shampoo on the top of your head and then start rubbing it in (this leads to flat hair). You should rub it in right above the top of your neck and then work it in from there, it gets way more lathered up quicker this way. Please try it for yourself.
I finally tried the Canyon Creek caesar salad dressing recipe that I got from a waiter there years ago AND IT IS PERFECT. I feel weird posting it publicly, but if you love that salad and want to make it at home, Iāll absolutely send it to you if you ask.
Made this halloumi hummus bowl and it was really, really good. Love pearled couscous, love grilled halloumi.
Nathan and I watched Monkey Shine on Pluto and holy shit what a fun movie. Brief plot: Itās about a young athlete who becomes a paralyzed quadriplegic, and develops a bond with an intelligent service monkey named "Ella" who becomes homicidal after she is injected with an experimental serum of human brain tissue. HOW COULD THIS NOT BE AMAZING? Itās not going to sound funny now, but thereās this montage of the monkey doing all sorts of things for the man and then she puts this burrito-thing in the machine holder for him to eat and Nathan said something like, āHereā¦ comesā¦ PITA!ā like she was gonna launch it to his mouth and I fucking died laughing. Truly just a fun movie.
Made these lemon ricotta cookies that were very light and lovely.
Some things that Iād like to do this month: make this burrata mushroom lasagna, Iād love to try this caesar recipe, I intend to finally review last monthās Ipsy bag that Iāve been putting off forever for no good reason, and Iāll likely rewatch the old Cannonball Run movies because I really want to. BIG PLANS.
Also, donāt forget about Motherās Day on the 10th. Just a reminder. If youāve got any interest in reading last monthās roundup, you can see what went down in March over here and you can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.
If youāre interested, you can also subscribe to Positive Anger on YouTube if you want to see clips from these podcasts. And you can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.
Queen Elizabeth II
Bless this woman.
If youāre interested, you can also subscribe to Positive Anger on YouTube if you want to see clips from these podcasts. And you can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.
Final Haircut Podcast
Look, I know that Nathan has red hair, I just donāt think itās THAT red.
You can subscribe to Positive Anger on YouTube if you want to see clips from these podcasts. And you can see the whole podcast here.
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The Best of March
How do I even start this? Why am I even writing this? Does any of this matter? I donāt know.
Life is not normal anymore and I donāt know when it will be. That sentence alone makes me want to bury myself underneath a blanket with Baby Dog and never come out. There have been such nice, calming days mixed with insane, sleepless nights and I canāt find a balance and I guess nobody can and weāre all in this together. So what are you supposed to do? Stay home. Eat everything. Listen to music you love. Watch things that make you happy. Write to people who care for you. Read things that can uplift you or help you escape. And in the meantime, I guess Iām here to tell you what I loved and hated over the past month. Behold the best meme Iāve seen in a long time.
NOTE: All of the things below that involved me leaving my house happened before March 15th when life in NYC was still semi-normal.
I finally went for dinner at I Sodi and it was disappointing! What the fuck! This isnāt rocket science but why would cold bread be served in a covered basket? Shouldnāt warm bread be covered? For christās sake, just throw the bread at me if itās cold. Also, a good steak tartare doesnāt need any lettuce accessories, get the fucking leaves off of the plate, please. And their lasagna? Yikes. It was overcooked and it felt like eating a sad book. Will not return. (Ugh, even if I wanted to return I canāt.)
I had a slice at Best Pizza Shop in Astoria and it was great! Love a Detroit style slice.
I made it over to Comfortland in Astoria and their crullers were delicious.
I finally tried the birthday cake at Momofuku Milk Bar and my godā¦ the vanilla one (which is even better than the chocolate) is probably the best cake Iāve ever had. You can get them by the slice at their flagship store in NYC or you can be ambitious as hell and make one at home.
The cannoli cream cheese at Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company in Astoria is a problem, donāt try it or youāll forever be in love.
I made a list of things to do during this quarantine that Iām really trying to keep up with.
Favourite tweets of the month:
I watched the (Hulu) Hillary documentary online and it was phenomenal. Everyone should see it.
I chose the Briogeo birthday gift from Sephora and MAN was that the wrong choice. It lasts for two showers! What the hell! I shouldāve went with the Milk one. Donāt make my mistake. Oh! And if your birthday falls within the quarantine, just go online to get your birthday gift because they have free shipping right now with the code FREESHIP and youāll have to buy something since they wonāt allow a cart with no total amount, but the cheapest thing you can buy are the mini Sephora Collection cleansing wipes which are $2. So spending $2.19 (tax included) for a birthday gift, makeup wipes and two samples is still pretty good, in my opinion.
On the other hand, the birthday gift from Ulta is incredible. Itās full size and itās just a great face scrub. Itāll definitely last at least six months, and I like it so much that I might buy another one when itās done. Sephora could really learn some things from Ulta.
Other than listening to The Phantom of the Opera soundtrack on repeat, I really love this song. Ignore the title.
Nathan and I attempted to rewatch Final Destination and just couldnāt. There are certain movies you just canāt watch at this point in time.
We watched Ticks as well and that was somehow more of an enjoyable time.
Also watched They Live, which I canāt believe Iād never seen before. Itās like a longer Twilight Zone episode, which means it was great.
So incredibly sad to hear about Gotham Bar & Grill. Their food was incredible.
One thing that Iāve started to do is watch food clips in the morning right after I wake up. Itās better than checking your email. Itās better than reading the news. Itās better than anything youāre currently doing. Hereās what I watched this morning.
Had lunch at Astoria Provisions and the food was as good as I hoped. The service was lovely, too.
I made a deconstructed poutine at home on my birthday and it was perfect. I cooked the potatoes, then I spread the curds on top and baked those to melt it a bit. And then I made the gravy and kept the gravy in a separate bowl for dunking. Nothing got soupy or gross! The fries stayed crispy! It was genius, I say.
Why havenāt I always bought my bedsheets at Marshalls? I got a lovely Kate Spade set for $40, which is a deal.
Another incredible New Yorker cover.
I havenāt really attempted to watch any whole episodes of any of the late night talk shows lately but the fact that Jimmy Fallon has his wife filming it and his kids in it is really cute.
I went to Fantasy Explosion in Brooklyn and it was great, wish they had more stuff but what they do have is wicked.
I finished watching the new season of On My Block and just wow (spoilers ahead). Here are my thoughts: I love Jasmine so much and I wish she was the main star of the show, Jamal having sex like that was so weird and abnormal I was almost confused by it, the scene with Spooky and his dad made me cry and I fucking sobbed at the ending.
I love this little girl and this video.
Nathan has been putting this Frankās Red Hot powder on popcorn and even though Iām not a huge hot sauce fan, this tastes incredible.
Pinky, a chihuahua I love on Instagram, passed away recently and man, just look at this sweetheart.
Iām still so in love with the drying cream from Mario Badescu. Itās magical. I put it on at night when I feel a pimple brewing beneath the surface and by morning itās no more.
I ordered pair number two of these magical leggings from Aerie.
Iām attempting to learn all of the capitals of every country. Iām always impressed when someone knows the capital of some far off, distant place and now I shall impress myself.
I watched Mommy Dead and Dearest and it was good, but also so upsetting and awful as a story.
Last night the Empire State Building debuted a flashing red and white light display on its mast, āan effect intended to represent Americaās heartbeat.ā
If you live in Mississauga, The Apple Market (by Camilla Public School) can pull your grocery order for you and you can pick it up curbside if you email them your grocery list to info@theapplemarket.ca - thank you for telling me about this, Marla! Itās eons faster than other major grocery stores are right now, and youāre also helping out a small business, so definitely look into it if youāre interested.
The restaurant Vesta in Astoria is giving out free meals to any laid off restaurant workers in the neighborhood, which is so generous and amazing, love that place, details below.
I went over what I did from my winter list of things to do.
I went on Nathanās podcast twice and baby youāre gonna be hearing me lots more on it in the coming weeks.
Iām a maniac so I made a spring list of things I want to do.
Things that Iām looking forward to this month: I got a gift card to Sephora from my brother and sister-in-law so Iāll definitely use that (looking for recommendations of new things to try, thinking of getting more Drunk Elephant products since Iāve loved the samples Iāve had in the past), watching more Elaine and Puddy episodes of Seinfeld, I keep thinking of starting Friday Night Lights again but there are so many other things to watch so I canāt decide, I think Iāll write another quarantine ideas list since I keep thinking of more things to add on, and oh can we cancel April Fools Day this year? Nobody needs it right now.
If youāve got any interest in reading last monthās roundup, you can see what went down in February over here and you can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter. Stay safe!
You can find the whole podcast over here.
And you can subscribe to Positive Anger on YouTube if you want to see clips from these podcasts. And you can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.
New Podcast with Nathan
Also, you can subscribe to Positive Anger on YouTube if you want to see clips from these podcasts.
And you can see more posts like this on my latest newsletter.