August Actions 2022

Wow, this is by far the latest monthly post, sorry about that. I wish I had an excuse for my lateness, but this is a free site so I don’t owe you a damn thing!

Summer is almost at an end and I couldn’t be happier about it. This will soon be me.

Here’s what went down in August!

• You can find my favourites tweets of the month over here and here.

• I got coffee at Cafe Renis in Astoria and it’s perfect. Love an independent coffee place.

• I’ve decided that the best canned tomatoes you can get in the U.S. come from the brand Afeltra and they’re sold at Eataly.

• The Chelsea Hotel finally reopened so I stopped by for a (ridiculously overpriced) coffee and yes the renovation took forever, but damn it’s gorgeous.

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The Chelsea Hotel lobby, August 2022

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The Chelsea Hotel, August 2022

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The Chelsea Hotel, August 2022

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The Chelsea Hotel, August 2022

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The Chelsea Hotel, August 2022

• I bought these running shoes I found at Marshalls and I loooooove them. Who doesn’t love a shoe that feels like a heavy sock?

• I also can’t stop taking photos in this Zara dress. Clearly.

• It’s finally the time of year when Lemax (the worldwide leader in collectable village miniatures) releases their new Halloween collection and I’m fighting every urge inside my body to buy THE GLOOM ROOM.

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The Gloom Room from Lemax, 2022 Collection (not shown: the figures DANCING IN THE ROOFTOP BALLROOM)

• Completely out of nowhere, but does everyone know how cool-looking the Tommy Bahama wrapping paper is? Just beautiful.

• I tried these Lays West Indies’ Hot ‘n’ Sweet Chilli and they were tasty as hell.

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• I have forever loved the top of this building (below) and have always wondered what the inside looks like. Now I know and it’s shot to the top of my must-live-in list.

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The Cupola Penthouse at 141 Fifth Avenue, NYC

• I had dinner at the breathtaking Riverpark with Irene and the food was really good.

• It’s almost embarrassing how many times I’ve listened to Beach House by Carly Rae Jepsen.

• Some things I watched this month:

  • Bodies Bodies Bodies - Did I see this solely because of Lee Pace? Yes. And he wasn’t in it nearly enough. Also, it is not a good movie.

  • The Rehearsal - Look, I get it, it was fine. Definitely not the masterpiece that everyone claims it is. Love Nathan Fielder, though. A Canadian king.

  • Sister Act - Okay, I haven’t rewatched this in maybe… twenty years? It’s still amazing. And god, that soundtrack. All hits.

  • Violation - My friend Dusty made this movie and it’s incredible. No bias either, I promise you - he’s just wildly talented.

• I also got to go to Canada for a short visit to see some friends and family, which is always great.

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• I finally got to visit my best friend Harmeet’s lake house in Ontario and it. was. unreal. Such a fun few days away.

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Harmeet!

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• Is it weird that I’ve never done a tea service before? Wait, is that how I even word that? In any case, my dear friend Marla took me to my first one! I can’t believe how many things you get. We went to The Wild Tart in Elora, Ontario and it was wonderful.

• While we were in Elora, we also went to see the gorge and quarry (where scenes from It were filmed!). I had no idea that Elora was such a nice little town. I also discovered this greeting card company that I’m absolutely in love with.

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Elora Quarry, August 2022

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Marla!

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I’m pretty excited about coming up with my autumn list of things to do this year, I need to catch up on writing some travel posts that I’ve been putting off since July, I need to make some final decisions on our Halloween costumes, and we’re getting a brand new oven that I’m pretty jacked about.

If you have any interest in what went on in July, come on over here.

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That’s her excited-for-September face

July Jiffs 2022

The beginning of August is basically the best time of year because it ushers in the anticipation for autumn and the holidays. Am I reaching? The anticipation of something is almost as sweet as the actual arrival of whatever it is you’re waiting for.

In any case, here’s what went down last month!

• You can find my favourite tweets of the month over here and here.

• I wrote about the first leg of my summer trip to London, England.

• I went to the American Dream mall in New Jersey with my friend Diana, so thankfully I never have to go again! It’s really just a spectacle, and not in a good way. Why would you ever need a mall to have indoor skiing available? Isn’t the best part of skiing the scenery that surrounds the hills? Am I crazy? Regardless, the mall is terrible. It’s way too big, there are countless empty storefronts (because of the ludicrous rent, I’m assuming) and the furniture is gaudy as hell. Absolutely no reason to go again.

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Even she is thinking, “Why are we here and what is this.”

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Beautiful Diana sitting amongst the idea that money does not equal taste.

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“Take me home.”

• I went to Brighton Beach for the first time with my great friend Paul (who just moved back to NY) and what a fine beach it was. Not as filthy as Coney Island, but almost as nice as Rockaway. I can’t really put into words how incredible it is that he moved back here, so just know that this fact is the highlight of my summer.

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Paul! In New York!

• Speaking of Paul, his perfect husband Richard made us a meal one night using ground beef from Stoudemire Farms (which I’ve always wanted to try) and it was spectacular. Must remember to buy it the next time I’m at the Union Square market on a Friday.

• I also went to Bar Marseille with Diana and the food was great! It’s right near Rockaway, so I wasn’t expecting a lot from a beachside place but I’d definitely go back. The steak sandwich was perfect.

• It only took 18 months, but the dog volunteering that Baby Dog and I used to do is finally back! It was cancelled in February 2020 for obvious reasons and just started up again this month. It’s organized through New York Cares and it happens once a month on the Upper West Side. Essentially, you bring your dog to the auditorium of an elderly care center and any residents who love dogs come down to play with them for an hour. We do it each month and the more dogs that come the better, so I should really post about it more on Instagram. Yeah, I’ll get on that. (The next one is scheduled for August 10th, email me for more information if you’re interested.)

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Can you tell how excited she is?

• Since it’s Restaurant Week, Irene and I went to The Grid restaurant at the Great Jones Distillery mainly because I was intensely craving good halibut. And yes, the food was good but it’s extremely overrated. I’m sorry but no restaurant ever should charge for basic bread and butter. It’s offensive. The service was good, but you can just tell people weren’t trained very well. And for a place so new and beautiful, you’d expect a lot more.

• I saw Mr. Saturday Night on Broadway and all that I can say is wow. A perfect show and a beautiful theatre. Can every single comedian in this town go see it immediately before it closes next month? It’s wildly good. I’ve never felt more seen than I did in this song sung by a comedian’s wife.

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Mr. Saturday Night on Broadway, July 2022

• The only time I like to drink rose is in the summer (I’m pretty original, I know) and I think I found the best tasting one of life.

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Ruby Red Rose with Grapefruit

• I’ve started making garlic butter almost once a week now and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop? It’s so superior to every other thing inside my fridge. Sure you could buy garlic butter, but it tastes infinitely better if you make it yourself, I promise.

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Homemade garlic butter

• I made this lamb bolognese from Antoni Porowski and I think it’s even better than the Alison Roman one that I love so much (it might be because I bought the coriander seeds whole and then ground them up in my spice grinder? The flavour of that individual spice is so crazy good, I had no idea). Obviously one is a fast lamb recipe and one is a leisurely one, so I’ll continue to keep both in my rotation. But you absolutely have to make the three hour one at least once to see what I’m talking about. Especially since Costco sells ground lamb now.

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Antoni Porowski’s heavenly lamb bolognese

• I went to the Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn for the first time and what a perfect theatre. Love that they have a beautiful bar attached (House of Wax).

• Some Things I Watched:

  • I really had low expectations, but I went to see Marcel The Shell With Shoes On and it was beyond sweet.

  • Indecent Proposal is on HBO right now so I watched it for the first time and loved it.

  • I saw The Thomas Crown Affair and it’s such a party. I love this kind of 90s movie. Perfect in every way.

  • I watched the first episode of Loot and it really just wasn’t for me.

  • Of course I saw the whole first season of The Bear and it’s as good as everyone says it is. With the exception of the sister, I don’t know if she’s just written badly as a character or the actress is just wretched. Either way, it’s the worst part of a great show. Episode seven is clearly the best one. (Also, I badly want to make this recipe now.)

  • I also saw the whole first season of The Summer I Turned Pretty and this really scratched my summer/teen itch. Perfect summer show.

  • I saw the Victoria’s Secret documentary and oh my god, I might have to stop shopping at Bath & Body Works now.

  • I started the new season of Only Murders In The Building and other than the inclusion of Amy Schumer, it’s been good so far.

  • I also watched Porky’s and Screwballs for some reason?? Obviously I hated both? I think I was just so desperate for an old teen movie that I haven’t seen.

  • After those two disasters I have no other choice but to cleanse my palette and rewatch Clueless.

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My absolute favourite Cher outfit

• I’ve been there a few times, but I think it’s time to declare how much I officially hate Astoria Park. The RFK bridge above makes it way too loud, the jet skis in the water blast the worst music, the grass has more brown patches than any other park in the city, the train is at least a 15 minute walk away, there are zero food or water vendors anywhere. WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE THIS PARK? God, it’s awful.

• I made these cheesy poblano corn enchiladas and they were really good. In hindsight I should’ve added some shredded chicken or something to them to make them slightly heartier.

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Cheesy poblano corn enchiladas

• I finally went to see the Amityville house and even though they changed the eerie window frames, it’s definitely still creepy. One thing I wasn’t expecting? How nice that town is! It’s like some big secret, I think. Would totally live there.

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The house from The Amityville Horror, July 2022

• I made my favourite strawberry crumble coffee cake and it’s always a winner. Pro tip: use cake flour for the cake part and use regular flour for the crumble topping to really make it perfect.

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Strawberry crumble coffee cake

• I ate the July-only-special Emmy cheeseburger dumplings from Mimi Cheng’s and they were good but not as good as the first time I had the last year. Am I evolving past cheeseburger dumplings…? God I hope not.

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Emmy Burger Dumplings (Emmy cheeseburger dumplings in collaboration with Pizza Loves Emily/Emmy Squared, dry-aged beef, aged white cheddar, crushed pretzels, caramelized onions, and Emmy Sauce) Pan-fried only. (8 pieces) $17.25

• Incase you care, August is the only month you can apply for SNL tickets so get on that, if you so desire.

• Also, if you’re going to the CNE in Toronto next month, you can get free tickets for kids under 13 if you fill out this form.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I’ll continue to mark things off of my summer list, I can’t wait to see my friend Dusty’s movie that’s being screened at the MoMA next week, and I can’t wait to take a few more little summer trips (stay tuned).

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Summer bitches

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in June over here.

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May Musings 2022

How is it June? Halloween is practically tomorrow. Here’s what went down last month!

• The best tweets of May can be found over here and here.

• I wrote an essay about my hated for the Kard***ian family.

• Nathan’s show Trapped got reviewed in The Globe and Mail!

• I visited the insanely disappointing part two of the costume exhibit at The Met.

• I also revisited part one of that same exhibit because new pieces were added and they are spectacular. (And quick note: there’s no rooftop exhibit at The Met this summer! I emailed them to see why and they told me that it “has been delayed per the artist’s request“ which is complete bullshit! If the artist couldn’t make it work for this year, why the hell didn’t they commission someone else to fill the space for this year? The fuck?)

• I read and reviewed Christopher Reeve’s memoir.

• I never use face cream, but the texture of my face was weirdly rough for about a week so I lathered on the belief aqua bomb cream each night and it smoothed me right out back to normal within two days. It also works really well on elbows if ashiness is ever a concern for you.

• So intensely in love with these new shorts I got from Banana Republic Factory.

• I made this tomato, zucchini, caramelized onion & feta tart with puff pastry that was too, too good.

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• I made these flourless chocolate brownie cookies and they were truly disgusting.

• I’ve tried many foot masks, but this Holler and Glow one from Target is my absolute favourite. It’s even better than that baby foot mask everyone loved a few years back.

• Went to Bar Crudo in Brooklyn and it was incredible. The crab cakes were perfect, everything we ordered was phenomenal (except the ricotta toast). Have to go back.

• I’ve been making individual iced teas each day and this month solely consisted of the Trader Joe’s pomegranate white tea. It’s so fruity, but not at all too sweet.

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• Two new discoveries! I have a moderate dairy allergy and a possible pollen allergy! Sweet! This is what your late thirties looks like I guess?

• I tried a sample of the silk peony eye cream (eyes are rolling at that name) from Tatcha and it yes it was good. But no it should not be $62. All creams should be max $20 and that’s even pushing it a bit.

• Links I’m Loving:

  • If you’re still spring cleaning, this is such a great guide.

  • These sandwiches look so wildly good. Can I please just be invited to this woman’s house.

  • The best SNL sketch of the season. (It’s called Old Enough! Longterm Boyfriends if you need to search for it in Canada.)

  • I badly want to make these chocolate toffee cookies (below).

• Things I Watched:

  • I’m in the middle of a rewatch of Friday Night Lights (Hulu), it’s not as good as it was the first time around but Riggins can still get it.

  • Also rewatching Undeclared (YouTube!) and it’s as good as I remembered it.

  • Our Father (Netflix) was pure chaos. It’s so disturbing and awful, I kind of want to tell you not to even watch it? It’s not worth it. Awful people who get away with doing awful things is such a weird thing to recommend to watch.

  • Inventing Anna (Netflix) was irritatingly bad. A lot of the acting was terrible, the scripts were awful. Why on earth was this longer than a 90 minute made-for-TV movie? This is one of those times the Wikipedia page is more interesting than the final product.

  • The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes (Netflix) was, again, hard to watch. I’ve seen dozens of movies about this woman and every new thing I learn about her is more depressing than the last. God, the Kennedys were awful people.

  • St. Elmo’s Fire (Hulu) was terrible! I’d never seen it before but UGH. There are so many good people in it, I had such high hopes. Not one likable character in a cast of what seemed to be fifty people. Also, I know it was the ‘80s but no friend would ever put another friend’s head in a toilet, it just wouldn’t happen. Terrible script.

  • Everything Everywhere All At Once (theatres) was good! There were definitely parts that were a smidge too corny, but as a whole it was really good.

  • Flamingo Kid (streamed online) is such a good summer movie, I can’t believe I haven’t seen it before. It’s light and low maintenance and a young Matt Dillon is very pleasant to look at.

  • Big Night (streamed online) was so good. I’ve wanted to see it forever because of how food centric it is and it was perfect.

  • Top Gun: Maverick (theatres) was actually really good. Even I surprise myself sometimes. Love Tom Cruise. LOVE that he insisted on little to no CGI.

• It’s amazing that spring garlic is still in season, I’m begging you to find some.

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The main thing I’m looking forward to this month: I’m going on my big postponed-from-2020 trip! I’ll definitely be posting about it on my Instagram stories and (and highlights section) if you have any interest in seeing what I get up to. I could tell you some of the things planned, but where’s the fun in that?

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in April over here.

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