March Magic 2021
Am I alone in thinking that was the longest March of all time? It truly felt like it would never end. Usually I love my birthday month, but with everything still the way itās been for the past year, there really didnāt feel like much of a reason to celebrate. Also, Nathan got COVID. It was awful and scary and I was worried about how heād be, but all is well and he just got his vaccine this past weekend, which is incredible. So a real roller coaster type of month, but thank god itās over.
Hereās everything that went down last month.
I recapped how my winter list of things to do went.
Forever an optimist, I made a list of spring things that Iād like to do. One of my favourite things to do is get a pedicure on the first day of a season. I donāt get them very often at all, so itās a nice way to usher in some new weather.
I finished watching Superstore, which is such a great show. I wouldāve never watched it on my own, so this is why you have to listen to your best friendās recommendations sometimes. They know more than you. Also, it was weird as hell to hear the Smashing Pumpkins song Today in one episode. Just seemed like a strange pairing, them and this show. Or any show, really. But I mean they did lend a song to that Apple ad, so I guess the old days of Billy Corgan complaining about everything are over.
I made my way back to Lilia with Irene to devour their seasonal leek focaccia & green salted butter, which is always heaven on a plate. (Me and focaccia have had a pretty strong love affair going on for some time now. I plan on making it at home soon, but I canāt decide on the flavouring Iāll want to add to it. There are too many possibilities.) We also shared two pastas: the corzetti with pine nuts, marjoram & parmigiano reggiano as well as the sheepās milk cheese agnolotti with saffron, dried tomato & honey. Always a good meal here. Might benefit from some new pastas, though.
I got my first Moderna shot! I usually have tons of anxiety around needles, but somehow it wasnāt a problem this time (maybe because I had the kindest nurse on the planet). It sounds so simple, but she told me to look away, to take a deep breath and while I was taking that breath she put the needle in and THAT WAS IT. So grateful for that advice. Must remember that for life now. I have my next shot on April 8th! (I did get COVID arm, but it went away in 24 hours so it really wasnāt a big deal.) Also, Iāll definitely ask a medical professional, but if itās allowed then Iām definitely getting my card laminated for free.
Thereās this great, cute new store called Gift Box on Broadway in Astoria. Itās very similar to Lockwood, only better. Lots of cards, gifts, beauty products, candles, that kind of thing.
Itās green garlic season and we must all celebrate! Iāve also decided that I might devote my life to compound butters. Making them, eating them, giving them away as gifts potentially. Maybe this is whatās been missing.
Google image search the vagar faroe islands and letās go.
I canāt stop putting this Esti vegan feta on everything, it tastes exactly like regular feta only slightly less salty.
Everything from the brand Umbra is gorgeous.
These are officially (and my niece Layla can attest to it) the greatest socks on the planet. Not too tight, not too short or high, and soft as a cloud.
Best kale caesar dressing Iāve had in months. And I love the idea of using breadcrumbs instead of croutons to liven things up a bit.
I made this roasted winter citrus and wow was it hot fruit. It should be a crime to make something look this good, but taste average as hell.
I started using the app Google Keep to organize all of my lists and tasks and I love it. Itās so much better than using Notes.
HOW have I never even HEARD of Shake Shackās Innovation Kitchen?! AND HOW HAVE I NEVER BEEN. Itās moved to the top of my current Must Visit list.
I may or may not have fallen down a rabbit hole of incredible Melissa Clark recipes. Love this woman.
If you live in Englewood, New Jersey, how do you not just LIVE at this bakery? My god. Every item. In my mouth. Now.
And listen, Iām no scientist, but this seems like huge newsā¦?
If you find yourself anxious or unsettled, this video of lasagna being made from scratch is the most soothing thing Iāve come across in months.
Target sells candles?! Iām the last person on earth who learned this. $4 for an actually great mini candle is wild.
Tried a slice of the red velvet cake from Milk Bar and it was unexpectedly good. I donāt usually care about red velvet (because itās a scam?), but honestly their cakes always find a way to taste amazing.
I made this cajun linguine and it was so lackluster, I hate when a pasta recipe doesnāt work out. Itās so upsetting. Also, cajun seasoning can blow me.
Theyāre opening a Sonic in Manhattan, which Iāve never been to before, is it worth going?
I know Eataly is for tourists, but once in awhile I like to stop in to peruse. I tried one of their prepackaged foods (the eggplant parmesan) and it was a hard pass. Just no flavouring at all. The only thing that saved the day were their individual little Italian chocolates. Always amazing. I do want to eventually try their dried pasta Afeltra since Iāve heard such good things about it.
I donāt know about you, but Iām definitely not ready to watch documentaries about the pandemic yet. I donāt know if Iāll ever want to. I meanā¦ weāre still IN IT, for christās sake. HBO needs to just sit down.
Tell me that you know the song Sea of Love.
You had me at ācheese-oozing focaccia.ā
Great piece on diet culture by Julia Turshen.
When I was in Seattle in April a few years ago, I wandered onto the University of Washingtonās campus and was blown away by their gorgeous cherry blossoms. They have a livestream of them right now, if youād like to take a look.
With plastic bags officially banned now, I desperately need a basket bag to take when I go to the farmerās market. So f-ing lovely. Everyone will think Iām Belle or some shit.
I donāt think Iāve ever had a fresh Jamaican patty in my life, so Iām definitely going here the next time Iām in Mississauga.
I love this chickpea salad, especially after adding basil.
Some of these are actually really great tips.
How on earth have I never heard of the restaurants Dellāanima or Anfora?! Theyāre both under the Joe Campanale umbrella (of LāArtusi fame)! Iām so excited to go. Just look at those menus.
Speaking of, I canāt go for too long without eating the wagyu steak tartare at LāArtusi. Itās a problem. (It also makes me want to buy a really great finishing olive oil, so Iām looking into that. Iām thinking either Monini or Frantoia.)
One thing Iāve started to do that you should too: buy good butter. I stopped buying margarine many years ago and thought I was a better person for buying regular grocery store butter. But sweetie, you can do more. The butter (specifically European butter) in specialty shops or some bakeries or markets is EONS better than the run-of-the-mill basic grocery butter. And it enhances literally everything that you use it in. Right now, the butter in my fridge is beurre de baratte butter and itās ridiculously good. Obviously Iām not going to use this butter when Iām baking because Iām not a millionaire, but when Iām making something savory for dinner? Or a compound butter? Or on top of asparagus? On some bread as a snack? Itās unreal.
Speaking of food advice: donāt buy your parmesan at the grocery store either. Iāve never had amazing parmesan from there. Itās always the same, even the expensive stuff. Get your ass to a cheese shop. Enough already, youāre an adult.
I tried a CBD chocolate and just as I thought: itās a scam. Just like red velvet. It did nothing for nobody.
I bought this tea tree toner on a whim from The Body Shop and I might keep buying it for the rest of time. I use it on my face right when I get out of a hot shower and itās kept my face feeling incredible lately.
A new coffee shop opened up in my neighbourhood called Coffee Avenue and I canāt recommend it enough. The macadamia milk hot chocolate blew my face off.
I finally ate at Bar Primi in the city and it was spectacular. We had the ricotta crostino with hazelnuts & truffle honey (which is almost like a dessert, itās so good), the linguine with 4 cloves of garlic & breadcrumbs as well as the penne ragu alla bolognese with ricotta which was the very best. Canāt wait to go again. Loved the atmosphere of the place, too.
The seasonal candle is out at Trader Joeās and itās grapefruit, which smells perfect. Iāve finally stopped hoarding their candles and have started burning them. Only took me a year of lockdown to realize I should try to enjoy my life.
Lemon Kit-Kats exist and all is right with the world. Delicious.
I donāt go very often, but Iāll always love The Dutch. Perfect cornbread. Perfect tartare. You canāt go wrong.
*Note: if it seems like I eat a lot of steak tartare - I do. Good observation. Itās incredible.
Controversial opinion but the Dove chocolate peanut butter eggs are one millions times better than Reeseās peanut butter cups. I couldnāt believe it either.
This leads me to another declaration: Easter candy might be better than Halloween candy. Hear me out. Halloween candy is almost chaotic when you think of the candy options, itās overwhelming and more often than not, disappointing. Easter candy, however, is usually always new and fresh each season. Theyāve got to work harder to get you to notice Easter candy, so infact youāre getting a more well thought out product, which usually tastes better. Anyway, can you tell Iām depressedā¦?
I went to the new Ulta location in NYC in Herald Square and itās great, it seems bigger than the UWS one and itās way more convenient to visit. Must remember. Oh! But speaking of Ulta, remember how last year they had such great birthday gifts? They really dropped the ball this year. Theyāre trying to give a $5 Mario Badescu facial spray as the March gift?! Are you fucking serious?! Thatās the worst. Literally the worst gift of all the months. Fighting every urge in my body to write them a strongly-worded letter about this. Just insanity. I didnāt even go claim it. Keep your damn gift, no spray can calm me down from this.
New love: macadamia milk in my iced coffee in the morning. Just heavenly.
I rewatched Wall-E and what a great movie. For all ages. Too perfect.
Love the song Team by Lorde.
I watched the Woody Allen & Mia Farrow documentary on HBO and itās obviously a must watch. So many things I didnāt know about that story were shown, this man needs to be stopped.
If you ever get a new phone and you want to transfer over all of your WhatsApp messages to your new phone (and youāve never backed them up), you can pay $40 and use this site to do it.
The new Super Mario World in Japan looks incredible.
Do not judge me, but I ordered (and returned) a SKIMS bralette. I was swayed by a few photos of women wearing it and wanted to see for myself what it felt like. Verdict: crap. Sure, the material is soft but only because itās so poorly made and unsupportive. An immediate return. The beautiful colours of the bras are what sells the product, in my opinion. Itās so hard to find well made, beautiful browns and neutrals in undergarments.
Speaking of whatās her name, I also ordered this KKW mini lip liner set that Iām unfortunately in love with. I use it as a lip liner and filler, and each fucking one is gorgeous. Iām going to do a post to show you. Youāll see what I mean.
I came across this wonderful stationary store in Chelsea, City Papery. I could spend hours roaming the aisles in there. Made a mental note to go back to get some really beautiful envelopes (why on earth am I still buying the basic-ass white envelopes at CVS??), such a great store.
Iām proofreading a book right now about the idea of living with intention and Iāll post a link to it as soon as itās released later this year. Itās honestly one of the best self help things Iāve read in a long time.
Iāve had a Pinterest account forever and I recently organized a lot of the recipes into seasonal categories, which has inspired me to make so many new meals this season. Check it. Also, I havenāt tried these yet, but these spring recipes (below) sound delicious.
Iāve mentioned my filmmaker friend Dusty before (his film Violation was at Sundance this year), well his movie is a Criticās Pick in the The New York Times this month, which is amazing and so well deserved. Truly could not happen to a better person.
I have eaten approximately five pounds of asparagus since spring began and I canāt see myself stopping anytime soon. Itās so fucking good. One grievance: that huge, fat asparagus. Whyās it so big like that?? Unnatural as hell. Give me that thin, beautiful asparagus thatās increasingly so hard to find any day. And to anyone whoās like, āDonāt you hate how it makes your pee smell?ā - why you gotta go smell your pee? Be normal, weirdo.
I did Nathanās podcast and we talked about how itās been so beneficial to get some intentional offline time each Sunday.
Here were the best tweets of the month.
Some things that Iām looking forward to this month: Iām trying so hard to find a way to stream the last three episodes of Stanley Tucciās Searching For Italy which has been impossible to find, will definitely go check out Little Island, excited to maybe go to the Kusama exhibit, Iād really like to make the Carbone garlic bread, I want to locate and try milk bread, my brother Robbie told me to mix balsamic vinegar & mayo and put it on a burger so Iāll try that soon, I bought some dried Raoās pasta so I canāt wait to make it, Iām so excited that movie theatres are opening on the 2nd here (Iāll be fully vaccinated very soon so this is great), and Iām adding a resolution: Iād like to do one new thing on the first of every month (examples: buy stock in something, eat ramen, etc.).
If youāve got any interest in reading last monthās roundup, you can see what went down in February over here.
Best Tweets of March 2021
Each month, Iāll share my favourite tweets from the past month within my end-of-the-month post that I always do, but since those lists are getting so long Iāve decided that they officially need their own post. So here we are, these were the funniest, best tweets of March 2021.
You can find my favourite tweets of last month over here, if youāre so inclined.
Spring List 2021
There is so much to look forward to right now. The songbirds are back, the snow has melted, I have a second dose vaccination date approaching and I swear I saw a bud on a tree the other day, which means that spring has sprung. I intend on really turning my life around this spring, so get the hell ready. Here are some small, fun things that Iād also like to do.
Go to Coney Island before the crowds of summer arrive.
Completely organize the closets in my house.
Visit Central Park at least three times.
Feed ducks at a pond.
Get fully vaccinated.
I always encourage you to make your own seasonal lists of fun little things that youād like to do, and Iāll continue to encourage it. This has been such an awful, lonely, tiring year that these lists really tend to give my off-time some slight direction. So again I urge you, give it a try.
Winter List Revisited
I almost canāt believe that winter is over, itās usually so slow and long but since all of 2020 felt that way, maybe this makes sense. In retrospect itās very cute that I even made a winter list of things to do when everything was in lockdown where I was. Hereās how that went.
Build at least one snowman or snow-woman.
This one I shouldāve been able to do, no problem. But the kids werenāt allowed to come over and I only managed to get my mom to go outside with me once during the endless stream of snowstorms. Have you ever built a snowman alone? I didnāt think so. Iāve not hit that level of depression yet, so letās just say that this one couldnāt happen.
Arrange a decadent charcuterie board on New Yearās Eve.
I did and it was beautiful. Cranberry goat cheese is one thing I have to make sure to always get over the holidays now, Iām always looking for more cranberry incorporated things. Such an underused berry.
If the city permits it, go ice skating.
The city did not permit it, so I did not.
Find a hill & sled down that hill.
Again, sledding alone with oneself is a bridge that I cannot yet cross.
Use up all of my winter stationary by sending out as much mail as my pen will allow me.
To the best of my ability, this was completed! Writing will always save me.
2/5ā¦ yikes.
Spring list coming this week!
February Feats 2021
The best month has arrived! I know this has been a full year of complete trash, but spring is coming and itās always the most hope-filled season, in my eyes. So even if Iām living in a dream world, letās pretend that things might get better.
First things first, I tested positive for COVID earlier this month, but Iāve recovered completely and I know that Iām crazy lucky to have had it so mildly. I lost my sense of taste and smell for only a few weeks and itās almost 100% back now, which is amazing. Somehow, magically, I didnāt infect my parents and they both tested negative (I was staying with them since autumn of last year), so that was also another little miracle.
Some movies I rewatched in my isolation: Groundhog Day (itās the perfect movie to watch in a pandemic), Titanic (I think I rewatch this maybe two or three times a year, it never stops being great), and Stepmom (havenāt seen this in years and though I donāt love the movie, the part when the little boy says to his mother, āNo one will ever love you like I love youā is weep-worthy).
Some new things I watched:
I finished the first five seasons of Superstore and itās just a great show, with such good characters, fully recommend. The only part I hated was Sandra giving away Jerry to Carol, I just seethed at that joke for some reason.
The new To All The Boys Iāve Loved movie that came out. Yes, itās super corny at times but itās also very cute.
Emily in Paris, I donāt know why, it was a weird month. My two takeaways? The woman looks 12 years old, so I donāt knowā¦ the whole premise feels weird when you think youāre watching a child. And Darren Star must really find it truly hilarious when American women step in shit in France. His favourite joke on this planet, apparently.
The new Britney Spears documentary. Love her, loved it, hope things turn out all right for her.
Promising Young Woman, I loved it. Such an original, well done movie. Certain parts are slightly triggering if youāve ever dealt with similar abuse situations, but overall itās really, really good. (The soundtrack is great, too.)
Stanley Tucciās CNN show Searching For Italy. Amazing! Love this man! Iāve had this dream trip around Italy planned for years that I intend to take one day and this show allows me to bask in that dream even harder. I should do a post about the specifics of this trip (I have it all organized within a Word document and map outlines), that way I can get people to contribute any must-do things that I should add. Okay, yes, Iāll post that later this month.
The Cecil Hotel series. Okay, look, the lam-Elisa tuberculosis part is intriguing as hell, but everything else? This could easily have been an hour long special. Also, fuck you Netflix for glazing over mental health issues, and giving such a strong voice to YOUTUBERS who know nothing and spout hurtful conspiracies. The whole series is so manipulatively done, absolutely do not recommend.
Have you ever been in a Food Basics? Because christ. Itās the most depressing grocery store chain Iāve ever had the misfortune of entering. Just a shocking vibe. Never again.
Iāll never understand why mixed bouquets exist when beautiful arrangements like this are an option. Theyāre always breathtaking.
I tried a sample of a coffee body scrub from Mine Tan and I want to buy a full sized version immediately. It makes you so insanely soft that itās completely worth the mess that it makes after using it in the shower.
I made hummingbird cake for the first time and it was incredible, everyone should make this cake. The photo isnāt good, but the cake absolutely was. Will totally make again. You canāt really even taste any of the pineapple, but it makes it so moist and enjoyable for days after youāve made it.
I tried the TikTok leggings and they suhuuuuuuck. Donāt buy them. Shady material. Does nothing for any ass. In order for these to look like they do in the photo, you must have previously bought the ass that goes along with it.
I made queso that was TERRIBLE. Must remember to always use a recipe that uses Velveeta, anything else will result in a terrible queso.
Tried the carrot cake Oreos and of course theyāre good. Oreo has been flawless these past few years at constantly reinventing themselves and succeeding. Love to see that in a cookie.
I made this orange pound cake with orange glaze and it makes your home smell like heaven. Taste was phenomenal, too. Such a good late winter recipe.
I tried to get into this Mark Twain biography and it was just too dense. I lasted a few pages before slowly shutting it and placing it far away from me. I know so little about the man (hence the reason I wanted to read his book) but you couldnāt pay me to finish that thing. He remains a mystery to me and Iāve come to terms with that.
I know itās 2021 but Iāll always be excited to see a Shyamalan movie. The premise seems terrible, but maybe good terrible?
I didnāt even know that light switches were allowed to be this gorgeous.
I also tried to read Lindy Westās latest book Shit, Actually andā¦ I hated it. Well, what I read I hated. I really didnāt find any of it funny, which is weird because I love her. The only good chapter that I read was the one about The Fugitive. Loved this part: āI was going to say that they donāt make movies like this anymore, where the last thirty minutes is just one continuous incredible chase, except they do, all the time, but they make it all CGI so itās impossible to care about. Who cares about a drawing of a very fast exploding truck that a computer made? Not me!ā
I finally watched the VHS from my fifth grade play Newsies and it did not disappoint. I was magical.
My dad and I have been sending our stamps to Oxfam for awhile now, you should send them any of your used stamps, too! Itās such a good organization. We save up all our stamps that come in and then send them a package a few times a year.
Speaking of stamps, did you know that you can suggest a Canadian stamp theme? I do this every so often, one day I swear one of my ideas will make the cut. This is such a great idea for kids, too.
They finally opened a Detroit style pizza place in Mississauga! Gotta try it the next time Iām there.
I made Yorkshire pudding for the first time and it turned out well! Iām not a huge fan of the dull flavours, but I think if I used actual beef fat instead of shortening, then it wouldāve tasted a bit stronger. Next time, for sure.
I bought this cake stand and dome from IKEA for my parentās house and good god, whatās not perfect about a cake dome. What cake doesnāt benefit from its own little palace?
Best tweets of the month ahead.
Some things that Iām looking forward to this month: canāt wait to make this kale caesar with breadcrumbs, there are surprisingly good Sephora rewards available right now (I just got the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir reward that I canāt wait to try even though I have zero idea what it does), Iām going to do some research into all of these books and try to find the best ones at the library, Iām so excited that Shrill has a release date (May 7th), Iād love to get a haircut, and I canāt wait to get my free birthday gifts from The Body Shop, Sephora, and Ulta. Oh, and I plan on eating the hell out of this leek focaccia at Lilia.
If youāve got any interest in reading last monthās roundup, you can see what went down in January over here.
January Jewels 2021
Wonderful, a new month! Even Iām not sure when Iām being sarcastic anymore. You know what I realized this month? This is technically year three of Covid-19 since it started in late 2019. Should I have kept that information to myself? Probably. Iām sorry. In any case, time moves on and weāre in a new month, so hereās what went down last month.
Before I begin, every January I make sure to:
Mark down all important holidays/birthdays/anniversaries (also Daylight Saving Times, Motherās Day, Fatherās Day, Thanksgiving) on my calendar
Check expiration dates for passport/license/health card/insurance/vet vaccinations and write down any important renewal dates
I recapped how my 2020 resolutions turned out. Spoiler alert: itās not impressive.
I made my 2021 resolutions because Iām determined to live optimistically.
Here are some of my favourite photos from 2020.
I really want to make these A-Z foods that Iāve never made before throughout the year. Kind of really excited about this.
Iāve officially become obsessed with making end-of-the-year videos.
The new 2021 birthday gifts at Sephora have been announced! (Speaking of Sephora, have you seen the price point for Jennifer Lopezās new line of products? Hahahahah, just wild.)
I read and reviewed Alek Trebekās memoir, which was really good.
I made this carbonara from Bon Appetite and it BLEW! It was the first recipe that I made this year so I. was. PISSED.
I couldnāt find a Detroit style pizza place near my parentās house (grow up, Mississauga) so I had no other choice but to get takeout from Descendant in Toronto and it was incredible.
I listened to Taylor Swiftās evermore and the favourites are: champagne problems, tolerate it, and evermore.
Iāve been using my parentās air fryer and, surprise surprise, itās amazing. Obviously it makes everything taste great, but the best part is that itās so much faster than a regular oven. The best thing Iāve made so far was definitely these pickles.
These are the greatest frozen french fries in Canada. Eat them. I promise. Theyāre lightly coated, but still thin and crispy.
Iād never even heard of The Devilās Own which seems insane because two of the hottest nineties men are in it. Good movie? Not so much. Iād watch it again on mute though maybe.
If youād like to momentarily be transported back to your childhood on Saturday mornings, get your ass over here for a second.
Speaking of the past, do you remember Heritage Minutes in Canada? God, some of them were really, really good. My favourite ones were the Laura Secord one, the Superman one, the Winnie one, and definitely the Marconi one.
I bought another bodysuit from Aritzia, but I mean look at this one. Itās heavenly. I canāt wait to wear it for Baby Dog on my way to the kitchen.
And I mean since I was already on the site, I also bought this honey/beige-coloured headband and matching mittens. I officially look adorable.
Still in love with the Dennis Gross peels, I just wish they werenāt so unreasonably priced.
I made this BA pasta with mushrooms and it was waaay too salty, what the hell is going on with me fucking up recipes these days?!
I tried this frozen vegan pizza and it was actually not terrible! Like, not as terrible tasting as regular frozen pizza.
Remember Grand & Toy (it was near Walterās Music in Square One in the 90s)? I have to make a mental note to start using them instead of Staples. I loved that store for school supplies when I was a kid. Gotta support.
Iāve been watching the new Jeopardy! episodes with Ken Jennings and the first one was terrible in my opinion mainly because it just felt so wrong, but as Iāve kept watching I think itās becoming less weird. I am excited to see the other guest hosts just to see how different theyāll each be.
I tried this drugstore John Frieda sea spray and it was complete crap. I may have overused it, but thatās really not my fault. Why in the hell donāt hair product labels tell you how many pumps you should use?! I swear to god, if only I were running thingsā¦
I made popovers for the first time and they were surprisingly easy! I might never buy a dinner roll ever again.
I love the softness of these Indigo pajamas so much that I bought them twice (in both red & blue).
I heard the old Frank Sinatra song Thatās Life on the radio the other day and got so teary, maybe ācause I havenāt heard it in years? Maybe ācause itās just a perfect song? Am I slowly just losing it? While it was playing, I just kept saying to myself āThat IS life!ā Yeah, might have lost it.
I watched the newest season of Big Mouth and loved it. The anxiety mosquito might be the best new character introduced in the middle of a series OF ALL TIME. Such a great show.
I started watching Superstore (mostly in the background) and itās pretty good! Iāve only seen a few episodes, but I definitely get the appeal.
I made these ganache-stuffed chocolate chip cookies and they were just lovely. Love a ganache, love that word.
Also made these salted tahini butter chocolate chip cookies (quite good!) because Iām going through a light depression, evidently.
My friend Dusty got his film Violation into Sundance and itās wild that I know such immensely talented people. So, so proud of him.
I made blintzes with a Grand Marnier mascarpone (the blintz recipe is, of course, from Chef John and the mascarpone recipe is from one of Stanley Tucciās cookbooks). It was delicious. It seems so intimidating to make crepes, but it was actually so easy and fun. Plus it looks like itād be such a complicated thing to make, but Iād say itās even easier than baking cookies.
I tried to read Ijeoma Oluoās newest book Mediocre and I just couldnāt get into it. Even I was surprised because I love her work, so maybe Iāll give this one another try at a later date.
I had a real craving for a good bagel and since Iām not near Brooklyn Bagel in Astoria at the moment, I looked up the best place in this area for a bagel and went to the Old Bagel House on Lakeshore. And look, I respect what theyāre doing, but they donāt hold a candle to New York bagels. Hard pass.
Iāve been using this tea tree night lotion from The Body Shop for years now, it really calms down your face before bed. Their entire tea tree collection is hard to beat.
I bought this jewelry stand and jewelry box both from Simons and theyāre so divine.
Loving this makeup brush cleaner (especially the mini size for traveling). Expensive brush cleaners make zero sense to me.
I tried the Snoop Dogg wine and it was wine! (Thereās not a spelling error or word missing there, it really was just wine.)
I made Creamy Cod & Potato Gratin and it was delicious, god I love tarragon.
I recently started eating frozen Canadian wild blueberries and they taste so blueberry. Itās madness. Theyāre so tiny and full of flavour, I couldnāt believe it. Iām so used to the blandness of blueberries from literally everywhere else. NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THESE!
I also tried sumo citrus oranges and yes they were good, but nowhere NEAR as good as cara cara oranges.
Right now, Scaddabush has a pretty sweet family deal of a lasagna, salad & focaccia for $40 and it easily feeds four people, with leftovers.
Favourite tweets of the month ahead.
Some things that Iām looking forward to this month: I will continue to watch and love all upcoming new Riverdale episodes (thank you season five for bringing this song back into my life), I might make these french onion stuffed shells because they sound insane, Iām excited to watch Stanley Tucciās CNN cooking show Searching For Italy, I might fall into the world of focaccia bread art, Iād love to attempt ANY of these hairstyles, and Iām so excited to hear when the final season of Shrill will finally air.
If youāve got any interest in reading last monthās roundup, you can see what went down in December over here.
Moments From 2020
Itās very hard for me to experience a great moment and not want to memorize every second of it so that I donāt forget it, Iāve always been that way. So I made a silent resolution to myself last year that Iād try my best to document the year as best as I could and then make a video of it all. Of course the year I decide to do this, the world shuts down. But I kept up with it anyway and Iām glad that I did. Itās nice to have a virtual photo album of a year that will never be forgotten.
2021 Resolutions
Is it foolish to make resolutions this year? Should I be ridiculed for hoping for a different year than the last one? Does it make any sense to expect good things? I have no idea. All I have in life is my unwavering optimism. So here we go, baby.
Read at least one book per season.
If that seems low, please consider the fact that I love setting low expectations and then basking in delight when I go above & beyond them.
Juice at least five times a month.
Look, I know I sound like a 2014 documentary, but I still love juicing. It feels like Iām doing something right.
Take Baby Dog on an adventure at least twice a season.
Adventures may include another trip to Canada and/or anywhere we can take her in a car.
Get Nathan to take more photos of me.
This one I really have to enforce. I love having my photo taken and I demand to be adored. The man needs to step up his game. And Iām talking GOOD photos, none of that bad-angle shit.
Try at least one new restaurant each month.
So this will have to be delivery for awhile, but thatās still okay. I love trying new places and if I can get it safely, Iām in.
Submit pieces to publications at least five times each month.
This is the most important thing on here for me this year. I have so many writing goals that are always pushed to the side for jobs that can actually make me decent money, but this is the time to focus on what I really want.
Save $50 every Monday to use for travel spending money.
I must. We all have trips weāre looking forward to (even if theyāre fantasies right now) so I want to be ready for when the time comes.
Buy nothing from Amazon or Wal-Mart, or at least limit it to once per month.
These scumbag companies make too much money. Itās enough already. One thing Iāve started to do: if I see something on Amazon that I want to buy, Iāll find the seller of that item through a Google search and then reach out to them to see if theyād ship it straight to me. Half of the time, theyāll give you a shipping discount if you buy from them directly. Just a tip. Baldy doesnāt need anymore of my money.
Cook A-Z new things.
Iāve chosen 24 foods/recipes (lettered A-Z) that Iāve never made before and Iām going to make them throughout the year. So thatās about two new recipes per month, which seems attainable. WE SHALL SEE. (You can see the list over here.)
Stop being so afraid.
Iād love for this to be my mantra for this year. There are so many things that I donāt even attempt because of the fear that comes alongside it and Iāve had enough.
Even if you think resolutions are foolish, I beg you to at least come up with a few, even if theyāre general as hell. Itās so nice to have some kind of an internal guide map to lead your year.
Wishing you all the best this year, thank you for being here!
(UPDATE: To see how these resolutions went, come on over here.)
2020 Resolutions Revisited
Resolutions in 2020? It seemed like a good idea in theory. Even though many things took a wrong turn this year, some notable things happened as well. I spent hours upon hours with Nathan on his podcast, I naively made a list of quarantine things to do back in March when we were all still optimistic, I played dozens of games on Jackbox with my family on Zoom, I took a lone 15 mile walk from Queens to Manhattan mid-shutdown, my grandmother passed away and I wrote some things about it, we were able to still spend our anniversary in the hills in Vermont, my friend Irene and I spent the day in Sleepy Hollow, I wrote about the full moon on Halloween, even though there was nowhere to go & nothing to do I still had to dress up for October 31, I wrote about the greatest holiday side dish, I compiled my favourites of 2020, I spent Christmas on Zoom, and I found my favourite photos of the year. Hereās how my 2020 resolutions went.
āRead at least one book per season.ā
For winter, I read Jenny Slateās Little Weirds, A Short Guide To A Happy Life by Anna Quindlen (super small book but Iām still counting it) and Johnny Carson by Henry Bushkin. For spring, I read Untamed by Glennon Doyle. For summer, I read Weāre Going To Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union. And for autumn, I read Sofie Hagenās Happy Fat.
āStart doing pilates again. I used to love pilates and then abandoned it once my old gym closed down. More pilates in 2020.ā
Gyms closed in March, so Iām afraid this did not happen. Bonus note: I did finally quit the gym in early March, which is something Iād been wanting to do for a long time. Iām thinking about just getting back into Pilates DVDs, that might be the answer.
āJuice at least five times a month.ā
January - 5 times
February - 5 times
March, April, May, June, July, August, September: not even kinda!
October - 1 time
November, December - whoops!
WOW. Just wow. I guess in the midst of a global pandemic, juicing just vanishes from your entire mind. Fair.
āTake Baby Dog on an adventure at least twice a season.ā
Winter: I took her to Central Park and to volunteer at an elderly care facility that has a monthly dog event.
Spring was a pretty hardcore lockdown situation.
Summer: We drove her to Vermont and walked her once to Central Park.
Autumn: I took her to Canada.
Winter: We took her on the Polar Drive.
āProperly go on a date with Nathan at least once a month.ā
In January we didnāt do anything and in February we went to a Raptors game and also to a museum together and then the world stopped. In August we were able to safely drive to Vermont and it was wonderful. Other than that, "going on physical datesā would have been impossible with everything shutdown.
āTry at least one new restaurant each month.ā
January: Portale (phenomenal) & even though Iād already been to Peter Luger I went again to try the lunch burger (it was good, but nothing to travel to Brooklyn for).
February: Frank (very good! But I have no urge to go again).
March: I Sodi (wildly disappointing, will never return).
April - August: restaurants were mostly closed.
September: Gramercy Tavern (wonderous), Atoboy (fantastic, tuna was heaven on a plate) & Arte Cafe (so perfect and casually great). Note: all were outdoors and/or takeout.
October: Erin Mills Pump & Patio (delivery) (great!)
November & December: none
āSubmit pieces to publications at least five times each month.ā
In May, June & July I think I submitted pieces about 10 times each month. Does that make up for every other month? No. Must get better and more regular about this one.
āGo to at least one literary event every two weeks.ā
Hahahahahah, not a chance in hell.
āSave $50 every Monday until June to use for Europe spending money.ā
I did this and then the world told me to go fuck myself. Europe was postponed and the money that I saved went towards rent & living expenses for the coming months since I wasnāt working.
āOnce a month, call at least one person I havenāt talked to in awhile to catch up.ā
This was actually a great thing to do during the beginning of quarantining. It did fade around summer for me because the looming loss of regular life was starting to set in, but still. I liked this resolution. I wish Iād kept it up.
āEvery time I buy something new, Iāll donate or throw out one piece of clothing.ā
I did this about half of the time, mostly because I kept forgetting. You know when you buy something new and youāre just so excited about it? Itās hard to remember things when excited.
One thing (not listed) that I did keep up with? My monthly roundup posts. I canāt believe that Iām still doing them, to be honest. Here are the links to the last twelve months of them. (January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December)
All in all, I think itās a miracle that I attempted to accomplish anything last year. 2021 resolutions coming soon!