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LIZ HEATHER

May 2, 2025

The Best of April 2025

by Liz Heather in Beauty, Best of NYC, Food, Ideas, Links, Movies, Personal, Products, Recipes, Reviews


Upper East Side, April 2025

Upper East Side, April 2025

Spring marches on! Is that good? Bad? I am the wrong person to ask. But May is here so we keep going. Here’s what went down last month!

  • The best tweets of the month can be found over here.

  • I compiled a separate list of my favourite White Lotus tweets since the season ended (includes spoilers), too.

  • I read and reviewed Viola Davis’ new memoir - as well as Ina Garten’s.

  • I did that viral onion ring snack recipe and it was really good. This is definitely an end-of-times recipe, though. Absolutely not fussy in any way.

Viral onion rings snack recipe

  • Nathan and I went to Central Park for the first time without Baby Dog and it was brutal but nice at the same time. Why does it feel like every person on earth right now has at least four dogs? It’s an epidemic.

Central Park, April 2025

  • The gluten-free restaurant Thyme & Tonic remains my favourite place on the Upper West Side. That popcorn chicken is everything.

Gluten-free popcorn chicken at Thyme & Tonic, Upper West Side

  • The mini cubano at Guantanamera reminded me (and fell flat) of how good the best cubano on this planet is at La Cubana in Toronto. So that was sad.

  • The summer felt friends were released and I might have bought them all because their faces bring me joy. (Nope, absolutely nobody’s depressed over here.)

Okay, but I would die for them

  • The happy hour at STK midtown might be one of the most reasonably-priced places still in this city. With a patio, too!

Happy hour at STK midtown

  • I saw a few shows!

    • Death Becomes Her - absolutely wonderful. The costumes were beyond gorgeous and fun. It was really funny and everyone did such a great job. Better than the movie.

    • Wonderful Town - so good! My dear friend Jessie is in it, but I swear I’m not biased at all. I loved the dancing; there isn’t enough modern tap these days.

    • Maybe Happy Ending - a new level of terrible. More thoughts over here.

  • I started using hydrocolloid bandages (that I cut up to smaller sizes) instead of branded pimple patches (that are more expensive) and they’ve been working so well. Such a cheaper option and they are way bigger than the Mighty Patch ones.

  • I made this egg and sweet potato dish that came out great, so I’ve already made it a few more times.

Sweet potato egg boat

  • I gave in and bought a night serum: the Trader Joe’s one. Might return it though because my face has been flakier than normal lately, so maybe that’s why? I don’t know what the hell to do with my face. Can I just let it be a face… can that be a thing?

I refuse to learn what retinol is or why I need it please don’t tell me

  • I did this plant hack (below) and it really helped, new leaves are growing and it’s wild.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jill Dinnan (@curly_plant_mom)

  • I got pistachio milk in a cappuccino the other day and I hope they never stop introducing new nut milks (ick, sorry that’s a terrible phrase). Just when you think they’re done, there’s another one that tastes great.

  • The best frozen yogurt (the really tart kind) is back at Madison Fare. Cannot recommend enough.

Madison Fare frozen yogurt

  • Levain Bakery has limited edition lemon cookies and black and white cookies right now and they’re so good. Such a perfect host/hostess gift.

I don’t usually endorse cookies that are $5+ but these are the exception to the rule

  • Yes the gluten-free pizza at Rubirosa is good, but do not sleep on their caesar salad. Unbelievable.

  • And speaking of caesars, L’Industrie Pizzeria makes a special sandwich each Wednesday so I tried their chicken caesar and it blew my mind right to pieces. I was going to request that they omit the banana peppers on it because I thought that I didn’t like them, but I kept them on anyway because maybe my tastebuds have changed (I accidentally had a black olive a few months ago and it actually tasted good??) so of course it tasted incredible. It was honestly one of the greatest sandwiches I’ve ever had in this whole city. The lesson? Maybe you don’t know everything about yourself.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by L'industrie Pizzeria ™️ (@lindustriebk)

  • Some things I watched:

    • Leaving Las Vegas - I’d never seen it before and never will again. Just awful. Anyone who liked it might be a moron.

    • Black Mirror (newest season) - my favourite episodes were definitely Common People and Eulogy. The Issa Rae one was appallingly bad.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: there’s a wedding at the end of the month that’ll be a nice weekend getaway so that’ll be fun, I really want to see the new Stranger Things on Broadway, and Marla comes for a visit! All great things.

You can read last month’s roundup over here.

Sunset in Queens

TAGS: Liz Heather, April 2025, monthly, monthly post, monthly roundup, Levain Bakery, lemon cookie NYC, black and white cookie NYC, sunset, sunset Queens, cherry blossoms, Central Park, red tulips, Jon Adams, Viola Davis, Ina Garten, viral onion ring recipe, viral recipe, Thyme & Tonic, best popcorn chicken NYC, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, midtown, midtown happy hour, STK midtown, Guantanamera, mini cubano sandwich NYC, La Cubana, summer felt friends duo, Death Becomes Her, Wonderful Town, Jessie Hooker-Bailey, Maybe Happy Ending, Broadway NYC, Broadway, broadway play NYC, best of Broadway, Mighty Patch, healing pimples, hydrocolloid bandages, egg and sweet potato dish, Trader Joe's night serum, face serum, plant hack, plant growing hack, pistachio milk, Madison Fare, best frozen yogurt, best frozen yogurt NYC, Madison Fare frozen yogurt, Rubirosa, L'Industrie, best sandwich NYC, Leaving Las Vegas, Black Mirror, Issa Rae


April 29, 2025

Be Ready When The Luck Happens By Ina Garten - A Review

by Liz Heather in Reviews


Obviously, I loved this memoir because Ina Garten is beyond likable. I’ve made her recipes for years - two of my absolute favourites are her insanely good sausage and fennel pasta and these decadent cauliflower toasts. And since this is her first non-cookbook, I was so eager to read this one. Favourite parts ahead.

  • <When talking about the French countryside> “On the road, even the infamous roundabouts that popped up every so many miles seemed charming to us. In the States, rotaries, as we call them, usually provoke squealing brakes, honking horns, and the occasional rude hand gesture, because nobody understands who has the right-of-way. But in France, these little traffic circles are a reminder that life is not about straight lines or the shortest distance between two points. Slow down, they seemed to say, you can take a little twirl and still get exactly where you’re going. Such a nice approach to life.”

  • “I love when changing your behavior - in this case how I dressed - changes everything without your saying a word. It’s a lesson that I’ve used many times in my life.”

  • “There’s a wonderful quote attributed to George Lucas: “We’re all living in cages with the door wide open.” That was me until I realized I had the power - and the responsibility - to set myself free. To step out of the cage of whatever I’d experienced in the past, to think for myself, and to believe in my choices.”

  • “I also learned that it’s important to listen to advice and then decide if it’s true to who you are and what you’re trying to accomplish.”

  • “I always say that you can’t be inspired at home alone by yourself. You have to go out into the world and see what people are doing, and that will trigger something else in you, and then you’ll do it your way.”

  • “Limit your liability. What’s the worst thing that can happen if it doesn’t work? Will it change your life or just be a learning experience? Who and what will it impact? What’s the upside if it does work?”

  • “I knew the past couldn’t hurt me now, but it’s always there deep inside. It’s what we do with those feelings that can determine the rest of our lives.”

  • “Everybody thinks that successful people are smarter, more talented, or just plain lucky. I don’t think it always works that way. The people I’ve known who are successful have faced enormous challenges, but they didn’t let the challenges stop them - they figured out some way over the wall or around the wall, or they just smashed the wall down. In fact, it was exactly those challenges that shaped their success.”

  • After hearing her descriptions of some of her recipes, I absolutely have to make these in the near future: coq au vin, grilled lemon chicken salad, outrageous brownies, coconut cupcakes, perfect roast chicken, banana crunch muffins and Beatty’s chocolate cake.

Such a great book, can’t recommend it enough.

TAGS: Ina Garten, Ina Garten memoir, Ina Garten new book, Ina Garten Be Ready When The Luck Happens, best memoir, cookbook author memoir, Liz Heather, Be Ready When The Luck Happens


April 22, 2025

Finding Me By Viola Davis - A Review

by Liz Heather in Reviews


Available here

Available here

The main reason I wanted to read Viola Davis’ memoir was entirely because of this short clip (below).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Real Woman (@real.woman._)

And I’m so glad that I did. What an incredible woman. Favourite parts ahead.

  • “Memories are immortal. They’re deathless and precise.”

  • “That period of my life was filled with shame. The feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you have stage fright or humiliation. Shame completely eviscerates you, destroys any sense of pride you may have in yourself.”

  • “Success pales in comparison to healing.”

  • “May you live long enough to know why you were born.” - Cherokee birth blessing

  • “Jump, and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall.” - Ray Bradbury

  • “Everybody has secrets. Everybody. I guess the difference is that we either die with them and let them eat us up, or we wrestle with them (or they wrestle with us) until we… reconcile. Secrets are what swallow us.”

  • “Life is happening as your career is happening. Stone-cold life. I realized my joy is not just attached to artistic fulfillment, but life fulfillment.”

  • “A mutual friend of ours, Tommy Hollis, told me a story about Danitra. He said he saw a performance art piece of hers called “The Feminist Stripper.” She came onstage and began to take off items of clothing. She had music playing and was cracking jokes while stripping. Everyone was on the floor laughing and egging her on! She got down to her thong and her back turned to the audience, tantalizing them before ripping off her bra. She then turns around and reveals her mastectomy scar; a big X made of tape covered the scar. There was a collective silence, a brutal quiet in the room. They were forced to contend with the woman who was in that body and not just the body itself. Tommy said his heart stopped and he would never forget that experience. She died about two months later. When she passed her final words were, “Y’all have a parade.””

  • “Success is wonderful, but it’s not who you are. Who you are is measured by something way more abstract and emotional, ethereal, than outward success.”

  • “I know for sure what we dwell on is what we become.” (This was her quoting Oprah, but still including it.)

  • “My biggest discovery in life was that you can literally re-create your life. You can redefine it. You don’t have to live in the past.”

  • “Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a different past.”

  • “The purpose of life is to live it.”

  • “Even if the Oscar had never happened, it would have still been a defining moment for me. It was an overflow of blessings that I could not even possibly have imagined for myself. What I have realized since is that those moments of feeling alive are part of a continuum. You find that moment. You bask in it. Then as soon as it passes, life becomes about chasing the next moment. I now understand that life, and living it, is more about being present. I’m now aware that the not-so-happy memories lie in wait; but the hope and joy also lie in wait.”

Such an incredible read, especially for actors/performers.

TAGS: Viola Davis, Viola Davis book, Viola Davis Finding Me, Viola Davis memoir, great memoir, actor memoir, actress memoir, Liz Heather, great books, books, book review, Finding Me book, self love


January 3, 2025

December Dalliances 2024

by Liz Heather in Food, Ideas, Links, Movies, Personal, Reviews


Love an outdoor bulb

Love an outdoor bulb

The last monthly post of a year that was intense and full of change! Here’s what went down last month.

  • The best tweets of December can be found over here.

  • I recapped how my autumn list of things to do went.

  • The President’s Choice Elk Crossing ice cream is unbelievably good.

Elk Crossing ice cream

  • The restaurant Earl’s put out a cookbook and I can’t stop making their chicken hunan kung pao.

  • I found out that the house from the movie The Santa Clause is in Oakville, so I had to drive past it. And look at their perfect decorations.

The Santa Clause house in Oakville, ON

The Santa Clause house decorations

  • I found a dupe recipe for the Levain dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies and I truly can’t tell the difference.

Levain peanut butter chip cookies

  • Got a Philly cheesesteak from Gladiator Burger and wow. Will definitely return.

  • I will fully admit that crumbl cookies are overrated, but their monthly dessert specials are wondrous. Look at this eggnog tres leche (below). She’s beautiful.

Eggnog tres leche

  • I perused the new Half Baked Harvest cookbook and it’s absolutely nothing revolutionary, there’s a cheeseburger pasta in it for christsake. I still think we should force a limit on how many books a food blogger can release.

  • I did make these white wine mushroom stuffed shells and they were (as most HBH recipes are) probably too cheesy, but the vegetarians liked them so I guess it was a win.

White wine mushroom stuffed shells

  • I also made this slow cooker roast and it was so easy and perfect for lunch sandwiches on Christmas day. And secured the greatest (Canadian)grocery store cake: the caramel crunch cake.

Caramel crunch cake

  • Ate at this great Mexican place The Mule in Hamilton.

The Mule in Hamilton, ON

  • Some things I watched:

    • Die Hard - yes, it’s insane that I’ve never seen it before now. So good.

    • Challengers - LOVED Zendaya’s character. Second favourite movie of the year (first was Anora). Only question was HOW was that hotel bed that big??

    • Jagged Edge - pretty good. I love this genre of movies (80s/early 90s thriller/mystery).

    • Carry On - anticlimactic ending, but overall not terrible.

    • Nosferatu - liked it! Honestly it could’ve just been the fun of who I saw it with, but truly hard to tell.

  • These little guys (below) continue to make me smile each day.

Would die for them

Some things that I’m looking forward to this month: I’m going to start using this first-of-the-month checklist again and I’ll recap my resolutions from last year as well as make new 2025 ones.

If you have any interest in the other monthly roundups of 2024, they can be found here: November, October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February and January.

TAGS: Liz Heather, December, December Dalliances, December Dalliances 2024, monthly, monthly post, monthly roundup, elk crossing, winter ice cream, winter decorations, The Santa Clause house Oakville, Earl's, Earl's chicken hunan kung pao, Levain, Levain peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, Gladiator Burger, best Philly cheesesteak Mississauga, crumbl cookies, eggnog tres leche, Half Baked Harvest, white wine mushroom shells, slow cooker roast, best roast recipe, caramel crunch cake, The Mule, best Mexican Hamilton, best tacos Hamilton, Die Hard, Challengers, Zendaya, Carry On, Jagged Edge, Nosferatu, snowball and mitten, Target


November 29, 2024

Men Have Called Her Crazy By Anna Marie Tendler - A Review

by Liz Heather in Reviews


The only thing better than reading a comedian’s memoir? Reading the partner/ex-partner of a comedian’s memoir. Truly. I don’t know why exactly, but the partner of someone who’s had immense success/fame is usually ten times more interesting than the famous one. Practically always. And this memoir was fantastic. I had known so little about Anna Marie Tendler before reading this (I knew that she was John Mulaney’s beautiful ex-wife, that she designed lampshades and seemed like she wouldn’t have liked me in high school) but I’m grateful to have found this book. Favourite parts ahead.

  • “I cemented my role in relationships as a pleaser, a convincer, a girl, who, well into adulthood, would contort and conform to the desires of a man, overlooking his easy dismissal, and dampening her self-worth, all to be loved” - OOF, it that wasn’t me for all of my dating life.

  • The parallels of our two lives are fucking eerie (I know that’s interesting to no one other than me), but it’s weird that we both heard about 9/11 in a high school chemistry class. (I also agree with her about hot firefighters but that’s, like, a universal thought that you’d have to be a comatose to disagree with, so I won’t count that commonality.)

  • The entire part about her longterm therapist being so horrid to her was nuts to read. I loved it mainly because therapists are such trusted people and it’s insane to me that none of the terrible ones ever really get talked about that much.

  • “Why are women so fucking ashamed of ourselves? I blame men.” Perfect line. Wish it was the title of the whole book. I get why it wasn’t, but really wish it was.

  • Talking about a web series she did: “I simply got to show a weekly guest how to do one makeup trick and asked them to share a ghost story or paranormal encounter. When the web series aired, it was met with backlash from women, mostly moms, who insisted that a show about makeup was antithetical to the very ethos the website touted - that girls were smart - and the decision was made to stop making episodes. May we never forget that females cannot be intellectual and aesthetically minded at the same time.” I love this woman.

  • It’s crazy how much I agree with her thoughts on motherhood: “My reservations about motherhood have been shaped by my feelings about men, their general incompetence, their propensity toward selfishness, and their inability to empathize with the female experience. My obsession with equality in relationships restricts me from balancing the weight of what men put into child-rearing versus what women do. I wonder if it can ever be equal. I feel instinctually it can’t, while also recognizing that instinct might be wrong.”

  • “I know mothers feel excluded from life too. I guess that’s the paradox of being a woman: no matter what path you choose, chances are you’ll feel invisible.”

  • “I’m momentarily aroused by the memory of a man properly doing a chore.” Good god, that’s funny.

  • The entire chapter on her losing her dog Petunia made me weep, but I’m a human being with a HEART sue me.

Such an inspiring memoir, I can’t recommend it enough. Read it immediately. And the fact that she didn’t mention her marriage in detail at all speaks such volumes - she’s not defined by that part of her life and that is made extremely clear with what she chose to share. She’s an incredibly strong writer so I sincerely hope she continues to publish. Absolutely love this woman.

TAGS: Men Have Called Her Crazy, Anna Marie Tendler, book, books, book review, book recommendation, Liz Heather, best book 2024, comedian


June 17, 2024

Elvis and Me By Priscilla Beaulieu Presley with Sandra Harmon - A Review

by Liz Heather in Reviews


Earlier this year I saw the Sofia Coppola movie Priscilla (which was great) so that’s what led me to this book since the movie was based on it. And it’s really a great read.

What struck me initially is how wild it is that she could write such a vivid account of their relationship, while maintaining real love for that man. He sounds like he was an absolute nightmare. And since she met him when she was a literal child, it’s exceedingly alarming to hear the details of his accepted abuse of her over the years. Truly makes sense that she wrote it after he died.

It’s also interesting that this book could be released (in the 80s, mind you) and no one really ever talks about how disgusting this man was to her. Even now! All of the movies made about his genius and his voice - christ, we will forever continue to justify the actions of horrid men (as long as they have talent).

That being said, it’s a deeply intimate story of their relationship and she’s incredible for having written it. If you were ever curious about their story, this is the book to read.

TAGS: Elvis Presley, Elvis, Priscilla, Priscilla Presley, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Elvis and Me, Priscilla memoir, singers, famous singers, Liz Heather, books, book review


May 1, 2024

April Activities 2024

by Liz Heather in Advice, Beauty, Best of NYC, Food, Ideas, Links, Movies, Personal, Products, Quotes, Recipes, Reviews


Union Square market flowers

Union Square market flowers

  • The best tweets of April can be found over here and the best NYC earthquake tweets are over here.

  • Loved this part from a NYT newsletter about the eclipse written by Elizabeth Dias: “For a nation pulled apart by every manner of division, the eclipse also offered a moment of unity, however brief. It was a reminder to everyone, on the same day and at the same time, that life can be magical. That being alive is a collective experience. That there is something astonishing about being part of the greater story of things.”

Eclipse Nathan!

  • In Nathan news, he was on The Tonight Show for the third time promoting his new special (Down With Tech), and Vulture wrote two pieces about him and the new special (!) - so he’s had a great month.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Liz Heather (@lizheather)

Baby Dog came to The Tonight Show

  • I made this asparagus soup and it’d be a better recipe if it were strained, but it was perfectly fine. I think this is another one of those foods that tastes better when it’s a special at a restaurant.

  • I tried and finished a bottle of “hair growth support” powder and it didn’t do much. Can someone please remind me never to cut my hair again?

  • Loving the acne spot treatment from Bubble.

  • Am I waiting for the August Nordstrom sale to buy a coat that I basically already own but in a different colour? Obviously.

My other coat in the background: “…GIRL”

  • Made this New York Times couscous and why can’t I seem to remember that their recipes are very blah? It’s as if it were AI generated. Oh no, are recipes going to be created by AI in the near future? Oh my god they are, aren’t they.

  • I made the switch to Redken shampoo and conditioner and Nathan and I both have seen a huge difference. My hairdresser passionately convinced me that I should stop buying cheap shampoo and it really was great advice.

  • I made this dark chocolate strawberry yogurt bark (below) that’s pretty fun if you’re desperate and don’t have ice cream.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Marianna Moore (@mariannas_pantry)

  • I saw the new Diane Von Furstenberg line at Target and the kids section is beyond cute.

  • I know I won’t shut up about Wegman’s, but are we all aware of how good their individual cookies are? And their slices of chocolate cake? And their family-sized protein powder with 1 gram of sugar?? The deals are almost infuriating.

  • In NYC restaurant talk: the pasta at Ci Siamo was phenomenal (better than Lilia), the cocktails are better than ever at Manhatta, the kale caesar at Fumo is incredible, the fried chicken at COQODAQ is overrated but their chicken curry is outstanding (I also loved that they had house wines, BRING BACK HOUSE WINE + HOUSE WINE PRICES), the malt vinegar skinny fries at Motel Morris are perfection and the vodka parm at Compton’s in Astoria is only okay (again proof that TikTok famous sandwiches contain more hype than flavour).

Ci Siamo, NYC

Manhatta, NYC

  • Snack I can’t stop eating: hummus mixed with feta and chopped red onions (dipped with either sliced cucumbers or carrots or pita chips).

  • Saving my money now for the new Lemax phantom castle that comes out this Halloween.

  • I met Harrison Ford (!) near Columbus Circle and he was very kind and extremely handsome. And I’ve never seen such a confident stride in my whole life. Man’s a stud.

Highlight of life

  • I’ve been making this spinach wrap (below) for weeks and can’t get over it. I’ve been topping it with shredded chicken and either buffalo sauce or tzatziki sauce.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by iRick Wiggins (@ketosnackz)

Spinach & egg wrap with shredded buffalo chicken

  • In my quest to dress better, I bought these perfect gingham pants.

  • SNL had two especially good sketches this month: Jumanji and The Engagement.

  • I visited The Pastry Box in the East Village and it was ridiculously good.

The Pastry Box, NYC

The Pastry Box, NYC

  • Some things I watched:

    • Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (HBO) - it was fine, I was hoping to like it more.

    • Quiet on Set (HBO) - nuts. Parts of it are really hard to watch.

    • Past Lives (Prime) - heartbreakingly good, just loved it.

    • Late Night with the Devil (AMC+) - I liked the style of it, but the ending was sort of ruined for me inadvertently. Hard to say if it was actually good.

    • Alien (in theatres) - Nathan and I saw the 45th anniversary screening of it (I’d never seen it before) and it was fantastic. Weird that I’d never seen it and weirder that I loved it?

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I’m seeing Belle & Sebastian at the new Paramount Theatre tonight, I’ll definitely go see the new fashion exhibit at The Met, I might try to see I Saw The TV Glow at the Angelika and I really want to get to Smorgasburg sometime this month before it gets too hot to enjoy.

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A post shared by Liz Heather (@lizheather)

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

TAGS: monthly, monthly post, monthly roundup, Liz Heather, April, April Liz Heather, April Activities, April Activities 2024, Harrison Ford, spinach wrap, spinach egg wrap, easy wrap, healthy wrap, April flowers, Union Square market, eclipse, eclipse quote, Elizabeth Dias, NYT, Vulture, Nathan Macintosh, eclipse glasses, The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon, Baby Dog, Down With Tech comedy special, Down With Tech, asparagus soup, hair growth serum, hair growth powder, acne spot treatment, Bubble, acne spot treatment Bubble, August Nordstrom sale, couscous, Redken, hair advice, dark chocolate strawberry yogurt bark, ice cream alternative, Diane Von Furstenberg, Target, Wegman's, Ci Siamo, best pasta NYC, Manhatta, Fumo, best kale caesar NYC, best chicken curry NYC, COQODAQ, Motel Morris, best fries NYC, malt vinegar fries NYC, house wines NYC, Compton's, Astoria, Compton's Astoria, TikTok, Jessie Hooker-Bailey, snack, hummus, great snack, healthy snacks, Lemax phantom castle, easy wrap to make, gingham pants, Target best pants, Jumanji SNL, The Engagement SNL, SNL, The Pastry Box NYC, Albert Brooks, Quiet on Set, Past Lives, Late Night with the Devil, Alien


February 26, 2024

All about Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business by Mel Brooks - A Review

by Liz Heather in Reviews


I think it’s clear that I love to read comedian’s biographies, I don’t really know when that started but I don’t see an end in sight. I wouldn’t call myself a huge Mel Brooks fan, but as a kid I did watch Dracula: Dead and Loving It, Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Spaceballs a decent amount. Here are the highlights from the book:

  • Love how he describes Madeline Kahn: “The only thing that held Madeline back was a psychological defect called modesty.”

  • When he talked about studio executive’s notes: “I never changed a thing. Like I’ve said before, as far as movie executives are concerned, always agree with them, but never do a thing they say. When the good reviews, and more important for the front office, the money started rolling in, I never heard a bad word from the head of the studio again.”

  • I’ve never heard the phrase folie à deux before, so I looked it up and it means, “delusion or mental illness shared by two people in close association” which I love, for some reason. How have I never heard this expression before?

  • I had no idea that he became friends with Alfred Hitchcock, so neat.

  • Also didn’t know that his production company helped The Elephant Man and The Fly remake get made.

  • He mentioned that he slices a bagel into three slices and then toasts each slice, which is absolutely genius and I can’t wait to try it out myself.

  • He mentions a book written by Dick Cavett that sounded so good, I’ve already ordered it.

It’s a bit weird that he doesn’t mention his first marriage at all, maybe because of all the cheating rumours? I guess it’s his book, so why would you want to paint yourself in such a bad light… but still. He definitely doesn’t seem like the type of man who owns up to any of his mistakes. He also didn’t mention any of the drama around the Broadway version of Young Frankenstein and how he completely cut Gene Wilder out of the profits even though they co-wrote the movie together.

In any case, the man’s had an insane career. I don’t think I’d recommend the book, unless you’re a giant Mel Brooks fan and you want to hear every single detail of every movie he’s ever done. If you’re just a general comedy fan, I’d probably skip this one. There’s definitely a reason this book took me about six months to finish.

TAGS: Mel Brooks, Mel Brooks book, Liz Heather, comedy memoir, comedian biography, Spaceballs, Dracula Dead and Loving It, Robin Hood Men In Tights, Madeline Kahn


June 15, 2023

May Musings 2023

by Liz Heather in Beauty, Best of NYC, Family, Food, Links, Movies, Personal, Products, Recipes, Reviews, Television


God, I love the spring months. Everyone seems to be in a good mood, the wind is the perfect amount of chilly, the birds can’t seem to shut up and asparagus soup is on every single restaurant menu. Perfect season, no notes. Here’s what went down in May!

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

  • I wrote about the book Keep Moving by Dick Van Dyke.

  • I finally got to visit the abandoned City Hall subway station.

  • I flew with Flair Airlines for the first time and say what you will about them, but it’s amazing that they have a system in place so that you can pay for your pet-in-cabin online. ZERO other airlines have that figured out.

  • In love with the Essie polish “sew gifted” even if the name is atrocious.

Love an Essie Easter colour

  • I tried the banana pudding monthly flavour at Magnolia Bakery (brownie caramel) and it was only meh. They really don’t need to be so flashy, the original is perfectly great.

  • I’ve been using the Trader Joe’s facial sunscreen (it’s supposed to be a dupe for the Supergoop one) and it’s wonderful. I mean, I think it is? I’m not smart enough to understand the qualities of good sunscreen.

Trader Joe’s facial sunscreen

  • Are we aware of how great The Smith’s happy hour is? The black truffle arancini? Yowza. So good.

With Irene at The Smith for martini happy hour

  • Here’s a gentle reminder to take photos of good outfits.

Nathan + a fantastic coat

  • I perused Alison Roman’s newest cookbook Sweet Enough and I definitely want to make Nora Ephron’s bread pudding from it.

Nora Ephron’s recipe for bread pudding

  • If you grew up in Ontario in the 90s, then you understand the greatness of Tahiti Treat. The LCBO just released a vodka version of it, and yes it’s as good as you can imagine.

  • I took my niece Tianna to the Spirit Tree Estate Cidery in Caledon and it was so lovely! We had flights of different ciders, insanely good pizza and I bought a jug of coffee milk that blew my mind.

  • My friend Marla made me this heavenly rhubarb syrup for drinks/cocktails and I’m forever onboard with rhubarb now.

  • I returned to Corner Bistro for the first time in years and here’s a thought: a fatter burger doesn’t necessarily equate to a better burger.

  • How the hell am I learning NOW that there’s a Capriotti’s in NYC?! I thought it was only in Vegas. Love knowing that I can get a Thanksgiving sandwich any time I damn well please.

The Bobbie Thanksgiving sandwich at Capriotti’s, NYC

  • I saw Bad Cinderella on Broadway since it’s closing soon and yes I’ll always support ALW - but this was on another level of bad. Hated the lead actress, hated the music.

Bad Cinderella on Broadway, NYC

  • Okay, if you’re not buying wild blueberries then you should be. I’ve had it with the cheap, flavourless blueberries that are the size of softballs. BLUEBERRIES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TEENY. The frozen, wild ones from Whole Foods are the best tasting ones I’ve found in NY, but the Canadian frozen ones from the east coast are top tier too. Make blueberries tiny again.

  • In other Liz-Is-Angry news, a “Pittsburgh salad recipe” never needs to see the light of day. Food bloggers really need to take time off sometimes.

  • I went to Scooter’s Roller Palace (grateful that it still exists after all these years) and it was beyond fun.

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  • I went to see the new fashion exhibit at The Met and it warrants a full post, so you can read about it over here. I also saw the new rooftop exhibit that I didn’t love.

The Met rooftop exhibit, May 2023

  • I tried the Holler & Glow self-heating eye mask and it’s incredible. Perfect for headaches and allergies, especially. Gonna buy five more.

  • I read somewhere that the best brownie mix was the Trader Joe’s one, so I got it and it’s great, sure, but mainly because there are added chocolate chips in the mix. So really as long as you add chocolate chips to any brownie mix, it’ll be amazing (but this should already be clear to you - who isn’t adding extra chocolate to brownies? Losers, that’s who).

  • I made this lemon almond pudding cake that was good, but I don’t think I ever need to make it again.

Lemon almond pudding cake

  • But these protein cookies? Will absolutely make again.

  • Love a classic bread pudding and this recipe turned out great.

  • It took me 38 years to discover my love of green curry. I have my dear friend Richard to thank for this, so now I’m on a mission to find the best one in this city.

  • Ate at Cactus Club twice and even if the service is terrible, the food is still pretty good. And the company was even better.

With Marla at Cactus Club in Mississauga, ON

  • Some things I watched:

    • Nora From Queens (newest season): I only watched the first episode and honestly gasped at how bad it was. Struggling to muster the energy to keep watching.

    • Fatal Attraction (the TV series): In all honesty, I only watched this to see Pacey have sex on screen. And I did enjoy the series up until the ending, WHICH WAS SO TERRIBLE that I regret ever having started it.

    • Party Down (newest season): Only watched the first episode and it’s all right. Kind of hate that COVID is apart of it. Might not finish.

    • If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast: Loved it. Everyone should see it. Love that Seinfeld’s mother lived to be 99.

    • Carol: an incredibly slow movie, but fine. Can’t remember why this was on my must-watch list.

  • Baby Dog in a basket will always make me happy.

  • Zara can be the worst or best store, depending on the season. And right now, it’s on FIRE. I think I bought three Zara dresses in the last month alone. (A polka dot midi dress, a strapless tulle dress and a printed tunic dress.)

Zara tulle dress

  • Loving the mango lip scrub from The Body Shop.

  • Does it make sense that Tim Hortons has incredible ice cream? Absolutely not. But their maple crunch flavour? Good god. Better than Häagen-Dazs.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: finishing off some final spring activities, writing my summer list, going to Wonderland with the girls and then taking advantage of strawberry season.

My nephew Romeo!

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

Baby Dog, never not posing

TAGS: Liz Heather, May Musings, May Musings 2023, lilacs, spring, Keep Moving Dick Van Dyke, City Hall Station NYC, Flair Airlines, Essie, Essie sew gifted, best nail polish, banana pudding, Magnolia Bakery, Trader Joe's, facial sunscreen, Trader Joe's facial sunscreen, Goop dupe, The Smith happy hour, happy hour NYC, best happy hour NYC, The Smith happy hour NYC, Irene Morales, Nathan Macintosh, Alison Roman, Sweet Enough, bread pudding, bread pudding recipe, best bread pudding recipe, Nora Ephron, Nora Ephron bread pudding recipe, Tahiti Treat, LCBO, Tahiti Treat vodka, Tianna Heather, Spirit Tree Estate Cidery, Caledon, coffee milk, pizza Caledon, cidery Ontario, Sheldon Creek Dairy, rhubarb strawberry soda, Corner Bistro NYC, Capriotti's, Thanksgiving sandwich, Thanksgiving sandwich NYC, best sandwich NYC, the bobbie, Bad Cinderella, Broadway, Canadian wild blueberries, Pittsburgh salad, Scooter's Roller Palace, roller skating rink, family, The Met, The Met rooftop, Holler and Glow eye mask, Trader Joe's brownie mix, lemon pudding almond cake, recipes, best recipes, protein cookies, classic bread pudding, The Cactus Club, green curry, Awkwafina is Nora From Queens, Fatal Attraction, Joshua Jackson, Pacey, Party Down, If You're Not in the Obit Eat Breakfast, documentary, good documentary, Carol, Baby Dog, Zara, Zara dress, mango lip scrub, The Body Shop, Tim Hortons ice cream, Supergoop, Supergoop sunscreen dupe


May 8, 2023

Keep Moving By Dick Van Dyke

by Liz Heather in Reviews


How is it possible that I’ve never seen an episode of The Dick Van Dyke show? ‘Cause right now it’s at the top of my must-watch list based on how much I love this man after reading his book, Keep Moving.

And it isn’t even his memoir! It’s literally just tips about how he continues to live a good life after 65. Best parts ahead!

  • “These are Baby Boomers, the generation who screamed, “Hope I die before I get old.” That line should be rewritten, “Hope I die before I feel old.” That is the crux of the matter.”

  • “As you get older, you relax. You exhale. You quit worrying. You shake your head with an accepting disbelief as family members and friends disappear like photos in a yearbook, leaving empty spaces where there used to be familiar faces, and occasionally you wonder when it will be your turn and what that will be like. You go for a walk - not to get from point A to point B but just because you want to feel the warm sun on your skin and enjoy fresh air. You open your eyes in the morning with surprise and delight that you’re still here. You realize you’re playing with house money. You are ahead of the game. You eat whatever you want. You do what you like. You smile at strangers. You wave, “Have a nice day.” And if you don’t do that stuff, you should.”

  • “Do not forget to try new things - even a new flavor of ice cream will do.”

  • “It’s time people got over the jokes, the fears, and the discrimination. Old age isn’t catchy. I understand the media is obsessed with youth. Fine. But there isn’t anything wrong with getting older. It happens. It’s healthy. And it is a reality - our reality. As the ranks of seniors and elderly grow, we should think of it as the new normal - a desirable new normal that does away with ageism and commands respect. How does this happen? I think we may need a revolution. We have gone through the Women’s Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Gay Rights Movement. Why not the Gray Rights Movement?”

  • “As the instigator of the Grey Revolution, I suggest ignoring the anti-aging tips that are so prevalent in the media and search for pro-aging tips.”

  • Of course he loves Halloween, why do only great people love this holiday so much, I can’t explain it.

  • “I have never heard of an ailment for which there was not a medicine. It is almost un-American.” - Hahahahah, love this.

  • “For me, life has always been about accepting responsibility for the well-being and happiness of the people I love.”

Such a great read. Love this man.

TAGS: Dick Van Dyke, Keep Moving, Keep Moving Dick Van Dyke, Dick Van Dyke book, aging, ageism, Liz Heather, Keep Moving book, ageism book


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