Early fall sunsets are easily the best ones all year
Officially the latest monthly post I’ve ever done, I’m sorry! I promise it will never happen again. We’re right in the middle of autumn and everything is overwhelming, but a good kind of overwhelming. Here’s what went down in September (oh god that feels like a year ago).
You can find my favourite tweets of the month over here and here.
I recapped what I did off my summer list of things to do.
I wrote my autumn list of things that I intend to do this season.
I did a podcast with Nathan that can be heard over here.
I know I’ve mentioned how good Aquaphor is for ashy elbows, but I’ve also discovered that it’s incredible at healing damaged pimple areas. For instance, when you pop one and it goes so wrong. I did this recently and then put some of it right on top and it was completely healed in two days.
I’ve tried the Carbone jarred pasta sauce and it was great! It’s overpriced, so I’d only buy it on sale. And some flavours can be a little too oily, but overall it tastes great.
I finally saw Nope and I think I liked it. It’s probably my least favourite of his movies, but it was enjoyable to watch. That shoe standing upright bothered me for way too long before I looked it up and connected the idea of “bad miracles” but other than that, it was all right. Love the way that man promotes a movie.
I had dinner at Fiaschetteria Pistoia and the duck ragu was really good. It’s an aggressively tiny restaurant, but the food made it worth it.
Since it’s illegal to operate any cashless operation in New York City, if you ever see a place trying to tell you otherwise - report them! To consumers@dca.nyc.gov - I do it all the time.
Some things I watched:
The Woodstock documentary on Netflix: only three episodes, great watch. You will hate all concert promoters by the end of it.
Volcano: okay, I can finally settle this debate. It is NOT better than Dante’s Peak.
Never Have I Ever (newest season): I almost wanted to hate it (why? I’ve watched all the seasons? I can’t explain this?) but I keep loving it. I can acknowledge that younger people have every right to hate this show. The supplementary characters just keep getting better and better.
The Keaton episode of New Girl: I’ve never seen this show because it looks bad and I wouldn’t like it. That being said, I watched this one because it was a Halloween episode and I also thought there was a chance of Michael Keaton being in it. God, what a mistake. This episode only confirms what a terrible show it really is. Can we retire fat suits already?
Killing Me Softly: honestly just a wild ride of a movie. Everyone should watch it.
Hocus Pocus 2: okay, let me start this by saying that this movie isn’t for me. It’s for children. And I can respect that. I just wish that more characters from the original were in this one, that would’ve made me so much more into it. Nothing will beat the original in my mind and that’s perfectly acceptable.
So I went to Las Vegas again and I got to eat at the new Martha Stewart restaurant The Bedford. Of course my expectations were high because 1) I love her and 2) she’s never opened a restaurant before. The servers are extremely well trained (which is wonderful, I love this detail) they have even been taught to say “cheers” in Polish. The attention to detail on the decor of the individual tables as well as the entire space is perfection, even the temperature was just right. However, there had to be cons. All burgers should have round buns, what reason is there to mess with that simple fact? The smashed potato (which is smashed table-side) is an incredibly stupid idea and almost seems like a joke on the white people who would actually enjoy it. Small side orders of sauces should absolutely never cost $9, that’s ludicrous. The fries were wildly overcooked in overused oil (how does one mess up french fries?) and the prices, sure, they were outrageous but that fact tracks since it’s in Las Vegas. The homemade mustard was really tasty (maybe because you never come across homemade?) and her béarnaise sauce was perfect. The oysters Rockefeller were good, if only a little bit chilly. All in all, it was an experience. One that I’ll happily never have to have again.
The Bedford in Las Vegas
Oysters Rockefeller at The Bedford in Las Vegas
Am I wrong or does this burger bun belong at Wendy’s?
I also ate at Bazaar Meat By Jose Andres in Vegas and it was spectacular. I got the cotton candy fois gras, the patatas bravas and the meatball. Love this man. Love his food.
I tried the tacos at Dirty Taco (an LA street-style taco place) in Grand Central Terminal and the duck skin tacos were only all right, but the steak ones were fantastic. The tortillas were also great. Also, maybe it’s a bad idea to have the word dirty in your name?
Also made this blueberry buckle that tasted especially good with some maple syrup on top.
What’s a buckle? Basically cake… yeah it’s just cake.
I finally went to the Manhattan location of The Alamo and this theatre is great, but impossible to find. It’s also where the new Kim’s Video is hiding.
Who on earth is expected to easily find this place, you tell me
I had brunch at Sala in Astoria and just wow. I never thought I’d have the best BLT of my life at a tapas place. Everyone needs to go.
I read the Chloe Hilliard book Fuck Your Diet: And Other Things My Thighs Tell Me and… meh. Can we all make a pact to never use the phrase eating clean ever again? The book was really very okay, I think I just wish it was more about her being a comedian and less about body stuff. It’s obviously my fault since the title really does say it all.
If you aren’t watching the Halloween episodes of Bob’s Burgers this month, you may not be cooler than I am.
If you have any interest in what went on in August, come on over here. I also have an autumn highlight reel on Instagram if you care to see what I’m up to this season.
Baby Dog with the last of the summer sunflowers, September 2022
Can you even call yourself a Julia Roberts fan if you haven’t been to Mystic, Connecticut? I really think not.
Am I a huge JR fan? I mean, I never would have labeled myself as such, but well… I will always rewatch Sleeping With The Enemy if it comes on TV. Same with Pretty Woman. And of course My Best Friend’s Wedding. And she’s adorable in Steel Magnolias. Whoa, am I in love with her?? …I might be??
Regardless, the original plan was to simply go strawberry picking in Connecticut and then my friend Diana and I ended up eating at Mystic Pizza and exploring the small town. And it was lovely!
Mystic Pizza in Mystic, Connecticut
Pizza from Mystic Pizza, Connecticut
It’s such a nice little day trip idea from NYC, whether you like Julia Roberts or not. The pizza place itself was very quaint, the service was great and the food was absolutely just fine! Hahah, I’m not meaning for that to sound harsh at all, it was just very okay. (New York pizza has understandably made me quite a snob.)
They play the movie Mystic Pizza on a loop inside the restaurant, so I can only imagine how hard it is to work here, but it’s still very sweet considering the movie came out in 1988. Sort of insane, really. In a good way.
Mystic Seaport Ale
I’m not a huge beer drinker, but I do love trying whatever local beer is available because that always seems fun to me.
Other than eating here, we really just walked around the main part of the town, past the drawbridge, and into all of the little shops along the way. It was such a nice, relaxing way to spend a Saturday.
(I did watch the movie on Hulu when I got home and it was pretty good! Had I seen it before? Absolutely not a clue. Maybe I’m not JR’s #1 fan after all? This was quite a journey for me.)
Summer is a few days away and even though it’s unequivocally the worst season, I must find a way to enjoy myself… IN A POOL.
The pool at The Rockaway Hotel
The 53-room Rockaway Hotel opened last year and I finally made my way over this past week and I have to tell you… it has the best new pool in all of NYC. There are *$40 public day passes (available for purchase Mondays-Thursdays, with first come first served lounge chairs) if you’re not a guest of the hotel. And it’s right next to Rockaway beach, should you find yourself greedy and in need of some sand between your toes as well.
*UPDATE: As of July 2021, the hotel no longer offers the $40 day pass. I’ve reached out to them and was informed that since it is now “peak season” they are no longer offering day passes or lounger rentals to ensure that their hotel guests have the opportunity to enjoy the pool. Ugh, nothing good ever lasts forever.
Pool side service
Unlimited towels
The 84,000 square foot hotel space was designed by Morris Adjmi of the Wythe Hotel and occupies an entire block on Beach 108th Street and it is gorgeous. There’s pool side food & drink service and the staff is beyond lovely (Shanique was especially gracious and beyond welcoming). Eating a double cheeseburger poolside is a dream that I didn’t know that I had, quite frankly. I swam laps for about an hour and a half while the ocean breeze whistled around me and I kept saying to myself “Okay, only five more minutes” because I knew that I was baking to a crisp in the sun. And it was all worth it. We all need days like this, especially given the past year. Not only is this a great idea for a mid-week day trip (it does take awhile to get out to Rockaway), but it’s reasonably priced and beautiful. I came away from my day thinking, “I think I just need to own a pool” and then later realized yeah, no that’s not it. I just need to be in a pool constantly. So this is where you can find me this summer. I can’t wait to return to eat at Margie’s.
I finally went! Visiting Sleepy Hollow has always been a small dream of mine, how could it not be? It’s the Salem of New York. It’s kind of wild that it’s taken this long for me to actually visit. In any case, October is the perfect time to go. Fully recommend. Here’s how we (I went with my great friend Irene) spent the day!
At Grand Central
We met at Grand Central and took a train up to Tarrytown (about $22/per person roundtrip, takes about 35 minutes from NYC). We thought about renting a car for the small trip, but it’s such a walkable area that I figured we’d be fine (I was right). From the Tarrytown train station we walked over to Pretty Funny Vintage, which sells antiques, gifts, souvenirs, jewelry, that sort of thing.
Pretty Funny Vintage in Tarrytown
I didn’t realize how beautiful and old Tarrytown is. Look at the gorgeous the music hall.
Music Hall in Tarrytown
We then headed to Sweet Grass Grill for lunch. The food was good yes, but the service was fantastic. The wait was on the longer side, but that only makes sense since it’s limited seating ‘cause… you know, the world is ending.
Sweet Grass Grill in Tarrytown
After food, we walked to Bella’s Boutique, which had great gifts and postcards for Sleepy Hollow. From there, we stopped into Tarrytown Pastry Chef because I’d heard good things about the Halloween themed cookies.
Tarrytown Pastry Chef
This was the point where we finally entered Sleepy Hollow. Look at this beautiful signage (below), it’s located on the corner of Broadway & Depeyster incase you’re looking for it when you’re in town.
With Irene
We headed onward toward the Headless Horseman sculpture, bridge and monument.
I mean… pretty self-explanatory
The bridge! (Well, *a* bridge… the real one collapsed years ago)
After that we walked near Washington Irving’s grave, but I didn’t really have any urge in entering a cemetery to see a strange man’s grave. Seemed weird at the time and still does. But if that’s your sort of thing, many other people were doing just that. Then we walked through what once was old Sleepy Hollow Village (and is now just a residential street with a woody area) to get to the shoreline.
Forest Liz
She made me do it
Once we got to the shoreline of the Hudson, it’s about a fifteen minute walk to reach the lighthouse (which is fully worth a view, who doesn’t love a lighthouse?) and there’s a lined, easy pathway to get there, too. The lighthouse was erected in the 1880s, which is incredible that it’s still standing, intact and beautiful as ever.
The Hudson shoreline
From here, it’s about a fifteen minute walk to get back to the Tarrytown train station. It was such a nice little day. There are other Halloween themed things to do nearby (The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, Home of the Legend, Philipsburg Manor), but they were either sold out or I’ve done them already, so it felt great to have a casual day roaming. It’s hard to find things to do right now (in the middle of a pandemic) that you can do safely, so it was great that this mini trip actually worked out. We spent 80% of the day outside and when we were indoors, nothing was crowded or felt unsafe in any way. If you’re ever in the New York area and you even kinda love Halloween, you should definitely make your way to Sleepy Hollow.
First things first, welcome to (under normal circumstances) the best time of the year. Will this perfect time of year be different than previous years? Of course. We’re all still trying to function in this modern version of hell. SO that being said, I am still going to try and make the most of the seasonal things I like to do (minus seeing the people that I love and haven’t seen for almost a year, eating the baked goods from places that I’m not allowed to visit, or being able to just hug my family). MINUS ALL OF THAT. I will cook what I cannot go out to eat. I will watch the movies in my home that I’d normally insist on watching with others. I will decorate. I will light all of the autumn-scented candles that I can get my grubby hands on. Autumn will happen and I will do the best that I can. And I encourage you to do the same. Here’s what happened last month:
I found out that there will definitely be a Scream 5 and I am pumped.
Two more songs that I love off of Taylor Swift’s new album: epiphany and mad woman. It’s fast becoming my album of the summer (I’m, like, super indie, I know).
Blue Diamond has these flavoured almonds out right now and the salt & vinegar as well as the dill pickle flavours… are insanely good.
I sent this to my mom and she loved it as much as I do (below).
Scott Hubbard (@scottyhubs) has created a short video on TikTok with music sonido original. | This was in my drafts 😂 #fyp #tiktokpets #dog #cosplay
I tried samples of the Verb Ghost Shampoo, Hair Mask and Spray and they were all equal parts bullshit. Who sends out a spray sample in a small packet, so that it can’t be sprayed? Ignoring the idiotic packaging, the products themselves just fell flat. Absolutely nothing special here.
I tried Ops Pizza in Brooklyn and it was great! Better than Prince Street or Mama’s Too? Not a chance. Still good, though.
I bought this mask off of Etsy in anticipation of October’s arrival.
I also got this Tan Lines candle that smells incredible. I know it’s basic as hell but candles might be saving my life.
I tried beef carpaccio for the first time (!) at L’Artusi and it was great! I’d describe it as a lighter, more dainty steak tartare.
I also tried the vegan chicken parm sandwich at VSPOT and dear lord was it good. Tasted exactly like a regular chicken parm. Must remember this place and go again.
Oneya (@angryreactions) has created a short video on TikTok with music original sound. | #duet with @bobbysrey that cake is beautiful. #fyp #foryou
I’m not sure when I’ll feel okay about visiting the new Krispy Kreme flagship, but I’ll tell you one thing: I can’t wait. I remember when they opened their first Canadian location and my dad was soexcited, I think that’s where my love of the company comes from.
I’ve decided to stop trying to lose weight. When I diet, my brain goes crazy & I binge & make matters worse. I choose to accept & love myself as I am NOW. I will treat myself with care to ensure I can live fully. Not sure why I’m telling you -maybe someone needs to hear it? ♥️
hot take: people only like summer because it was our only time off for like 12 years and its ingrained in our minds to like it. the actual season is fucking atrocious
Every summer night, in every neighbourhood in Canada, there’s a middle-aged man proudly playing The Tragically Hip in his backyard, loudly singing along with Gordie into his beer. Tonight, in my neighborhood of #JunctionTO, that man is me.
my midwestern ex doesnt give ppl the finger (that's mean) so when he got mad while driving (a lot) he'd give ppl a thumbs down out the window so they'd know he wasnt mad, just disappointed, and to this day i think that is the funniest shit in the world
It's amazing how quickly "the President is going to cheat to win" is just normalized as a factor we must all work around because the system itself is far too corrupted to stop him.
No mail. No healthcare. No jobs. No free or fair elections. Banned from the rest of the world. Our taxes blown on giveaways to corrupt corporations and institutions. Police violence against anyone who challenges this arrangement. We’re living in a failed state, no doubt about it.
young people the messaging couldn't be more clear!! Stay at home! Go to work ! We'll give you CERB! Unless your minimum wage job needs you ! Social distance! in the back of the restaurant you work in! have a pod of 6 people! its just your co-workers! lol! y r u so selfish?!?
i need every creator to always keep this sentiment in mind bc even though i try to tell my fav creators i love their work theres alot of gushing n silent admiration n looking to it for the inspiration they don't see pic.twitter.com/lkqOuIQP4n
I jokingly asked my grandpa to pls not let any visitors into my room bc of work, then later walked into him posting a sign on my door that said “DO NOT ENTER, KAREN IS BUSY” w a calligraphy brush in a traditional top-down, right-left korean sign 😂 we are the only two at home 😂
We’re so numb as a nation that when NASA reports a possibility of an astriod getting very close we read, consider it for a second and then keep scrolling to see what else is going on that might be more juicy.
This is Ziggy. He’s practicing saying hi to the other dogs in the neighborhood. Just moved here and would love to make a good first impression. 14/10 pic.twitter.com/C2ZGWM3It9
I know I’m harping on this but Hitler and the Nazis didn’t say “we’re going to scapegoat Jewish people and murder them by the millions”; they said “the Jews are a threat to the German way of life and we must defend ourselves.” The same “self-defense” rhetoric Fox & the GOP use.
This is the first generation where both men and women in a household work full time and barely get by, and people think they’re the laziest and most entitled how’d that happen?
I’m not from nyc (though I was born here), but I think part of what feels so dismissive about transplants saying “new york is dead” is that they’re revealing that the only reason they’re here is to consume, and not to give in return. they’re literally parasites.
Some movies that I rewatched: It’s Complicated (the family of children is so annoying in this movie, but I love all of the adults and the food and it’s just comforting to watch) and Adventures in Babysitting (a perfect movie).
I started rewatching Moesha and it’s great to see again, but I can’t believe I didn’t notice how incredible the side character of Kim is! She holds the show together! Obviously, this realization makes me excited for when her spinoff show The Parkers comes to Netflix next month.
I bought this strawberry shampoo from The Body Shop (impulse buy for $5) and the smell reminds me so much of being in middle school (meaning this in a good way). Is it a great shampoo? Meh.
I tried a decent sized sample of the moisturizing cream from Sunday Riley and the best part about it is the smell. I can’t imagine a world in which I’d pay $65 for a basic moisturizer, though, so that says it all.
I tried that anchovy pasta that Mindy Kaling recommended and it’s basic as hell, wouldn’t make again.
I made my first purchase from Everlane and the quality of the shirt is beautiful, if not a little shapeless. Will I buy from them again? Probably not. It’s just so bland for the price point.
I own it already, but I’m so happy to hear that Safety Not Guaranteed is back on Netflix. Everyone should watch it. The ending is amazing.
I’m using the new Trader Joe’s Strawberry Lemon Sugar Scrub and does it do anything magical? Not really. The smell is incredible, but there’s something gross about the little strawberry seeds in the scrub. No thanks.
New watch alert! $25 at Nordstrom. I’ve been making fun of Nathan having a gold watch for some time now and then realized it might be because I was jealous and wanted one of my own. So here we are.
Idea: take hot baths in the summer. I never used to do this and it’s so relaxing. It doesn’t make any sense.
I tried the vegan burger patties from Trader Joe’s and they’re only okay, I wouldn’t get them again. The Impossible Burger is hands down the best one I’ve tried, with a close second place to the Beyond Burger.
The Met reopened (as well as their rooftop installation) and I can’t bring myself to go. I know they’re taking precautions and all, but I just don’t want to do it. It does look incredible, though.
I tried the brunch burger at Vite Vinosteria in Astoria and I know I say this a lot, but holy shit. Might be the best burger in Astoria? What the hell is with Italian restaurants having these sleeper hit burgers all of a sudden? Vesta is the same way! Either way, I’m not complaining. I mean, look at this beast.
Brunch burger at Vite Vinosteria in Astoria
I started a Might Buy bookmark category in my browser window, to cut down on impulse buying and really care about what I spend my money on. Here’s a list of things that I can’t decide if I want to buy or not:
I’ve heard such good things about this face wash, but I have ten different open ones in my washroom so this is low on the list.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I think I’m going to start rewatching Friday Night Lights, I’m also working on my October list of what to watch each day that month, I’m so excited that Ijeoma Oluo’s new book has a release date of December 2020, and I’m excited to finish the new book I’m reading (that you’ll be hearing about imminently).
If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in July over here.
Sometimes even I forget that we’re Vermont people now. Nathan and I just came back from another trip to Manchester, Vermont and god, I love that state. I haven’t been away anywhere since January, which is abnormal for me, so I was really happy that we were able to go somewhere. The hotel was pretty isolated (it’s in the mountains), which was perfect and Baby Dog had the time of her life. She ran out of the room (leashless) on the first day and just bolted. Nathan ran across two fields to finally grab her and they both ran out of view, so I stood, alone, in a field, silently having a heart attack and envisioning her alone in the woods at night trying to make friends with a bear or something and then promptly getting eaten. It was a hellish ten minutes.
The view from the back porch
Our room, the Norman Rockwell suite
This candle smells like HEAVEN, bought it at the bookstore
Here she is, slumming it in a king sized bed
Other than that, the week was wildly uneventful (in a good way) and relaxing. How are there a hundred thousand million stars in the sky and we’re all so RELAXED about it? Just beautiful. Our room was upgraded to a suite (the Norman Rockwell suite, to be precise) that had a jacuzzi, fireplace, two TVs, and a back patio with seating: it was incredible. I love that hotel so much (The Manchester View). The weather was incredibly autumn-inspired, so I wasn’t even mad that I only made it to the outdoor pool once. We ate many Baja tacos, some vegan burgers, and a few salads. We’d never gone to the restaurant Seasons on any of our past trips here, and it was great! Have to remember that if we go again. Of course we went to the bookstore in town since they always have the best postcards.
Growing up, I remember being in hotels like this with my parents and brothers and constantly dreaming of the day I’d be in a hotel with a man I loved, casually getting ice from the ice machine and pretending to be on vacation with someone who chose to love me, putting the key in the door and thinking “There’s some great person on the other side waiting for me to get back to the room” and just being so excited at the thought of that being my reality some day. It all came true.
So glad we were still able to travel this summer, even if it was only a short trip. It gave me a chance to actually miss New York, which is always a good feeling.
This was our third time staying in this town in Vermont (are we nuts?) and I have no regrets, it’s a solid little town. You can read about the other twotimes we’ve visited if that pleases you. I also made an Instagram highlight reel for the trip on my Instagram.
New Orleans has been a place that I’ve long wanted to visit and I’m so glad that I finally got a chance to go. My dear friend Jenn came up with the idea to go here on one of our trips together and it absolutely did not disappoint. Some highlights ahead.
We stayed at the regal-as-hell Le Pavillon and it was phenomenal. So happy we stayed here. It was within walking distance of pretty much everything we wanted to do and see. We stayed on the seventh floor and our room was a decent size, with a bed more comfortable than any bed I’ve ever slept in. They offer a nightly peanut butter and jelly sandwich special in the lobby, and while I didn’t partake in the free sandwich, I did get a hot chocolate (with freshly whipped cream) that was ridiculously good, all cream should be freshly whipped. It’s one of the most haunted hotels in New Orleans (part of the reason we chose it) and I do swear that I heard some shady shit at night in our room.
On our first night, we went to Drago’s for charbroiled oysters and let’s get this straight: charbroiled isn’t for everybody. I happily ate most of them, but I don’t know that I’d order them again. I’m not a huge fan of smokey food in general, so definitely keep that in mind if you ever see these on a menu.
We took the gorgeous St. Charles streetcar to have lunch at Commander’s Palace (where they have .25 cent martinis with every entree) and it was lovely. Any time I drink a martini, if I want to drink it slowly and really savour it, I’ll always get a gin martini with a twist. Gin forces me not to drink quickly because it’s such a disgusting liquor. Works every time. I tried turtle soup for the first time and it was good, but wildly decadent-tasting. That could be attributed to the veal stock (veal stock is always so rich, I find), but it was still a great soup.
Self-explanatory
We also took the streetcar to see Ghost Manor and the Skeleton House, both popular places to see during Halloween because they’re so elaborately decorated for the season.
The Skeleton House
We indulged in .75 cent oysters for the happy hour at Luke, which were wonderful of course. When has an oyster been anything less than desirable? (…when it’s charbroiled, according to Jenn!)
I bought coffee beans for Nathan from French Truck, which came with a free coffee that… tasted like coffee? I’ll never have any idea what constitutes a “good cup of coffee” and nor do I want to know. On average, I find that people who have super strong opinions on coffee also have bad personalities, but maybe that’s a generalization. Prove me wrong, world!
We had crab cakes and catfish at Mr. B’s Bistro where the service was great and the food was good (the crazy hot, fresh baked bread may have been the best part). Cheap martinis with lunch were had yet again - this has to be a NOLA custom because I’ve never heard of another city providing this perk.
We visited the Carousel Bar at the beautiful Hotel Monteleone. I really wanted to get an up-close shot of the stunning hotel sign atop the building, so I finagled a way to let someone at the front desk grant me a temporary hotel key card to get past some of the upstairs locked doors to see if I could make it out onto the private roof. We got pretty close and only had one last barrier to go when that final door defeated us and we didn’t quite make it out. We did manage to see the rooftop pool (so lovely) and half of the sign. No good photo opportunities, but still - what an incredible hotel.
The Carousel Bar
That sign!
We ate the bananas foster at Brennan’s (where the dessert was invented) and yes it was good, but waaaaaay too sweet. Like obnoxiously so. I guess that’s what it’s supposed to taste like? In any case, I’ll definitely think twice before ordering it ever again anywhere else. One bananas foster is enough for a lifetime.
I visited my first strip club and it wasn’t a terrible experience! Honestly it would’ve been a perfect experience if there were less men allowed in. I understand the appeal now.
I don’t have cable at home, so whenever I’m in a hotel I get pretty excited about it being available. My favourite thing to watch? Martin on BET. It’s always on when I want it to be. And they showed BOTH Martin Halloween episodes while we were there, so that was pretty magical.
Have you ever had Zapp’s Potato Chips? Holy shit are they better than every other chip.
We went to two of Emeril’s restaurants while we were here: Meril & Delmonico. And honestly? Not super impressed at all. Granted, I think I ordered badly, but still. This was a bit of a letdown.
We had dinner and listened to piano at The Roosevelt. I’ll forever love eating and drinking in old, beautiful hotels. They’re so nostalgic and with certain details that newer hotels can’t hold a candle to.
Of all the things that we did, my favourite was probably swimming in the hotel’s rooftop pool with Jenn drinking wine from a coffee cup during a rainstorm right before the thunder and lightning started. I’ll never forget that.
Some things that I’d absolutely want to do next time? Eat the Oysters Rockefeller at Antoine’s, go on a ghost tour and obviously get beignets. Yes, it’s insane that we didn’t do these things, but in all honestly, we drank so much one night that the next day had to be spent mostly in that heavenly hotel bed. It was meant to be that way.
If you’re interested in seeing my Instagram Stories from the trip, I made them into a full story in my Highlights section on Instagram.
Forgive the lateness of this post! It was an insanely busy month and I’ll try not to let this kind of delay happen again. SO MUCH HAPPENED! Details below.
I went on two trips this month! The first was to the Bahamas and it was so great. I stayed at Atlantis (because well, that’s where my parents were staying and they kindly let me stay with them, IF YOU MUST KNOW) and while Atlantis was super nice, it really felt like what I imagine a big cruise ship to feel like. I’m not meaning that as an insult at all - it just felt sort of stiff, well maintained, with a very controlled environment. I tried lionfish for the first time (very good), drank Bahama Mamas and slid down the shark-surrounded Leap of Faith (horrifying). We ate at Jose Andres’ restaurant Fish and it was absolutely unreal. The seafood was phenomenal.
Parents in the Bahamas
My second trip was to New Orleans for the week of Halloween! I’ll do a full post on this one because there’s too much to say. (Full post here!)
In some upsetting news, I accidentally “recovered” my phone and lost most of my Bahamas photos. I was so upset because it was completely my own fault. I hadn’t backed up my photos to my computer yet either, so it truly sucked. I do have iCloud but I never opted to pay for the extra space so it’s been full for about a year already. Enter my saviour Marla who told me about Google Photos (which is free) and I’ve already started using and backing up almost daily. I’ve moved on from losing the photos by rationalizing it in thinking that I wasn’t meant to have those photos, they were meant to be memories.
Years ago, I watched and hated the second Sex & The City movie (too xenophobic, cliched and generally terrible) but I rewatched it on a plane recently and while it’s still a bad movie, I had completely forgotten about the storyline about Carrie and Big “defining the parameters of their own relationship.” Best part of the movie! I won’t give away too much, but you may want to rewatch this stinker if nothing better is on.
We rewatched all of the Sleepaway Camp movies and they really hold up well. Such a solid series.
I tried pumpkin-flavoured Kit Kats and although a little gross at first, they really do taste like pumpkin. And after two or three bites, become delicious.
In keeping with autumn flavours, I tried the pumpkin cream cold brew from Starbucks (I know, despite this one instance, I am still trying to stay away from the corporations that are slowly eating away at society as we know it). Anyway, the drink was only MEH. It’s wild how we’ve made milkshakes acceptable for adults to drink at 8am.
I’m not sure if I’ve already shared this tip, but I have THE greatest advice for someone who’s trying to avoid a cold from starting. You know that point right before you get a cold, when your throat feels a little tingly and sensitive? And you know that a cold is coming right around the corner? All you need to do to avoid this from happening is buy the blue Listerine and gargle with it once in the morning and once before bed and gargle for about 30 seconds each time. I SWEAR TO GOD THIS WORKS. But only with the blue Listerine. I’ve tested this theory twice now and it absolutely works, someone give me a medal for curing the common cold. (And if you really don’t believe me, buy the travel size before you commit to the larger bottle, geek.)
Riverdale is BACK! The season premiere episode dealing with Luke Perry’s death was so good and so sad and that’s all I have to say about that. This tweet sums it up.
As for the more recent episodes of Riverdale? The latest Halloween episode was pure and complete madness and I love how nuts it’s becoming. This tweet sums it up.
I started watching the new season of This Is Us and I think I figured out what’s wrong with this show: every character on it is almost TOO in love with their partner. It’s enough already, we get it, love exists. The show is so wildly saccharine now. Maybe it was always that way and I never noticed before? Either way, I might be passing on it this season.
I really hate cleaning shower curtains and the mold-free one that I got from The Container Store (only $10) has lasted me a full six months before getting gross. Highly recommend!
My absolute favourite place to get Halloween costume accessories is by far the Village Party Store in Manhattan. They somehow have every single thing you’d need for a costume, they’re super inexpensive and the staff is so helpful (eons better than any Spirit). I was talking about costume stuff with one of the guys who works there and he mentioned how a group of women had just come in to get stuff for their group costume: they all were going to be different Keanu Reeves characters. Is it just me or is that the greatest group costume you’ve ever heard of? He said they were definitely going to do Neo from The Matrix, Ted from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Jack from Speed, Duke Kaboom from Toy Story 4 and Sad Keanu. PURE GENIUS.
LOVED the new season of Big Mouth. But can we pleeeeease stop with the musical episodes? NOBODY LIKES THEM.
Speaking of Big Mouth, I watched the movie Disclosure and wowza. Great movie. Can’t believe I’d never even heard of it before. Just rewatched it again with Nathan this past week. So good.
Another great NYC Halloween store is Abracadabra on 21st street. It’s a more expensive place to shop, but if you just want to browse then definitely visit this place. There are tons of interactive displays and the whole basement has incredible costumes for rent.
I finally tried Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion and whoa. I get the hype. It fucking obliterates pimples. It’s hard to sleep in since it goes on like calamine lotion and smudges everywhere if you lay face down (do people sleep like this? I sleep like I’m in a coffin & Nathan hates it because I look like a mental patient but it’s so fucking relaxing, I can’t stop), but it works really well if you can figure out a way to sleep without it rubbing off.
SO, SO excited to hear that season two of Shrill has a release date: January 24th!
Some things that I’m looking forward to this month: celebrating American Thanksgiving since I missed the true (Canadian) one last month while I was in the Bahamas, introducing Nathan to the Momofuku Thanksgiving croissant, taking Baby Dog for autumn walks in Central Park, getting my copy of Lindy West’s new book that arrives in my mailbox tomorrow, still working on doing things off of my autumn list, reading Jenny Slate’s new book, if you find yourself always losing your poppy I find it helpful to attach mine to a safety pin rather than just the regular pin that comes with it, and I’ll probably definitely see A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood even though I do think it’s unnecessary.
