Summer List 2021
The worst season is officially upon us! How will it be spent? Only time will tell. I do have some loftier-than-normal ideas of how to spend this summer, so this list will be slightly longer than my usual seasonal list. After the past year, it only makes sense to be ambitious about everything. Here’s the plan.
See the rooftop exhibit at The Met.
Go swimming at least twice.
Go to a carnival.
Go to a baseball game.
Tan on Governor’s Island.
Eat oysters by the water.
Make homemade crab cakes.
Go fruit picking somewhere outside of NYC.
Make the Milk Bar cake.
Make pina coladas at home.
Again, I encourage you to make your own summer list. How else are you supposed to have any fun this summer if you don’t think ahead?
The Happiness Advantage By Shawn Archor - A Review
I was referred to this book by a client who’s working on his own self-help book and I’m so glad he mentioned it to me because it’s just wonderful. SIDENOTE: Can I say here that I really don’t like the term self-help? It seems too basic of a phrase for such an expansive topic when there must be a better term for this genre of books… maybe “human improvement”? Or “mental development”? I don’t know, anything but “self-help.” It’s just such a weak sounding term.
Anyway, I’m so glad that I read it and encourage you to as well. The full title is The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work (although it stresses that this relates to work and regular life as well) so you have a better idea of what it’s about. Favourite parts ahead.
Firstly, I love the idea of opening a book and finding a short chapter of Acknowledgements as the first thing a reader sees. It’s such a great idea.
“Happiness is not the belief that we don’t need to change; it is the realization that we can.”
“I once spoke with a sleep researcher who had data to show that the more you sleep, the more gracefully you age.”
I’ve been waiting ages for someone to prove this because I think sleep is so important. Lately I’ve been trying to get 9-10 hours each night and each time I do, it feels almost transcendent. You wake up with all the answers, I swear to you.
“Once we realize how much our reality depends on how we view it, it comes as less of a surprise that our external circumstances predict only about 10 percent of our total happiness. This is why Sonja Lyubomirsky, a leader in the scientific study of well-being, has written that she prefers the phrase “creation or construction of happiness” to the more popular “pursuit,” since “research shows that it’s in our power to fashion it for ourselves.” As all these mindset studies have shown, this is true for positive outcomes and success in any other domain. By changing the way we perceive ourselves and our work, we can dramatically improve our results.”
“We want to push the limits of possibility as far as they can go, not limit them in the way too many discouraging bosses, parents, teachers, or media stories tell us they should be limited. Sure, simply believing we can fly won’t set us aloft. Yet if we don’t believe, we have no chance of ever making it off the ground. And, as science has shown, when we believe we can do more and achieve more (or when others believe it for us), that is often the precise reason we do achieve more.”
“As William James once said, “My experience is what I agree to attend to.””
“Make a daily list of the good things in your job, your career, and your life. When you write down a list of “three good things” that happened that day, your brain will be forced to scan the last 24 hours for potential positives - things that brought small or large laughs, feelings of accomplishment at work, a strengthened connection with family, a glimmer of hope for the future. In just five minutes a day, this trains the brain to become more skilled at noticing and focussing on possibilities for personal and professional growth, and seizing opportunities to act on them. At the same time, because we can only focus on so much at once, our brains push out those small annoyances and frustrations that used to loom large into the background, even out of our field entirely.”
“Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, reminds us that “we are not imprisoned by our circumstances, our setbacks, our history, our mistakes, or even staggering defeats along the way. We are freed by our choices.””
“When we encounter an unexpected challenge or threat, the only way to save ourselves is to hold on tight to the people around us and not let go.”
So happy to have read it, definitely seek it out or even just try the daily list idea mentioned above. It’s available for purchase over here as well.
Spring List 2021 Revisited
Spring is officially over, so let’s see what got done.
Go to Coney Island before the crowds of summer arrive.
I did and it was great! I took Baby Dog (her first time, I’m assuming) and she loved it.
Completely organize the closets in my house.
Done and done, who am I? Someone efficient!
Visit Central Park at least three times.
Only went once, damnit. In my defense, I did think about going a lot.
Feed ducks at a pond.
Not even kinda. Sorry, ducks.
Get fully vaccinated.
Absolutely! And it feels wonderful.
3 / 5 is pretty good considering I had such low expectations, but I plan to aim higher for this season. Summer list coming this week!
New Podcast!
The Rockaway Hotel
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 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.
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.
On your way home, don’t forget to stop by Connolly’s to get their frozen pina colada since your day has already been so indulgent. Cannot WAIT to return.
Best Tweets of June 2021 So Far
May Musings 2021
Forgive the lateness of this post! I am excuse-less. Here’s what went down last month!
I perused Jessica Merchant’s new cookbook and some of the recipes are definite must-makes this summer. Garlic confit, stone fruit halloumi salad, tomato pie, BLT corn salad, scallops with tomato cream sauce, and the list goes on. Sometimes I like to browse the cookbooks in book stores just for inspiration when I’m in a cooking rut.
I bought the Dr. Teal’s foaming bath Vapor Bath scent and it’s underwhelming! I mean, it’s good, but nothing like the vapor heaven I was anticipating.
I made the ramp butter from Missy Robbin’s (of Lilia fame) recipe and it tasted fine but was nothing like hers. No idea where I went wrong. Maybe I was supposed to use salted butter? Maybe the butter quality wasn’t good enough? Maybe my food processor was inadequate?
In other ramp news, I ate the ramp, cheddar & poppyseed croissant from Mel The Bakery and it was delicious. Great bakery. Must return.
So I made the Milk Bar crumbs (without the cake) because I thought that’d be a fun treat to just keep in the fridge. But without the cake and the icing? Suck city. Such a waste of time. Tastes useless on its own.
I watched the movie Riding The Bullet (why, I don’t know) and of course it was terrible, what was I thinking. Proves that you don’t have to be talented to make a movie, so there’s really hope for anyone in this world.
I reviewed the NARS birthday gift from Sephora.
I tried a sample of Chanel’s Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Sunscreen Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15 and it’s luxury in a bottle. I might have to buy it since they discontinued the Amore Pacific tinted moisturizer that I used to love.
I made focaccia for the first time! I had some leftover green garlic so I incorporated that into it and it was a raging success.
I watched the third and final season of Shrill and it was perfect. I hate that it’s over since every season was better than the last, but life must go on. No spoilers, but I loved how it ended. Best character of life = Em.
Went to Momofuku Noodle Bar again and finally tried the buns (not pork, but mushroom) and wow. I wish I knew how to cook a mushroom like a restaurant quality chef. It’s a mystery I’ll never crack.
New goal: to swim in the sky pool in London.
Sometimes there is no greater joy than getting to experience a new potato chip flavour. And the Lays ones this summer… are wonderful.
I can’t stop making this chicken caprese pasta salad. There’s something about the idea of a cold pasta salad that sits in the fridge and gets better each day, I just love it. It always reminds me of a staple food that white people would take to a picnic in the 90s, but I don’t know what I’m basing that on. Wasn’t that a white person thing? I remember mentioning the idea of a cold pasta salad to one of my West Indian cousins at a get together and she gasped at the idea, “Why would a pasta ever be served COLD???”
I only ever want to read new stories like these.
I rewatched Mad Man and this is probably the best scene in the whole series. The line “the moon belongs to everyone” will always make my knees weak.
I listened to the Martin Short / Charles Grodin episode of Julie Klausner’s podcast and it only reaffirms how I feel about podcasts. They’re so fucking boring, I’ll never know what people get out of listening to them. Absolutely not for me.
That being said, I do love being a guest on them.
There’s a new Danny Meyer restaurant opening in the fall, sign me up, obviously.
I bought these high waisted shorts, this gorgeously neon orange crop, and these printed shorts: all from Zara because their summer collection is actually good this year.
I went to a Mets game and it was wonderful to be back in a stadium. I also got the Mrs. Met Wonder Woman bobblehead I’ve been eyeing for over a year now.
I ate a white chocolate apricot scone from Il Bambino in Astoria and it was insanely good. I always forget about scones. You can’t sleep on a scone. I also always forget how much I love apricot. It’s never IN anything, why is that?
The teaser for Last Night in Soho makes it look really good.
I revisited The Beekman and it continues to be just a solid ass place to take someone from out of town for a drink. It’s so beautifully designed and I’ll never get over what a great job was done in restoring it.
Okay, I know everyone knows about the cookies at Levain Bakery, but the dark chocolate peanut butter one might CHANGE YOU SPIRITUALLY.
I got some great British food gifts from Myers of Keswick in the West Village for my dad, it’s just a great little shop.
I finally went to the Dame pop-up! Exquisite fish and chips. I did sneak in my own gravy from Pommes Frites down the street since they don’t offer any, but no one seemed to mind (and by no one I mean that I hid it with a napkin anytime someone walked by). I understand this isn’t behavior I should exhibit, but fish and chips without gravy should be illegal. Anyway, I’m so excited they’re expanding into a full blown restaurant. Must return to see the new menu items.
So I was all excited to go see the new Little Island in the city, but then I realized that this goddam area was the one that I was so against a few years ago because it meant that they’d tear down the Pier 54 remnants! I can’t believe time had made me forget this fact! Those dirty fucks! So I may not visit it now. Debating all my options. Mentally I don’t know that I even need to escape to a new floating island.
I bought these black flats for my new part time hostess job (more on this in another post) and they’re so comfortable, it’s shocking.
Tried the new(ish) Key Lime Pie Kit-Kats and, what a shock, another winner.
I finally reviewed the KKW lip liner set that I mentioned months ago.
Of course I listened to Olivia Rodrigo’s new album Sour and the best songs are by far traitor and driver’s license (duh).
I took Baby Dog on a mini day trip to Coney Island and it was too fun. We walked along the pier, got my prediction from Grandma, spent three seconds in the sand and then sat by the water. We also went to the Coney Island Brewery and the best things about that place? The music is so perfect and late 90s, there’s a free tap that has still & sparkling water, they have beer flights on the menu to try different kinds (such a great idea), the grilled cheese was NUTS, and the alcoholic pink lemonade was summer in a can.
Some things I’m looking forward to doing this month: I’d really love to make this garlic jam that sounds incredible, I’m making it my mission to get to Mama’s Too on a Wednesday this month to try one of their legendary Wednesday sandwiches, and I’m so excited that casual street fairs have returned (check below for some upcoming ones).
If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in April over here.
Best Tweets of May 2021
KKW Lip Liner Set
Look, I’m the last person on earth who wants to support this family. Truly. But I’ve been looking for a nude set of lip liners forEVER and the fact that these were also mini lip liners - what more could I ask for? I love mini makeup versions of anything because I never, ever finish full sized items so those are a waste of money for me.
That being said, I am in love with this set. I use each of them as a liner and as a fill in colour. And they last. Look at these heavenly colours.
Right? I mean, my god. Makes me so angry how much I love these.