If you aren’t watching season two of Dave on FX, you’re fucking up.
Day Trip To Mystic, Connecticut
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!
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.
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.)
Best Tweets of July 2021 So Far
Wardrobe Challenge (July 2021)
I have always wanted to do an outfit of the day challenge because I wear about 5% of what’s in my closet and THE TIME HAS COME. I’ve never found an OOTD challenge that wasn’t corny as hell either, so I created this one. Yes, some days are easy ones (hahahah “hat”) but I mean c’mon, let me have that. And let me be clear, I am purchasing nothing new. All of these outfits will be put together with what I already own. I encourage you to join along if you, too, feel like you’ve been wearing the same outfit since March 2020.
There are 31 days in July, so let’s start this summer off right. Daily photos to follow!
June Jaunts 2021
July always feels like one big long nap to me. There’s never really anything going on, kids are off school, adults seem to work less, it’s kind of great in that way. Maybe I won’t hate it this year? In any case, here’s what went down in June.
I did Nathan’s podcast amidst his hiatus.
I recapped what I did from my spring list and made an upcoming summer to-do list, which I really encourage you to do on your own.
I read and reviewed The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Archor.
I’ve almost finished watching Living Single and seasons one through four are definitely the best ones. Love the episode where Kyle says goodbye to an old jazz venue that gets demolished, such a solid show.
I just saw the latest issue of the LCBO magazine and someone needs to pick me up that dill pickle vodka immediately.
Dying over how good the Strawberry Pound Cake candle smells from Bath & Body Works. Also picked up the Whipped Coffee candle for later this year from their semi-annual sale.
I went on an impromptu day trip to Connecticut.
I met up with Irene in Chinatown so I went early to walk around because man, I love that area.
I ate at dell’anima and it was insanely disappointing. It felt like being in a cafeteria at the mall, it’s just a terrible location. I wasn’t expecting much since I knew it was on 11th Avenue, but still. I had no idea it would be so deeply casual (which is upsetting for an NYC restaurant). The food was as average as could be. Also, can we stop with the plastic cups at restaurants? It’s time.
I also stopped by Anfora which is a pleasant little spot, especially before or after dinner.
I went to Daily Provisions and tried their roast beef sandwich and salted caramel brownie and does everywhere just suck this month? And I support Danny Meyer, but he truly is the master of overpricing food. Also - on what planet can a brownie taste bland?? Tell me??
I’m on the lash extension train again (I know, I’m weak) and I just got them done at Lash Princess in the city and they look incredible so I’m definitely going to return.
I rewatched Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding and yep, still great.
Love the stationary/toy store Modern State on the Upper East Side.
I’ve heard about cotton candy grapes for years and have never been able to get ahold of them, but I just found them and whoa! Everything you want them to be and more. Am I bothered by the fact that they’re 1000% modified and MUST be terrible for humans to eat? A bit.
I finally ate the Wednesday sandwich special at Mama’s Too on the Upper West Side and it was pretty incredible. It was a roast beef au jus with horseradish cream on top of their house-made pizza crust. It was a little heavy on the fatty pieces of meat, but once those were taken out, it was insanity to eat. Take a look.
We saw A Quiet Place 2 in theatres and yes it’s an okay movie but it was too suspenseful for me after not seeing a movie in theatres for so long. I don’t think I want any more suspense in my life.
We also watched The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It at home and meh. Patrick Wilson can still get it, though.
Yet another great song off of Olivia Rodrigo’s album.
I finally got a reservation at Forsythia and it was looooovely, I can’t wait to go again. The restaurant itself is beautiful and such a perfect date place, the chairs are gorgeous and comfortable, the service was flawless and the pastas were phenomenal (the garganelli was a standout for sure). And god knows how much I love a place that serves their bread with olive oil as well as butter, WHY DOESN’T EVERY PLACE DO THIS?
I had to try the panzanella salad at L’Artusi and of course it’s great, but it’s also just so genius to put the cheese ON THE BOTTOM of a salad like this one. (Also, I’ll forever support whatever this team wants to do.)
I tried the new Milk Bar cookies at Whole Foods and they truly taste like the cake truffles at their stores, so watch out.
The two best gelato flavours at il laboratorio del gelato? 1) Peach 2) Ginger. I’m telling you.
I’ve been looking for the perfect navy raincoat for years and I finally found her at J. Crew on sale for $71.
I tried the gelato at Anita Gelato and even though the wild strawberry with ricotta & mascarpone was really good, there’s no way it’s worth waiting in line for twenty minutes.
A great piece, with great photos on NYC reopening.
I made hash browns at home and does everyone do this already? It’s ridiculously easy and satisfying and I had no idea.
I’ve been on a real orzo bender lately and this tomato one was great. So was this lemon basil one (I added a ton of fresh parmesan and it was nuts).
This sketch is old, but I just saw it for the first time and man it’s great.
The new Halloween trailer is out and I want to love it but can’t we just let some things die?
This Target candle reminds me of Florida vacations and I want to buy ten.
I stupidly ate at Eataly (don’t do it, especially if you live in New York, you should know better) and of course it was bad. What a smart idea to eat at a place called Le Pizza & La Pasta, I’m a moron. Even smarter, I got the steak tartare and it was as bland as the day is long (and look I know I’m a clown for not even ordering pizza OR pasta when it’s in the name). The basil vodka cocktail was pretty good, though.
One thing that Eataly is good for, though, is selling really good dried pastas. I finally tried the brand Afeltra (the pasta as well as their canned tomatoes) and wowza. Definitely will be buying again. Best dried brand I’ve tried so far. Oh! I also bought this Ponti Balsamic Vinegar that tastes like candy, it’s so good. It’s thicker than other balsamics, so maybe it’s more of a finishing vinegar but I highly recommend.
I made these white chocolate apricot scones (and then later that week some white chocolate strawberry scones) and they were phenomenal. I did use cake flour because that’s all I had and I think that might be the reason they tasted so great. Also, it’s a wildly easy recipe to follow incase you’re intimidated by the word “scone.”
I started watching the new season of Dave and it’s so well done I could scream (do you remember how good this part was from last season?). Such a good show. I do sort of hate men more by the end of each episode, so I don’t know what that’s about but I think I’m okay with it.
Bought a new nonstick frying pan (the GreenPan) and it’s incredible. Sometimes the answer is new cookware, no matter the question.
Nathan bought a new filtered shower-head and it’s making me excited for every shower now. Just a powerhouse. Feels like I’m at a hotel in there.
Since it’s summer, I’d love to make these summer recipes:
Some things that I’m looking forward to: I’m not usually into miniseries but Nine Perfect Strangers looks pretty good so I might watch that, we’re going to TWO weddings this month so that will be wonderful, and I really need to get back in a pool so I’m working on that happening.
If you have any interest in reading what went on in May, come on over here.
Best Tweets of June 2021
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!