Christian Dior Exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum
You know how I feel about going into Brooklyn (no one should ever need to go to Brooklyn), but this exhibit makes it fully worth the trek. The Dior exhibit is on until February 2022 and if you’ve ever enjoyed the fashion exhibits put on at The Met, then you’ll absolutely love this collection.
“With objects drawn primarily from the Dior archives, the exhibition includes a vast array of over two hundred haute couture garments as well as photographs, archival videos, sketches, vintage perfume elements, accessories, and works from the Museum’s collection.”
Here were my very favourites pieces in the collection (included in the captions are the places I would wear them to).
Can you see why I love going to these exhibits? How can you not imagine where you’d wear each beautiful piece you see? In any case, you really should go. Tickets available over here.
Navigating November 2021
Should I comment on how fast this year has gone by or is that just a commonality of general life now and never needs to be said again?
Here’s what went down in November.
You can find my favourite tweets of the month over here and here.
I wrote about the very best Thanksgiving recipes. I’m going to do this type of post again for Christmas recipes soon.
I detailed my visit to the Treasures exhibit at the New York Public Library.
My friend Irene & I tried the pizza at Di Fara’s in Brooklyn and while it was good, it was nowhere near worth the drive out there. Just way too far, we might as well have gone to New Jersey. Good pizza, though!
Here’s some advice on how to have a cheaper Christmas this year because everything costs a million dollars now?
If you’ve never been to the Octagon House in Irvington, New York then you now have no excuse not to go for yourself.
New things I watched:
Only Murders in the Building - phenomenal! Everyone should watch! Can’t recommend it enough.
Squid Game - yes I’m the last person on earth who watched it and yes it was fantastic. That old man! Fuck!
The newest season of Curb Your Enthusiasm - yeah, I think I can’t watch anymore. I think I’m done with love/hate relationships because there’s no actual love here and why am I doing this to myself?
The newest season of Big Mouth - the shame episode is phenomenal. This is just such a good show, I’m so glad it exists.
The newest season of Nora From Queens - this season was really up and down for me, but it finished really strong. This is corny but the idea of not being lost if you have people you care for and who care for you? I love it. I’m in. The father is by far the best character and maybe the main reason I keep watching at this point.
That’s Entertainment! Have you heard of this old movie? It’s not even a movie really, it’s a collection of moments from old Hollywood productions. I’d never even heard of Esther Williams, but oh my god what a woman.
I made these salty vanilla espresso chocolate chip cookies that exceeded expectations. I think I might only like cookies that have chocolate in them. It’s nice to finally realize this. It’s also nice to admit to fully being a child with this preference.
I can’t remember the last time autumn in New York looked this beautiful.
A list of ten things you should do before Christmas (with the exception of visiting the Waldorf since it reopens in 2023).
Slightly obnoxious reminder: GET GIFT RECEIPTS.
Have you tried a satsuma mandarin? A seedless beauty.
New seasonal candles at Trader Joe’s!
My brother Gary’s podcast has returned and his first episode back was about Alf and it couldn’t be greater.
Nathan and I saw Jeff Daniels in To Kill A Mockingbird on Broadway and it was so, so good. Everyone should see him in it. But it was also just such a great feeling to be out on the town and dressed up.
We’re redecorating our apartment right now and I couldn’t be more in love with our new washroom shelving. I feel like that sentence might make you sad for me, but don’t be! I’m actually living a really fun, cool life.
I’ve been craving tomato soup lately and the one at Il Bambino in Astoria is too perfect. But stay far far away from the one at Astoria Bier & Cheese because their tomato soup is putrid (which is weird because their sandwiches are great).
I’ve made this 10-ingredient lentil bolognese a few times and I think it’ll be in my permanent recipe rotation. It’s really hearty, but not at all bland and you really don’t miss the meat.
I’ll forever love Boursin cheese, this will always be true. And their new fig & balsamic flavour? Out of this world good.
I went to the beautiful restaurant on the water Red Hat on the River with my dear friend Diana and it was good! Nothing spectacular, but good. The mussels are the main reason to go, in my opinion. Tasty as hell.
I’m really on the fence about reusable gift wrap, but it does look simplistic and pretty.
I visited the Lyndhurst mansion that has been newly decorated for the holidays and it was very quaint. I will admit that the Octagon House was a little bit more exciting, but I’ll never turn down a visit to a nice house in the country.
Loved this list of 90s Dad Thrillers, it’s just such a good genre.
Have you heard of the dollar-store-esque store Five Below? I hadn’t until this month and I’m mad I didn’t know about it sooner.
Can someone please buy me the winter spiced cranberry Sprite? Why does it look so damn good?
Loved, loved, loved this performance (below).
So I perused the new Chrissy Teigen cookbook and there’s really nothing exciting in it. And is it just me or does she use fish sauce as her “special ingredient” in almost every dish she has? And I like fish sauce, but this is getting ridiculous.
The fabric ornaments at West Elm are extremely cute this year. Did I need to buy a mouse wearing a sweater when I saw it and fell in love with it? I guess this is my life now?
Absolutely addicted to the new herbaceous cheesy bites from Trader Joe’s. A smaller, fancier mozzarella stick? I’m in, baby. (Also their seasonal rosemary nuts are fantastic.)
I had THE worst eyelash extension experience at Wow Threading Studio on 26th Street and no one should ever ever ever get eyelash “cluster” extensions. They couldn’t be worse. (Scathing review in the Yelp link.)
Incase you love seasonal episodes:
I bought a new winter mug with white snowflakes on Etsy and I’m in love.
Tried a donut from Mochi Mochi and you know what? I don’t like donuts that much these days, but this one I liked. Less dense than other donuts. (Tip: if you’re looking for Squid Game Dalgona candy, they sell them here at their location in Herald Square.)
The Union Square Holiday Market has begun and the duck fat poutine from Duck Season was INSANITY. So, so good. Better than some Canadian poutines. Go immediately.
As soon as the colder weather starts, I always buy one new couch blanket (I guess adults call them throw blankets) and I’m in love with this Banana Republic Factory one (in the Burnt Umber colour). What is umber? Couldn’t tell you. But I can tell you that it’s chocolate coloured.
The Metropolitan Postcard Club sponsors a special two day show every November where approximately thirty-five to forty postcard dealers from around the nation and the world attend to introduce their cards to the public, so of course I went and here are some of the best ones I came across.
I went to see the Dior exhibit at The Brooklyn Museum and I reviewed it over here.
The Thanksgiving croissant returned in all its glory! It is now $9 (because 2021 won’t let you have affordable things anymore), but it’s still amazing tasting. I also tried Milk Bar’s apple cake which was good but way too sweet. And their cinnamon pretzel soft serve was delicious. This place exhausts me with their new menu items, I don’t know how they continuously keep it up.
I think I’ve found the greatest scent of all time at Bath & Body Works: Fall Citrus Harvest.
I’ve mentioned my love of Supermoon Bakehouse before and my sweet friends Katie & Greg (thankyouthankyou!) got me a giant box treats from them that was absolutely decadent and incredible. Everyone must visit this bakery.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month:
I made this home movie of the holidays a few years ago that I might make again this year since we haven’t been together as a full family since December 2019 and I beg you to maybe do one of your own as well because you will watch it over and over, I promise.
If you’re at all superstitious or just, like, a cool person - don’t forget to buy your bayberry candles!
Will I be watching all of the snowy movies on this list? I’m only human, I have to.
While I’m in Ontario, I really want to get my hands on this vegan cheese that’s supposed to be incredible.
I’m planning on making roast beef on Christmas Eve mainly so I can make these roast beef sandwiches for lunch on Christmas Day.
If you have any interest in reading what went on in October, come on over here.
The Best Tweets of November 2021
The Octagon House
I had the opportunity to visit the Armour-Stiner Octagon House in Irvington, New York earlier this season and good god, what a beauty. The house has started giving inside tours throughout the autumn and winter seasons and I’m so glad I was able to get tickets.
Some history on the house: “It was built in 1859–1860 by financier Paul J. Armour based on the architectural ideas of Orson Squire Fowler, the author of The Octagon House: A Home for All Occasions. Fowler believed that octagonal houses enclosed more space, provided more interior sunlight, and that its rooms were easily accessible to each other. The architect of the house is unknown. It is the only known octagonal house based on the domed colonnade shape of a Roman temple. The dome was added and the house was enlarged during 1872–1876 by Joseph Stiner, who was a tea importer. The Armour–Stiner House is said to be one of the most lavish octagon houses built in the period, and is now one of only perhaps a hundred still extant.”
It’s truly just an incredible house, there have been haunting experiences (but really, if a house is older than a hundred years it has to be at least a little haunted, that’s just proper ghost etiquette) so that makes it even more exciting in my mind. If you have any desire to see it for yourself, you can find tickets and more information on the house over here.
Treasures Exhibit at The New York Public Library
As far as I know, the NYPL has never had an exhibit like this one before. It showcases literary pieces from their world-renowned research collections - from a draft of the Declaration of Independence to the original Winnie-the-Pooh and Friends and more. Here are the coolest things that I saw.
This is Charles Dickens’s desk, writing slope, lamp, desk calendar, and chair (below). Fun Fact: “In the fall of 1940, the mayor of New York City, Fiorello La Guardia, was invited (or took it upon himself; we don’t know which) to sit in Dickens’s chair and see how it would have felt to have been the great author. Whereupon he broke right through the caning in the seat, and nobody has ever been allowed to sit in Dickens’s chair since that date.”
This is the 1623 first folio of William Shakespeare’s works. It’s just insanity to be able to this see this person.
This is Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Kanga, and Eeyore. Pooh was purchased at Harrods department store in London and given by A. A. Milne to his son Christopher Robin on his first birthday, August 21, 1921. The rest of the toys were received as gifts by Christopher Robin between 1920 and 1928.
This is Arthur Rackham’s design for the cover of the original Cinderella in pen and ink with watercolor from 1919.
And this is Charles Dickens’s paper knife from 1862. It is made of ivory, a cat’s paw and metal. Evidently he was a dog lover, but his daughter Mamie persuaded him to let her keep a cat, Williamina, who later gave birth to a litter of kittens; all but one - Bob - were given away. Mamie related that “the master’s cat,” so called by the household servants for his devotion to Dickens, would “follow him about the garden like a dog, and sit with him while he wrote,” and even snuff out candles with his paw in a bid for attention. After Bob died, his paw was fashioned into this paper knife. It is likely that the paper knife was not actively used, and that it was regarded as a decorative tribute to a beloved pet.
You should definitely take some time before or after your visit to walk around the library itself because it’s breathtaking. It’s been around for over a hundred years and it’s a miracle that it’s still so well preserved. It’ll always blow my mind that it’s free to see.
There are other incredible things to be seen (Virginia Woolf’s walking stick - the one that was found near the water where she killed herself, the Bill of Rights, Thomas Jefferson’s handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence, etc.) so you really should go take a look for yourself.
Tickets are completely free and can be reserved here for a timed entry.
Best Thanksgiving Recipes
American Thanksgiving is in one week! Do I care? As a Canadian, of course not! The real one was on the second Monday of October. But since so many people are about to enjoy their sweet little late turkey, maybe it’s time to publicly declare my favourite tried & true recipes you might want to try this (fake) Thanksgiving.
Appetizers
Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip - It’s become a staple appetizer in my house now because it’s ridiculously easy, flavourful and can be made ahead of time then popped in the oven alongside the turkey. Tortilla chips taste best with it, but if you want to dunk a Dorito instead this is your life and you have to live it proudly.
Rumaki - I can't find the recipe for this, but it's basically water chestnuts wrapped in bacon on a toothpick and baked in steak sauce. Incredible. (Thank you for introducing this to me years ago, Marla!)
Cranberry Jell-O Shots - Alcoholic & adorable.
Spinach, Bacon & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms - I absolutely love these stuffed mushrooms, but I’ve made them so many times I think I have to take a break from them for a little while. If you haven’t tried them though, you must. Whatever you do, don’t skip the breadcrumbs step because it’s the best part.
Cauliflower Toasts - Oh my god, the name is so boring but this is truly one of the best appetizers on the planet. Especially if you’re not hosting that many people and they happen to be mostly adults. Do children like cauliflower? I don’t know and truthfully I don’t care.
Side Dishes
Cranberry Sauce - This has been the one I’ve made for years now and it’s perfect. You can make it a few days in advance and it makes your home smell amazing. Even if you don’t like cranberry sauce, just make it… someone will appreciate it and love it. I am someone.
Cranberry Butter - It’s so good on literally everything (potatoes, dinner rolls, crackers, I can go on and I will, corn, garlic bread, green beans, stuffing). It’s untouchable. Even if this doesn’t sound amazing to you, I encourage you to make some kind of fancy butter because then if you screw up most of the meal, you’ll still be considered pretty fancy for making your own compound butter (honey butter, cinnamon butter, basil butter, etc.).
Kale Caesar Salad with Chickpeas & Sweet Potatoes - One of my favourite salad recipes of all time, even a kale hater MIGHT be okay with this salad because the dressing is just so good.
The Ultimate Salad Vinaigrette - If you dislike shallots then stay away from this recipe, but if you understand flavour and taste, then this is the greatest simple dressing of all time. The arugula part doesn’t matter much, pick whatever leafy green you prefer.
Boxed Stuffing - Okay, so I’m going to make homemade stuffing this year to see if it’s actually better, but every other year of my life I’ve made boxed because I love it, AS LONG AS YOU’RE FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
Best Garlic Bread - I love this spread because it’s so involved, it just screams effort. And yes, simple garlic bread is beautiful and amazing, but for the holidays it’s nice to go a little nuts.
Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad - Does this seem insane to include as a side? I guess it would make sense to skip adding the chicken since it’s already such a big meal, but it’s truly just a great side dish with or without the chicken.
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes - Any kind of mashed potatoes are good mashed potatoes. Since everything else on the dinner table is usually so much more decadent, I like having a simple potato dish. One year I attempted scalloped potatoes, but I used too deep of a dish and it came out raw so I’ve always been a little afraid to attempt those again.
Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Pudding - Yes the phrase “corn pudding” sounds disgusting, I agree, we have to move on from that initial thought because this is SUCH a good corn side dish recipe. But whatever you do, I beg you to cut the recipe in half. It’s insane how the portioning is off on this one, I guarantee you’ll still have leftovers even if you half it.
Make Ahead White Wine Gravy - So, so good.
Entrees
Easy, No Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey - My mom usually handles the turkey, but the one time I tried to help I used this rub and it was sublime.
Eggplant Lasagna - Too, too good. If you’re not offering vegetarian options in 2021, nobody likes you.
Desserts
Individual No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups - There’s just something about an individual dessert, it’s so classy and almost independent? I don’t know what I’m saying, but you get it.
Banana Cake with Coffee Frosting - Truly heaven on earth. I have put this frosting on cookies it’s so unreal. I’m really ruining your life by telling you about it.
Apple Fritter Cake - I’ve never made apple fritters and now I never have to. Truly shocked at how good this tasted. It’s a bit of a wet cake, but sometimes that can be a wonderful thing.
Leftover Ideas
Leftover Stuffing Muffins - Simply incredible. I purposely make extra stuffing mainly so I can make these for the following week. Oooo and you can cut a stuffing muffin in half and then make yourself a mini turkey sandwich! Just thought of this! Gah! How am I not in charge of more things in this life?! It’s infuriating.
The Leftover Sandwich - Okay, so every year (starting with last year), I have altered the bread in this sandwich recipe. I think that will just be the tradition from now on because I kind of love it. Last year I went with focaccia (stellar) and this year I did a soft ciabatta roll (wowza). The main ingredients are turkey, cranberry sauce (or cranberry butter), stuffing, caramelized onions, cheddar & gravy. I love this sandwich and it will remain the legacy I leave on the world. That might be sad? I’m okay with it.
All that being said, I love to try a few new recipes each year to see what works and what doesn’t. Here’s what has caught my eye this year.
Mushroom & Leek Bread Pudding - It’s an Ina recipe so how could it be bad? Also, I think I love the idea of doing a bread pudding instead of a stuffing. Although I do love stuffing. So I might just make this and call it a mushroom & leek bread stuffing, which would solve everything in my brain.
Turkey & Cranberry Ravioli - Love this as an idea for leftovers. I just bought wonton wrappers and I. am. PUMPED.
Loaded Baked Potato Chips - I love when appetizers are individually portioned out already. Makes me feel like I’m at a rich person’s house.
Simple Stuffing - I do love the idea of making this for the first time. I’m just so worried it’ll taste SO boring so it’s a toss up between this one and old bread pudding at the top there.
Stuffed Mushroom Casserole - Genius idea! Absolutely doing this.
Southern Baked Mac & Cheese - Is this insane on a Thanksgiving table? Or is it just what has been missing?
Honey Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots - I can’t decide if my family will laugh me out of the house if I put these on a table and expect them to be eaten? We’re not exactly a “vegetable” family. (Hahah, is that like stupid apparent?? I put frosting on cookies for christsake.)
Peas & Pancetta - How could this not be good? But again… the vegetable conundrum.
Leftover Turkey & Stuffing Croquettes - These are giving me such strong crab cake vibes, I couldn’t be more into it.
Maple Pumpkin Gingersnap Tiramisu Trifle - I mean, this looks almost royal.
However you’re eating this great meal on Thursday, I beg you to try at least one of these. You will thank me greatly and everyone will love you.
Hoping you have a “Happy” “Thanksgiving!”
Best Tweets of November 2021 So Far
October Occurrences 2021
October is complete and I’m exhausted. Every year I try to make the most of October and every year I feel like I accomplish just that. And then November arrives and I feel like I can relax again for a minute before the rush and excitement of December begins. I complain, but I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way. Here’s what went down last month!
I finally made the journey to Salem, Massachusetts and it was everything I’d hoped it would be.
I got this great temporary tattoo from Etsy that I kind of really want to get as a real tattoo now. Could this ever happen? Could I change my entire non-tattoo personality overnight? And if there’s a reality in which this could happen, what would I tell people is the reasoning behind it? That I love Halloween? That it’s a reminder to just live? (← Okay that might be the corniest thought on this entire blog but aren’t all reasons behind tattoos corny as hell? Do people even have reasoning behind their tattoos anymore? DID THEY EVER? Do you see why I’m not made for this??)
I’ve seen most of the new SNLs this season and here are some thoughts:
Owen Wilson ep. - based on the monologue alone, how is this man not considered the most charming celebrity on this planet? He’s so likable, it almost hurts. Love that whole family. (I still dream of Luke Wilson as my third husband or something. He just seems like he might treat me so good?) And the episode wasn’t bad overall but mostly because I think Owen’s just… so nice.
Kim K. ep. - I won’t spell out the K word, I just won’t do it. This episode was an alien-level of bad. It blew my mind to find out that a lot of people thought differently and even liked it. Not even mainly because she was terrible (she was), but the writing was like… what the fuck is going on? These people are WRITERS? It made me so mad for a bit. Just agonizingly awful.
Rami Malek ep. - entirely forgettable but not especially terrible.
Jason Sudeikis ep. - okay, now this makes NO sense after the Kim episode, but this was the funniest episode I’ve seen in maybe years. What is going ON? Sudeikis was, obviously, perfect but of course he was gonna be. Can’t love this sketch more.
SO EXCITED for Simu Liu to host next month, seems wild to have someone who knows where Square One is hosting this show.
I tried the new apple cider truffles from Milk Bar and you guessed it: great.
Some of the family went on a mini trip to Niagara Falls and it was nice to get away, even for just a night. We were missing a few people though and that never feels right.
I attempted to get passes to Open House New York’s annual weekend and it went horribly. The site crashed immediately upon opening and then everything good was instantly sold out when it came back online. This damn city sometimes, I’m telling you.
I tried the pie crust cookies from Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods on the Upper West Side and they did not disappoint. Honestly just love the bold name choice.
I have watched so many movies this past month, they’re all kind of a blur. No true standouts, but one. Hubie Halloween. Do not watch it. A movie hasn’t made me that irrationally mad in years. Just unwatchable shit. Can that man just go somewhere and sit on all his money and be happy? He needs to be stopped.
I finished the series On My Block and it’s really just a sweet little show. Happy it ended the way it did and when it did. Fully recommend (the first two seasons mostly).
So I’m in the middle of giving up meat for a month for some health reasons (they’re boring reasons so I’m not going into details) and have you ever heard of meat withdrawal? I hadn’t but it’s real, baby. Thought I had the flu or COVID for awhile (I got tested and it was negative) but all the symptoms aligned with cutting meat. Who knew?
So I’m not going to buy the entire Simpsons collection because I’m not wildly irresponsible anymore, but I really want to buy this makeup bag.
My 16 year old niece visited New York for the first time and it was such a great trip. Highlights from the trip: we saw the Joker steps in the Bronx, we saw the musical Wicked (which was TOO good), she went to a cat cafe, we listened to jazz in Harlem, we had dessert at Serendipity, we went to Coney Island to walk around and ride the Wonder Wheel, it was such a busy weekend, I’m so glad we were able to do so much. Loved having her here.
I made an apple fritter cake for Thanksgiving in Canada that was heavenly. Definitely going to make it again at some point.
Links I’m Loving:
After reading so many good reviews, we got Mexican takeout from Ruta in Astoria and good god, that salsa. It’s incredible and deep red and I can’t wait to have it again.
I’m not a giant pumpkin fan but I made pumpkin pecan scones with a maple glaze that were very good. I tend to prefer a lighter, fluffier scone, but the pumpkin weighed these down a bit to make them a bit more dense. I also had so much leftover pumpkin, so I made some soft pumpkin cookies with salted maple icing that were really, really good. Both recipes can be made vegan if you’re better than the rest of us.
I found a new waxing place in Astoria that is incredible: Rio Wax Studio. Not only is it priced reasonably, but the service is incredible. She gets your ingrown hairs like a fucking scientist with special glasses and a magnifying device, it’s amazing. Never going anywhere else again.
I went to see the pumpkin flotilla in Central Park and it was wonderful. (People bring in their carved pumpkins and then the Central Park staff arrange them on these little planks to be floated across the water and lit up.) Yes, it’s an event aimed at children, but I like cute/fun things as much as any child.
So I entered the Broadway ticket lottery and somehow won (why doesn’t everyone in NY enter this lottery, like, every day?), so I saw Aladdin on Broadway and look, it was cute. It isn’t for me, though. Off and on throughout the whole production I kept thinking about how the 1992 version is so far superior, but I looked around and the kids in that theatre were wowed. So that’s great. One thing that was incredible? The flying magic carpet scene. That was true beauty. Another highlight of the night was being able to walk around and see the inside of the New Amsterdam theatre. Just an architectural beauty. Every view in that theatre is magnificent.
It’s finally soup season, so you can find me most days at Il Bambino in Astoria. Every soup they’ve ever done has been spectacular.
I’d always heard good things about the Halloween decorations on the brownstones in the Upper West Side, so I spent the day wandering around up there and had such a nice walk searching for them. Here were the best streets should you want to see for yourself next year.
87th Street (between Columbus & Amsterdam)
95th Street (between Columbus & Central Park West)
94th Street (between Central Park West & Columbus)
West 88th Street (between Central Park West & Columbus)
West 69th Street (between Broadway and Central Park West)
For Halloween, Baby Dog dressed as Anne of Green Gables and Nathan & I were Bella & Mortimer Goth from The Sims.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I have to get my hands on Dave Grohl’s new book, it’s Thanksgiving croissant time (the best time of the year), the casual outpost of L’Artusi just opened (B’Artusi) so I’ll have to head over there soon, the new holiday stamps just came out and I can’t get to the post office fast enough, I got my ticket for the Dior exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum which should be great, I may or may be headed to another old mansion upstate for a holiday tour of the grounds, and I’m definitely going to write about recent visits to the fashion exhibit at the Met and about visiting The Octagon House upstate, too. Oh and if you care, don’t forget that the Sephora sale starts on November 5th if you’re doing any Christmas shopping.
If you have any interest in reading what went on in September, come on over here.
