(You can see my favourite photos from 2022 over here.)
Favourite Photos of 2023
by Liz Heather in Family, Personal
Favourite Photos of 2023
December Dalliances 2023
Grand Central Station, December 2023
Grand Central Station, December 2023
Welcome to the last monthly post of the year! I would say that this felt like a fast year but truthfully it still feels like 2012 to me so my opinions might not be reality-based. Here’s what went down last month!
Here are the best tweets of the month.
I recapped how I did on my autumn list.
I wrote my winter list of things that I want to do.
I got drinks at The Peninsula, which was fun and Christmas-y but wildly overpriced.
With Diana at The Peninsula
Some of the department store windows in NYC this year were fantastic.
Saks Holiday Display, 2023
Rockefeller Tree, December 2023
The New York Public Library, December 2023
The NYPL Christmas Tree, December 2023
I made these espresso martini cookies and they were really good.
Nathan’s special was named Best YouTube Special of 2023 by The New York Times (!!!!!!!)
Finally got dinner at Mel’s (in the old Del Posto space) and it was good! But I never need to go again.
We’ve needed new pots and pans for over a decade, so it was immensely satisfying to buy this set from Wayfair.
I made this apple crumb cake over Christmas break and I didn’t try it (!), but it wasn’t a big hit since it was only half eaten by the time I left for New York so I should remember not to make this one again. (Also I never want to become the type of person who doesn’t eat the things she makes for others, it goes against everything I stand for??)
Speaking of Christmas food, so much was made!
Still obsessed with making homemade pizza with sausage and fennel.
Two charcuterie boards: I will forever add candy to these boards going forward. And I finally made the ricotta jam jar and it was a a big hit. Absolutely should be on all charcuterie boards at all times. (The tip I use to make this faster: make the tomato jam yourself, but absolutely buy jarred pesto.)
The mushroom loaf (that I learned about from this tweet) that I will absolutely make again, it was so good.
The leftover turkey sandwich: always a winner.
The Nutella cookies: always my favourite. Next year I won’t be so stingy with the amount of Nutella.
Made the spinach & artichoke puff pastry Christmas tree for the second time and I absolutely love this recipe. It’s delicious, beautiful and actually not difficult to make.
Not every recipe can be a winner, so the losers this year? The Christmas lunch roast beef sandwiches. The meat was overcooked and tough enough that it made me instantly decide to try a new lunch recipe next year. Also I’ve messed up shortbread on TWO different recipes this month. The Alison Roman ones I always make during the holidays AND a new recipe of chocolate pistachio shortbread cookies. Both doughs were beyond crumbly, and they just didn’t taste right. So I’ll need to take a long shortbread break.
Sausage & fennel pizza
Christmas tree charcuterie board
I’m still learning how to create a good board
Ricotta jam jar
Mushroom loaf
Leftover turkey sandwich
Nutella-stuffed cookies
Spinach & artichoke puff pastry Christmas tree
Obsessed with the Mighty Patch nose patches.
Some things I watched:
I started Office Christmas Party and stopped it after twenty minutes, it was so bad.
I finished The Crown. Oof. Other than the fact that this was, by far, the worst season of all - it really made me focus on what a terrible show it truly is and how thankful I am that it has ended. I hate that it was based on all of these real people, but so much of it is fiction. If the writers/creators would have just committed to either being fully truthful or fully fictitious then I wouldn’t be left with this feeling of disgust. There’s so much to complain about, but I’ll let it go because let’s just be glad it’s done. But really… the ghost of Diana? God, this series was sick.
The egg nog flavoured Greek yogurt at Trader Joe’s is spectacular.
Officially a nog head
We didn’t have the whole family together this Christmas (which never feels right), but we made the most of it.
Christmas kids!
Did my annual skating night with some close friends that truly heals us all, haha.
Buying skates at age 38 was the smartest decision I’ve made in my adult life
Nathan and I spent the past few days near Baltimore in Maryland and went to The B&O Railroad Museum (yes the B&O Railroad from Monopoly), which is a must-visit attraction if you’re nearby and then I had a great crab cake from Alexander’s Tavern.
Fun clouds make a photo a thousand times cooler
I told Nathan that one of his resolutions will (not “should”) be “take more photos of Liz.”
Fully regret not buying this shirt
Train museums are the best museums, fight me
Maryland crab cake!
Some things that I’m looking forward to this month: looking forward to seeing the Restaurant Week menus (it starts on January 16th), I’m going to start using this first-of-the-month checklist again and I’ll recap my resolutions from last year as well as make new 2024 ones.
If you have any interest in the other monthly roundups of 2023, they can be found here: November, October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February and January.
Baby Dog in slumber
The Best Tweets of December 2023
The Best Christmas Tweets 2023
Winter List 2023
Childhood bedroom window
Childhood bedroom window
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
I love that the first day of the winter is in the same week as Christmas, I always seem to forget that it is and it’s the nicest surprise every year. Here’s what I’d love to do this season.
Go skiing.
Eat ramen for the first time (I know, it’s insane this hasn’t happened).
Make some Christmas-y appetizers (cranberry grilled cheese, charcuterie wreath, etc.)
Get the lobster bisque from The Soupman (the Seinfeld soup nazi) near Central Park (I haven’t eaten it in years and it’s incredible).
Find a snowmobile and ride it. This one will be hard to do because I don’t know anyone with a snowmobile (mental note: make a resolution to befriend snowmobile types).
I’ll also watch some of these movies, obviously. And I hope you write a winter list of your own because no one is going to enjoy your life for you.
And if you’re stuck on ideas, you can see my past winter lists below: Winter List 2022, Winter List 2021, Winter List 2020, Winter List 2019, Winter List 2018, Winter List 2017 and Winter List 2015.
Autumn List 2023 Revisited
Camden in the leaves
Camden in the leaves
Autumn has ended! Welcome to the coziest time of year. Here’s how my autumn list went.
1. Make an apple flavoured dessert.
I made my favourite apple fritter cake for Thanksgiving. Might be my favourite apple dessert of all time? I also made apple cider doughnut cookies that were pretty great, too
Apple fritter cake
Apple cider doughnut cookies
2. Taste a turnip.
For some reason, every time I saw one at the grocery I winced and kept moving. Maybe I need someone to cook me a turnip? I don’t ask for much from my friends.
3. Make a homemade pumpkin syrup for iced coffee.
Did it! And I might do this every year from now on. Homemade syrup tastes eons better than any bottled one.
4. Wear bolder lipsticks.
I did! Mostly in October, but still.
5. Watch at least ten horror movies I haven’t seen before.
Sabrina The Teenage Witch (the movie) - not horror but spooky themed so I’m counting it. As well as Knock At the Cabin, Prom Night, Blades, Trick R Treat, Coherence, The Fog, Night Beast, Tourist Trap, The Black Phone and Child’s Play 2.
4/5! Okay, that’s pretty good. Winter list coming tomorrow!
Navigating November 2023
Can someone please make me a Nordstrom flagship store ambassador?
Can someone please make me a Nordstrom flagship store ambassador?
I truly love autumn weather, there’s just so much vest action. I couldn’t be happier. Here’s what went down last month!
The best tweets of the month can be found over here.
I finished up the Fall Fridays series because autumn ends in my brain November 1st.
I have friends who are kind of a big deal and I make appearances on their TikToks.
Finally bought new nonstick pots and pans and IS THIS HOW EVERYONE IS LIVING? Had no idea this kind of kitchen ease was possible. My eggs are gliding in these babies, it’s almost sensual.
Loved Kaia Wine Bar on the Upper East Side. $8 martinis in 2023 is so unbelievable, I really should shut my mouth about it. I also tried birria tacos for the first time and lord almighty. Who wouldn’t want to dunk something delicious in something else delicious? Duck tacos were incredible, too.
I think these took off in popularity because someone smart decided not to call them “wet tacos”
I heard a great baking tip: make whipped cream fast in a food processor. So smart.
Experienced the awfulness that is Rolf’s German (Christmas) restaurant in the city. DO NOT GO. I let loose on a Google review and maybe that’s cold, but I had to, man.
A place this pretty has to be absolute trash.
Nathan was featured again in the New York Times recommending his Gramercy show (which he’s going to tape on February 5th), so that was huge. I’m becoming a regular at the framing place near my house and it’s wonderful.
Nathan! Succeeding!
So in love with the new Wegman’s in the city. I wish I could go back in time and tell kid Liz how much time she’d spend in grocery stores as an adult - she’d lose her little mind. There are just too many good deals at different grocers! I’ll never be above a good deal.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you already know how much I loved The Shark is Broken on Broadway. Best play I’ve seen in years. The Times critic Jesse Green is absolutely out of his mind for his review of it. (A deep dive of this man showed that he loved Shucked, so now I know he’s not the brightest.)
I made a pumpkin pie rice krispies fake pie because my dear friend Casey wanted one for Thanksgiving and it was cute as hell.
Rice Krispies Pumpkin Pie
Vowing to get the Baskin-Robbins ice cream turkey cake next fake Thanksgiving. I did sample their Turkey Day Fixin’s flavour of the month and you know what? I respect it.
I saw too many outfit reels on Instagram and it altered my brain in thinking that I needed that one boring black, basic, long, “evening” coat that every white woman under 40 owns for every winter outfit so I bought the $50 one at Zara and returned it within two days. I’M NOT THAT WOMAN! Also that coat has the worst material, every single piece of lint in the air is attracted to it. Remember when Zara was good quality?
If you’ve ever used a Half Baked Harvest recipe, you might find this article interesting. The blogger apparently responded to the piece on Martha Stewart’s podcast, but I haven’t heard it yet.
Absolutely gutted that Duck Season is permanently closed! It had the only good poutine in this entire country. I’m not being dramatic.
So I’ve been doing this morning routine for about three weeks now and it’s wild how much happier it has made me. I wake up, make a spinach smoothie, walk Baby Dog, come home and eat an omelet and then open my email/look at my phone, etc. It’s been incredible. Also, not to overshare but I’ve also been drinking three liters of water each day and I don’t necessarily see a difference yet, but I do have an underlying better-than-you vibe that has been hard to shake off.
I don’t want to get you too excited but I am in possession of THE GLOOM ROOM. My overly generous friend Yassir got it for us and my life might now be complete? Words can’t express the beauty of this piece. (I couldn’t stop saying how “coveted” it is in the “miniature community” at fake Thanksgiving and I think it might have ended the party early?)
My wonderful friend Richard made stuffing as a main entree for a dinner at home and CAN WE MAKE THIS A THING? Genius idea.
STUFFING FOR DINNER
You’re already Christmas shopping so just a gentle reminder: get the gift receipt.
The snow is coming and you will slip and possibly fall. Act accordingly.
I saw Priscilla in theatres and loved it. It was a little slow, but still great. I also bought the book it was based on, so that review is coming soon.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: of course I’ll be lighting my bayberry candles on Christmas Eve as well as New Year’s Eve, December is always the most expensive month but it doesn’t have to be, don’t forget to buy your mistletoe, I’ll definitely watch some of these, I’ll absolutely watch The Snowman yet again and once again I’m begging you not to give lottery tickets as gifts.
If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went on in October over here. And my autumn highlights on Instagram can be found here.
The Best Tweets of November 2023
Fall Fridays Vol. 9
Central Park, NYC
Central Park, NYC
Welcome to the final Fall Fridays! I know that autumn technically ends on December 20th, but I refuse to acknowledge that. If I see a Santa display then that means it’s Christmas. The seasons (as I know them) are: spring, hell, autumn, Christmas, winter - I don’t make the rules.
BAKING/COOKING
I made a rice krispies pumpkin pie for American Thanksgiving and it turned out pretty well! Kind of a perfect dessert for a kids table.
Rice krispies pumpkin pie
CRAVING
The duck confit poutine from Duck Season at the Union Square Holiday Market that reopened this week.
DRINKING
Spinach smoothies in the morning as soon as I wake up. I never thought I’d get into it, but it’s annoying how good it makes me feel.
EATING
I’ve started making omelets with caramelized onions and goat cheese daily and I have to tell you: it really makes you think you’re better than other people. It’s so fast and easy and delicious that I’m a little mad I didn’t start doing this sooner.
EXPERIENCING
I went to see the miniature train exhibit at the New York Transit Museum (in Grand Central Station). I don’t know when my passion for miniatures began, but it’s deepening at an alarming pace.
Miniature trains display at Grand Central Station, NYC
LISTENING
It’s Black Friday, so the Christmas playlist is officially playing.
LOVING
Family Matters Christmas episodes. I should probably do a post on other sitcom Christmas episodes, I can sense how much you want that.
SHOPPING
Got some gingerbread whipped cream from Target for the rice krispies and whoa. It would be heavenly in a mug of hot chocolate.
Gingerbread whipped cream at Target
WATCHING
I watched the new episodes of The Crown and this show is just sick. Showing conversations between two dead people that no one can corroborate? Get a life.
WEARING
Sometimes I wear all one colour and it tricks me into thinking I’m stylish. Sometimes it works and then sometimes I look like a farmer.
“She could be a farmer in those clothes.”
These weekly roundups have been really fun to do, so don’t be surprised if Winter Wednesdays turn up in a few weeks…
Fall Fridays Vol. 8
BAKING/COOKING
It’s almost American Thanksgiving so that means I’m gonna make my s’mores pie, which is truly the easiest pie recipe of all time.
CRAVING
A hot chocolate with a smidge of toffee syrup in it. I’ve only thought about it in theory, so as soon as the temperature drops below zero I’ll go get one.
DRINKING
Blonde flat whites for life. I’m a creature of habit.
EATING
So I finally went to the new Wegman’s in the city and the best deals? Three pounds of family pack ground chicken for $12. I’m sorry, but that’s wild. Also their $9 frozen wild blueberries family pack, get out of here. Deals for days in there.
EXPERIENCING
I’ve started arranging my saved reels into categories (makeup, funny stuff, etc.) and it’s made my life so much easier. Didn’t even know that was an option.
LISTENING
90s Disney soundtracks. They’re so soothing. Aladdin especially.
LOVING
Nathan did the Gramercy Theatre for the New York Comedy Festival and it was so phenomenal. I understand how you could think I’m biased but I truly don’t see him on stage that much, so when I do I’m usually pretty excited for it. And this tech stuff was so good. He works incredibly hard and I’m so happy that it was such a success.
SHOPPING
I DO NOT NEED MORE CANDLES. So obviously I bought the new chocolate croissant one from Trader Joe’s.
WATCHING
We saw The Shark is Broken on Broadway and it’s hard to accurately express how wonderful it was. It closes this Sunday and I’m grateful that we got to see it. Every single element (acting, script, set) was overwhelmingly good.
WEARING
I’m currently going through my entire closet and trying to arrange full outfits so that I don’t have to think too much about what I’ll wear each day. I’d just love to be a little bit more put together next year - or at least give more of a shit about that stuff. I only started thinking more about this when I realized how much I love putting together my vacation outfits and how happy that makes me, so here we are. Let’s see what happens.