August 4, 2024

July Jiffs 2024

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Family, Food, Links, Movies, Personal, Recipes, Television, Travel

I might have to stop complaining about how I’m not a summer person because this past month was such a memorable one. Here’s what went down last month!

Nathan made Variety’s 10 Comics To Watch list this year!
I continued my Summer Saturdays series because apparently I’m obsessed with summer?
The best tweets of the month can be found over here. I also made a list of my favourite summer tweets.
I wrote about my favourite caesar salad dressing recipe in honour of its 100th birthday.
I tried the soft serve from Seed + Mill and it was unbelievably good. Top three in NYC, hands down.

Soft serve from Seed + Mill, Chelsea Market

I finally got to go lane swimming in Mississauga and it was all that I’d hoped it would be and so much more. Fuck Eric Adams for cancelling the lap swims in NYC for yet another summer.
The watermelon sangria at Bite is summer in a glass.
I finally visited the food hall at Queensboro Plaza and the options looked pretty good! The chicken caesar wrap at Bobwhite Counter was decent, but it’ll always amaze me when places don’t make their own croutons. It’s one tiny little step that makes or breaks it.

The coronation chicken salad at Nomad Sandwiches is too good. Cold, curried chicken is not on enough menus in this city.
I just saw an ad for this, but Arby’s has a burger now?? Am I the only one this offends?? Their whole thing is that they DON’T do burgers?? That roast beef and cheddar is better than any fast food burger, what the hell is going on? I can handle a lot of things (really I can), but this crosses a line.
A reel told me to squeeze lemon on top of watermelon, so I did and it was fantastic.
I went to Canada for a little bit since the kids are off for summer break and I think I’m onto something here: yardwork is fun when it’s not your own house.

I used a screwdriver to do this and I’m kinda proud of that fact?

One of my most beloved hobbies? Before/after photoshoots, apparently.

Went to Blue Mountain on a small trip with my family and it was perfect. We swam so much (once in the rain, and I hope everyone swims in the rain at least once in their life) and we also rode the Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster (something that’s been on my list for years), which was so much fun. I also won’t disclose how many times I went to the frozen yogurt place Menchies.

Before the Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster

On the drive back from Blue Mountain, we found a farmer’s market-type store in hopes of finding some sponge toffee and dreams can come true.

Ate at Lucia in Toronto and it wasn’t anything special, which was a bit disappointing but the company was everything I wanted so that made up for it.

Made these ricotta meatballs that turned out great, if not a bit too soft.
We went to Ribfest and I tried my first blooming onion. It was absolutely unreal. How did it take me this long to try one. Also got an oxtail poutine and (finally) the tri-colour popsicle I’ve been waiting on since last summer.

There are cathedrals everywhere for those with eyes to see

I wanted this so badly, I didn’t even care how bad my nails looked

The passport office in Mississauga is such a nightmare, it literally took four hours to get renewed (and that’s only because I showed up two hours before it even opened).
Tried this soft foot reel I saw (below) and it worked pretty well! I think you have to do it multiple times a week to really see longterm results, though.

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Went to Spirit Tree Estate Cidery again with my niece Tianna and it remains great. Their daily soup is the main attraction here (we got the seafood chowder).

We also went to Activate again and I think I enjoyed it even more than last time. Obsessed with the hoops room. Makes me wish I had a basketball net.

Went to the Asian Night Market in Mississauga with Harmeet and we got the cold noodles, which were spicy/great. Afterward we went to the Mexican restaurant in the food hall section of Square One (La Carnita) and had such a terrible experience. The short ribs we ordered were awful and our waiter absolutely hated us. And then we went next door to Farzi Cafe, where the drinks were fine but insanely overpriced. What the hell is going on at Square One?
I finally got Baby Dog in a kiddie pool and she could actually doggy paddle. It was the cutest thing anyone has ever seen.
I just learned about the ready-made sandwiches at Lazar Bakery in Mississauga and my lunches will never be the same again.
The foam soaps are the main reason I go to Bath & Body Works, but their bar soaps last such a long time. If you live in the United States then you should definitely get their app - they give you at least one free item every few weeks.
Baskin-Robbins rainbow sherbert continues to solve all.

I know it’s early, but the pumpkin pie M&Ms are outrageously good.

Some things I watched:
- The Bear (season three): Cons first. Okay, I hated the first episode but it’s the weakest one of the whole season. Some of the dialogue is so badly written, it’s hard to watch sometimes. Why the hell was John Cena in it? He isn’t a good actor, let’s cut the shit. Now pros. Ebon is flawless. The Napkins episode was so well written. Jon Bernthal is such a great actor. The Al-Anon support group scene was so good. My jaw dropped at Josh Hartnett making an appearance, I’ll continue to love his renaissance. And I know I’ve complained about the overacting of Jamie Lee Curtis from last season, but I thought the birth episode was the best one of the entire season. That whole episode just captured mothers and daughters so well and how we see that our mothers fail us so much because our expectations of them are too insanely high so when they fall flat of those expectations, how crushing it can be to realize that they’re just human. That episode alone is why I’ll keep watching the show. I do think that a lot can be done towards the development of characters so that we have the time to care about them in the ways that the writers want us to, but there are these pocket episodes that are just so alarmingly true and good. It’s a fantastic show with absolute faults, but the reviews of this season were way too harsh.
- All of the Naked Gun movies (rewatch): Okay these movies really hold up well. It was too much fun to watch them with the kids who actually really laughed and enjoyed them too. Romeo even referenced one scene weeks later to laugh about it, my heart swelled to say the least.
- Blowout: It started out interesting and then took a sharp turn, hard pass.
- Sabrina (rewatch): I was on a Harrison Ford kick and would’ve settled for anything, so this was nice to see again.
- Twisters (theatres): I really wanted to hate it, but it was a party.
- Creep (rewatch): Still great!
- Mulan (live action): Rome insisted on us watching this and it wasn’t bad! I’m pretty anti-live-action, but this was surprisingly good.
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (rewatch): Love a summer horror movie. There needs to be more seasonal horror movies.
- The Craft (rewatch): I always forget how much I hate the bug stuff at the end, but it’s still a solid 90s movie.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: my dear friend Marla is coming to visit (!), cannot wait to see Trap next week, I’m keeping my eye out for any corn based seasonal dishes at the restaurants I love and I can’t wait to start preparations on this year’s costume…

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in June over here.

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July 4, 2023

June Jaunts 2023

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Drinks, Family, Food, Ideas, Links, Movies, Personal, Products, Recipes, Television, Travel

Sometimes you need a mini day trip to see a horse in New Jersey

June was so packed with stuff, I can’t believe it’s actually over. Here’s what went down!

I started a new series of posts I’ll do for the whole summer - Summer Saturdays, which is just a summary of what I do each week. Volume 1 posted over here.
I recapped how I did with my spring bucket list.
I wrote a brand new summer list of things I’d love to do.
I finally wrote about seeing the Karl Lagerfeld exhibit at The Met.
The best tweets of June can be read over here.
I made these strawberry cobbler bars that were pretty good, but I think I liked this strawberry crumble cake recipe a bit more.

I bought this Aritzia 1/2 zip sweatshirt in both white and black and I’m really considering getting the pink one now, too. I might have a problem.
If you like dark chocolate, then you must make this dark chocolate cake. It’s the absolute best recipe I’ve ever tried. And with this chocolate icing? Unreal. It’s heavenly. (Pro tip: don’t refrigerate it, it tastes incredible at room temperature, even days later.)

I was about to talk about how great my dad’s 100th birthday went, but there are so many details that I’ll just do a post about it this week instead.
I will never get over how incredible the frozen yogurt at Freshii is. Nobody talks about this enough.

Freshii frozen yogurt might even be better than TCBY

A great small batch pancake recipe I keep using.
I went to Activate and it was surprisingly really fun! It’s kind of like Squid Game but in real life and with less death.
I made this basil sangria during a blackout at my parent’s house and it was so strong and perfect.

Did you know about the secret, unadvertised Baskin Robbins deal? On the 31st of every month (on months that have 31 days), they offer 31% of all scoops and pints. Pass it on.

I made a lemon blueberry layer cake that was such a great summer dessert, absolutely would make again.

I ate at the S&P counter and it was only fine? NYC has so many options, I’m angry that anyone ever told me this place was anything special.
The duck confit spring rolls at Sojourn however are little bites of luxury. I will return.
Here’s one of the recent Zara dresses that I can’t stop wearing.

I’m so sick of pants without pockets, so I’m obviously in love with these green Halara bike shorts.
A great (updated often) list of carnivals in the NYC area.
Always gonna be excited when Trader Joe’s drops a new candle scent.

Trader Joe’s salted caramel and pistachio scented candle

I tried some curried fried rice at a friend’s house recently and I can’t stop thinking about it, such a genius way to do fried rice.
I’ve been eyeing mattress toppers for a few months now (my mattress is old and springy), but they’re always too expensive. So instead I bought a thick comforter for about $20 and spread that underneath my fitted sheet and it is now the most comfortable bed in this country. It’s a strange feeling to have all the answers and still not be ruler of the world?
Officially into rhubarb now since I was introduced to this rhubarb syrup, which is a phenomenal mixer for anything alcoholic.

Lays, I love you. Never stop with your insane flavours.

I was in Canada for a bit and good god, it was a perfect spring visit.

Fully recommend having friends who just GET IT

I went to Canada’s Wonderland with my nieces and there is nothing more satisfying than the end-of-day funnel cake you’re legally required to have before leaving. Also loved the new(ish) Yukon Striker.

I stopped by the new reincarnation of Zellers (it’s in a weird, small section at the back of The Bay) and the deals are wild. Go. If they bring back those Zellers diners with that gravy, they will be unstoppable.

The Barbie section at Ulta is wild. I want it all?

Truly all the Barbie collaborations are wonderful.
I got a “root shadowing” done at Bloc + Mane in Etobicoke (by the lovely Amanda) and it was everything I needed. It’s a process that blends your hair colour if you’ve dyed it in the past year but you don’t want that aggressive grow-out line.
The USPS new stamps this year are insanely cool.

A gentle reminder: your beach body is already here.

Some things I’ve watched & rewatched:
- Since the new Indy was coming out, I rewatched Temple of Doom and wow is Kate Capshaw so unbelievably bad in it. Sure I’m no expert on great acting, but this is just torture to watch.
- And Just Like That: I’ve said it before, but we’re in a hate/hate relationship. The dialogue is so horrid that it reinforces the idea that anyone can succeed in the entertainment business. Talent has zero to do with it.
- The Bear (season two): absolutely LOVED it. Did they use an offensive amount of R.E.M. songs this season? Sure! But once you look past that, it’s a flawless season.
I bought these gorgeous olive coloured running shoes from Call It Spring that are beyond comfortable.

Men’s running shoes are eons prettier than women’s

I’d love to try any of these summer recipes:
- Vietnamese Tomato Salad
- Marinated Zucchini with Hazelnuts and Ricotta
- Summer Coconut Chickpea Curry
- Burger Au Poivre (everything should be au poivre, as far as I’m concerned)

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: are you aware that there’s a third My Big Fat Greek Wedding coming out?? And I can’t wait for some reason? Even I don’t really understand why, but I loved that first one so much when it came out. Other things: obviously excited for Barbie, my great friend Marla’s coming for a visit (!), I really want to find some good soft serve and I have a family trip to Scotland that I can’t wait for.

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in May over here.

I just told her she isn’t coming to Scotland with me

April 4, 2023

March Magic 2023

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Food, Links, Movies, Personal, Recipes, Television

parents front window snow view winter scene Liz Heather — Nothing better than this view.

I do a million things the month of my birthday and I never regret it. Some people roll their eyes at the phrase “birthday week” or “birthday month” but those people tend to be supremely unhappy and I express my sympathy towards them. Here’s what happened in the birthday month!

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The best tweets of the month can be found over here.
I recapped how I did with my winter list of things to do.
I made my new seasonal spring list of things I’d like to do.
Loving the new tomato leaf candle from Trader Joe’s as well as the great new sweet carrot cake from Bath & Body Works.

tomato leaf candle Trader Joe's Liz Heather — Tomato leaf candle from Trader Joe’s, March 2023

sweet carrot cake candle Bath and Body Works easter Liz Heather — Sweet carrot cake candle from Bath & Body Works, March 2023

Ice skating in March with friends? Always a good idea.

friends ice skating etobicoke ontario Liz Heather winter snow fun activity — 75% of us bought skates for this hahahah, it’s called FRIENDSHIP

You know the food blog Grandbaby Cakes? She just put out a new cookbook and the two main things I want to make from it? The salted butterscotch apple whiskey snacking cake as well as the chocolate pecan pie shortbread bars.

If you have a NYC/Queens/Brooklyn library card, are you aware that you can get free tickets to museums all over the city?
I have made this chicken marsala at least three times this month, it might be my favourite way to eat chicken.

chicken marsala recipe Liz Heather — Chicken marsala should legally be eaten once a week

I bought this Banana Republic Factory funnel-neck sweater in black as well as white because it legit makes me feel like I have a 401k.

I know zero about coffee, but I’ve done this heating-the-press up method a few times now when I make iced coffee and I think it might taste better when you do it?? Nathan claims there’s no difference, so I might just be argumentative?
In love with the tomato potato chips from Eataly.

tomato potato chips eataly NYC Liz Heather — Available at Eataly, NYC

Will I ever use this pasta mold from Zara Home - or will I watch it sit on a kitchen shelf each day for twenty years while I yearn to be the type of person who uses a pasta mold?
Love this short article: Want to Lead a Better Life? The Secret Is in the Cemetery.

I had brunch at Quality Eats and the short rib hash was great, but really just inspired me to make it at home.

short rib hash brunch Quality Eats NYC Liz Heather — Short rib hash, Quality Eats

In birthday discount news…
- Are you aware that Target gives you a measly 5% off one item on your birthday?! It’s so insulting, I wish they’d just do away with it altogether, it’s pathetic. Why are brands becoming such ingrates when it comes to customer loyalty?
- I went to Ulta for my free March birthday gift and they were “out of stock” at TWO locations. And nothing was offered in its place. SWEET.
- Milk Bar is supposed to offer some kind of birthday something, but since their loyalty “program” is so new, none of the employees have been taught what the benefits of the program even are. WHAT IS HAPPENING?? (Sidenote: am I the only one who think their cookies suck?)
- You know the bra store I love, Journelle? They got rid of their birthday month discount, too! So I guess all these companies have decided that our collective slow march towards death with include ZERO BIRTHDAY PERKS. Cool cool cool.
I tried the crab rangoon March special at Mimi Cheng’s and they were only all right, why is everything disappointing me lately? They weren’t terrible, just too cream-cheesy. While we’re on the topic, on what planet does crab need cheese to accompany it? Seems dumb.

mimi's dumplings crab rangoon march special NYC Liz Heather — March Special (crab rangoon dumplings), Mimi Cheng’s

I also tried this newish Croatian restaurant in Astoria, Selo, and it was absolutely nothing special. I may have to stop giving such credence to the critics at Eater.

My niece Layla got me an incredible birthday gift - a ticket to Tao of Glass, which the New York Times called “a fantastical and often moving tribute to the composer Philip Glass and the power of art to flow through our lives.” IT WAS SO GOOD. Philip Glass was even there on opening night, which was too exciting and I was floored by the whole evening. God, I love it when someone knows you so well and can arrange the most perfect gift.

tao of glass philip glass NYU best of NYC Liz Heather — March 2023

I bought new jeans after maybe a decade and I can’t be more in love with these ribcage straight ankle Levi’s I got.

Some things I’ve watched:
- Tusk: I absolutely hate when American directors talk about Canada in their films, it’s always embarrassing. And jesus, the dialogue in the scene with the girlfriend: has Kevin Smith ever spoke to a girlfriend before? Needless to say, I severely hated the entire movie. I hate torture stuff. Weird that even needs to be said because doesn’t everyone? Johnny Depp was terrible. One of the most originally awful movies I’ve ever seen.
- Scream VI: THE WORST SCREAM OF THE ENTIRE SERIES. I vowed not to even see this because I remain #teamneve but Nathan insisted so I begrudgingly went. What a shit show. It was terrible. I’ll never go to another one again, which is a little sad but also fuck everyone involved who thought it was an acceptable idea to move forward without Neve Campbell.
- Frantic: I didn’t even know it was a Polanski movie until the end since Harrison Ford was the main draw here. It’s actually a great idea for a movie, but it just trails off midway through so I can understand why no one talks about this movie.
- Succession: So I’ve only seen the first few episodes and here’s the thing… it’s legitimately a bad show. The dialogue is so terribly written, I’m actually confused why people praise it so much. NOBODY CALLS THEIR SIBLING SIS. Words can’t express how much I hate the camera work. Shiv’s American accent is wildly bad. I know we’re all desperate for a good show to watch, but the lies need to stop. This is unwatchable.
I’m not sure that I can even speak about it, but I went to a private rehearsal of a play with Michael McKean and good god, I love that man. I met him afterward and he was so kind and lovely, it was unreal. I mean, it’s Mr. Green for god’s sake.
So in love with these new USPS railroad station stamps. I may or may not have made a list of where each station is incase I ever find myself in that city so I can see it in real life.

USPS railroad station stamps Liz Heather USA — Can I meet and hug the person who came up with this stamp idea?

I’ve been looking for a real fur coat for a few years now and I finally found her at Exile Vintage in Toronto. It was such a steal because the inner lining was shred, but my mom sewed it all up and it’s absolutely perfect now. So excited to throw out my faux-fur teddy bear coat from Marshalls that every. single. woman. owns.

There was an insane sale at Steve Madden in Soho and I got these new wedge heels for $16. To be clear, that’s $8 PER SHOE.

steve madden heels soho shoes Liz Heather NYC — But can they replace my Terminators? Time will tell.

I saw the new Broadway play Shucked and… yikes. Yes, it was corniness taken to a whole new level, but parts of it were okay. If you love Rodney Dangerfield jokes, then this production was made for you.

shucked NYC Broadway Liz Heather — March 2023

I also saw Pictures From Home with Nathan Lane and it was slow at first, but really picked up and got good. Love that man.

pictures from home NYC Broadway Nathan Lane Liz Heather — March 2023

I made a tres leches cake and words cannot describe how heavenly it was. Even if you suffer from dairy issues, I’d recommend that you pound a few Lactaids and eat this immediately.

tres leche cake recipe milk Liz Heather best recipe dessert — Tres leche cake

I finally had lunch at Wayan (Jean-Georges’ son’s place) and I can’t wait to return. Best dishes: the corn fritters, the spring rolls (maybe my favourite at any restaurant ever), the lamb kebabs and the chocolate chip cookie with cheddar ice cream. The crab fried rice (which I was most excited for) actually wasn’t anything that special, though.
I had my birthday dinner at The Grill in the Seagram Building (the office building from Scrooged) and it was so great, if not insanely priced. The pasta appetizer was the most incredible thing we ate - they used this crank-type machine table-side to make the broth for the pasta sauce out of MEAT BONES and I can’t stop thinking about it. The other highlight was the gluten-free zucchini cornbread, which was magical. The only downside? Do not get the crab cake - $50+ for the most underwhelming appetizer of your life.

pasta the grill NYC Liz Heather appetizer — Pasta appetizer, The Grill (a must order)

Liz Heather The Grill NYC best of New York City dining selfie — Vowing to wear more tulle on a daily basis

The Mets promotional giveaways were announced if you care!

Some spring recipes I’d love to make:
- Lemony Green Pea Fritters with Cottage Cheese
- Banana, Pecan, Coconut and Chocolate Chip Blondies
- Cadbury Egg Blondies (I’ve never even made a blondie before, but the urge is strong this season)
- Lemon Almond Pudding Cake (love a texturally weird cake)
- Carrot Cake Ice Cream (no ice cream maker needed)
- Spring Couscous Bowls with Lemon Feta Vinaigrette (I made this last year and it’s spring in a bowl)

Things I’m looking forward to: I visited the insanely gorgeous Kings Theatre in Brooklyn so I’ll do a post about it this week, finally trying the bone marrow gravy at Hawksmoor, I have to get my hands on the Easter Dove Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Eggs, I’m trying to get a last minute lottery to see the Phantom of the Opera in its final days, I will find all of the NYC cherry blossoms, seeing the rooftop exhibit when it opens at The Met on the 18th, and finally going on a tour of the old City Hall subway station (this has been a dream of mine for years).

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in February over here.

baby dog winter snow inside dog Liz Heather March 2023 chihuahua — Baby Dog witnesses snow, March 2023

March 15, 2023

February Feats 2023

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Family, Food, Links, Movies, Personal, Products, Recipes, Travel

snow Canada backyard Liz Heather — Backyard snow, February 2023

Forgive the lateness, it will absolutely happen again. Here’s what went down last month!

The best tweets of February can be found over here. And my favourite Valentine’s Day ones can be found here.

the tonight show Nathan Macintosh Liz Heather February 2023 — Nathan at rehearsal for The Tonight Show, February 2023

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Liz Heather The Tonight Show Nathan Macintosh February 2023 Jimmy Fallon — The Tonight Show outfit #2

Okay, so two biggest things: Nathan did his second Tonight Show and his special GOT REVIEWED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES.

the new york times Nathan Macintosh Liz Heather — Nathan’s NEW YORK TIMES

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The French baguette candle from Bath & Body Works? Whoa. I hate how much I love it.
Could not be more in love with this black sweater.
Had dinner at The Bar Room and the grilled chicken on top of their caesar salad was unparalleled. Another thing I love doing when I’m eating in midtown is going to JG Melon afterward for coffee or dessert. It’s the only move.
Speaking of good moves, have you ever sat out on a patio just as the weather’s starting to change and ordered a Peroni? Just one, for the whole afternoon? Might be the answer to everything.
I had a blister on my heel and these Band-Aid Hydro-Seal bandages worked perfectly.
I got drinks at Nubeluz by Jose Andres at The Ritz-Carlton and it was so lovely. The service is great, the views are wild and the drinks and food were perfect. The only thing that made no sense was the waitress/hostess uniforms, but I’m picky as hell??

nubeluz jose andres ritz-carlton nyc view — View from Nubeluz, NYC

nubeluz jose andres bathroom nyc Liz Heather — Love when places care about wallpaper, at Nubeluz

I tried two products from Hero since I love their blemish patches - the lightening pads and the brightening stick and both were shit. Returned.
I made these Greek chicken meatballs and they were so bland, so I think I’ll stick with that sweet and spicy recipe I love.

I ate at Golden Unicorn in Chinatown and it was really nothing special. I did love the atmosphere, it was very 90s banquet hall-y. But the food was wildly underwhelming.

golden unicorn chinatown nyc new york city Liz Heather — Pigs at Golden Unicorn, NYC

chinatown new york city Liz Heather — Chinatown, NYC

Also ate at Olio E Piu and wow was that bad. It was just insanely loud, had way too many 22 year olds with flashes going off, and the dessert was hard as a rock. Never again. Hate getting burned like this.

Went to The Guggenheim to see the Nick Cave exhibit and yes it was good/fine, but my dumbass thought it was the other Nick Cave. So that’s on me. I guess I’ll just always be disappointed by the exhibits here until they decide to make use of their central space again like they used to do years ago.

nick cave guggenheim new york city Liz Heather — The Guggenheim, February 2023

Some things I watched:
- The Player: this started out as one of the coolest movies I’ve seen in such a long time (especially the opening twenty minutes) and then as it went on turned into one of the worst? That rarely happens, so that was confusing.
- Pamela, A Love Story: so great. One thing I especially love about her? At the first sign of abuse in any of her relationships, she’s out the door. You don’t hear that a lot and it makes me love her even more. God, it’s still infuriating that Hulu made that series without her permission.
- Split: okay, I may be the only person with this opinion (HOW?!). but holy hell did I hate this movie. It should be studied how polarizing M. Night Shyamalan can be. I have absolutely loved some of his movies and I have wanted to vomit at others. How can this be possible? I don’t understand it.
I had this stupid little reaction video blow up on Instagram, which is wild. Stay out of the comments though, it’s crazy in there.

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I was also in Canada for a little bit, so I went skating, ate that perfect caesar at Scaddabush, shoveled driveways and basked in numerous snowstorms.

backyard snowstorm Canada Liz Heather — Parent’s backyard, February 2023

ice rink Ontario Canada Liz Heather — Ice rink, Etobicoke

caesar salad Scaddabush Mississauga Ontario Liz Heather — Caesar salad at Scaddabush, Mississauga

Baby Dog Stan Heather Canada Liz Heather — Baby Dog & Dad, February 2023

snow on tree Ontario Canada Liz Heather — I took this while laying in the snow and it might be my favourite photo of all time.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: so many birthday things, it’s almost aggressive.

If you have any interest in reading what went on in January, come on over here.

winter sunset Queens NYC Liz Heather — Winter sunsets, man.

November 2, 2022

October Occurrences 2022

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Family, Food, Halloween, Ideas, Links, Movies, Music, Personal, Recipes, Television, Travel

ontario canada autumn leaves trees fall weather changing Liz Heather October 2022 — Ontario, Canada - October 2022

This might be the hardest week of the year because it’s officially the longest period of time until next Halloween. I tend to take a few days to decompress a bit, so by this coming weekend I’ll be fully ready for holiday-mode. That being said, October was such a great month that felt like almost a year long - in a good way. Here’s what went down.

You can find my favourite tweets of the month over here and here.
I think it’s clear that I watched every good 90s Halloween sitcom episode that I could find links for.
For Halloween, I dressed up as Tony Montana (Al Pacino) from Scarface and Baby Dog was, umm, my main accessory.
In love with this article, “The Secret To Marriage Is Never Getting Married.”
I’ve always wanted to make the Nestle Toll House chocolate chip oatmeal cookies recipe (on the back of the Toll House package) and they were really, really good. Might become a staple in my cookie repertoire.
I made these soft pumpkin cookies with salted maple icing again this year and they continue to be incredible - and that’s coming from someone who truly hates soft cookies.
I also made these garlic butter chicken meatballs with creamy orzo (in a slow cooker) and the meatballs were great, I’ll definitely make those again. But the orzo cooked in a crockpot? Hard pass. Pasta always tastes terrible from a crockpot, I knew this and still went ahead, so it’s my fault really.
I was in Canada for awhile, so I…
- Went to the new(ish) Keg near Square One and it kind of sucked? What the hell? The meat was nowhere worth the price, which is weird because I remember that it used to be better. I’m trying to find my new Canyon Creek (since it closed) and it’s a hard task to undertake but I won’t give up.
- I had the burger from Ozzy’s Burgers and the lamb was terrible, but the regular burgers were fantastic.
- My niece Layla turned 17 (!) so thankfully we were able to get the Milk Bar birthday cake from the Toronto location. It’s such a shame that location is closing at the end of the year.
- I also planted some bulbs in the garden with my mom, which makes me even more excited for spring to come next year to see if anything blooms.
- I tried the new Lays flavour Fries & Gravy and good god I love this country.
- I made the apple fritter cake (again) for (Canadian) (real) Thanksgiving and I. love. this. cake.
- My dad put up his seasonal bird feeder and I think I’ve said this before, but the answer to life is getting a bird feeder and then sitting down to watch it. Nothing better.

bird feeder cardinal bird watching Canada — Heaven on earth?

baby dog Liz Heather Canada — My dad & Baby Dog, October 2022

Mississauga Ontario Canada Liz Heather October 2022 autumn leaves fall trees — Mississauga, Ontario - October 2022

lays limited edition potato chips fries and gravy flavour Liz Heather October 2022 — Fries & Gravy Lays

autumn leaves Canada Liz Heather — Oakville, Ontario - October 2022

I made my way to the Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard in North Salem, NY (with my friend Diana) where we had the best warm apple cider donuts and cider mimosas. Afterward we went for brunch at The Arch restaurant, which was beautiful & old, but nothing really spectacular food-wise.

harvest moon orchard and farm north salem new york Liz Heather cider mimosa October 2022 — Cider mimosa at Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard, North Salem, New York

harvest moon farm and orchard north salem new york Liz Heather October 2022 — Cider donuts at Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard, North Salem, New York

On Halloween, I took Baby Dog on our annual autumn visit to Central Park and it was bursting with beauty.

central park New York City autumn fall October 2022 Liz Heather leaves — Central Park, October 2022

When it comes to all purpose cleaners, I’m in love with Mrs. Meyers. The snowdrop scent is my favourite one (which should be coming out again soon), but I just got the apple cider one and yikes. It’s perfect. Is it sad to have favourite seasonal all purpose cleaners? Absolutely. But here we are. Welcome to your late 30s.

mrs. meyer's all purpose cleaner apple cider Liz Heather autumn cleaner — Mrs. Meyer’s Apple Cider Limited Edition Scent

Now if we’re talking seasonal coffee drinks? The Starbucks pumpkin cream cold brew (only 1/2 shot of syrup, extra foam) makes me a little sick by the end of the drink, but I still love it. And the vanilla cream cold brew at Tim Hortons is also really good. Oooo and the Tim Hortons hazelnut cold brew with espresso foam? Get out of here, so good. I think I just like foam.
Loving the new Charlie Brown stamps from the USPS. Wait, who is in charge of deciding the new stamps? Oh god, have I discovered the greatest job on earth? I THINK I HAVE??
So I got a new Apple charger from The Apple Store, the one that apparently charges faster. Aaaaaand my battery dies even quicker now! Sweet!

I was scrambling to find a dress for a wedding this month and Bloomingdale’s saved me. How do I always forget about that place? I love an old, good department store. Yes they can be overwhelming, but they’re practically deserted. I have to remember this for the future. Oh! And Macy’s too! Such great dresses for special occasions.
So Nathan and I went to Los Angeles for a wedding (the dress code was “outdo us”) and we stayed at Citizen M hotel in downtown LA. Let me just say that this is not the type of hotel for two people to share a room, that’s the nicest way I can put it. It’s definitely clean and relatively nice, but the rooms are laughably small. The wedding was fun and I loved walking around downtown LA mostly because of the incredibly well preserved buildings. Sure, the area is pretty dicey but it’s beautifully ancient. We walked to Santee Alley (where I got my new favourite feather clutch) and three days was the perfect amount of time to stay in that area. And the baja tacos from Tocaya were insanely good. Also the Wolfgang Puck Express stand at LAX had really good food to take on the plane.

citizenm hotel citizen m hotel la downtown LA Liz Heather Baby Dog small hotel — Citizen M hotel room, this bed is literally the width of the room

tocaya modern mexican downtown la mexican food Liz Heather baja tacos fish taco — Baja taco from Tocaya, Downtown LA

Nathan Macintosh Liz Heather Los Angeles sunglasses in car — Ummm, is Nathan somehow cooler in LA??

Nathan Macintosh Liz Heather citizenm hotel downtown LA elevator — Okay hold up, are we BOTH COOLER IN LA??

Nathan Macintosh Liz Heather Los Angeles downtown LA wedding — WE BAD

Nathan Macintosh Liz Heather Los Angeles wedding October 2022 — California blonde dreams coming true

Los Angeles downtown LA Liz Heather October 2022 — The Los Angeles Theatre opened in 1931 - Downtown LA

Speaking of airports, the restaurant The Hearth by Lynn Crawford at Pearson in Terminal 1 in Toronto is great! Get the meatballs. Love it when airport food is above average.

Of course I listened to the new Taylor Swift album Midnights and the best songs are Question…?, Sweet Nothing, Anti-Hero, Bejeweled, Maroon and You’re On Your Own, Kid.
Some things I watched this month:
- Smile: such a fun time. Love a fun horror movie.
- I rewatched the first two Friday The 13th movies with Layla (her first time seeing them) and I’d forgotten how good they were. They really hold up well over time.
- Recent SNLs: Nothing super noteworthy in any of the episodes, I like the new guys. I was introduced to that great Megan Thee Stallion song Anxiety, which I can’t stop playing. The worst sketch I’ve seen in years was that Jack Harlow one with the joker. Just awful. Oh, and Colin Farrell looks alarmingly good.
- Celebrity Jeopardy: I solely watched because I love Ike Barinholtz (and he was great). But look, I know that Celebrity Jeopardy is, like, the easiest Jeopardy to exist. I understand that. But I had no idea how incredibly dumb most celebrities are. I mean, I know they’re not exactly known for their IQ levels but this was actually just wild to watch. Every single person on each episode I saw was a complete moron (with the exception of Ike and Simu Liu).
- Barbarian: so great, loved every bit of it. Bill Skarsgård remains as hot as always. (Sidenote: I was gushing about Skarsgård later to Nathan before bed and he scoffed and dismissed it so I asked him, “You probably don’t even have an answer, but who would you consider an attractive celebrity man?” and without even a second of hesitation he goes, “Pierce Brosnan in ‘97.” Hahahahahah, god I died. He’s not wrong.)

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I’ve already put my order in for this year’s bayberry candles, I’m finally going to read Dave Grohl’s book, of course I’ll get the Thanksgiving croissant from Milk Bar, I’m definitely gonna go to the NY postcard show, and I’ve already got my ticket to see the Thierry Mugler exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum which opens on the 18th. Oh! And a gentle reminder if you’ve started Christmas shopping: get the damn gift receipt.

If you have any interest in reading what went on in September, come on over here.

Baby Dog Mississauga Ontario Canada autumn leaves trees changing Liz Heather October 2022 ray of sunshine — Ray of sunshine on my ray of sunshine

October 25, 2022

September Shenanigans 2022

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Food, Halloween, Ideas, Links, Movies, Personal, Products, Recipes, Reviews, Television, Travel

Mississauga Ontario sunset September 2022 Liz Heather — 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 finally went to visit the video rental space Kim’s Video downtown.
I made a collection of my favourite photos from the summer.
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 Martha Stewart Las Vegas Liz Heather — The Bedford in Las Vegas

the bedford las vegas martha stewart Liz Heather oysters rockefeller — Oysters Rockefeller at The Bedford in Las Vegas

the bedford burger las vegas Martha Stewart Liz Heather — 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?
I made these pumpkin lasagna rollups that have the exact right amount of pumpkin in them.

pumpkin lasagna rollups Liz Heather — Pumpkin lasagna rollups

Also made this blueberry buckle that tasted especially good with some maple syrup on top.

blueberry buckle Liz Heather — 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.

the alamo Manhattan nyc september 2022 Liz Heather — 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.

bobs burgers halloween episodes liz heather

Some things that I’m looking forward to doing this month: oh god, so many Halloween related activities, I can’t wait to finalize our costumes, I’m definitely going to make these pumpkin cookies again, I’d love to make garlic chicken meatballs with orzo for dinner on a rainy night, I really want to walk around Central Park with Baby Dog since all the leaves are changing and I’d really love to have next month’s roundup post written on time. Fingers crossed. Oh and here’s a link to all of the fall festivals happening around NYC right now.

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 late summer sunflowers nyc Astoria Queens Liz Heather — Baby Dog with the last of the summer sunflowers, September 2022

September 14, 2022

August Actions 2022

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Family, Links, Movies, Music, Personal

sunflowers sunflower summer liz heather august 2022

Wow, this is by far the latest monthly post, sorry about that. I wish I had an excuse for my lateness, but this is a free site so I don’t owe you a damn thing!

Summer is almost at an end and I couldn’t be happier about it. This will soon be me.

betty boop pumpkin lighting halloween gif

Here’s what went down in August!

You can find my favourites tweets of the month over here and here.
I got coffee at Cafe Renis in Astoria and it’s perfect. Love an independent coffee place.

I’ve decided that the best canned tomatoes you can get in the U.S. come from the brand Afeltra and they’re sold at Eataly.
The Chelsea Hotel finally reopened so I stopped by for a (ridiculously overpriced) coffee and yes the renovation took forever, but damn it’s gorgeous.

the chelsea hotel new york city nyc august 2022 liz heather — The Chelsea Hotel lobby, August 2022

I bought these running shoes I found at Marshalls and I loooooove them. Who doesn’t love a shoe that feels like a heavy sock?
I also can’t stop taking photos in this Zara dress. Clearly.
It’s finally the time of year when Lemax (the worldwide leader in collectable village miniatures) releases their new Halloween collection and I’m fighting every urge inside my body to buy THE GLOOM ROOM.

gloom room lemax 2022 collection liz Heather Halloween miniatures — The Gloom Room from Lemax, 2022 Collection (not shown: the figures DANCING IN THE ROOFTOP BALLROOM)

Completely out of nowhere, but does everyone know how cool-looking the Tommy Bahama wrapping paper is? Just beautiful.
I tried these Lays West Indies’ Hot ‘n’ Sweet Chilli and they were tasty as hell.

lays west indies hot n sweet chilli potato chips liz heather

I have forever loved the top of this building (below) and have always wondered what the inside looks like. Now I know and it’s shot to the top of my must-live-in list.

141 fifth avenue new york city ny favourite apartment — The Cupola Penthouse at 141 Fifth Avenue, NYC

I had dinner at the breathtaking Riverpark with Irene and the food was really good.
It’s almost embarrassing how many times I’ve listened to Beach House by Carly Rae Jepsen.
Some things I watched this month:
- Bodies Bodies Bodies - Did I see this solely because of Lee Pace? Yes. And he wasn’t in it nearly enough. Also, it is not a good movie.
- The Rehearsal - Look, I get it, it was fine. Definitely not the masterpiece that everyone claims it is. Love Nathan Fielder, though. A Canadian king.
- Sister Act - Okay, I haven’t rewatched this in maybe… twenty years? It’s still amazing. And god, that soundtrack. All hits.
- Violation - My friend Dusty made this movie and it’s incredible. No bias either, I promise you - he’s just wildly talented.
I also got to go to Canada for a short visit to see some friends and family, which is always great.

I finally got to visit my best friend Harmeet’s lake house in Ontario and it. was. unreal. Such a fun few days away.

lake house daytime pier view liz heather

liz heather harmeet litt august 2022 best friends — Harmeet!

Is it weird that I’ve never done a tea service before? Wait, is that how I even word that? In any case, my dear friend Marla took me to my first one! I can’t believe how many things you get. We went to The Wild Tart in Elora, Ontario and it was wonderful.

While we were in Elora, we also went to see the gorge and quarry (where scenes from It were filmed!). I had no idea that Elora was such a nice little town. I also discovered this greeting card company that I’m absolutely in love with.

elora ontario quarry august 2022 — Elora Quarry, August 2022

elora quarry ontario Canada august 2022 liz heather — Marla!

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I’m pretty excited about coming up with my autumn list of things to do this year, I need to catch up on writing some travel posts that I’ve been putting off since July, I need to make some final decisions on our Halloween costumes, and we’re getting a brand new oven that I’m pretty jacked about.

If you have any interest in what went on in July, come on over here.

baby dog august 2022 liz heather — That’s her excited-for-September face

May 9, 2022

April Activities 2022

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Food, Links, Movies, Music, Personal, Recipes, Television

Yes, I’m late on the monthly post but there are approx. three people who read these posts so WE’LL ALL LIVE. Here’s what went down in April!

NATHAN’S TV SHOW TRAPPED PREMIERED! It’s available only in Canada on Bell Fibe TV1 but I have a link to it if you’re interested in watching and you’re not in Canada (message me about it). So wildly proud of how good it is and I promise you’ll love it.

Nathan Macintosh Ron James Trapped Bell Canada — Airing on Bell Fibe TV1

The best tweets of April can be found over here and here.

I wrote about seeing the great Birthday Candles on Broadway.
I did Nathan’s podcast again and we talked about the Netflix show Old Enough and whether or not you can question women.
I talked about visiting the beautiful New York Transit Museum and why you should too.
I came across this wonderful Kurt Vonnegut letter.
I should have loved this recipe for lemon orzo with parmesan and peas, but it was definitely missing something. Maybe a basil vinaigrette should’ve been mixed in? Maybe some grilled chicken? There are so many recipe blogs now that everything has become so boring and bland.
I went to Hudson Yards for the first time and it’s… a lot. I had no idea there was so much going on in that area. Had drinks at Peak with Jessie mainly for the view and it was lovely! If you find yourself shopping in that area, a drink up there should definitely be on your list.

peak hudson yards nyc liz heather — Peak in Hudson Yards, NYC

I looked through the new Half Baked Harvest cookbook and there might be some decent recipes in there (like the rosemary chicken salad with bacon shallot vinaigrette or the lasagna alla vodka or the balsamic stuffed mushrooms with basil and orzo). Will I buy it? Time will tell. Buying a new cookbook is such a commitment.

I went to the antique store No Particular Hours finally and it was a little disappointing. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I figured that since it was only open on the weekends it’d be a bit more exciting? How does this logic make sense? I’m not sure. In any case, it’s nothing special. I think antique shops might only be good in the suburbs.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Easter candy is EONS better than Halloween candy. And the Dove milk chocolate peanut butter eggs give you a reason to live. But that being said, the Lindt mini eggs completely sucked. There’s a weird powder on them that didn’t seem normal, the Cadbury ones are waaay better.
Baby Dog and I went to Central Park because everything is in bloom and it’d be a sin not to go and see it all.

baby dog central park nyc spring liz heather cherry blossoms — My happy girl in Central Park, April 2022

baby dog central park spring nyc april 2022 cherry blossoms liz Heather — Her expression makes me want to weep

Things I Watched:
- The House of the Devil: uuuuugggghhhh, words can’t express how terrible this was. I can’t stand when directors who aren’t Alfred Hitchcock show up in their own movies. It always seems desperate. I might officially hate Ti West (god even that name, I cringe writing it).
- Speaking of awful things, I did a brief hate-watch of some seasons of Entourage for some reason. What’s wrong with me?
- Also rewatched some of The League and it really doesn’t hold up after all these years. Every scene with Jason Mantzoukas is magic and Andre (Paul Scheer) is by far the best character, but other than that it’s definitely not worth a rewatch.
- Euphoria: I watched all two seasons of it at once and loved Kat & Ethan (until she was awful in the second season to him), obviously loved the idea of Lexi & Fez, and I kind of hate Rue & Jules. I just can’t stand Jules. The last two episodes of season two especially? So messy. Love mess.
- I saw the Lizzo SNL and these two sketches were by far the funniest ones: the Black Eyed Peas one and the Venga Bus one.
- Life of Kylie: do you remember this sad attempt at a show? It was on while I was getting my nails done and just wow. Apparently money can’t stop you from being boring. (Also, small side note: if these people weren’t absolutely wretched, I would feel immensely bad for the awful face work that Scott has had done recently. Someone forced a clip of their new show on me and it’s shocking that bad plastic surgery can still be achieved even if you have millions. Sad.)
- Old Enough: love how low maintenance this is, perfect show, no notes.
- I attempted the first season of Atlanta and only got through the first three episodes. I do want to watch that Trinidadian funeral episode from this season though because I’ve only heard good things (from one person, my brother Robbie, but that’s enough to spark my interest). I don’t think I’ve ever seen any show attempt to show what a Caribbean funeral is like and I’d love to see if they got it right.
- Bao: Pixar is really incredible sometimes (I’m aware that we all know this already). I feel like all moms would love this short.
- Turning Red: Okay, so I’m going to have strong opinions about a movie based in Toronto. And here they are. No Canadian has ever said the word “hoser” to any other Canadian. Can we all just accept that and move on? It’s embarrassing. Also, when the mother over-pronounced the word “Toronto” you could immediately tell that little to no research was done on this movie. It takes place in 2002 and the $5 bills they showed were the new ones that definitely came out after 2002. And the birthday cake Timbits they mentioned came out in 2014. Am I a loser for pointing these things out? NOPE! How hard is it to research a movie with a budget of millions?! I’M not the problem here. And look, all that being said yes it’s a good movie. It’s a real “call your mom” movie.
We’ve been making homemade iced green tea for about a year now, but I started getting flavoured green tea and it’s taken things to a whole new level.

flavoured green iced tea liz Heather — Homemade iced green tea is the answer, whatever the question

I’ve never even heard of the Canadian singer Virginia To Vegas, but I’m obsessed with the two songs betterman and selfish.

I will not stop re-buying these pocketed leggings from Aerie. So damn soft.
I went out to a winery in the Hamptons (Macari Vineyards) with my friend Diana and what a great time we had. Sometimes I forget how good it feels to leave the city for a day.

baby dog macari vineyards april 2022 liz Heather winery hamptons — Baby Dog at a winery!

baby dog hamptons sunset april 2022 liz Heather beach — Baby Dog at a Hamptons beach!

Nathan and I saw American Buffalo on Broadway with Sam Rockwell (what a compete fox) and what a fucking party. It was so good, that man is incredible, I love that theatre (Circle in the Square), I can’t recommend it enough. This was the first Mamet play I’ve ever seen, so I was already excited. The set is incredible, everyone did so well, and we managed to get lottery tickets through TodayTix that were amazing seats. GO GO GO.

american buffalo david mamet play new york city april 2022 liz Heather broadway playbill — April 2022

Real fast: if you find yourself in Richmond, Virginia then you have to go to the Hotel Greene to play mini golf INSIDE this gorgeous, old hotel. Nathan did it while he was there for shows and it looks incredible.

Things I’m looking forward to: I’m definitely going to go see part two of the new costume exhibit at The Met, Stanley Tucci’s second season of Searching For Italy is finally airing so I can’t wait to see that, this might sound stupid but Ina Garten is in Europe for two weeks and she’s posting in her stories about her favourite places and I am enthralled I can’t wait to hear about them, and I must visit the new restaurant Le Gratin inside my precious Beekman.

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in March over here.

baby dog cute liz Heather — I mean… no one is cuter

April 6, 2022

March Magic 2022

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Family, Food, Ideas, Links, Movies, Personal, Products, Recipes, Reviews, Television

staten island ferry bay water view March 2022 Liz Heather — View from the Staten Island Ferry as it crosses the bay, March 2022

“Never yet was a springtime, when the buds forgot to bloom.”

— Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

Sometimes I write these monthly posts and think, “How the hell did I do all of that in one month?” I mean, obviously I love it but sometimes it just seems bewildering that I get to do all of these things that make me so happy. I wish I could go back in time and tell kid Liz what a sweet life she’ll have. She’d never believe it. Anywaaaay, maybe that paragraph should’ve been a diary entry…? Here’s what went down in March, babies.

The best tweets of March can be found over here and here.
I recapped what I did from my winter list of things to do.
I made a spring list of things I want to do.
I wrote about the fashion exhibit on now at The Met (In America: A Lexicon of Fashion).
I tried out the new Vicks bath salts and they are incredible. I know that all bath salts hit hard, but these? Just beyond relaxing. I also tried the Vicks scented Puffs tissue paper and oh my god. Take all my money, Vicks. Such a genius idea to incorporate that smell when you blow your nose.

I went to the downtown location of Eataly and it’s less chaotic than the Flatiron one. And I don’t hate Eataly, but you definitely have to know why to go here. It’s overpriced and terrible if you’re going for a sit down meal or even their pre-packaged meals. But if you’re going for high quality dried pasta, incredible canned tomatoes and specialty items like anchovy paste and canned seafood, then it’s a cook’s dream.

I dyed my hair even blonder and… I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to natural. I love this look so much. I think my goal this year is to… become… untouchable?

The New York Times had a piece on the former mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion!

Sometimes I like to sit in Barnes & Noble and peruse the cookbooks for inspiration and meal ideas since one day B&N will definitely go bankrupt and cease to exist. I give it ten more years, max. So in the meantime, I will take advantage. I looked through The Pepper Thai Cookbook (Chrissy Teigen’s mom) and it wasn’t anything special. I swear, her and her daughter make 90% of their recipes with fish sauce. And look, fish sauce is great when used sparsely, but it’s enough already. I also looked through The Milk Bar cookbook and again, nothing special.
I got coffee at the fancy coffee place Felix Roasting Co. and yes it’s a pretty space, but they really need to clean the fabric of their booths because they look ROUGH. I can’t stand it when a business puts so much effort and time into creating a different, beautiful space and then there is zero upkeep. Why spend all that money up front and then get lazy with the actual management of the place? It’s such a waste. And not to be a bitch, but the Starbucks flat white is better than whatever they’re serving here. Never again. And if you’d like to see the most pretentious coffee shop menu of all time, gently look below.

felix roasting co menu NYC — $15 for a S’MORES LATTE? We’ve entered hell on earth.

I can never find them, but damn those North Fork BBQ potato chips are everything.

Kind of over-the-moon in love with this Levi’s x The Simpsons collab. God, that cloud vest is perfect.
Obviously, you know how Ulta & Sephora give you a birthday gift during your birthday month, so add Kiehl’s to that list now too. Got their pear scented lip balm for free.
My brothers and I all surprised my mom and came to Canada for her 70th birthday and it was so nice. Can’t believe it actually happened.

Liz Heather family photo March 2022 — The Heathers, March 2022

I bought this fake suede green coat from Zara that is the absolute softest and will be completely ruined if it rains.

I tried the new croissant croutons from Trader Joe’s and they taste like little butter cubes. Just an insane amount of butter in these. They should’ve crumbled these up and sold them as a croissant breadcrumb instead. But what do I know (other than everything).
Every single time I go to Mimi Cheng’s, I remember how much I love them all over again. Not really for their every day items, but their monthly specials are always incredible. In March they had French onion soup dumplings that were so intensely flavourful, they didn’t even need a dipping sauce. Love this place.

mimi cheng's dumplings March 2022 special french onion soup dumplings

My best friend Harmeet was visiting, so we had drinks at The Palm Court at The Plaza before going over to see Plaza Suite on Broadway (her idea to do both, a genius one at that). The play was too good. When did they start letting you order a whole bottle of wine to take to your seat? Love that. And Sarah Jessica Parker was magnificent, but Matthew Broderick? Not so great! He just seemed… tired. Or unenthusiastic. Which seems weird because doesn’t he have tons of Broadway experience?

I had my steak Diane at The Dowlings at The Carlyle and it was divine. Ordered the raviolo carbonara, the wedge salad and the table-side flambéed steak and what a glorious night it was. The Carlyle is such a beautiful hotel, I love that they still have mail chutes prominently shown (below).

dowling's at the carlyle bread and butter March 2022 — I love embossed butter (at Dowlings At The Carlyle, NYC)

Liz Heather dowling's at the carlyle dinner March 2022 — Appetizers, Dowlings At The Carlyle, NYC

mail chute nyc the carlyle march 2022 — Mail chute at The Carlyle, March 2022

I had lunch at Robert for the first time and it was perfectly all right. The food/service/view were all good, but who decorated this place? Bit of a yikes situation with the colour scheme.

robert nyc march 2022 dining room — Robert dining room, NYC

robert nyc march 2022 columbus circle view dining room — View onto Columbus Circle from Robert, NYC

This week in things that are too beautiful + too expensive:
I’ve mentioned my love of Bread Alone bakery (they always have a stand at the Union Square farmer’s market), but I hadn’t tried their oat chocolate chip cookie until now and it’s even better than the basic chocolate chip one. They also have incredible whole wheat sourdough.
I saw the Harry Potter play (SPOILERS) even though I’ve never read the books nor cared about the movies, so maybe that’s why I didn’t love it. One standout part, though? Those damn dementors, they were WILD. Do not see this play high. The effects of them were true insanity and if you liked the series even 1%, this is the main reason to see the play.

I love the spring collection of colours that Essie puts out and my favourite colour right now is definitely their Well Nested Energy.

I had the Vallata lunch special ($29 for a pasta & glass of wine) which was really, really good. Especially for that price. In 2022. Couldn’t believe it. I’m sure it won’t last.
Sweetest Irene treated me to birthday dinner at Rezdôra (I’ve been dying to go here for ages) and it was phenomenal. We had the Cacio E Pepe in Emilia, this puffed up prosciutto thing and some toasted bread to start and then for our entrees, the truffle Raviolo (the giant raviolo with black truffles), the Grandma Walking Through Forest in Emilia (the green pasta), and the Maccheroni al Pettine with duck ragu (truly heaven on earth). NOTE: I just noticed on their new, updated menu that the duck ragu is gone and replaced with a sausage ragu! I’ve already sent out an email to those in charge questioning this decision. I’ll do everything in my power to get it back on that menu.

rezdora nyc march 2022 — Cacio E Pepe in Emilia, Rezdôra NYC, March 2022

rezdora march 2022 nyc — Truffle Raviolo (the giant raviolo with black truffles), the Grandma Walking Through Forest in Emilia (the green pasta), the Maccheroni al Pettine with duck ragu, Rezdôra NYC, March 2022

Things I’ve Watched:
- To Gillian On Her 37th Birthday: Okay, I watched this because I was turning 37 this month and I thought “that sounds fun” so of course it wasn’t. Spoiler but Gillian IS DEAD. She died on her 35th birthday! I had no idea the whole movie was about the grief of her death, so obviously this wasn’t a fun watch. Also, all the gross flirting with minors was… a lot.
- Malice: Okay, do you know anything about this movie? If not, don’t look it up. Just watch it. I was ON CLOUD NINE watching this one. So many twists, there’s a great Alec Baldwin monologue in it, it’s just a party of a movie. Especially if you love early 90s semi-sexy psychological thrillers, WHICH I DO. Such a great movie.
- Impeachment: Great watch. Started watching it at the airport out of boredom and then it really picked up. Fully recommend.
I tried these great Vicks-like patches called Salonpas that you can stick on any area that needs pain relief but without the stickiness of an ointment.
I visited Argosy Book Store (one of the oldest book stores in NYC) and it’s wild that this place has managed to stay alive.

argosy book store march 2022 — Argosy Book Store, March 2022

Did you know that every night at 11:57pm, fifteen screens in Times Square shut down at the same time and display art for three minutes? It’s called the Midnight Moment.

This Welsh restaurant in Astoria Snowdonia has started to do tacos on Tuesday that are beyond incredible, especially the lamb.
I’m over the moon that Manhatta finally reopened, so Nathan and I went for my birthday and it’s still as beautiful as ever. So thankful they were able to reopen.

manhatta nyc march 2022 — Cocktail menu at Manhatta, NYC, March 2022

So my dear friend Diana and I had brunch together and I found potentially my favourite burger (au poivre) in all of NYC at Raoul’s and I can’t recommend it enough. They only serve it for brunch on the weekends and then a limited amount at the bar on week days. Find this burger. Eat this burger. This is your only option. Christ, it’s a revelation.

Since when did Tim Hortons bring back the apple fritter? So messy and good. Not better than San Remo’s, but a respectable alternative. Now all they need to bring back are the salted caramel Timbits and I’ll stop complaining.
I made this lemon orzo with peas and parmesan and it tasted so flat, it was weird. I love all those ingredients in it, I was just confused eating it. It’s like when you meet someone you think is so gorgeous and you talk to them and there’s zero chemistry. Like, what the fuck… we coulda been something here.
I made this crazy easy lasagna (with jarred sauce instead of tomatoes) last minute and it came out great. Love a fast lasagna. No one has time for a béchamel sauce.
One of the best dishes I’ve eaten in a loooong time: the roasted corn and couscous risotto with parmesan from Glass House Tavern. Holy hell, was it good.
I made scallops for the first time at home and they tasted so ordinary. They might just be one of those dishes that taste better when somebody else makes it.
Some spring inspired recipes I’d love to make soon:
So I saw one of the best plays I’ve ever seen on Broadway: Birthday Candles with Debra Messing. I wrote about it here, but oh my god. I laughed, I cried, I can’t believe how good it was.

birthday candles playbill debra messing broadway march 2022 nyc

Things I’m looking forward to: I’ve gone to the open galleries in Chelsea on Thursdays but I didn’t know that on the third Thursday of every month most of the galleries on the Lower East Side remain open from 4pm-8pm so I’m definitely going to do that if the weather’s nice, I’m excited for all the rain that’s coming (does this sound insane?) because it’s a known fact that spring rain is the least depressing rain, and I really want to make a dent in my “movies to watch” list.

If you have any interest in reading what went on in February, come on over here.

January 5, 2022

December Dalliances 2021

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC, Food, Links, Personal, Products, Recipes, Reviews, Television

December was a complete whirlwind but when is it not? I hope you had a very Merry Christmas! Other than getting my booster (!), here’s what else went down last month.

You can find my favourite tweets of the month over here and here.
I recapped how my autumn list went.
I made a list of things I’d like to do this winter.
I compiled my very favourites from the year.
My favourite photos from 2021.
Here are two great things to do when a new year has begun.
I wrote about the Christian Dior exhibit at The Brooklyn Museum (which closes in February).
Did you know that Costco has candles? There’s a four candle box for $20 and they’re only two-wick each, but extremely good quality.
I don’t think I’ve ever had pecan pie before in my life (I don’t even know why, I think I thought it might be too nutty?) but I tried a slice at JG Melon and whoa. Who the hell knew?
I attempted to read Charles Grodin’s memoir and I just… I couldn’t. I don’t mean to show any disrespect, but what a bore. Some people shouldn’t write books, I simply had to softly put it down on Nathan’s desk and walk away.
Incase you need to know the Bob’s Burgers Christmas episodes in one handy chart.

bobs burgers christmas episodes Liz Heather

I am obsessed with the snow drop scent from Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day. I’ve got the all purpose cleaner as well as the dish detergent and I’m so angry I didn’t buy any more to use throughout the year because it’s currently sold out everywhere. And look, the pine one is very good too, but the snow drop one just takes your breath away. Oh god… is this my life now… excitement over cleaning supplies scents?? End me.

Speaking of things that bum me out, I also tried the basil scented Method dish soap and Nathan and I both agree: not for us. The bottle shape is weird and the smell of basil to clean your dishes is confusing.
The best of the holiday recipes that I made over the Christmas break: Mushroom & Leek Bread Pudding, Upstate-Style Roast Beef Sandwiches, Southern Baked Macaroni & Cheese, and Chocolate Pumpkin Pie (I didn’t do the marshmallow part, I went with whipped cream instead although a rum whipped cream would have worked well, too).
The dill pickle chicken nuggets at Burger King in Canada? Shock of all shocks: not good.
But the tim biebs at Tim Hortons? Pretty good!
Food lesson I learned: gruyere does not taste good as a shredded cheese on top of garlic bread, it must be mixed into some sort of mixture to taste good since it’s way too overpowering on its own.
Tried the chicken sandwich at Jollibee and honestly? It’s a definite contender for the Popeye’s one. Really great.
New nails alert!

Liz Heather nails Christmas — Nails For You in Square One, Mississauga, Ontario

I finally made Alison Roman’s Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies and they are fantastic. I had no idea how much I love demerara sugar, it’s that beautiful crunchy sugar that you can find atop the classiest of muffins and it’s too too good.
They have the dairy-free Boursin at Trader Joe’s! And it tastes exactly like the dairy version! Why does this excite me!
My niece Layla introduced me to the brand Native and I’m loving their holiday scented body washes (Sugar Cookie & Candy Cane).
I finally ate at Carbone with my dear friend Paul and it was good! Was it as special as the world seems to think it is? Of course not, but that reality is okay, too. The service was great, the place is beautifully decorated for the holidays and the food was very much adequate. The cons of the place are mainly due to its inaccessibility and food quality for its price. And maybe we should've gotten more meat entrees instead of only sticking with their pastas but I mean... it's an Italian restaurant... shouldn't all of their pastas wow you with a reputation like theirs? The best things we ate were the tortellini al ragu ($34) and the garlic bread (free). Both truly great. The spicy rigatoni vodka ($32) is their most celebrated pasta and honestly it was good but not at all worth the hype. The fettuccini con funghi ($32) was disappointing mainly because of the inclusion of bell peppers... why put bell peppers in such a dish? Such a gross flavour with the creaminess of a soft fettuccine. I really did want to love this place, but there are far superior Italian places in this city (L'Artusi, Lilia, Portale). Take your money elsewhere.

Tortellini al ragu ($34) at Carbone, NYC

Liz Heather Carbone New York City restaurant — Carbone, NYC

I’ve never even heard of shapable soap, but I bought a can from Bath & Body Works (it’s on sale for $5 right now) and it’s so fun to use. Kids especially seem to love it. Apparently they only have them around the holidays but there are four scents to choose from.
I bought this faux leather vest from Zara that I love and have absolutely no idea how to style.
I won a lottery ticket to see Girl From The North Country and it was really good, I sat in the second row from the front and I might be ruined forever because seeing a play that close was unreal and so cool. Also, seeing the Belasco Theatre was a dream. Also, Austin Scott can GET IT.

Had a drink at the Ophelia Lounge and the view is wonderful, but the drinks and food aren’t terribly special.
The candy cane green tea at Trader Joe’s? Award-winning.
Finally ate at Via Carota with Irene on her birthday and it was really good. All the pastas were wonderful, skip the rice balls.

Irene Morales New York City — Beautiful Irene on her birthday at Via Carota, NYC

I made my way to Via Porta (the smaller, casual outpost of the L’Artusi crew) to get some of their jarred sauces and I was a little disappointed unfortunately. It just didn’t taste the same as in the restaurant. I only tried the bolognese one, so maybe the mushroom ragu will be better? I’ll definitely give it one more try, especially since they’re supposed to start selling their fresh pasta in the coming weeks. (Also, the baked goods they’re selling are extremely good.)
My friend Casey kindly invited me to the dress rehearsal of Dear Evan Hansen and I’m so happy to have seen it! But good lord, never again. The music is mostly wonderful and the actors were great, but every other aspect of the production? Yikes. Forever love seeing something on Broadway, though.
My And Just Like That… thoughts (spoilers ahead):
- God, where do I begin…
- In a time when death, sickness and darkness literally surrounds our every waking moment, why in the world would a team of writers want to start out a “beloved” series with the death of a major character? I mean… read the room??? Why start an entirely new season with grief? On what planet does this make sense? Especially when you have these characters living in this post pandemic existence that still isn’t a reality here and now? It’s nonsense.
- Also the cringey nature of every single podcast scene? I have to almost ignore these parts entirely because of how bad they are. It’s as though someone wrote this script and then a team of woke writers came in to make it fit into today’s culture but completely missed the mark and just ended up making this vomit-inducing trash. It’s all just so embarrassing to watch.
- I know this has been said to death, but them even doing this series without Samantha was the wrong decision. The balance is completely off, I don’t care about the new characters, none of this should ever have been made.

We bought this new pineapple print for the living room and I can’t wait until it’s hung up.
I tried the eggplant parm at Cutlets and it was pretty good but nothing to write home about.
In love with the new feathered evening coat I got for Christmas.
I tried the KFC potato chips from Walkers (brought over from the UK) and they were delicious.

I’m sure you saw my new hair, but incase you’re living under a rock. (Note: this is the first time in 36 years I’ve dyed my hair. Why did I want to do it? Mainly because I wanted to stop being afraid of doing it.)

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Some things that I’m looking forward to this month: seeing The Phantom of the Opera with Nathan (his first time!), I’m excited about the return of Restaurant Week, the Bath & Body Works semi-annual sale has already started incase you like cheap candles (the hot buttered rum one is NUTS), I’m excited about making new resolutions for the year because I’m clinically insane, and I might make the trek to Governor’s Island now that it’s opened for the winter.

If you have any interest in other monthly roundups of 2021, they can be found here: November 2021, October 2021, September 2021, August 2021, July 2021, June 2021, May 2021, April 2021, March 2021, February 2021 & January 2021.