June 7, 2025

Summer Saturdays Vol. 1

Welcome to the return of Summer Saturdays! I started doing these in 2023 and I write them mainly to reiterate to myself that I am a human woman who is capable of doing fun summer things. For most of my life I’ve hated this horrid season (the heat, everything smells, children run wild/free = all reasons to naturally hate it), but I’ve actively tried to change that mindset these past few years. So these posts are here to stay (until Labour Day). And you might say that summer starts on the 20th, but it starts when I says it does.

BAKING

This is in no way a fun muffin, but these black bean muffins are good, I promise you. Full disclosure: you will not like them, but I do.

COOKING

At-home steak salads are always the answer. And it should be illegal for one to be anything upwards of $20 at a restaurant, I will die on this hill. We used to be a country.

CRAVING

The vegan tahini soft serve from Seed + Mill in Chelsea Market. Top three best soft serve in the city, hands down. Try to ignore the vegan/tahini part of the description because it’s actually really good.

Soft serve from Seed + Mill in Chelsea Market, NYC

DRINKING

LOVE the Schweppes seltzer flavour concord grape. Tastes so much like a purple Crush only without the raging sugar headache.

EATING

A few months ago I realized the secret to an incredible at-home chicken parm - you have to get bone-in chicken (and then just slice it before you cook). Made it countless times since then and it tastes phenomenal.

EXPERIENCING

Saw the new costume exhibit at The Met and of course had many thoughts.

LISTENING

Made a 1960s playlist that’s been on repeat for about a week now.

LOVING

This long sleeve bodysuit from Aerie. I got them in two colours: navy & “canyon sun.” What the hell is canyon sun, you ask? Brown. It’s just brown. People hate the word brown so much they’re willing to come up with the nonsense that is “canyon sun” shoot me.

SHOPPING

Just reordered the Urban Skin RX Dark Spot Facial Scrub. It smells great and really gets rid of any recent acne scars.

WATCHING

The second episode of And Just Like That. I’m very into the idea that there’s a new love interest for Carrie. I’m sure it’ll end badly and she’ll just stay with Aiden, but at least we don’t have to just watch her wondering around her house all day. Also, is it just me or was the show more fun when she wasn’t rich? I’ve rewatched the series so many times over the years and I think I’m onto something here.

WEARING

Wore this gorgeous Simons dress to a wedding because I’m trying to unlearn how much I’ve hated how my arms look in the past. Progress!

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You can see last year’s Summer Saturdays series over here if you like this series but live in the past. Volume 2 coming next Saturday!

June 6, 2025

Superfine: Tailoring Black Style - The Met's 2025 Costume Exhibit

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC

“The Costume Institute’s spring 2025 exhibition presents a cultural and historical examination of Black style over three hundred years through the concept of dandyism. In the 18th-century Atlantic world, a new culture of consumption, fueled by the slave trade, colonialism, and imperialism, enabled access to clothing and goods that indicated wealth, distinction, and taste. Black dandyism sprung from the intersection of African and European style traditions.”

— The Met

This display is maddening, EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE THINGS AT EYE LEVEL

Okay, it was a perfectly fine exhibit. (Can you sense my subtle annoyance?) My major problems were these…

WHY IS EVERYTHING LIT SO OMINOUSLY? I’ve had this issue with exhibits from the past and it’s so infuriating. Also, the majority of these garments are dark colours so why would you showcase them against dark backgrounds? Dark colours pop against light backgrounds and vice versa. This is… science?
The entire exhibit was a tenth of the size compared with exhibits from other years.
Why was it focused solely on male tailoring? Especially when they certainly had the space to include more.

That being said there were definitely gorgeous pieces.

House of Balmain, Olivier Rousteing, pre-fall 2023

Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh, autumn/winter 2021-2022

Oh and one more issue - STOP PUTTING PIECES TOO HIGH SO PEOPLE CAN’T SEE THE DETAILS ON THEM (see below).

Infuriating, there’s absolutely no reason for this nonsensical placement

Why in the hell would these be displayed like this?? It makes zero sense. All in all, the exhibition was only all right this year. Definitely not a must-see (unlike last year’s).

The exhibit is open now until October 26, 2025.

And since I was already there, I saw the new rooftop exhibit Ensemble by Jennie C. Jones (on view until October 19, 2025) since it’s the last rooftop commission until at least 2030.

*Ensemble* by Jennie C. Jones, The Met rooftop 2025

The large sculptures are “based on string instruments that are supposed to play sounds activated only by the wind” - which sounds great, but I was there on an extremely windy day and didn’t hear anything. I respect the effort, though.

And look, it sounds like I’m overly picky but I think it’s just because nothing will ever top the Jeff Koons rooftop pieces from 2008. Oh! And lastly, look at this adorable dog kennel that was made for Marie Antoinette’s dog. In love.

Kennel made for the dog of Marie Antoinette, ca. 1775-1780

Past fashion exhibits I’ve seen at The Met:

2024 - Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion

2023 - Women Dressing Women

2023 - Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty

2022 - In America (Part Two): An Anthology of Fashion

2021 - In America (Part One): A Lexicon of Fashion (as well as the updated Part One that a few months later)

2019 - Camp: Notes on Fashion

2018 - Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination (not a full post, but a brief summary)

2016 - Manus x Machine: Fashion in an Age of Technology

I’ve also written about the Thierry Muglar exhibit as well as the Christian Dior one (both at the Brooklyn Museum).

May 27, 2025

The Met's 2024 Costume Exhibit - Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC

YES, this exhibit review post is a year late. Sometimes time moves too quickly, I don’t make the rules. (I did see this year’s exhibit the other day, so you can expect that post a lot sooner (haha, am I lying? Nobody knows).) Thoughts below!

The 2024 Costume Exhibit at The Met, NYC

Absolutely loved the 2024 exhibit. The items were lit very well against a white background (why would they ever deviate from this idea?) and the entire exhibit made great use of the space. It’s true that I don’t (and never will) like when they display things too high up (see above photo), but since there were so many pieces to display I suppose I’ll allow it this one time.

Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton, spring/summer 2011

I’ll never forget the Alexander McQueen exhibit from 2011 (Savage Beauty). I wish I had this site back then so I could have documented how gorgeous and well done it all was. (This oyster dress is burned in my memory forever.)

Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton, autumn/winter 2018-2019

There was a “smell experience” also within the exhibit that was a good idea in theory but didn’t really land in execution. But that didn’t bother me (surprisingly?) because I respect effort.

I’m patiently waiting for the day that The Met decides to do a wedding costume exhibit. Can. you. imagine. the. decadence. You’d need a whole wing of the museum to do it properly, too. None of this up-high nonsense. I want to see TRAINS. Can someone please put me in charge of something.

Charles James, "Tulip" evening dress, 1949

Charles James, "Butterfly" ball gown, 1955

I didn’t realize cocktail aprons were ever a thing and now I need one (below).

Attributed to Mainbocher, cocktail apron, 1943

Collina Strada, Hillary Taymour, "Meadowsweet" dress, spring/summer 2023

Reminded me of how much I loved that Collina Strada bodysuit from the 2022 exhibit.

Conner Ives, "Couture Girl" dress, autumn/winter 2021-2022

I don’t know if that’s supposed to be hilarious (above) but it is and I love it.

Dauphinette, Olivia Cheng, autumn/winter 2022-2023

Bug dress!

Okay, I love this rose dress. I mean, I kinda already designed it but as a headpiece.

Why aren’t we all wearing more capes?

Gucci, Alessandro Michele, cape, autumn/winter 2017-2018

It’s wild that an H&M dress (below) is in this exhibit but I do love that it’s recycled from shoreline plastic waste. Considering how much harm this company has already done to the planet, this seems… dense.

H&M, "Serpentine" dress, spring/summer 2017

House of Dior, “New Junon" evening dress, spring/summer 2017 haute couture

There’s something so timeless about a Dior gown. Just the definitely of elegance, I love them so much.

House of Dior, Yves Saint Lauren, "Rose Rouge" evening dress, spring/summer 1958

Christian Dior, "Venus" ball gown, autumn/winter 1949-1950 haute couture

Christian Dior, May ball gown, spring/summer 1953

I recognize these two Dior dresses (above and below) from the 2016 Manus X Machina exhibit.

House of Dior, "Vilmorin" ensemble, spring/summer 1952

Christian Dior, "Junon" ball gown, autumn/winter 1949-1950 haute couture

House of Schiaparelli, Daniel Roseberry, spring/summer 2024

A man whispered, “I’ll have the branzino” to his wife while looking at this dress (above) and I’ll be honest, I really laughed. So dumb. People do take this stuff so seriously sometimes, so it’s nice to hear people’s out-loud thoughts.

House of Worth, Charles Frederick Worth, "Tulipes Hollandaises" evening cloak, 1889

BRING BACK THE CLOAK.

Iris van Herpen, "Nautiloid" dress, spring/summer 2020 haute couture

I really love how much fun the Iris van Herpen pieces are. I remember seeing her work for the first time in the 2020 About Time exhibit (online, since it was 2020). I mean, look at how whimsical this one is.

Iris van Herpen, "Physalia" dress, spring/summer 2020 haute couture

Iris van Herpen, autumn/winter 2011-2012 haute couture

There was an entire room devoted to poppies, which I didn’t love. I mean I get it, poppies are associated with remembrance and eternal sleep so it does fit the theme - but I wasn’t in love with the pieces used.

Isaac Mizrahi, "Exploded Poppy" dress, spring/summer 1992

Will forever adore any sort of draping.

Marni, Francesco Risso, spring/summer 2024

Mason Martin Margiela, autumn/winter 2014-2015

Sidenote: I loooove this wig coat with my whole heart.

Olivier Theyskens, autumn/winter 2000-2001

Nothing better than a big bouncy dress and I love Oliver Theyskens. Look at this other breathtaking gown he made.

Phillip Lim, Charlotte McCurdy, "Algae Sequin" dress, 2021

Richard Malone, autumn/winter 2020-2021 & Richard Malone, spring/summer 2020

Rodarte, Kate Mulleavy, Laura Mulleavy, spring/summer 2012

Would die for a Rodarte gown. I still have dreams about the one I saw from the In America: A Lexicon of Fashion exhibit from 2022 (seen here). Oh! And can’t forget this gorgeous dress from the Women Dressing Women exhibit in 2024.

Properly lit and positioned garments make me swoon, I’m sorry

Viktor & Rolf, Viktor Horsting, Rolf Snoeren, spring/summer 2015 haute couture

Okay, look at how much fun this gown is.

Undercover, Jun Takahashi, spring/summer 2024

Note: this exhibit was on view at The Met from May 10 – September 2, 2024.

And since you’re here, I’ll show you what the rooftop exhibit was at The Met for 2024 as well:

Petrit Halilaj, Abetare, The Met Rooftop, 2024

Past fashion exhibits I’ve seen at The Met:

2023 - Women Dressing Women

2023 - Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty

2022 - In America (Part Two): An Anthology of Fashion

2021 - In America (Part One): A Lexicon of Fashion (as well as the updated Part One that a few months later)

2019 - Camp: Notes on Fashion

2018 - Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination (not a full post, but a brief summary)

2016 - Manus x Machine: Fashion in an Age of Technology

I’ve also written about the Thierry Muglar exhibit as well as the Christian Dior one (both at the Brooklyn Museum).

June 13, 2024

May Musings 2024

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

It has officially been six years of doing these monthly roundup posts since I started them in May of 2018. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE. If there’s a lesson here, it’s that change is truly possible. I never would’ve thought I’d be doing these consistently for that long, so that’s wild to me. Thank you to anyone and everyone who has ever even read one. Here’s what went down in May!

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The best tweets of the month are over here.
I reviewed the hip hop jewelry exhibit at the Natural History Museum.
I saw the new rooftop installation at The Met.
Vulture wrote about Nathan’s special twice this month and I couldn’t be prouder.

The New York Times also loved Nathan’s newest special Down With Tech!
I made this one pan pepper steak with added mushrooms that I will absolutely do again.
My favourite Met gala looks:

The hair, the makeup, the dress = all of it is perfection, she just needs to leave Justin to fully become perfect in this moment

The back of Mindy Kaling’s dress is HIGH ART

The author of my favourite book, Paul Auster, passed away so I think a re-reading of Mr. Vertigo is in order soon.
I visited the newly opened Paramount Theatre in Brooklyn to see Belle & Sebastian (they were great) and what a beautiful venue.

I tried cottage cheese for the first time and it wasn’t terrible! I still say that “cottage cheese” is the most disgusting thing it could have been named, though. I made this fake chocolate mousse with it and Nathan ate every last bite. I also made a fake “ice cream” with cottage cheese + frozen blueberries that was actually good. I won’t pretend to tell you it tasted like real ice cream, but it was surprisingly edible.

Cottage cheese + frozen blueberry ice cream that’s not actually ice cream, I can’t lie to you

We had a huge Baby Dog scare where she tore a ligament in her leg and our vet was an absolute nightmare with prescribing her these insanely strong pills that made our lives a living hell for a week. Thankfully she’s back to normal and better than ever. We also started her on these cataract eye drops that may actually help her sight, will report back on these in a few more weeks.

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I tried the new chickpea pasta from Trader Joe’s and I like it better than Banza (it’s cheaper, too). Also tried their new, incredible honeycomb candy.

Love this essay by Glynnis MacNicol and I can’t wait to read her upcoming memoir entitled I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself.
Embarrassed to say how much I love the Shake Shack lettuce wrap.

The white chocolate macadamia cream at Starbucks is a problem. I’m really in the macadamia era of my life. No one tells you that your late-30s era is intensely boring?
There’s nothing sadder than disappointing soft serve. Marvel: do better.

Truly in love with the shortbread foam hand soap from Bath & Body Works. (Don’t forget their annual sale is going on right now.)

Loving the entire ButterBliss line at Target. How is it so damn soft??
Tried the new sandwich place Nomad, which is incredible. Took me 39 years to understand that I truly love coleslaw. Again, terrible name choice. Beginning to learn that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover? What a concept?

Quick note: if you ever shop in store at Staples, you should really look up their online prices vs. the in-store price when you’re there. The in-store price is almost always wildly more expensive than the same item listed online and if you show the cashier when you’re checking out - they’ll price match it for the lower price.
So I was on a morning walk and I found a lost cat! It was wild and the owners were so sweet about it.
Saw Mary Jane with Rachel McAdams on Broadway with Nathan and it was great.

There is an exhibit of old literary posters right now at The Met that is absolutely beautiful.

The latkes at Modern Bread and Bagel remain the best in NYC.

Got the new summer scents from Mrs. Meyers and they. are. incredible.

Seasonally scented cleaning products? FUCK ME UP

Took Baby Dog to Central Park and she loved it, even if you can’t tell by this forcibly posed photograph.

I love a street fair because you’ll always find something unique. Creepy-faced magnets? Forever yes.

Completely forgot about my love for rainbow sherbert.

Some things I watched:
- The Idea of You (Amazon Prime): low maintenance and intensely watchable. The line, “People hate happy women” PERFECT. And Michael Showalter directed it?? What the hell? That’s great.
- How Stella Got Her Groove Back: it’s pretty gross that the main love interest is a 20 year old boy. And the real life story that it’s based on is AWFUL (spoiler alert: he was actually gay and married her for a green card!!).
- Under The Tuscan Sun: still great.
- Twister (the Helen Hunt one): such a great movie. There’s really no need for the remake. Best part? The sheer amount of twisters in the movie. That may seem like a dumb observation, but it really isn’t. It’s just so fast-paced and there’s basically another twister every ten minutes or so.
- Dream Scenerio: good! Some of the abuse scenes are hard to sit through, but as a whole a really good movie.
- The Danny Meyer episode of Ina Garten’s show: I was not aware that he basically invented eating at the bar instead of at a table in a restaurant (was also not aware that it needed to be invented??) and I must make the pasta (orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage) that he made for Ina in that episode.
- Emily in Paris (season two): can you tell how desperate I am in finding new shows to watch? It’s not a good show. I hate all the singing, I had to fast-forward those scenes. But I did love these pink shoes.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: finishing off some final spring activities, writing my summer list, I need to dry clean and officially pack away my winter coats, I’ll start doing my Summer Saturdays weekly series again, excited for the new season of The Bear at the end of the month and I’d love to find some new strawberry recipes to make the most of the season.

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

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January 18, 2024

Women Dressing Women Costume Exhibit at The Met

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC

“The Costume Institute’s fall 2023 exhibition will explore the creativity and artistic legacy of women fashion designers from The Met’s permanent collection, tracing a lineage of makers from the turn of the twentieth century to the present day by highlighting celebrated designers, new voices, and forgotten histories alike.

Women Dressing Women will feature the work of over seventy womenswear designers, spanning ca. 1910 to today, including French haute couture from houses such as Jeanne Lanvin, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Madeleine Vionnet, to American makers like Ann Lowe, Claire McCardell, and Isabel Toledo, along with contemporary designs by Iris van Herpen, Rei Kawakubo, Anifa Mvuemba, and Simone Rocha.”

— The Met

I love that The Met is doing two different costume exhibits a year now. This one only runs for three months, so obviously I had to go this week. Highlights below!

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Grace Wales Bonner at House of Dior, 2020, edition 2022

Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, spring/summer 2012

I remember when they last showed this McQueen piece in 2016 (at the Manus x Machina exhibit) and they’re finally highlighting the back of it, which I love.

Rei Kawakubo at Comme des Garçons, spring/summer 1997

So in love with the story behind this design (above).

Melitta Baumeister, autumn/winter 2021-2022

At first glance, I really hated this one (above) and then after a few minutes it really grew on me, especially considering the fact that it’s a product of its time period.

Kate Mulleavy and Laura Mulleavy at Rodarte, autumn/winter 2006-2007

My favourite piece of the whole collection, by far.

Kate Mulleavy and Laura Mulleavy at Rodarte, autumn/winter 2006-2007 (the back of the dress)

And I love that someone had the good sense to put a mirror behind this one so we could see the all of the details.

The exhibit runs now until March 3rd.

June 29, 2023

Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty at The Met

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC

“The Costume Institute’s spring 2023 exhibition will examine the work of Karl Lagerfeld (1933–2019). Focusing on the designer’s stylistic vocabulary as expressed in aesthetic themes that appear time and again in his fashions from the 1950s to his final collection in 2019, the show will spotlight the German-born designer’s unique working methodology. ”

— The Met

Every spring I make my way over to The Met to see the new fashion exhibit and it’s a tradition that I hope I never stop. It’s a very love/hate experience, which is what makes it so fun for me. They can be beautifully whimsical or absolute train wrecks. So let us begin…

Okay, so THIS is a wonderful way of displaying a clothing exhibit (above). Black dresses should be again white backgrounds and vice versa. It’s also at eye level, with just enough distance away so that you can see the intricate details. How is this not standard procedure for showing pieces at this point?

I don’t love the two-floor showing of these ones (above) but at least they’re lighted properly. It would’ve been nice to see them up close, but maybe I’m just too picky when it comes to Met curation decisions. Although if I’m going to see a designer exhibit, it isn’t insane of me to want to actually see the vintage, designer pieces. But I digress.

Early 70s Fendi mink fur? SIGN ME UP. Not only do I love old pieces, I absolutely love vintage fur when it’s maintained so well. It’s legit history you’re looking at, incredibly beautiful history. The cut of this cape is breathtaking.

At first glance, I hated this but when I read that it was a cape (why was it not shown with its opening?) I’m way more onboard. Capes need to come back. Especially ones that make you look like you’re some sort of chic fairy godmother.

An 80s Chloe dress? Perfection. I would have loved to see the front of it, but that wasn’t in the cards. It should be law that all dresses have fun back details.

I really didn’t love this clearly-Lagerfeld 80s dress mainly because I don’t love his signature style at all. It’s edgy but without any substance.

The detailing of this Chanel dress is gorgeous (especially the neck and the wrist area), it’s so fun but, like, a structured kind of fun. It does seem like a nightmare to wear, but so lovely to look at. (And I just realized that they also showed it at their 2016 exhibit!)

If it’s got tulle, mesh, feathers or any kind of netting - I’m 99% gonna be into it. Absolutely love this dress. And it’s hard to tell in a still photograph but it shimmers ever so slightly in the light.

THE BEADING, MY GOD. This dress screams patience and elegance at once and I’m enthralled with it.

As much as I love the feathers, my favourite part about this piece is the shape. I’ve never seen a dress that achieved this type of shape before, which is wild to realize and beautiful to witness.

Overall, a small portion of the collection was fun but there were too many modern pieces (from the 2000s) and the majority of them were too high up to even see. And I think I love an exhibit that covers more than one designer and instead focuses on a theme rather than a person. But if you like to just peruse designer items from the past, definitely make your way to The Met before it closes on July 16th.

IMPORTANT TIP: Before you enter the exhibition, you must join the virtual exhibition queue via QR code once you’re inside the museum (there’s a QR code sign beside the main entrance ticket line). No advance or timed tickets required and access is first come, first served.

The exhibit runs until July 16th, 2023.

Past fashion exhibits I’ve seen at The Met:

2016’s Manus x Machine (Fashion in an Age of Technology)
2018’s Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination (not a full post, but a brief summary)
2019’s Camp: Notes on Fashion
2021’s In America (Part One): A Lexicon of Fashion (as well as the updated Part One that a few months later)
2022’s In America (Part Two): An Anthology of Fashion

June 15, 2023

May Musings 2023

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

God, I love the spring months. Everyone seems to be in a good mood, the wind is the perfect amount of chilly, the birds can’t seem to shut up and asparagus soup is on every single restaurant menu. Perfect season, no notes. Here’s what went down in May!

The best tweets of May can be found over here.
I wrote about the book Keep Moving by Dick Van Dyke.
I finally got to visit the abandoned City Hall subway station.
I flew with Flair Airlines for the first time and say what you will about them, but it’s amazing that they have a system in place so that you can pay for your pet-in-cabin online. ZERO other airlines have that figured out.
In love with the Essie polish “sew gifted” even if the name is atrocious.

I tried the banana pudding monthly flavour at Magnolia Bakery (brownie caramel) and it was only meh. They really don’t need to be so flashy, the original is perfectly great.

I’ve been using the Trader Joe’s facial sunscreen (it’s supposed to be a dupe for the Supergoop one) and it’s wonderful. I mean, I think it is? I’m not smart enough to understand the qualities of good sunscreen.

Are we aware of how great The Smith’s happy hour is? The black truffle arancini? Yowza. So good.

With Irene at The Smith for martini happy hour

Here’s a gentle reminder to take photos of good outfits.

I perused Alison Roman’s newest cookbook Sweet Enough and I definitely want to make Nora Ephron’s bread pudding from it.

If you grew up in Ontario in the 90s, then you understand the greatness of Tahiti Treat. The LCBO just released a vodka version of it, and yes it’s as good as you can imagine.

I took my niece Tianna to the Spirit Tree Estate Cidery in Caledon and it was so lovely! We had flights of different ciders, insanely good pizza and I bought a jug of coffee milk that blew my mind.

My friend Marla made me this heavenly rhubarb syrup for drinks/cocktails and I’m forever onboard with rhubarb now.
I returned to Corner Bistro for the first time in years and here’s a thought: a fatter burger doesn’t necessarily equate to a better burger.
How the hell am I learning NOW that there’s a Capriotti’s in NYC?! I thought it was only in Vegas. Love knowing that I can get a Thanksgiving sandwich any time I damn well please.

The Bobbie Thanksgiving sandwich at Capriotti’s, NYC

I saw Bad Cinderella on Broadway since it’s closing soon and yes I’ll always support ALW - but this was on another level of bad. Hated the lead actress, hated the music.

Okay, if you’re not buying wild blueberries then you should be. I’ve had it with the cheap, flavourless blueberries that are the size of softballs. BLUEBERRIES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TEENY. The frozen, wild ones from Whole Foods are the best tasting ones I’ve found in NY, but the Canadian frozen ones from the east coast are top tier too. Make blueberries tiny again.

In other Liz-Is-Angry news, a “Pittsburgh salad recipe” never needs to see the light of day. Food bloggers really need to take time off sometimes.
I went to Scooter’s Roller Palace (grateful that it still exists after all these years) and it was beyond fun.

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I went to see the new fashion exhibit at The Met and it warrants a full post, so you can read about it over here. I also saw the new rooftop exhibit that I didn’t love.

I tried the Holler & Glow self-heating eye mask and it’s incredible. Perfect for headaches and allergies, especially. Gonna buy five more.
I read somewhere that the best brownie mix was the Trader Joe’s one, so I got it and it’s great, sure, but mainly because there are added chocolate chips in the mix. So really as long as you add chocolate chips to any brownie mix, it’ll be amazing (but this should already be clear to you - who isn’t adding extra chocolate to brownies? Losers, that’s who).
I made this lemon almond pudding cake that was good, but I don’t think I ever need to make it again.

But these protein cookies? Will absolutely make again.

Love a classic bread pudding and this recipe turned out great.
It took me 38 years to discover my love of green curry. I have my dear friend Richard to thank for this, so now I’m on a mission to find the best one in this city.
Ate at Cactus Club twice and even if the service is terrible, the food is still pretty good. And the company was even better.

With Marla at Cactus Club in Mississauga, ON

Some things I watched:
- Nora From Queens (newest season): I only watched the first episode and honestly gasped at how bad it was. Struggling to muster the energy to keep watching.
- Fatal Attraction (the TV series): In all honesty, I only watched this to see Pacey have sex on screen. And I did enjoy the series up until the ending, WHICH WAS SO TERRIBLE that I regret ever having started it.
- Party Down (newest season): Only watched the first episode and it’s all right. Kind of hate that COVID is apart of it. Might not finish.
- If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast: Loved it. Everyone should see it. Love that Seinfeld’s mother lived to be 99.
- Carol: an incredibly slow movie, but fine. Can’t remember why this was on my must-watch list.
Baby Dog in a basket will always make me happy.

Zara can be the worst or best store, depending on the season. And right now, it’s on FIRE. I think I bought three Zara dresses in the last month alone. (A polka dot midi dress, a strapless tulle dress and a printed tunic dress.)

Loving the mango lip scrub from The Body Shop.

Does it make sense that Tim Hortons has incredible ice cream? Absolutely not. But their maple crunch flavour? Good god. Better than Häagen-Dazs.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: finishing off some final spring activities, writing my summer list, going to Wonderland with the girls and then taking advantage of strawberry season.

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

January 10, 2023

The Best of 2022

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

The very best of 2022.

June 1, 2022

May Musings 2022

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

spring cherry blossoms nyc may 2022 liz Heather

How is it June? Halloween is practically tomorrow. Here’s what went down last month!

The best tweets of May can be found over here and here.
I wrote an essay about my hated for the Kard***ian family.
Nathan’s show Trapped got reviewed in The Globe and Mail!
I visited the insanely disappointing part two of the costume exhibit at The Met.
I also revisited part one of that same exhibit because new pieces were added and they are spectacular. (And quick note: there’s no rooftop exhibit at The Met this summer! I emailed them to see why and they told me that it “has been delayed per the artist’s request“ which is complete bullshit! If the artist couldn’t make it work for this year, why the hell didn’t they commission someone else to fill the space for this year? The fuck?)
I read and reviewed Christopher Reeve’s memoir.
I never use face cream, but the texture of my face was weirdly rough for about a week so I lathered on the belief aqua bomb cream each night and it smoothed me right out back to normal within two days. It also works really well on elbows if ashiness is ever a concern for you.
So intensely in love with these new shorts I got from Banana Republic Factory.
I made this tomato, zucchini, caramelized onion & feta tart with puff pastry that was too, too good.

zucchini tomato feta caramelized onion tart puff pastry liz Heather spring recipe

I made these flourless chocolate brownie cookies and they were truly disgusting.

I’ve tried many foot masks, but this Holler and Glow one from Target is my absolute favourite. It’s even better than that baby foot mask everyone loved a few years back.
Went to Bar Crudo in Brooklyn and it was incredible. The crab cakes were perfect, everything we ordered was phenomenal (except the ricotta toast). Have to go back.
I’ve been making individual iced teas each day and this month solely consisted of the Trader Joe’s pomegranate white tea. It’s so fruity, but not at all too sweet.

trader joes organize pomegranate white tea liz heather homemade iced tea

Two new discoveries! I have a moderate dairy allergy and a possible pollen allergy! Sweet! This is what your late thirties looks like I guess?

I tried a sample of the silk peony eye cream (eyes are rolling at that name) from Tatcha and it yes it was good. But no it should not be $62. All creams should be max $20 and that’s even pushing it a bit.
Links I’m Loving:
- If you’re still spring cleaning, this is such a great guide.
- These sandwiches look so wildly good. Can I please just be invited to this woman’s house.
- The best SNL sketch of the season. (It’s called Old Enough! Longterm Boyfriends if you need to search for it in Canada.)
- I badly want to make these chocolate toffee cookies (below).

Things I Watched:
- I’m in the middle of a rewatch of Friday Night Lights (Hulu), it’s not as good as it was the first time around but Riggins can still get it.
- Also rewatching Undeclared (YouTube!) and it’s as good as I remembered it.
- Our Father (Netflix) was pure chaos. It’s so disturbing and awful, I kind of want to tell you not to even watch it? It’s not worth it. Awful people who get away with doing awful things is such a weird thing to recommend to watch.
- Inventing Anna (Netflix) was irritatingly bad. A lot of the acting was terrible, the scripts were awful. Why on earth was this longer than a 90 minute made-for-TV movie? This is one of those times the Wikipedia page is more interesting than the final product.
- The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes (Netflix) was, again, hard to watch. I’ve seen dozens of movies about this woman and every new thing I learn about her is more depressing than the last. God, the Kennedys were awful people.
- St. Elmo’s Fire (Hulu) was terrible! I’d never seen it before but UGH. There are so many good people in it, I had such high hopes. Not one likable character in a cast of what seemed to be fifty people. Also, I know it was the ‘80s but no friend would ever put another friend’s head in a toilet, it just wouldn’t happen. Terrible script.
- Everything Everywhere All At Once (theatres) was good! There were definitely parts that were a smidge too corny, but as a whole it was really good.
- Flamingo Kid (streamed online) is such a good summer movie, I can’t believe I haven’t seen it before. It’s light and low maintenance and a young Matt Dillon is very pleasant to look at.
- Big Night (streamed online) was so good. I’ve wanted to see it forever because of how food centric it is and it was perfect.
- Top Gun: Maverick (theatres) was actually really good. Even I surprise myself sometimes. Love Tom Cruise. LOVE that he insisted on little to no CGI.
It’s amazing that spring garlic is still in season, I’m begging you to find some.

fresh green spring garlic nyc may 2022 liz heather

The main thing I’m looking forward to this month: I’m going on my big postponed-from-2020 trip! I’ll definitely be posting about it on my Instagram stories and (and highlights section) if you have any interest in seeing what I get up to. I could tell you some of the things planned, but where’s the fun in that?

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

baby dog chihuahua sleeping liz Heather may 2022 sweet dog

May 30, 2022

In America: A Lexicon of Fashion at The Met (Updated Pieces!)

by Liz Heather in Best of NYC

So I already reviewed this exhibit, but I went back recently and it’s been updated with new pieces! Why would they do this? The only reason I can come up with is because part two of the exhibit (that came out a few weeks ago) was so revoltingly done that they had to save face. Makes sense! Favourites ahead.

the met costume exhibit in america a lexicon of fashion liz Heather NYC fashion marc jacobs — Marc Jacobs, Autumn/Winter 2020

Are we kidding here? All those shades of lilac? Heavenly and way too much fun.

the met costume exhibit in america a lexicon of fashion liz Heather NYC fashion anne fogarty — Anne Fogarty, Autumn/Winter 1962-1963

Warmth & elegance at once!

the met costume exhibit in america a lexicon of fashion liz Heather NYC fashion Jamie Okuma — Jamie Okuma, 2021

I think my favourite part of this one is the neckline. One day necklines will be deemed important again and on that day, I will rejoice.

the met costume exhibit in america a lexicon of fashion liz Heather NYC fashion Adolfo — Adolfo, 1973-1974

This yellow frock SHOULD seem matronly, but somehow it isn’t? The simple sweetness of it is contagious.

the met costume exhibit in america a lexicon of fashion liz Heather NYC fashion Vaquera — Vaquera, Autumn/Winter 2019

If there isn’t humour in fashion, we might as well all kill ourselves.

the met costume exhibit in america a lexicon of fashion liz Heather NYC fashion Luchen — Lùchen, Spring/Summer 2022

Honestly kind of shocked we haven’t seen Rihanna wear this yet. Oh to be taking an accidental nap on a porch swing in this beauty.

the met costume exhibit in america a lexicon of fashion liz Heather NYC fashion oscar de la renta — Oscar de la Renta, Autumn/Winter 2021-2022

A definite favourite of this whole collection, it’s so full of whimsy. A walking garden, what could be better.

the met costume exhibit in america a lexicon of fashion liz Heather NYC fashion virgil abloh — Virgil Abloh, 2022

I really did gasp at this one as soon as I saw it. Romantic, modern pieces like this make me believe in magic. It reminded me immediately of the Rodarte piece (that was displayed in this same exhibit late last year). Breath-taking, even with the basic-ness of the top - it’s letting the skirt shine even stronger.

the met costume exhibit in america a lexicon of fashion liz Heather NYC fashion collina strada — Collina Strada, Autumn/Winter 2019

God, this would be fun to wear. It’s kind of insane alone (still beautiful), but with some giant long coat on top? Or, oh god, something with feathers?? You’d be unstoppable.

the met costume exhibit in america a lexicon of fashion liz Heather NYC fashion Threeasfour — threeASFOUR, Autumn/Winter 2019-2020

I spent at least five minutes staring at this one. It’s fucking ART.

God, this whole updated collection was incredible. It’s wild what proper lighting and display areas will do, who would have thought? Both parts of the exhibit are on display until September 5th.

I also wrote more about each piece on my spring ‘22 highlight reel on Instagram (more specifically where I would wear each of these gorgeous pieces), incase you’re interested.