Summer Saturdays Vol. 8

BAKING

Made a batch of blueberry breakfast cookies (with added protein powder) since we drove to Montreal this week.

COOKING

How hard is it to cook a dumpling? I feel like it’s one of those foods that always tastes better when someone else makes it for you. I think I really just want to eat the Mimi Cheng cheeseburger dumplings (available all July in NYC) and I’m deluding myself into thinking that I could make them.

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Mimi Cheng’s Emmy Burger Dumplings, NYC

CRAVING

This entire meal (that consists of lettuce wrap burgers, roasted broccoli, caprese and chive grilled potatoes).

Recipes from Jessica Merchant

DRINKING

Dreaming of having a cocktail in the lobby of the (finally) reopened Waldorf Astoria. Must happen soon.

EATING

Nutella on an oatmeal Dad’s Cookies. Nothing better.

EXPERIENCING

Pinterest wedding decor that makes me cringe. Not all of it is bad, but so much really is. I want to murder that one font. You know the one I mean. And if I could personally smash all of the existing mason jars on this planet - I happily would. MASON JARS ARE FOR JAM, fight me.

LISTENING

LOVING

Break ideas - I love it, especially in the summer.

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SHOPPING

Got a .44 cent dill pickle flavoured hummus that somehow wasn’t terrible.

WATCHING

New season of The Summer I Turned Pretty just started and I can’t express how jacked I am about it. I will fight you if you think Conrad is even remotely good for Belly.

WEARING

There’s a good chance that I might just live in this Aritzia outfit for the rest of the summer.

You can find last week’s Summer Saturdays Vol. 7 over here.

March Magic 2023

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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.

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Tomato leaf candle from Trader Joe’s, March 2023

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Sweet carrot cake candle from Bath & Body Works, March 2023

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Pasta appetizer, The Grill (a must order)

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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.

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Baby Dog witnesses snow, March 2023

July Jiffs 2022

The beginning of August is basically the best time of year because it ushers in the anticipation for autumn and the holidays. Am I reaching? The anticipation of something is almost as sweet as the actual arrival of whatever it is you’re waiting for.

In any case, here’s what went down last month!

• You can find my favourite tweets of the month over here and here.

• I wrote about the first leg of my summer trip to London, England.

• I went to the American Dream mall in New Jersey with my friend Diana, so thankfully I never have to go again! It’s really just a spectacle, and not in a good way. Why would you ever need a mall to have indoor skiing available? Isn’t the best part of skiing the scenery that surrounds the hills? Am I crazy? Regardless, the mall is terrible. It’s way too big, there are countless empty storefronts (because of the ludicrous rent, I’m assuming) and the furniture is gaudy as hell. Absolutely no reason to go again.

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Even she is thinking, “Why are we here and what is this.”

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Beautiful Diana sitting amongst the idea that money does not equal taste.

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“Take me home.”

• I went to Brighton Beach for the first time with my great friend Paul (who just moved back to NY) and what a fine beach it was. Not as filthy as Coney Island, but almost as nice as Rockaway. I can’t really put into words how incredible it is that he moved back here, so just know that this fact is the highlight of my summer.

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Paul! In New York!

• Speaking of Paul, his perfect husband Richard made us a meal one night using ground beef from Stoudemire Farms (which I’ve always wanted to try) and it was spectacular. Must remember to buy it the next time I’m at the Union Square market on a Friday.

• I also went to Bar Marseille with Diana and the food was great! It’s right near Rockaway, so I wasn’t expecting a lot from a beachside place but I’d definitely go back. The steak sandwich was perfect.

• It only took 18 months, but the dog volunteering that Baby Dog and I used to do is finally back! It was cancelled in February 2020 for obvious reasons and just started up again this month. It’s organized through New York Cares and it happens once a month on the Upper West Side. Essentially, you bring your dog to the auditorium of an elderly care center and any residents who love dogs come down to play with them for an hour. We do it each month and the more dogs that come the better, so I should really post about it more on Instagram. Yeah, I’ll get on that. (The next one is scheduled for August 10th, email me for more information if you’re interested.)

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Can you tell how excited she is?

• Since it’s Restaurant Week, Irene and I went to The Grid restaurant at the Great Jones Distillery mainly because I was intensely craving good halibut. And yes, the food was good but it’s extremely overrated. I’m sorry but no restaurant ever should charge for basic bread and butter. It’s offensive. The service was good, but you can just tell people weren’t trained very well. And for a place so new and beautiful, you’d expect a lot more.

• I saw Mr. Saturday Night on Broadway and all that I can say is wow. A perfect show and a beautiful theatre. Can every single comedian in this town go see it immediately before it closes next month? It’s wildly good. I’ve never felt more seen than I did in this song sung by a comedian’s wife.

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Mr. Saturday Night on Broadway, July 2022

• The only time I like to drink rose is in the summer (I’m pretty original, I know) and I think I found the best tasting one of life.

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Ruby Red Rose with Grapefruit

• I’ve started making garlic butter almost once a week now and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop? It’s so superior to every other thing inside my fridge. Sure you could buy garlic butter, but it tastes infinitely better if you make it yourself, I promise.

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Homemade garlic butter

• I made this lamb bolognese from Antoni Porowski and I think it’s even better than the Alison Roman one that I love so much (it might be because I bought the coriander seeds whole and then ground them up in my spice grinder? The flavour of that individual spice is so crazy good, I had no idea). Obviously one is a fast lamb recipe and one is a leisurely one, so I’ll continue to keep both in my rotation. But you absolutely have to make the three hour one at least once to see what I’m talking about. Especially since Costco sells ground lamb now.

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Antoni Porowski’s heavenly lamb bolognese

• I went to the Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn for the first time and what a perfect theatre. Love that they have a beautiful bar attached (House of Wax).

• Some Things I Watched:

  • I really had low expectations, but I went to see Marcel The Shell With Shoes On and it was beyond sweet.

  • Indecent Proposal is on HBO right now so I watched it for the first time and loved it.

  • I saw The Thomas Crown Affair and it’s such a party. I love this kind of 90s movie. Perfect in every way.

  • I watched the first episode of Loot and it really just wasn’t for me.

  • Of course I saw the whole first season of The Bear and it’s as good as everyone says it is. With the exception of the sister, I don’t know if she’s just written badly as a character or the actress is just wretched. Either way, it’s the worst part of a great show. Episode seven is clearly the best one. (Also, I badly want to make this recipe now.)

  • I also saw the whole first season of The Summer I Turned Pretty and this really scratched my summer/teen itch. Perfect summer show.

  • I saw the Victoria’s Secret documentary and oh my god, I might have to stop shopping at Bath & Body Works now.

  • I started the new season of Only Murders In The Building and other than the inclusion of Amy Schumer, it’s been good so far.

  • I also watched Porky’s and Screwballs for some reason?? Obviously I hated both? I think I was just so desperate for an old teen movie that I haven’t seen.

  • After those two disasters I have no other choice but to cleanse my palette and rewatch Clueless.

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My absolute favourite Cher outfit

• I’ve been there a few times, but I think it’s time to declare how much I officially hate Astoria Park. The RFK bridge above makes it way too loud, the jet skis in the water blast the worst music, the grass has more brown patches than any other park in the city, the train is at least a 15 minute walk away, there are zero food or water vendors anywhere. WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE THIS PARK? God, it’s awful.

• I made these cheesy poblano corn enchiladas and they were really good. In hindsight I should’ve added some shredded chicken or something to them to make them slightly heartier.

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Cheesy poblano corn enchiladas

• I finally went to see the Amityville house and even though they changed the eerie window frames, it’s definitely still creepy. One thing I wasn’t expecting? How nice that town is! It’s like some big secret, I think. Would totally live there.

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The house from The Amityville Horror, July 2022

• I made my favourite strawberry crumble coffee cake and it’s always a winner. Pro tip: use cake flour for the cake part and use regular flour for the crumble topping to really make it perfect.

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Strawberry crumble coffee cake

• I ate the July-only-special Emmy cheeseburger dumplings from Mimi Cheng’s and they were good but not as good as the first time I had the last year. Am I evolving past cheeseburger dumplings…? God I hope not.

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Emmy Burger Dumplings (Emmy cheeseburger dumplings in collaboration with Pizza Loves Emily/Emmy Squared, dry-aged beef, aged white cheddar, crushed pretzels, caramelized onions, and Emmy Sauce) Pan-fried only. (8 pieces) $17.25

• Incase you care, August is the only month you can apply for SNL tickets so get on that, if you so desire.

• Also, if you’re going to the CNE in Toronto next month, you can get free tickets for kids under 13 if you fill out this form.

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I’ll continue to mark things off of my summer list, I can’t wait to see my friend Dusty’s movie that’s being screened at the MoMA next week, and I can’t wait to take a few more little summer trips (stay tuned).

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Summer bitches

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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