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.

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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!

Summer Saturdays Vol. 1

Summer Saturdays have returned! Off we go.

BAKING

I made the Magnolia banana pudding (a forever favourite summer dessert of mine), which is ridiculously easy to make.

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Homemade Magnolia Bakery banana pudding

COOKING

Steak salad for days.

CRAVING

Dying to try the chicken caesar sandwich from L’Industrie.

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DRINKING

Excessive amounts of hazelnut iced coffee.

EATING

The cubano sandwich at La Cubana in Toronto might be the best one I’ve ever had.

EXPERIENCING

Spaghetti salad and fruit pizza. My dear friend Richard made them for me and they were both too good for words.

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Spaghetti salad

LISTENING

Started making my summer playlist.

LOVING

I finally learned how to cook perfect bacon.

SHOPPING

I’ve always loved having seasonal return address labels for the holidays (it must be intimidating knowing someone this cool, I know), but this is the first year I ordered some summer labels and they’re gorgeous.

WATCHING

Since there’s no new season of The Summer I Turned Pretty this year, I’ve just started rewatching the last season and man it’s such a perfect summer show. Once you get past the slight corniness, it’s really enjoyable.

WEARING

Yes it’s the most basic thing possible, but I should probably buy a few more of these Target white shirts since it’s all I wear lately. Why did it take me decades to start wearing white?

I also started a summer highlight reel on Instagram that I’ll add to each day.

July Jiffs 2023

July was so busy that I barely had any time to loathe this awful time of year! Here’s what went down last month.

• I started doing Summer Saturdays, which is a weekly roundup of what happens each week.

• The best tweets of July can be found over here.

• I can’t stop making this steak salad.

• Went to the new Superiority Burger and the veggie burger was great, but the rest of the menu wasn’t anything terribly special.

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Veggie burger at Superiority Burger, NYC

• Appeared on Paul’s TikTok again!

• Went to Shakespeare in the Park (Hamlet) for the first time and it was so, so good. Didn’t even mind the thunderstorm that happened mid-show, that’s how good it was. There was a gentle breeze of mild B.O that also wasn’t even that unpleasant. Had no idea that the Delacorte Theatre is closing after this season, so it’s especially neat that I got to go this year. ALSO I might like Shakespeare?? So many lines were ones I never realized were from Hamlet. And so many lines from Frasier too!

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Hamlet at Shakespeare in the Park, NYC

• Currently living in these green Halara bike shorts with pockets.

• The greatest chocolate cake recipe I’ve come across.

• I physically can’t shut up about these great black bean muffins that I just add protein powder to in order to eat homemade protein snacks.

• Always a solid experience at Amelie in the West Village.

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With Jessie at Amelie in the West Village

• Went bowling at Astoria Bowl 360 and it was great. They’ve updated it a bit so it’s not as grimy as it used to be, which I guess is a good thing.

• Got the Natori bra that I’ve loved for years (and lasts years) at the Nordstrom sale.

• Marla came to visit and we did as much as humanly possible, some highlights:

  • Visited the MoMA and the new wing at the Natural History Museum

  • Had the gluten free latkes and french toast sticks at Modern Bread and Bagel and everything tasted ungodly good

  • Saw the Kusama exhibit in Chelsea

  • Stopped by the weekly stargazing event on the High Line

  • Finally ate at Rubirosa

  • Rented row boats in Central Park

  • Saw Six on Broadway and actually liked it (loved Marla saying before it started, “I don’t understand what they’re gonna do for *80* minutes.” Hahahahah)

  • Drinks in the sky at Manhatta will always be a good idea

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Kusama exhibit, NYC

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Row boats in Central Park, NYC

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Stargazing on the High Line, NYC

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• The duck confit spring rolls at happy hour at Sojourn are wild. Gotta return.

• For years I’ve wondered who the hell goes to the Uno or Applebees in my neighborhood when you LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY and there are a million better options. But for whatever reason, I found myself in one this month and I’m sorry but $7 martinis are the absolute main reason to go there. I forever remain on my mission to find the deals and drink the deals.

• New favourite place to eat in Astoria: Figlia.

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Figlia in Astoria, Queens

• I went on a family trip to Scotland! Full post coming this week.

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Edinburgh, Scotland

• Some things I watched:

  • The Summer I Turned Pretty - so unbelievably fun.

  • Dave - so great! How have I never seen it before?!

  • The new Indiana Jones - loved it, except for the end.

  • And Just Like That - okay yes it’s still terrible, but Charlotte has really been shining in the latest episodes.

  • Black Mirror - watched all the new episodes and I really don’t think Ayo Edebiri is a good actress. Loved Joan is Awful since it felt like a more modern Truman Show. And Josh Harnett? A god.

  • It Should Happen To You - I saw this when I was so young and just fell in love with the idea of someone renting a billboard solely to just see their name in big letters. Great movie.

  • Barbie - phenomenal. Would see again. Will continue to buy (almost) any merch.

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Hi Barbie by OPI

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Barbie socks from Primark in Scotland

Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I’ll continue to do things off of my summer list, I definitely want to try lane swimming at a pool in the area, I’m determined to get Baby Dog in a kiddie pool to see if she would like it and I’d love to go to a Jays game if timing permits.

If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in June over here. And my summer highlights on Instagram can be seen here.

Summer Saturdays Vol. 2

EATING

Finally tried the veggie burger at Superiority Burger and it’s as good as everyone claims.

DRINKING

Not Caesars, that’s for sure.

COOKING

I can’t stop making this steak salad.

BAKING

These protein cookies are perfect as breakfast side, but also great for when you’re traveling.

CRAVING

This garlic butter pasta sauce that looks incredible.

LISTENING

To the new Olivia Rodrigo song Vampire.

WATCHING

I rewatched the second season of Big Brother (mainly because of how much I loved Will Kirby when it first aired) and it’s a great summer rewatch. Also saw the new Indiana Jones, which was great (except for the last ten minutes).

WEARING

The OPI Barbie collaboration has a firm grip on me.

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OPI Barbie Collection

EXPERIENCING

After years of trying, I finally won a ticket to Shakespeare In The Park (Hamlet) and it was so good.

LOVING

Every single thing on the menu at Figlia in Astoria.

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Figlia in Astoria, Queens

SHOPPING

The Holler and Glow self-heating eye masks finally got restocked at Target so I loaded up.

You can read Summer Saturdays Vol. 1 over here, and you can see my summer highlights on Instagram over here.

Summer Steak Salad

I adapted this Food & Wine steak salad recipe and I can’t describe how much I love my version better. A perfect summer meal. I promise you.

Ingredients

Romaine lettuce (or whatever leafy green you like)

Grilled halloumi, chopped (or shaved slices of parmesan)

1/4 cup red onion, sliced

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Kosher salt

Pepper

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cuts of steak, grilled (your choice)

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk the red onion with the rice wine vinegar and let stand for 10 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and mustard and season with salt, pepper and maple syrup. Add the tomatoes and lettuce and toss to coat. Lay the sliced steak atop the salad and pour a little of this basil vinaigrette onto the steak if you’re feeling fancy.