Somethings & Nothings: Friday, February 9, 2018
It's been a week, huh? No? Just me? I managed to injure myself on a routine jog on Monday and spent the rest of the week on crutches, icing and taking 15 minutes to cross a room. Things that brightened up the otherwise dreary time include some jungle level out-of-control growth on our fig tree, this recipe for red lentil butternut squash daal, and the grand opening (at long last) of our neighborhood La Colombe. Andy has to buy a suit this weekend, for a business event I will gladly be sitting out, and we may have a second round of celebratory cheesesteaks and Olympic Opening Ceremonies viewing tonight and Valentine's Day cookie decorating on Sunday. All things that involve minimal walking.
Over ten years ago, I remember sitting at my cubicle when a colleague mentioned she had what amounted to an internet crush on some lady in New York named Deb who put her dinner recipes on her website. And thus my modern relationship with digital communication was born. Smitten Kitchen is still the reigning internet food queen, and here the Kitchn brings you some of her critical and easiest weeknight dinner recipes - I can personally vouch for both the pizza beans and the butternut squash gallette.
We opted out of having wedding parties at our October marriage, for a variety of reasons that are elaborated upon in this article about why it's a growing trend - though I have enjoyed both my wedding-party experiences, given the distance of many of our key loved ones, it seemed burdensome. Here's to hoping the title of this article is correct and it really did make our friends happy.
As Valentine's Day approaches, some of you may be pondering new under things for either yourself or a loved one. Erin Boyle elaborates on where to find beautiful and ethical skivvies.
If you're not worried about sexy underthings, you might instead concern yourself with the Valentine's Day deals over at Jeni's Ice Cream, a favorite of ours here in LA made all the worse because of a gift certificate we received from thoughtful friends as a gift. I recommend the Brambleberry Crisp and the Riesling Poached Pear, but you honestly can't go wrong. Well worth the shipping (and the calories).
A neat article from Architectural Digest on the most beautiful coffee shops in all fifty states. Though I'm already in disagreement about the choice for California, it's surely #travelgoals none the less.
I miss typewriters too - though not enough to have purchased one and implemented it as a writing tool. There was something outrageously satisfying about typing on a typewriter - the mechanical smack as the key hit the paper will never be outdone by the clickty-clack of a laptop keyboard. If I were to purchase one at this time, I think it would remain a decorative piece; replacing the ink roll was never my forté.
If you've got 26 minutes, I suggest you watch this calm narrated, oddly meditative YouTube video on ways to roll 29 handmade pasta shapes. Don't blame me if afterwards you are considering investing in all these raw wood pasta boards.
The Man-Cold may be the most interesting dissection of gender roles, social taboos and mortality fear yet.
In 2018, now we're supposed to stop exercising and just move around more! Ok, maybe we aren't supposed to stop exercising. But probably we should stop sitting all day. That's not news for this year, is it? Either way, I'm down to embrace Floor Life.
Loved this article on "Appalachian Feminism" of the 1970s and what we should be learning today from the efforts of white and black working class women before us - including to remember that class, race and sexism all are inextricably interwoven.
The mere existence of this article - in which a letter-writer asks if he is required by law to put clothes on if his neighbors can see him naked through his windows - cracked me up. Apparently the answer is not really, but dude, maybe hang up a sheer curtain.
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash