Happy Saturday! I was in the middle of a scroll, when I came across this TikTok video, where the creator organized a ‘REPORT’ following the categories: Reading, Eating, Playing, Obsessed with, Recommending, and Treating. I’m all bits and bobs, so I thought I’d give it a try for this week’s newsletter.
R: Reading
Reading by Lake Michigan is my favorite summer evening activity. Despite what feels like the heat’s unrelenting and personally-targeted oppression, I absolutely refuse to waste away indoors. Like why?! I like finding a shady patch to read as the light dwindles.
I started reading Either/Or by Elif Batuman, which has been excellent thus far. And I finished My Time Among the Whites: Notes from an Unfinished Education by Jennine Capó Crucet, which is a provocative, generous, and humorous collection of personal essays on the author’s experiences negotiating with and against everything that can be deemed “white American culture.” It spans Disney World fantasies, what’s in her name, and poignant reflections on what ‘belonging’ can mean.
E: Eating
God, I love that I can cook. And I love the feeling of having worked at a skill to pretty much make whatever I want to eat, be it pickled onions, ice cream, some baked good. I love the feeling of competence and able to eat deliciously and nutritiously to take care of myself. Because I think if you can’t take care of yourself, you also can’t take care of others. My highlight of the week was definitely Melissa Clark’s Chocolate Babka, which is a two day process. However, and with great shame, I must admit that I started out following the recipe, but then I deviated more and more…
Maybe the dough could use the zest of a whole lemon, well, I know cardamom always makes things better…
Clearly, I need to work on following instructions. Anyways, I can confidently say that the recipe’s dough is scrumptious. Though I ended up with a wholly different filling (dotted with yuzu jelly) and a new and very cocoa heavy crumble on top.
That was fabulous for a couple breakfasts. But then, I got bored, so it became… BABKA ICE CREAM! I did a maple ice cream base for warmth (Milk, cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract, generous pinch of salt), swirled in some fudge chips, and crumbled in my babka. The rest of it will probably become bread pudding at some point. Leftover bakes make the best mix-ins for ice cream.
P: Playing
For play, I’ll keep it pretty simple. Bike around, even if it’s on a DIVVY bike that is creaking ominously. And please let me know if you find an affordable bike on Facebook Marketplace asap.
O: Obsessed with
Right now, I am obsessed with the Alan’s Morissette song “Thank U” for a throwback moment. I have it on loop.
R: Recommending
Unfortunately, the SSENSE sale is back—though it feels like it’s always going on these days? I use it now to obtain solid more “substantial” pieces (instead of the tops etc. I’ll just wear once), homeware, and standard shoes. If I were to recommend one thing from it, I’d say it’s the best time to get your hands on Carhartt WIP stuff. These 100% cotton overalls in “Brown” going for $78 (normally $190) would be my buy. The color is a lovely dusty rose, and I am RESTRAINING MYSELF from purchasing another pair.
Finally, I’m recommending The New Yorker profile, “How Larry Gagosian Reshaped the Art World” that came out this week. It’s an epic (with a two hour audio option) that gets at Gagosian’s morals as it interacts with his wheeling and dealing. It’s a fascinating profile.
T: Treating
In the morning, I hit the farmer’s market and I treated myself to some local produce including the juiciest bush of Genovese basil, an heirloom tomato, kale. You know I’ll be making pesto this week :)
That’s all from me and my basil bush. Farewell! Farewell!
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