Monday Memos // 90

Listening:

"I Really Like It" by Our Girl.

"A Pearl" by Mitski. 

"Drunken Angel" cover by Alynda Segarra. (I saw a trailer for the movie Blaze and when this song came on I tried to keep it in my memory. I thought it sounded like Hurray for the Riff Raff, which turns out Segarra is the singer of.)

Reading:

Gather Journal. I stopped in a bookstore the other day to kill some time and was instantly sucked into the latest issue of this food and art magazine (what a perfect pairing for me). The images are amazing. The stories are too. 

Sticky Balsamic Figs. PHOTOGRAPH BY Gentl and Hyers FOOD STYLING BY Maggie Ruggiero PROP STYLING BY Ayesha Patel. (image via gatherjournal)

Craving:

Over the weekend I went to my first movie at a theater with dining and servers. It was fun and challenging. Eating dinner in the dark while trying to pay attention to a movie is kind of hard (Diner in the Dark). I did have a delicious pesto-y farro bowl and hummus platter regardless. Plus, I won a gift card to the place so it was all gloriously free. 

Nitehawk Cinema (image via bkmag)

Wearing:

Billowing dresses, red nail polish, and a sweaty glisten. I'm ready for seventy degree weather and sweaters and slacks.  

Image by Polina Washington. 

Watching:

I saw BlacKkKlansman this weekend. It was entertaining and disturbing and gut-wrenching. As A.O. Scott puts it, "Spike Lee’s new joint, BlacKkKlansman, is his best nondocumentary feature in more than a decade and one of his greatest."

Adam Driver and John David Washington. (image via pacificstandard)

I finally saw Baby Driver and loved it, despite feeling constant anxiety. The scene with the song "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1" really grabbed my heart.  

Ansel Elgort. (image via medium)

I'm looking forward to the show Forever, which stars Fred Armisen and Maya Rudolph. It had me at the song in the trailer: "Forever" by Pete Drake. "Plot details have been mostly kept under wraps, but here’s what we know so far: Rudolph and Armisen play a married couple named June and Oscar, who live a 'comfortable but very predictable wedded life' until they 'suddenly they find themselves in a completely unexpected situation' after a ski trip."

Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen. (image via indiewire)

Treasuring:

Talking and dreaming: Talking to family and friends and artists and strangers, I enjoy it all. Dreaming in my sleep and waking hours, I enjoy it all. 

hand drawn type by maddy nye for designlovefest

Monday Memos // 89

Listening:

"Down in the Willow Garden" by The Everly Brothers.

"New Orleans Instrumental No. 1" by R.E.M.

"Charcoal Baby" by Blood Orange.

Reading:

Books I want to read:

No One Tells You This by Glynnis MacNicol. "a fearless reckoning with modern womanhood and an exhilarating adventure that will resonate with anyone determined to live by their own rules."

Fresh Complaint by Jeffrey Eugenides. "Narratively compelling, beautifully written, and packed with a density of ideas despite their fluid grace, these stories chart the development and maturation of a major American writer."

The Incendiaries by R. O. Kwon. "a fractured love story that explores what can befall those who lose what they love most."

image from an illustrated book review by Kristen Radtke (via nylon)

Craving:

Hanging in Maryland, which thus far means feasting on Joe Squared pizza and trying a newer spot in DC: A Rake's Progress. The latter is set in The Line hotel, which is beautiful itself — a cobbling together of restaurants, a radio station, and hotel housed inside a 110-year old massive-columned church. 

We had fresh Chesapeake oysters and salty, buttered bread. My mom and I shared a crab cake with shaved cucumber, red onion, tomato and smoked onion tartar; an heirloom tomato tart with puff pastry, vinaigrette and various basils; plus a farro salad with summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, nectarines and yogurt dressing.

We also had an incredible fudge brownie sundae: spelt brownie, mint chip ice cream, tiny homemade Oreos, whipped cream and hot fudge. A winner!

Pre- and post-saucing. 

Wearing:

Since I haven't been wearing anything particularly outlandish (denim, black, black, black), here are some beautiful images of things I love and would wear. 

Leandra Medine shoes (leandra medine via vogue)

Mara Hoffman delights.

Watching:

Last Friday I watched The End of the Tour on the bus ride to MD. It was slow but great, sad but soothing. Maybe one day I'll read Infinite Jest. 

Today I read that True Detective season 3 is back in January. Fingers crossed it's like the first season and renews our love of the show. 

I haven't been going to the movies or falling deep into shows much recently, so enthusiasm is currently in the ebb phase. 

Treasuring:

Giddiness and excitement: I experienced a few days last week where I couldn't contain my wild smiles. I took a ferry ride from the beach to the city — through the sunset hours. I was handed an It's-It out of the blue. I met a stranger in such a spectacular way. I shared stories with lots of details. I daydreamed on car rides. I'm letting the waves of emotions wash over me and I'm constantly pumped for the future and the now. 

Hello It's-It, my old friend / I've come to talk with you again

Monday Memos // 88

Listening:

"Lonesome Love" by Mitski. Finally the whole album is out and it is superb.

"I See A Darkness" by Bonnie "Prince" Billy.

"Middle School Dance" by fthrsn.

Reading:

Beyoncé in Her Own Words: Her Life, Her Body, Her Heritage

The "It's Complicated" series from The Cut is one of my favorites

Graham Walzer's "Tools For Science," which entails images of his dad conducting "experiments"

These Vogue images are supreme. (Photographed by Tyler Mitchell, Vogue, September 2018

Craving:

Last week I got to eat some of my favorite things surrounded by some of my favorite people — comfort and grief wrapped up into a complex ball.

Carrot cranberry cake, vegan chocolate cake, Pop A Top brownies and blondies, plantain chips, blackened salmon salad... I didn't realize how much I missed it all and needed it all. 

Baby vegan chocolate cakes too. It looks like a flower. 

Wearing:

With all the heat and rain, it's dresses and sandals galore. I'm really dreaming about sweaters and socks.

Watching:

TV: Insecure is back: as good as ever. Binged several episodes of Claws: excellent Florida trash entertainment. Embarrassingly, but with the need of lighthearted junk television, I can't stop watching Insatiable on Netflix. 

Movies: I want to see We The Animals: looks emotional and beautiful). I saw To All the Boys I've Loved Before on Netflix: it was just the right amount of cheesy teen rom com that I needed. Read the IMDb page for The Goldfinch: I'm nervous to have my favorite book ruined by a movie, but the list of actors is so good (Nicole Kidman, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Ansel Elgort) fingers crossed it'll be amazing. 

Issa and Molly. (image via HBO)

Treasuring:

Gainesville: I was reminded of how comforting and beautiful and nurturing and supportive this little city is. I wish I could've visited under happier circumstances, but it still managed to bring so much brightness to a dark spot. Thankful for my home and my swampy Florida family. So many wonderful hugs.

I mean come on!

Monday Memos // 87

Listening:

"Tranquillo" by Eric V. Hachikian. 

"Doctor Doctor" by Oh Pep!

"Clean Jeans" by Remember Sports. 

Reading:

My Week in Disposable Film, By Marie Claire’s Design Director

10 useful foreign language words without direct English translation — the Japanese word “tsundoku,” which means to purchase books but never read them, letting them pile up on shelves or nightstands.

Insufferable Eaters by Olivia de Recat

Craving:

Delicious baked goods and iced coffees.

I did lots of wandering this weekend and the heat index and humidity were not the best. In between mopping sweat off my forehead and neck, I drank lots of iced coffee and refueled my energy with various treats. My favorite were the chocolate chip, double chocolate, and oatmeal raisin cookies from Chez Alex Bakery. A peach blueberry muffin from Bake Shop was also a moist little lifesaver. Plus, there was a banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and a giant cowboy one that were both delights. So many cookies. 

Bake Shop has good neon signs and flooring. 

Wearing:

Striped t-shirts. Shorts. Slacks. Small and often floral dresses. 

Got this Everlane tee and I could wear it every day. 

Watching:

I'm not feeling very obsessed and in awe of tv/movie media from the last week. So tidbits...

YouTube: Such a satisfying journey—Pastry Chef Attempts To Make Gourmet Oreos

TV: Can't wait for Insecure to start up again next week.

Movies: I want to see Crazy Rich Asians (seems like a good, light summer movie) and The Favourite (always a fan of the visually stunning and pretty twisted films of Yorgos Lanthimos).

Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz in the The Favourite.

Treasuring:

Music and walking and walking and walking: I feel revived by music. Hearing new bands and getting wrapped up in songs. Listening to mixes and cassette tapes. I feel great at my 6-month mark in the city. I'm still so excited to wander for hours and happen upon new corners of this place. 

Casual Wednesday morning. Plus, the striped shirt!