Monday Memos // 91

Listening:

This musical portion is brought to you by going to a Saintseneca show and having a really great time.

"Pillar of Na" by Saintseneca.

This verse cracks me up: Call in "I Will Always Love You" to the radio / Either version's cool / But I like the original

"Soft Stud" by Black Belt Eagle Scout

"Afraid of Me" by gobbinjr

"Emilia" by Horsebeach. This was just recommended to me on the topic of shoegaze and I dig it.

Reading:

Deleting Instagram, Installing Instagram: The Vicious Circle

Elevate Your Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Mokonuts’ rye-cranberry chocolate-chunk cookies. (photo by Gentl and Hyers for The New York Times. Food stylist: Frances Boswell. Prop stylist: Pamela Duncan Silver.)

Craving:

This week there were some Thanksgiving desserts being made and photographed at work and I couldn't say no. One was a Pumpkin and Cookie-Butter Sheet Cake With Toasted Meringue and the other was a Chocolate-Pecan Sheet Pie With Molasses. I carried them in my purse to a gallery in Brooklyn, to a show in Manhattan, and then home—where they were eventually consumed for breakfast. 

I also devoured a new flavor (coconut cashew) of Purely Elizabeth granola in record speed. 

So good. (image by Chelsea Kyle via epicurious)

Wearing:

IT WAS COLD THIS WEEKEND. I was thrilled, even when it was grey and rainy. On Sunday I wore PANTS AND A SWEATER AND A JACKET AND WOOL SOCKS AND BOOTS. Maybe aggressive but I was never sweaty and uncomfortable. I am looking forward to more layers and scarves and socks. 

Last week I got my aura photographed, so here is what I'm wearing energy-wise. 

Watching:

I finally saw Crazy Rich Asians — most enjoyable rom com.

I'm curious to watch the new Showtime series with Jim Carrey, Catherine Keener and Judy Greer. It's directed by Michel Gondry (where has he been??) and one of the producers is Jason Bateman, so promising. Jeff, aka Mr. Pickles, is an icon of children's television, a beacon of kindness and wisdom to America's impressionable young minds; when his family begins to implode, Jeff finds that no fairy tale, fable or puppet can guide him through the crisis.

(image via showtime)

I was reading an article about celebrity doppelgängers and remembered how someone once told me I looked like Léa Seydoux (flattering). This brought me to find out that she is in a movie called ZOE as a character named Zoe. Wow. Weird. I'm going to have to watch it. "ZOE tells a tale of forbidden love between an engineer and a robot. ZOE (Léa Seydoux) and COLE (Ewan McGregor) are colleagues and veiled lovers at a lab working to perfect romantic relationships. But their relationship is threatened when Zoe discovers the truth about their relationship, sending them into a spiral of confusion, betrayal and the most intense of human emotions, love."

She even has the bangs in the movie. 

Treasuring:

Cheesing: This refers to busting out big grins while wandering aimlessly. This refers to daydreaming while eating a muffin. This refers to laughing out loud in the living room with the windows open. This refers to reading horoscopes and enjoying phrases such as: "you can follow your body as it carries you... you can follow your glittering dreams... slowly, the world might start to change color around you — a quiet shift in the sky’s golden light."

DAVID BENJAMIN SHERRY Monuments

Monday Memos // 66

Listening:

On Friday I took myself out for an overpriced, delicious breakfast. The playlist was lovely and I noted a few of the songs as I ate my eggs and toast. 

"Seven Seas" by Echo and the Bunnymen.

"The Light" by Mirah.

"One More Night" by Michael Kiwanuka.

Reading:

NEW EROTICA FOR FEMINISTS - "He calls me into his office and closes the door… to promote me. He promotes me again and again. I am wild with ecstasy."

How Pastry Chefs Hide Engagement Rings in Desserts - A bit fascinating, a bit strange—the things people do (and why would you want to propose on Valentine's Day?)! I was once part of an engagement set-up at a restaurant I worked at. I was very excited to participate (who doesn't want to be intwined in a wonderful act of love?!), but also kind of nervous that this very important last-minute choreography on my part had lifelong consequences. She said yes, it was cute. 

Engagement cake. (image by Andrew Janik via bonappetit)

Craving:

I ate some outstanding pizza Saturday evening (and then on Sunday afternoon). The "B’More Clubhouse Pizza" at Joe Squared: pink sauce, roasted chicken thighs, diced shallots, sautéed mushrooms, sweet potatoes, mozzarella, boursin, parsley and sea salt. 

I felt a calling for Coconut-Chocolate Mousse this week. Molten chocolate cake, too. Nothing out of the ordinary, really. Last week, on the same day as my gourmet breakfast, I also got a fat slice of chocolate chip banana bread at By Chloe. It was outstanding and helped me enjoy a woozy highway bus ride. 

This mousse via Healthyish looks divine. (image by Alex Lau via bonappetit)

Wearing:

I realized at the end of the week I had worn a great selection of cozy hand-me-downs (thanks Mom! thanks Grandma!). Yellow, eggplant, and maroon sweaters. A thick and bright flannel. No wonder I stayed so warm. 

Also, on a totally goofy note, I would definitely wear these Bill Murray designed floral bell-bottoms. 

Bill bottoms. (image via betabrand)

Watching:

In the early 2000s I was a big fan of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." I actually started rewatching episodes of it in my early 20s, too—I loved that Fab Five. Netflix just made a reboot and I am interested. The new version is set in Georgia (yeehaw) with an entirely new cast. The trailer gave me feelings. I promise I'll get to it when I finally come out of my "Offspring" fog/obsession. 

This picture is a bit embarrassing, but I'm still in. (image via netflix)

Treasuring:

Lightheartedness. I found myself dancing around my parent's kitchen. Skipping down a hallway. Laughing at immature jokes. It's a nice feeling to crack yourself up. It's the best to be overcome with silliness. 

cards via maddy nye

Monday Memos // 52

This week is brought to you by overwhelming loneliness, too much sugar, really nice weather, and general life confusion.

Listening:

"Diamonds" by Kevin Krauter.

"Dancing In the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen. Prepare yourself for Bruce's outfit and dance moves, wow!

"Stoner Hill" by Brian Blade + The Fellowship Band. Make sure to listen to Brian speak at the end, his happiness—"there's not thoughts of other things in these times..."

"Dirty John" a podcast from the LA Times. I've been blowing through podcasts as I walk for hours through Brooklyn. I just started this one—A true story about seduction, deception, forgiveness, denial, and ultimately, survival. Reported and hosted by Christopher Goffard.—I'm about halfway done and it is disturbing and fascinating. If you like S-Town or Serial, this is similar.

Reading:

"Jitterbug Perfume" by Tom Robbins.

I went in search for "Still Life with Woodpecker," but this was the Tom Robbins selection in two different book stores, so I took it as a sign and bought a nice worn copy. Widely considered a cult classic and one of the "Best books of the 20th century," I'm excited to dig in. Robbins knows his way around wild ideas and words. 

Trivia: His dog's name is Blini Tomato Titanium and his sons have the names Rip, Kirk, and Fleetwood. I'm calling him when I get another pet or have a baby.

Some good 1984 graphic design.

Craving:

I can't stop going to Cinnamon Girl. I've tried the monster cookie, breakfast cookie, apple bran muffin, double chocolate chunk cookie, and Brooklyn blackout cake. I should start avoiding that side of the street when I walk home.

I've also become a big fan of Silver Rice, a simple and delicious Japanese eatery. I've had their special rice cup a couple of times (flaxseed rice, pumpkin, kale, salmon, cucumbers, avocado, spicy mayo) and tried a couple different soups (a kabocha squash and a miso broccoli rabe and quinoa).

All the rice and soup and hearty desserts have been soothing on my stomach through a short bout of food poisoning and a constant bombardment of anxiety. 

Wearing:

Pants! It's been so long since I've reached for pants on a daily basis. I keep going back to the same pair of blue jeans and black slacks with a tiny quotation mark print. Back and forth and a rotation of black tee-shirts.

I've also been wearing socks on a daily basis (Florida summer made me really neglect my sock drawer). Stripes, black, and artichoke print have been the rotation.

Watching:

"Maggie's Plan."

This movie was just what I needed last Friday night. Maggie (played by Greta Gerwig) reminded me of myself, for better or worse. Some New York shenanigans and life confusion and hilarity. The cast too—Ethan Hawke, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, Julianne Moore... a wonderful story of comedy, chaos, and love. 

Maggie Harden, a director of business for the art and design students at a university, decides she wants to have a child and enlists a former college acquaintance, Guy Childers, a former maths student to donate his sperm. Guy is a "pickle entrepreneur."

Travis Fimmel and Greta Gerwig and the pickles. (photo by Jon Pack)

Treasuring:

The telephone and faraway friends. 

This week I watched "This Is Us" while on the phone with a friend. We synced up the episode and pressed play at the exact same moment. It was wonderful to keep up a weekly tradition—to awww and laugh and cry together, even hundreds of miles apart.

Talking to my mom on a particularly rough day and then on a much better day was great. I loved hearing my dad's uproarious laughter in the background. Plus, I heard my boy Oliver meowing and I was tempted to FaceTime with him.

There have been moments this last week when my feet ache from the miles of walking, but the air felt so good, and I'm teetering between being okay or not—ring ring!—a voice of familiarity and comfort! Thank you! I get to step out of my head and talk about life and feel connected to great things. 

Now if only I could find a place like Carrie's and have her writing gig and pick the carpenter. (image via HBO)