Tea Stains on Parchment

If you are friends with me, maybe even just a casual pal, you have probably been asked to get ice cream with me. In fact, you probably weren't just asked to get ice cream and make plans like a normal person, but asked if you wanted to get ice cream, like, today, maybe right now, or anytime in the next 6 hours. If this describes something that has happened to you, congratulations, you are part of an elite group of people that I have invited to partake in ice cream adventures. It also means that 1) you are my friend; I like you or 2) I like you; let's become better friends. Whether I want more friends or just really like ice cream is up for debate, but needless to say, if there is an interesting ice cream flavor, I will be the one to make impromptu plans to go try it. After that needlessly long intro, let me tell you that I will try just about anything. Goat cheese ice cream? Sure. Black ice cream? Sounds divine. If there is something weird or unique, I will make it my mission ...

Today Toni Morrison died. Now, I have never read any of Morrison's works, but they are on my list of literary intendeds and I've heard from many about how powerful her works are. Today, this latter fact has crystalized in front of me. I have heard from so many people about how moving Morrison's works are and the impact she has had on them. That's a rather special thing. And although we usually focus on an author's works over the author themselves, we all feel something when an author we particularly cherished passes. There are a few reasons we are saddened by an author passing. Obviously, the thought of death is always a chilling one, but it goes deeper than that. Even if an author hasn't written anything new in a very long time, when they are alive, we always hold onto some little hope that perhaps they will write something new, impart some undiscovered wisdom to us. My own experience with author deaths has been most keen with Harper Lee. She only wrote one b...

A cookie not from M&F and not as good  that I might tell you about later Did you know August 4th was Chocolate Chip Cookie Day? Of course you did; that's obviously one of the most important holidays of the year. I mean, it doesn't matter what religion you practice, a chocolate chip cookie is a chocolate cookie which is delicious. Naturally, I celebrated, and I made it a two day affair because we can't limit ourselves to one cookie or one day. Basically, I'm here to tell you about a lovely day that I had because I'm trying to appreciate the little good days. My celebration began on the 3rd. In case you haven't noticed, this summer I've kinda had a thing for celebrating holidays on the wrong days. But this time I knew it was the wrong day, I promise. Markham & Fitz just happened to be celebrating a day early, ok? Ok. After what had been a taxing excursion to Walmart during tax-free weekend (but fun, as I was with my niece and nephew and sister...

There are just so many books. There are thousands upon thousands of novels, adding up to what must be a limitless number of pages. There are so many that it is impossible to read every book, even every good book, no matter how much I read. I will never be able to read every book on my ever expanding list, and sometimes coming to terms with this is difficult. There will be conversations I can't participate in, symbols I won't analyze, authors I may never meet. With so much page turning, I used to think that I had to constantly keep moving forward. That is, continually reading books I had never read before, expanding my repertoire of "have reads." But as I've grown older and read more books, including some that are really important to me, I have found that is not the case. Rereading a book can be just as important and transformative as discovering a new one. I have thought of books as friends, and I think about them often, but I hadn't been a very good frien...

I'm sure we've all seen a number of increasingly strange hummus flavors surfacing in the supermarket. One of which being sweet flavors, like brownie batter. When I first heard this, I was completely appalled. Chickpeas? With chocolate? Disgusting! But then I saw some Buzzfeed article (it's always Buzzfeed) saying that it was absolutely delicious, cures cravings, tastes so chocolatey. Basically, chocolate hummus is some fudgy miracle dessert. So I had to try it, and I will try anything (within reason) once. So I found dessert hummus at Aldi, where it was just cheap enough that if it were awful, I could throw it away without feeling guilty. I had my choice between vanilla bean and fudge brownie. Obviously I went with brownie, partly because chocolate is always better and mostly because the vanilla one looked way to much like normal hummus with black specks in it. I also couldn't imagine vanilla covering up the unmistakable taste of beans. But maybe it makes sense, beans...

I wasn't going to tell you all this. I was going to maintain my pride. But then I thought, perhaps I could save someone else from making the same, quite honestly, ridiculous mistake I made, thus saving you from this same shame. You see, I love The Great Gatsby. I know, a lot of people "love" The Great Gatsby, but I can guarantee you that a very small percentage of these people love it the same way I do. Now, as someone with an obsession with Gatsby, I also remember a lot of random quotes and moments from this book. One of which happens around page 20ish when Nick goes to the Buchanans for dinner. Daisy says, "Do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it? I always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it." To which Jordan says "we should plan something." Now, I'm not going to bore/beguile you with an analysis of this scene, but I will say that every year since I have watched for the longest day of the year, si...

You might think this post is a day late since National Doughnut Day was yesterday, but I just didn't want this post to get mixed in with all the subpar doughnut content I saw yesterday. The truth is, all the places offering free doughnuts yesterday just aren't good. I used to think that they were good, I really did, but now I see every fault with them because I made the mistake of trying Federal Donuts. Here are some reasons why you should never eat Federal Donuts. Lemon Crumble Cheesecake First of all, do you really want to have the best doughnut of your life? What will you even be living for afterwards? There will be no continued quest for the best doughnut because you will have already had it. How else are you going to spend your weekends? I guess you can go get one of their many delicious doughnuts if you want to rob your doughnut-eating life of meaning... Every doughnut you eat afterwards will pale in comparison. I used to like Krispy Kreme and Dunkin, I really d...

Image via  https://www.broadway.com/buzz/195878/patti-lupone-joins-the-broadway-inspirational-voices-to-sing-from-les-miserables-more-at-new-york-philharmonic/ Anyone that has dipped their toes into the theatre world has probably heard of Broadway legend Patti LuPone. Having landed so many memorable roles, it is no surprise that she is incredibly talented. But I seemed to have forgotten this for the past 5 years, marking when I first spiraled into an Evita obsessed abyss. Luckily, my class on Stephen Sondheim reminded me of Miss LuPone's musical prowess. My class may have been about Sondheim's lyrics and composition, but I learned just as much about Patti's roles as Mrs. Lovett, Joanne, and Mama Rose, each of which carrying their own anecdotes and perfect belting that I am now no stranger to. As my semester progressed, I felt myself sinking deeper and deeper into this obsession with a 70 year old woman, but I know I am not alone in this sentiment. I have, after all, con...

I've been told two very different things. "Smiles are free. You could brighten someone's day!" And, "You don't owe anyone a smile." I've always held that smiling at people, even complete strangers (just not in a city on a busy street because that is honestly a little weird), is a good thing. It spreads happiness and kindness. But now I see that there is truth in both. It's nice to smile, but you certainly aren't entitled to my happiness. I like smiling. I try to smile at everyone that I see, especially if I know them, whether it be an acquaintance or one of my best friends. Now, I may not always recognize people right away, and that is certainly not a reflection on my relationship with that person. I get lost in thought a lot. I imagine conversations with friends, names for future pets, lines for stories that go unwritten. It's easy to see why sometimes faces become a blur. But I still try to give a little smile (I'm not the most ...

No one is perfect. Couples have ups and downs and little things that will never be fixed. But, there is one couple that breaks that rule. One couple that is absolutely perfect. A relationship based on love, understanding, and, most importantly, honesty. Obviously, I'm talking about Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd. Here are a few tips you can learn from Broadway's best power couple. First off, no one gets Sweeney like Mrs. Lovett does, and don't we all want someone who understands us when others would just run away? Well, Sweeney is one lucky man because when he makes the logical decision that all of mankind is evil and deserves to die, Mrs. Lovett is right by his side. If the love of your life wants to kill everyone under the front of a barbershop, then you should be right there supporting them! Don't just say, "that's great, honey." No, you need to give just as much to this relationship. You have to be complements. So, when your SO says, "I'm ...

Twice a year Philadelphia has restaurant week, a magical time of year when (mostly) high-end restaurants offer a progressive meal at a discounted rate. Now, some restaurants will try to scam you, have you pay $35 for a cheese quesadilla and a piece of chicken. No, don't fall for the cheap places that claim to give you lots of meals. It's ok. I'm here to help you see how to get your money's worth, find places that are worth it (?). And a good, spontaneous meal with good friends makes a day so much better...now my friends are all going to send me sappy texts. So, relax and live through me reliving my meal. When evaluating a deal, you must first study the menu. Again, don't fall for a cheap appetizer or an overly simple dish you can get at home. I chose toast. But, this toast was amazingly complex for a breakfast staple. The base: a charred, slightly dark wheat bread. On top: light and delicate ricotta juxtaposing the darkness below and the earthiness it was toppe...

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Really is Marvelous If you haven't watched "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," what are you doing? This Prime Original is a delight to watch. Finally, a strong female lead that proves that "strong" doesn't mean physical strength or seriousness. A comedy that is smart, witty, and surprisingly relatable. A plot that is actually original. It all comes together to make a show that I can't get enough of. It is so good that I can even look past all the "four star" words that litter the sharp dialogue. But what drew me to "Mrs. Maisel," aside from Tony Shalhoub , was the the exquisite costume design. This show is a vintage girl's paradise. Midge Maisel is unapologetically fashionable. She shows up "overdressed" to every event, is always the prettiest in the room, and isn't afraid to wear heels on the subway. She's not *always* being intentionally showy, it is simply who she is: a woman that dre...