The 📖📺🎧🔪🛍️ List
A movie and show NOT to watch, an old but still good album, delicious muffins, new nail polish, and some life updates!
I’m gonna be that person right now and say I can’t believe it’s May. But, really. I can’t. March was 10 months long and April was two days, at least according to my calculations. And here we are, inching closer to halfway through this year.
ICYMI: This week, I sent out a free letter sharing my Instagram audience’s petty vents, and then I put those vents into a letter clad with polls and it’s really fun. If you’re in the mood to be bitchy and judgy with no consequences (who isn’t???), make sure you check it out and take the polls.
Today is the typical weekly list, with some paid stuff at the very end. Let’s go.
WATCHING 📺
We made the terrible decision to waste our lives earlier this week and watch Dream Scenario with Nic Cage. It’s an hour and 45 minutes, I think, and we got through an hour and 20 until we just fast forwarded to the very end to see how it was resolved. It just… wasn’t that great. Interesting plot, for sure, but not executed the best it could’ve been and didn’t really go anywhere. I have a long list of movies to watch and IDK how this jumped to the top. I do not recommend this film.
We also started the new Bon Jovi documentary, which is just not compelling at all. He’s a pretty guarded dude, which doesn’t bode well for a tell-all sort of documentary. We love rock docs around here, and it’s always interesting learning how some of the most iconic bands came to be, but I’m not sure we’ll revisit it after watching episode one. I sort of want to know what happened between him and his right-hand man, Richie Sambura, but IDK if it’s worth watching.
Something that actually made me LOL this week was this Papyrus 2 sketch from SNL. I know it’s a few weeks old, but better late than never.
LISTENING 🎧
You may or may not have caught my Instagram story this week in which my 41yo very Gen X husband called me out for not knowing a song off this Pink Floyd album even though I was wearing the shirt.
Well guess who listened to some Pink Floyd this week?! THIS GIRL.
I also revisited one of the most core albums of my youth, Nelly Furtado’s Whoa, Nelly! that debuted in 2000. I knew (and still know) this album front to back. I was obsessed and would lay in my room and sing along to every song while reading the lyrics from the album pamphlet. IDK what it was about this album and her songs, but I just loved it and still do. It’s amazing how lyrics stick with you, isn’t it? I had my AirPods in this week while cleaning the house and nailed every lyric. STILL GOT IT!
MAKING 🔪
Earlier this week, my friend mentioned making some sort of banana/date/honey popsicle for her kids, and I thought to myself “banana and dates. That would make a great muffin.” I promptly googled, found this recipe, made them, and holy shit — they are a perfect muffin. Zac was blown away and said it’s the best muffin I’ve ever made. The dates keep them so moist and delicious. Now, I DID add cinnamon because cinnamon in baked goods can only enhance, not detract, and I was right. Also, being an avid GBBO watcher, using dried fruit in recipes always freaks me out because I don’t want it to fall to the bottom, but I chopped them up right and they are very evenly distributed. These are easy to make and SO yummy — trust!
Last night, I made these beef basil bowls with coconut-ginger rice from
Substack, and HOLY GOD. This was my first date with Caro, and I was left wanting A LOT more. This recipe of hers is for paid subscribers, and even if you’re not paying for MY Substack, I implore you to pay for hers because it’s so worth it. She has an entire recipe index, and you will never have to wonder what to cook for dinner ever again. Think about it. And, if nothing else, pre-order her cookbook that drops in August because I sure as hell am.SHOPPING
This Target dress is too good. I got it in black, but it comes in a gorgeous pink, a print, and white (which is sold out everywhere for me, but maybe not for you). Love the tie-back, and it’s such an easy summer dress. TTS!
While at Target, I perused the nail polish section as one does and, while I don’t like Olive & June that much, I do love their remover so I grabbed a new bottle. It’s just so effective and easy.
I also got this new polish color that reads way more as a lavender than in the blue family. I’m excited to test it out!
Oh, and I got their clean-up brush because I never don’t get polish on the skin around my nails when I attempt a self-manicure.
I mentioned several weeks ago that I got an LL Bean tote, but really just started using it over the last week or so and have fallen hard. Does this make me a Kappa? Maybe. But I don’t care because it’s so damn handy and really cute. I got the medium size with long straps (this is crucial), and EGM monogrammed in a dark green.
Two more things, both from Polychrome Goods who I seem to be in a relationship with. I bought this “Hey quick question are you fucking kidding me” shirt from them, and it’s perfection. I also couldn’t resist this “aur naurrr” hat because, if you’ve been around long enough, you know I do an impressive Australian accent (I don’t show it off often, but maybe I’ll start).
That’s all for the weekly list this week! Now, for some paywall content.