The 📖📺🎧🔪🛍️ List
Throwback posts, Food Network stars, & lessons from cooking chicken in a small, enclosed space
So this week’s list is gonna be pretty damn scarce because I sent a delayed list on Monday that covered a lot. However, I hate not providing free subscribers with a promised Free Friday letter so I do have a few things to run by y’all today.
Real quick, though: I sent out a supremely detailed letter on Wednesday to paid subscribers covering our renovation, including pictures, drawings, and exact plans. If before and afters and remodels get you off like they do me, consider upgrading your subscription for just $5 a month to get at least one (if not two) extra paid letter a week with exclusive, uncensored content!
Reno(vation) 911!
"So what Zac did is pull our bed out from the back wall into the middle of the room to create about 7 feet of space behind our bed where we can store the treadmill comfortably along with whatever else. We’re having a new 'back wall' erected during this reno that our bed will sit against and look like a totally normal everyday wall except for an open doorway on one side so we can enter and exit this makeshift space..."
And now for this week’s quick list.
READING 📖
Still going strong on The Women thanks to my trusty Kindle that I swore I’d never, ever utilize.
of Cupcakes and Cashmere who I find to be the epitome of feminine chic finally started a Substack called , and I recommend adding it to your inbox!I’ve mentioned her before, but
is one of my favorite writers and her comedic letters are, well, hilarious. I highly recommend subscribing to her Substack, also. Here’s a little example of her work:
I think a fun new thing to include in each Free Friday letter is an old blog post of mine. I mean, I have 13 years worth of content over on EMMASTHING.com, after all. Today’s chosen throwback post is something I wrote in 2015 about being the last single friend left.
WATCHING 📺
Top Chef, season 13. And can I just say… I hate pretty much everyone? Except for Kwame, obviously. And Jeremy, who I think is very attractive but he hasn’t aged super well. Wesley’s untidiness in the kitchen makes me irate, Grayson is an indignant, defensive, dare I say talentless??? bitch, Angelina is 12, Giselle I think maybe has some chips missing, Isaac is trying too hard to be the funny bald guy, Philip makes me homicidal… it’s not a great cast IMO. But the low quality of person and their general cattiness does make it more entertaining, I must admit. So we’ll trudge on.
Also, since my office is my bedroom and my bedroom is my living room, I’m keeping the TV on throughout the day on low volume to keep me company, which means I’m basically just letting Food Network play from 10a-6p. Thusly, I have two thoughts:
I do NOT like the Pioneer Woman. I know she’s an OG in the food blogging space, but I don’t like her, her face, her voice, her style, and especially the way her little show is “filmed” by her daughter, her daughter’s husband, and one of their random friends? I watched some episode where she was making pasta four different ways, and the way she was having the young friend taste test felt borderline pornographic. Like the entire setup feels like the beginning of a bad porn. “Stewart, come here and taste my pasta.” “Mmm, oh my gosh, Stewart. Isn’t that so good?” I had to turn it off.
Something tells me that Alex Guarnaschelli is a sore loser. I say this because she lost a few rounds on Tournament of Champions and was NOT PLEASED and then NEVER competed on it again BUT came out with her OWN competition show called Alex vs. America where she battles chefs from around the states who obviously are nowhere near as good as her and she wins every. fucking. round. Kinda like Beat Bobby Flay. It’s bothersome to me that these egotistical chefs feel the need to create a competition show in which they win 9 times out of 10. It’s not very fun TV, IMO.
LISTENING TO 🎧
RIDE IS BACK, BABY! Thank fuck. I missed Benny and Mary Beth these past four months and am so glad they are back for season two. My two cents: You can’t just jump into this podcast. You HAVE TO listen from season 1, episode 1 or you will miss all the inside jokes and references, which basically make up the entire episode? These two are so entertaining and truly make you feel like you’re in on the best inside jokes with the funniest, hottest, chicest people in school. ALSO, so exciting: Benny’s autobiographical show about being closeted throughout high school and college, Overcompensating, is coming out next year on Prime and not only is Mary Beth playing his sister, but she’s also in the writer’s room! I cannot wait.
MAKING 🔪
Chicken on a hot plate.
Literally, WHAT WAS I THINKING???
Honestly, I’m just trying to make the best of this renovation situation and want to be resourceful, so I attempted to brown up some chicken in a skillet over a hot plate IN our “apartment” this week and I will never again. Not only did the chicken end up more steamed than browned, but the whole thing depressed the fuck out of me. We will be grilling everything we can outside from now on or eating out. I cannot.
Speaking of grilling, we succeeded in making this Brocc Your Body shrimp skewer with mango salsa recipe outside on the grill, and it didn’t make me suicidal, so that’s an improvement!
I also got a box of Whole Food’s 365 frozen waffles to toast up for a quick breakfast option and covered them in strawberries and syrup. Pretty good.
SHOPPING 🛍️
I am relying on retail therapy to get me through this renovation because of course I am.
These Sam Edelman velcro sneakers were an Ellen find, and I immediately got the orange/yellow pair when I saw her green ones. They are so comfortable, so cute, and this pregnant bitch is LOVING a velcro option the bigger her stomach gets.
I realized we need some extra countertop space for any prep we do in this “apartment,” so I got this foldable guy from Amazon, and he’s exactly what we needed.
This $10 plumping lip balm by Colourpop is fantastic. I got it on a whim during my weekly Target run in the color “Vacay Mode” and it’s a perfect neutral kiss of pink. I’m very into it!
We all know I’m never allowed to get any sort of “cool” ear piercing ever again because my ears cannot handle anything past the lobe, so I got this very cool ear cuff by Sézane and am super happy with my purchase.
Speaking of Sézane, they have a men’s line called Octobre and, while it does run small (I think it’s made for cutie little Frenchmen), they have some great stuff. Here are a few items I’ve gotten for him lately (full disclosure: I work with Sézane and this is all gifted!):
This gorgeous cotton waffle knit button down in both the Rust and Green and the matching shorts!
These cotton linen pants for summertime fanciness
These 100% cotton shorts in the Ecru color
❤️ If you liked or loved this letter, hit that little heart at the bottom to show some love. A little love goes a looooong way around here ❤️
Short and sweet for this week. I have an overdue essay I’ll be sending out next week to everyone, so have a great weekend and we’ll reconvene then!
— EGM
Are you watching Symons dinners where he makes everything on his grill in a stunning hamptons garden? Good for grill inspo although I have never actually followed up and tried anything
Grossy Pelosi doesn’t have a kitchen either this summer and has been doing some yummy things on his grill too!