Notes From The Week That Was - March 5, 2022

The news out of Ukraine continues to be all-consuming and the humanitarian need is immense. Again, please consider a donation to one of the amazing organizations working on the ground to address the crisis; World Central Kitchen is a wonderful option that we have chosen to support.

A number of people are booking Ukrainian Airbnbs with no intention of staying, and the money goes directly to the Ukrainian host. (You can message the host to inform them that you aren’t staying.)

If you know of other places that need support, please leave a comment and I’ll share it on Instagram.

Here are a few of the things—some serious, some not—from the week that stuck with me.

Distracted? There may be a good reason why.

My attention span has been understandably shorter than normal this past week, but I managed to find time to listen to this fascinating discussion between Ezra Klein and Johann Hari about the larger issue of why we have so much trouble paying attention. I found the sections about kids and educational environments particularly eye opening.

My current vintage obsession.

My love of thoughtfully curated vintage shops continues with this gem of a store. It’s probably a good thing that Elsie Green is 3000 miles away, but their beautiful online store is dangerously close to my fingertips. (I just realized they are having a sale, too!)

Climbing out of a cooking rut.

We have challenged ourselves to try at least one new dinner recipe every week, and Ottolenghi’s cookbook Simple has been a wonderful, reliable workhorse for us. A few favorites: Pasta alla Norma, Fish Cake Tacos, and Charred Tomatoes with Yogurt, which is amazing paired with previously referenced dishes from the Dishoom cookbook.

A peaceful sunrise moment at Sachuest Point.

Beautiful words on miscarriage and grief.

Although this comes from a political podcast, this has nothing to do with politics. Pod Save America host Tommy Vietor talked about his grief following the recent death of his daughter, Margot. It is heartbreakingly beautiful and an insightful, powerful listen about the experience of losing a child during pregnancy. You can watch the clip on YouTube or on Tommy’s Twitter feed.

Notes From The Week That Was - February 5, 2022

Let’s jump right into it!

Winter Visitors

My sister came to visit us this week, and it was just the mid-winter pick-me-up that I needed. I can understand why late-January/early-February visits might not be that common—if you just traveled over the holidays, it might not be practical, not to mention how dicey traveling in winter weather can be. But if you feel like you might have a case of the winter blues, having someone you love show up on your doorstep this time of year is a wonderful treat. Highly recommend.

Battling the mid-winter blues.

Cauliflower Soup

The sun was out for a minute during my sister’s visit, and lucky for us that minute overlapped with our lunch at Ocean House, where I had the most delicious cauliflower soup. I’m going to try this recipe to see if I can recreate the magic at home.

A Ghost In The Throat

I was BLOWN AWAY by this beautiful book, which I would have described as a memoir but have since learned about the term “autofiction” after reading more about it. Whatever you call the style, Doireann Ní Ghríofa writes in a lyrical way that only a poet can master. What an absolute gift.

File Under “Photographers I Love”

Treat yourself to Fran Mart’s Instagram account. The mood he is able to capture in his images is absolutely captivating. Plus, how nice is it to still find creative inspiration on that platform?

Something To Think About

Dua Lipa asked Stephen Colbert about how his comedy and faith overlap, and his answer is really lovely. (The question starts at about 3:40ish.)