15 great things
Every quarter (if you’re a Business Person™) or season (if you’re a Food Person™), I like to hit you with fifteen great things. Things that won’t each get their own posts, things that aren’t necessarily as timely as the rest of the link pack usually is, and things that really run the gamut.
To wit, this go around we’ve got a mountain range, a shoe, a game… it’s a whole mood.
Two of my very fave people have two new cookbooks out. I want to celebrate them AND highly recommend that you pre-order/order! Yasmin Fahr’s Cook Simply, Live Fully and Ali Rosen’s 15 Minute Meals.
The Dolomites. I cannot shut up about my trip to the Italian Alps in November. I’ll be writing more about it soon, but suffice to say that the fresh mountain air, the perfect views, the daily sauna rituals, and the indoor/outdoor infinity pool really did a number on me.
In fact, the whole thing did such a number on me that #3 is: sauna & cold shower. I’ve found a local spot to go twice a week, so I doubt you’ll recognize me for how healthy and serene I’m about to look.
Story Time Chess. I have (ahem, had) no idea how to play chess. Knew not the first thing about why some move the length of the board where others are relegated to one diagonal square a a time. But a friend bought Story Time Chess for my son’s birthday and we whipped it out over the holiday break. We’re obsessed and I’ve already bought the expansion pack for him… us.
Secretly saving inspirational posts on Instagram but being too embarrassed to share them.
My sick new kicks.
Sitting at the bar. Solo or otherwise, I love and almost always prefer it. I make friends, chat with the bartender(s), and generally enjoy being in the mix.
I have become obsessed with Golden Rock Nevis and plan to go as soon as I possibly can.
NYT Games. Every morning, I wake up, make a coffee, and return to my bed where I play Wordle, the Mini Crossword, Spelling Bee, and Connections. And only then shall I start my day.
Being friends with people whose kids are older than yours. Hear me out: I have a number of close friends with sons older than my own and when I see how kind their boys are, how funny and smart, how independent and loving… it is reassuring and makes me excited for the pre-teen years.
This is us on our way out for NYE This new purse that I got for Christmas, by Polene, and that I love and adore.
Self-esteem! Turns out, it’s pretty important and I highly recommend everyone have a nice, healthy amount. (If you need help getting it, therapy alongside friends who figuratively and lovingly slap you in the face when you act like a little shit are great places to start.)
The annual NYT 52 Places to Go.
Give us more!
I am going on a work trip to Morocco next week, to Fes and Marrakech! It’ll be my first time, if anyone’s got burning insights to share?? Follow along with my IG stories, if you’d like.
Have you read the NYT op-ed that’s making the rounds? About empathic distress (aka ‘the numbness we’re all feeling’).
The Atlantic says that we have mysterious cells in our bodies that belong to our ancestors, which is wild.
The silver lining of Jo Koy’s truly awful turn as Golden Globes host is all of the discourse (TikTok and otherwise) that has come out about it.
Speaking of internet discourse… there’s apparently no such thing as going too far with regards to Saltburn content.
Excuse me, Eater, but what? If I had to see that headline then so, too, did you.
Need some (LA) winter cooking inspo?
For my Angelenos, my very good friend recommended Nicolle Renee when I tweaked my back recently. And WOW. She did a combination of gua sha, cupping, and acupuncture and when I stood up, I was a new person. Highly recommend.
A great, short & sweet video on living the dream vs living your dream.
Signing off to watch the Australian Open with my laptop nearby so I’m technically still working.
xoxo,
Nicole