'Tis The Season
‘Tis the season for so many events, feelings, and “things.” Things as in stuff. Stuff we’re now more than ever inundated with and enticed to purchase for ourselves and others. I’m guilty as charged in diving head first into the Black Friday / Cyber Monday and general holiday gifting frenzy. But I’m truly going to try and hold back this year, there’s much to gift that doesn’t need to be tangible.
Take for example the gift of finding these persimmons that presented themselves to me on a walk earlier in the month. They practically called to me from behind their fence and in my neighborhood church’s front yard. Definitely the season for persimmons, and they know it. They’re in their glory days right now.
‘Tis the season also for hot cocoa, pumpkin bread and pie, and hopefully time spent with family / friends who you can count blessings for given last year’s holidays were tampered without a Covid vaccine. While I’m not traveling this week, I got back from a long weekend in the Berkshires over Halloween weekend (expect a future blog post on this weekend) and have a fun long weekend planned for MLK weekend in a very sunny, beach locale. Both of these will help to bookend the holiday season.
Beyond being grateful for finding the surprise of permissions on a walk, I’m grateful to have the full week off (and paid) and to take a proper break. I’m well aware this isn’t mainstream in US companies still, and not everyone has this luxury, so each day going forward I’m going to wake up in gratitude to having this significant time.
Below is what I’ve been reading, bookmarking and listening to lately, enjoy and hope it inspires you to read or discover something new (and then, expect a follow-up specific blog post on gifts I’d give or like to receive and gift guides I look to for sourcing special, personal gifts. There’s too much to fit it in here!)
Quite possibly the biggest news of the week was Adele’s latest album, 30 (and the preceding “One Night Only” LA concert special / Oprah interview). I watched the special a few days before the album came out, and I must say, while the “who’s who” in the celebrity stocked audience got a little old, nothing else did, and the production seemed magical. Filmed on the lawn at the Griffith Observatory during that evening hour that goes through a full sunset, it was visually stunning. The best complement to Adele’s stunning voice. It’s no wonder she’s already had throat surgery given the notes she hits over and over! Apparently, the special received a higher viewership than the Grammys earlier this year, if that does’t confirm hers (and Oprah’s) likability, I don’t know what does. If Adele has been one of your favorites in the past, this won’t disappoint. If she’s not been for you, then, I don’t expect this album to change that course. But that “Easy Going” track and first released single is really easy on the ears, if I do say so myself.
Another music-related recco: a track by Bon Iver (and Flock of Dimes) called “Ever New.” Ironically, this track isn’t newly released, but I came across it via a friend last weekend, and it hit me hard on a pensive Sunday. I dived deep into this idea that we as humans and individuals really are ever-evolving and can be “ever new.” There’s always so much more around the corner of a changing season, year, or any interval of time, waiting for us to grab ahold and leap to change. If you don’t quite buy into it, maybe Bon Iver’s voice could help sway you to believe.
Read this New Yorker article on the great America ‘food fraud’ for all organic food, only proving my hunches and previous notions that the American consumer was severely duped into buying organic food that wasn’t at all in the early 2000’s (and probably still to some extent today).
Ever have a word show up in your life multiple times in various scenarios as if it’s haunting you? This has been happening to me lately with the word “liminal.” I came across it in a magazine article a couple months ago, and as a new-to-me word, had to look it up. “Of, relating to, or situated at a sensory threshold : barely perceptible or capable of eliciting a response” is the first definition provided on its Merriam-Webster page. If you come across it now more by awareness, do let me know when and where…
This extended break calls for a lot of film watching ahead, but as of late, I finally traveled to the movie theater in both MA and NY to see my first feature films in a theater since 2019. I saw Dune and The French Dispatch both enjoyable to see on a large screen and especially so for the latter one and its “Anderson Aesthetic.” But for each time, I was also reminded as to all the grievances that come with a movie theater film… and it really begs the question with movie tickets ever-increasing in price, is it worth it in the end? I’d say it is, but for very selective film choices these days.
My streaming content as of late has consisted of The Shrink Next Door, Coda, Scenes of a Marriage, and finishing up The Morning Show. I’d say out of this group, I’m loving most Scenes of a Marriage and The Shrink Next Door and what I would suggest most to spend your time with. I’m hoping to get through at least ~10 other films over the next week, fingers crossed!
Isolation Journals from Suleika Jaouad is something I signed up for earlier this year, and while I haven’t partaken in most of their “Sunday prompts”, I still enjoy the weekly free newsletter. Their prompt / newsletter from a few week’s ago was on the concept of “mapping the mind” and starting with a year, place, or memory, attempting to spatially and associatively create a map of memories from that starting point. It is a great writing prompt, that’s for sure, and how our brains and memories are these connective, illustrious maps unique wholly unto ourselves.
One of my favorite local designers, Pia, had an early holiday special this past week, and I was able to snag a coveted scarab opal necklace I’ve had my eye on for awhile now. If you’re into evil eyes, scarabs, and the like, check out her site.
‘Tis the season to send flowers to someone or order that holiday wreath (mine should be arriving any day now!), and my go-to every year is Farmgirl Flowers. This female-founded company (and fellow, Indiana native) has grown and grown her San Fran company into quite the business, and it’s been great to see from year to year. Support this biz, folks.
Seems that the turn of the year is to be the season for concerts. I’m finally heading back to some shows starting next year, and I’m pumped. On the calendar are: Kacey Musgraves, Dua Lipa, and Joseph. I’m looking to make up for the past last couple years, and I’m hoping 2022 brings allll the acts to NYC (additional ones I’d love to see are Chris Stapleton, Leon Bridges, John Legend, Orville Peck, Bleachers, and dare I ask for Adele?)
The month has seen a slew of new restaurants and been quite the ‘Restaurant Roundup’ (mainly due to hosting my parents a couple weeks back who are always game to try anything new), but starting on Friday and through this break, I have been and will be hitting the restaurant circuit some more. This past weekend I went to Bar Bête and Hart’s. Both are Brooklyn gems and offer smaller, curated menus (do not go if you’re looking for option after option). Memorable dishes include the steak tartare, clam soup and the vanilla cake with sea salt chocolate frosting at the former, and the marinated manchego, butter lettuce salad and clam toast at the latter. On the horizon is Upland for Thanksgiving dinner, Le Crocodile, and Gage & Tollner. Except for Upland, all are Brooklyn located, and Gage & Tollner will be new-to-me and the most exciting given its history and legacy. Oh, and to top it off, going back to Chez Ma Tante for brunch with a friend, so she can try their infamous pancake stack (I can attest, the pictures do not lie to its life-affirming nature).