Stuff I Like: Doing, Watching, Listening, BOOK CLUB, Y'ALL.

Hello! Happy New Year! Like many folks on the east coast I'm currently snowed in and like an idiot I left my fancy work laptop at work. So, because I am a super-dedicated blogger person I dusted off (literally) my old brick of a not-fancy laptop and now I'm hoping is stays alive long enough to write this entry. Tally ho.

This Yoga Thing That Sounds Like a Bad Idea But is Awesome.

I am SO COLD y'all. It's been so cold and I'm a shivery poodle all the time. I mean, I freaking ordered those shearling Birkenstocks because how could I not? So, when my friend at work suggested we try hot yoga over the Xmas break I was like, sure. I have no money for such fancy things but have I mentioned how cold I am? So we signed up for a three week intro (that's how they get you) and oh my god I am like a lizard with a shiny new hot rock. I LOVE IT. If you've ever been tempted, try it. It's very hard and you sweat a lot and you question your sanity while you're doing it but then on the way home when you're steaming up the car you're already thinking about your next class, all dreamy-eyed. PS. This is just regular hot yoga, not Bikram yoga. Bikram is a creeper. 

Related: For my first class I borrowed one of their super-fancy Manduka yoga mats and man, it makes my bargain basement Gaiam mat seem pretty lame. Do I need the fancy mat? I don't, right? 

This Show I Can't Get Enough Of

We all watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, right? The Palladinos, man. I cannot get enough of their thing. The story is good and the acting is also good and Midge is really likeable despite being so annoyingly CHARMED in life but oh, the style! Her clothes and the apartments are just amazing. I can't wait for the second season. 

This Podcast That I Also Can't Get Enough Of

Okay, so I know I've talked about the Penguin Podcast before but in case you missed it I thought I'd mention it again. They interview writers and it's almost always very interesting and charming. My favorites are Kate Atkinson, Jo Nesbo and Neil Gaiman but more recently they interviewed guitarist Johnny Marr, who wrote a book. He's fascinating and quite unexpectedly humble. I recommend, even if you weren't a Smiths fan.  

LOOKS GOOD BOOK CLUB, Y'ALL

Marianne bought me a copy of We are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby and also bought herself a copy because she read this quote:

"I was trying to fill this gaping hole inside me with “stuff I couldn’t have when I was a little kid,” and I assumed that one day, when I had finally bought enough magazines and name- brand snack foods to feel caught up, the feeling would go away. But it hasn’t. And because I know the value of a dollar, when I get one, I want to buy the nicest thing I can with it. I’m still buying hardcover books and department-store mascara, still daydreaming about what I’m going to spend my 401(k) on when I withdraw that shit early,”
― Samantha Irby, We are Never Meeting in Real Life.

and was like wait did I write a book. And I was all WHOA and she was all RIGHT and then she was like BLOG BOOK CLUB which seemed like a brilliant idea. So here's how it works: get a copy and start reading it. The book is a series of essays so we'll post up discussions on our Facebook page to discuss the various essays as we read. If you're not on Facebook that's okay, we'll also be posting a few of our text convos about it and you can post in the comments. Who's in? 

Stuff I Like: Whole30 plus Reading/Watching/Listening

Liking
I AM SORRY. I'm on day two of a Whole30* diet and while it's not something I'd normally categorize as "stuff I like" so far I'm really digging the challenge of it. (I promise this will not become a Whole30 blog and I'll probably be regretting this decision pretty soon.) For the uninitiated, it's a 30 day strict elimination diet that prohibits everything I love a bit too much: booze, sugar, grains, dairy, legumes and soy. I've been toying with the idea of doing this for a while, partially as a reset to break some bad habits and also as a legit elimination diet to try and pinpoint some GI and other health issues.

If you're rolling your eyes I totally understand but I don't think there's any harm in eating only unprocessed food for 30 days, and, if nothing else I get the pleasure of making my own mayonnaise. (Have you done this? It's kinda fun.) Has anyone done a Whole30? I am very open to good recipes and tactics! In the meantime I will share this recipe for Smoky Roasted Sweet Potatoes that I've been eating with my eggs for breakfast. I used slightly less bacon than the recipe called for and it's still crazy delicious. I also made this Kalua Pork recipe earlier this week and it's quite good as a base protein - I've been eating it topped with mango salsa. This weekend I'll probably make a big batch of Crispy Italian Chicken Thighs because they're cheap, easy and delicious.

Reading
I'm still reading Bill Bryson but on deck is 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami which comes highly recommended by my friend Ann. I've been reading some pretty un-challenging stuff lately so I'm ready to get back in it. Also, on a whim I've downloaded Stephen King's It from the library which I loved when I first read it in high school. Will I love it now? We'll see. (Pro tip: If you read Kindle books from the library, keep your device on airplane mode and they can't take them back until you're done reading. Yes, I am a jerk.)

Watching
Lately I've been trying to clear out my DVR and have been watching episodes of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown. I really, really loved the Houston episode that aired last fall, not because I'm a big fan of Houston (where I've never been) but because it perfectly captured the true melting pot that is the United States. In the current season I very much enjoyed the Antarctica episode because the people that live and work their are living such an unusual (and oddly enviable) life. I'm not crazy about the fairly graphic animal slaughter scenes (I'm looking at you, Porto) but overall I find this show really interesting and compelling. Plus, Bourdain is my favorite curmudgeon.

Listening
Nothing new! Recommendations? Podcasts? Music? Whatcha got?

Bonus
I know this is beauty-related but too bad, it's good! Sephora currently has this Lashstash To Go mascara sampler and it is SUCH A GOOD THING. You get five deluxe sample sized tubes of mascara (the best size in my book) and it also comes with a voucher to get a free full-sized version of your favorite from the box! That is what takes it over the top. I'll do a full review next week but I'm pretty damn happy with it. I am such a sucker for Sephora's value sets but it's a great way to try new products without the messy commitment.




*I'm not linking the Whole30 as I just started and have no idea what my feelings will be in 28 days. Basically, I didn't want to appear to be promoting it. Please Google if you're curious! Mostly I just wanted to talk about it a little bit in case anyone had great recipes or tips.

Stuff I Like: Balcony Life + Reading/Watching/Listening

Liking
Balcony life! I have a nice balcony that overlooks a wooded lot full of deer and owls and I never freaking use it. My goal this summer is to change that on a budget of almost no dollars. Here's what I'm starting with:

It's cute, but that bistro set is seriously uncomfortable and stupidly small. I can't afford to replace it right now but what I'd really like is to move it over and create a space where I can just comfortably sit and read a book and have a cocktail and just enjoy the evening.

My first problem is mosquitoes. I live in Virginia and we grow em big and strong here. However, the last time I visited Marianne she introduced me to this mosquito lantern and it really works! Plus, a cozy light source. Done.

My next problem is that effing astroturf. I haaaaate it. Marianne, who is so good at these things, suggested I check out World Market for inexpensive woven outdoor rugs. This one might be cute and this one is crazy but kind of fun? I'd need different pillows, though.

Finally, I need a comfortable lounge-y chair. What I'd really like is a bright yellow Adirondack chair or a patio club chair but both are way out of my budget. This plastic Adirondack is probably what I'll get. It isn't ideal (I'm sure there's a more attractive/interesting choice) but I love that it's lightweight and the color is fun. Plus, $19.

So, what else do I need? Any suggestions for making my balcony a more useable space?

PS. In trolling TJ Maxx for possibilities I found this cute Fiestaware tablecloth! My dishes are all Fiestaware and I love them. (Except for the mugs which are too small.) I also like this yellow ikat jar and this cute green candle thing. Ugh, I'm sorry. I digress.

Reading
I've started and abandoned so many books lately because nothing was quite hooking me in. I decided I needed another comforting re-read so I'm reading Rosamunde Pilcher's The Shell Seekers. I've read it multiple times but it's been at least ten years, so it feels new! It's your basic awesome British family saga novel and very easy to fall into.

Watching
I just bought a Starz pass on Amazon so I could watch American Gods, based on the book by Neil Gaiman. It's very, very dark and very good so far. I'm only three episodes in but it's definitely got my attention. (It's gory, though, just fair warning.) The cast is outstanding - Ian McShane! Gillian Anderson! Pablo Schreiber! Cloris Leachman! If you like modern mythology and don't mind some violence, I highly recommend.

Listening
I'm still on a serious podcast kick! My new favorite is Up First, NPR's early morning news podcast. It covers "the biggest stories and ideas - from politics to pop culture - in 10 minutes." I usually listen to it while I'm driving to work and it's just the right length for my commute.

Stuff I Like: Apple Watch + Reading/Watching/Listening

Liking
This is a little embarrassing to admit but I bought an Apple Watch Series 1 back in February. I don't know why it felt embarrassing to me - like it was unnecessarily flashy or something? Anyway, I'd been considering a Garmin watch to track my cycling/workouts but they're huge and not cheap and why not get the silly toy watch that I really wanted that does basically the same thing and more? So I did and I freaking love it.

I was initially skeptical of the watch but I am now completely obsessed with the Activity Rings function. If you're not familiar, every day your watch gives you three rings to complete: Move, Stand, and Exercise. I am a pretty active person outside of work but at work  I'm totally sedentary, so this has really helped to up my activity. I also really love the workout app and Strava works great from the watch, which means I don't have to pull my phone out during rides. Plus, getting text and email notifications without worrying about having my phone out is my favorite new way to lazy. Um, yeah. Basically, the Apple Watch has made me both more active and more lazy. Whatever, I own it.

Do you have an Apple Watch? What apps do you like? Anyone have a reliable source for cute, inexpensive bands?

Reading
The Week. One of the few magazines I get anymore is The Week and I look forward to it every week! It "provide perspectives on the week's news and editorial commentary from global media to provide readers with multiple political viewpoints." Basically, it pulls bits of news from different sources internationally to give a well-rounded view of what's happening. It also has a two-page real estate spread that I LOVE (and always read first) as well as reviews of music, books, art, etc. It's a very analog way to keep up with current events and, amusingly, I never read the Week's website.

Watching
The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu. Oooh, you guys. I read Margaret Atwood's book years ago and I definitely need to re-read but I went ahead and watched the first two episodes of the new Hulu series and it is REALLY good so far. Very dark, deeply disturbing and visually stunning. Plus, Elizabeth Moss (who I love in everything! Have you seen Top of the Lake yet? OMG.) and Alexis Bledel! Also, The Handmaid's Tale feels very relevant right now, which is...not great. I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't watched it yet, but so far I'm highly recommending it. PS. If you have Amazon Prime, The Handmaid's Tale is available to read electronically for free.

Listening
I'm for sure the last woman on earth who's not already listening to the Call Your Girlfriend podcast, right? Probably. Call Your Girlfriend is "a podcast for long-distance besties everywhere" which is really apropos for me since two of my best girlfriends live in different states. It really is like having a convo with your friends and the topics range from pop culture to politics. I found their recent podcast about the business end of podcasting really fascinating. I should also give credit where credit is due and mention that I found out about this from Caroline Crampton's (SRSLY podcast) newsletter.

That's it for this week! Please let me know if you have recommendations or if you're enjoying (or hating) something I recommended.