May Roundup

(01) A SAUCY SUMMER STANDBY

Attributes of most recipes I gravitate towards include a significant low effort/high reward ratio, versatility, and, of course, great flavor. This tomato recipe from Alison Roman features a baffling-simple, deliciously savory dressing that hits all three and has already become my summer standby. I plan to spend the next few months dousing everything edible in sight with it.

(02) SECRET WEAPON IN A TUBE

One of the star ingredients in the aforementioned recipe is anchovies, which I’ve realized is actually a secret star of MANY recipes I love. I finally put two and two together and have started more consciously incorporating anchovies into my cooking, particularly whenever I need to give something a lil boost of umami.

Something that’s made anchovies easier to casually include on the fly is discovering anchovy paste, aka the flavor punch power of anchovies packed in a convenient, easy-to-use tube. I might be totally late to the party here, but this has been a game-changer for me. It makes it so fast and easy to add a hit of anchovy to anything I’m cooking (pasta sauces, dressings, etc) without worrying about using up the rest of the tin o’ fillets.

I haven’t yet done an audit of all the brands out there, but I’ve been enjoying this one so far. Let me know if you have opinions!

(03) A SIMPLE WAY TO CREATE JOY

Speaking of simple delights — I purchased a beautiful vase from my friend Ryan Chang back in October and it’s been sitting in my room empty for the past six months. I’m not big on flowers (yes, I know this is weird) so I’ve been kind of stumped on what to put in it. Then I found these tall branches of pussy willow and I have to say — the addition of them in my room has brought me a little jolt of joy every time I see them. I get why people have flowers in their homes now! I’m glad I found something comparable (that’s not flowers) that can provide me with the same sensation.

P.S. You should definitely check out Ryan’s work and follow him on Instagram. He’s constantly putting out stunning one-of-a-kind pieces and his work is ever-evolving — I’ve especially loved seeing him start incorporating his illustrations into his clay practice. He is also just a genuinely great guy! He was one of the people that really helped me push through my initial fears with making video content on social.

(04) A NEW BAG PHILOSOPHY

I did a weekend pop-up event (my very first in Manhattan!) in early May at the HYER GOODS store. HYER GOODS rescues fabric and leather from industry leftovers and uses them to make upcycled handbags and accessories.

During the pop-up I kept trying on the purses — they were so cute! — but I hesitated to purchase. I’ve never been much of a purse person, really. I have this fear of being caught unprepared while out and about, so I tend to use large (sometimes multiple) bags and pack a LOT in.

While great in theory, all of this lugging around has actually led to neck and shoulder issues that I’ve had to deal with over the past couple of years. This brings me to a bit of a tangent (bear with me please):

I’ve always had this theory that the amount of stuff we own tends to expand to fill whatever space we inhabit. I’ve never minded the small apartments of NYC for this reason — I think it’s actually a nice forcing mechanism to be super deliberate with what I buy and choose to hold onto.

If we carry this same theory through to our daily loads — will I simply become more deliberate with what I choose to carry if I use a smaller container (in this case, a purse)? So far this has been the case, and I haven’t yet found myself stranded without X, Y, or Z item. And my back is very grateful for it!

(05) ABEL @ FORECAST

You can now find Abel at Forecast, a concept space and boutique located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I’m super honored to be included amongst their exquisitely curated selection, which spans fashion, art, homewares, and even outdoor gear.

It’s a genuinely dangerous store for me to visit — I always end up finding a one-of-a-kind vintage piece that I must have, or a new independent designer that I’ve never heard of before. They are also constantly throwing amazing events and have rotating artwork on display in the unique space, which was designed by Props Supply. Tina and Ash, the founders, are curatorial geniuses.

If you haven’t yet visited I highly recommend checking it out! It’s without a doubt unlike any other store in NYC you’ve been to before.

Lastly — a heartfelt thank you to all the people that have reached out to tell me they enjoy reading these types of posts. So often it can feel like I’m just shouting into an empty void here, so it really helps keep me motivated to continue putting together this type of content for you 🫶🏻

If you ever have any comments, ideas, feedback — you name it — I'd love to hear from you.

See you in June!