Watching
I’ve been a fan of Frances McDormand since Fargo, so I can’t wait to watch her in Nomadland, by director Chloé Zhao. The story is a fictionalized account of the post-2008 recession, but many of the actors are real-life nomads who live in their RVs and travel looking for seasonal work. The movie opens today and is streaming on Hulu, but it already has tons of buzz and nominations.
Buying
One of my favorite stores in Chicago is Pagoda Red. I have bought lots of furniture and accessories from them and love owner Betsy Nathan’s aesthetic. They have teamed with artist Brian Stanziale, who goes by the bms, on a new collection of embellished works of art. Daisy Rest, $688
Reading
I loved Kiley Reid’s Such a Fun Age, and was delighted to stumble across a short story called Playing Kerri Strug that she recently wrote for Marie Claire. It’s very funny and a less than five-minute commitment.
Exploring
I have a love/hate affair with Pinterest (don’t get me started on Houzz, which is hate/hate), but I need Pinterest because we’re building a house in Park City, and it’s a collaborative place to store designs. A new image search engine, Same Energy, is a cool alternative for collecting ideas and it’s just fun to play with. It’s in Beta, so expect some quirks, but you can brag that you’re on the cutting edge of technology, lol!
Relating
I’ve met and interviewed Northwestern University’s Eli Finkel, Ph.D., when his book The All-or-Nothing Marriage first came out. He’s terrific and insightful, so I’m betting his conversation with Logan Ury, who is the director of relationship science at the dating app Hinge and author of How to Not Die Alone: The Surprising Science That Will Help You Find Love, will be terrific. The talk is sponsored by FAN and it’s Thursday, February 25 at 7pm.
Baking
Snacking Cakes by Yossey Arefi is my new go-to baking book because it’s super simple! These aren’t fancy, multi-layer affairs. Instead, most bake in an 8×8 pan (although she gives how-tos for loaf pans and bundt cakes). The book has multiple recipes you’ll use, but if you want to try one out first, here’s a link to her Salty Caramel Peanut Butter Cake on the terrific blog, Cup Of Jo.
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