We have hit the 1 year mark of this pandemic. Now, however I’ve got hope. The vaccine is beginning to permeate and I can imagine a future where I actually see humans IRL. Will it look different? Sure, but I’m convinced we’re making progress. We just have to hold on for a bit longer. We still need to be careful and maintain our distancing protocols because the virus is still very much out there and very much dangerous for the many of us who can’t yet secure a vaccine. That means I’m staying pretty quarantines for the time being. For more ideas, check out: Part 11, Part 10, Part 9, Part 8, Part 7, Part 6, Part 5, Part 4, Part 3, Part 2, and Part 1.
Activities
- Cooking/Recipes:
- As the vaccine continues to roll out, I am hopeful we’ll be able to have get-togethers in the relatively near future. Nothing says group hang like a dip, and I’m itching to try this bbq chicken dip.
- Passover is coming up and I have to admit it’s not my favorite holiday. Since I don’t keep kosher under normal circumstances, adding those restrictions AND the additional Passover dietary constraints is something I always find particularly jarring. I’m looking here and here for inspiration.
- Other Activities:
- I recently learned about Heart of Dinner, a company bringing food to Asian seniors in NYC. There are so many reasons why this company is great: they are combatting food insecurity, they’re serving the elderly in a way that makes them feel loved (handwritten notes in-language, flavors they’re familar with, etc.), they’re lifting up local businesses. I’ve donated money but would love to get involved in another capacity. Generally, it’s time to take another look at open volunteer opportunities.
- There’s a very cool exhibit happening downtown. Goodnight House is an immersive exhibition inspired by the classic children’s book, Goodnight Moon.
Content
- Books:
- ACOTAR: This YA fantasy has had people going nuts for a while. I’ve been putting it off beause faerie vibes are not usually my thing. That said, enough people have raved about it that I think it might be time to start reading.
- Know My Name: In 2015 Chanel Miller was assaulted behind a dumpster while unconscious on Stanford’s campus. While there were witnesses and evidence, her abuser, Brock Turner, was sentenced to just six months in jail and released after serving a mere three. The judge said he worried a longer sentence would have a “severe impact” on Turner, an athlete with Olympic dreams. Miller, then known anonymously as Emily Doe, provided a statement detailing the impact the assault had on her and it went viral. It is a shame the impact on a victim would ever be considered secondarily. In 2019 Miller shed her anonymity and released this memoir which will hopefully inspire cultural change in how we treat and consider sexual assault.
- Confident Women: We always talk about conmen, but women can scam too. This article by Tori Telfer really made me want to read her book, Confident Women. (And not just because I’m still obsessed with the Hilaria Baldwin saga.)
- Please Don’t Sit On My Bed In Your Outside Clothes: Phoebe Robinson just announced the release date for her third book and since I’m obsessed with every single things she does, I’ve marked by calendar.
- Movies:
- Minari: I really enjoyed this film that chronicles a Korean-American family’s journey towards the American Dream. After moving from California to rural Arkansas,
- Oscar Noms: We have about one month to squeeze in as many Oscar nominated films before the awards. I’ve already seen several (see: Minari, above) and am excited to cross more off the list.
- TV:
- Ginny & Georgia: I’ve described this show as an edgy Gilmore Girls and watched the entire first season in two days. (Netflix)
- Marriage or Mortgage: It’s a dilemma many couples face: with a lump sum in the bank should they use the money for a wedding or a downpayment. Both cost tens of thousands of dollars and either would be life-changing. Each episode of this series has a couple make that decision after viewing houses and wedding options in their budget. Each episode had me screaming “MORTGAGE!” because that’s the “smart” decision, but sometimes the heart wants what it wants. (Netflix)
- Ted Lasso: This show was absolutely heartwarming. It’s not PG (sex, language, etc.) but still feels kinda wholesome. Ted, a Kansas City football coach, is hired to coach a floundering English soccer team. Everyone seems to be rooting for him to fail, but you’ll be cheering on even his most minor wins. (Apple+)
- Podcasts:
- Why Won’t You Date Me?: Nicole Byer is a comedian who has been single for decades and invites a guest on each episode to help her figure out why. When guests include stripper Teddy B. Ruxbin and Conan O’Brien (with his sexually repressed Catholic upbringing), the conversation becomes a much bigger one about dating culture.
- The Food That Built America: This is less about food and more about the impact certain foods (and their creators) have had on our country. We’re talking the story behind the breakfast cereal wars and the drugs that drove the Coca-Cola business. History can be fun!
- Call Your Grandmother: Just another reminder that grandmas are the SWEETEST! Each episode introduces you to a sassy Jewish grandmother and her adoring grandchild. These ladies have lived through some stuff and are not shy when it comes to doling out advice.
- Celebrity Book Club: Each episode recaps a memoir by a celeb, usually a celeb who’s been through the ringer when it comes to the tabloids. Not all books have stood the test of time, and those are the episodes I find particularly good.
- Double Date: Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue have famously been married for over 40 years. In each episode they sit down with another celeb couple that’s also managed to stay happily married for years. What’s the secret?!
- Las Culturistas: I love Bowen Yang on SNL so it was time I finally started listening to the show he hosts with Matt Rogers. It’s all about pop culture so if you’re into that, you’ll probably like their take on the latest stories.
Peaches to Apples 