SMIRL 🌀
One thing I’ve realized from taking a step back from this newsletter is that while I love an academic deep dive I want to write quick missives into the world about whatever is floating across my mind. So here is a new series called SMIRL, sister mama in real life. Thanks for sticking around for this adventure.
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Postcard from the Motherland: We are at the sweet moment of T blowing his nose into my face. I’m proud of him for learning to blow his nose. It somehow overpowers my dislike of a snot covered face. Perhaps I’m telling myself it’s a secret face mask that will miraculously remove all the wrinkles. They have those snail mucin face masks right? Same same?
🥣 As a nutritional therapist I think it’s a cruel irony that sometimes cooking can feel like such a drag on my soul. Three meals a day? Complete with all macronutrient groups? How?! Discovering Caro Chambers What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, both the newsletter and her new book, are lifesaving. We spent the summer in New York and I got to see the first night of her book tour! My favorite section in the back is listed by protein so you can dig up whatever frozen hunk of meat is in the freezer and make something beautiful. (Yes, all the hype on social media about needing more protein is true.)
Barnes & Noble Union Square in conversation with Sohla El-Waylly.
📖 Switching back and forth from The Comfort Crisis to Matrescence to balance my yin and yang. All while still reeling from the impact of All Fours. How do we feel about book reviews? Maybe a nice, wildly honest book review? For example, why is everyone in The Comfort Crisis male? On the flip side pretty incredible that All Fours is nominated for the National Book Award.
🧠 Expectations and reality. My “vision” of being in New York with a toddler included museums every day or galleries, drinking a cappuccino, absorbing art, while T thoughtfully munched on his croissant. I did not go to a single museum. Every day went to the park for tunes for tots. T learned all the dance moves to the mango song and I’m going to call it a win.
With love and mangos 🥭