Issue 06: A Dream, Deferred
Plus: a perfect pillow, the best at-home burger, and a '90s book-to-series adaptation
Issue 06, and I’m still working out the kinks for ye old newsletter. While I thought Sunday would be a good send day, it turns out I need a little extra post-weekend bandwidth. So, Mondays it is. Thanks for bearing with me!
Worth Considering: A Dream, Deferred
Yesterday was a no-good, very bad day. It started out great: my husband, Kyle, and I had plans to take our toddler out to the coast for the first time in his 14 months of existence. We packed up the truck—complete with a brand new, expansive towel for us to lounge on and a $60 Go Pro selfie stick with which to capture the moment—and drove west, toward the ocean.
We arrived at our destination—a tiny beach town along Highway 1—along with everyone else within 100 miles. A line of cars sat idly, windows down, people getting out and walking up the road to see what the holdup was about. A message was passed telephone-style car to car: the lot was full. No one could get in to park. Local roads were for residents only. Wait times were unknown. Plan B would have to be pursued; except, there was no Plan B.
I said we should drive south, Kyle said north. We decided on the former, which, I didn’t realize, would only lead to a bay and not the ocean, an unacceptable alternative to the imagined event. We blamed each other under our breaths. I yelled my frustrations aloud. Then we drove home in silence.
After more than two hours in the car—and no ocean breeze on my face—I seethed in anger. I could tell Kyle was angry too, and I resented him for it. I should be the one who gets to be angry! I thought. This was my idea after all! When he didn’t console me, I got angrier. I could feel the rage piling up on itself, morphing into annoyance, withdrawal, loneliness. My feelings started to become caricatures of themselves.
What I realize—which is obvious now—is that we weren’t really mad. We were sad. We had conjured idyllic images in our heads, our son’s tiny toes dipping into the ocean, small sandy footprints weaving up and down the shoreline, floppy hats atop our heads and thick, white sunblock smeared across our faces. We had already imprinted the memory in our minds. The experience itself was only a formality.
I should have known that with the elaborate picture we had created in our heads, we were bound to encounter disappointment. We had pinned once-in-a-lifetime hopes to an experience we could replicate any weekend out of the year. Our disappointment manifested in anger rather than admitting to ourselves, and each other, how much a silly trip to the beach had meant to us. Cursing was easier than crying.
Once we got home, we put our son down for a nap, (begrudgingly) set up lawn chairs in our front yard, opened a couple of beers, and laughed. Even from this new vantage point—30 minutes of separation from the incident—we were able to see that all was not lost. We had a content, sleeping baby inside. We had cold beers, and each other. We had takeout pizza and forgiveness. We had another weekend ahead. We had Plan C.
Worth Clicking: “The Wedding Files: Elisa and Peter,” The Cut
Attending a Zoom wedding was for sure one of the best things that happened during quarantine (my son’s 1st birthday was a close-ish second). Elisa, a friend I met when I lived in New York, had grand plans for a June wedding, which were cancelled in early spring for obvious reasons. Instead of postponing the wedding, she and her fiancé (now husband), Peter, decided to make it happen—virtually. Where the two were once limited to a smaller number of guests, they were now able to invite their extended networks of friends and family—and 170 ended up joining the livestream. I was skeptical at the prospect of a virtual wedding at first (sorry Elisa!), but it turned out to be incredibly intimate and so well-executed. Even though you don’t know the couple as I do, I highly recommend clicking through—if for no other reason than to see the photos that perfectly capture the magic of the event.
Worth Meme-ing: “Everything Is Cake Now,” (also) The Cut
People are making ultra-realistic cakes of shoes, lotion, eggplant, really anything—and the internet is enraged. And frankly, so am I! It’s disorienting and annoying, and now watching something being sliced gives me an anxiety I didn’t know it could. This one will really make you lose it.
Worth Watching: The Baby-Sitters Club, Netflix
By now you’re probably aware that Netflix released an adaptation of the iconic Baby-Sitters Club book series by Ann M. Martin—the literary obsession of many a 90s tween. I remember lining them up by number on my bookshelf, cataloging the missing editions, and eagerly earmarking the corresponding pages of my Scholastic book order—the pinnacle of adolescent joy. The writers of the show did an incredible job of adapting the books to reflect current pop culture references—without sacrificing the books’ innocent pre-tech charm. Once you binge all 10 episodes, I recommend cozy-ing up with The Claudia Kishi Club, a 17-minute mini-documentary where Asian-American creators reflect on how they were able to see themselves in the eclectic, artsy, stereotype-busting character.
Further reading: “How the Baby-Sitters Club Raised A Generation,” Vox
Worth Spending: COOP Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent approximately one trillion dollars on 54895734 different pillows over the course of my adulthood. And yet, the perfect pillow had somehow eluded me—until about a year ago, when this plushy perfection came into my life. The COOP pillow, with its quilted case and soft-but-not-too-soft fill, feels super luxe but comes in at under $60. But wait, there’s more! You also get a 100-night sleep trial and the ability to add or remove filling. COOP also makes a travel pillow, a “cool side” pillowcase, and a 4-position support pillow that, after Goldilocks-ing my way through every bodypillow/wedge on the market, I would have killed for during pregnancy. Also available on Amazon.
Worth Coveting: Tree Fairfax Minimal Leather Goods
Even though I’m fairly certain I can’t pull it off, I’ve been wearing my fanny pack a lot these days—possibly in an attempt to reclaim my pre-diaper bag autonomy. Now I’m eyeing this half moon waist/crossbody bag (in black) from Tree Fairfax, which would make my weekly solo trip to the grocery store just a little more thrilling.
Worth Doing: Plan a Picnic
So quaint, right?! Since we can’t do much these days—and because its basically mandatory that I free-range my toddler at the park daily—a picnic sounds like the ideal way to spend an afternoon. Instead of scrounging up a tattered old blanket, throwing leftovers in a stained tupperware and settling for a lukewarm La Croix, I’m putting this picnicking guide to use and preparing for my al fresco adventures in style. How have I lived without a folding utility wagon and a set of bamboo cutlery until now?
Worth Making: Smash Burgers, Bon Appétit
I know Bon Appétit, Adam Rapoport and the publishing industry at large are under (well-deserved) fire after being exposed for racist goings-on behind the scenes, most glaringly in the form of unequal pay and lack of visibility for people of color. It’s definitely something I’m thinking about when I source my food content (most of which is from my favorite food blogs, of which I have many). I also don’t believe we need to cancel an entire publication when there are some really good people onboard who are working to make change. So I present: a recipe for one of the best burgers you’ll cook at home. The method aims to recreate a dupe of the iconic Shake Shack burger, famous for its craggly-edged, perfectly-greasy patty. Be sure to keep the heat up high, smash the meat flatter than you’re initially inclined, and pay the extra few bucks for good chuck. And do not DARE sub in some 30-year-aged, rosemary-rubbed goat cheese for a Kraft single. The audacity!
Worth Following: @diane_keaton
What I love about Diane Keaton is that she is somehow the culmination of every character she’s ever played, all stuffed into one person—simultaneously chic and kooky, girlishly adorable and endearingly maternal. There’s an effervescence about her that feels like you’re watching a top spin in place, but the top is also trying on an array of monochromatic hats. She’s a real gem of a follow, with content that ranges from a nail sticker demo to a Goodwill donation round-up (vol. 1 and vol. 2) to a trash collection at Venice Beach. The range! The depth! I also just love that she has a cavernous room which seemingly holds only a GIANT table, a wooden cross, and a enclosed bathtub, naturally.
Worth Bopping: 60s, 70s and 80s Hits
There’s something about hit songs from these decades that just put you in a good mood—and when you combine them into one stream, magic happens. These can simultaneously serve as background cooking music or a motivating running playlist, but really they’re perfect for any occasion (or non-occasion).
Spotify // Apple Music // Pandora
Worth Quoting: Louise Bourgeois, French-American artist
“I do. I undo. I redo.”
You Mentioned: How to Become a Costco Pro
I feel like I’m still dipping my toes into the bargain-laden Costco waters, having gotten a membership for the first time just last year (which tbh I mostly got for the food court). This means I’m relying heavily on my Costco-loving bff Sara (not to be confused with this Sara) for all the hot tips. Sara’s approach to Costco shopping is an art form, and her genius hacks had honestly never even occurred to me. I’m trying to convince her to start a Costco newsletter (I mean, wouldn’t you definitely subscribe to that? IS THERE A COSTCO NEWSLETTER?!), but until she agrees, her picks will have to come as the Costco Correspondent here on WM.
Instead of mentioning a few select products (like Sara’s favorite hand soap or laundry detergent) as inventory can vary greatly by region, I wanted to share Sara’s tips for making the most out of your Costco membership. Service-y! Let’s go.
Take advantage of web-only deals. You can find them on the bottom of their homepage. “I frequently check their While Supplies Last, Treasure Hunt and What’s New sections—they’re especially great for seasonal deals.”
Check online for your favorite brands and products. If if you don’t see an item carried in your local Costco, they may stock them online. It’s worth checking before buying full retail price elsewhere.
Bet big on beauty. “Costco’s makeup offers are usually significantly lower than Sephora for the same brands,” Sara points out. Think NARS, Perricone MD, Armani and more.
Lean into social. There are a ton of Costco-focused IG accounts and Facebook groups that share interesting deals, product reviews, meal ideas and beyond.
Honorable Mentions
I’m posting other things I think are worth mentioning over on Instagram, @itsworthmentioning. Follow along there for the things that didn’t make the cut this week, but are still pretty great.
AND! I would love to hear from you: the things *you* think are worth mentioning, your thoughts on this issue, or just a note to say hello. Just hit reply to this email and it will go right to me.
If you liked this newsletter, please: tell your friends!