I’m currently on the Acela to Boston, speeding(ish) through the industrial lands around Providence, Rhode Island. Taking the train feels like peering in people’s back windows at their mudroom – you see the parts of towns no one bothered to clean up or hide, piles of rubble cascading toward the tracks and empty loading docks and lots of graffiti, layer upon layer.
I kind of like it.
It’s been a very busy few months, alternately enervating and exciting. The country feels on the precipice of destruction every other day. We bought a house. There is more death and despair with every turn of the globe. It is a very very nice house. Winter has turned to spring and the trees are budding out in lovely little spiky green bursts. We love this house.
A few things I feel moved to share:
– Kat wrote a piece for Saveur about grape leaves, specifically my parents’ grape leaves. It makes their vineyard sound much grander than it is, which tickles me. Big ups to Kat.
– Exhale was profiled in a great piece for CNN, with particular focus on my co-board member Susan, who is very brave and wonderful.
– I am training for a half marathon, and last weekend I ran 10 miles, the farthest I’ve ever run. It did not feel terrible, and in fact felt pretty good. I’m as surprised as you are.
– We recently hosted a dinner party, maybe our best yet, for my coworkers and their partners. I loved everything we served and figured I might as well share the menu.
- Food52’s Bittersweet Roasted Radicchio with Dates and Ricotta
- Blanched and blistered green beans with melted leeks and slivered almonds (no recipe)
- Layered salad with lentils, sauteed kale, roasted cauliflower and shaved carrots (no recipe) served with Food52’s vegan creamy garlic dressing
- Brothy farro with herbs and ricotta salata (no recipe)
- The Kitchn’s Roasted Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Lemon
- Ottolenghi’s Rosemary, Olive Oil, and Orange Cake. This cake, made by a coworker, was beautiful, and so tasty that one guest grabbed a piece in her hand on the way out, completely forgetting her purse.
May we all have that kind of delight.