Carey Mulligan

watch:

We are lapping up Mare Of Easttown at our house. Okay… not that it is stellar, (see I May Destroy You, or, Giri/Haji if you want fantastic and innovative drama) but if you want to be sucked out of your life, and if you want to learn about profluence — how to keep your readers turning the pages of your work — this show is a master class. Every episode reveals just a wee bit more, keeping us curious and pulling us deeper into Mare’s backstory, helping us to understand the meaningful actions characters take. There are stakes. Characters you can root for. Characters that get in their own damn way. Conflict. Remember, bad news for the character is good news for the story. And, some great acting. (Hello, Jean Smart!)  The slow unfolding of the story, week by week rather than a complete drop, is also satisfying. It’s an old fashioned pleasure to have to wait and see. Yes, there are women in peril, dead girls and yellow police tape, as with every crime drama. It is an exhausting truth that women aren’t safe in the world.

(Quick sidebar here: A friend who works for a Silicon Valley company was once on a work retreat on a private island (okay I know, let that go for a minute) she was taking a run by herself and she felt incredibly free, unfettered, light. And then she thought to herself, oh, this is how white men feel most of the time as they move through the world.)

A hilarious side story in the series is Mare’s flirtation with the creative writing teacher at the local college. The dude (Guy Pearce) has written one critically (though not commercially) successful novel, and now he’s relegated to teach in Easttown. The other joy (yes I am this petty) is that Mare’s life is so messed up! If ever you’re having a little pity party about troubles in your life, check what’s going on in Mare’s life. Whew. Talk about a shift of viewpoint from harried to grateful. You’re welcome.

Finally, a show must know they made it when there’s a Saturday Night Life spoof. After you’ve got some episodes under your belt, check out SNL’s sketch here.

listen:

I’m offering up my Listen to the Women playlist.

In addition, here’s a podcast I’ve been enjoying. Create Out Loud, from my pal, Jen Louden. She has some delightful conversations. I particularly loved the chat with Anne Lamott. Anne talks about treating herself with radical self care. What does that look like for her? A walk. Tea. Lying down for a nap with the latest People magazine and her cat. “Eat your heart out,” she says. She also treats herself to:

…a really, really delicious cup of coffee. I’ve moved on to heavy whipping cream… it is so nourishing, and it makes you so happy. The act of me making it is like a good mother making it for me and saying, “Honey, you should have the best…you need to worry about nutrition, psychic nutrition and deliciousness. So, you just sit down and I’m going to make you a cup of coffee that’s about a third heavy whipping cream.”

For some reason, this really struck me. Why shouldn’t I take care of myself the way I would one of my beloved children. When you get to the part about “God with skin on…” be prepared for a laugh, and for an attitude change regarding how we treat ourselves as we stumble and dance through our lives. We get to choose how we show up.

Jen’s episode library is growing. Do yourself a favor, treat yourself like a good mother would, take your creator-self on a walk and give a listen.

snack:

I was walking across a parking lot the other day and I overheard a woman say to her friend, “I’m underwhelmed by my omelette experiences.” Uh oh, I thought, me too! I can’t make an omelette. Can you? Sure, I can make a mean scramble. But I’d like to finesse the French omelette with a scattering of fresh herbs. Delicate, sophisticated and comforting. I am imagining my omelette with a small green salad, a piquant vinaigrette, and a crisp glass of white wine alongside, a big linen napkin, carelessly tossed across my lap. Alas, my egg attempts are oafish and filled with too many vegetables.

Enter Bill Buford, and this delightful essay from The New Yorker, plus an accompanying video, in which he says, “it is my pleasure, my thrill, my privilege” to teach you to make a French omelette.

Alison Roman, another cooking fav of mine, has an omelette video here.

And, so does Julia Child!

Now I am in search of an omelette pan. This one looks as if it fills the bill, with a ceramic interior and no toxic chemicals in a non-stick surface. But this too strikes my fancy! In sunny yellow… What do you think? Really! Do you have a pan you love? A technique you’d like to reveal? Shoot me an email.

Meanwhile, to hold me over until I make an omelette, I will enjoy again these sweet little nibbles I made for friends the other day. (Yes, we are entertaining again!)

Find yourself ripe apricots with a lovely blush to their skin. Cut them in half, remove pits, and then cut into quarters. Fill the center with a dollop of triple creme cheese, and then add a roasted and salted pistachio.  Not only have we the fabulous texture of creamy cheese, tender flesh of the fruit, and the salty crunch of the nut, the colors are gorgeous! I served with the cheese and crackers alongside, breakfast radishes with flaky salt, and pickled blueberries. It was all quite tasty, served with these pink bubbles from Austria.

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watch:

I finally got up the courage to watch, “A Promising Young Woman.” I was nervous that the film, marketed as a thriller/comedy, would upset me. It’s a rape revenge film and as a survivor of sexual assault, I wasn’t sure how much I could take. Let me tell you, I loved it. There is no gore, minimal (though heartbreaking) on screen violence, no sex, no nudity, and for me, supreme satisfaction. Not that all the good guys come out on top, but the film feels like a super hero bio pic. We get the backstory of Cassie, the main character, we understand what “built” her, and thus we get her agenda. It’s like knowing why Batman is Batman, or how the Joker came to be so cruel. Cassie, played beautifully by Carey Mulligan, is like Liam Neeson avenging his dead wife, but smarter and without a gun. She’s avenging her best friend, and let me tell you no one (looking at you Betsy DeVos) gets a free pass for the rape culture in our college system.

And then, should you need an amuse-bouche, check out these two poems for uplift and beauty. Plus a small piece by my (aspirational) pal, George.

“Shake the Dust,” by Anis Mojgani, gorgeousness for the late night cereal eaters, the Walmart greeters, the prom queens and school yard wimps, the tired and the dreamers. For all of us. What we need to do right now, shake off the dust.

When the world knocks at your front door
clutch the knob tightly and open on up
and run forward, forward and as far you must
into its widespread greeting arms
with your hands before you
fingertips trembling though they may be 

Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye, which begins, “Before you know what kindness is, you must lose things.”

Importance of Kindness by George Saunders, who speaks of regret, a missed opportunity to be kind. “Sometimes I’d see her hanging around in her front yard as if afraid to leave it.”

listen:

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been inundated with words. Last year I spent so much time worrying, so much time trying to stay on top of the dual catastrophes of the pandemic and our then president, constantly bombarding myself with news and numbers.

I need a break. Enough with the talking, talking, talking. Maybe it would be healthy for me to walk without my earbuds. Maybe I’ll hear birds, or the muffled sounds of people enjoying one another’s company. What a relaxing and easeful entree back to the post-pandy world. Maybe my mind will wander, be curious, get in touch with my thoughts rather than those of someone else. If I spend time looking around on my walk, being curious, slowing my brain, maybe, fingers crossed, I’ll be thinking about my creative work. What about you? Any interest in a quiet walk? If you do give it a try, I’d love to hear what comes up.

And, here’s a song I’ve got on repeat: Blessed the Brave by Liz Wright.

snack:

Three! Yes, that’s how many times I’ve served this salad this week alone! It’s a non-recipe/recipe. I trust you, you’ve got this!

Farro Salad

Into your favorite salad bowl place about 3 cups cooked farro. Now, you could really use any grain, but I love farro for the chewy texture and nutty flavor and because, I’m kinda sick of rice. Add roughly one half cup chopped dill (be generous, I promise this is the money maker of the salad), plus one bunch of asparagusroasted with a giant leek (chopped), olive oil and a little salt.  Cut the asparagus into two inch pieces, about the size of a stubby pencil. Be certain not to overcook the asparagus or the whole thing is ruined. Seriously. I also chopped up a bunch of radishes, added a handful of roasted sunflower seeds. You could add walnuts, fennel bulb, roasted carrots, feta cheese, whatever floats your boat. For the dressing, mince one clove garlic, add about 3 heaping tablespoons greek yogurt, one fourth cup of olive oil and as much lemon juice as you love. You want the dressing to be creamy, so add more yogurt if you desire. Pour onto your salad, give it a stir and serve it up. We had it with fennel rosemary salmon, then we had it with an orange and prune roasted chicken, then we had it with bagels and fruit salad for brunch.

Cannot get enough.

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