Hi there! I thought it might be fun to incorporate more personal content on the blog in 2021, so here’s the first inaugural post!

At the end of every month, I’m going to be sharing a monthly recap about the books I’ve read, the food I’ve eaten, the products I’ve obsessed over, and more. Whether you’re here to get to know me better or discover a new kitchen tool, welcome to my first ever monthly recap!

Highlights

The highlight of this month was definitely having the chance to spend some time safely in Connecticut with my friends. The four of us all tested (negative) for COVID, rented an Airbnb in Preston, and spent a weekend just enjoying each other’s company. We cooked together, binge watched “America’s Next Top Model”, and even went on a hike. It was so wonderful to be close to one another again and together in person after a year apart.

What I Read

I had an abysmal reading month. I only read one book and I honestly hated it. For all my feelings on The Rules Do Not Apply, you can see my review here.

I just felt like I was in a reading slump this month, I started several books but wasn’t able to get past page 40 of most of them. Luckily, I’m almost done reading book #2 of the year, You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen. It sucked me right in and has pulled me out of my reading slump! Look out for my blog post about the book with a special drink inspired by it coming soon as a part of The Book Club Cookbook’s blog party!

What I Listened To

The band Lawrence recently popped up on my Instagram discovery page, and I haven’t been able to stop listening to their song “Freckles” since! It’s the perfect early morning song to help you feel good, even though you still have sleep in your eye and bed head amuck. 

Another favorite feel-good song I’ve had on repeat recently is “Jackie Onassis” by Sammy Rae, recommended to me by my friend. This song is ideal for solo dance parties while cooking dinner.

What I Watched

I really wish I could say I watched something cool, like finally catching “Bridgerton,” “Queen’s Gambit,” or even “Schitt’s Creek.” Alas, I cannot say that. This month I have watched an obscene amount of “Glee.” No comment.

Favorite Thing I Ate (Purchased)

I came back to NYC this month and visited my office for the first time since March 2020. While it was super eerie being in the empty office, I was beyond excited to order from my favorite Thai food restaurant ever: Chai Thai Kitchen! Of course, I ordered my favorite dish: pad see ew.

I also have to mention my favorite Queens pizza spot that I ordered from the first week back: Milkflower. I ordered the Willy Mo, a delicious pie with meatballs, tomato, garlic confit, mozzarella, basil, and grana padano. I ate it in one sitting.

Go To Meal of the Month

I have recently discovered the wonders of hummus toast! I’m obsessed with popping a piece of sourdough bread in the toaster and smearing red pepper or garlic hummus all over it. I always tell myself I’m only going to eat one, but I’d be lying if I told you there wasn’t a two piece minimum. This has been my go-to when I need a quick lunch between Zoom meetings, or a special snack before bed. 

Pantry Staple of the Month

Pesto! It’s winter, which means I don’t have any basil growing and can’t make my own fresh pesto. Instead, I’ve turned to jarred pesto and have been enjoying its versatility. From pasta, chicken, sandwiches, and even eggs, that little green jar can upscale any meal with its nutty, herbaceous flavor.

Products I’m Obsessed With Right Now

• Bath & Bodyworks hand cream: It might seem silly but I’m in love with these hand creams from Bath & Bodyworks that are literally the perfect size for stashing around the house or on the go, and truly work miracles on my winter chapped hands.
• Scrub Daddy Smiling Scrubber: LITERALLY WHY ARE YOU WASHING YOUR DISHES WITH ANY OTHER SPONGE?!

What Swap I Made This Month

Once a month, I’m investing in my home/life by replacing one item that needs an upgrade. This month, I invested in my bathroom. My old plastic shower curtain had a rip in it. Not to the point where it was unusable, but why have a ripped shower at all? It was an easy replacement that made the bathroom just a bit nicer. I didn’t stop there–since the shower curtain replacement was cheap, I splurged on a mini plant, candle, and new hand soap (I hated the smell of the old one) for my bathroom sink as well! I decluttered the junk that used to sit on the counter top (including an old air freshener that hadn’t been used in a year and my toothbrush that is now stored in the medicine cabinet) and those three simple additions turned our drab bathroom into a spa! I’ve already been loving lighting the candle every morning before my shower.

New Discovery of the Month

I recently bit the bullet on two monthly subscriptions: Molly Baz’s Recipe Club (I was enticed by meatloaf sando) and Study Hall (an incredible resource for freelance writers). Both are worthy investments!

Something to Celebrate…

This month, we celebrated our puppy Oscar’s 6 month birthday! I made homemade sweet potato treats for Oscar & Boo, and we reminisced on how fast 6 months go by!

Another thing worth celebrating this month…I’m officially a published children’s book author! I wrote a Sesame Street book titled Washy Wash! And Other Healthy Habits, published by Random House Children’s Books, which was published earlier this month. It’s only 12 pages, but still feels pretty exciting to see my name on a board book!

February Goals

I want to keep my February goals simple:

• Get back into a regular workout/movement routine
• Make up for lost reading time
• Cook new dishes inspired by ingredients I already have
• Wake up earlier–7am at least
• Journal semi-consistently 

Written down it may seem like a lot, but I’m hoping to interweave these goals into my daily life so they become unconscious practices. Let’s see how these look at the end of February…