Sunday Shortlist: Exhale and Do Less
The laziest appetizer I’ve ever made, plus who and what I’m reading right now
The Sunday Shortlist is my brain dump from the week, delivered straight to your online doorstep. Consider it an amuse-bouche to your New York Times Sunday Edition, heavy on the amuse, hopefully with coffee.
Quick tip: This post might be too long for email (it’s the pictures!), so I suggest opening it in the Substack app or your browser.
Aaaaand we’re back! I hope everyone had a great week! How are you?
This past week has always been so strange. The Great Between. A come down from the holiday high and a ramp up towards the new year. We’re all excitedly planning everything we want to jump into while still digesting all that we just did (and ate). So here’s a reminder to myself, and you if you need it, that it doesn’t all have to happen today, tomorrow, or even this month. The plans will get made, the progress will come. Let’s not wish away a moment to exhale. The rest of the year, we do so much. It’s OK to Do Less.
I mentioned in my last post of 2024 that I’d be taking a little social media break between Christmas Eve and the New Year, and I’m proud to say that I followed through. Opening the Instagram app back up on Thursday felt strange, like pressing play on a movie I had paused a while ago. Everything was exactly where I left it. Just a friendly reminder that social media needs you, not the other way around. ;)
While I was away from social media, my screen-fueled dopamine needs naturally gravitated toward other fixes. While doing some planning for Le Mix this year, I found myself really leaning into the Substack platform and starting to find and subscribe to a bunch of other folks making beautiful, wonderful work on here.
What I’m coming to love about Substack is that you can find just about anyone who is obsessed with just about anything on here: writing, photography, complaining, celebrating small joys, fashion, design, beauty, secondhand shopping, comedy, the list goes on and on. There are so many genres and cross-blends to explore! Anthropologists of the present and future rejoice! Or cry? Not sure…
So, here are some of the newsletters I’m excited about from break!
- bi-coastal, sometimes further abroad, restaurant reviews and vibes by - casual catch-up vibes, normal gal stuff (in the best way!)Feed Me by
- I’ve apparently been reading under a rock for not reading Feed Me sooner, but business, trend reports, snark by - wellness takes…mostly, I love Katie’s honesty and wit by - because we all need more small joys! - love this one for exactly what it says on the tin: “strong opinions, loosely held”Speaking of small joys… here are some of my, particularly food-focused, small joys from the holiday week:
I made this McSorley’s Cheese Plate for NYE in an attempt to “host better by doing less,” and to stay true to that goal, I skipped the frying the crackers part and couldn’t find my usual block of vegan cheddar, so I cut slices into squares. The most work was slicing the onion. People even had to assemble their own cheese, onion, and dollop of mustard on a cracker. Truly, so lazy and so good.
We watched My Old Ass this week because, as a law of nature, nothing Aubrey Plaza does is garbage; and it was finally available to watch at home (maybe by now you know I’m not a theater person?). The movie is one of the best answers to the “What would you tell your younger self?” prompt. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll feel inspired. On that note, if you haven’t watched Ingrid Goes West, do yourself another favor.
Oogling everything from Dinosaur Designs (Hat tip to
!)I’m currently reading two books. And while I want to get in the habit of waiting until I’m done with books to recommend them (or decided not to finish them, here’s looking at you, The Great When), these two are just so perfect for kicking off the New Year. The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter gets you comfortable getting out of your comfort zone pretty quick, while Mediations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman is already shifting my perspective on day 4. I am seeking to be the kayak (here me roar!), not the superyacht (Day 2’s revelation).
Okay, maybe I’m reading a third book: Richard Hart Bread. I’m a Tartine girl, through and through, but Hart gets a pass because he trained with and worked for Chad Robertson for so many years before opening Hart Bagerie in Copenhagen with Rene Redzepi’s blessing. I love Hart’s approach; it’s a little looser and much more intuitive than others. Thanks for the wonderful Christmas gift, Dad!
Two travel thoughts to think about when dreaming up your next adventure: First, think about visiting a travel destination that wants tourists OR consider a detour destination for less traffic and a different perspective.
Also travel-related: I’m captivated by Aaron Levine’s idea of only packing one outfit for a trip. He’s totally right about “Whenever I go anywhere, I end up bonding with one thing — that thing you wear the most on a trip.” I feel like this might be super suited to a beach vacation though, but maybe not?
Need a random card of inspiration to mix up the old grey matter? Try Oblique Strategies.
Le Mix is written and edited by Morgan McCarty. Anything you’d like to see included? Questions? Reply to this email or comment to reach me. And if a friend shared Le Mix with you, click here to subscribe!
TY 🤍🤍🤍 exhale and do less!