You May Also Like...
Addictive summer coffee treats, my favorite online yoga, joyful hosting inspiration, and more.
A grab bag of things I’ve liked, saved, and shared lately.
☕️ Last summer, I developed addictions to two coffee drinks and I’m thrilled to welcome them back into my routine.
First, a cold brew smoothie I tried on a trip to Sedona. I typically go for açai bowls at juice bars, but something drew me toward a coffee smoothie that day—perhaps that Sedona energy vortex 💫—and I was hooked at first taste. I immediately set to work figuring out how to replicate it at home. It’s refreshing, filling, and a great energy boost (also, very satisfying/helpful for hangovers). It requires a little planning ahead—you need to at least freeze some banana ahead of time—but once you have everything ready it’s easy to throw together in the morning.
Second, my local coffee shop makes delicious seasonal beverages and last summer I became obsessed with their Haupia iced latte (inspired by Hawaiian coconut pudding). In an effort to stop bleeding $8 every morning, I tried making it. Turns out, it’s super easy and just as delicious at home. It adds a very subtle, coconut flavor (I don’t usually add syrups or sweetener to my coffee) and one batch lasts for a couple weeks.
👩🏻🍳 While I’m channeling my inner food blogger, here are two more “recipes” I’m eating on repeat. If I’m not having a cold brew smoothie for breakfast, my other go-to is currently a toasted english muffin topped with smashed avocado and chili crisp, inspired by my friend Anne. It ticks all my boxes for an easy, filling breakfast ✔️ that requires no cooking ✔️ and minimal cleanup ✔️
For lunch (which I always struggle with), I’ve been making quick tacos with the TJ’s shrimp, avocado, and…chili crisp (you could also add cheese, pineapple, or other delicious things you have around). All chili crisp is not created equal—after recently trying a couple alternatives, I can still confirm that Kari Kari Garlic Chili Crisp takes the crown (have you tried it yet?!).
🧘🏻♀️ Sky Ting, my favorite yoga studio in New York, happened to launch online, on-demand yoga just before the pandemic. They’ve been adding to it ever since and it’s now a library of hundreds of classes ranging from yoga to pilates to meditation, and more. There is a class to fit any mood or time limit (I prefer shorter classes at home), and every video is unique. It’s by far my favorite online yoga and at $35/month it feels like the best deal around—considering that is the price of a single class many places these days. I’m not an affiliate, just a big fan!
🍹 I recently had the best time catching up on Laura Jackson’s Instagram. If you’re unfamiliar, Laura is the founder of Glassette, a British TV host, podcaster, and host extraordinaire (among other things). She also has three small kids so I’m amazed by her output. Summer weather has me feeling inspired to host more casual dinners and al fresco hang outs and Laura is a treasure trove of ideas and inspiration for just that.
From margaritas and easy recipes to table settings and fun placecards (unnecessary, but she makes me want to use them?)— nothing feels too fussy and everything feels fun and light. On the al fresco dining front,
just wrote a dreamy guide to picnicking like a pro..
🎥 I read The Sympathizer years ago for a book club, and remember it being a tough, but worthwhile read. It’s a brilliant book (it is Viet Thanh Nguyen’s debut novel and he won a Pulitzer prize for it), but definitely requires full concentration. HBO turned it into a mini series that came out in April, I watched it last month and was pretty blown away. Content aside, the show is super stylish and well done (it is directed by Park Chan-wook) and it is one of the best book to screen adaptations I’ve seen in awhile.
I am a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces. Perhaps not surprisingly, I am also a man of two minds.
— The opening lines of The Sympathizer
Moreover, my grandfather was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the US (thus my Americanized, Vietnamese last name), so I appreciate any opportunity to learn more about the experience of Vietnamese people immigrating to the US. There are also extra, behind-the-scenes videos (I always love these from HBO) that give additional context to the series, in particular, what a big deal it is to have something made about the Vietnamese war that is written by and starring Vietnamese people, as almost every movie made about the war thus far comes from a white, American perspective.
The Essential List is paywall-free and available to everyone. You can support this newsletter by liking this post, leaving a comment, and sharing it with anyone who you think would enjoy it. Thanks for being here! ❣️
Here for your inner food blogger! That coffee smoothie looks delicious. I love Sky’s recipes, she’s so talented and I make her coffee walnut cake every birthday 🎈 You’ll love Nina Parker if you haven’t come across her - she has a fab condiment cookbook called Saucy!
Pinned 📌 ! Great stuff Laura thank you!