The Newsletter #9
dessert, clothes, reading material
👋 friends!
I am very late in sending this — oops — due to a series of back-to-back trips with little time to write. but here I am, extra ready to share this month’s recs below.
‘chal we?!
3 summery desserts + 2 simple hacks 🧑🍳
my new favorite summer dessert does not (perhaps sinfully) include berries… but it is excellent eaten with berries! it’s this dessert dip, aptly described as adult Dunkaroos (tell me you grew up in the 90s without telling me you grew up in the 90s). or, if you want to sound fancy, you can say it evokes stracciatella, my go-to Italian gelato flavor. regardless, it’s among the easiest, tastiest warm-weather treats I’ve tested and my favorite part? how it makes dessert a communal experience, like an end-of-evening crudités, if you will.
i think my first purchase when we eventually buy a house will be an ice cream machine. its utterly impractical for a NYC apartment, given its seasonality (although are there really people who only eat ice cream in the summer??), single-use functionality, and bulky size. but if you have one, make this Strawberry Sorbet from The River Café, which involves only three ingredients and tastes heavenly. then invite me over.
okay last dessert recipe: Smitten Kitchen’s Ice Cream Sandwiches were a cinch to make and total crowd pleaser. I went with mint choco chip for the filling, but sub in whatever your heart desires. I used half black cocoa powder (which makes everything look and taste like an oreo), and half regular, per Deb’s recommendation, and was very happy with the results.
for my brother-in-law’s birthday, we went to Loring Place, where I found ample inspiration from the menu. the easiest takeaway? adding crispy shallots to a green salad — what a textural delight!
I forget who turned me onto this idea, but if you have a milk frother, you can also use it to whisk/scramble your eggs. genius.
all dressed up, finally some place to go 💃
I am excited about the recent launch of M.Finley — a line of silk scarves produced in Como, Italy — by the artist Meghann Stephenson. think Hermès but with a palette and aesthetic influenced by, Stephenson says, “California’s poppy super blooms and the color field paintings” of the 1950s and ’60s, along with the art of Ellsworth Kelly and Katrin Bremermann.
i love eberjay’s signature jersey modal fabric and am thinking about giving this pair of pajamas to Aman for his birthday (only in part because it means then I can steal them).
taking major inspo from Anim Living’s summer collection — think terry jumpsuits and crinkled cotton.
into this look of non-matching sandals.
this tote, for the farmer’s market or the beach.
if you are looking for beautiful maternity clothes, check out Frances Hart. I recently bought a dress from them for a wedding and not only was it excellent quality, but the customer service was unparalleled (I outgrew the original size that I ordered, and after letting them know, they hand-delivered a bigger size that same day so I had it in time for the event). I also enjoy reading their blog, filled with features on other moms-to-be.
lotsa good reading material this month 📚
Unread messages, New Yorker. fiction from Sally Rooney!!
Mutiny at Great Jones: How a cofounder war led every employee to quit Instagram's trendiest cookware company, Business Insider (worth the $1 subscription).
We all have “main character energy” now, New Yorker. I’m a little late to this, but it’s great.
The sound of my inbox, New York Mag. a long-form piece on the business of newsletters.
The Psychological Benefits of Commuting to Work, The Atlantic.
The Dinner Party, Ssense. a reflection on meals, growing up, and gathering.
America Has a Drinking Problem, The Atlantic. one of the most fascinating pieces on alcohol that I’ve ever read. you can’t just read the first half—the second is the surprising part!
A Very Low-Key Summer Checklist, A Cup Of Jo. lots of good ideas here, especially if you have kiddos.
Logos Lose Their Power on the New ‘Gossip Girl’, The New York Times. examining the contrasting trends of Gossip Girl’s original series and HBO’s reboot (which I’ve watched the premiere of three times already).
and last but not least, I finished the book The Last Thing He Told Me, by Laura Dave, in under 24-hours. it was gripping — perfect to pack for your next vacay.
more to come next month. until then, consider sharing this newsletter with all your group chats! it will mean so much to me!
xoxo,
Marichal
Lovely:)
Wonderful.