Is there much better than real, honest-to-god mail? Obviously I don’t mean catalogs or mass-mailers, I’m talking about personal, Forever-Stamped, kind of smudgy notes from a friend. It feels really good in a “go touch grass” kind of way.
Over the past few years, my friend Carter and I have had a tradition of sending each other postcards that you sometimes get at hip restaurants with the bill. It was hilarious to me while he still lived in Atlanta - the notion of sending a postcard from St. Cecilia or whatever, just to travel 2 neighborhoods south, just so I could detail what I ate for dinner. He’s since moved Up There (to New York). To my great satisfaction, we’ve accelerated our postcard pace.
While I am happy to brag about having a pen pal, the real delight lies in the trivia of an anecdote. A postcard can only contain, at best, a brief paragraph. A recounting of a moment you can’t quite stick in a text message, because it’s so silly and unsolicited. Because a postcard has no read receipt, the stakes are lower, and the writing is a lot more fun. And mail that’s less moment-based than a birthday, or condolence, or congratulations message is always gladly received.
IN GOOD TASTE IS, IN SOME WAYS, YOUR UNRELIABLE PEN PAL
36 ways to live differently; on a related note, “don’t invite your thoughts to tea”
Have recently become fascinated by the work of Rotterdam-based resin artist Sabine Marcelis. I’m particularly entranced by her upcoming IKEA collaboration. Here’s a good interview with the artist, and because I can’t not, a view into her loft (not my particular interior style, but still very cool)
Speaking of cool people with cool spaces, here’s a fun piece on creating a well-designed home, and here is a funny, real rundown of design words you might be mispronouncing
Cool design products: The Great Wave, but make it LEGO, and this martini champagne glass!!
Absolutely in love with the new branding for one of my favorite places, London’s National Portrait Gallery
LEMONY ALFREDO FOR WHAT BOTHERS YOU
When you’ve had a week that requires a weekend of being gentle with yourself, make this alfredo pasta dinner. Is it “healthy”? No. Is it a moral imperative to care about “healthy” dinners after a bad week? Also no. Make this pasta, rejoice in its unctuous caregiving properties, and don’t invite your thoughts to dinner.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup heavy cream
Zest of ½ a lemon
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp., butter
1 tbsp., vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
½ tsp., nutmeg
1 cup, fresh grated Parmesan
Salt + pepper to taste
1 cup frozen peas
Long pasta of your choosing
WHAT TO DO
Combine heavy cream, lemon zest, about a teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and egg yolk into a bowl and whisk to combine. In a medium skillet, heat vegetable oil and butter until melted, then add shallots and garlic and cook until golden.
Cook your pasta in a separate saucepan, in well-salted water. Reserve about ¼ cup of the pasta water.
Add cream mixture and nutmeg, lower the heat to the lowest setting, and continually stir as it bubbles until it thickens a bit. Add your peas so they can begin to cook in the sauce, taste the sauce to see if it needs more salt. At this point you can start adding your pasta directly into the alfredo sauce skillet, continually stirring, and adding the parmesan a bit at a time while stirring. Pour in the pasta water bit by bit until the dish is glossy, then immediately remove from heat and serve.
What a delight your newsletter is. I love it!
I love your philosophy of dinner--and the lemony pasta Alfredo sounds divine! I’m going to try it next time I feel I deserve to indulge. (Like tomorrow!) Always enjoy your posts!