A love letter to... fun podcasts, Reece Witherspoon, and chocolate muffins
Loves and links #3
‘A love letter to…’ is a bi-weekly publication relating to anything and everything kitschy. Today’s edition is all about what I’ve enjoyed this past week. Grab an apron (and maybe some muffin liners) and let’s get cooking!
Hey everyone! I hope you had a fabulous week.
I’ve quickly discovered that this Summer is my busiest by far, from planning two dinner parties1 , to decluttering, working, studying… it’s been a lot, and writing these mini love letters is a highlight of my week. Until Fall, I’ve decided to put the longer love letters on hold, instead, you’ll receive a new bi-weekly segment, which, after heavy debate, I’ve decided to call ‘loves and links’.
The newsletter name will remain ‘a love letter to’ because, at my core, I’m still a 16-year-old girl wishing to be Lara Jean. These pocket-sized love letters will include what I’m reading, watching, cooking, listening to, and a bonus section for anything miscellaneous, tips that I don’t know how I’ve lived without, fun things I did over the past week etc etc, along with a few quick-fire links of content, clothes, or anything that has made me smile recently.
I hope this change is as exciting to you as it is to me, so without further ramblings, here’s everything I’ve been up to this week!
Gossip Time; More specifically, ‘A new boyfriend for Reece Witherspoon’. Although I have mixed feelings about the press and paparazzi, I have only love for this newsletter, Allie Jones reports in a tangible and fun way, adding a personal viewpoint without over-embellishing. A difficult balance to strike; she’s done it wonderfully.
What happens on vacation; I can’t speak much on this book, since I’m only about a quarter of the way through, so far, I think it’s… fine. I’m yet to warm up to the main character, which is probably my primary issue. There’s definitely a target audience for the book, and I’m sure they would enjoy it immensely, I’m just not sure if that’s me. I’ll update you when I’ve finished the book, hopefully, it’s just a slow start!
At home with Lidey Heuck; The author of my current favorite cookbook! I would read about how anyone sets the table, but Lidey seems like a wealth of knowledge and such a thoughtful cook.
America’s sweethearts; Whilst I didn’t finish this series in a day, as I’ve heard many others did, I undoubtedly could have. The grit, strength, and determination that’s asked of these girls is incredible, and they all seem like such, well, sweethearts!
The Olympics; I haven’t been all that invested in sports that weren’t gymnastics in the past, but this year has changed that, to say the least. My current top three are swimming, any relay, and both men’s + women’s gymnastics! I also find the BMX incredibly entertaining, but I feel so much fear for them that I can’t let myself completely enjoy it. Side note; Deb Perelman has a recipe that looks pretty close to the Olympic Village chocolate muffin, in case you too, were curious about the famed muffin2.
Legally blonde; After listening to an interview with Reece Witherspoon a couple of weeks ago, I had to rewatch the three movies, all in a row- of course! I don’t quite know how I had the time to do so, but I did, and I loved every second of it.
I’m on your side pod; Sierra is the sweetest host, I could listen to her talk all day. ‘Silly Spring’ is one of my favorites, and a perfect gateway episode!
Pocketful of sunshine; Every so often I rediscover a song and then listen to it non-stop until I can’t stand it anymore. This seems to be a worldwide cycle, so if you too, are growing tired of your current favorite, allow me to recommend Pocketful of Sunshine as a new (old) song to add to your rotation. I’m convinced it’s one I could never get bored of, but I’ll let you know how I feel about it in the next edition; as I’ve mentioned, my previous track record says that’s likely to change.
Girls gotta eat; If you listen to Giggly Squad or Ride, you’ll love this podcast! My favorite type of podcasts are light-hearted, and fun (!) but with a little heft to them. Girls gotta eat fits the bill flawlessly. The ‘snack’ sized episodes are perfect for getting ready in the morning- when you’re not quite ready to engage your brain, and longer episodes are great for cooking, long walks, cleaning… general living!
A very fun birthday breakfast; I was planning to make brownies as the sweet treat of my birthday, and eat them for breakfast, naturally; upon learning about the 61% humidity today, I switched the post-dinner sweet treat gears to my favorite strawberry ice cream3 . Brownie baked oatmeal felt a little more breakfast-appropriate than ice cream, while still being a fun thing to wake up to.
BBQ Tofu sandwiches; It’s a well-known fact that Summer is the season of sandwiches, and these BBQ tofu sandwiches with a side of extra coleslaw make a perfect dinner4. Eating at a drive-in movie theater is highly recommended, but as long as there’s fresh air- even just an open window- you’ve got a recipe for a very delicious Summer evening.
Eggplant salad; Eggplant is such a fickle vegetable, and if I’m not planning to use it in a tomato-based, like caponata or pasta alla norma, I wouldn’t usually pick it up; this salad has changed my point of view. Mint and basil are such a wonderful pairing. There were also preserved lemon butterbeans and thick slices of foccacia on the table. Yum!
Something I’ve been focusing on recently is taking care of the clothes I already have, after having a (very popular) natural deodorant staining far too many of my basic t-shirts. To me, this looks like getting them altered to fit properly, soaking any clothes with stains in a solution of white vinegar and water before washing, turning all laundry inside out, and hanging them correctly (!) This puts me in the market for new hangers, so if you have any tried and true brands that aren’t priced extortionately, let me know.
Pop-up season! // The only effective sticky label removal // Budget friendly flower arrangement // In case you didn’t know about the chocolate muffins // The different friendship styles // Setting the table!
That’s a wrap on everything I loved this week. I hope you enjoyed today’s love letter, and if you’re not yet receiving them, subscribe to have editions delivered to your inbox on a bi-weekly basis, and click the heart button just below. Until next time, happy cooking!
One is my own, because, well- Leo.
I didn’t think I would ever be writing about a famous muffin, but there was the egg on Instagram, so I guess I should have predicted this!
I also love the Talenti pistachio, but I wasn’t super enthusiastic about spending $14 on a tub.
If you’re feeding a crowd, serve this delightful potato salad alongside.
Oooh I love this idea….’love and links’… perfect for my short attention span in the summer, no idea why that’s a seasonal thing but it is ❤️