mourningdove

Letter of Recommendation: Snack-Dinner

A snack-dinner is something you shouldn’t be eating for dinner but is nonetheless exactly what you need for dinner. Snack-dinners I have loved include Cheez-its and wine, popcorn, chips and salsa, any form of breakfast-for-dinner, and anything in the Korean yasik category (translates roughly “midnight snack”). Buldak (“fire chicken”) is my favorite yasik: it’s riceContinue reading “Letter of Recommendation: Snack-Dinner”

Wright’s Beach 2022

I’ve given up taking pictures at the coast: a two-dimensional image captures so little of the depth and sparkle and whoosh and roar and glow that it feels almost insulting. I like doing watercolors because it’s agreed from the get-go that you’re cropping out most of the experience and presenting an approximation of it–or, you’reContinue reading “Wright’s Beach 2022”

Friday Favorites: Children’s Books

I’ve always collected kids’ books: I love the illustrations and the stories. I had quite the stash when I worked at a bookstore during college; then, I gave most all of them away when my friends started having babies. Now I’m in a lull–until those babies start having babies (yikes!), so I’m starting to re-accumulate.Continue reading “Friday Favorites: Children’s Books”

Powder Room Remodel Plans

So, I’m putting together a plan to do a light remodel of my powder room: it’s the only space downstairs that remains un-updated since the house was built in 1989, and as such, it has all the mauve formica, brass lighting, and southwestern-style vinyl flooring you would expect. I don’t want to do an invasiveContinue reading “Powder Room Remodel Plans”

Letter of Recommendation: Black Panther

I had the good fortune of seeing Black Panther the weekend it opened in Vegas with a festive full house, many of whom were dressed as their favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe character or in African regalia. I’ve seen the movie multiple times since, and honestly I think I would list it in my top 20Continue reading “Letter of Recommendation: Black Panther”

Friday Favorites

This is just what I was into this week: You guys, ATEEZ has a new album out! I will neither confirm or deny the rumor that I set my alarm for 4 am to watch their live Korean comeback showcase on YouTube. But as usual, my favorite part of the whole campaign was the danceContinue reading “Friday Favorites”

The Kimchi Index

So I just put up a new batch of kimchi, and I felt so ridiculously happy I figured I’d best ponder that for a minute. Here’s the answer: Making kimchi requires enough time and specific resources—ingredients, containers, etc.—that if I can pull it off, it’s a good indicator that I feel settled. That’s why myContinue reading “The Kimchi Index”

Friday Favorites: Japanese Vlogs

This is partly for Steph because I promised her the link to the couple who lives out of their microvan, but also there’s just a lot of fantastic and original content on YouTube these days from Japan, and I wanted to share some of my favorites. I’ve posted a couple of these before in otherContinue reading “Friday Favorites: Japanese Vlogs”

“It’s not bad! It’s not good, either….”

I’m still getting settled in back Stateside and trying to get United to give me back my bags that they “mishandled”…. In the meantime, enjoy my new favorite YouTube buddy (spoiler alert, the fish involved is neither poisonous nor particularly ridiculous):

Berlin is Awesome, Exhibit H: Recyclinghof

I know I said yesterday’s post was the final Berlin one, but then I ran to the Recyclinghof today to get rid of a broken fan. It’s so easy and clean and well-organized, and you can get rid of all kinds of things from clothes to cars that you don’t need. I stopped at DoshaContinue reading “Berlin is Awesome, Exhibit H: Recyclinghof”