Cool Stuff I like

I have some hot tea news

A friend gave me this orchid plant — she got it from another friend, who was having a hard time getting it to grow. I am not any kind of orchid whisperer, but I do have a Happy Window in which my orchids really seem to thrive. After a year or so of watering and living in this happy window…..it re-bloomed! Isn’t it so pretty!

I have a collection of things that might be of interest:

Just picked up ‘A Change of Appetite’ outrageously on sale — (Diana Henry is one of my all time favorite food writers.)

OMG YOU GUYS I NEARLY PEED MY PANTS WHEN I SAW THIS - I immediately texted my dear friend Julia (not my daughter, a friend) who is U.K. based at the moment, and said PLEASE GET FOR ME, I WILL VENMO $$$, ok let me explain:

Yorkshire Tea, my favorite cozy tea purveyors, have come out with a new specialty flavor! Cherry Bakewell Brew!! Are you KIDDING me??? Hints of cherry and almond reminiscent of that most classic British treat, a Bakewell Tart. I AM FREAKING OUT.

Here’s a recipe for Bakewell Tart from King Arthur Baking

Sadly, the tea is not available in the U.S. yet, but that was the case with last year’s Caramelized Biscuit Brew at first, and then it became widely available on Amazon etc. I CANNOT WAIT TO TRY THIS.

Oh here’s more cherry — Cherry Tea Snacking Cake. I’ll eat anything that calls itself a ‘snacking cake’.

And one of my great favorites, cherry clafoutis. (I also love it with plums)

via House & Garden UK

Ok sorry, all that cherry business hijacked my brain. Moving on.

Been wanting ‘blates’ for awhile (bowls that are used as plates), now that we eat on the sofas as part of our empty-nester lifestyle - got 4 of these in-store and I’m going to get 2 more. TRANSFORMATIVE. This type of thing is available everywhere, from IKEA to Anthropologie to infinity and beyond. Choose what appeals to you and enjoy your tidy meals forevermore!

In the fall, I’ll be piling these with brothy beans, lentil soups, pastas, salad dinners, tagines, curries on rice…..I foresee a day where I no longer keep actual plates.

I gifted Jo Malone’s Orange Marmalade cologne to myself over a year ago and because I’m not a daily perfume wearer, the bottle is still going strong. And my love for it is also still going strong.

From cherry cakes and marmalade perfume, we go to……the new show ‘Chief of War’ with Jason Momoa. I’m ENTHRALLED. I had no idea the dialogue was primarily in Hawaiian, or that it details the history of the unification of the Hawaiian kingdom from the perspective of the indigenous people. I thought Momoa would be playing King Kamehameha, but he’s not - he plays Chief Ka’iana, the first Hawaiian prince to travel abroad.

Some of you know that I was born and raised in Hawaii, and I am so delighted to see a show like this on television. It’s gorgeously photographed; the acting is fabulous, and the historical plot riveting. It reminds me of last year’s ‘Shogun’ in terms of quality and refusal to pander to English-speaking audiences. (Both shows are pretty violent so if that’s bothersome for you, maybe skip.)

Tongan/New Zealand actress Luciane Buchanan as Queen Ka’ahumanu - AppleTV+

Love this cardigan. You know my thoughts on cardigans.

How to create a comfortable room.

Because of the endorsement of Kazuo Ishiguro (‘Never Let Me Go’, ‘Remains of the Day’), I purchased ‘The Fortnight in September’ by R.C. Sherriff last year, and only got a third of the way through. It’s very meditative and slow paced, but it’s truly beautiful. I had to take my daughter off to college and then I got Covid and then I launched into the ACOTAR books to distract myself. Meanwhile this lovely novel has been sitting on my bedside table ever since. I will now pick it back up. (I have this edition from Persephone Books)

Lastly for today…..speaking of Food52 (see the aforementioned cherry tea cake recipe up above) this story is WILD. Also can be read about here. HOW did this get approved? How did it fly under the radar for so long? Can I get a corporate credit card like this?

Biggest hugs,

Melissa