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Last night, as I was putting my four-month-old daughter to bed, I realized I was holding back tears. They came out of nowhere, but also out of a very clear somewhere. I’d spent the day scrolling through post after post about the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas. I’d been toggling between tummy time and gun stats, between reading Mr. Brown Can Moo and stories of 19 kids—kids—who died by a bullet in their classroom.
By 7 p.m., my daughter’s eyes were heavy, so I whispered to her as I put her in her crib. I said that I hoped the world she grows up in is a safe one, full of kindness and progress and peace. Am I crazy to think that every parent on the planet, every last one, wants the same thing? What are we going to do about it?
I couldn’t bring myself to send this newsletter yesterday because the feelings around the senseless school shooting were too raw. They still are. What is there to possibly say about babka and sandals at a time like this? So I begin with this Instagram post that touched me deeply as a new mom:
And another post puts things into perspective (here’s how other countries have dealt with the fallout of mass shootings), and a link to donate to Everytown, an organization that is doing everything in its power to end gun violence. I hope, for the sake of my baby, for the sake of all of us, that we really, truly start to fix this.
Onto some other, lighter things. Take what feels right, leave what doesn’t:
Well Read
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Well, maybe not so light (yet). On the heels of the leaked Supreme Court decision set to overturn Roe v. Wade, I spoke with director Audrey Diwan, whose new film, Happening, follows a bright high school girl on a quest for an illegal abortion in 1960s France. It’s based on Annie Ernaux’s 2001 autobiography, but also draws from Diwan’s own personal experiences. And it turns out to be a story not so much about abortion as one about freedom. Diwan told me, “I love the fact that the book starts, and she has already decided. So, it’s not a movie about how you make the choice. It’s about how you actually make it happen.” Though the film coincides with a particularly fraught moment in American politics, Diwan never intended to make a moral manifesto. That said, she welcomes the dialogue it brings up. “I knew that it would become organically political because I was really trying to tell the truth about that girl, and then, it becomes a story about many girls in the world.” You can read my full interview, for ELLE, here.
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I’ll Show Myself Out is a new book of hilarious essays by comedy writer Jessi Klein about the nuances of motherhood and getting older. I’ve been making my way through it an essay at a time, and each chapter feels like having a candid conversation with another new mom about all the little things they never tell you. Things like the underwear sandwich—pad, ice, witch hazel, etc—that punctuates the postpartum days. Or the complicated feelings that come with hiring a baby nurse. Or how you can read a children’s book and, by the end, having been so deep in your own thoughts, have no clue what the book you just read was about. Maybe share it with a mom in your life or read it for yourself. Because as much as it’s about diapers and playgrounds, it’s also about marriage and clothing and a sense of self as we wade through life.
Well Fed
No matter where in the world I find myself, I’m always in search of very good pastries. At home in New York, that often comes down to babka. So far, Breads, right off Union Square, makes my favorite, with so much chocolate, it’s hard to convince yourself to eat it for breakfast (although, please do). Russ & Daughters offers a more traditional, bready iteration. (Those outside of New York, you can get both babkas delivered!) And yet, despite living in a city filled to the brim with $8 babkas, last week, we decided to make our own from scratch at home. Hours of kneading, proofing, braiding, and proofing later… well, here it is!
We used Melissa Clark’s recipe in the New York Times, although next time, I’m tempted to try Smitten Kitchen’s nutty version or the one by Uri Scheft, founder of Breads. On that note, please send any and all ambitious (but worth it) recipes for the next time we find ourselves with 12-24 hours to spare.
Well Sipped
I asked Shawn, brother and Wine Spectator writer, to pair something with babka because, well, why not. Dessert deserves a good wine pairing too once in a while. And it’s that kind of week.
Clos de Lunes Lune Blanche Bordeaux 2018 ($20)
I don’t really pay attention to food and wine pairings, mostly because it introduces more rules and puts horse blinders on all of us who just want to enjoy what we like. But I admit that they do exist for a reason, and when chosen correctly, can elevate the dining experience. My sister and her husband Coby (sous chef and executive chef, respectively) made an insane-looking babka on Sunday, sprinkled with the soft crunch of chocolate over warm bread showing crevices of more chocolate.
I recently attended a fun event in Wynwood hosted by Jermaine Stone, host of The Original Wine & Hip Hop podcast, that paired European wines with classic hip-hop songs. Looking back at the lineup, I think a white Bordeaux would be my choice with a slice of babka (I would choose a glass of Château d’Yquem but it costs more than a one-bedroom in Tribeca). Unlike most of the white wines I recommend, this one has lower acidity and a more pronounced weight on the palate. Thanks to a majority of Semillon grape in the wine, the fruit isn’t in-your-face and is the supporting actor in this delicious post-dinner or breakfast (no one’s judging) meal.
Well Worn
It all started with these absurdly priced fisherman sandals. As with most absurdly priced things, I waited for them to go on sale or on second-hand sites at a slightly less absurd price. That never happened. So I took it upon myself to find other, equally enticing fisherman sandals and, well, there are a lot out there. It’d feel like a waste of time and WiFi if I didn’t share this list with you. (I shared some general sandal picks a mere two months ago, yes. You can find that here. This one is really specific and totally different 🤪) Behold:
Marni’s sandals come in a variety of colors and are on sale around the Internet.
Are fisherman mules a thing? How about fisherman heels? If so, Alohas has both. Freda Salvador makes one with a more sensible heel.
Emme Parsons makes a solid runner up to the Row’s, I think. So does Mercedes Castillo.
Tory Burch has a sparkly pair that’s on sale. (Don’t tempt me!)
Grenson, purveyor of great boots, surprised me with an equally great sandal. J.Crew has a similar one for much less, and K. Jacques’ is a more delicate style. (If you don’t like the caged toe look, try these.)
These jelly sandals feel like an adult version of the ones I had as a kid (You know, the ones that always got little pebbles in them, YEOW! Worth it, sort of. If you just want to relive those days more purely, have at it.)
Even Everlane’s gotten on board—I like the yellow pair.
And, fine, if you have $900 to drop on something like this, two other wish-list items: Gucci Elektra sandals and Loewe platform sandals.
That’s all I’ve got today. Until next week. x
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