Hello there,
It’s Monday, which we don’t love, but it is a new month, and we appreciate any excuse for a fresh start. Here are a few things for you, depending on where you are.
If mentally, you’re running your own bakery in Vermont:
- You could make this bread—which requires no finicky adjustments, like multiple rises or specific kneading—but still yields a hearty, satisfying loaf. Let it cool just enough to slice and drizzle maple syrup on it. You live in Vermont, after all.
- You could read The Secret History by Donna Tartt. The story unfolds in a quaint liberal-arts college town, but starts off with a murder. It’s gloriously haunting and not nearly as much of a time commitment as her other (still great) book, The Goldfinch.
If mentally, you’re escaping in a convertible à la Thelma and Louise:
- You could put on a playlist specifically for car chases and pull on a cropped jacket, which always makes us feel like we’re ready for any kind of adventure.
- You could call your best friend, even if she’s on the other side of the country, and start said movie at the same time. You could plot which ludicrously stylish convertible you would like to rent when you see each other next.
If mentally, you’re just craving dumplings:
- You could order a batch of frozen but fabulous ones from one of the pinnacles of New York’s Dim Sum world: Nom Wah Tea Parlor. They are a guaranteed balm to any low-energy Mondays you may happen across.
- If you’d rather attempt your own, their cookbook is a wonderful resource for replicating everything from the expert-level Peking Duck to the kid-friendly scallion pancakes. Personally, we’re still on the pancakes.
If mentally, you’re the lone occupant of a ghost town in rural Colorado:
- You could learn from local legend billy barr. Mr. barr had his name legally changed to be all lowercase, so that isn’t a typo. He is the sole inhabitant of Gothic, CO—once a mining town, now a world-renowned laboratory. He has elected himself mayor. His general story is quite wonderful, and he also provided an excellent list of suggestions for navigating social distancing. He has fifty years of experience, after all.
There’s a squirrel perched on the bird feeder outside looking absolutely betrayed that we didn’t put out new birdseed yesterday. We’re going to go fix that.
Warmly,
The M.M. Team
P.S. An ideal hideaway, image by @tonitoyras
