Volume 1 – July 21, 2023
Welcome to the first installation of “The Five (a/k/a A Few Things I Am Loving Right Now)” which is a regular installment highlighting a few movies, books, recipes, art museum openings, fashion collections, dresses, hacks, Netflix shows and so on that are just making me happy and are worth noting and sharing. Think a more frequent version of “Oprah’s Favorite Things” but broader categories of “Things” (and I do not provide them to you for free as part of my television show ☹) I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you have any of your “favorite things” that should make an appearance on this list.
- Boston Strangler (on Hulu) – Starring Keira Knightley (nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Pride & Prejudice) and Carrie Coon (who I love in her role in The Gilded Age), this movie tells the true story of the hunt for one of the most notorious serial killers of all time, and the two female reporters who led the charge. Set in the early 1960’s at a time when female reporters were relegated to the “Lifestyle Desk” to report on recipes and fashion, these two trailblazers were mortified into action, literally, when single women in Boston were being murdered at a rapid rate and the Boston Police were not particularly interested in finding the killer. A great watch and I must say that I even loved the 60s fashion of the two female protagonists consisting of lots of cardigans and skirts.
- Lake Pajamas Day Dresses – I am a huge fan of the day dress. Perhaps the biggest ever. After a workout and shower, unless I have business meetings or lunch outside of the house (or even when I have a lunch outside of the house) you will find me in a day dress. Perfect for my work from home Zoom calls, running errands and walking (and chasing after) Baby Faulkner. Currently loving this one from Lake Pajamas – Helen Dress in Blue Linen. Yes, Lake designs more than just pajamas.
My Morning Lemon Juice and Hot Water (with Vital Proteins Collagen Peptide) – My sweet Mister who gets up earlier than me greets me every morning with a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice mixed with a little warm water (with my daily scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides mixed in – see below). Every morning! Love this habit. I drink it on an empty stomach before I have a sip of coffee or anything else. Simply squeeze half a lemon into a glass of water or get yourself a juicer (linked here: Williams Sonoma Dual Citrus Juicer and Chef’n Mini Juicester ). Lemon water provides the following health benefits: (i) the acid in lemons helps supplement stomach acid levels, which help break down food and fight germs; (ii) helps you start the day hydrated; (iii) provide phytonutrients, which have antioxidant properties and help prevent disease and (iv) provide a good portion of your daily requirement of vitamin C. Some people do rinse their mouth out with water immediately following to remove the acid from their teeth, but I don’t really find this to be an issue for me.
Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides – Collagen is a protein responsible for healthy joints and skin elasticity. It is in your bones, muscles and blood and comprises about a third of the protein in your body. Unfortunately, we lose it as we age. Collagen supplements have been shown to improve skin hydration and elasticity and some research has shown, can help with bone density. I take a scoop every morning on an empty stomach with my hot water and lemon juice. You can also mix with coffee, but I like doing this with my water and lemon juice and again on an empty stomach. It is tasteless. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
- The Lost Kitchen (Discovery) – As an unabashed “foodie”, my favorite shows are generally about food and somehow I missed this one when it was originally released but binged it recently and am now caught up through the just completed third season. The Lost Kitchen is a world renowned restaurant located in the town of Freedom, Maine (population 711), started by Erin French who in 2018 was lost her restaurant in her divorce, was broke and living with her parents, when someone gave her a trailer and the opportunity to recreate her restaurant as a food truck. Cooking with only the local meat and produce of her beloved Maine, now the only way you can get a reservation at The Lost Kitchen is to mail them a postcard begging for one prior to the opening of their season (and how they started the postcard concept is its own story too). Visit her website www.findthelostkitchen.com to hear more of her story.