Sydney's Sunday Reads: #17

Happy Sunday, friends!!

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

• Pop & Lock for gold! - As if the Olympic games weren’t exciting enough, this week, members of the Olympic committee announced a new sport set to debut at the 2024 Paris games: breakdancing! Officially called “Breaking,” this event will feature 16 athletes in the men’s and women’s categories competing for the gold, silver, and bronze medals. Other new sports to get excited about? Skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing (very excited to see how Paris is going to pull off that last one!). (New York Post)

• The vaccine of the future. - Here are two things you probably never expected to think of together: the COVID-19 vaccine, and Dippin’ Dots. If you’re unfamiliar with Dippin’ Dots (i.e. have never visited a national sporting event or overpriced amusement park), they are tiny beads of ice cream invented by microbiologist Curt Jones in 1988. They are the self-proclaimed “Ice Cream of the Future,” and I’ve got to tell you, even as an adult in my late twenties, if I see Dippin’ Dots (particularly the banana split combination), I get them no matter the time of day - they’re THAT fun to eat. You’re probably wondering though, what on earth ice cream and a vaccine have in common. The answer is the temperature. In order for Dippin’ Dots to maintain their bead-form, the ice cream must be kept at -49 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. Slipping even a few degrees below that temperature results in immediate melting, ruined product, and money lost. Similarly, the COVID-19 vaccine, manufactured by Pfizer and BioNTech and approved by the FDA this week, must be kept at -94 degrees Fahrenheit at all times, or else important components of the vaccine could degrade. In order to ensure the vaccine constantly stays at its required temperature while being shipped nationwide, manufacturers are adopting the “cold chain” method that Dippin’ Dots has been successfully using for decades. Read the article, it’s fascinating! (Popular Science)

• Christmas, 1918. - What was Christmas like in 1918, the last time a pandemic ran rampant worldwide? Turns out, much like now! Though America had seen the worst of its second wave by Christmas of 1918 while we’re still seeing a consistent surge in cases in 2020, some things are eerily the same: stores feared supply chain issues while also spending serious ad dollars to get people through the doors, folks didn’t want to wear their masks, staying home for the holiday season was strongly encouraged by public health officials, and pandemic fatigue was a real thing that was widely experienced and documented. Talk about history repeating itself, huh? (Smithsonian Magazine)

• A place to chill.- Every year, more than 700,000 people travel to Sweden to visit the world-famous Icehotel, made almost entirely from snow and ice that’s formed when the Torne River freezes over. Though 2020 has obviously put a wrench in all of our plans, you don’t have to travel (or pack extra layers!) to enjoy this year’s 21 stunning new art suites. Check out the Icehotel’s augmented-reality experience on Instagram! (Travel + Leisure)

• A Christmas feast for $100 - it can be done! - Delish’s June Xie is back with another episode of Budget Eats, and this time, she’s making a 10-course meal for four people in New York City with a $100 budget. Fair warning: the duration of this video is over an hour, but Xie’s talent and creativity makes it both fun and informative to watch (as always)! (Delish via Youtube)

What are YOU reading, watching, and listening to today? Let me know in the comments below!

P.S. Let’s connect! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Sydney's Sunday Reads: #16

Happy Sunday, friends!!

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

• 🎶I wish it was Christmas todayyyy…🎶 - If you’re a fan of Saturday Night Live then you’ll know that the period of time when the nearly 50-year-old sketch comedy series truly shines is during the winter holiday season. Get ready to laugh and revisit some classics because Vulture has put together a list of the fifteen best holiday-themed skits of all time! (Vulture)

• The art of doing nothing. - Is being productive always…productive? In the Western world, and North America especially, we are expected to always be doing something, to not “waste” our downtime by being idle. If we aren’t knocking off multiple tasks on a never-ending to-do list, we’re viewed as “lazy” or not driven enough to succeed. But is constantly moving a healthy way to live? Olga Mecking, author of the new book, Niksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing, doesn’t think so. Instead, she pushes people to discover Niksen, the Dutch practice of doing absolutely nothing. But if you think doing nothing means watching television or doom-scrolling on Twitter, you’re doing “nothing” wrong. Niksen means literally doing nothing: sitting motionless and staring out a window, clearing your mind, and allowing your brain the opportunity to completely shut off. By doing this on a regular basis, Mecking argues, you just might find yourself being more productive than ever before. It’s worth a shot, no? (Apartment Therapy)

• A jolly holiday at home. - One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the open-air markets. The hustle and bustle of people all around you, the chance to meet and support small business owners while getting one-of-a-kind gifts, the warm smells of roasting chestnuts and spiced nuts swirling in the air, and the festive tunes being blasted from hidden speakers - I love it all. But 2020 has proven that we can’t have nice things, and many of the markets that have been historically open for decades come rain or shine, are closed this year to keep everyone safe. While I totally understand and agree with the rationale, it’s still quite a bummer. But that doesn’t mean all is lost! Here are some helpful ways to bring the magic of the markets to you. (Food52)

• Kitchen studies. - It’s that time of year again: every media outlet you’ve ever heard of has started publishing their yearly “best of” compilations. While they all aren’t worth stopping to read, if you’re like me and love both design and food, you’ll really like Dwell’s list of the top nine kitchens they featured in 2020. The kitchen is the heart of every home, and these spaces are positively swoon-worthy! (Dwell)

• Name that song! - There’s been so much Leslie Odom Jr. content on the Internet lately, and I ain’t mad at it!! Here’s Leslie, the angel-voiced man from Hamilton, Harriet, and, most recently, One Night in Miami, playing the Song Association game with Elle! (Elle via Youtube)

What are YOU reading, watching, and listening to today? Let me know in the comments below!

P.S. Let’s connect! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Sydney's Sunday Reads: #15

Happy Sunday, friends!!

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

• The Million-Dollar Question. - In its 20-year run, the quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? has never had a celebrity contestant win the top prize…until now. On last Sunday’s episode, viewers nationwide witnessed Chef David Chang make television history by correctly answering the final question - with the help of friend and journalist, Mina Kimes - to win $1,000,000 for his charity, Southern Smoke Foundation, an emergency relief fund for individuals in the food and beverage industry severely impacted by the pandemic. Congrats, chef! (Entertainment Weekly)

• The $1 Villa. - If you’re looking to become a homeowner but don’t have a big budget for a down payment, you’re in luck! Castropignano, a small village about 140 miles southeast of Rome, is the latest in a string of European communities to offer centuries-old homes, now crumbling and decaying, for sale with a $1 price tag as a last-ditch effort to reinvigorate the local economy. According to mayor Nicola Scapillati, there are roughly 100 properties up for grabs, with most being in pretty decent shape. But don’t let the initial property price fool you - there’s always a catch. Accepted buyers will be required to complete renovations within a three-year period and must present a $2,378 down payment, much like a security deposit, which will be returned once the works have been approved. Still sounds like a good deal to me! (CNN)

• Everyone’s a dessert person. -Claire Saffitz, beloved food personality and author of the new cookbook Dessert Person (one of my favorite cookbooks of 2020), launched her Youtube channel this week, amassing nearly 200,000 subscribers so far and counting. I loved watching Claire’s journey in the BA Test Kitchen while filming Gourmet Makes, but this new version of her, more relaxed in her small home kitchen, surrounded by cute cats and cookware, is way better. Watch Claire make her debut with the soft and crispy focaccia recipe from Dessert Person in the video below! (Claire Saffitz x Dessert Person via Youtube)

• Dua Lipa at home. Fans of the disco-pop fusion that’s currently sweeping the nation right now can thank singer Dua Lipa in part for making that happen. Her new album Future Nostalgia, which dropped in March, yielded hits like “Break My Heart,” “Don’t Start Now,” and “Levitating” - all songs that have been a major part of my personal quarantine playlist. Proving that she is still the reigning queen of pandemic-era performances, here’s Dua Lipa’s recent Tiny Desk Concert, produced by NPR Music! (NPR Music via Youtube)

On a serious note…

According to new statistics from the nonprofit organization Feeding America, more than 50 million people in the United States will experience food insecurity by the end of 2020, with 17 million of those being children. Now is the time to band together so that members of our communities - our friends, co-workers, neighbors, relatives, and loved ones - have food on the table today and every day. If you are able, please consider donating your time, money, or anything you can spare to your local food banks who are really feeling the strain right now. Learn more about food banks in your area and what they are most in need of NOW by clicking HERE.

Sydney's Sunday Reads: #14

Happy Sunday, friends!!

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

• Our favorite “chart throb” is back! - If you are a fan of MSNBC and found yourself glued to the television screen on Election Night (week, really), then you’re probably familiar with election statistics expert, Steve Kornacki. He and his smart board worked tirelessly the whole week to bring viewers constant election coverage, barely sleeping (or going home to shower!) in the process. With so much on-air screen time logged, it didn’t take long for Kornacki to become the Internet’s next boyfriend (he was even named one of People’s “Sexiest Men Alive” this year!). The election is over and the world is moving forward, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other key races to project! This week, Kornacki returned to his smart board on The Kelly Clarkson Show to project Thanksgiving 2020’s biggest dessert trends - and he took it VERY seriously. Watch the funny clip here! (Delish)

• Get reading. - Whether you’re someone who likes the idea of reading for fun but can’t seem to find the time to do so, or a lifelong reader stuck in a bit of a rut, Book Riot has put together a helpful guide on how to strengthen your reading habits! There’s no better feeling than getting totally and completely lost in a phenomenal story. (Book Riot)

• Gotta kick it up! - Congratulations to Vanderbilt University’s Sarah Fuller, who this week became the first woman to play in both an SEC and Power 5 football game! The 21-year-old kicker, who is also a Vanderbilt soccer star, made her debut during yesterday’s (November 29) game against the University of Missouri. Though Vandy ultimately went on to lose the game 41-0, the real winners, in my opinion, were women everywhere who’ve ever been told that football was just for boys! (Sports Illustrated)

• Mr. Robot writes romantic fiction. - Machine learning is coming a long way. So far, robots can help compose emails, tailor product ads based on browsing history, and now…write romantic short essays? That’s what the New York Times discovered recently when it challenged an artificial-intelligence language system named GPT-3 to write a submission for its long-running “Modern Love” column. GPT-3’s essay is, in a word, “unexpected,” but all you romance novelists out there shouldn’t feel threatened - I think it’ll be quite a while before robots come for your job. (The Cut)

• Two turkeys and a Frisbee! - If you’re a regular viewer of Late Night with Seth Meyers, then you’ll know that every year Seth and his wife Alexi dress their sons Axel and Ashe and dog Frisbee up in adorable Thanksgiving costumes, and this year was no different! Watch their super cute Thanksgiving greeting in the clip below! (Late Night with Seth Meyers via Youtube)

What are YOU reading, watching, and listening to today? Let me know in the comments below!

P.S. Let’s connect! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Sydney's Sunday Reads: #13

Happy Sunday, friends!!

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

• Progress in the pantry. - COVID-19 changed shopping as we knew it. To avoid crowds, many of us made the decision to buy home staples online as a way to reduce the amount of time spent outside of the house. And while big box stores saw tremendous boosts in online and in-store sales right at the beginning of the pandemic, they also saw unprecedented shortages as panic-buying went into full swing. As consumers sought alternatives online, independently-owned, direct-to-consumer companies suddenly saw their customer bases and sales triple overnight. Buyers were fulfilling the mission to keep their homes well-stocked, and also sampling products they never would have known about or tried before. But what started as just a way to line the shelves at home until stores could re-stock, slowly turned into consumers asking themselves a pretty important question. Why are certain name-brands of common household items, largely owned and produced by huge corporations with little cultural or gender diversity in leadership considered “standard”, while the products of smaller DTC companies, mostly owned by women and people of color, considered “special”? This recent article by Taste examines how 2020, a year full of political, social, and racial unrest, has lead to consumers becoming more conscious of not only where their household products are coming from, but who benefits from the business. (Taste)

• Judging a book by its jacket. - We’re often told to never judge a book by its cover, but in this image-driven social media era, the title and front cover of a book most definitely determine whether or not we stop scrolling long enough to learn more. If you think that a big chunk of the marketing effort goes into the front cover of the book, you’re not wrong. But equally as important? What’s found on the back. Artfully describing a book in five sentences or less takes skill. With those words, you are not only selling a story, but convincing the reader to spend their hard-earned cash and time on something they might not ultimately like. What’s written on the back of a book is so important, that it can make or break a sale. In this article, Book Riot reaches out to editors, publicists, and other book execs to ask one simple question: what makes good jacket copy? (Book Riot)

• Hello, my dream home.- This week in “Multi-Million Dollar Homes That Sydney Loves But Can’t Afford,” I present this stunning midcentury single-family home in Brooklyn, complete with a Japanese-style garden, gorgeous open kitchen, charming wooden library nook, floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, and a $6.95 million price tag. (Dwell)

• “Don’t be weird about cast iron.” - When I got my first cast-iron skillet years ago, I read dozens of articles on how to take care of it. Every author had their opinion about how to season it, clean It, store it, and use it, and it all seemed incredibly overwhelming and nerve-wracking: what if I did the wrong thing and ruined my favorite pan forever?? But caring for one of the most invaluable and versatile pieces of cookware in your kitchen does not have to be so stressful! If you take away only one thing from this excellent article by Kat Kinsman, let it be this: it is much, MUCH harder than you think to irreparably ruin a cast-iron skillet. (Food and Wine)

• The pitter-patter of paws! -If you’re ever having a terrible day, watch this adorable video of a dog stampede as a way to brighten your mood and put a smile on your face. (ViralHog on Youtube)

What are YOU reading, watching, and listening to today? Let me know in the comments below!

P.S. Let’s connect! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Sydney's Sunday Reads: #12

Happy Sunday, friends!!

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

• Living tiny, big problems. - The tiny house movement, a recent phenomenon in which people ditch their large dwellings in favor of living in a custom structure, often mobile, that clocks in at 400 square feet or less, has really gained steam in the last couple of years. This is thanks, in part, to popular television shows like Tiny House Nation and Tiny House Hunters. In every episode, you meet a single person or family who wants to “simplify” their life, de-clutter, extricate themselves from debt, and live in a space that they can pick up and move any time they please. The homes, often tailored to the client’s specific needs, are always parked on a vast piece of land, and in the final shots of the episode, the audience is painted a rosy picture of a more minimal life, surrounded by nature. I admit that I too am intrigued by the tiny house life, and follow MANY accounts on Youtube and Instagram. I’m envious of all the people who own these absolutely GORGEOUS tiny homes and still get to live conventional, 9-5 lives. But if you think living tiny is all sunshine and happy days, this article explains that things may not always be what they seem. Bureaucratic red tape, minimal space and growing pains, and short-term solutions to long-term problems befall many tiny house owners, and that just scratches the surface. If you want to be a part of the tiny house community, make sure you’ve got all the information. (Dwell)

• A modern take on Austen. - We’ve seen countless remakes and modern-day approaches to the classic works of author Jane Austen, but a new anthology series in development at the CW (home of Riverdale), is proving itself different from the rest. The six-season project, titled Modern Austen, will pluck characters like Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy out of the Regency era and into ours - Tinder dates, smartphones, and all. As a huge Austen fan who is open to out-there interpretations of her works (I loved Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), I’m pretty excited to tune in. But for Austen purists? Well, we’ll see if this latest retelling will be a hit or a total miss. (AV Club)

• A (veggie) cut above the rest. - On November 1st, a brand new butcher shop opened its doors to the citizens of London. Sure, the opening of a butcher shop in a big city might not seem all that exciting to you, but this new establishment has one major distinction: its meats are 100% vegan! While at first glance Rudy’s Vegan Butcher’s glass cases and clean, white-tile interior might look like your standard shop, but upon closer inspection, customers will find plant-based meats - made from soya and wheat protein seitan - that are shaped and designed to look and taste just like the real thing. An extension of owners Matthew J. Foster and Ruth (Rudy) Mumma’s Camden eatery Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner, Rudy’s Vegan Butcher sold out of its inventory in ONE. DAY. with 100 online orders in ten minutes, plus a line down the block! (EcoWatch)

• Let the Thanksgiving content commence! - For many this year, Thanksgiving is going to look a bit different. If you’re still planning on celebrating with your immediate family and need some ideas for a scaled-down feast, Food52’s got you covered! (Food52)

• Budget Eats: Thanksgiving edition! - Delish’s June Xie is back with another video in which she takes $25 and stretches it as far as it can go in NYC. This week, she’s really upped the ante by using that $25 food budget to prepare a full Thanksgiving dinner for four people! (Delish on Youtube)

What are YOU reading, watching, and listening to today? Let me know in the comments below!

P.S. Let’s connect! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Sydney's Sunday Reads: #11

Happy Sunday, friends!!

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

• Fully stocked, come what may. - If we’re to believe what the health experts are saying, the upcoming winter season will be QUITE the doozy. Every news outlet out there has published an article on how to keep your pantry and fridge stocked with the essentials, which is great, but truthfully, I’ve been on the search for tips on how to actually use those essentials effectively and efficiently. Panic-shopping never works, and buying things you won’t use just because they’re shelf-stable completely defeats the purpose of trying to ready yourself to hunker down. This comprehensive article provides some helpful tips on how to be prepared without just listing items to buy. (Food and Win)

• So #cottagecore. - Speaking of hunkering down at home, do you remember the 2018 trend hygge, the Danish concept of extreme coziness? Well, since we’ve all tried to stick closer to home this year, hygge is making a comeback, but this time, we’re calling it “cottagecore.” For those unfamiliar with the concept of cottagecore, it is the lifestyle trend of tranquility, domesticity, and creativity. Having a picnic in a meadow full of blooming flowers, reading a book in an oversized armchair with a cup of tea, making a big pot of pear preserves to last you through the season - all examples of the coziness of cottagecore. As a natural homebody even before the pandemic, this lifestyle trend perfectly describes my life and desire to be the comfiest and most creative hermit on Planet Earth, so you know I’m fully on-board. If you’re trying to cottagecore-ify your life and space for optimal comfort, here are a few tips you can use to make that happen. Bring on hygge 2.0! (Real Simple)

• Move over, Amazon. - If you’re a lifelong reader or even an occasional one, you know that books are EXPENSIVE. You can walk into any bookstore today and find brand new hardcover titles with prices set anywhere between $25 and $40 depending on subject matter, page count, and even projected popularity. You say to yourself that you’ll just buy the book on Amazon, but when it comes time to checkout online, you pause, wishing you could spend that money at your local indie bookstore instead. What if I told you that there was a way to find the discounted prices you seek and STILL support your local bookstore? Meet Bookshop.org, an independent book platform looking to take on Amazon by streamlining the online book-buying process. It works like this: independent booksellers create their own digital stores on Bookshop, and when a book is sold, the bookseller receives the full profit margin of the sale through their page (30%). By working with Bookshop, everyone wins: the user experience mirrors that of big-box sites for customers, and booksellers maintain or even increase their revenue generation. And that’s not all: 10% of overall sales that go through Bookshop are added to a fund that helps keep independent bookstores running, regardless of whether or not they’re part of the platform. According to Bookshop’s founder Andy Hunter, over $7.5 million has already been raised for indie bookstores nationwide! (CNN)

• 🎶This is my winter song to you…🎶. - To know me is to know that I LOVE Leslie Odom Jr. The man has a voice as smooth as silk, filled with so much depth and emotion that it almost makes me cry. A few years ago, he released a gorgeous cover of Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson’s “Winter Song,” which instantly became a favorite of mine (and one I listen to all year, not just when it’s snowy). This week, Leslie re-released “Winter Song,” and he made it EVEN BETTER by featuring one of my other favorite vocalists of all time, Cynthia Erivo, as part of The Christmas Album:

• DISCO, baby! - Disco is coming back in a HUGE way in 2020 with hits like “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa, “Dynamite” by BTS, and “Diamonds” by Sam Smith. All of those are bangers in their own right, but no one, NO ONE, can make a dance track like Queen Kylie Minogue. Here’s “Magic” from her brand new album, DISCO:

What are YOU reading, watching, and listening to today? Let me know in the comments below!

P.S. Let’s connect! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Sydney's Sunday Reads: #10

Happy Sunday, friends!!

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

• #Shelfie! - What can be learned from snooping through the bookshelves of friends, family, romantic flames, and strangers? Perhaps they have a few dozen of their favorite novels, some cherished childhood picture books, a couple of cookbooks, or old textbooks from classes taken a decade ago. Maybe they’ve got a room with multiple stacks of yellowing books in every corner, or a neat desk with only a few curated titles on it. Much like a music library, Netflix queue, or online grocery order, a book collection can be a great way to get to know a person better. But is what you find in someone’s personal library always an accurate representation of who they are? In this article, Alex Luppens-Dale ponders why we’re all so obsessed with other people’s bookshelves. (Book Riot)

• When the human race wants a cookie… - If you’ve ever worried that one day your favorite chocolate and cream sandwich cookies would disappear from this Earth, worry no more! Oreo recently announced that the Global Oreo Vault, conveniently located right down the way from the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, is fully built and ready to take on any global catastrophe that may befall humankind. Though perhaps not even one-tenth as useful as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault - a secure structure containing one million seed samples meant to be planted in the event that all other attempts at growing crops fail - the Global Oreo Vault does contain the official recipe for Oreos and a giant stockpile of cookies to ensure no disruptions in the snack food chain. So if the world is somehow all on fire one day and you’ve still got a sweet tooth, you can rest easy knowing you’re totally covered. Yay? (Food & Wine)

• Oh, for the love of dogs! - The domestication of dogs may have begun far longer than previously thought - several thousand years longer to be exact! In a recent study published by the journal Science, by the end of the Ice Age, at least five types of dogs with distinct genetic ancestries were already in existence. Most interesting of all, even after 11,000 years, some of the same lineages can be traced to the dog breeds we know and love today like Chihuahuas and some types of spaniels! (CNN)

• Inside Ina’s pantry. - On every episode of Barefoot Contessa hosted by Ina Garten, you’ll find a parade of her fabulously wealthy Hamptons friends, a glimpse at her massive stockpile of fine dining sets, and even a brief appearance by her sweet husband Jeffery. Die-hard fans of the show and occasional viewers alike will be familiar with her regular suggestion while breaking down a recipe to use the “good” version of a pantry staple without ever actually making any specific recommendations. It’s become somewhat of a running joke and a bit of a head-scratcher at the same time (what does “good” even mean??). Well, if you’ve ever wanted a peek inside Ina’s pantry to settle the matter once and for all, here's your chance! (Bon Appetit)

• A delicious moment of zen. - This week in the US is going to be big, and it’s probably going to be stressful, so here’s a calming, ASMR-tastic video of Youtuber 꿀키honeykki cooking up the ultimate Julia Child classic, Boeuf Bourguignon:

What are YOU reading and watching today? Let me know in the comments below!

P.S. Let’s connect! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Sydney's Sunday Reads: #9

Happy Sunday, friends!!

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

• On your marks…get set...bake! - Few things in 2020 have been as comforting as The Great British Baking Show (or Great British Bake Off if you’re in the UK). The lush greenery, quaint tent decorations, quirky hosts, and amateur bakers from diverse cultural backgrounds make for the perfect salve in times of deep stress. We all love a good competition show, but with #GBBO, the competition is gentle, friendly. When a cake topples or custard fails to set properly, fellow bakers rush to lend a helping hand, not kick anyone when they’re down. Even Paul Hollywood’s steely stare, meant to intimidate the contestants, is tame in comparison to judges on other shows. In this article, Eliot A. Cohen makes a case for why the world needs The Great British Baking Show now more than ever. (The Atlantic)

• A handheld winter wonderland. - Did you know that the invention of the snow globe was a total accident? It all started in 1900 when Austrian inventor Erwin Perzy set out to improve the Edison light bulb. His first attempt was to fill a glass globe with water and glass powder (glitter) to create a brighter source of light, but much to his disappointment, the glass powder sank immediately. Next, he tried semolina, a light-colored gritty wheat flour found in his mother’s pantry. Since we’re not calling it the “Perzy light bulb,” I’m sure you can guess that the creative experiment was a failed one, but it did lead to a rather pleasant discovery - the semolina floating all around resembled snowfall! Convinced he might be on to something, Perzy changed course. instead of a brighter source of light, he wound up creating the world’s first snow globe: a 40mm wide tribute to Vienna. And the rest, as they say, is history. (Martha Stewart)

• Plant-based cow’s milk? That’s impossible! - Meat-lovers looking to lower their carbon footprint by implementing more plants in their diet will rejoice - there might soon be another cow product alternative coming! Impossible Foods, the company that brought the plant-based Impossible Burger to the masses in 2016, recently announced that they have developed a plant-based cow’s milk prototype that has a creamy consistency and ability to be stirred into hot beverages without curdling. While dairy milk alternatives like soy, almond, and oat have gained massive popularity - especially in recent years - nothing has yet been able to fully emulate the consistency and versatility of cow’s milk enough to replace it. Impossible Foods, which is also in the development phase of creating plant-based replicates of chicken, seafood, steak, and more, have no definitive plans as of yet to bring it’s cow’s milk dupe to market. But I suspect, it won’t be long until we see this product it in the dairy aisle. My question is: will we be able to bake with it? (Fast Company)

• 🎶 Let’s go baaaaaaack, back to the beginning…🎶. - On October 23rd, fans of MTV’s Laguna Beach were treated to a virtual reunion of the season one cast (including favorites like Lauren Conrad, Kristin Cavallari, and Stephen Colletti to name a few) in an effort to encourage people to make a voting plan. I have LIVED for all these virtual reunions in 2020, and as someone who watched the show religiously in the early 00s (and also now…), this one was a particular treat. And it wasn’t all business: while the purpose of the reunion was to promote voting, there was still plenty of time for the cast to play a few games with the host and even reveal some behind-the-scenes secrets. Watch it here! (E! News)

• Budget Eats! - This should come as a surprise to no one, but my favorite Youtube content is food-related. I love being invited into the homes of complete strangers to see their grocery hauls, watching mini documentaries on how a famous dish gets made, learning about new cultures through food, and of course, watching cooking videos. One particular sub-genre I love is budget cooking because it forces creative thinking more than any other medium. A series I’m LOVING right now is Budget Eats on Delish’s channel, hosted by June Xie. In the video below, June sets out to create 8 meals for two people with only a $25 budget in New York City. As you can imagine, it requires a lot of strategic-thinking and creative problem solving to make it happen. The title of the video is what drew me in, but what kept me watching was June’s super vibrant and funny personality, and killer cooking skills! Clocking in at over 52 minutes long, this video is not a quick watch, but it’s totally worth it! (Delish on Youtube)

What are YOU reading and watching today? Let me know in the comments below!

P.S. Let’s connect! Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Sydney's Sunday Reads: #8

Happy Sunday, friends!!

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

• Book it! - Here’s one bright spot of 2020: Hollywood production studios are buying up book rights, left and right! The reason? We’ve all been staying at home! This extra time has led to executive producers reading more, authors writing more, and consumers demanding more quality entertainment. With book-to-screen adaptations like Little Fires Everywhere and The Handmaid’s Tale garnering massive success on streaming sites and racking up tons of award nominations, the literary works of bestselling authors are more sought after now than ever before. And this uptick in demand has given many authors a pretty powerful bargaining chip at the negotiation table: more of a say in how their book will appear onscreen. Those of you out there who are always quick to say, “The book was better,” might soon be singing a different tune. (LA Times)

• Down, kitty! - This week, while exploring Utah’s Slate Canyon, hiker Kyle Burgess stumbled upon a pack of baby mountain lions, and soon after, their mother! For six terrifying minutes, Burgess filmed Mama Mountain Lion hissing and lunging at him, while he did everything he could to make himself look and sound bigger, eventually scaring her off. He lived to tell and the tale, and his video went viral almost immediately, being shared on dozens of sites and even getting featured on NBC’s Nightly News with Lester Holt. Rangers and animal experts have since weighed in to clarify that the mountain lion was more than likely trying to scare Burgess away from her cubs rather than serve him for breakfast, but that doesn’t make the video any less panic-inducing! (HuffPost)

• It’s a mystery.- What’s the flavor of the Laffy Taffy White Mystery Airhead? Cherry? Blue raspberry? A combination of the two?? Countless theories are submitted to the candymaker every day, but since 1993, no one has gotten it right. So with no definitive answer, why do people continue to eat them? The folks over at Popular Science think it has something to do with our brains. We eat both with our eyes and our taste buds. It’s easy to identify the taste of the White Mystery Airhead as both tangy (from the citric acid) and sweet (from the heaps of corn syrup and sugar), but without any visual cues (red = strawberry or cherry, green = lime or sour apple), the brain is not able to easily come up with an answer, yet still searches for one. And that’s why people are still buying them 27 years later. My two cents? There is no true flavor, and Laffy Taffy’s been trolling us since the 90s! (Popular Science)

• So dreamy. -And now, for a moment of pure zen, here’s three minutes of the Internet’s boyfriend, Timothée Chalamet, walking around Woodstock, NY (GQ):

What are YOU reading and watching today? Let me know in the comments below!

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