Sydney's Sunday Reads: #24

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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.

  • One final Cook’s Tour. - We tragically lost chef and travel show host Anthony Bourdain in 2018, but his legacy lives on. At the time of his death, Bourdain was in the midst of writing a guidebook highlighting some of his favorite places around the world. Though the project was in the very early stages, his friend and longtime assistant Laurie Woolever was intent on finishing what Bourdain started, and set out to piece together excerpts from his most popular and long-running shows, No Reservations and Parts Unknown, as well as extensively interview his closest friends to make it happen. The result of Woolever’s true labor of love, World Travel, will be released on April 20th, but if you’re a diehard Anthony Bourdain fan and feel like you just can’t wait that long, you’re in for a treat. Here’s an excerpt from the book, an essay by Anthony Bourdain’s brother, Chris, about their first family trip to France and how it changed their lives forever. (Entertainment Weekly)

  • Queen Serena, ruler of on-the-court-fashion. - As the child of a former tennis line judge, I can probably name just about all of the contemporary greats without batting an eye, but no one stands out to me more than Serena Williams. Her athletic ability is second-to-none - the woman was 20 weeks pregnant when she won the 2017 Australian Open for goodness’ sake - but just as noteworthy? Her fashion moments on the court! Known for taking the lead in designing all of her outfits, Williams really upped her sporty fashion game this week when she debuted her multi-hued, one-legged catsuit, a touching homage to the late great track and field olympian, Florence Griffith Joyner, affectionally known as “Flo-Jo”, who famously rocked the style back in the late ‘80s. In a post-game interview, Williams revealed that she worked closely with her design team at Nike to give the eye-catching one-piece a few modern updates, as well as the necessary tweaks to make it all her own. Check it out here! (Buzzfeed)

  • Cooking with Mrs. Obama. - In case you missed it, this week former First Lady Michelle Obama announced the March 16th release of her new children’s cooking show, Waffles + Mochi, streaming exclusively on Netflix. The show will follow two puppets named, you guessed it, Waffles and Mochi, as they fulfill their dream of becoming chefs with the help of a magical flying shopping cart and Michelle Obama, who will play a supermarket owner. Viewers can also expect to see a slew of celebrity guests, as well as some home cooks along the way. The kid-centric series is the second project to come out of the Obamas’ multi-year, multi-million dollar deal with Netflix through their production company, Higher Ground Productions. I can’t wait to binge-watch this!! (The Cut)

  • A super skinny flat in the city. - As if big-city real estate wasn’t bonkers enough already, a “skinny” flat in west London, just six feet wide, recently went on the market for a cool $1.3 million dollars. The five-story property in Shepherd's Bush, converted from a hat shop into a residence by famed fashion photographer Juergen Teller, is 1,034 square feet and boasts three bedrooms, an art deco tub, a patio garden, and curb appeal that is certain to be a conversation-starter for years to come. Listen, ya’ll, I know living in a big city is fun, but if you’ve got $1.3 million to spend, head to the nearby ‘burbs where you can take advantage of all the SPACE. Everything fun is just a train ride away! (CNN)

  • Impossible? Things are happening every day! - No disrespect to Dame Julie Andrews, but for us ‘90s babies, Brandy Norwood is our Cinderella, and the incomparable Whitney Houston our Fairy Godmother. When I was a kid, I absolutely devoured the 1997 adaptation of the Rogers and Hammerstein classic Cinderella, which featured a star-studded, colorblind cast, gorgeous costumes, and captivating performances. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I watched it EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. it was on television. This week, Disney announced that the film would be available on its streaming platform, Disney+, beginning February 12th. To celebrate its release, singer Brandy, Disney’s first Black princess, teamed up with Youtube star Todrick Hall for a mashup of Cinderella’s greatest musical hits. Look closely, and you might just see some other familiar faces as well! I grinned until my cheeks hurt watching this. Check it out below! (Todrick Hall 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: #23

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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.

  • Ten ways to stay booked! - Like many voracious readers, I’m constantly searching for the next book to read, even when my TBR pile is nearing the ceiling. For me, there are few greater feelings in life than reading the back of a book and immediately getting excited about what adventures are in store; it’s similar to hearing a new favorite song for the very first time. Here are ten ways to find the perfect next book to read! (Book Riot)

  • A return to tossed salads and scrambled eggs? - New reports suggest that a potential revival of the hit 90s television show (and one of my favorites of ALL TIME) Frasier is in the works for Paramount+, the CBS streaming platform. Few details are known at this point, such as if any of the remaining cast members (minus John Mahoney who sadly passed away in 2018) will be joining star Kelsey Grammer, or what a new season would mean for the lovable but pretentious psychiatrist from Seattle, but if the project is green-lit, filming could start as early as this summer. As a diehard fan of this show, I’m not sure I want to see a revival. So far, most if not all the revivals we’ve seen in the last couple years haven’t managed to keep the formula of their shows without seeming a little behind-the-times, so I kind of hope this project doesn’t happen. Frasier has 11 perfect seasons, do we really need any more? (Vulture)

  • One Pricey Weekend. - You’ve probably heard it said a billion times at this point, but tonight’s Super Bowl Sunday is going to be unlike any other. But just because things are going to look a little different this year doesn’t mean it won’t be any less epic! In fact, The Weeknd, tonight’s Halftime Show performer, has dug into his own pockets to make sure his set is one you’ll never forget. While the NFL generally absorbs all costs associated with the Halftime Show, The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfaye) actually contributed $7 million of his own money to make sure the fans in the stands, as well as the fans at home, get a full, cinematic experience. That’s dedication right there! Also, fun fact: did you know that Super Bowl Halftime Show performers aren’t paid? That blew my mind! (E! Online)

  • Sisters in isolation. - In this photo essay, meet Gayatri and Swati Goswami, two elderly sisters from Kolkata, India whose albinism has led to social ostracism and self-imposed isolation for nearly their entire lives. Most remarkable about them is that they grew up in wealth and are both extremely accomplished (Gayatri has three degrees and speaks five languages, and Swati has a history degree and plays multiple musical instruments), but when they step outside, all people see is their pale skin, light hair, and blue eyes, which leads to extreme verbal cruelty from members of their community. A powerful think piece everyone should read. (The New Yorker)

  • Fun with Funfetti! - I love all of Claire Saffitz’s videos on her Youtube show, Dessert Person, but this week’s episode is a really good one. Think about the best cakes you had at birthday parties growing up. Did they come from a box? Were the insides FULL of polka dots of color? There’s just nothing like a good Funfetti cake to put you in a festive mood, and no one agrees with that sentiment more than Saffitz. In the video below, watch as she recreates a childhood classic and updates it for a more grown-up palate. Fans of the Bon Appetit series. Gourmet Makes, will find this episode particularly entertaining! (Dessert Person 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: #22

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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.

  • Traveling in the kitchen. - Even for a total homebody, I miss traveling. I miss packing a bag and essential snacks for the plane. I miss the butterflies in my stomach every takeoff and landing. I miss de-planing and immediately getting hit with the smells of a new environment. And, most of all, I miss all the vacation eating. But just because we’re all being responsible and staying home until the pandemic is over doesn’t mean we have to give up every aspect of travel: we can still eat like tourists! Take a look at this great list of travel-inspired cookbooks put together by Jen Rose Smith for when dinnertime needs a serious refresh. (Washington Post)

  • Reading exercise. - Did you know that different types of reading exercise different parts of your brain? Or that. the older you get, the more reading can slow down or even halt signs of cognitive decline? It’s all laid out in this article that makes a pretty compelling argument for why we should be making reading a priority - especially now. (Popular Science)

  • Candy + Macaroni + Cheese? - On this episode of “Foods No One Asked For,” Kraft recently announced the special release of their famous boxed macaroni and cheese with one rather interesting addition: candy flavoring that turns everything pink, and it’s just in time for Valentine’s Day! That’s right, if you’ve ever been enjoying your savory macaroni and cheese and thought, “Boy, this sure could use a ton of artificial sweetness and an unnatural color!”, you’re in luck. But before you head out to your local supermarket, read this: the only way to get a box plus the packet that adds the color and candy flavoring, is to enter for a chance to win it via the Kraft website. I have about a million questions about this mac and cheese, but the top one is: does it turn your teeth pink? Now I kind of want to enter to find out… (Delish)

  • Goodbye, meatballs! - Whether you know her from her Bon Appetit days, or her two bestselling cookbooks, Alison Roman is well on her way to becoming a major household name in the food world. All throughout the pandemic, Roman’s been keeping her fans up-to-date on her life via her popular newsletter, simply titled A Newsletter, but now the 35-year-old is branching out and making her long-awaited return to Youtube with her brand new series, Home Movies. Check out episode 1, “The Best Meatball Recipe,” in the video below! (Alison Roman via Youtube)

  • The Family Haim! - One of my favorite bands is HAIM, a pop/alternative sister trio that’s created stellar bops such as “The Wire,” “Summer Girl,” and “Want You Back” I’ve always loved sibling acts because there’s chemistry there that just can’t be replicated, and it’s always fun to see the dynamics in interviews and even in performances. Recently, HAIM got together with their mother via Zoom to make latkes for British Vogue, and the video is adorable! It’s clear that the sisters hold Mama Haim in the highest regard, and each fights subtly for her attention. You even get a brief cameo from Papa Haim, who is responsible for getting the girls into music in the first place! If you’re looking to learn how to make latkes, this probably won’t be a very helpful tutorial, but I think it’s absolutely perfect nonetheless. (British Vogue 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

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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

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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: #12

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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

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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!