Good Choice, Vol. 2: Home decor, good movies and a new pasta recipe
Plus, the boredom-curing activity from my childhood that I'm revisiting.
Happy May, my friends. This is my favorite month and I’m looking forward to days of beautiful weather, dinners on the patio and late evening walks with my dog. José and I have had two slow weekends at home in a row and it’s been wonderful. We barreled through March and early April and, after wearing ourselves out with a weekend of gardening, I think we’ve needed the rest. I’m always doing that, barreling through things at a record pace only to crash afterward. It’s a habit I’m trying to break, or at least refine.
Though I no longer live by the school calendar, I still feel excited about the approach of summer. I’m looking forward to summer foods like tomatoes and watermelon and swimming in the pool and cookouts. Wishing you a wonderful month ahead!
Today’s newsletter is full of recommendations, from home products to entertainment, that I’ve enjoyed or coveted over the last month. Take a look at the fun things below.
HOME DECOR EDIT
Brands and products that I’ve had my eye on lately
1. The British home decor brand, Oka, has long been a favorite of mine — they have the best light fixtures and truly unique furniture. Their recently launched lamp collection with Cabana Magazine is wonderful.
2. We never have enough towels. These are cute and classic and would be perfect for the pool or beach.
3. I want to add this tiny painting to my art collection.
4. These ceramic oranges, made in Spain, look like Majolica pottery (if you are a collector, this might pique your interest). I think they would be fun clustered in a bowl on the kitchen counter or set on a bookshelf. This vase, as well.
5. How pretty is this hairbrush?
6. Enamelware for picnics and patio dinners.
7. Wastepaper bins are a decor item I forget about but, surprisingly there are loads of cute designs around the web. I like this inexpensive one from Hay.
8. Rainbow cutlery would be cute for colorful, summery dinners.
FILMS, TELEVISION & MUSIC
The best movie I’ve seen in a while (and other entertainment)
I watched “Much Ado About Nothing (1993)” a few weeks ago and it brought me so much joy. It’s a film version of the Shakespeare play and stars Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branaugh, Keanu Reeves, Kate Beckinsale and Denzel Washington (among others). It’s so wonderfully done and was the most fun I’ve had watching a movie in a long time.
The final season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” has begun and I’m faithfully watching each episode as it’s released. Let me tell you, the shock I felt when I realized I’d have to wait an entire week for the next episode (just one at a time). Imagine! My favorite characters are Midge’s parents and in-laws.
And, lastly, I’ve been listening to Puccini lately. There’s a soft spot in my heart for classical music. I like the instrumental versions of the operas on this album. If you see me sailing down the highway here in Dallas, know that it’s highly likely I’m listening to Pavarotti sing “Nessun dorma” from Turandot on full blast.
BOOKS, MAGAZINES & PODCASTS
I recommended Dolly Alderton’s novel “Ghosts” last month and I’m back, again, with another Alderton recommendation. Her memoir, “Everything I Know About Love,” was relatable, life-affirming and witty.
I’ve been thinking about subscribing to print magazines (!) for some inspiration. Should I order Cabana Magazine or House and Garden? Both?
FOOD TO TRY
A new pasta sauce we’ve discovered
Pasta is on the menu multiple times a week and we tend to prefer dishes with veggies and herbs, like the zucchini pasta that is my all-time favorite meal or aglio e olio. This week, I went searching across the internet for the simple veggie pasta sauce that Stanley Tucci makes with his parents in his show “Searching for Italy” (the show is a treat, too).
A handful of Google searches later and I found a version of the recipe in a post on someone’s Facebook page. Sounds unreliable, I know, but the recipe seemed legitimate and we gave it a go.
It was excellent. We made the sauce and served it atop penne pasta. In José’s words: “The carrots are the real MVP.”
Here’s the recipe (attributed to the Tucci family):
Salsa Maria Rosa
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup carrots, chopped very small
1/2 cup celery, chopped very small
1 cup onions, chopped very small
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
4 cups canned whole plum tomatoes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
With a large saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. Once the butter foams, add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about eight minutes. Add the parsley and stir. Pour in the tomatoes and use a spoon (or your hands) to crush them into smaller pieces. Bring the sauce to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Then, reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer, partially covered, for about 45 minutes. Spoon onto cooked penne pasta.
(Recipe found via “What’s Cookin’ Italian Cuisine”)
PROJECTS
Revisiting a childhood favorite
Did you make collages as a child? Cutting out pictures and words and sentences and pasting them to a piece of paper or cardboard? I loved to do that. I was reading Ali LaBelle’s newsletter, À La Carte, the other day and was inspired to take up the hobby again. There’s something so fun about collecting images and ideas that you like and compiling them in one place.
As of right now, I don’t own a printer (classic millennial), so I’m thinking I’ll create collages digitally or get some old magazines from the used bookstore to start. I already create mood boards for my home, with different items and inspirations that I want to reference in design, that include fabrics, furniture, art and other furnishings. This would be another iteration of that, with more images and quotes than individual design elements.
GOOD (BEST) CHOICE
Words to live by this month
“You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.” - Colette (Quote found in “The Artist’s Way,” the book I am still reading and still loving).
NEXT WEEK
The new sustainability
In next week’s newsletter, we’ll talk about sustainability at home and in life. How to cultivate better habits, what it takes to consume more consciously and the process of creating a more sustainable home. I’ll see you then.
All the best,
Mary Grace