Drove up to New Hampshire to spend the Fourth of July weekend with family! We got Chick-Fil-A somewhere in Connecticut and I watched the USMNT beat Bosnia & Herzegovina 2-0 in the car. I will admit that I was starting to feel hopeful at this point, and couldn’t have predicted the disaster against Belgium a few days later.

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Friday, July 3

Celebrated the holiday weekend with a barbecue and bonfire on Seapoint Beach, right over the New Hampshire border in Kittery, Maine. We had passionfruit cocktails, perfectly chilled shrimp cocktail, grilled tuna dunked in soy sauce, chicken lettuce wraps, and many, many bottles of wine. I paid for the night in about a thousand bug bites and a nasty hangover, but it was totally worth it!

Saturday, July 4

We had a lethargic, lowkey Fourth watching the World Cup and relaxing. My mom grilled hot dogs and burgers — is there anything on earth better than a grilled hot dog? We also spent a few hours hanging on the dock and watched Obsession, which I enjoyed! I couldn’t stop thinking about it for days after.

Thursday, July 9 - Sunday, July 11

Took the bus to Long Beach Island in New Jersey to spend the weekend with my friend Liz and her family. They’ve graciously hosted me almost every summer since 2015 (I missed 2021 because of a work trip) and it’s a weekend I look forward to every year. The beach is absolutely gorgeous, the water is always warm, and Liz’s family are just truly wonderful people.

It’s so funny how our weekends have evolved through the years. From going out to beach bars and house parties, to barely changing out of swimsuits and sweats, to being on faux-guncle duty with Liz’s adorable nephews this year.

Culinary highlights of this year’s trip included Liz’s sister Claudia’s excellent iterations of:

• Wishbone Kitchen’s Greek salad with grilled chicken

• Spicy tuna with crispy rice, eaten during the England vs. Norway quarterfinal

I also have somehow spent almost 32.5 years on this planet without cracking a lobster myself, which I did for the first time on LBI. Very messy but so fun. And we even managed to find a couple of bottles of orange wine at Neptune Wines & Liquors in Harvey Cedars.

Thursday, July 16

A big big milestone birthday for my beloved, with an incredibly special dinner party to match the occasion. He rented out Prune, a pint-sized icon of downtown dining, and incredibly talented chef (and incredibly talented writer) Gabrielle Hamilton cooked an absolute feast for us.

Instead of proposing a menu, Gabrielle asked Aaron detailed questions about how he likes to eat and his hopes and dreams for the evening, and surprised us with the dishes when we arrived.

For the cocktail hour: Canary margaritas (more on this soon), jammy eggs with chili crisp, pintxos, hearts of palm, spicy Goldfish, Gabrielle’s mom’s chicken wings, liver pate, and uni toast.

To start: Mashed potatoes atop sesame toast, figs in oil and stracciatella, razor clams, and long beans.

Entrees: Lebanese steak tartare (my personal favorite), head-on prawns, cod with summer corn, two very fresh, crunchy summer salads, and swiss chard.

Dessert was strawberry cake and blueberry pie, and we washed down our meal with many, many bottles of Domaine de L’Anglore before stumbling into the smoky East Village sometime after midnight.

About half the group made it to Mister Paradise and the very last stragglers even shut down Goodnight Sonny. We didn’t get home until almost 4am! It was such a blast to have my favorite person’s favorite people gathered together to celebrate him, and we haven’t stopped talking about how perfect the night was.

Friday, July 17

Only a bowl of gnocchi with tomato sauce and ricotta from Frankie’s 457 Spuntino could fix the way I felt the morning after Aaron’s party. So that’s exactly where we went with his brother Zach and sister-in-law Andy before bopping around Red Hook and trying the gelato at Dolce in Carroll Gardens.

Dinner on Friday night was at Sailor, which I hadn’t been to since New Year’s Day. Our table wasn’t ready when we arrived, so the team served us mini gin martinis while we waited outside. Yum!

We started with a delicious toast covered in salsa verde and parmesan and got every salad — the Caesar, green salad, radishes, and stuffed swiss chard. I love the half chicken, which of course was on the table, and we had a whole grilled sea bass with caramelized fish sauce, balsamic, jalapeno pepper, and onions that was nicely done. Every time I eat here I’m reminded how much I love it.

Saturday, July 18

Said goodbye to Zach and Andy after pastries and coffee at Frenchette Bakery. Did you know there are two locations now? We learned this after accidentally taking a car to the new Nolita outpost on Broome Street.

After a couple hours sheltering in our apartment to avoid the torrential rain, we met Aaron’s dad for a bottle of wine at St. Jardim and then watched England beat France in the third place match at Empellon Taqueria. Between this match and the ones against Mexico, Norway and Argentina, I think England had the most consistently thrilling knockout games of any nation.

From Empellon we walked to Via Carota for dinner. We ordered a few of our must-haves (sausage-stuffed fried green olives, ‘nduja arancini, insalata verde, tonnarelli cacio e pepe) and a few new-to-me items: whole branzino in salt, watermelon salad, and the risotto with Meyer lemon. I loved the watermelon salad but probably wouldn’t order the other two again. Not because they weren’t good, but because there are dishes I love so much more.

Sunday, July 19

The longest weekend of all time concluded with the World Cup final! We met my sister, Reilly, and their friends Alex and Heather at Plus des Vin in Greenpoint to watch the game. I’ve had this wine bar on my list forever, but I don’t make it to Greenpoint as often as I’d like. So it was thrilling (and high stakes) to go for the first time on such an important occasion.

And it delivered! PdV serves cocktails and wine, although I only drank wine because they don’t have fresh citrus. There’s also a lovely outdoor area in the back. We tried the cheese and charcuterie, shrimp cocktail, chicken nuggets and fries, and drank a couple bottles of wine while we watched the final. I was happy to watch Spain (and three Arsenal players!) win, but it felt a little anticlimactic after the 10-goal thriller the day before. But I definitely recommend Plus de Vin and would have it in the rotation if it was closer to my neighborhood.

Monday, July 20

Flew to LA for a work trip! My flight was delayed, so by the time I landed and checked into my hotel, I was starving, but trying not to ruin my appetite before dinner at the recently reopened Cafe Stella with the Lumens marketing team. Cafe Stella does a prix-fixe steak frites menu on Mondays, which was exactly what I wanted after a long day traveling. It is very un-LA of Cafe Stella to not proactively list the vegetarian alternative to steak frites and I’m curious what it is.

I drank a couple of gin gimlets, and the steak was good but a little too rare for me. I did have a great cheesecake for dessert! After dinner, Megan from the Lumens team drove us to Café Triste where we drank wine and listened to some live jazz. It was absolutely bumping, especially for a Monday night. I didn’t know LA got down like this! I’m impressed.

Wednesday, July 22

Started the day with a breakfast meeting at Café Telegrama, which has been on my list for years. I loved the spicy salsa on the chilaquiles (more chilaquiles in NYC restaurants, please) but my iced flat white was a little too milky.

On Wednesday night I headed to a stunning brutalist mansion in the Hollywood Hills for a dinner we cohosted with Lumens and Ome Dezin. George Archbold curated a stellar menu of labneh, crudo, miso kale caesar, and flank steak, with citrus sorbet served in its skin for dessert. I loved it! A beautiful night.

Thursday, July 23

Had a late breakfast/early lunch meeting at Botanica in Silver Lake, where I drank a perfectly sweet-sour lemonade and ate a tuna melt with roasted pepper aioli. Yum.

I was a little drained from lots of chatting and socializing all week, so ordered in Jon & Vinny’s for my final night in LA. It took over an hour to come but was still tasty. I got the spicy vodka fusilli and the little gem caesar.

Saturday, July 25

Back in Brooklyn, Aaron and I stopped for an impromptu post-errands lunch at Nabila’s, a Lebanese restaurant in our neighborhood that we’ve walked by several hundred times and have been “meaning to try” since we moved here in 2022.

I had a stunning pink sumac lemonade and we shared mouhamara, labne, and a hummus to start. The mouhamara and labneh were the best, but a good labne is so simple to make I kinda just wish I had done it at home.

We moved on to a crunchy salad completely covered in pita chips and a vinagery-sumac dressing, and finished with awarma with eggs and arayes. Both were great. The first, a cumin-seasoned lamb confit below two sunny side up eggs that you could either eat with a fork or dunk pita in. And the arayes felt almost like a take on a quesadilla, minus the cheese. Beef kafta inside a crispy pita, with sumac onions and a cooling yogurt sauce. I will be back for dinner!

On Saturday evening Aaron brought me to Concrete Shoals, the floating bar inside the Brooklyn Bridge Marina by the Fini team. I don’t even really like olives, but they were really tasty here, and we had a couple of mezcal margaritas and a friendly server. The view is insane and it’s a great spot to spend a warm evening. I get why they do it, but I just always struggle with drinking a $20 cocktail in a plastic cup.

Sunday, July 26

Aaron and I spent the afternoon on Governor’s Island! We were there to to support his friend’s film screening, which started with a very relaxing guided meditation. The film itself was about her going into nature to find deeper connection with herself in the land of her ancestors and was gorgeously shot in Norway, Finland and Sweden.

Before the screening, we had nachos, fish tacos, and a round of margaritas at Taco Vista. The fish tacos were pretty good, but I want to formally declare that the ideal nacho setup has the cheese BAKED ONTO THE CHIPS and isn’t just queso atop warm chips. Does this make sense?

Tuesday, July 28

Lunch meeting over chicken Caesar salads and (excellent) fries at The Odeon. The lovely maitre’d’ sat us at the corner booth, the best table in the house in my opinion. However, they did the salad with endive rather than kale or romaine — maybe due to the whole Cyclospora situation, which didn’t really work for me.

Wednesday, July 29

Spent the evening drinking wine and “watching” Real Housewives of London (it was on in the background while we talked over it) at my friend Fran’s in PLG. Her husband Chris made genuinely delicious spicy tuna poke bowls for us, which we ate with Fran’s pickled cucumbers. It made me want to buy a rice cooker!

Friday, July 31

Ended July with one of the most unlucky hospitality days I’ve had in months. Aaron and I rode to Brooklyn Granary to try their buns with butter and cheese, but they were completely out for the second time! We took home a kouign-amann, a peanut snail with raspberry frosting, and loaf of rye bread as a consolation prize.

Determined to redeem ourselves, we rode onto swampy Canal Street to try the hot dogs at Elbow Bread a few hours later. And they were out of hot dogs! Or taking a break. It wasn’t clear. We coped with a drink, falafel and fries at Le Dive before retreating back to our apartment where we perfected our Canary lemon drop recipe, ordered in Thaism, and watched the Devil Wears Prada 2.

And that’s it for July! What were your favorite food and bev moments last month? Thank you so much for reading, as always. See you in a couple weeks for the next one!

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Enter the clutch list. These are spots that range from solid to very good and that I love having up my sleeve when I need them, whether that’s due to procrastination, spontaneity, or something else. I’ve also included how I think these bars and restaurants are best utilized and what to order at each location. Here goes!

Gjelina

NoHo

The original Gjelina in Venice Beach is an icon of the LA restaurant scene, but its NYC outpost hasn’t ever become a hotspot in the same way. Gjelina NYC opened for a couple of weeks in 2023 but then closed for over a year due to a fire, reopening in February 2024. I’ve been several times since then, and the Charles & Co designed space is huge and pretty, spread over two floors with a few different sections for seating. I recommend the livelier first floor for dinner with friends and the cozier room upstairs for a date, FYI.

The menu is gigantic, in a way that makes Gjelina feel a bit like a California-Italian Cheesecake Factory, and rotates seasonally. I love a restaurant where it’s equally easy to order a really healthy-feeling meal or an indulgent one, and Gjelina definitely is that kind of place. They also have a solid natural wine list.

How to use it: Drop in or make a res at Gjelina for a last-minute or impromptu dinner with friends.

What to order: The menu rotates a lot, butI think the vegetables and proteins shine a little more than the pasta and pizza. I don’t even really like sweet potato, but I like the one at Gjelina, and I always love the Snowdance chicken with harissa.

Epistrophy

Nolita

I kind of want to continue gatekeeping Epistrophy because it’s one of my most relied-upon spots downtown. A cozy Italian cafe relaxed enough that you can always get a seat, they also have a couple of tables outside on Mott Street that are perfect in nice weather.

I like Epistrophy more for drinks than food, but the food is good, and I’ve had a lot of success ordering both cocktails and wine here. Plus the staff is very friendly.

How to use it: Sit outside and people watch on a pleasant Friday night, or spend a few hours holding court here on a Saturday afternoon or evening. It’s also a great spot to hang while you wait for a table at Thai Diner, which is just a few feet away.

What to order: Your favorite cocktail or a chilled bottle of Italian wine.

Walter’s

Fort Greene

An American bistro in one of New York’s best dining neighborhoods, Walter’s is a lovely spot for a summer Friday lunch al fresco on Cumberland Street (it’s open 11am-4pm Monday through Thursday as well). Sometimes you just want shrimp cocktail or a salad or a burger, and you can do all of that here. There’s a nice, vaguely Art Deco-y bar inside too.

How to use it: For the aforementioned summer Friday lunch! Hang at Walter’s while you wait for Rhodora to open or use it as a backup if you can’t get into Sailor or Theodora or don’t feel like waiting.

What to order: Sharing shrimp cocktail, fries, and getting your own Caesar salad with chicken is kind of the perfect order here.

Emporio

Nolita

Chronically under the radar Emporio has been a true savior to Aaron and me for many late-night dates. The pasta and pizza are incredibly solid, and it’s open until 11pm (a whole hour later than many restaurants). We’ve miraculously never ever had an issue getting a table here, and it’s lively enough for a fun date night without feeling too crazy. I like to sit in the front or at the bar, but the back room also has a nice skylight.

How to use it: I love Emporio for an impromptu late night date but there are always groups of friends eating / pregaming a night out here too.

What to order: Fried calamari, pappardelle bolognese, and a margherita pizza. The cocktails are strong and come out quickly!

Fairfax

West Village

My favorite of Gabe Stulman’s trio of West Village jewel boxes, Fairfax is a fun, lively spot for a date or catch-up with a friend at the bar. Or sit outside for stellar people watching on at the intersection of West Fourth and West Tenth Streets. This is a great all-season place that’s equally fun and cozy whether the weather is great or terrible.

How to use it: Pop in anytime (it’s open all day) but I like it best for a late lunch or late dinner with one, maybe two other people. It is TINY!

What to order: Another spot with strong drinks and a great natural wine list. Utilize accordingly. The food menu changes often, but you must get the Bar Sardine burger and you should have an order of tots on the table as well.

Fish Cheeks

NoHo and Williamsburg

You can now eat Fish Cheeks’s spicy Thai seafood in not one but two NYC boroughs, but I prefer the Manhattan location for a cheeky (sorry!) midweek lunch or dinner. The room is really lovely and bright, and the outdoor dining area on cobblestoned Bond Street is nice. I love the fish scale motif they use throughout the space, and it’s pretty centrally located in NoHo.

How to use it: Bring out of towners who like fish sauce and are slightly adventurous eaters. I feel like you don’t see Thai seafood very often in other cities!

What to order: The Zabb wings are some of my favorite wings in the city and a must order. I also love the coconut crab curry, the grilled chicken, and the prawn karee! Get the spicy mango cocktail but ask for it with mezcal.

Miss Ada

Fort Greene

I’ve never actually sat inside Miss Ada, but it always comes in handy on a summer night where you can watch Brooklyn 30-somethings promenade up and down DeKalb while you eat. Order a feast of Mediterranean dips / vegetables and kebabs and go to town.

How to use it: Great for a last minute meal in Fort Greene, or as a back up if you can’t get into Theodora. Miss Ada is slightly older, but it’s part of the same group and the food is very similar.

What to order: Whatever ceviche/crudo sounds best, a hummus masabaha, market salad, falafel, crispy cauliflower, and the chicken skewers!

Liar Liar

Gowanus

I genuinely LOVE this wine bar in Gowanus. The rare place where the cocktails and wine list are equally excellent, you can easily spend several hours or a whole evening hanging at the bar or in one of their gigantic booths. Gowanus is a little annoying to get to, but that means it’s never hard to get a seat here and it’s a great “in between” spot if you’re meeting up with friends who live further east or west in Brooklyn than you do.

How to use it: There’s outdoor seating, but since the entire neighborhood is under construction, I mostly go to Liar Liar for a looong lunch or dinner in the fall or winter.

What to order: Martini and/or a bottle of wine. The servers are really approachable, seem to genuinely enjoy working there, and will help you pick something interesting. Liar Liar does a wonderful Caesar and the fries are to die for. Best dipped in mustard.

Taqueria St. Marks

East Village

I’ve been going to Taqueria St. Marks since before I even turned 21, and it’s just so reliable for cheap margs and salty, delicious Mexican food. Taqueria St. Marks is fun for a cheap, easy dinner or drinks or to pregame / postgame a show at Webster Hall.

How to use it: Happy hour, late night snack, or concert pregame/postgame.

What to order: Lots of margs, chips with salsa and guac, and plenty of tacos. My favorite is the chorizo.

OPTO

Flatiron

OPTO has basically everything you could want from a crowd-pleasing NYC restaurant. It’s not too far up or downtown (20th Street), and not too far east or west (between Fifth and Sixth Ave). It’s lowkey enough for a weeknight dinner with friends, but the white tablecloths make it feel special enough for out of towners, parents, or a work dinner.

The menu is also kind of perfect. Easily shareable dips to start, oysters if you’re into that kind of thing, accessible pastas, broadly Mediterranean proteins, and stellar dessert. The chocolate mousse is BEYOND. The service is also consistently really good!

How to use it: Meet up with friends who live all over town or commute in, bring your aunt and uncle who won’t venture from midtown, or book it for a work dinner.

What to order: A couple dips, the gem lettuce salad, a pasta or two, and then whatever proteins work best for your group. Do not skip the chocolate mousse!

Thank you so much for reading, as always. Let me know if you try any of these! What’s on your NYC clutch list?

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All of these things were going through my mind when Aaron and I made the decision to return to Marseille, which we visited in September 2025 and absolutely loved, and when we decided to invite my mom along. (You can read about our September trip here.)

We wanted to show her a winning combination of the spots we loved last time, but also to hit a few of the places we didn’t make it to previously and that we’d found online since our last trip. I think we did well, but I’ll let you be the judge.

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Sunday, June 14

Up at 6:30am to catch our flight from Copenhagen to Munich and then onto Marseille. Both smooth flights — we landed and took off from the same gate in Munich which was incredibly convenient.

After landing in Marseille, we took an Uber to our Airbnb in Les Goudes, a small fishing village about 20 minutes outside of the city center. We stayed in the city and at the beach last year, and it was important to us to experience both again. We dropped off our stuff and immediately headed for lunch at Bikini, the bar atop Tuba Club, a small hotel/restaurant that’s both the most famous place in Les Goudes and one of our favorites.

We drank an excellent bottle of rosé by Yannick Meckert, and ate a pepper-feta dip, a beautiful (but not particularly flavorful tbh) crudo, and red pepper stuffed with tuna salad while staring at the ocean. After a week in cold and rainy Copenhagen, it felt heavenly to have the sun on my skin. I was beginning to think I’d never be warm again. Truly a lovely vibe!

Post-lunch, we walked further into Les Goudes to get a bottle of wine at Boissonnerie Les Goudes, an adorable little café that had already closed for the season when we were there in September. Aaron was still a little hungry so he picked up a spicy salami sandwich with mozzarella. Delicious.

We dropped the wine back at our place, unpacked a little, and then road bikes up to Saména, the calanque where we stayed last year, for a quick and surprisingly chilly dip.

Our first dinner in Les Goudes was at La Marine Des Goudes, a seafood restaurant we ate at last year and loved. We liked it this time too, but it was one of those meals that starts incredibly strong and falls off a little as it progresses. Their crudo was one of the best raw fish dishes we ate all week — gorgeous strawberries and boba pearls in ponzu. There was also asparagus in sauce grebiche, small little whole fish (no idea what I was thinking ordering this, they were way too fishy for me) and a (I think slightly overcooked) tuna with a vegetable stew.

We walked to 20,000 Lieues Sous La Bière to watch the Netherlands play Japan in the World Cup — a great game! I tried to Shazam a whole bunch of songs playing here but I’m pretty sure they were all AI which freaked me out. The game ended around midnight and we walked home to pass out.

Monday, June 15

Aaron was up before me and ventured out to Boissonerie for coffee and pastries. My iced coffee was sweetened with an almond-y simple syrup and surprisingly tasty, but I think the croissants were made with cardboard flour.

This was an exciting morning for us because we were touring a house in Saména! That’s how much we love Marseille. The house is in a great location but the layout was nonsensical and it needs a complete gut. The search will continue. Following the house tour we went to the town beach in Les Goudes. Aaron started to get antsy after literally 20 minutes on the beach, so he went for a hike and grabbed lunch while I lounged and read Tangerinn.

I loved taking in the crowd at the beach. English girls on holiday commiserating over London rents. A couple of sun-sensitive American gays who sat by the beach reading and didn’t even get close to the water. An incredibly stunning pregnant woman with the most enviable tan, sunbathing topless in a red bandana. A young family with a cute toddler and an even smaller baby napping under an umbrella. Teenaged girls splashing each other and singing French songs. I love how Marseille doesn’t feel like you’re surrounded by other holidayers constantly.

While I was observing the people around me and reading, I also got the worst sunburn I’ve had in YEARS. I famously tan well but I don’t know who I thought I was laying out all afternoon with no sunscreen. Lesson officially learned. Aaron came to check on me and I inched back to our Airbnb at around 4, already in pain.

Around 6pm, we stopped for a bottle of wine at Boissonnerie before getting the ferry from Les Goudes into Marseille’s Vieux-Port. It takes about an hour, where a car would only take 20 minutes, but it’s a cheap and scenic way to get yourself on the water. If you want to take it while you’re there, you can find more info on the ferry here.

We had a pre-dinner drink at Café de l’Abbaye, a favorite hang of ours from last year that was buzzing as expected. I wish we had stayed longer, but we had to make our dinner reservation at Ciccino.

Ciccino is a new (as of October 2025) Italian restaurant by Sylvain Roucayrol, the chef of Tuba Club. It’s in a long, surprisingly New York-ish space with a beautiful bar and orangerie where most of the tables are. We were there on a Monday, and the space definitely has autumn/winter restaurant vibes, so it was kind of dead. I felt a bit bummed that we were spending a gorgeous June night at a quiet spot completely indoors.

Adding to our disappointment was the food. Ciccino has a beautiful Instagram, but the anchovies and charcuterie were sloppily plated, our pappardelle with beef ragu was so filled with olives and capers that it tasted like a puttanesca, and the ricotta-filled pasta was bricklike. I also thought the portable lamps on the tables were too big and too bright. This was our only bad meal of the trip. I want to chalk it up to an off night, but you can skip this one, especially if you’re visiting in the summer.

After dinner we cheered ourselves up with a nightcap at Brasserie O Quinze and watched the World Cup, then took an Uber home where I laid my crispy red body down to sleep.

Tuesday, June 16

Woke up feeling even more burnt but very excited for my mom to arrive later that day and to switch to our next Airbnb, this one in the city. We dropped our bags at Chez Madie Les Galinettes, the restaurant owned by our Airbnb host’s mom, and walked to Chez Moe for coffee. They were completely out of coffee, water, pastries and weren’t selling wine, so we settled for Marius Bar next door.

And then my mom arrived! She is one of the least-susceptible-to jet lag people I have ever met — totally chipper and ready to rock and roll. We caught up over coffees and spritzes for an hour while we waited for our Airbnb to be ready, and then got the keys and marched four floors up to get settled.

I absolutely loved where we stayed. Our apartment had an adorable kitchen and adjoined living area with built-in couches for lounging, two cozy bedrooms in the back, and the most unbelievable view of the Vieux-Port and Le Bonne-Mere.

From the Airbnb we walked to Épicerie L’Idéal, which was also the place we went for lunch on our first day in Marseille last year. I’m thrilled it held up — incredibly simple, unpretentious food, like a greek yogurt with sumac, mint, and cucumber, cheese ravioli with pepper and salt, and an excellent mild bleu cheese from Lombardy.

We then headed next door for our first of what became three trips to Maison Empereur, an excellent hardware and homewares store that’s also one of the oldest in France. I had a feeling my mom would love this place as much as we did, and I was right. She and Aaron both made purchases but there’s so much to take in that we knew we’d have to return.

We needed a little downtime, so we chilled for an hour or two at our Airbnb before dinner at Julis, the more casual tapas sister spot to SÉPIA. We ordered almost the entire menu, but it was just not a very up my alley dinner — I don’t love mussels, terrine, or mackerel, so I tried to just fill up on panisse and salad, and was successful. Great vibe but I think I’d just eat at SÉPIA next time.

From dinner we walked to POLPETTE, around the corner from Cafe L’Abbaye, to watch France beat Senegal in their first World Cup match. It was a treat to watch the game in France with a bunch of French people, and the vibes were excellent. We had another bottle of wine and dessert here too!

Wednesday, June 17

Tiny headache this morning. We walked to Petrin Couchette for coffees and an excellent pompe l’huile and then to Marché des Capucins, which had truly stunning produce. I couldn’t stop thinking about how California and Spain/France/Italy are so stacked when it comes to agriculture. My mom and Aaron bought dates and olives.

It was time to admire a little architecture so we took a car to the Unité d'Habitation, a 1945 brutalist building by Le Corbusier that has residences but also a school, offices, stores, and a restaurant. There’s a two hour tour you can do that allows you to see an actual unit, but none of us felt like devoting that much time so we just walked around ourselves. Other than the building itself, a highlight was Maison Mirbel, a great homewares store with a combination of vintage and new merchandise. Aaron bought a cool duck-shaped parmesan knife.

After Maison Mirbel, Aaron insisted we go to Poissonnerie Kennedy for lunch, but they end lunch service at 2pm and we weren’t going to arrive until 2:04. He called and they said they’d wait for us, and I’m SO grateful they did.

Poissonnerie Kennedy is on Corniche Kennedy, a cool street right by the beach. There’s a lovely contrast between the tables clothed in white linen, the exposed brick, garage-door style windows, and vintage yellow pendants above the kitchen. We were kindly encouraged (but not rushed) to order quickly, and what followed was one of the most incredible lunches in recent years.

Clams with wild garlic butter, spring peas and buttery, crunchy croutons, and a side of sourdough bread to sop up the juices. A Dali-esque bouquet of vivacious red shrimp, their antennae peeking over the plate. A tapestry of yellowtail crudo, glistening in shades of pink under ponzu and Provencal olive oil. My head was spinning!

They were out of all the other fish, so we had the barbecued Frioul sea bass with a caramelized sauce grenobloise (brown butter, lemon, capers and parsley) that they served with a side of fries. This was the best cooked fish we ate all week.

And because I was traveling with two people who always want dessert, we ordered a green herb sorbet and and a strawberry/piquillos sorbert. The highlight was the slightly sweet, earthy herb sorbet, enhanced by a shot of mezcal that we were instructed to pour over it. Mind-blowing and so creative. I also enjoyed the spicy pepperiness of the piquillos sorbet with the strawberries, but the herbs were a real standout. The service was so friendly and kind too. This is one of my new favorite restaurants in Marseille.

Buzzing from an incredible meal, wine and mezcal, we walked up Corniche Kennedy towards the picturesque Vallon des Auffes, but there was a marine layer coming in and it started to get so humid that we took a car back to our air-conditioned sanctuary for a few hours.

We zipped across town and up Marseille’s biggest hill for pre-dinner drinks at Le Bon Air, a completely outdoor cafe / snack bar next to Marseille’s magnificent cathedral, Notre-Dame de la Garde. It was extremely busy with Marseille locals of all ages jockeying for tables and taking in the (pardon the pun) immaculate view. We drank rose here for about two hours and made our way down the hill into Vauban, one of the neighborhoods we stayed in last year, for dinner.

Dinner was at Localino Al Mare, a highlight of last year’s dining experience and also the Marseille outpost of Localino, a well-known Italian restaurant in Paris. It was as good as I remembered! We had a green salad, artichokes, mozzarella and tomatoes, and four pastas. My favorite (of both trips) was the paccheri with tomato sauce, but there was also a truffle tagliatelle, buttery sage agnolotti, and pappardelle bolognese.

From dinner we took a car to show my mom the hyper-graffitied going out neighborhood of Cours Julien, which was surprisingly quiet for a Wednesday night in the summer. We drank most of a bottle of wine at Planète Livre Marseille la Passerelle, but were so full and exhausted we decided to just take the rest to go and went home.

Thursday, June 18

Marseille was getting hotter and hotter, so Thursday called for a little shopping. I’m sure there are great womenswear boutiques in this city, but I don’t think menswear is there quite yet. So Uniqlo was the answer. I got a pair of black shorts, Aaron purchased a couple pairs of lightweight summery pants, and my mom bought a big linen shirt.

We then worked our way up into Cours Julien, and through Notre Dame Du Mont on our way to Provisions, an adorable epicerie, cafe and cookbook store. We stopped for lunch at Albert, a great little sandwich shop by a mother and daughter team that’s named after their dachshund who was puttering around the store. I had the Albert, ham and cheese with butter and onions, while Aaron enjoyed a mortadella sandwich with stracciatella and pesto.

After lunch we spent an hour at Cave Pépie, a cozy little wine store with two friendly owners. We tried the white, orange and chilled red they were pouring by the glass and cooled off a little in their AC.

Dinner on Thursday night was at Tuba Club, and we decided to touristmaxx our trip to Les Goudes by taking the ferry there. I actually preferred the ride out to Les Goudes over the one into the Vieux-Port.

We meandered from the ferry stop through Les Goudes, particularly charming at golden hour, and settled in at our table at Tuba Club. This was my third time dining at Tuba, and it’s one of the more unique and special dining experiences I’ve ever had. I think the trick is to try to embrace the increasingly glamorous, scenester crowd who teeter in their heels on the limestone rocks and have their phones out the entire time. Or just focus on the insane views of the sun setting over the Med.

We ordered the classics. Crab served in its shell with cornichons, onion, and egg inside. Yet another stellar crudo with ponzu, strawberry and jalapeno. Clams ‘nduja, which I’ve been thinking about since September, as delicious as I remembered. We also shared a giant john dory that came with a couple of sauces. I thought it was very good, but Tuba’s grilled sea bass is still my favorite whole fish they serve.

Friday, June 19

Our last day in Marseille! We chartered a boat for the day through Click&Boat, and our very sweet captain picked us up five minutes away from our Airbnb. Our first stop was the Frioul Islands, an archipelago right off the coast of Marseille. We settled in for a brisk morning swim and watched a group of men set up for a beautiful beachside shabbat dinner on the island.

From the islands our skipper took us to Chez Le Belge, the remote restaurant in the Calanques National Park that’s only accessible by hike or boat. I was soooo excited to bring my mom here and she made the experience even more fun. We drank our iced rosés, tried to eavesdrop on the French people sitting beside us, and stared out at the water, watching to see who would swim in from their boats for lunch.

You probably don’t think you want to eat a huge bowl of spaghetti bolognese in:

• a bathing suit

• the summer

• the middle of the day

• the south of France

until you’re actually doing it, but you will be so grateful you did. It was so hot that I had to take a quick swim between courses, and we of course had strawberries with chantilly cream for dessert.

From lunch we visited and swam at a few more calanques before anchoring at Île de Riou, which was humming with French boaters drinking wine, smoking hookah and playing music. We relaxed, napped, swam and had a couple of bags of Superbon Crisps de Madrid for a snack. I am calling it now: these will be in every gourmet sandwich shop and grocery store in the US by the end of next year. They are excellent.

Sun-drunk from our day on the boat, we almost didn’t make it out for our last night. My mom suggested a “light” dinner of pizza, which made me laugh but also sounded like a great idea. I wanted to try the Tripletta at Les Plage des Catalans, but we figured it would be crazy busy on a Friday night so we went to their location in Notre Dame Du Mont, which was also super busy but in a pleasant and not chaotic way.

I was really impressed by the pizza. I got the Brooklyn (lol) which was half pepperoni, half margherita, while my Mom tried the Napoli (half margherita, half capers, anchovies and olives). Aaron had the Tripletta with spicy calabrian sausage. Tripletta is technically a chain that exists all over France but it was good enough that I’d recommend it for a chill dinner. We had a nightcap while we watched the tail end of the USA vs. Australia game and then headed back to our Airbnb.

Saturday, June 20

I was so sad to leave Marseille on Saturday morning, but happy for two more nights in France. We needed to make one last pilgrimage to Maison Empereur, where my mom bought some gifts for people at home. We made our way through throngs of French fans who had congregated in Marseille for the Top 14 rugby semi-finals and then jumped in an Uber to Provence.

Our first stop in Provence was La Courtille. Situated in a converted silkworm farm in the tiny town of Tavel, it’s run by the same family that makes Domaine L’Anglore, Aaron’s all-time favorite wine producer. They’re known for a rosé that’s much darker than the typical pale pink hue you’d find in the region, and it’s a pretty small operation so it’s hard to find in the US. We sat outside in the most picturesque little courtyard, ordered a bottle of L’Anglore, and settled in for a truly magical lunch.

First, slightly spicy battered cod fritters with a slice of lime to add a little extra acid. A beef tartare seasoned with soy sauce and served with white onion, lettuce, cucumber, and an anchovy to add just the right amount of umami.

We progressed to a truly stellar lamb dish, as salty and tender as you could wish for, and a beautifully cooked piece of sea bass on a bed of romano beans, potato and zucchini.

And finally, a perfect flourless chocolate cake, strawberries (again!) with cream, and an apricot cake so beloved that my mom asked for the recipe, which our server gave her! It’s apparently famous enough to warrant a YouTube video on how to make it, which you can find here.

Buzzing from the spectacular food (and second bottle of L’Anglore), we took an Uber to a natural wine shop in nearby Avignon and then to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, our destination for the next two nights.

We were meeting up with Beth and Jeff, two of my mom’s oldest friends and two of the adults who most shaped my worldview as a kid. They lived down the street and then next door to us, are excellent cooks, let me sit at the adults table when they had dinner parties, and exposed my siblings and me to Judaism by inviting us to their Passover and Chanukah celebrations. Their backyard always had the most lush and beautiful grass and they also threw the most incredible Fourth of July parties. We rented a beautiful villa in Provence with them when I was in middle school, so it was fitting to reunite here.

We dropped our bags and immediately started drinking rose and catching up by the pool, before dinner of mussels, a green salad, bread, and a gorgeous strawberry and chocolate tart for dessert. Everyone went to bed early so Aaron and I watched the World Cup in our room before turning off the lights.

Sunday, June 21

Our last full day in France! We walked about 10 minutes into town to Colette Cafe, an adorable little spot that served the best iced coffee I had in France and a very solid pain au chocolat to boot! Most of the group was off to an early wine tasting, but Aaron and I took a car to L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue to experience their world famous antiques market.

We mozied through the open-air sellers and browsed vintage silver, cookware, clothes and other antiques, but I actually thought the best selection was at the galleries nearby.

It seemed like the weather couldn’t be hotter (although it did get hotter later that week) so Aaron and I cooled off in the shade at Monsieur Sommelier while we waited to meet up with his French friend Freddy, who actually lives in New York but was in Provence for work — he’s a flight attendant on a private plane.

After re-strategizing, we bought vintage silver trays at Dickinson Antiquities and a cool Suze ashtray at the gallery next door that sold a lot of restaurant merch. I also thought the selection at 50 Cinquante was strong (their Instagram is followed by some NYC design world heavyweights) but bigger furniture pieces and lighting that we didn’t have room for.

Freddy, Aaron and I went for lunch at Le Cafe du Village. It was too hot to eat anything but a salad and we had strawberries and cream for dessert again and then he drove us back to our villa. Aaron and I napped for an hour and then I spent about four hours in the pool chatting with Beth and my mom.

Dinner was what my English friends would call picky bits — and then we walked into town for Fête de la Musique. Held on the summer solstice every year, there’s live music playing in towns and cities all over the country. We jaunted through the city past people of all ages listening and dancing to music of varying degrees of professionalism. At restaurants, in the streets, makeshift stages set up in the square, it felt so joyful and wholesome. Aaron and I went to Brasserie GUS to meet back up with Freddy, and then promenaded around town — the music seemed to get more DJ-oriented as the night went on. We ended up at Bistrot Les Pieds dans l’Eau, a huge open-air restaurant/nightclub with a bunch of nervous-looking Provencal teenagers and 20-somethings trying to avoid being sprayed by the bartenders’ water guns.

We danced until about 12:30 and stumbled to La Pause for a late night bite and then walked home. The next morning we packed and said goodbye to our friends, my mom, and a beautiful week in France.

Final thoughts

I truly love Marseille so much and returning soon after our first trip only cemented this for me. I think it’s kind of the perfect city. I love the size, the food, the weather, the proximity to the water/beach, and how young and fun the energy of the city is. We’ve already started discussing our 2027 visit, and I’d love to buy something here someday.

My favorite places haven’t changed, and we added a few new ones to the list, but there are still so many I want to try. This was the third incredibly fun and successful trip I’ve taken with Aaron and my mom together and I’m so grateful that we have these experiences together.

See below for the hit list:

City: Le Café de L’Abbaye, Grenadine, Localino al Mare, Maison Empereur, Epicerie L’IDEAL, Le Vin sur la Main, Pompé, Planète Livre Marseille la Passerelle, La Ola,
Vallon des Auffes, Corniche Kennedy, Poissonnerie Kennedy (NEW), Le Bon Air (NEW)

Beach: Tuba Club, La Baie des Singes, La Marine Des Goudes, Chez le belge, Ile de Riou, boat day, Boissonnerie Les Goudes (NEW), Bikini (NEW)

Thank you so much for reading, as always!

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14. The River is Waiting

by Wally Lamb

One of the most beautiful things about being in a book club is being forced to read literature you would never normally pick up or even be aware of. And one of the most challenging things about being in a book club is being forced to read literature you would never normally pick up or even be aware of.

The River is Waiting, the worst book I’ve read this year, follows Corby Ledbetter, a terribly named character, who accidentally commits a devastating crime due to unresolved substance abuse issues and gets sent to prison.

Conveniently, Corby is the wokest RISD dropout to ever go to prison, and he tries to make positive changes to his and others’ lives by painting a mural, mentoring troubled youths, and more. He even befriends his gay roommate! There’s also a really long chapter about the history of Connecticut. The whole thing should’ve been about 100 pages shorter.

Because it’s a prison novel, there’s an antagonistic guard who makes poor Corby’s life hell, and it wraps with a tragic and completely unearned twist.

When to read this: I would only resort to reading this if I were stranded on a desert island and had run out of things to talk to my volleyball-turned-BFF about.

13. The Lion Women of Tehran

by Marjan Kamali

The Lion Women of Tehran is the second-worst book I’ve read this year only because the premise was more interesting to me. I would describe it as: if Kristin Hannah tried to squeeze My Brilliant Friend and the next three books in the stunning Neapolitan Quartet into one novel and set in Iran in the 1950s. There’s a compelling, timely story about Irani women that could be excellent if done by a better writer, but this read like a Disney-fied telling of the time period. Every character is basically a good person! Betrayals and any and all misunderstandings are accidental! And easily forgiven! Just like in real life.

When to read this: If you loved The Berry Pickers or have finished all of Kristin Hannah’s books and loved them.

12. Wuthering Heights

by Emily Brontë

I also read this for a book club in anticipation of Emerald Fennell’s (bizarre, miscast, silly) adaption. Wuthering Heights was one of the biggest slogs I have ever forced myself to get through, and the dialogue written in the servant-dialect of the time is genuinely mind-numbing, but Brontë deftly sticks the landing. Even though I hated reading it and basically every character, I did cry at the end.

When to read this: By candlelight in the middle of winter so you can better understand how depressed, cold and bored they all were.

11. Lost Lambs

by Madeline Cash

I was going to write a whole thing about how it’s not Madeline Cash’s fault that someone compared Lost Lambs to Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections, which is one of my favorite books of all time. But after a quick Google, it was Madeline HERSELF who invoked Mr. Franzen as an inspiration and that’s where some of the comparisons came from.

Lost Lambs is a quirky little read about two parents in a dysfunctional open marriage and their three teenage daughters who are all going through various issues of their own. Cash definitely has a distinct voice, and it’s cute and funny at points, but Lost Lambs isn’t long enough and doesn’t go deep enough into the interior lives of the characters to leave a lasting impression. I’m curious to see what she writes next because I think she’s probably two books away from writing a grand slam.

When to read this: I think Lost Lambs would actually be a pretty decent beach read.

10. Caledonian Road

by Andrew O’Hagan

It’s so strange to read a novel that takes place after Covid, both because it feels like a confirmation that it happened and also because we as a society have moved past it without ever really acknowledging how traumatic and tragic the entire thing was.

Caledonian Road follows Campbell Flynn, a scholar and “celebrity intellectual” as he (and a series of characters he’s connected to in various ways) navigate the chaos of post-Covid society in London.

It’s more than 600 pages long, but moves quickly, and while I liked it, I found some of the characters’ perspectives a lot less interesting and compelling than others and I think a slightly more focused novel would’ve been more successful.

When to read this: There are a lot of characters and plot points to keep track of here, so I’d read Caledonian Road on a long flight where it’s harder to get distracted.

9. Yesteryear

by Caro Claire Burke

Yesteryear is a not particularly well-written but very fun page-turner about Natalie Heller Mills, a trad-wife influencer who finds herself transported back to pioneer times. It alternates back and forth between Natalie’s origin story and the bygone era that she finds herself in. Natalie is such a miserable, calculating, vindictive character that I actually circled back around into liking her for most of the novel.

Anne Hathaway has signed on to executive produce and star in the film adaption, which I think will be very entertaining. But I hope they change the ending when they adapt it because I don’t think it lands.

When to read this: Another fun beach read, we read it for a book club and I thought it was a great pick for a book club book.

8. Tangerinn

by Emanuela Anechoum, translated by Lucy Rand

Tangerinn follows Mina, a Moroccan-Italian woman living in London who is estranged from her family. Her father dies suddenly, and she returns to the seaside town where she grew up to deal with the aftermath and her fractured relationship with her family and herself. Translated beautifully, and with themes of identity, belonging, and the immigrant experience, Tangerinn is very introspective and poetically written. There are definitely notes of Sally Rooney here, in a good way, although the lack of quotation marks will drive some of you insane. I just found it a bit too introspective, bordering on whiny, at times. But I still enjoyed it!

When to read this: I read it while on vacation in Europe. It’s not exactly a breezy read, but I think there’s something about the unfamiliarity of a foreign country correlating with the immigrant experience that helped me relate better to the mindset of the characters.

7. Kitchen Confidential

by Anthony Bourdain

Kitchen Confidential was extremely thoughtfully gifted to me by my direct report, and I loved it. It does feel a little dated now because of how much restaurants and the way we eat has changed since it was written, but Anthony Bourdain writes exactly the way he speaks in a way that I’ve never experienced with another writer. We learn about how and why Anthony fell in love with food, became a chef, and it has a bunch of crazy stories and early 2000s restaurant gossip that was probably extremely juicy at the time.

When to read this: Now! Or right before Tony, the biopic, comes out on August 7th.

6. London Falling

by Patrick Radden Keefe

This was on my list after reading Patrick Radden Keefe’s excellent New Yorker article about the mysterious, tragic death of 19-year-old Zac Brettler, who jumped from a luxury apartment building on the Thames in London in November 2019. Radden Keefe investigates the circumstances that led to Brettler’s death — taking the reader deep into the lives of the people involved and the social and political dynamics in London that contributed to it.

When to read this: I think this is a great companion read to Caledonian Road. I’d read Caledonian Road first and follow with this one.

5. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland

by Patrick Radden Keefe

I’ve read so many books by Irish and Northern Irish authors in the last few years, and have been increasingly interested in learning more about The Troubles, a complicated ethno-nationalist conflict that was never mentioned at school or college in the US. Say Nothing is a nonfiction, narrative account of this tumultuous and fascinating period and follows the lives and stories of some of the key players in the conflict.

I bought this as a tester to see if I liked Patrick Radden Keefe’s work before reading London Falling, which just came out, and I do! I have Say Nothing ranked above London Falling because I feel like I learned more from Say Nothing and its scope is a bit wider.

When to read this: Before you read Trespasses, a 2022 novel by Louise Kennedy that takes place during The Troubles which was also adapted into a TV show starring Gillian Anderson.

4. Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage

by Belle Burden

One of the most discussed books of the year, I was so impressed by Belle Burden’s brutally honest account of her marriage and divorce. I thought she described the implosion of her marriage with a surprising amount of grace and without bashing her husband, even though you’re on her side throughout.

Burden is a descendant of both the Vanderbilts and a Standard Oil founder, so there is more privilege and money at play here than most of us will ever have access to, but there’s a not-overly preachy lesson here to be accountable for yourself and your own financial well-being amidst the lifestyle porn and emotional turmoil.

When to read this: Now, while everyone’s talking about it, or before the series produced by and starring Gwyneth Paltrow is released.

🥉Play It As It Lays

by Joan Didion

My first Joan Didion! Recommended to me by my sister, Play It As It Lays fits nicely into one of my favorite genres: sad, hot, rich girls being self-destructive. I don’t want to say too much because it’s so well done, but the novel follows an actor named Maria around Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and the Mojave as she struggles with her career, marriage, motherhood, aging, and substance abuse. It’s depressing, and heavy, but so beautifully written. Like reading a gigantic poem. I already want to reread it and am looking forward to reading more Didion.

When to read this: In a hot, dry place. I would love to read this while lazing around southern California.

🥈Famesick

by Lena Dunham

I was wowed by this. I’ve always thought Girls was a total masterpiece, but Lena Dunham’s continued ability (or compulsion) to be so raw and open about her life and feelings when it’s brought her so much strife is really something to behold. She’s such a talented writer, and there are many interesting bits about Girls, her relationships with Jack Antonoff and Jenni Konner, and her health and addiction struggles. I cried the entire way through it.

When to read this: Right before or after your first (or umpteenth) time watching Girls .

🥇Valley of the Dolls

by Jacqueline Susann

My favorite book of the year so far, and one of the best I’ve read in a long time. Valley of the Dolls is a 1967 novel that tracks three women in post-World War II America trying to make it in New York.

There’s beautiful Anne, who moves to the city to escape the monotony of her Massachusetts hometown. Her roommate Neely, a teenager who dreams of being on Broadway, and their friend Jennifer, an actress with a mysterious past who is famous for her beautiful figure.

Drama, intrigue, and drug abuse ensue as they get mixed up in the underbelly of show business and with wealthy men. It’s gossipy, funny, nasty, and includes allusions to real-life actresses of the time, which you should Google after you read. I was riveted. Valley of the Dolls was made into a movie in the 1960s, but I think it’s long overdue for a remake as a limited series on Apple TV. If you read this or have recommendations for similar novels, let me know. I would love to discuss.

When to read this: I would read this with a book club if you’re in one, we had a great discussion about it.

And that’s everything I’ve read this year! Thank you so much for reading, as always. This was fun to write. I think I’ll do one another with everything I read in the second half of the year too.

Next up — an extremely in-depth recap of my recent Marseille trip. What books have you loved and hated in 2026?

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I’m starting this post in the air en route from Copenhagen to our connecting flight in Munich before we fly to Marseille. I had a wonderful week in Copenhagen, even though the weather sucked. It’s wild to me that there are places in the Northern Hemisphere where it can be 60 degrees (that’s 15.5 C for my international readers) and SO rainy in the middle of June.

I laid a little lower this year than I normally do during 3daysofdesign, so here’s a (hopefully) brief-ish recap of the highlights. If you’re traveling to Copenhagen or are just curious, I wrote a longer Copenhagen guide here.

I ate my first BMO within an hour of landing in Copenhagen while I waited to get keys to my Airbnb in Østerbro. For the uninitiated, BMO stands for bolle med ost, or bun with cheese. It’s the unofficial national breakfast of Denmark and arguably the perfect breakfast dish.

The Airbnb host recommended Skipper Bageri, which I hadn’t heard of but was absolutely hopping from about 8am onwards. I got mine with sesame and thought it was excellent. They also have a cute outdoor seating area right in the sun on Østerbrogade.

Because I spend the majority of the trip at the LP showroom, I don’t get to see as much of the festival as I’d like to. I did get to check out Display / Displayed at Simone Book Services, which was curated by Rhya Johnston-Wallace and really impressive. My favorites were these stunning glass coupes, vases, and ashtray by Justine Menard, an artist out of Barcelona.

I also had a great time at the grand opening party for A-N-D Light’s new Copenhagen showroom that will also be their European HQ. I drank an electric blue mezcal/tequila cocktail by Aeris Cocktails and caught up with my friend Sophie, who joined the A-N-D team in August and is absolutely thriving, on the third floor balcony.

Aaron landed on Thursday, and he met me at the Louis Poulsen showroom where we enjoyed Lover sparkling water spiked with gin before heading to the Audo party, which was absolutely thumping and seemed even more crowded than usual. After a drink and a little dancing, we watched Mexico beat South Africa at Bottega Estadio. The kitchen was closed by the time we arrived, but I had an excellent, Mexican-inspired meal with my mom here last year and the staff is so lovely.

On Friday evening I went to one of the most insane apartments I’ve ever been to in my life to celebrate the close of the festival and the launch of Dgung Ngo’s new book, Knife, Fork, Spoon, with David Michon. I idiotically didn’t take any pictures, so here are some of David’s from 2025. Thank you David!

After the party, Aaron and I had our best meal of the year (so far) at Cleo. We started with a Korean fried oyster, crispy with gochujang sauce, and then moved onto spicy Hiramasa crudo with crunchy sweet peas, a little gem salad with the freshest green goddess dressing and greenbeans, sea bass in a buttery citrus sauce, and tasty potatoes. This is an absolute must-visit in Copenhagen. We had a drink before at Kølsters Tolv Haner across the street and then bopped around to gay bars, the more fun of which was Centre Stage.

On Saturday morning we braved the weekend line at juno the bakery for a rhubarb vanilla custard tart (“the best pastry I’ve ever had in my life,” says Aaron), an insane pain au chocolate, and a couple of BMOs. I actually think the sweet pastries at juno are better than their BMOs, but they’re still good.

In the afternoon we did some light browsing at Arket, Georg Jensen, and Royal Copenhagen (I loved the relaunch of their Triton collection with Griegst) before biking to Vesterbro to check out Out of Use Berlin’s popup at Skall Studio. Gorgeous vintage silver. We didn’t end up pulling the trigger on anything, but we should’ve. Aaron also discovered a cute homeware store called Dora on the same great block as Skall Studio that I’d recommend stopping into.

After getting poured on for the third or fourth time, we took a car to Auren’s Deli for a late lunch of bread and olive oil, salt cod with fennel, olives and roasted pepper, and an excellent steamed hake with chickpeas. This was my third visit to Auren’s and it’s such a great spot for a chill lunch and bottle of wine. They also just opened a little corner store down the street that was closed by the time we got to it but looks adorable.

For dinner on Saturday, we finally tried Bar Vitrine, a tiny wine bar in the city center with Indian-inspired dishes that’s been on my list for years. We had an incredible meal. We started with a sweet potato and lentil pancake with mint chutney, tamarind, and salty chopped radish, and their take on a blooming onion with a lime coriander sauce.

Next was a black sesame barbecue chicken with a rhubarb curry leaf salad that was one of the juiciest, most delicious chickens I’ve ever had. I could eat this every day. We finished with a semolina crusted, hibiscus-chili sea bass that came with a flaky flatbread. I thought this was the least strong dish of the four but still so good. They don’t take reservations, so be prepared to wait or stand. I think I have to eat here every trip now!

And that’s all from Copenhagen! Thank you so much for reading. I’ll be back shortly with a review on the books I’ve read this year and a recap of Marseille. Until next time!

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I love so many things about May. Celebrating two incredibly special people (Mother’s Day and my sister’s birthday), the weather finally turning, Memorial Day Weekend, summer Fridays starting… and so on.

But I think it’s just time for me accept that this month will always feel a little manic. Maybe that’s even what I like about it. So here’s everything I did this month, and here’s to embracing the May-nia.

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May 1-3

Started the month in Napa with my best friends from college, which I wrote about here.

May 7

When I got back, I had a few days to chill before my brother Nick came down from New Hampshire for an extremely brief, much-anticipated visit. He’s a chef at a catering company, and every weekend of his from May through October is packed with some combination of graduation party, milestone birthday, and wedding. So my sister Liv and I settled for a 24-hour visit that commenced on a Thursday afternoon.

On a gorgeous spring Thursday, we biked from Liv’s apartment in Williamsburg to Roberta’s, one of my all-time favorite NYC spots. I hadn’t been in years and I’m thrilled to share it still holds up.

After Roberta’s we spent the afternoon wandering through Bushwick, a neighborhood I’ve never really become too familiar with. With Liv as our guide we stopped at Pearl’s Social & Billy Club for outdoor margs before heading to Cherry On Top, a natural wine bar with a rooftop that’s been on my list of places to try for three years. We basked like lizards in the sun, drinking an excellent bottle of Zot by La Cave Apicole and eating the largest olives I have ever seen. I would be here all the time if I lived closer.

We rode bikes again to dinner at Oxomoco, an excellent Mexican restaurant in Greenpoint that I hadn’t visited since 2019. It was still bumping and still good — we shared mangos in chili powder, guacamole, a delicious tuna tostada with salsas matcha, and shared a half chicken. We had a nice long walk back to Liv’s apartment after dinner. I truly love a post dinner promenade! It’s so rare that the three of us get to spend time together without our mom or our partners present, and it feels like a return to how things were in a way that makes me feel very sentimental.

May 8-10

On Friday afternoon I wolfed down a new contender for my favorite breakfast burrito in NYC from Ceremonia Bakeshop before we jumped in my sister’s car and started the looong drive up to New Hampshire to celebrate Mother’s Day with… our mother!

I’d been hoping for sun, but was honestly relieved for a rainy Saturday in New Hampshire. We took our traditional morning walk along the water, got rained on a little, and then spent the afternoon chatting, reading and napping. So relaxing to just spend time together doing nothing. In the evening we ventured out for drinks at The Wallingford Dram, a tiny cocktail bar in Kittery, just over the border in Maine. This spot is a family favorite because they do both inventive drinks (think chocolate bitters) and tiki classics (like a Junglebird and a rum punch). I had a mezcal marg, obviously, and a lemon drop. I’ve been branching out from mezcal margaritas a little bit more this year, and the lemon drop was better!

After drinks we walked next door to The Black Birch. Everything about The Black Birch feels a little 2010s gastropub in a truly great way. I’ve never had a bad meal (or even a bad dish actually) here, the wine list is cool, and the service is so warm and friendly. The menu rotates a lot but we always get the pickled vegetables and the duck poutine. I truly believe The Black Birch could go toe-to-toe with any neighborhood spot in Brooklyn.

On Sunday we had a lovely Mother’s Day brunch al fresco at Chapel & Main in Dover, and then Liv and I drove back to New York. A quick weekend in NH but so lovely to chill and spend quality time with my Mom!

May 13-14

I had a few nights off again until the 13th, where I went to design week events uptown and downtown (Bonham’s and FOR SCALE) before dinner with Aaron and our friend Eva at Ambassador’s Clubhouse. My favorite dish, by far, was the butter chicken lollipops. We sat in a huge booth in their clubby basement dining room across from (the singer) Ciara, who is I think the most beautiful person I have ever seen in real life.

On the 14th, I went to the VIP opening of TEFAF New York with my sister. I was part of the PR team that introduced TEFAF to New York in 2016 and worked on it for the next five years. Not only did I learn so much, but it’s such a special fair and one of my favorite New York traditions. It was also the absolute biggest source of stress and anxiety for me in May for those five years.

My former coworker and one of my favorite people on earth, Magda, now works for TEFAF, and it’s always great to see her and do our annual catch up.

May 15-17

On Friday afternoon I purchased a case of assorted orange, rose and red wines from Wine Therapy and drove up to Ghent, New York, with Aaron, Liv and her boyfriend Reilly to celebrate Liv and her friend Jon’s 30th birthdays.

I am famously not an Upstate enjoyer, but we had an incredible weekend. They absolutely scored on the Airbnb — huge, on a beautiful property with a pool, and decorated like an actual home rather than a rental property. We opened a couple of bottles of wine before heading into Hudson for a big group dinner at La Mision, a divey Mexican spot that started a little bumpy but more than redeemed itself when the lovely staff let us DJ and sang the most stunningly gorgeous, operatic rendition of “Happy Birthday” I’ve ever heard.

We wrapped up the night at Governor’s Tavern around the corner (it’s so comforting to know you can still get an eight dollar drink somewhere in the state of New York) before collapsing into bed.

Liv’s friends made pancakes, eggs and perfectly crispy bacon on Saturday morning, and we went out to run a few errands before sunbathing, drinking wine, and cold plunging in the pool all afternoon. After a little nap, we got ready for the evening and drank batched strawberry negronis and mezcal margaritas (by Aaron and yours truly) by the pool before tucking into a delicious meal by Lydia. Highly recommend her for catering upstate. We spent the rest of the night dancing in the kitchen and closed it out by singing Lady Gaga around the fire pit at 2am.

We drove to Hudson Diner for a much-needed recovery breakfast on Sunday morning after packing up the Airbnb, and then spent a few hours shopping on Warren Street. It’s been about five years since I spent any meaningful time in Hudson and I was truly blown away by how good the shopping was. My favorites:

• Neven & Neven Moderne: Beautiful (mostly Danish) mid-century furniture and vintage lighting.

• Red Chair on Warren: Ceramics and other homewares, mainly French antique. This store made me say aloud to Aaron “we need to buy a house.”

• Batterby House: A combination of generic cute store knickknacks and vintage tin and copper. Aaron got the most adorable silver pedestal here that is currently sitting on our bookshelf.

After shopping we drove to Art Omi, a sculpture park in nearby Chatham — it was a truly gorgeous spring day in the Hudson Valley and so cool to spend time taking in the art and the nature. It’s also basically free — just a suggested donation. I loved it.

May 19

Cried all afternoon after my beloved Arsenal FINALLY won the Premier League, 22 years after their last win. It was a very anxiety-inducing season and there were so many times that I was sure they were going to blow it, but they didn’t, which was a huge relief. Supporting Arsenal men and women has truly changed my life and brought me so much joy. There’s a future Substack post, eventually, about what this club means to me and how I feel about finding my way back into soccer/football after quitting in high school. More to come here.

May 20

Aaron and I finally ate at F&F Pizzeria — we went rogue and got an arrabbiata pizza with anchovies that was too tomato-y for me but I do want go back. The room would be perfect for a private party.

May 21

Went alllll the way west to Hudson Yards and alllll the way up to the 51st floor to spend time in my friend Sam’s apartment to discuss Yesteryear with our book club. I don’t know anyone else who lives this high up and the views were absolutely wild. Lovely cozy night.

May 22

Worked from home all day and then ventured into the Lower East Side for an absolutely wild night with my friend Liz. We started at Colbo Next Door, had a truly excellent meal outside at Cervo’s — I finally understand the hype after my third visit — and ended at The Ten Bells. I really paid for it the next day but it was so worth it.

May 23

A horrible weather day, and Liv’s 30th birthday. She was on a boat in Puerto Rico so we spent a very cozy night in with our friend Aurora who was in town visiting family. I met her through Aaron, but you know when you meet someone and immediately adore them even though you can’t put your finger on why? That’s how I felt about her, and my adoration only grows the more I’ve gotten to know her.

May 24

Had lunch with Aaron and Robyn at Bar Bruno, which was recently reopened by the Greenpoint Fish & Lobster team and is arguably the most impressive resurrection since Jesus Christ himself. Their guac, tuna ceviche, and margs are all excellent — I haven’t had a bad dish there yet. Our new favorite neighborhood spot!

May 27

Dinner at Keens with my other book club to discuss The Valley of the Dolls. Maddy brilliantly suggested the book and Janey brilliantly suggested the restaurant. I thought the vibes at Keens were better than the food, but the food is solid and they let us sit there for 3.5 hours. More thoughts on The Valley of the Dolls to come.

May 29

The first summer Friday of the year and an absolutely perfect weather day! I biked to Crown Heights and spent the evening at Franklin Park with a hilarious crew of mostly English and Irish expats celebrating my new friend Chris’s birthday. I drank an insane blue raspberry sour from Evil Twin that tasted exactly like a Jolly Rancher — yum.

May 30

Got to The Black Bull a little before 11am to watch Arsenal in the Champions League final. They lost, but I tried English back bacon and HP sauce for the first time, both of which I liked. Aaron, Liv, Reilly, Liz and I stumbled to Bar Bruno again after the game for some a consolation marg and some much-needed chips and guac.

May 31

A couch day spent catching up on Bravo, the hilarious last season of Hacks, and watching the first four episodes of the excellent (and pretty scary) new series Widow’s Bay.

And that’s it for May! Did it feel manic to you? I’m about to head to Copenhagen for work and then Marseille (again!) for a little holiday. More later this month on both cities. Thanks so much for reading, as always, and see you next time!

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Several hundred texts later, and mainly due to the diligence of our friend Jess, who somehow held us accountable to confirming dates and itineraries while raising a newborn, we spent an incredible three days in the Napa Valley.

Here’s everything we did!

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Thursday, April 30

Up at the C.O.D. (crack of dawn) for an 8:45am flight to San Francisco. Met up with Liz at our gate. I always forget how long the flight to SF is, even though I had just done it six weeks prior — I spent this one alternating between napping and reading Stoner by John Williams.

After landing, we grabbed Liz’s suitcase at baggage claim and took the shuttle to the rental car pickup where we met up with Mia and Tatum. I wanted to pick up wine from Gemini Bottle Co, but they didn’t open until 2pm, so we decided to stop for lunch in the Mission to kill time. A quick Google led us to Limoncello, an Italian sandwich shop and market with some of the biggest sandwiches I’ve ever come across. I wolfed down half of their excellent tuna sandwich, which we ate outside in glorious Northern California sunshine.

We picked out seven or so bottles at Gemini, mainly Californian of course. It blows my mind how many small California producers there are that just don’t sell in NYC, so it’s exciting to taste them while I’m out west. I was also really impressed by the specialty groceries at Gemini — we were trying not to stock up on food since we knew we’d barely be spending time at the Airbnb but I could’ve really gone nuts in there.

We arrived in Napa at around 4:30 and freshened up while we waited for the rest of the group to get back from Duckhorn. We immediately cracked open an excellent bottle of rosé from Subject to Change, which I just read is shutting down. Bottle one went quickly so we moved on to a 2022 bottle of chardonnay from the same producer, which I also liked but wasn’t as well received by the group.

We ventured into downtown Napa as the sun was setting, but we weren’t all hungry for dinner yet, so we crushed a cheese and charcuterie plate and bottle of chilled red from adorable butcher shop Fatted Calf.

Next door to Fatted Calf is the Napa outpost of Gott’s Roadside, a Napa Valley institution. I’d heard so much about this place from Aaron, who spent his teenage years and early adulthood in St. Helena — home to the original location of Gott’s. I ordered their famous burger, fries, and had some of the chicken tenders. The bun on my burger was a little stale and the burger itself tasted a bit under seasoned, but I was impressed by the fries and tenders.

I wasn’t in the mood for my own dessert, but I tried some of Liz’s vanilla ice cream, which instantly became one of the best I’ve ever had. I overall really enjoyed Gott’s but would want to visit the OG St. Helena location next time.

After dinner we took an Uber back to our Airbnb and met up with Becca, who was last to arrive. We goofed around on the couch a little bit and then trickled upstairs for an early bedtime.

Friday, May 1

I woke up feeling incredibly rested, possibly because Tatum and I scored the best room. We gathered the group and drove to St. Helena to get breakfast at Under-Study (I would’ve spelled/styled it Understudy FYI). It’s a casual little sister spot to the Michelin-starred restaurant Press, and it feels very new with high, high ceilings and yellow tile.

Lattes and matcha with lavender and caramel and other accoutrements were ordered, along with some pastries. I was feeling both uninspired and undercaffeinated and just got a cold brew, which was fine, but I wish I picked something a bit more interesting.

After Under-Study we drove into St. Helena, which was probably the place I was most excited to visit because of all the wonderful things Aaron has said about it. We parked and visited the adorable Station St. Helena (some of us already needed to re-caffeinate) and set off to explore Main Street.

We kicked off at Napa Valley Vintage Home (think Ginori, Astier de Villatte, Diptyque, and those destination coffee table books by Assouline with some old lady-chic clothing and accessories mixed in). We also stopped in a few other boutiques, the highlight of which was Carter and Co. They sell their own ceramics and other beautiful homewares along with Flamingo Estate candles.

Other highlights from our quick trip to St. Helena were Patina, the most adorably named vintage jewelry store, and Acres, another great home and garden store that Aaron’s mom cofounded and is closing after 14 years in business — the owners are retiring.

On our way back from St. Helena we picked up sandwiches from Oakville Grocery — I got a turkey sandwich with bacon, greens, avocado, and garlic aioli. Two for two on excellent sandwiches this trip! And then we called cars to visit Matthiasson, the first winery on the itinerary.

Matthiasson is a (comparatively) tiny, family-owned estate that focuses on organic/natural winemaking. If I haven’t made it clear already, I am a huge natural wine enthusiast and was admittedly a little concerned about visiting a region not necessarily celebrated for that style of winemaking.

We were seated at a perfectly square table in a gorgeous indoor-outdoor area overlooking the Napa hills and tasted five Matthiasson wines, my favorite of which was their white table wine from 2023. I sent two bottles back to Aaron in New York. I loved how intimate and cozy it felt here — this was my favorite of the trip.

After Matthiasson we drove to Robert Biale, who specialize in Zinfandel, a grape varietal specifically requested by Jackie. We tasted a rose, three Zinfandels, and a Petite Sirah, with a few other reds thrown in. The very friendly guy who did our tasting provided us a lot of history on the Biale family — I think I now know more about them than I do my own ancestors — but we sat in a lovely patio area overlooking the vineyard and the weather was perfect. Our resident Zinfandel enthusiast ordered several bottles so I think it was worth it.

We were perfectly buzzed as we wrapped up at Robert Biale, and decided to move back our dinner reservation so we could keep the party going a little bit at Cadet in downtown Napa, which I found on Reddit. We sat outside and crushed a couple bottles of white wine and two cheese and charcuterie platters (always a hit with this crew). We arrived right when it opened and it apparently stays lively later into the evening too, so add this one to your list if you’re planning a trip.

Dinner was at Bear, the restaurant at Stanly Ranch, which is part of the Auberge collection. I’ve only visited two Auberge locations — The Vanderbilt in Newport, Rhode Island, and Wildflower Farms in the Hudson Valley, and Stanly Ranch blew them both out of the water. Just a stunning, sprawling property. I would love to stay here.

But back to dinner! Bear was incredible and easily the best meal we had on the trip. It’s obviously easy to love seasonal Californian cuisine and I don’t really expect a hotel restaurant to take big culinary risks, but the food was executed so well here. My favorites were:

• The crispy rice remix with basil, chili crisp, and fish sauce caramel

• Miyagi oysters with a green strawberry gremolata

• Broccolini with a miso bearnaise

• A half chicken with fermented kohlrabi and (insert this meme here) hibiscus harissa.

After dinner we finished our drinks by the fire pit — we had ambitious plans to go out after dinner but jet lag (and being 32) set in so we just took a car home and chilled for a little before bed.

Saturday, May 2

As a native New Englander, I’m always mystified by the way California mornings so often start out gloomy and turn into a stunning day. The first few of us were up and ready to go quite early so Price, Jess, Tatum and I drove into Yountville for an early coffee and breakfast at Mini-Model, a branch of Saint Helena’s Model Bakery.

I loved the blueberry muffin I had here — so fresh and still warm. We took a lovely walk through Yountville, past world famous The French Laundry and through a more residential neighborhood with adorable bungalows.

After our walk, we got drove back to Napa, got ready, and took a car back to Yountville for brunch at Clementine. It’s a newer spot with a beautiful, leafy terrace, and seems designed for Instagram and bachelorette trips. They have a spritz tower, for example. We were seated inside, unfortunately, even though we requested an outdoor table. I had a chicken Caesar that was perfectly fine, but probably wouldn’t rush back here.

Next on the itinerary was Nickel & Nickel. I think this was the most beautiful space we visited and the tasting here included a 15 minute tour of the winery, which I actually thought was fascinating. There’s a gorgeous courtyard with a fountain, a gigantic barn imported from New Hampshire (the California of the east), vineyard and mountain views, plenty of tables outside for tastings, and a beautiful old manor house.

So imagine our shock when we were led into the basement (which barely even exist in California) for our tasting. We had the space to ourselves since everyone else was outside enjoying the beautiful day or at least in a windowed room indoors.

Fortunately for Nickel & Nickel, and us, this was juxtaposed by the most personable tasting guide we had at any winery. He was funny, brought us different wines based on what was resonating with different members of the group, and told a very sweet story about meeting his fiancé working at Brix and reconnecting with her later in life. I wasn’t in love with any of the wines here (again, lots of full-bodied reds) but he made it a great experience.

Our final winery of the trip was Alpha Omega, a sprawling, modern winery that felt a bit like a Restoration Hardware. This was the biggest and most lively of anywhere we visited, and we were thrilled to be outside. We asked our host for more whites and rosés here, and he cooperated, so vibes were high. From Alpha Omega we took a car back to Yountville (again!) and sat for an early-ish dinner at Ciccio.

Before dinner I took a quick detour to Hillstone Home — kind of a random concept and strange selection of homewares but some absolutely stunning (and rare) vintage Poul Henningsen fixtures here.

I loved our final meal at Ciccio. We sat outside on Washington Street, which is Yountville’s main drag and great for people watching. Lots of very drunk wine tasters milling about. The pizza and pork chop were both very solid, but the unanimous favorite was the chopped salad — one of the best I’ve ever had and so beloved we had to order a second.

After dinner we made a quick stop into Pancha’s, the bar next door. It was rowdier than I was in the mood for and I didn’t feel like talking to strangers, so a few of us decamped to The Restaurant at North Block across the street for a nightcap.

We spent the rest of the evening reminiscing about college in our PJs and watching old YouTube videos — a very wholesome and hilarious end to the night.

Sunday, May 3

Up early to pack and check out of the Airbnb, and to head back to SF earlier than we needed to so we could spend a little time with Jess’s adorable son. We had a stunning, quick drive through Napa, Sonoma, Marin, and over the Golden Gate and were greeted with delicious coffees the (apparently viral) Q Specialty Coffee on arrival. After an hour or so at Jess’s, we headed to the airport. We had better-than-expected chicken tenders and fries from Farmerbrown at SFO and I fnished Stoner and started Say Nothing on the flight home. Jackie was returning from a work trip so she very kindly shared her Uber with me and just like that — back in the Big Apple.

Final thoughts

There’s just something so special about spending uninterrupted time with people you’ve known and loved for so long.

Our lives have changed so much since we met, but to spend a few days under the same roof, mimicking the ease and simplicity of life ages 18-22, was really meaningful. I got a little emotional as we left Jess’s on Sunday — I’d been looking forward to this for months and it meant a lot to me that we all put the time and effort in to show up for this.

• I could’ve used a day or two more in Napa, both because of how much fun I was having but also because back-to-back days of wine tasting (and flying across the coutnry) is tiring. I would add a lowkey day by the pool for a future trip.

• Jess planned the trip so brilliantly — we weren’t in the car for more than maybe 15 minutes to go anywhere. People said we’d regret not doing a van or party bus, but Ubers were really accessible and I think we saved $ that way.

• Tasting host seems like one of the best possible semi-retirement jobs.

• St. Helena was my favorite of the towns we visited, and I want to spend more time there in the future. We didn’t make it to Charlie’s, a new hotspot there, but that’s on the top of the list for next time. I’d also love to check out Calistoga and Healdsburg.

That’s all from me this time! Thanks so much for reading, as always. See you again in a couple of weeks!

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I currently subscribe to 58 Substacks. However, these 15 give me the biggest digital dopamine rush when I see there’s a notification, and are the ones I always open and read start to finish.

Some of these newsletters are more popular and well-known while some are a bit more niche. I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting and working with some of these writers, while others I just (digitally) follow from afar. Here goes!

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Magasin

by Laura Reilly

I’m kicking off with the consistently excellent Magasin because it’s the first Substack I ever subscribed to. Originally a shopping newsletter focused on women’s fashion, Magasin has since expanded into men’s fashion and home, and a beauty vertical called High Touch is also coming this year.

Magasin is a valuable resource for shopping/sales intel, brand gossip, and style inspiration. While I love Laura’s signature quippy style, she (wisely) outsourced the men’s column to Louis Cheslaw, who just started his own Substack, and Xavier Donnelly, the extremely talented creative director at ASH. She also does wonderfully diaristic recaps of New York and Paris fashion weeks. I think of her as one of Substack’s pioneers.

Where to start: Her most recent newsletter.

The Angel

by Emily Wilson

I first discovered The Angel in the fall of 2024 when Aaron was working in LA and I became more interested in the city’s dining scene. Emily wrote beautifully about LA’s restaurants, bars, and farmer’s markets, to the point I could feel the southern California sunshine on my skin from my desk in New York.

Emily moved back to New York last year, and has pivoted the newsletter accordingly, but also hired Jamie Feldar to continue writing about LA restaurants. I also love her (paid) weekly column Plugs, which features a restaurant, a bar, a shop, an ingredient, a person, and a treat endorsed by an interesting industry person.

Where to start: My New York in 25 Restaurants

Back Row

by Amy Odell

The author of unauthorized biographies on both Anna Wintour and Gwyneth Paltrow, I love Amy’s newsletter for fashion industry news, gossip and criticism.

She also does a fabulous recurring column called Retail Confessions, where salespeople for brands including Hermes, Chanel, The Row, and Harrod’s anonymously share intel and wild stories about their clientele and experience.

Where to start: The Least Quiet Thing The Row Has Ever Done

FOR SCALE

by David Michon

In a world where design media is split into a binary of fawning celebrity/influencer home tours and listicles for affiliate marketing revenue, FOR SCALE stands alone.

David’s writing is so clever, with a true point of view and very distinct voice that respects the effort, talent and patience needed to create beautiful spaces and furnishings while also poking fun at and criticizing ridiculousness, laziness, or lack of creativity in the industry.

I’ve learned about so many interesting designers and concepts through his writing, and also laughed out loud at more than one of his essays. A true talent.

Where to start: THE MEANING OF LIGHT AND LAMP

Gift Guide

by Kaitilin Phillips

I’ve followed Kaitlin on Twitter for years, and she first published an annual gift guide of weird (in a cool way) holiday gifts recommended by weird (in a cool way) people via Google Doc. This, I think, has evolved into Gift Guide in its current format — a roundup of seemingly random things, where it’s a book, hotel, Instagram profile, art exhibit, or something else, that Kaitlin finds compelling or interesting.

She exists on a very different side of the internet than I do, in a way that I love. And she’ll occasionally write or tap cool people for travel guides — the one she did on Marseille is a fun read and was an incredible resource for our trip there last year.

Where to start: Free LOCAL Guide to the Hamptons... where Joel Arthur Rosenthal (JAR) likes to be interviewed... Andy Cohen’s Pizza Order ... rent a wooden lobster boat!

Remotely

by Lucy Williams

Some of us are blessed with excellent personal style. Some of us are blessed with excellent taste in interiors. Lucy Williams was blessed with both, and Remotely sits firmly at this intersection, with brilliant travel recaps as the cherry on top. I love reading about her cozy (she would spell it cosy) home in London and I’m saving her Greek islands guide for an eventual milestone vacation. Her writing feels very stream of consciousness in a way that I love, like you’re getting a voice note from a friend. She just bought an 18th century home in Cornwall, so more renovation content to come. Lucky us!

Where to start: 10 Things I’d Do if I Was Decorating My Home Now

Shop Rat

by Emilia Petrarca

An alum of both W and New York magazine, Shop Rat is the product of a super talented writer…. writing whatever she wants. Emilia calls it “a reporter’s guide to engaging with style IRL” and the letter includes shopping guides, essays from guest shoppers (the most recent one was by Lena Dunham!), and Subway Rat, which tracks what people are wearing on the NYC subway. I also love how much she shops and wears Italian designers and brands.

Where to start: My Subway Style Missed Connection

Price Upon Request

by Abigail Sandler

A weekly newsletter by architect Abigail Sandler, Price Upon Request is a fairly simple concept that is endlessly repeatable. Abigail features a super-specific decor item and shows cool or interesting examples of that item, tying it to her life, design history, and/or her own personal taste. She’s posted 20 of them as I’m writing this, and I love her eye.

Where to start: #18: DO Go Chasing Water Closets

Getting Around With William O’Connor

by William O’Connor

A very opinionated newsletter about the travel industry by an alum of The Daily Beast and Travel + Leisure. If William has a gripe with an airline, hotel, museum, or tourism board, he isn’t afraid to share it and will do so here. It also helps that he’s almost always right. Each send includes a Department of Grievances, stories he loves or wishes he’d done, and general travel industry news.

Where to start: Obama’s Presidential Center gets roasted online

i keep coming back to this

by Janey Fine

Originally an outlet for self-reflection amidst an extended period of unemployment, I was really impressed with the courage Janey had to put herself out there during a stressful and vulnerable period of transition.

Janey is now happily employed, still self-reflecting, and still writing beautiful, intelligent, honest essays about work, her life, and New York as she sees it.

Where to start: I Quit My Job to go to Surf School

Jelly Sandwich

by Grace Dougherty

An actor by trade and contributor at Marie Claire, Grace writes poetically about her life in LA, with a little bit of fashion, lifestyle and beauty picks thrown in. I remain fascinated by people who have lived in both New York and LA, especially those who choose LA and love it. Grace has done both of these things and I’m always interested to read what she has to say about it.

Where to start: I’ve watched a thunderstorm in a glasshouse

Love and Other Rugs

by Lily Sullivan

Potentially my favorite newsletter concept ever. Lily explores the similarities between “the search for romance and the search for home furnishings” comparing men, dating, and other sticky romantic situations to kitchens, chairs, floors and more.

I really respect anyone who writes about their dating life online. But to be able to translate romantic and experiences good and bad, straightforward and confusing, direct and meandering, to interiors is a work of genius.

Evoking Carrie Bradshaw in 2026 feels beyond trite, but swaps shoes for silverware and cosmos for natural wine and you have Love and Other Rugs.

Where to start: issue no. 14: on kitchens

Feed Me

by Emily Sundberg

Another Substack pioneer, Emily Sundberg’s daily (M-F) newsletters about “the spirit of enterprise” are always a joy to read. She writes about things I already care about (restaurant/hotel openings, influencer brands, marketing campaigns, publishing industry news) and things I barely care about but probably should, like JP Morgan, space, and mergers.

It’s incredibly impressive have one’s “finger on the pulse” the way Emily seems to, and I love her Guest Lecture series where paid subscribers can ask interesting people (Alison Roman, Mark Guiducci, and Keith McNally, to name a few) questions, with their answers featuring in a future post. She’s also added a great restaurant industry podcast by J.Lee and occasionally posts West Coast editions focused on California.

Where to start: Feed Me, like the world we live in, moves fast. Start with the most recent post.

orzo bimbo

by Julia Harrison

I lost several hours of work the day I discovered orzo bimbo. Julia Harrison, an editor at Architectural Digest and founder of networking group saloon, shares essays (roughly monthly) about her life in New York and other misadventures.

It’s hard for me to identify exactly what I love her about her writing, but I think it’s the semi-detached and observational style, almost like she’s watching her life from afar. I recommend starting from the earlier essays and working your way towards the present. Beautiful work.

Where to start: what’s a life supposed to look like?

The Strong Buzz

by Andrea Strong

One of my favorite things about the emergence of Substack is the hyperlocal publications that have come out of it. The Strong Buzz is one of such publications, focusing primarily on restaurants and bars in the west Brooklyn neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and Red Hook. Fortunately for me, I live here, and it brings me great joy to both know the scoop on what’s opening and closing in the neighborhood, and to learn more about the people and work behind the places I’m frequenting.

Where to start: Don’t Forget: Café Kestrel

That’s all from me this time! Thanks, as always, for reading! Who are some of your favorite writers on here?

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I grew up eating my mom’s delicious iteration of their famous Zuni Chicken, so beloved in my family that my brother often requested it for his birthday meal. I refused to touch the panzanella that she served with it — I was a picky eater as a kid and am working my way back from that still, at 32.

The actual Zuni Cafe is also where I ate on my first trip to San Francisco as an adult in 2021, when Aaron’s mom and stepdad drove three hours from their home further north in California to meet yours truly. I was so nervous but I do remember how excellent the chicken was. And I ate the panzanella this time.

I ate the panzanella again when we dined there less than two years later in 2023, on the final hours of an emotional trip where we produced a celebration of life for Aaron’s mom. It felt fitting to spend our last night in California eating at the place where I met her. And there’s something beautiful to me about the restaurant’s ties to both of our families.

This is a long introduction to say we really had to try to not eat there on our last trip, which was only two nights long. I felt like I knew nothing about San Francisco’s restaurant scene and wanted to change that. I trust the Infatuation, but I didn’t find their list of SF’s top 25 restaurants that inspiring… so here’s everything we did instead!

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Saturday, March 6

Aaron and I landed at SFO after an early, smooth flight. I always forget how long the flight to San Francisco feels, but I alternated between snoozing and reading Caledonian Road. Over the last two years I’ve come to appreciate flights as the ideal time to do several hours of uninterrupted reading. Which makes me feel like an old person.

We checked in at the Palihotel SF, located in kind of a strange area on the Union Square and Chinatown border. We stayed here in 2023 too but completely forgot until we pulled up to it.

It was about 3pm by the time we were settled in, and reaching that weird point in the day when most of the sit-down restaurants close between lunch and dinner. It was stunning in SF, mid-70s, sunny, and a little breezy, so we took a car over to the Fisherman’s Wharf area to eat at The Buena Vista Cafe. It’s an institution very famous for their Irish coffees. We sat among other tourists, a dad and son bro-ing out with the bartender, and SF 20-somethings day drinking in Berkeley t-shirts.

I had one of the biggest caesar salads that’s ever been presented to me, which was inexplicably served with raw red pepper. Aaron ordered the fish and chips and we tried a bit of their Dungeness crab. We also drank the aforementioned Irish coffees, which were very good but completely wrong for the weather. The Buena Vista will make them iced upon request, which I learned from eavesdropping on the SF 20-somethings moments after we ordered.

After lunch we jumped on two electric bikes from Bay Wheels (SF’s version of Citi Bike and almost the exact same bike as the NY edition) and road up to Stuff, a vintage furniture store in Russian Hill. I liked the selection but they definitely specialize in items much larger than what would be suitcase-friendly.

Our afternoon exploration was cut a little short when Aaron admitted he wasn’t feeling well, so we chilled at the hotel for a few hours while he napped and I read more Caledonian Road.

At this point, I was feeling like the night might involve me ordering us delivery while he rested, but he bravely rallied and I’m so grateful that he did. We stopped at a CVS before taking a car to Haight-Ashbury to put our name in at Jules, a newish pizza place that I think I found on Reddit.

We were quoted about an hour wait at Jules, which was the perfect amount of time to walk down Haight Street to Stoa, a buzzing cocktail bar that also serves food. It was a slightly brisk but comfortable night in northern California, so we drank a few (very good) mezcal margaritas outside while we thought out loud about if SF was somewhere we could live. Right on time, we got the “your table is ready” text so we walked back to Jules.

Jules fits comfortably into one of my absolute favorite restaurant concepts, which is “excellent pizza and natural wine.” The room is well-designed — dimly lit with lots of blondish wood, funky art, and my favorite Rey chairs from Hay.

We were also shocked to be greeted upon arrival by Aaron’s friend Zach, who we last saw in 2021 while he was bartending at San Francisco’s outpost of Hi-Tops. For my heterosexual readers, this is a gay sports bar that also has two locations in LA. He’s a partner in Jules and we had no idea. Kismet!

The pizza at Jules is far and away the highlight, but we also started with a trout crudo and a mountainous caesar salad that included avocado and pickled cauliflower. I am a caesar salad purist and could’ve done without the unorthodox additions, but I enjoyed the limey dressing. They also sent out a crab louie toast — lots of crab consumed on this trip!

A bit more on the pizza: we got the Marone, which is essentially a margherita, and the Spicy Ronny, absolutely covered in pepperoni. Both excellent. Jules also offers four sauces that you can order as a flight — a ranch, hot honey, green sauce, and a sesame chili crisp. My preference was the hot honey but they’re all fun to try. I would love to return to try the Satriale Special, which uses a gochujang vodka sauce as a base, and the half chicken.

We drank, but didn’t finish, a lovely bottle of Clos Saron’s Cerise too. I love drinking Californian wine in California, obviously.

The music was late 90s/early 2000s pop-punk (think Lit, blink-182, etc) that reminded me of driving around in my friend Mia’s car in college and really added to the vibe. Definitely add Jules to the list for your next trip. We loved it!

Sunday, March 7

I consider myself a morning person no matter where I am, but I extra-love those first few mornings on the West Coast when you wake up at 7am feeling truly fresh and rested. We accidentally hiked to The Coffee Movement, a lively, tiny little spot on the border of Chinatown and Nob Hill.

We waited in line with some anxious doodle mixes and their athleisure-clad owners and ordered from some of the most cheerful baristas I’ve ever interacted with. My iced cappuccino was delicious, perfectly sweetened and not too milky, and Aaron was happy with his americano too.

After coffee we jumped on bikes again and took a beautiful long ride along the Embarcadero, through Fisherman’s Wharf, up Russian Hill and into Pacific Heights and the Presidio. We dropped our bikes in Inner Richmond and stopped at the Clement Street Farmer’s Market.

I, like many East Coasters before me, will never get over how stunning and varied the produce is at any given farmer’s market in California. We tried an excellent can of You Gauva Be Kidding Me, a hard cider by The Far West Cider Co., while we browsed.

From the Farmer’s Market we went to the Marina for a laidback lunch at Popi’s Oysterette, sharing phenomenal Old Bay-spiced popcorn shrimp and a Dungeness crab roll. Yes, that’s three consecutive meals featuring crab. But who’s counting?

We walked off lunch on Chestnut Street before heading back to the hotel for a nap and some more reading.

We finished our bottle of wine from Jules before dinner, and then Ubered to buddy, a cute wine bar in the Mission. I got kind of a strange impression from buddy. The beausoleil oysters with tomato water nouc cham and micro cilantro were one of the best things I ate in San Francisco, but the vibe was just kind of off. We decided to ride back to Haight-Ashbury to try Bar Jabroni for dinner instead.

Befoddere Bar Jabroni we stopped for a quick drink at Last Rites, a sort-of Castaway / Legends of the Hidden Temple themed tiki bar with a lot of rules. It seems like a fun place to watch Survivor (they host weekly watch parties) but we weren’t particularly impressed their takes on a mezcal marg and a jungle bird.

I loved our meal at Bar Jabroni. We started with a beef tartare and a crunchy chicory salad with a walnut crumble, and finished with a rockfish dish served with young fennel. But the best thing we ate here was the chicken schnitzel alla diavola. Deliciously crispy chicken over a pleasantly fiery sauce. Served with a lemon wedge for a little more acidity and a lovely, cooling, fennel slaw. I would’ve licked the plate clean if we weren’t in public. I would love to eat here again and I recommend that you do too.

Before leaving on a redeye on Monday night, I tried the Lone Mountain sandwich from Bi-Rite Market — anchiote chicken with avocado, provolone, pickled red peppers and onions, and chipotle aioli on focaccia. Delicious!

I also was lucky enough to spend the final hours before my flight with my college friend Jess and met her adorable son. She took me to Seven Hills, a cozy, neighborhood Italian spot in Russian Hill. We shared a little gem salad with cara cara oranges and avocado, crunchy and fresh in the way only California produce can be. We finished with maccheroncelli with tomato sauce and ricotta, and the surprisingly good special — a truffle tortelli. I’m not a big truffle eater but I loved this.

A few places I wanted to try that we didn’t make it to: Bar Part Time, Gemini Bottle Co, Verve Wine.

Other Things

• FLO’s new single Leak It is an early song of the year contender.

• Everyone’s talking about it, but I was not expecting to love Belle Burden’s divorce memoir Strangers as much as I did. It’s so well-written and doesn’t feel overly self-pitying, plus the details about her childhood and family’s prominence (she’s a descendent of the Vanderbilts and her grandmother is Babe Paley) make it that much more fascinating. I cannot wait to watch Gwyneth Paltrow as Belle in the Netflix adaption. Stellar casting.

• Speaking of stellar casting, Ladies of London: A New Reign has been bringing me incredible amounts of joy. I was skeptical based on the trailer, but I am riveted by this show. Every cast member is captivating in their own way and I’m excited to watch the group dynamics evolve.

• New York magazine’s monopoly on grifter stories continues with The Fake Cartier and The Fake Rockefeller. The absolute gall it takes to just assume a famous last name and use it to scam people. Especially in an age where everyone is Googleable.

That’s all from me this time! Thank you so much for reading, as always.

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There are many, many more of you since my last post. My all-time favorite NYC spots seemed to resonate with quite a few people, which I am thrilled by.

It’s time to talk about Confidant, which is new to Brooklyn Heights, Rolo’s, where I dined for my 32nd birthday last month, and a great backup spot in Dimes Square. I also discovered some great new music in February. Here goes!

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Confidant

It’s impossible to write about Confidant without mentioning Colonie, the beloved Brooklyn Heights institution that had to close (after almost 14 years!) to make room for its successor. I only ate there once, and I thought it was fine, so I can’t say I was too sad to see it go.

But I know for a lot of people, Confidant has big shoes to fill. It started in Industry City with the goal of being its first neighborhood restaurant. I respect the ambition but that idea seemed doomed to fail, so I’m glad they’ve landed on Atlantic Avenue.

I’ve now been twice, once on the slushy Wednesday night it opened and again on a buzzy Friday a few weeks later. I’ve sat in the dining room and at the bar. And I’m ready to share that I’m confident (had to) Confidant is going to be a huge success.

It’s easy to love seasonal American cuisine, and Confidant does it really well. Start with a cocktail, and then the generous portion of so-warm-it’s-almost-hot bread served with salty spiralized butter.

I’ve tried both salads — chicory with roasted allium, apple, and (too crunchy) wild rice, and one with cucumber and celery, raisins, fiore sardo and green goddess dressing. I liked both, but prefer the freshness of the cucumber and celery (although it doesn’t need the raisins if you ask me).

We had the brassicas on the table both times, and they’re one of the menu highlights. Various colors of cauliflower and broccoli served with garlic chips in a tasty bagna cauda. I could honestly eat this for every meal. It was even better on our second visit.

I cannot and would not ever say no to an ‘nduja dish, so we ordered the spicy mezze rigatoni on both visits too. It was solid the first time but a little heavy on the shallot, and much more balanced on visit number two.

We also tried the caraflex cabbage, pleasantly charred and served with kombu, a horseradish soubise, and leeks. It wasn’t for me but Aaron loved it.

I’m interested to try both the (very Instagram-friendly) prawn pot pie and dry aged steak on future meals, and to see how the menu changes as we inch towards the beginning of spring.

But the real highlight of Confidant is the service and how great of a time the team (and guests) seems to be having.

We had a lovely, friendly and warm server on opening night, and wine director Lucy Saintcyr, who curated a beautiful, well-priced, all-natural list of both familiar and new-to-us bottles, is a true star. Some combination of the food, the room, how smoothly things seemed to be going, and my Pisces nature made me tear up.

I’m excited to see how Confidant settles in — and I’m so excited to try their pizza shop / wine bar hybrid, Lou & Bev’s, in the spring.

Rolo’s

I used my birthday as an excuse to drag my loved ones to Ridgewood to finally try Rolo’s, which has been on my list for about three years. It’s so far away from where I live that we had to meet at Maracuja as a halfway point.

The space was well-lit and triple the size of what I was expecting, but not in a negative way. We had a great meal. First, wood-fired polenta bread two ways — one with olive oil and salt and another with calabrian chili butter (a must order).

I also loved the pickled carrot salad and leafy greens, but the tahini chickpeas were watery and are skippable.

Rolo’s lasagna is of their more famous dishes and was a huge hit, but the standout for me was the wagyu skirt steak. My number one dining partner is not a big red meat eater so I was thrilled to use my birthday as an excuse to get it.

I loved our meal here and would have Rolo’s in my rotation if it wasn’t completely out of the way. I took a grand total of zero pictures because I was being present, sorry!

Bacaro

I like to think I have a pretty solid understanding of the Dimes Square hospitality ecosystem, so I was surprised to find myself at a completely new-to-me restaurant on a wet Thursday last month. After a couple of martinis at Swan Room, my friend Lizzy suggested either waiting for a table at the beloved Kiki’s or what she said was the more lowkey and comforting Bacaro. We picked Bacaro, and I’m thrilled to have it as part of my repertoire.

If you’ve ever walked between Parcelle, Kiki’s, and Forgtmenot on Division Street, you’ve definitely walked by Bacaro. I’ve sometimes wondered what it was, but there are so many reliable spots on those blocks of Canal and Division that I never explored further. It’s barely lit from the street — all you can see is a very not cute chandelier and some high-top tables.

Turns out, this is because most of the restaurant is underground. We descended into a cozy, cavelike area that has rustic, low-ceilinged charm without feeling claustrophic.

The food is “Venetian” Italian. I had a nicely-made mezcal margarita, and we shared a mixed vegetable salad and crispy potatoes. I finished with a gnocchi pomodoro that was completely satisfying. Little garlicky pillows with a very standard (but good) tomato sauce and basil.

I don’t know that Bacaro will ever be a Dimes Square destination for me, but definitely consider it a solid backup if you feel like you’re striking out or just want a nice bowl of pasta. Also, $12 martinis, spritzes and negronis from 5-6:30pm Monday through Friday!

Music

On repeat last month was:

Rager - Blusher

I’ve saved almost every song released by this Australian electropop trio, but Rager is my favorite of theirs so far.

Mamacitas - FLO

UK R&B group FLO’s debut album AAA was one of my 2024 standouts, and they’re gearing up to release new music. In the interim, their slinky banger Mamacitas has somehow ended up on the soundtrack for GOAT, an animated film about a…. goat who plays basketball. I have no idea how this could’ve happen but the song is a genuine hit.

6 in Heels - S3nsi Molly featuring Tay Money

You might remember a few of Tay Money’s songs from TikTok. Bussin and The Assignment both went viral in 2020, and she hops on fellow Texan S3nsi Molly’s 6 in Heels with a strong feature.

That’s all from me! Thanks, as always, for reading! What new restaurants are you loving? And see you next time for a recap of my recent trip to San Francisco.

This is my love letter to the cafes, bars and restaurants that are the most special to me. Not the best, newest, sexiest, or hardest tables to get on Resy, but the places that have shaped my experience living here and that have a little piece of my soul. Should you find yourself at any of these spots, I’ve also included my recommended things to order.

And one note on the criteria: these are all places that I’ve been to (or gotten delivered!) at least five times. There’s a section at the end devoted to a few places that I’m loving but haven’t visited enough to officially have on the list, and a note about a (sort of) dearly departed restaurant that means so much to me.

Abraço

East Village

I was first introduced to this incredible coffee shop in 2021 when Aaron and I first started dating. His apartment (that I ended up moving into) was across the street, so we’d stumble over every morning, caffeinate, and sit outside giggling to each other or chatting with the other regulars.

It’s the sort of delightfully quirky place that serves what I think is the best espresso in the city, but also feels like a throwback to a version of New York that we no longer live in. They have a strict no laptop policy, so it’s a great spot to actually catch up or read and the music playing is always cool. Also, Abraço hilariously doesn’t serve alternative milks, which helped me fall in love with whole milk again. This is far and away the place I miss the most now that we no longer live in the East Village.

Ideal scenario: A slow morning with someone you’re falling in love with, where both of you should be working but instead are just sitting in the sun people watching.

What to order: Iced cappuccino, olive oil cake (the best I’ve ever had), cinnamon roll.

Altro Paradiso

Soho

Ignacio Mattos’s restaurants will make more than one appearance on this list. We’ll start with the one I visited first, Altro Paradiso. Delicious Italian snacks and stellar pasta in a space with 18-foot ceilings (18 is specifically mentioned on the website) and perfectly glowy lighting. I’ve gone here with coworkers from Europe, my parents, and friends from NY and out of town, and everyone loves it. It’s also fairly easy to get a table but always busy, so it’s a smart spot to try if you’re looking for a last minute meal or want to walk in.

Ideal scenario: A loooong Sunday lunch with a friend or two, one of them is visiting. Over order a little.

What to order: Arancini, fennel salad, candele cacio e pepe, spaghetti pomodoro, half-chicken. And the burger if you’re there at lunch!

Blue Collar Burger

Bushwick, Cobble Hill, and Greenpoint

I am going to let you in on a little secret, dear reader. Blue Collar makes the best chicken tenders in NYC, and a delicious honey mustard to dunk them in. They also do a great cheeseburger!

Ideal scenario: This is a great place to stop at or get delivered after going to a concert, because they’re open late and it’s indulgent without being too greasy.

What to order: Chicken tenders with honey mustard and barbecue sauce or the Flat Top Burger with cheese. I am not a tater tots enjoyer but Aaron says they’re really good.

Cafe Mogador

East Village, Williamsburg

An East Village institution (since 1983!) with an outpost across the East River, I love Cafe Mogador for its reliability and consistency at brunch, lunch and dinner. It’s where I go when I’m in the mood for something kind of healthy (the food is Moroccan/Middle Eastern) or if I’m in the East Village with no reservation, because it’s pretty easy to walk in.

Ideal scenario: Some of my favorite experiences at Cafe Mogador have been a springtime dinner with my sister and cousin who just moved here, and a winter brunch on an absolutely frigid day.

What to order: I always get some combination of: hummus, labne, Greek salad with chicken, or Moroccan eggs depending on the time of day.

The Crosby Bar

Soho

A weird thing about living in New York is that you don’t get to visit it. So sometimes it’s fun to go to a hotel bar and pretend that you are. The Crosby Bar, in the Crosby Street Hotel, is one of my favorite places to do this. I love the quirky British decor by Kit Kemp that almost skews cheesy and the genuinely creepy, labyrinthine walk to the bathroom, as depicted in this TikTok. They also make a great espresso martini.

Ideal scenario: This is obviously a wonderful place to grab a drink and rest your feet after an afternoon bopping around Soho, but my favorite-ever time at The Crosby Bar was drinking a round or two of espresso martinis here on Christmas Eve before dancing at West Village gay bars until 2am.

What to order: I actually don’t think I’ve ever tried the food here, so just order your favorite standard (off-menu) cocktail. I ordered one from the menu once and ended up sending it back.

Raoul’s

Soho

One of the few truly iconic New York restaurants, Raoul’s turns 51 this year and still looks (and tastes) pretty damn good for its age. The atmosphere at this French bistro is delightfully raucous, which makes it perfect for a celebration: a birthday, a promotion, or just the fact that you’re eating at Raoul’s. This is a restaurant that makes you forget what your plans are the next morning and have two to three more of their gigantic, extremely strong cocktails than you should. It was December when I went for the first time, and I like Raoul’s the best when it’s below 50 degrees out — it’s the best place to spend a long winter night.

Ideal scenario: Come for a late dinner on a Thursday or Friday night, like 8:30-9:30pm. It’s best with a group of four of five.

What to order: Gin gimlet, bread and butter, artichoke, frisée salad, steak tartare, and the steak au poivre. Get the chicken if you don’t like steak. Profiteroles for dessert!

Rhodora

Fort Greene

This is my favorite wine bar in New York City, and maybe the platonic ideal of wine bars globally. Rhodora is located on a very picturesque corner in Fort Greene and Willoughby Ave, one of the streets it’s on, is usually closed, so it’s great for people watching. I love spending a few hours hanging outside here on a nice day, and the interior is somehow both spacious and cozy. Rhodora’s wine list skews European but I’ve also had a fabulous bottle of Japanese rosé here, and the cocktails are surprisingly good for a wine-focused bar.

The food is very standard natural wine bar fare (bread and butter, olives, cheese plate, salad, etc) but solid. Rhodora is also a quick walk to the stellar strip of restaurants on DeKalb, so you can hang here while waiting for a table or mosey over after dinner for a nightcap. Plus, it’s counter service, which somehow really works in the space and makes it feel more casual.

Ideal scenario: Late afternoon drinks with one or two people on a gorgeous spring or fall day. Top notch people watching and the ultimate place to go if you want to know what 30-somethings in Brooklyn are wearing.

What to order: A bottle (or two) of Alsatian skin contact or rosé, and some bread with butter if you get hungry.

Sailor

Fort Greene

Gabe Stulman made a name for himself with his incredibly reliable, incredibly well-located, jewel box restaurants in the West Village, but his collaboration with chef April Bloomfield at Sailor is on a whole different level.

Simple, delicious, British-inspired American food in a stunning corner space by Alfredo Paredes, with a great wine list. They also added a beautiful nautical-themed bar in the fall, which is where I sat for the perfect New Year’s Day lunch in January (we are establishing this as a tradition). This might be my favorite restaurant in New York right now.

Ideal scenario: I like Sailor for a date or a weekend lunch with a group of four. I’d pop in midweek too if I lived closer.

What to order: The menu rotates a lot, but:

Brunch — Toast with gentleman’s relish, the Sailor burger, Turkish eggs with flatbread

Dinner — Caesar salad, half roasted chicken, ginger cake

Nili

Carroll Gardens

A tiny cafe right next to the Carroll Street F stop in Carroll Gardens, Nili does great Middle Eastern food and pastries in a plant-filled space on a sunny corner. Their chicken shawarma bowl is my favorite healthy-ish Friday lunch.

Ideal scenario: Takeout lunch on a work from home Friday when you’ve had a really good week.

What to order: Chicken shawarma bowl, labneh, or the egg and cheese sandwich (served on a pita) for a hungover breakfast.

Mr. Wonton

Park Slope

I’ve never actually set foot in this Chinese restaurant in Park Slope, but they make the best Chinese-American takeout I’ve ever had in the city. The food always arrives hot and I can’t remember a time where they messed up our order.

Ideal scenario: Sunday night dinner after a big, fun weekend. Eat it while watching a Real Housewives reunion.

What to order: Egg roll, hot and sour soup, scallion pancakes, sesame chicken, chicken with broccoli.

Frangos Peri Peri

East Village, Queens Village

I discovered Frangos almost on accident, when my sister and I wanted to meet for a cheap dinner in the East Village. There’s literally zero atmosphere so it’s the kind of place to eat alone or take to-go, but the food is genuinely incredible. Spicy, moist grilled chicken (choose from four sauces) with a beautiful homemade ranch-ish sauce. Apparently it’s a knockoff of the UK chain Nando’s, but I had Nando’s in London and thought this was better. I crave Frangos all the time, and used to order from the Williamsburg location a few times a month but it seems to be under different ownership these days.

Ideal scenario: Delivery or a chill dinner with someone you know really well when you’re both feeling thrifty.

What to order: Four tenders (I love the mild and mango sauces), spicy rice, naan, and extra white sauce.

Le Dive

Dimes Square

You can criticize Dimes Square as much as you want, but you’ll never convince me to stop loving Le Dive, which semi-successfully imitates a Parisian cafe in one of Manhattan’s most scene-y areas. The people watching in Dimes Square is some of NYC’s best, and Le Dive is my favorite place to do it. My only gripe is that they take reservations, which makes Le Dive harder to get into and kind of detracts from the Parisian-cafe vibe.

Ideal scenario: Come with a group of three or four anytime the weather is good and spend a couple hours chilling and drinking wine.

What to order: Your favorite cocktail, a bottle of chilled wine, and fries.

Kiki’s

Dimes Square

I felt so cool the first time I ate at this Greek restaurant in Dimes Square, and something about Kiki’s still feels so “cool New York” to me. The space is dark and made up of a bunch of small, weird rooms, but you can also sit outside (and order souvlaki skewers!) at their satellite location on the south side of Division Street. Kiki’s doesn’t take reservations, but it’s a great spot to take out of towners for a fun night — there are plenty of nearby bars (like Le Dive) to hang while you wait for a table.

Ideal scenario: This is another great spot for a group dinner, especially if you have people visiting. The vibes are so great and it’s not too expensive.

What to order: As many dips as your group can eat, any of the salads with feta, saganaki, zucchini chips, roasted lemon potatoes, souvlaki sticks, fried calamari, and a lot of Greek white wine.

Swoony’s

Carroll Gardens

There’s so much to love about Swoony’s, an American bistro on Columbia Street. The bar is super lively, the music is always great, and it’s a true neighborhood spot. This the rare place where I actually prefer sitting at the bar to a table, and the dining room has a lovely retro feel.

Ideal scenario: Impromptu date night at the bar! We started going here more often when Aaron’s weekends were Sundays and Mondays because it’s one of the few places in this area open early in the week.

What to order: Mezcal margs or martinis, and any combination of: blue cheese stuffed olives, potato croquettes, whipped goat cheese, wedge salad, and crab toast. I absolutely always get the burger and it’s never let me down.

The Long Island Bar

Cobble Hill

Aaron and I first tried (The) Long Island Bar on a chilly Sunday in December 2022. We had just been approved for an apartment in the area but hadn’t spent much time there, so we decided to explore the neighborhood. LIB was our last stop of the day, and we were sold. A cozy, art deco-style cocktail bar with great food, co-founder Toby Cecchini invented the cosmopolitan when he was working at The Odeon and took over the space from a Spanish family who opened it as Long Island Restaurant in 1949.

It still has a charming throwback feel, and everyone I bring here loves it. I go most often November - March, but you can also sit outside on Henry Street in the summer.

Ideal scenario: Meet up here with your significant other and/or a few friends on a chilly night.

What to order: Cosmo, fried cheese curds, crab toast, little gem salad, and the burger.

The Good Fork Pub

Red Hook

On a Sunday when the weather is good, (and sometimes when it isn’t) you will find me at The Good Fork. There’s live music in the garden, fun and friendly bartenders, and neighborhood locals hanging out. Plus tasty Korean-inspired bar food when you’re hungry. One of my favorite things about living so close to Red Hook is the amount of time I’ve spent hanging here with Aaron and our friend Robyn.

Ideal scenario: Any Sunday afternoon.

What to order: Pub cheese, curry fries, karaage fried chicken, and whatever you like to drink. Sometimes the margs here are a little too acidic for my liking.

Motorino

East Village, Upper West Side, Williamsburg

My cool coworker Maddy was the first person to tell me about Motorino in either 2015 or 2016, and it’s remained one of my favorite pizza places in NYC since I first tried it. I absolutely love their Neapolitan style pies. I’m partial to the East Village location because it’s the first one I went to, but it’s so nice to sit outside at the one in Williamsburg.

Ideal scenario: Delivery or dinner with one or two other people, especially because the East Village location is pretty small.

What to order: I am OBSESSED with the dressing on the mixed green salad, which I always order, and I like to dunk my crust in it when I get Motorino delivered. My favorite pizzas are the soppressata picante and the Don Dom, with a little lambrusco or Italian rosé to wash it down.

Roberta’s

Another relic from 2010s New York that has helped define my experience in this city. My first visit to Roberta’s was in 2016 — my friend Maddy needed a companion to help her scout out an apartment in Bushwick, and she bribed me with a free meal at Roberta’s in exchange for my time and intimidating physical presence.

The apartment was, to avoid mincing words, scary. We met with a Lovely Bones-murderer-esque man who shared that 15 people lived there, with only three of them being women. And none of these people were home.

But back to Roberta’s! We sat at a table next to Adrian Grenier and devoured the crunchy, deliciously charred pies and assorted vegetables. I’ve returned quite a few times since and I always think it’s such a fun place to eat. Writing this is making me feel like I’m due for a visit soon!

Ideal scenario: Go with a big group, especially when the weather is good. Sit outside and order a little bit of everything.

What to order: A bunch of vegetables, and then basically all of the pizzas or make your own. The Famous Original, Bee Sting, and Lil’ Stinker are always on the table when I go.

Lucali

Carroll Gardens

There are so many elements of Lucali that make it one of the most annoying places in NY to try to eat. The crazy line. The fact that once you (or a chosen representative) has waited in this line, you don’t even get an official reservation, just a time that you’re told to show up (which is subject to change). And you likely will still wait for your table once you get there.

But everything changes once you’re inside. The servers are delightfully impatient and will rattle off the menu options at rocket speed to try to get you to order immediately, but don’t be shy about making them repeat it if you need to. And the energy in the room is so great. You can feel everyone’s excitement to be there, and the guests are all looking over their shoulder to watch the pizza being made, take in the experience, and see whose pies are coming out next.

Speaking of the pizza, it is New York’s best. Beautifully tangy sauce, the freshest mozzarella, and the assorted toppings (get one with hot pepper and shallot) are perfectly additive. It’s such a special experience and I’ve had a few of my favorite-ever New York nights here.

Ideal scenario: Go with three or four other people that you want to have a truly memorable night with, and make sure it’s people who eat their crusts. Ideally one of these people live in the area so you can both pregame there before and divvy up leftover slices at their apartment after.

What to order: Get the spicy vodka fusilli to hold you over while you wait for your pizza, and then more pizza than you think you can finish. I like one plain cheese, one pepperoni, one with hot pepper and shallot, and then a wild card. The calzone is also worth trying but not as good leftover.

Frankie’s 457 Spuntino

Carroll Gardens

It’s a real culinary achievement that a kitchen so tiny can produce food as good as it is at Frankie’s 457. I love how neighborhoody Frankie’s 457 feels, and something about the combination of the exposed brick, Italian food, and generally excellent vibe is so comforting to me. I’ve sat at the bar, in the main dining room, and in the backyard — it’s so reliable no matter the circumstances or time of year.

Ideal scenario: Honestly, any. A date, dinner with a couple friends or just one — I’ve also done Mother’s Day brunch here (she loved it).

What to order: I’ve never had a bad dish at Frankie’s, but my favorites are: the mozzarella tasting, radishes with anchovy vinaigrette, the Frankie’s Greens, caesar or escarole salads, Sicilian tuna sandwich (if you’re there before 4pm), gnocchi with marinara sauce and fresh ricotta.

F&F Pizzeria

Carroll Gardens

I haven’t actually eaten at F&F Pizzeria, which started as a slice shop but has since moved into the former Frank’s Wine Bar space next door. But this is my go-to for pizza delivery. Perfectly pepperoni-d and with a chewy, charred crust, our orders from F&F are reliably hot and on time. I’m eager to actually eat there and will report back once I do.

Ideal scenario: Sunday dinner when you don’t feel like cooking — great to eat with a movie on.

What to order: We always get half pepperoni and half cheese.

Leo

Williamsburg

Leo never lets me down. Admittedly, pizza and natural wine are my favorite things to eat and drink, so it’s an easy restaurant for me to love. Leo’s caesar salad is one of my favorite in New York, and the sourdough pizza is consistently delish (don’t sleep on the clam pie!). Plus a cool wine list, soft serve that rotates seasonally, and a prime corner location on Grand Street and Havemeyer.

Ideal scenario: Like Frankie’s 457, this is an all-purpose restaurant. Date, dinner with friends, dinner with parents… I even did a team holiday lunch here when I worked at VanMoof.

What to order: Caesar salad, chopped salad, rigatoni all’amatriciana, NY slice pie, clam pie, and a margherita. You must get the soft serve also — and a bottle of wine.

Wine Therapy

Nolita

Wine Therapy is a mecca for natural wine and far and away my favorite wine shop in NYC. No one beats their selection, and I love how descriptive and graphic their descriptions are. I’ve come in here with a range of mindsets from totally sure about the wine I want to in need of serious help from the staff and left equally satisfied.

Ideal scenario: My favorite times shopping here have been buying a case at a time when we’re stocking up for a party. There is a discount if you do this btw.

What to get: Whatever sounds most exciting based on their great little descriptions, or ask the very lovely staff to recommend something.

Yellow Rose

East Village

Just incredible Tex-Mex. I dream about their vegan queso, which I never imagined could be so delicious. I also love their crunchy salads which feel like a nice thing to give your body before indulging in super-rich tacos. My only gripe about Yellow Rose is that it’s harder to get into than I want it to be.

Ideal scenario: Friday lunch when you’re off work, went out the night before, and can take a nap after.

What to order: Vegan queso, either of the salads, chicken verde and carne guisada tacos, and a frozen marg.

Ursula

Bed-Stuy

Another one I haven’t physically visited, Ursula’s New Mexican breakfast burritos have been a godsend to me on many weekend mornings. The red chile pork warms from within and it’s spicy enough to distract from a pounding headache. They unfortunately just changed their delivery radius, so I don’t know when I’ll be able to have it again!

Ideal scenario: Delivered towards the end of half time while your soccer team is winning and you’re feeling a bit ill from the night before.

What to order: I’m partial to the carne adovada burrito, but Aaron likes the vegetarian one with New Mexican green chile salsa.

Maracuja

Williamsburg

This divey bar on Grand Street in Williamsburg also happens to serve great frozen cocktails and natural wine. I think of Maracuja as a winter spot because it’s always so dark inside, but they also have a nice backyard to hang out in and a pool table if you’re into that sort of thing. I like it for pre-dinner drinks, post-dinner drinks when you want to keep chatting, or as a place to decompress a little after dancing at Nightmoves nearby.

Ideal scenario: Catching up with a friend or a few before or after dinner at Leo, which is a few feet away.

What to order: Wine or whatever frozen cocktail they’re pouring.

Estela

Soho

This iconic new American restaurant by Ignacio Mattos is also one of my favorite dining rooms in the city. I first ate here on my 27th birthday and thought the food would feel too fancy for my liking, but it actually just feels elevated while still being pretty approachable.

I’ve had many excellent meals at Estela since — I like it best with one other person because most of the dishes are fairly small and it’s easy to split everything. Estela also has the most consistently excellent service I’ve had anywhere in NYC. The staff is so genuine and friendly but still professional.

Ideal scenario: Dinner with someone who you like and are trying to impress or someone who likes you and is trying to impress you. It will probably work.

What to order: The menu rotates but — oysters, beef tartare, endive salad, fried arroz negro, and whatever else looks good. Do not skip the chocolate dessert.

Sahadi’s

Brooklyn Heights

I feel so lucky to have this incredible Lebanese grocery store near my apartment. The selection of spices, cheeses, specialty ingredients and prepared foods is uniformly top notch, and while it’s a popular neighborhood destination it’s never too crowded.

Ideal scenario: I love coming here before I have people over and getting a bunch of dips and pita. It’s a pretty low effort way to host but has always been well received.

What to get: You can’t go wrong, but my favorites are hummus and the labneh with za’atar. I also love the shawarma spiced chicken breasts for midweek dinners.

Thaism

Carroll Gardens

I had to give a shoutout to our Thai takeout place that has been so good to us in our three years in this neighborhood. We’ve tried a pretty big portion of their menu at this point and have never really been disappointed. It always comes so quickly too!

Ideal scenario: Another Sunday night dinner spot — Thaism is great for when you’re watching an awards show.

What to order: Spring roll, papaya or larb salad, drunken noodles with chicken, and the chicken pad prik khing.

Via Carota

West Village

Yes, the best Italian restaurant in the West Village (and maybe downtown Manhattan as a whole) is also one of my favorite restaurants in New York. The room is perfectly simple, the food is so fresh and so flavorful, and the crowd is usually pretty fab. I think I might even like Via Carota more for lunch than dinner, but it’s the same menu no matter when you go so you really can’t go wrong.

Ideal scenario: Honestly, any. It’s hard for me to imagine an experience here where I wouldn’t be like “well at least the food was incredible!”

What to order: Cynar spritz, fried green olives with pork sausage, ‘nduja arancini, anchovies with butter, INSALATA VERDE (possibly my favorite in NY), tonnarelli cacio e pepe, pappardelle with wild boar ragu, and the svizzerina, which is hand-chopped steak and so delicious.

Bubbling under

A couple of places that could make it to this list eventually but I haven’t been to enough times to know for sure.

Lei

Chinatown

Unique and delicious Chinese-American food and natural wine in a very funky room by Rachel Vineberg Jones. It’s impossible not to feel cool in here — and the music has been so fun both times I’ve visited.

Borgo

NoMad

I’ve written about Borgo (here) already, and I think it could be officially on this list by the end of the year. A luxe, expensive-feeling room and delicious Italian food — can’t ask for much more! I’ve now done a work lunch here, my anniversary dinner here, and I have a lunch res there soon with friends, and I cannot wait to hear what they think.

Inga’s Bar

Brooklyn Heights

I think Brooklyn Heights is probably the city’s most beautiful neighborhood, but it’s a little boring and doesn’t really have great restaurants — except Inga’s Bar. It’s a cozy, pubby restaurant with big windows and satisfying American food. I cannot go here without seeing someone I know or recognize (in a good way) and I’m just a few great visits away from adding this to the official list — although I did have a burger that tasted suspiciously fishy there in January.

Theodora

Fort Greene

This extremely popular Mediterranean-Middle Eastern-European restaurant focuses on all things grilled, which might be my favorite way to eat. The room is narrow, warm, and pleasantly noisy, and the colors of the room just feel like a restaurant that could exist in Mexico City. I’ve only been twice and had a great experience both times, but it’s still pretty hard to get into.

Dearly departed

Barbuto

You can now eat Jonathan Waxman’s iconic California-Italian cuisine in two NYC boroughs, but the most special restaurant to me in all of NYC was Barbuto’s original location on Washington Street. My mom discovered Barbuto via former InStyle editor-in-chief Laura Brown’s Instagram in 2016, and we ate there on an absolutely horrible night in May when we were looking for my first post-grad apartment. We both loved it, and came back with my dad when they officially moved me to NYC.

The next summer, my sister got a part-time internship in the city and my mom convinced her to apply to be a host there. I thought she had absolutely no shot because she had zero restaurant experience and was only in New York for a few months, but they still hired her. The staff was so kind to her (and us) every time we visited while and after she worked there, and there was no better feeling than sitting at Barbuto on a nice day when the garage-style windows were open. We visited Barbuto at Washington Street one last time on a gorgeous night in May 2019, right before it closed. I like going to the Brooklyn location, but nothing will ever match the magic of the original.

Thanks so much for reading, as always! What are your all time favorite NYC restaurants? Can’t wait to hear from you.

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The highs: we celebrated our five year anniversary, a huge snowstorm that made for a very cozy weekend in — and some great food, TV, books, and music. Let’s talk about it!

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Food & Bev

Coqodaq

I’ve been curious about this Korean fried chicken spot by the Cote team since it opened, and that curiosity only intensified when it was featured on Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars, which I wrote about in December. Coqodaq had so much buzz on opening — their super-savvy marketing team even continued the momentum with a pop-up at the 2025 US Open — that it felt set up to be overrated.

I’m thrilled to share that it wasn’t. We had our team kickoff dinner there on a glacial Wednesday night, and it was unanimously agreed upon as a delicious meal. They kicked us off with caviar atop a perfect chicken nugget, instantly the best caviar experience I’ve ever had. I wasn’t blown away by the tartare trio or the caesar that followed, but the fennel salad with golden caper vinaigrette was a highlight.

And the chicken! Oh, the chicken. Perfectly fried, satisfyingly crunchy, not too salty, and airy enough to really gorge yourself, it was excellent. It’s served in a big bucket with a quartet of sauces — my favorite was the honey mustard.

I wanted us to be able to try everything so we got two other flavors in addition to the original: soy-garlic and gochujang. Also lovely. I wasn’t too impressed by the sides overall — the fries were basically flavorless, but I liked the spicy tteokbokki, and the gruyere mac and cheese was the real standout. I only wish there was more of it. We wrapped up the meal with a few bites of frozen yogurt with passionfruit, the perfect fresh and tart finale after all the chicken. Highly recommend for a work dinner or big birthday celebration — we had a great time. HIT

Aaron’s Tuna Melt

Sorry to do this when it’s not available more widely, but one of the best things I ate this month was a tuna melt made by my beloved. He mixed three cans of tuna (one in Calabrian chili-infused olive oil), pickled onions, dried oregano and thyme, dijon mustard, and a little olive oil and served them open-faced on ciabatta with more pickled onions and a thin layer of cheddar on top. I washed mine down with a Diet Coke. The perfect snow day lunch. HIT

Film & TV

Deadloch

I don’t think I’ve ever changed my mind about a character the way I did with Eddie Redcliffe in Deadloch. A murder mystery (with some very dark humor) set in a small town in Tasmania, Eddie joins detective Dulcie Collins to help solve the crime and is one of the most annoying and unlikeable characters I’ve ever had the displeasure of watching for the first few episodes. Don’t let this put you off! Deadloch is deliciously twisty and cleverly skewers toxic masculinity, toxic feminism, and so much more. I loved this show and am eagerly awaiting season two, which premieres on March 20. HIT

One Battle After Another

I was excited to watch this, especially given its awards season success. But I thought it was poorly paced, way too long, and felt like a knockoff of a Quentin Tarantino movie. Sean Penn was the highlight of the film for me! A genuinely believable and scary villain. MID

Industry

This is my favorite show, and this season, its fourth, has been particularly strong. Myha’la and Marisa Abela, the two leads, are excellent as usual, and Kit Harington, Kiernan Shipka, and Max Minghella have been great additions to the cast. I say “oh my god” out loud or yell at the TV several times an episode. If you’re not watching Industry, you should be! HIT

Rachel Zoe

I’ve already written about Real Housewives this month (if you missed it, you can read it here!) but I need to give a huge shoutout to Rachel Zoe, new to RHOBH in its 15th season. Rachel’s been a seamless addition — open about her life, glamorous, fashionable, and just the right amount of snarky. She hasn’t tried to insert herself into the drama but is weighing in appropriately. I didn’t watch Rachel’s first appearance on Bravo, The Rachel Zoe Project, but it’s on Peacock, so I started it from the beginning just to get more of her and I’m enjoying it so far. HIT

Ladies of London: The New Reign

Okay, I just wrote about how the original Ladies of London is one of my favorite Bravo shows ever. And just like that — the trailer for the reboot drops. I’m very skeptical about this one based on the trailer and cast, and I know it will draw comparisons to Hayu’s The Real Housewives of London, especially because of how positively RHOL has been received. But I’m willing to give it a shot. MID

Books

The Lion Women of Tehran

My gripe here is mainly with BookPage, a website I had never heard that called this book “reminiscent of The Kite Runner and My Brilliant Friend” which somehow made it into this novel’s online description.

A hollow account of two best friends growing up in Iran from the 1950s to 1970s, every conflict and plot point has a Kristin Hannah/Disney sheen. No one means any harm! Mistakes are forgiven! Or just a misunderstanding! How convenient. I was excited by the premise of this but to compare it to My Brilliant Friend is a bit of an insult to Elena Ferrante and those who love her writing. MISS

Kitchen Confidential

I can’t believe I hadn’t read Anthony Bourdain’s iconic restaurant industry tell-all sooner! This was given to me as a Christmas gift and I loved it. Sure, the industry has changed quite a bit since Kitchen Confidential was published more than 25 years ago, but a lot of the central themes remain. Also, I always choose No Reservations as the show to watch while I get my teeth cleaned at the dentist, and Bourdain writes exactly how he speaks in a way that I’ve never experienced with another writer. It’s so sad he’s no longer with us. Highly recommend. HIT

Music

Stateside featuring Zara Larsson

Cheating a little bit here because the song came out in 2025, but I’m thrilled that one of the best remixes of last year got the music video treatment — and a great one at that. HIT

I Could Get Used To This - Jessie Ware

I love Jessie Ware! Her early work, especially Say You Love Me and Champagne Kisses, is so good to cry to, and her disco-inspired stuff (Spotlight and Save a Kiss) remind me of really fun Saturdays at Soho House right before COVID. But I Could Get Used To This just feels like a watered down, repetitive version of what’s been so successful for her already. Here’s hoping the rest of the album (out April 10th) is a departure from this sound. MISS

Like That - Victoria Beckham

I would love to see the stats on how Brooklyn Beckham’s now infamous Instagram stories impacted streams of his mother’s solo music. I’d never given Victoria Beckham’s self-titled solo album a listen (maybe because I was seven when it came out) until a few weeks ago. The artist formerly known as Posh Spice’s vocals are…. not excellent, but she worked with some great producers. I think the best of the bunch is Like That, a mid-tempo, R&B-inspired banger with sexy strings on the beat, a bass-filled chorus, and liberal use of autotune. I’ve been listening to it nonstop. HIT

Patient - Melis

I just love this 80s-ish bop by Melis, a Norwegian up-and-comer with only three thousand Instagram followers. She sounds like Rita Ora and I mean that as the highest compliment. HIT

Angel Wings - Madison Beer

I’m fascinated by Madison Beer. She has a great voice and I love several of her songs, but she seems to have very little identity as an artist. Her first-ever single, Melodies, released in 2013 when she was a teenager, is pop perfection. It was endorsed by Justin Bieber and is still the only time I’ve ever heard melodie as a verb.

I also loved I Won’t Let You Walk Away, where she lends her belting vocals to a 2010s EDM banger by Mako. And her live performance of Selfish, filmed in the middle of COVID, is genuinely stunning.

Recently her vibe has been ripping off Ariana Grande, which is fine with me, because I love Ariana. Angel Wings feels like it could’ve been on Ariana’s Eternal Sunshine, and is the standout of a mostly mediocre run of songs on Madison’s new album, locket. HIT

Arts & Culture

Nameless Art + Design Show

The coolest thing I did in January was attend this art fair, which features about 25 galleries that focus on anonymous and folk artists from across the country. Think portraits, sketches, charming little objet and small furniture items. I first head about it through Portmanteau, a gallery in Long Island City where Aaron and I have sourced some of my favorite things in our apartment, and we were introduced to a slew of new to us galleries at the show.

We left with an 1870s children’s sketch from tihngs (not a typo) that we’re going to frame. It was so fun going to an art show where we could actually afford to buy something, and we even spotted model and design aficionado Paloma Elsesser there, whose Bed-Stuy home was one of my favorite AD features of 25. It’s held the last weekend of January every year — see you there in 2027! HIT

Radar

The working title of a new section where we look ahead instead of backwards.

Here’s what’s coming up that I’m excited about.

Music

West End Girl Remixes

Lily Allen revealed she’s working on a remix album for West End Girl that will feature female artists reworking all of its songs. I found West End Girl a little too raw to listen to at times, but I can’t wait to see which artists are part of this and the strategy totally makes sense after the success of Charli XCX’s Brat and PinkPantheress’s Fancy Some More remix albums.

TV

Southern Hospitality: Season Four Trailer

My favorite restaurant-based reality show is returning for a fourth season. This group of coworkers are genuinely friends, genuinely nuts, and so fun to watch.

Some trivia for you: not only is cast member Mia Alario one of the most stunning women on TV, she’s also the first ever Bravo star to order orange wine on camera! A true trailblazer. Season four premieres March 4, so you have plenty of time to watch the first three seasons in the next month.

Books

Lost Lambs - Madeline Cash

This debut novel about a dysfunctional family in a small coastal town has been everywhere and author Madeline Cash is really making the PR rounds (in a good way!)

Only one of my friends has read it already — Chesco Ferrara, a noted bookworm and the funniest person on Goodreads. I asked him for his thoughts:

“You think you know where this book is going, but you have nooooo idea until the plot blasts open. Cash walks the line (sry! a bad Johnny Cash joke!) between utterly outrageous and some of the driest humor I’ve read in years. I was parched for more. And for the record: I’m a Harper sun, Abigail moon, and Louise rising. Don’t get it twisted xx”

I’m sold. And you can follow Chesco on Instagram here.

Television - Lauren Rothery

Another debut, Television is told from alternating perspectives: an older movie star, his civilian friend and sometimes lover, and an aspiring filmmaker. I love reading about the film industry and this time of year always makes me crave a trip (or move) to California, so it feels apropos.

Movies

Undertone

The host of a podcast about “all things creepy” and self pro-claimed skeptic is caring for her dying mother. She and her co-host listen to tapes of a paranormal encounter… and terrifying events begin to ensue. The idea here is that the sounds are the scariest part of this movie. I grew up in one of the creakiest old houses in America so I think of myself as an expert on how unsettling weird sounds can be.

I found this trailer very scary to the point that I don’t know if I can see this in theaters, but I want to!

They Will Kill You

I love when movies walk the line between horror and comedy, and They Will Kill You seems like it’s going to do exactly that. A woman takes a housekeeping job in a New York City apartment building and accidentally discovers a satanic cult. As one does. Myha’la, my girl from Industry, is in it — in theaters March 27.

DTF St. Louis

An HBO Max (or whatever we’re calling it this month) limited series about a love triangle that ends with an untimely death? With Jason Bateman, David Harbour, and Linda Cardellini? I am automatically in. Premieres March 1.

Aaand that’s a wrap for January! Please share this with someone if you enjoyed it. And thank you so much for reading, as always. See you in a couple weeks for the next one!

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The premise is fairly simple. Several wealthy, usually middle-aged women, ideally an existing friend group or acquainted social circle, share their (ideally fabulous, but not always) lives with us, the viewer.

Arguing, drama and conflict are a key part of what makes the show tick, but so are comedy, conflict resolution and genuine friendship. It’s fascinating to watch the group dynamics at play and how they shift based on both natural interpersonal conflict and audience perception.

There are also many moments of real humanity. I’ve laughed and cried watching the show many more times than I can count. We see the Housewives and their loved ones cope with love, divorce, sexuality, death, addiction, trauma of all kinds, financial woes, infertility, the immigrant experience… and so much more.

Plus, it’s now been on for 20 years. The earlier seasons are cultural artifacts and it’s fascinating how the show has evolved with American society, wealth and culture.

Here’s a complete rundown the Real Housewives format and all of the US franchises. Yes, I watch all of them. I can’t wait to hear what you think!

The Format

This has evolved over time, but the general format of a Real Housewives season includes:

Four to eight main cast members, with a few women, categorized as “XXX’s friend” who film part-time. They usually don’t host events or have solo scenes, but they do get invited to most group events. Friends will occasionally get upgraded to “fulltime” cast members, or main cast will get demoted to a friend role.

A tagline. Every main cast member gets one, and it airs at the opening of most episodes. It’s ideally a funny quip that relates to their name, personality, storyline, or the drama they’re involved with that season. I’ll share my favorite tagline of each franchise’s key players below.

A kickoff event where the cast all gets together for the first time.

A trip (usually more local / lower budget) a few episodes in, “hosted” by one of the Housewives.

Each Housewife will also have a personal storyline — something going on in their life that both humanizes them and makes us invest in their journey. This can be anything from a home renovation to trying to track down a birth parent.

Every season is also punctuated by minor and major fights between the cast, over issues that range from extremely petty (eating a piece of icing off of a cake that celebrates a cast member legally changing her name) to extremely dark (a cast member refuses to admit her boyfriend pretended to have cancer).

There’s also an end of season trip where the tension from the season comes to an explosive head or there’s some sort of big reveal. This is usually the bigger budget trip and is often, but not always, international. In modern day Housewives, the season often ends when the trip does, but there was always a finale party in early Housewife seasons.

After the season there’s a reunion hosted by Andy Cohen (executive producer of the series) where the women dress up (usually in a theme/color story), rehash the season’s drama, answer audience questions, and make an attempt to move forward.

Now let’s talk about the franchises.

The Real Housewives of Orange County

Premiered: 2006

Number of seasons: 19, with a 20th on the way

Theme: A Desperate Housewives-inspired look inside the gated communities of southern California’s wealthiest areas.

Key players:

Vicki Gunvalson: Nicknamed “the OG of the OC”, Vicki was on the original (first season ever) cast and a fulltime Housewife for 13 seasons. Extremely self-righteous, emotional, and accident prone, her freakouts have created some of OC’s great dramatic moments. Favorite tagline: “I’m the OG of the OC; everyone else is just a copy.”

Tamra Judge: A reality TV mastermind. Tamra joined the show in season three to fill the hot young trophy wife archetype, but the drama she initiated with Gretchen Rossi in season four was the first ever Housewives feud and inadvertently created the format for future iterations of the show. Tamra’s on-again-off-again best friendship with Vicki is one of the series’s all time great duos. Favorite tagline: "I call the shots in my life now, and I have good aim."

Gretchen Rossi: Introduced as a younger, blonder iteration of Tamra with a much older fiancé. Her multi-season feud with Tamra provides some of the earliest and most compelling drama of the earlier seasons. Favorite tagline: Gretchen’s are not great. I’ll go with “I'm smart, I'm sexy, and I'm confident. Of course people are gonna talk about me."

Alexis Bellino: Very Christian, very blonde, and very ditzy, we meet Alexis and her repugnant husband Jim in season five. She immediately clashes with Tamra and gives us several seasons of delusion, departing after season seven. I was never a fan of Alexis but it’s also clear her husband doesn’t respect her so I have empathy for her. Favorite tagline: “God is my savior, my husband is my king, and my body? It’s sinful.”

Heather Dubrow: One of my all-time favorite Housewives, Heather joins the cast in season seven, leaves after season 11, and returns for season 16. A brunette(!), native East Coaster, former actress, and wife of well-known plastic surgeon Terry Dubrow, she brings a completely different energy (and level of wealth) to the group. Favorite tagline: “I may be married to a plastic surgeon, but I’m ninety-eight percent real.”

Shannon Storms Beador: One of the most fascinating Housewife evolutions across franchises. When she’s introduced in season nine, Shannon is an uptight mom of three with a disengaged husband and Goop-esque wellness beliefs. Very quickly, the cracks in her marriage start to show and we watch it crumble over several seasons. She finds independence, a sense of humor, and embraces her kookiness, but also develops a troubling relationship with alcohol. Favorite tagline: "When life gives you lemons, put nine in a bowl!"

Kelly Dodd: Introduced in season eleven, Kelly Dodd is a temperamental mom working through some… marital issues. She’s quick to anger and to take the lowest blow possible. One of the only women on Real Housewives that I find truly unwatchable, I took a break from RHOC once she joined until season 15, which ended up being her last. Favorite tagline: "Call animal control, ‘cause there's a cougar on the loose in the OC."

Gina Kirschenheiter: It’s a testament to how long this show has been on that Gina still feels like a newer Housewife even though she joined in 2018. We meet her in season 13 as a New York native acclimating to the OC with her young family. Then she files for a divorce and gets a DUI. Neither the wealthiest nor most dramatic housewife, Gina feels a bit like a “regular person” amidst a group of extreme personalities and is a great narrator in her confessionals. Favorite tagline: "The difference between my past and present? Well, that’s just apples and oranges."

Emily Simpson: Emily and Gina were new cast members together in the show’s 13th season and develop a genuine close friendship that’s much more than just an alliance for the show. An Ohio native and former lawyer, she uses her legal background to ask tough questions, and she’s very open about her marital and body image struggles. Favorite tagline: "I used to question people for a living. Now, I just do it for fun."

My take

Where to start: The first three seasons of the show are more documentary style and the series doesn’t really kick into the Real Housewives we know it as today until Gretchen Rossi joins in season four. If you’re really impatient, the pace picks up even more starting in season seven.

When to start: With 19 seasons, there’s a lot of content to consume here. I’d watch this in the middle or towards the end of your Housewives journey — once the addiction fully sets in.

Dream cast member: I don’t have anyone specific in mind, but I think there’s something delightfully meta about an alum of MTV’s Laguna Beach or Newport Harbor joining this show.

My favorite moment: Heather Dubrow’s name change party at the very end of season seven. There’s a great fight between Heather, her husband Terry, and a random very drunk woman who breaks off a piece of frosting from her cake and eats it. Things get even more chaotic when simmering tension between Tamra and Vicki (Tamra can’t stand Vicki’s new boyfriend Brooks) boils into a blowout.

The Real Housewives of New York City

Premiered: 2008

Number of seasons: 15

Theme: The lives of “elite” NYC “socialites” primarily in the Upper East Side and The Hamptons. RHONY is also the first franchise to really explore the second act of women rediscovering themselves after divorce.

Key players:

Ramona Singer: An original NYC Housewife, Ramona is reactive, sanctimonious, oblivious, and just generally not self-aware. This makes her a triumph of reality TV casting. I’ve found her really challenging to watch at times, but that’s also what makes her great for the show. Favorite tagline: “I’m an acquired taste. If you don’t like me, acquire some taste!”

Bethenny Frankel: Another original cast member, Bethenny is introduced as the younger, single, downtown (and not wealthy) hustler in contrast to the rest of the group. She’s brutally honest and hilarious, and a great audience surrogate. A breakout star of the series as a whole, she astutely used her platform to make millions from her brand, Skinnygirl, and even had a talk show.

One of the all time greats, there’s a reason why the show takes a huge drop in quality when she leaves after season three, and some of the best seasons of Real Housewives as a whole kick off when when she returns for the seventh season. She develops and destroys beautiful friendships on the show, and is very open about her difficult childhood and her extremely drawn out and painful divorce. Favorite tagline: “If you’re gonna take a shot at this B, you better not miss.”

Luann de Lesseps: Another wild transformation, the Luann we meet in season one is married to a French count (enter “Countess Luann”) and a self-proclaimed expert on class and etiquette. Like many Housewives marriages, Luann’s falls apart. She enters a Samantha Jones-esque “woman about town” era (almost always in a statement necklace) and her dating escapades are hilarious TV. Luann’s whirlwind romance with Tom D’Agostino spans three very compelling seasons. Without giving too much away, it ends explosively. Favorite tagline: “One should know - never count out the Countess.”

Jill Zarin: An anchor of the first four RHONY seasons, Jill is the most connected of the original group and sets the tone for the show. She develops an unlikely-yet-beautiful friendship with Bethenny, and their completely avoidable falling out in season three is so frustrating to watch. Jill also brings us one of Real Housewives’s best husbands — the delightful, doting Bobby Zarin. Favorite tagline: Jill only had two, so let’s go with “I run with a fabulous circle of people.”

Kelly Bensimon: A former model, Kelly is famously divorced from French fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon. She’s a downtown free spirit with a tendency towards the delusional and her time on the show was mainly defined by her feud with Bethenny Frankel. Unfortunately for her but fortunately for us, this culminates in a meltdown on the season three cast trip, coined Scary Island, that is of the franchise’s most dramatic moments. Favorite tagline: Kelly also only had two. I guess I’ll pick “I’ve created a good life, and I love living it."

Sonja Morgan: Oh, Sonja. She’s so crucial to RHONY that it’s easy forget she wasn’t part of the show until its third season. She joins the show recently divorced from John Adams Morgan (yes, of JP Morgan) and fits in with the group beautifully. She’s lovable, both intentionally and unintentionally funny, and loves to laugh at herself. Sonja adds an entertaining air of complete delusion to the cast and is responsible for some of RHONY’s great comedy, but she also seems a little lost and stuck in the past at times. Favorite tagline: “There’s nothing grey about my gardens.”

Carole Radziwill: Carole joins RHONY in season five and I think would be considered one of the great “gets” in terms of casting. A former war reporter for ABC and published author, she’s the epitome of “cool downtown writer” but with a true New York society pedigree — she was married to Anthony Radziwill, Lee Radziwill’s son and JFK’s nephew, for five years before his death in 1999.

Carole lives in the ultimate shabby-chic West Village single girl apartment and dates a hot younger man while on the show who happens to be a vegan chef. What more can you ask for? She’s rarely at the center of the group’s drama, except for in her fallout with Bethenny. We watch what seemed like a genuinely beautiful friendship between two lonely people dissolve into one of the show’s saddest moments — and it gets ugly. Favorite tagline: “In the politics of friendship, I win the popular vote.”

Dorinda Medley: A longtime friend of Ramona’s — look for her in the background of RHONY’s early seasons — Dorinda became an instant fan favorite when she joined the show in its seventh season. She has great one-liners, a penchant for martinis, and a beautiful house in the Berkshires (christened Bluestone Manor by Carole) that becomes an annual cast trip destination and the setting for some of the show’s greatest episodes.

Dorinda is immediately open and vulnerable about her grief, having lost her beloved husband Richard before her first season. Her trip to London with Carole to retrieve Carole’s husband’s ashes is one of the most emotional and touching Real Housewives moments ever. Favorite tagline: “I tell it like it is, but I always make it nice!"

Tinsley Mortimer: THE New York City socialite of the late 2000s, Tinsley’s had a major fall from grace when she joins the RHONY cast in season nine. She’s just moved back to New York after getting arrested for trespassing in Palm Beach after a bad breakup. Not often at the center of the group’s drama, Tinsley’s anxiety about being single and childless in her 40s and relationship with Scott, who she meets on the show, are her biggest storylines during her four season run. I also love quoting her season 11 line, “Yeah, I’m drinking, Luann.” Favorite tagline: "A good set of lashes can fix anything, even a mugshot."

My take:

Where to start: The beginning! This is the best franchise — seasons 7-10 are some of the best of the Real Housewives seasons ever. Plus it’s crucial to watch Bethenny before her wealth to contextualize her epic return.

When to start: As soon as you’ve decided Housewives is for you.

Dream cast member: Recent casting for RHONY has been a challenge. The show was completely recast for its 14th season, but the group was unable to capture the magic of the franchise’s golden years. I’d love to see basically any member of The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering on the show — maybe Marcella Hymowitz?

My favorite moment: Bethenny’s season nine mafia lunch at Zero Otto Nove in the Bronx’s Little Italy, where Dorinda shows up still drunk from the night before and fights with Sonja. Its so ridiculous and the other women’s reactions are perfection. There’s also a great moment in season 10 where all the women are in the Hamptons and show up in unintentionally insane outfits to dinner. Bethenny roasts all of them hilariously, including herself.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Premiered: 2008

Number of seasons: 16

Theme: The Real Housewives of Atlanta positions the city the place to be for wealthy Black Americans. The cast includes a former model, a Grammy winner, actors, NFL wives and even an Olympic gold medalist.

Key players:

Nene Leakes: Probably the greatest Housewife of all time, Nene was part of the original RHOA cast and immediately became its breakout star. There’s a meme or reaction gif from seemingly every episode that features her, to the point that you’ll probably recognize her even if you’ve never seen an episode of the show. Favorite tagline: “"I don’t keep up with the Jones’, I am the Jones’."

Shereé Whitfield: Another original cast member, Shereé is divorced from NFL player Bob Whitfield and much of her personal storyline is centered around the construction of her home, “Chateau Shereé.” Her fight with event planner Anthony is legendary, and she’s the only Housewife to have been let go and brought back twice. Favorite tagline: Shereé’s are… not good. “Call me a bad server, cause I always spill the tea.”

Kim Zolciak-Biermann: Delusion takes human form in Kim Zolciak. We meet her as a mom of two who is dating with a married man known only as “Big Poppa.” One of the first Housewives to use her platform to launch a “music career,” her singles “Tardy for the Party” and “Ring Didn’t Mean A Thing” are comically bad, but catchy. Kim’s falling out with Nene kicks off the series’ drama, and her five season run on the show results in an eight season spinoff about her family called Don’t Be Tardy. Favorite tagline: “People call me a gold digger, but they just want what I have.”

Kandi Burruss: Grammy winner (she wrote TLC’s No Scrubs) Kandi joins RHOA in season two and became one of the longest running Real Housewives ever, sticking around through its 15th season. Not the biggest personality in the cast, Kandi’s family dynamics, including her over-involved mom, and knowing when to get into and stay out of the drama contribute to her longevity. She’s also one of the most business-adept Housewives. Favorite tagline: “Now that I’ve got my Ace, I’ve got a full house.”

Cynthia Bailey: Another long-serving housewife who was part of the cast from its third through thirteenth season, Cynthia is a stunning former model who gets married and divorced twice on the show. Her first husband Peter was accused of being too involved in the women’s drama (he was), to the point that Nene nicknames him Patricia. Favorite tagline: "Seasons may change, but Cynthia Bailey never goes out of style."

Phaedra Parks: A lawyer by trade and true Southern belle, Phaedra joins RHOA with Cynthia in season three. She’s known for her cutting shade, disastrous marriage to Apollo Nida, and for falsely accusing fellow castmate Kandi of conspiring to commit sexual assault in season 10. It’s one of the show’s darkest moments and led to her firing. She eventually returns for season 16. Favorite tagline: "You can't always get what you want, but I can."

Kenya Moore: Another example of brilliant casting. Kenya is a former Miss USA and actor, making her debut in the show’s fifth season and staying on (occasionally as a friend) through season 16. Kenya is only second to Nene in terms of generating some of the franchise’s most quotable and iconic moments. She’s shady, reactive, and doesn’t back down, all qualities that make her a fabulous Housewife. Her time on the show came to a disappointing end in season 16, where she was fired midway for revealing sexually explicit photos of another cast member. Favorite tagline: “I give the people what they want, and they always want Moore."

Porsha Williams: We meet Porsha at the beginning of season five as the ditzy wife of NFL player Kordell Stewart, who she gets divorced from at the end of season six. She’s famous for her malapropisms, saying there were 265 days in a year, and thinking that the underground railroad was an actual railroad. Another Housewife who has evolved from “wife” to a boss in her own right, she left the show at the end of season 13 and made a much anticipated return for RHOA’s 16th season. Favorite tagline: "I'm too blessed to be stressed, and too sexy to be thirsty."

My take

Where to start: If not the very beginning, season three for the introduction of Kandi and Cynthia, or season five for the introduction of Porsha and Kenya.

When to start: This is a good fourth or fifth series to watch.

Dream cast member: RHOA’s done an excellent job casting both unknowns and people who are already famous. I’m always pulling for America’s Next Top Model winner and former Housewife Eva Marcille to return!

My favorite moment: Nene in season three, episode 15:

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Premiered: 2009

Number of seasons: 14

Theme: The most familial of the franchises, RHONJ focuses on Sopranos-inspired family dynamics of Italian-Americans. RHONJ is good tv, but it’s never been one of my favorite franchises. I obviously love watching people fight on camera, but seeing families feud and how it impacts multiple generations always bums me out. This is also the franchise where the husbands play the biggest role, something I’ve never enjoyed. It’s called HouseWIVES for a reason!

Key players:

Caroline Manzo: The matriarch and anchor of the show in its first few seasons, Caroline’s sister Dina (they married brothers!) and sister in law Jacqueline were also part of the original cast. Her three kids are a big presence in the early seasons, and she talks a lot about family and loyalty. Favorite tagline: Caroline’s are pretty bad. I guess the best is "If you're gonna mess with my family, you’re messing with me."

Jacqueline Laurita: The second-longest serving housewife from the original RHONJ cast. She strikes up a sweet friendship with costar Teresa Guidice and her daughter Ashley is a central part of the drama at the end of season two. I also really admired how open she was about her son’s autism. Jacqueline’s time on the show ends with an epic crashout at the end of season seven. Favorite tagline: "I’m a Vegas girl, I will call your bluff."

Teresa Giudice: One of the most iconic Real Housewives ever, Teresa is the only cast member to be part of every single season of RHONJ. A mom of four daughters who we watch grow up through the years, Teresa put the franchise on the map with her table flip at the end of season one.

Teresa’s time on the show has been primarily defined by her years long feud with her brother Joe Gorga and his wife Melissa. Teresa and her her husband Joe (lots of Joes here) are also the first Real Housewives cast members to go to prison while on the show, for fraud. Quick to lash out and extremely slow, often incapable, of admitting fault or wrongdoing, I find her really challenging to watch at times but I do appreciate her contributions to the franchise. Favorite tagline: "Blood may be thicker than water, but it's harder to clean when it spills."

Danielle Staub: THE villain of seasons one and two and one of the most unlikable women to be on Real Housewives, I do have a little sympathy for Danielle as the entire cast ends up ganging up on her. She’s terrorized even further in season two before departing the show at the end of the season. She returns, surprisingly as Teresa’s friend, for seasons eight through 10. Tagline: Because they reused taglines in early seasons, Danielle only had one. "You're either gonna love me or hate me. There is no in between with me."

Melissa Gorga: The wife of Teresa’s younger brother Joe, Melissa officially joins the cast in season three. Her very existence enrages Teresa and is a central point of almost every season of the show from then on, but I think RHONJ is at its best in the rare instances when they’re getting along. Most Housewives fans are very firmly Team Teresa or Team Melissa. I’m in the latter camp, but they’ve apparently reconciled recently. Favorite tagline: "I never throw the first punch, but I’m always a knockout."

Dolores Catania: A longtime friend of Teresa, Caroline and Dina, Dolores makes guests appearances in early RHONJ seasons but isn’t an official Housewife until season seven. She’s loyal, beautiful, and a calm voice of reason in the group until she loses her temper. A fan favorite! Favorite tagline: Another one with pretty bad taglines…"I'm loyal and I'm lovable, but don't you dare call me gullible."

Margaret Josephs: A relative latecomer, “Marge” is the only new Housewife in season eight. She’s unafraid to air her own dirty laundry (she had an affair with her current husband while married to her first husband) or that of her fellow cast members. While they start off as friends, Marge ends up going to war with Teresa after she raises questions about Teresa’s boyfriend (now husband) Luis. Favorite tagline: "If you can't take the truth, sue me!"

Jennifer Aydin: The Turkish-American wife of a plastic surgeon, Jennifer was the standout debutant of season nine. Brash and unafraid of confrontation, she aligns and then becomes friends with Teresa and feuds with most of the cast, either on Teresa’s behalf or her own. I find her very challenging to watch. Favorite tagline: "Whoever says that money can't buy happiness, clearly doesn't have my credit limit."

My take

Where to start: Season one. You need to see the context that leads to Teresa’s table flip.

When to start: RHONJ is currently in flux around casting, with lots of rumors of either a full or partial reboot but no news on next steps for almost 18 months. So no need to rush into this one.

Dream cast member: Snooki!

My favorite moment: Season eight, when Teresa confronts friend of and villain Kim D at the fashion show for Kim’s brand POSCHE and says, “Do you know what POSCHE stands for? Piece of shit coke whore, homewrecker everyday.”

The Real Housewives of D.C.

Premiered: 2010

Number of seasons: One

Theme: It wasn’t really on long enough to establish one, but RHODC is about women and their proximity to politics and power in the nation’s capital. This is the only franchise where every married cast member is now divorced.

Key players:

Mary Schmidt Amons: A mom of five and Virginia native, she’s well connected in DC’s social scene. Michaele and her husband Tareq accuse Mary’s daughter Lolly of being involved stealing from Tareq’s polo team and it’s one of the season’s biggest conflicts. Tagline:"I don’t make money, I spend money."

Lynda Erkiletian: The founder of a modeling agency and mom dating a younger man, Lynda’s storyline for the season is about leaving her Georgetown condo for the DC suburb of McLean. Tagline: "I give people enough rope to hang themselves, and the smart people don't."

Cat Ommanney: The wife of White House photographer Charles Ommanney, Cat is a gravelly-voiced British expat with a dry sense of humor. She’s still adjusting to DC and her marriage starts to implode during filming. Could’ve had a great run if she was on a different franchise. Tagline: "I’m here for a good time, not a long time."

Michaele Salahi: I didn’t quite know what to make of Michaele, whose husband Tareq is one of the slimiest Real Housewives husbands. I couldn’t tell if she was being dragged down by him or was complicit in their shadiness. They’re most famous for crashing President Obama’s White House state dinner in honor of the Indian prime minister, which became a national scandal. Tagline: “People have a hard time saying no to me and that’s just been my blessing.”

Stacie Scott Turner: A realtor who also seemed to have the best marriage of the women, Stacie had a fascinating personal storyline. Stacie is Black and was adopted, so she was surprised to find out her birth mother was white. Her birth mother tells her that her father is Nigerian but doesn’t know about her and refuses to give Stacie any further info, and we follow Stacie and her husband Jason trying to find her father throughout the season. Tagline: "D.C. is my town and I thrive in it."

My take:

Where to start: There’s only one season, so the beginning.

When to start: This is the only franchise I hadn’t seen so I watched it while writing this. It starts a little slow and it’s definitely old school Housewives. I ended up finding it pretty interesting, especially watching the buildup and fallout to the Salahi crashing incident, but I’d understand if you wanted to skip this one.

Dream cast member: Kamala Harris

Favorite moment: When the cast take a trip to Michaele and Tareq’s vineyard in Virginia wine country, Tareq challenges the women to a grape stomping competition. But the grapes they stomp are gigantic supermarket grapes and not wine grapes. Cat’s reaction to this is so funny and its just a prime example of how tacky and phony Michaele and Tareq are.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Premiered: 2010

Number of seasons: 15

Theme: Soapy drama and lifestyle porn from women in or involved with the entertainment industry.

Key players:

Taylor Armstrong: An original cast member, Taylor’s first seasons focus on the Oklahoma native striving to fit in her with her more established costars. Rumors of financial issues and abuse circled Taylor and her husband Russell and she filed for divorce following filming of season two. Russell was found dead by suicide a month later. Their relationship and Kim Richards’ issues with sobriety (more on that later) add a real darkness to the early seasons of the show. Favorite tagline: "I finally found my voice, and I’m not afraid to use it."

Camille Grammar: The wife (at the time) of Frasier actor Kelsey Grammar, Camille was probably the biggest name before the show started. They film a few scenes together but it’s immediately apparent that Kelsey can’t stand her and is completely checked out. She brings medium Alison Dubois to a dinner she hosts that becomes the infamous “Dinner Party from Hell” and files for divorce from Kelsey between season one and two. She left the show after its second season but has been back since as both a friend and guest. Favorite tagline: “Diamonds aren’t a girl’s best friend — freedom is.”

Kim Richards: Former child star Kim Richards is another original BH Housewife and joins alongside her younger sister Kyle. Kim is lovable but fragile, and there’s something off about her that we can’t quite put our finger on — until Kyle shockingly reveals that Kim is an alcoholic in the season one finale. People love Kim, and she is the source of some iconic moments on the show, but I’ve always found it a little unsettling to watch her. The show didn’t seem to be good for her alcoholism. Favorite tagline: "I’ve been rich and I’ve been famous, but happiness beats them both."

Kyle Richards: Kyle is the last original RHOBH to still be on the show — she’s been doing it for 15 seasons! Blessed with a hot husband and beautiful family, she’s so watchable and a great narrator for the series. Some fans find her polarizing, and the varying degrees of accountability she holds her cast members to can be frustrating, but I think she’s essential to the show and it’s hard to imagine Beverly Hills without her. Favorite tagline: "In this town, stars come and go, but diamonds last forever."

Lisa Vanderpump: Another fan favorite, this deliciously snarky restaurateur and English expat was made for TV. Lisa, along with costar Adrienne Maloof, brought a level of wealth to this franchise that we hadn’t seen on the other Housewives shows. Lisa is hilarious and her alliance/friendship with Kyle Richards makes for early RHOBH’s best duo. She leaves the show midway through season nine but has leveraged her restaurants and relationship with Bravo into the incredibly success spinoff Vanderpump Rules. Favorite tagline: Lisa has some of the best of any Housewife. I think her best is "I'm passionate about dogs, just not crazy about bitches."

Brandi Glanville: A true agent of chaos, Brandi Glanville joins the show fulltime in season three after making appearances as a friend the season prior. Amidst a very public divorce (her husband Eddie Cibrian was having an affair with Leeann Rimes) she’s consistently at the nucleus of or close to the show’s drama and conflict. Brandi burned bright during her time as a Housewife but also burned out quickly. Drink throwing, name calling, physical altercations…. she really did it all during her three season run. Favorite tagline: “Money doesn’t give you class, it just gives you money.”

Yolanda Hadid: This glamorous Dutch model is married to musician David Foster when she’s introduced in RHOBH’s third season. An almond mom before the term existed, she deftly used time on Beverly Hills to launch the modeling careers of her two daughters Gigi and Bella. She left the show after season six after her health struggles became a central storyline. Favorite tagline: Yolanda’s are a little preachy. I guess I’ll go with "I like to have fun, but I don’t play games."

Lisa Rinna: Bravo took a big swing casting soap stars Lisa Rinna and Eileen Davidson for the fifth season of RHOBH. Other than boring, the worst criticism a reality show can get is feeling scripted, and the series already had a soapy feel. But they struck gold, particularly with Lisa Rinna. She leaned right into the mess and her season five blowout fight with Kim Richards is one of the top five moments of Real Housewives ever. She’s one of Real Housewives’s great villains and had an impressive eight season run on the show. Favorite tagline: "I don't have to buy it, ‘cause I already own it."

Erika Girardi: The wife of a much older lawyer with a heavily autotuned pop-star alter ego known as Erika Jayne, Erika Girardi feels lab-created to be a Housewife. She’s credited with kickstarting a new era of Housewives, where stylists vie to create iconic looks, full glam is a must before every cast event, and makeup artists (that the Housewives pay for) travel on cast trips.

Cool as a cucumber most of the time, she has a scary temper and was involved in one of the biggest ever Housewives scandals when she and her estranged husband Tom were sued for embezzlement of tens of millions of dollars from his clients, allegedly to fund her lifestyle and pop career. This of course made for a couple of very good seasons. Favorite tagline: “I’m an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, and cash.” It’s so nonsensical that it weirdly works.

Dorit Kemsley: Another unknown who turned out to be casting gold. A true fashion girl from Connecticut with an indeterminable pseudo-English accent, she’s hilariously longwinded and became famous for her ridiculously complicated and precise cocktail order: “Belvedere and soda in a short glass with three lemons, carcass out.” She started on RHOBH in season seven and is currently on her eighth season. I go back and forth on Dorit but I love how she talks and I’m always excited to see her outfits. Favorite tagline: "When you've traveled the world, you can speak in any accent you want."

Denise Richards: To date, probably the most already-famous person to be a Real Housewife. Denise Richards only did two seasons of RHOBH — nine and ten. More California casual than her castmates, she refused to join the glam arms race and mostly stayed out of the drama in her first season, but flubbed her turn in the hot seat on her sophomore season and left after the reunion. Favorite tagline: "My problem with the tabloids? My real life is so much juicier."

Garcelle Beauvais: An instant fan favorite and the first Black cast member on the show, Garcelle enters as a real breath of fresh air in season 10. She’s not afraid to ask tough questions of her cast (the RHOBH are the cagiest of the bunch) and strikes up an unlikely friendship with Sutton Stracke, who was also new that season. She leveraged her time on the show to reinvigorate her acting and producing career and signed a first-look deal with NBCUniversal in 2022. She left the show after feeling iced out and unsupported by the cast after her fifth season. Favorite tagline: “Life is an audition, and honey, I am getting that part.”

Sutton Stracke: Sutton joined the cast as a friend in season 10, but was upgraded to an official Housewife for the following season and is still part of the main cast. A Georgia native with a strong accent, she has real wealth (she’s divorced from her childhood sweetheart) and great style. Quirky and emotional, she’s involved in both some of the funniest and most dramatic moments of each of her seasons. I respect Sutton for asking the most questions about Erika’s legal issues, but she often doesn’t know how to finish the fights she starts. She can be polarizing, but I feel like I understand her (lol). I love watching her. Favorite tagline: Sutton’s are overall pretty bad. I guess I’ll go with "If you want a seat at my table, you best mind your manners."

My take

Where to start: Start with season one but from there skip to season five. There aren’t a ton of big moments in two through four.

When to start: Watch this either second or third or save it for the midpoint/end of your Housewives journey.

Dream cast member: Chrissy Teigen is one of the first celebrities I remember being really open about being a Real Housewives fan, so I think it’d be fun to see her on it. Also Meghan Markle.

Favorite moment: The season five cast trip. Lisa Rinna’s knockdown drag-out blowout with Kim Richards, in Amsterdam of all places, is one of the best Real Housewives moments ever.

The Real Housewives of Miami

Premiered: 2011

Number of seasons: Seven total, but the show was initially canceled in 2013 after three seasons and rebooted in 2021.

Theme: Colorful women in one of America’s most culturally unique cities. Almost all of the women are (at least) bilingual, emigrated to the US, or both.

Key players:

Lea Black: Wealthy with a sort of mafia boss attitude, she’s the socialite and society-minded Housewife that fills an archetype in almost all of the early Housewives seasons. Lea was a mainstay of the first three Miami seasons but not asked back for the reboot. Favorite tagline: "I can deal with a lot, but I can't deal with stupid."

Adriana de Moura: This stunning and chaotic Brazilian is positioned as the cast’s connection to the infamous Miami art scene. Things get ugly when she goes to war with Joanna Krupa in the show’s second season. Adrianna’s returned only as a friend in the reboot but still plays a big role in the group’s drama. Favorite tagline: "Some people say I have secrets, but I say I am full of surprises."

Alexia Nepola: Some people just have extremely dramatic lives, and Alexia Nepola is one of those people. The “Cuban Barbie” is one of the original RHOM and we meet her as the feisty wife of wealthy magazine publisher Herman Echevarria. Herman’s her second husband — the first was a cocaine dealer. She takes a step back from the show for its second season when her teenaged son Frankie almost dies in a car accident, but returns season three and has been the anchor of the reboot. Something crazy seems to happen to her every season and she’s compulsively watchable. Favorite tagline: "In Miami, the sun brings the heat, but I bring the fire."

Marysol Patton: A PR maven and sidekick to Alexia, Marysol is an official housewife on the first two RHOM seasons and returns as a friend (but with a big role) in season three and the reboot. I love her friendship with Alexia because it precedes the show and seems so genuine. They have great banter and are always switching between English and Spanish like the true Miami girls they are. Marysol famously asks the women to play a “game” called “Who here do you trust the least?” during the season four cast trip to the Hamptons. And her mom, known affectionately as Mama Elsa, is one of Bravo’s best supporting characters. Favorite tagline: ”I put others in the spotlight, but somehow it keeps finding me.”

Larsa Pippen: Another wild Housewife transformation. Larsa is married to NBA legend Scottie Pippen when we meet her on season one, leaves after the first season. She returns from LA for the fourth season divorced, completely unrecognizable, and with a much younger boyfriend (who happens to be Michael Jordan’s son). She’s not afraid to go below the belt, be the villain, and/or keep fighting even if she’s proven wrong. She’s got the goods for a long run on the show. Favorite tagline: "It's my game now, and the fans are going wild."

Lisa Hochstein: The self-described trophy wife of plastic surgeon Lenny Hochstein, Lisa joined the show in season two and has been part of the main cast ever since. Her early season storylines focus on her struggles with her mother in law and with infertility, and when we’re reintroduced to her in season four she has two adorable kids. We start to see the cracks in her marriage though, and her divorce from Lenny is a central (and very compelling) storyline in seasons five and six. Favorite tagline: "My husband’s a top plastic surgeon in this town, and I’m his best creation."

Joanna Krupa: A Polish swimsuit model who has a dysfunctional relationship with her fiancé, sister, and alcohol, Joanna is a stunning and fiery addition to Miami’s second season. Her two season run on RHOM is defined by her drama with Adriana, and it’s one of Real Housewives’s nastiest fights. Favorite tagline: "I’m a model, but not always a model citizen."

Dr. Nicole Martin: The best of the new additions to the cast when RHOM was rebooted in 2021. Dr. Nicole is a Cuban-American anesthesiologist with a compelling personal story, great style, and real wealth. Unafraid to take on the more established cast members, she’s also probably the most grounded woman on the show and had a brilliant three year run before stepping away after the birth of her second child, a girl, after season six. I’m always rooting for her to return. Favorite tagline: "I might be a doctor, but don’t test my patience."

My take

Where to start: Season one if you want to see Larsa’s original face, otherwise you can watch this video and jump right to season four.

When to start: If you’re starting with the rebooted fourth season, this is a good one to watch first or second to get a feel for the format because there’s only four seasons and they’re all good-to-great. I didn’t watch the original seasons until after the reboot was out, and it’s actually nice to see more of the history once you’re invested in the women.

If you’re starting Miami from the beginning, anywhere in the middle of your Housewives journey makes sense.

Dream cast member: I have a few. One of the wives of the Inter Miami players — Lionel Messi’s wife Antonela is probably too famous already, but I’d love to watch her or Luis Suarez’s wife Sofi. I also think Isabela Grutman, the wife of Miami restaurateur Dave Grutman, would be a great addition.

My favorite moment: Either Marysol asking the women to play “who here do you trust the least?” in season four or Dr. Nicole throwing her black Amex at Alexia’s lawyer in season six. Also anytime the women switch between English and Spanish mid-conversation.

The Real Housewives of Potomac

Premiered: 2016

Number of seasons: 10

Theme: A second try at a Housewives franchise in the Washington, DC area, Potomac is about the Black women that live in DC’s affluent suburbs.

Key players:

Gizelle Bryant: A mom to three adorable girls and the ex-wife of pastor Jamal Bryant, Gizelle is part of the original Potomac cast and one of its most influential members. She’s shady, will bring up any rumor she hears (or makes up) about her cast on camera, and is consistently at the center of or involved in the group’s drama. Some fans complain she doesn’t show enough of her personal life, but we do get to watch her daughters grow up on camera, which is enough for me. Favorite tagline: "I’m no angel, but gimme some grace, and you’ll learn to adore me."

Ashley Darby: One of only a few women to join Real Housewives in their 20s, Ashley is married to a man 29 years her senior and spends the first season getting hazed by the other women for being younger and less established than they are. Ashley’s known for being messy and for being married to one of the worst men to appear on Bravo (they’ve since divorced but the stink still remains). Some fans think her time on Potomac has passed and it’s a toss up whether she’ll be back for the show’s 11th season. Favorite tagline: “Throw this spring chicken into the cougar’s den and let the games begin.”

Robyn Dixon: Another original RHOP, Robyn is mainly known for her genuine friendship with Gizelle but often comes off like her sidekick. The partner of former basketball player Juan Dixon, they join the show in a bad place financially but she impressively manages to turn things around for her family. Robyn was fired from the show for essentially burying her relationship issues during season eight and only talking about them behind a Patreon paywall after the season aired. Favorite tagline: it’s so bad it’s good. "I just took a DNA test, and it turns out, I one hundred percent don’t care."

Karen Huger: The most consistently excellent Potomac Housewife, Karen, who coined herself “The Grande Dame,” is wickedly funny, shady, a little delusional, and just all around great television. There are too many great Karen moments to name, but I think my favorite is the “press conference” she hosts in season two after her husband’s tax issues come out. She missed season 10 after being sentenced to jail time for her fourth (!!!) DUI, but she’s out of prison now and I think it’s highly likely she’ll be back for season 11. She has a longstanding frenemy relationship with Gizelle and their chemistry is truly incredible. Favorite tagline: “I don’t ride the fence, honey. I am the fence. You ride me.”

Charrisse Jackson-Jordan: Charrisse’s contributions to developing the show are much more valuable than anything she really did on camera. Multiple women have credited her as the well-connected glue and mutual acquaintance that production initially cast around. Charrisse was a full-time cast member for the show’s first three seasons but pops in as a guest on an episode or two seemingly every season after. Favorite tagline: “Why cry over spilled milk, when you can laugh over champagne?”

Monique Samuels: Monique joins in season two and immediately rubs Gizelle the wrong way, kicking off a multi-season feud. The wife of retired NFL player Chris Samuels, she’s the wealthiest of the cast by far and isn’t afraid of confrontation. She had a solid four season run, but left the show after a physical altercation with Candiace Dillard Bassett in season six caused her to fall out with most of the cast. She’s since gotten divorced and reappeared as a friend for season 10. It’s been interesting to see how she’s changed in the time she took away from the show. Favorite tagline: "I may be rough around the edges, but baby, so are diamonds."

Candiace Dillard Bassett: A former pageant girl and Howard University alum who worked in the Obama White House, Candiace really burst onto the scene when she was added to the cast in RHOP’s third season. One of the quickest and most razor-tongued Housewives across all franchises, there’s a nine minute YouTube video of her best “clapbacks.” She’s also known to cry easily. Candiace left the show in 2024 after six seasons. Favorite tagline: "When they go low, I just hit high notes.”

Wendy Osefo: Dr. Wendy Osefo was to new RHOP in its fifth season, and it took her a little while to find her footing. A college professor with five (and don’t you forget it) degrees, she emigrated from Nigeria at age three and frequently showcases her culture on the show. Wendy’s really figured out her role in the group over the last three seasons and is now one of the longest-serving Potomac Housewives. That could come to an end however. She and her husband Eddie were arrested on multiple charges of fraud in October 2025, and I can imagine her legal team is advising her not to continue with the show until the trial is over. Favorite tagline: "If you’re going to test this professor, be prepared to fail."

Mia Thornton: Ugh, Mia. I get why she was brought on in Potomac’s sixth season. She has a wild personal story (her husband is 32 years older than her, they met at a strip club where she was working and then own chiropractor franchises) and wasn’t afraid to be open about it or sex life. Never a fan favorite, Mia’s castmates were quick to sniff her out as a chronic liar, but I think the nail in the coffin of her time on the show was when she used questions about her son’s paternity as a storyline in her last season. Favorite tagline: "If you want to pop off, I'll be happy to get you adjusted."

Stacey Rusch: A former QVC host, Stacey’s only filmed two seasons but has the chops to have a looooong run on the show. Beautiful and just the right amount of delusional with a thick skin and a hypnotic way of speaking, she genuinely cracks me up and I can’t get enough of her. Favorite tagline: "I know how to host a show - and steal one too."

My take

Where to start: Season one. There’s a lot of talk about etiquette, but Bravo really has the Housewives format down at this point so the petty, low stakes drama gets going pretty quickly.

When to start: Late middle to end of your Housewives journey. I love these ladies, and they’ve created many great seasons of TV, but Potomac never really brings the lifestyle porn element I think the more casual viewer tunes in for.

Dream cast member: I spent so much time researching this and completely struck out. Bring back Candiace!

My favorite moment: A tie between two, both in season three.

No. 1: Karen and Gizelle are having a massive argument over lunch, and a mime walks up and starts gesturing in the middle of their conversation. Karen doesn’t notice it at first so she just keeps arguing while Gizelle is starting to react to the mime — itt’s so wacky and so funny.

No. 2: The girls are on a cast trip to Cannes. We see a shot of just the women’s shoes and everyone is dressed to the nines for the first full day of the trip. Louboutins, Gucci sneakers etc. The camera then pans to a very un-chic pair of Sauconys and Gizelle says: “Karen, you’re ready to walk around.” I’m laughing so hard just writing about it and the comment causes another fight between Potomac’s best duo.

The Real Housewives of Dallas

Premiered: 2016

Number of seasons: Five

Theme: The Real Housewives of Dallas was originally filmed as a show about the Dallas charity circuit and follows women who are either established in or trying to break into that scene. A lot of the drama is over what constitutes appropriate behavior for the kind of women in that community. You will hear the word charity said in a strong Texas accent roughly 500 times an episode in the first season.

Key players:

Stephanie Hollman: I love Stephanie. An Oklahoma native who married into the family responsible for “the world’s largest manufacturer of locker solutions” she comes off as a genuinely kind, humble person who sometimes struggles to stand up for herself. She’s very open about her mental health struggles on the show and her friendship with costar Brandi Redmond was one of the show’s high points. Favorite tagline: "I don’t need your approval, I need you to get out my way."

Brandi Redmond: RHOD wouldn’t be complete without a former Cowboys cheerleader on the cast, and they found a good one in Brandi Redmond. A red-headed spitfire who loves a gross prank (think decorating a hat for a charity luncheon with fake dog poop and chasing another castmate around with a massive dildo) she immediately clashes with fellow cast member LeeAnne Locken and their feud lasts multiple seasons. Her time on the show was marred by a racist video she posted on Instagram, and she’s a bit of a shell of herself in the RHOD’s final season because of it. Favorite tagline: "I was a Cowboys cheerleader, but in Dallas, I'm never on the sidelines."

LeeAnne Locken: To me, LeeAnne is the most obvious case of an untreated personality disorder across Real Housewives. A self-proclaimed ringleader of the Dallas charity scene, she immediately and antagonistically sets out to gatekeep what is and isn’t appropriate for women who want to be respected in Dallas society, even though she’s not from Dallas society herself. LeeAnne grew up in a traveling carnival and alludes to a lot of childhood trauma — that she later weaponizes! Although she’s one of the most challenging Housewives for me to watch, she is responsible for some of RHOD’s most quotable moments. Her reign of terror came to an end after season four following multiple instances of racist comments towards new cast member Kary Brittingham. Favorite tagline: "I'm a true Texan. No bull, but all horns."

Cary Deuber: A confident, beautiful nurse who works at her husband’s plastic surgery practice, Cary really feels like the glue of the group in its first season and plays the middle well. Established in the oh-so-important charity scene but laidback enough to get along with Stephanie and Brandi, she rode the fence for a solid three season run. Favorite tagline: "Every girl has skeletons in their closet, mine are next to my Birkin."

D’Andra Simmons: New in RHOD’s sophomore season, D’Andra’s family is prominent in the Dallas social scene and she has a longstanding friendship with LeeAnne (that obviously crashes and burns). Her eccentric and often cold mother, “Mama Dee”, becomes a prominent supporting cast member and scene stealer. Favorite tagline: “I started from a Dallas dynasty, but I'll finish with my own empire."

Kameron Westcott: Another newbie for season two, Kameron is a California native who married into a wealthy Dallas family. Often dressed in pink, Kameron comes off conservative, uptight and snobby, which clashes with Brandi and Stephanie’s more silly and lowkey ways. She has a brutal, racially charged feud with newbie Tiffany Moon in season five that contributed to the show’s cancellation. Favorite tagline: "Just cause I look like Barbie, doesn't mean you can play me."

Kary Brittingham: Originally from Mexico, Kary is new to the group in season four. She’s a party girl and brings the cast on a fab trip to Careyes, and her season-long feud with LeeAnne ended in LeeAnne being fired after making racist comments toward her. Favorite tagline: "If you take a shot at me, it’d better be tequila!"

Tiffany Moon: An incredible find by casting, Dr. Tiffany Moon is an anesthesiologist who graduated from college at 19 and medical school at 23 — and she only moved to the US from China at age six. Her season was filmed in 2020 so she was also working at a hospital during a pandemic while filming.

Tiffany is funny, has an insane closet, and two adorable daughters. She’s one of the best additions to a Housewives cast, but her run was cut short when RHOD was cancelled after season five. If it’s ever brought back, they should cast around her. Tagline: "I can save your life, but not your reputation."

My take

Where to start: There’s only five seasons, so season one.

When to start: When you’re home sick or have a long flight and have watched most of the other franchises. It’s an ok series, but it’s been cancelled with no rumors of a revival, so there’s really no urgency here.

Dream cast member: Do you remember the one-season Bravo shows Most Eligible Dallas or Courtney Loves Dallas? Courtney Kerr from those shows got married and is now Courtney Noonan — I think she’d be a good fit for a Dallas reboot.

My favorite moment: Season two, Stephanie’s reaction after LeeAnne smashes a glass during her umpteenth freakout: “Woo Jesus help me!”

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Premiered: 2021

Number of seasons: Six

Theme: The franchise is initially about the women’s relationship to religion, specifically the Mormon church, and how it’s impacted their lives. Aesthetically, think lots of fur coats, operatic choir music, and b-roll of strip mall parking lots juxtaposed with stunning snow-capped mountains.

Key players:

Lisa Barlow: A New York native and serial entrepreneur, Lisa is part of the Mormon church but considers herself “Mormon 2.0.” To her, this means she can drink and own a tequila brand, both of which would be verboten in the traditional rules of the church. She has zero filter and uses volume more than logic or reason when arguing, but she’s also responsible for many of the show’s most quoted lines. Favorite tagline: "I’m on a mission to serve Lisa, and I love that for myself."

Heather Gay: A native Utahn, owner of Beauty Lab + Laser, single mom of three, and former devout Mormon. Heather is the cast member that seems most traumatized by her time in the church, and it’s fascinating to watch her discover who she when she’s no longer defining herself by the rules of Mormonism. She’s the cast’s audience surrogate and does a beautiful job narrating in her confessionals. Favorite tagline: "Just like my pioneer ancestors, I'm trying to blaze a new trail."

Meredith Marks: Meredith is a jewelry designer, law school graduate and mom of three originally from Chicago. Her family initially moved to Salt Lake City for her husband Seth’s job, but it’s basically an open secret that she doesn’t spend much time there outside of filming (she has a different rental in Park City every season). Meredith has a fascinating accent prone to rapid fluctuation and operates on two speeds: spaced out or completely enraged. Also responsible for some of RHOSLC’s best memes. Favorite tagline: "I may be known for my ice, but I always bring the heat."

Whitney Rose: Another native Utahn, Whitney and Heather are actually third cousins. Whitney was also raised in the LDS church, married, had an affair with her boss, Justin, got divorced, and… married Justin! Whitney is wild, very open about sex and sexuality, and a producer’s dream because she will repeat any gossip or rumor she hears about someone else in the cast. She also has the strongest Utah accent I have ever heard. Favorite tagline: "This Rose isn't scared to handle a little prick."

Jen Shah: Raised Mormon but a convert to Islam for her husband Sharrieff “Coach” Shah, Jen spends season one at the center and instigator of the group’s major conflicts and seemed like a shoo-in for a long run on the show. This came to a screeching halt when she was arrested for fraud and money laundering by the FBI during filming in the show’s second season. She returned for season three, denying any wrongdoing for months before flipping and pleading guilty. She ended up serving almost three years in prison and was released in December. The show has actually gotten better since she’s been off the cast and Andy Cohen’s said recently he never wants to work with her again. Favorite tagline: "The only thing I'm guilty of, is being Shah-mazing."

Mary Cosby: Lots of superlatives for Mary. A pastor with arguably the most bizarre personal story in Real Housewives history, Mary was chosen by her grandmother to lead the church her grandmother founded after she died. This meant Mary marrying her step-grandfather. One of the quirkiest Housewives ever, she originally left after season two, returned as a friend for season four, and was back full-time for the show’s fifth season. She’s done a complete 180 from looking down on the women and making dismissive, nasty comments to them, to being more open and treating them more compassionately. She also has a great, yet strange, sense of humor. Mary and her son Robert Jr. also open up about his drug addiction in season five and they’re some of the most emotionally raw scenes on Real Housewives ever. Favorite tagline: all of Mary’s are great. "I love God, but I will read you like a scripture."

Angie Katsanevas: “Angie K,” as she will forever be known, is a study in Housewife perseverance. From making guest appearances in the early seasons, to becoming a “friend of” in season three, to joining the cast full-time in season four, she’s really grown into her role on the show. Angie a raspy-voiced Greek spitfire who made money owning hair salons. Her evolution from hanger-on to a central part of the cast has been a real treat to watch, and she strikes up a sweet friendship with Mary in season five. Favorite tagline: "I may be Greek, but don't expect an olive branch from me."

Monica Garcia: The rare one season wonder who made enough of an impact to make the Key Players list, Monica was only on RHOLSC’s fourth season. She was cast due to her connection with Jen Shah — Monica was a former employee of Jen’s and claims she testified against her. Another former Mormon who’s since left the church, she has a wild personal story and a challenging relationship with her mother. I won’t give away the reason Monica doesn’t come back, but the season four finale is one of the best reality TV episodes I’ve ever seen. Tagline: "I keep my friends close, but my secrets closer."

Bronwyn Newport: New to RHOSLC in season five, our first impression of Bronwyn is her walking into an all-cast event in a wild heart-shaped Valentino coat. She’s funny, savvy, and self-aware, with zany yet very expensive taste in clothes. Bronwyn was also raised Mormon, and was actually kicked out of BYU for getting pregnant with her daughter, Gwen, who we meet on the show. She’s unafraid to go up against her more established cast members but has (so far) avoided going too below the belt in any arguments. She does have a tendency to play both sides in a fight, but if she can start to resist the urge and develop stronger alliances or even friendships, she definitely has the chops to become a longstanding cast member. I love watching her. Favorite tagline: "The only muted thing you’d find in my wardrobe, is my black card."

My take

Where to start: The very beginning. RHOSLC is a well-oiled machine when it comes to introducing the cast and immediately diving into drama.

When to start: Watch this first and as soon as possible. It’s taken the crown from RHONY and RHOBH as the most culturally relevant franchise and it’s the most consistently excellent of the bunch.

Dream cast member: I can’t imagine a better cast than the one we have!

My favorite moment: There are so many to choose from even though there are only six seasons. Besides the season four finale, I’d say either the season five finale or Lisa Barlow’s season two hot mic rant about Meredith.

The Real Housewives of Dubai

Premiered: 2022

Number of seasons: Two

Theme: RHODubai is a peak behind the curtain of one of the world’s newest, wealthiest and flashiest urban metropolises, (the idea is to ignore the human rights violations here) and Bravo’s first Real Housewives franchise set abroad. The cast is diverse and includes both native Emirati and immigrants, which reflects the makeup of the city.

Key players:

Sara Al Madani: The cast’s only native Emirati, Sara is a single mom with a nebulous entrepreneurial job — I think she’s essentially a motivational speaker? She speaks in empowerment Instagram memes, which is hilarious to watch and annoying to her castmates. Favorite tagline: "In the land of excess, I find my riches within."

Chanel Ayan: A star was born when Chanel Ayan was cast on this show. A Kenyan-born Somali model, everything about Chanel is completely over the top: her clothing, personality, emotions and reactions. This of course makes her great for reality TV. Favorite tagline: "If you’re jealous of me, that’s OK honey, I would be too."

Caroline Brooks: An American from Boston who moved to Dubai with her former husband, “Brooks” as she’s called, slides into the role of Dubai’s villain. A single mom with a preteen son and a quick temper, her storyline on the show mainly focuses on the salon she’s opening with her ex-husband. Favorite tagline: "I may be building glass houses, but you’ll never see me crack."

Lesa Milan: The founder of Mina Roe, a maternity clothing brand, and mom to three adorable boys, Lesa is originally from Jamaica and married to an English investor. Probably the show’s best dressed cast member. Favorite tagline: "The desert may be hot, but I always find the shade."

Caroline Stanbury: More on “Stanbury” in the bonus Ladies of London section below, but she was already a Bravo alum when she joined the cast of RHODubai. We’re reintroduced to her new life and much younger fiancé, but with some of the same delicious English snark. Favorite tagline: "The only thing old about me, darling, is my money."

Taleen Marie: Another American who has relocated to Dubai, Taleen joins in RHODubai’s second season and is one of Caroline Brooks’s first friends in Dubai. They immediately fall out, but Taleen really holds her own. Tagline: "Take it from me: if you know how to stay chill, you’ll never get burnt."

My take

Where to start: There’s only two seasons, so season one.

When to start: No rush here. We’re not getting new Dubai anytime soon.

Dream cast member: Emily Abraham. She owns Love Luxury, the boutique in London and Dubai that’s all over TikTok.

My favorite moment: Taleen has a couple of good blowups, other than that its the unlikely linkup of Caroline Stanbury and Chanel Ayan in season two.

The Real Housewives of Rhode Island

Premieres: 2026 TBC

Number of seasons: One

Theme: Looks like it’s focused on a group of Italian-American women in our smallest state.

Key players: It’s not out yet, but the season one cast is: Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson and Jo-Ellen Tiberi.

My take:

Where and when to start: The beginning! I’ll update this once I have more info.

Dream cast member: My dear friend Mia who is also Italian-American, has incredible style and wit, and lives in Rhode Island. Bravo, call her.

BONUS: Ladies of London

Premiered: 2014

Number of seasons: Three, but it’s being rebooted with a new cast.

Theme: This series follows several English women and several American women who’ve emigrated to London, and initially tries to capture the social hierarchy and cultural differences between the two countries. It’s basically a Real Housewives franchise set in London and it’s unclear to me why Bravo didn’t just call it that.

Key players:

Juliet Angus: The only American in the cast married to another American, Juliet and her family moved to London for her husband’s job and liked it so much they stayed. She’s a brash fashion blogger who is the “most American” of the bunch, and ends up at odds with the other ladies quite often. Her unlikely friendship with Caroline Stanbury ends up being one of the show’s best duos. You can now watch Juliet on Hayu’s Real Housewives of London.

Marissa Hermer: An Orange County native married to an English restaurant/nightlife entrepreneur, Marissa really wants to fit in with her English castmates and even becomes an English citizen. She then does a very American thing and opens a hot dog restaurant. In London. I remember her most for giving birth to her daughter in the premiere of season three, where she dealt with placenta accreta, a condition that can cause excessive bleeding. Its genuinely scary and you can tell how much the experience traumatized her. Marissa and her family are planning a move back to LA at the end of the show’s third season. She lives there still (but has since gotten divorced). I’d love to see her on RHOBH.

Annabelle Neilson: A model and socialite born to an aristocratic family, Annabelle was also the muse and close friend of Alexander McQueen, and she’s still grieving his death when we’re introduced to her in season one. Sensitive, kind, and fragile, she was in a very serious horseback riding accident during the filming of season one. She also writes a series of children’s books. Tragically, she was found dead in her home in 2018 at age 49. Her cause of death has been attributed to both a stroke and a heart attack. She also has one of the most interesting Wikipedia pages I’ve come across.

Noelle Reno: Only part of the first season of Ladies of London, Noelle is an American (another interesting Wikipedia page here) engaged to businessman Scot Young, who is having financial issues and makes several appearances on the show. They called off their engagement two weeks before his death by suicide in 2014.

Caroline Stanbury: The queen bee of the cast, Caroline is a (somewhat) reformed posh party girl with a chic business called Gift Library and great style. Confident, witty and snarky, she also has a huge house in Surrey and handsome Turkish husband. She feuds with some of the ladies but they all just want to be accepted/liked by her. Her three-season run on Ladies of London is one of my favorite Bravo performances ever.

Caroline Fleming: A model and member of the Danish royal family, Caroline is quirky, opinionated, and brings a different element to the cast (being neither British nor American). A longtime friend of Caroline Stanbury, they occasionally butt heads on the show but don’t lose their amicable relationship.

Julie Montagu: When we’re introduced to Julie Montagu, we meet a plucky Midwestern American living in London — who happens to be the only member of the cast with the ultimate British trump card: a title (Countess of Sandwich). A wellness enthusiast who bikes around London and teaches yoga, she’s also open about the financial challenges of managing Mapperton, their family’s estate. Sensitive and tightly wound, she and Caroline Stanbury just do not see eye to eye, and the cast trips to Mapperton are some of the series’ best.

Sophie Stanbury: Sophie is a friend on season two before joining the main cast in season three. She has of the best heads of hair to appear on Bravo, and she’s married to (but divorcing) Caroline Stanbury’s brother. This is a source of friction in their friendship, exacerbated by Caroline perceiving Sophie having friendships with the other women as a lack of loyalty.

My take

Where to start: Season one.

When to start: Watch this towards the end of your Housewives journey, on a business trip, or if you’re planning a trip to London. A jewel box of a show, it’s only three seasons, about half the length of a normal Housewives season, and one of my favorite Bravo shows ever.

Dream cast member: She’d never do it, but Victoria Beckham.

My favorite moment: Any Stanbury confessional, any Mapperton trip, the Scotland trip, the Copenhagen trip, and anytime one of the women says “big kiss" or “lots of love” before hanging up the phone.

And that’s the list! Thank you so much for reading, especially if you made it this far. Who are your favorite Housewives and what are your favorite Housewives moments? When and how did you start watching? I can’t wait to hear from you.

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Food & Bev

Eyval - HIT

I don’t make it to Bushwick very often. But when my friend Fran scored a Friday night res at this three year old Persian restaurant just named to New York magazine’s 43 Best Restaurants in New York (a very solid list btw), it was time to fire up Lyft and make my way to Bogart Street. And I’m so glad I did!

We started with two of the dips. The first, sweeter — squash and tahini with walnuts, olive and pomegranate. The second was more savory; whipped feta with fig jam and basil oil. Both so good, especially with the bread to dunk them in: komaj with turmeric, cumin, and a little bit of cardamom, and barbari, a flatbread with nigella seeds and sesame. There were also two different yogurt-based dips on the menu that I’d definitely return for.

For our mid-course we went with a tomato, cucumber and onion salad with a citrusy dressing. A delicious acidic contrast!

We finished with a tasty wagyu beef kebab and what I thought was the highlight of the meal: a mahi with pomegranate/tamarind/tomato glaze and served in saffron butter. I’ve never even brought home leftover fish before, but it was so good I ate it cold right from the fridge the next morning.

The portions were huge so we skipped dessert, but I will be returning to taste these dishes again and some of the things we didn’t order. If you go — the space itself is kind of strange, with three or four adjoining rooms that don’t flow well. I’d try to sit in the bar area on a future visit, but even that space was a little bright for my liking. It’s forgivable since the food is so good though.

Liar Liar - HIT

Aaron and I first tried Liar Liar on a freezing Sunday last February, and while we had a nice time, we didn’t return until about a month ago. We’ve been back twice since then! Liar Liar is a cozy oasis in the middle of a very construction-y part of Gowanus with the perfect amount of character and cool vintage lighting.

They make a very solid cocktail, but the real highlight is their wine list. On our most recent visit we tried a fun bottle of rosé by a new-to-us producer called Llewelyn out of Mendocino that has almost zero web presence. The staff is also super friendly and approachable if you want or need assistance. The menu is limited to crowd pleasers —think caesar salad, burger, steak frites, etc, and their fries are truly excellent. It’s the perfect spot to add to your winter rotation. I plan to be there most weekends!

Leo soft serve - HIT

Leo is one of my most visited restaurants in New York, but the dessert stood out even more than the pizza on my most recent visit. I have so much respect for restaurants who commit to doing one thing extremely well, and Leo’s dessert menu includes only one item: a rotating soft serve. Their most recent iteration is a maple and black raspberry twist, and I haven’t been this blown away by a dessert in a long time.

Lucia Alimentari - HIT

Okay, I know I said Lucia’s slice shop was mid recently. And I stand by that. But I had a terrific meal this month at their sit-down restaurant next door. The caesar salad was exactly what I wanted pre-pizza: heavily dressed with lots of parm and lemon.

We shared three pizzas — the margarita, the Papa Leone (a vodka pie that’s had the same recipe since 1974), and the pleasantly spicy Caramelle Piccanti, which has hot cherry peppers, pepperoni, and hot honey. I like to go very simple when it comes to pizza so I wouldn’t have normally ordered this one, but it ended up being one of the highlights. We also got the grilled broccolini as a side which I would skip next time. And one note — the room is absolutely tiny. I wouldn’t go with more than one or maybe two other people!

Maddy’s shrimp and grits - HIT

One of the best things I ate this month isn’t available at a restaurant — my friend Maddy made it for us at her apartment. Perfectly cooked, cheesy grits served with shrimp and spicy, savory chorizo topped with parsley and parmesan. I didn’t even know I liked grits until I tried this dish. She served it on an absolutely frigid Friday night and I ate it while thawing from a 30 minute bike ride…. So nourishing and delicious without being too rich. The perfect winter meal.

First Bloom at Casetta - HIT

I don’t really cook, and I’ve never purchased one of Alison Roman’s cookbooks for myself. But my mom has made so many of her recipes with an incredibly high success rate. And I think Alison is such a talented writer, has great taste in restaurants and is generally a very charismatic internet personality. She has a corner store upstate called First Bloom, and did a pop-up at Casetta in the Lower East Side in November and December. Aaron and I visited on a recent Saturday and I was so impressed with the curation. Shallots (of course), olive oil from Palestine, fancy anchovies and other tinned fish, ornaments, French mustard, Alison’s line of tomato sauce, handmade Italian ceramics and other various delicious looking ingredients. It was both very much what I expected from her (in a good way) but also some cool surprises, like vintage silver and Lebanese candles. Aaron got my mom’s Christmas presents there and I bought his there too. We also drank a great glass of very dark rosé while we shopped. Here’s hoping Alison finds a permanent spot for an NYC location!

Television

The Celebrity Traitors - HIT

If you’ve watched The Traitors in the US, you know each cast features a range of celebrities, mostly from reality TV. Many of the players are alums or current cast members of shows like The Real Housewives, Survivor, and The Challenge, so they (and the producers) are aware of the kind of drama and meme-generating one-liners the audience is looking for and do a wonderful job creating that.

In the UK, The Traitors features a civilian cast who genuinely need the money and (seem to) feel the betrayal more deeply and sincerely than their celebrity US counterparts. Also great TV.

The Celebrity Traitors (UK) has a completely different feel to both of these shows. The cast, which skews older and more towards actors, comedians and retired athletes, is competing for charity instead of money for themselves. Many of the players seem to know each other already, and they’re much more understanding of the lying and betrayal they’re forced to do to make the premise work.

It’s a light, breezy palate cleanser of a show that feels more akin to a The Great British Baking Show than its US counterpart. I admittedly didn’t recognize most of the cast initially, but you may know Alan Carr, Tom Daley, Paloma Faith, Jonathan Ross, and Stephen Fry. You will also fall in love with national treasure Celia Imrie. It’s already been renewed for a second season and available on Peacock in the US if you want to check it out.

Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars - HIT

This stunningly produced Apple TV documentary series, hosted by Jesse Burgess, follows chefs in the US and Europe as they try to earn or maintain Michelin stars.

I don’t believe in Michelin as the ultimate decider of how good a restaurant is, and the series doesn’t actually give much insight on the process. But it’s fascinating to watch chefs who are passionate about and excellent at what they do make food and talk about it in detail. The show also depicts how absolutely grueling the restaurant industry can be, and the sacrifices these chefs have to make to achieve their dream. You also get to watch part of the Michelin ceremonies for the regions they feature, and I cried at every single one. I do have a few qualms:

• The show is kind of a PR vehicle for Michelin, where I think pointing out some of the flaws of its system would be compelling.

• There are only TWO female chefs featured!

• Chicago gets A LOT of airtime but only one of the restaurants was interesting.

• Mexico only started being recognized by Michelin in 2024, which is insane based on how influential and talented the chefs are there.

But overall, it’s a worthwhile watch. I particularly loved the episode on the Nordics!

Down Cemetery Road - MID

The ingredients were all there! Another Apple TV show, Down Cemetery Road is based on a Mick Herron novel of the same name. Herron wrote the books that were adapted into Slow Horses, which is one of my favorite TV shows, so my hopes were very high for this. Starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, the series follows a woman who hires a private investigator to look into an explosion in her quite Oxford neighborhood. The premise was decent, and Thompson and Wilson do have chemistry as an unlikely duo, but I felt like the pacing was completely off and the series could’ve been about an episode and a half shorter.

Art & Media

The Frick Collection - MID

I’ve always thought there was an air of mystery around the Frick. The museum doesn’t allow photography (except for in one art-less room) and it hasn’t been posted all over social media, unlike some of its counterparts. I think of it as more of an “if you know, you know” destination for true art enthusiasts rather than a tourist attraction. For years, it’s been one of those New York institutions that I always thought I would “make it to eventually” and it turns out eventually was December 24. It’s in a gorgeous, historic building and was recently renovated in a way that feels expensive and contemporary without disrespecting the building’s integrity.

I just wasn’t that crazy about the experience. The focus of the collection is 14th to 19th century European paintings, which I am interested in, but the overwhelming majority of the works only have the name, title and a number that corresponds with the audio tour, which you can reference (via your phone) on their website.

When I’m at a museum, I’m really there to do two things: learn and not be on my phone, both of which are almost impossible to do with the way the Frick is set up.

The New York Times - HIT

I’m laughing to myself as I write about one of the most respected and well-read newspapers in the world as a hit as if they need my endorsement. But I’ve recently read several excellent articles from The New York Times that I think are worth sharing with you, dear reader.

• “My Parents Expected to Be Retired. Instead, They Are Raising My Sister’s Kids.” Frances Dodds gets extremely personal in this heartbreaking essay about her own family. As Frances’s sister struggles with an opioid addiction, her parents made the difficult decision to raise their daughter’s children, completely upending their lives to provide a better one for their grandchildren.

• “They Answered an Ad for Surrogates, and Found Themselves in a Nightmare.” A fascinating and devastating piece about trafficking, abuse and corruption in the surrogacy industry that focuses on a group of Thai women trapped in Tbilisi, Georgia.

• “Kenyan Workers Get Abused Abroad. The President’s Family and Allies Profit.” Another bummer of an article, sorry. A longread on how the Kenyan government is aiding in and profiting from the abuse of Kenyan workers in Saudi Arabia.

And that’s all from me for 2025! Wishing you a very happy, healthy new year. Thanks as always for reading and see you next month for my guide to The Real Housewives.

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FOOD & BEV

HITS

mezcal margarita

if you know me, you know i order mezcal margaritas everywhere i go. unexpectedly, the two best mezcal margaritas i had this year were in colorado.

the first was at melrose spirit co, a tiny cocktail bar in the lobby of the 16-room hotel melrose in grand junction, a small city in western colorado. we stayed at the hotel so decided to stop in. the space is a little… wayfair, but the margaritas were perfectly tart with super fresh lime juice, plenty of mezcal, and some of the friendliest bartenders i’ve chatted with this year.

we had stellar margs the next night too, at stellar jay, the bar/restaurant atop the new populus hotel in denver. maybe it was the elevation or the local orange liqueur they used. on another note, the margaritas in LA are consistently not great. what’s up with that?

new (NYC) restaurant: opto

i thought borgo was excellent (you can read about it here), but i’ve only been once and it’s already on so many “best new nyc restaurants” lists this year.

so my under the radar pick for best new nyc restaurant is opto. just really delicious “mediterranean” crudos, dips, salads, pastas and proteins with excellent service and a killer dark chocolate mousse for dessert. opto is a great place to have a long meal with old friends (which i did there twice this year) but it’s also nice enough to impress your parents or for a work dinner. plus it’s right in flatiron so easy to get to for almost everyone.

new american: twelve

twelve, in portland, maine, isn’t a new restaurant, but it’s new to me and one of the best i’ve eaten at this year. what i love about it:

the space: huge bar, with a wide, open kitchen and exposed beams. there’s also a chef’s table (great for groups and where we sat on our most recent visit) and counter seats along the kitchen where you can watch the action.

the food: maine-inspired american cuisine. think potato chips with an onion cream dip, (you must get this) an excellent beef tartare, perfectly cooked swordfish with caulfilower, dashi and shiso, and a seasonal burger. there’s also a lobster roll that i haven’t tried but would love to.

the service: just wonderful. so friendly, so attentive, so professional. everyone i spoke to on both visits seemed happy and proud to be there but it doesn’t feel pretentious at all even though it’s one of the “fancier” restaurants in portland.

bar: lighthouse beer & wine

i like to find a cool wine bar or shop every time i’m in a new city, but i have to give my friends credit for already knowing this very special spot in wilmington, north carolina. i spent a relaxing february afternoon drinking sour beers under heat lamps, laughing, and watching golden retrievers play at this beachy bar/shop hybrid.

seafood: dudley market

we showed up at dudley market with no reservation on a chilly sunday night in april and waited almost two hours for a table, so the stakes felt pretty high. luckily, the meal delivered. we sat on the same side of a corner high-top under cozy, romantic lighting and ate rockfish and kampachi crudos, charred broccoli, a smashed cucumber salad, and the best fish sandwich i’ve ever had… perfectly fried with jalapenos, tartar sauce, jalapenos and a yuzu slaw. we’d be regulars here if we lived in LA!

MISSES

mediterranean: cafe zaffri

the night at cafe zaffri started so pleasantly. we were welcomed into an opulent, spacious bar area where we ordered $26 drinks (ouch) while we waited for our table to be ready, and then seated at the center of the massive, stunning dining room. the space had that new restaurant glow. things devolved from there.

the breads and dips were fine, but not memorable. then, after about 45 minutes, our king crab spaghetti came out ice cold, flavorless, and with the idea of king crab rather than the actual meat. this was joined by two of the tiniest kebabs i’ve ever seen, also cold — and thankfully no longer on the menu as when i’m writing this!

the team was appropriately apologetic, but confused about whether to refire the dishes or just take them away. we were so fed up at this point we asked for the check and got one that still had the sent back dishes on it. we ordered a pizza on the way home. i hope it’s improved since, especially because it’s a venue for so many brand dinners, but i won’t be going back.

new american: bridges

it all works on paper. the name. the sexy, downtown-chic room by billy cotton with a wall of glass blocks and perfect lighting. food by the former culinary director of estela and altro paradiso, two of my favorite restaurants in new york .

but the most painfully overhyped restaurant i ate at this year is bridges. we ordered almost the entire menu, but the food just felt like an overcomplicated and less delicious dupe of estela. i also found the service very serious which is just not my vibe. i’m happy that every person i follow on instagram loves it, but it just wasn’t for me at all.

pizza: ops east village

ops east village is one of the biggest misses of the year simply because of how deafeningly loud the room was. i’ve never had the experience of my eardrums physically hurting in a restaurant until i ate here. we DID get eventually get moved to the last two stools at the very back of the bar, where it was still very loud but tolerable. i did think their fritto misto and hawaiian tavernetta pizza were good, but i will not return to that room until they add some sound panels.

ARTS & CULTURE

FILM

HITS:

i loved, and already wrote about bugonia and eddington. but my two other films of the year were the assessment and afire.

the assessment: hamish patel and elizabeth olsen play a successful couple desperate to become parents, but who are banned from doing so until they are approved by virginia, a steely government worker played by a captivating alicia vikander. the tests in this sci-fi thriller start out benign and become increasingly bizarre, threatening the couple’s commitment to both parenthood and each other.

and i also loved afire, a german film about two longtime friends, leon and felix, who drive to northern germany to stay at felix’s family’s beach house and work on their creative projects. when they arrive, the home is a mess, and a woman named nadja is staying there. leon and felix react differently to nadja’s presence, and the simmering tension of nearby forest fires haunts their stay.

MISSES:

a house of dynamite: have you ever wanted to spend almost two hours watching the same story (a nuclear bomb is about to hit the US) told three times from three different perspectives without moving the plot along whatsoever? then do i have the movie for you!

moana 2: i watched the first moana on a flight from JFK to LAX the first time i went on a work trip alone, and WEPT. i watched the sequel, also on the plane, but was totally unmoved. i guess it didn’t matter to disney because they knew they had a hit already, but the quality of the musical numbers plummeted without lin-manuel miranda working on the film.

TELEVISION

HITS:

broadchurch: not new this year, but new to me. british crime drama at its very best. olivia colman and david tennant star as two detectives trying to solve the murder of a young boy in an idyllic coastal town in dorset, england. three well-paced seasons and a delicious winter watch. shoutout to emily lane for recommending this.

stacey rusch: i had to give a shoutout to one of the most captivating tv performances i’ve seen this year. this former qvc host and current real housewife of potomac is taking on almost the entire cast in her sophomore season without losing her cool and i just find her so insanely watchable and hilarious. there’s also a youtube playlist of her qvc days with over TWELVE HUNDRED videos. i’m tempted to dive in just to get more of her.

sunderland til i die: also not new, but new to me. a 3-season documentary about a struggling soccer team in a struggling city in northeast england. you will laugh, cheer and weep along with the staff, players, and fans of the club. there’s something about the ups and downs of sports that mirrors the ups and downs of life so accurately, and it’s portrayed really beautifully here.

MISS:

the real housewives of OC: it’s exciting when a real housewives cast is basically untouched from one season to another. clearly something is working in terms of chemistry! the more time the women spend together, the higher the stakes are!

and it’s exciting when a former real housewife comes back after years. what’s happened in her life while she was off-camera? what’s she like now? so you would think season 19 of RHOC, with the same women from season 18 returning and gretchen rossi returning as a friend, would produce a great season, right? wrong.

tamra judge and gretchen spent the vast majority of the season arguing over an incident from 2009. the women iced out katie ginella, the only woman of color on the cast, over an off-camera conversation about this 2009 incident with a “blogger” to the point that she didn’t even film for most of the season. in case this dead somehow didn’t feel beaten enough, the reunion also had three parts, where they rehashed this even further. here’s hoping they can fix these issues for season 20.

MUSIC

HITS:

audrey hobert: my most played artist of the year, her first album who’s the clown is funny, fun, a little sad, and introspective. she really captures the struggle of figuring out and accepting who you are in your twenties but also doesn’t take herself too seriously. she was snubbed by the grammys but i can’t wait to see how her career evolves. my favorite tracks are towards the end of the album: shooting star, phoebe, and silver jubilee.

shake it to the max (fly) (remix): ghanaian-american chanteuse moliy added verses from jamaican superstar shenseea and rapper skilibeng to the remix of her single shake it to the max, and the result is a hypnotic, summery banger that i’ve been dancing to all year.

the song and corresponding dance (cover your face with your palms and wind your hips and you’ve got it down) went viral on tiktok, but i know i’ll be playing this song for years to come. the highlight for me is the shenseea verse but there’s so much to love here.

gnarly: this katseye single features some of the most nonsensical lyrics of the year:

Boba tea (gnarly), Tesla (gnarly)
Fried chicken (gnarly), partyin’ in the Hollywood Hills (uh-huh)
This song (gnarly), oh my God, that new beat (fucking gnarly)

but the combination of its repetitiveness, the throbbing bass and metallic clanging, along with katseye’s charisma, choreography and delivery somehow make it a hit. maybe everything IS gnarly.

MISSES:

other than the life of a showgirl, which i wrote about here, the biggest miss of the year musically was the aces’ gold star baby.

i’ve loved the aces, an all-girl, alt-pop band out of utah, for years. daydream was my most played song of 2020 and they played a great show at webster hall in 2021. their latest album is disco-inspired and came out this summer. it’s not my place to decide who gets to make disco music and who doesn’t, but imagine what a bunch of ex-mormons trying to record a disco album would sound like and that’s exactly what we got. not their best work.

SPORTS

HITS:

arsenal vs. manchester city: a 5-1 demolition of one of their biggest rivals after a draw that felt like a loss earlier in the season. a goal in 105 seconds. goals from two teenagers who came up in the arsenal academy. and a goal where every single player on the pitch touched the ball. just one of those days that makes it thrilling to be a fan. another highlight of the year was the 3-0 win at home to real madrid, but i watched that midweek during the work day so didn’t get to celebrate as much as i wanted to.

the lionesses: when england, the defending champions, lost their first game of the women’s euros 2-1 to france, i feared their time in the tournament would be very short. but it turned out to be the opposite. they got out of their group but needed a late goal by the tournament’s breakout star, teenager michelle agyemang, to eventually take sweden to penalties in the quarterfinals. arsenal forward chloe kelly scored the winner in the 119th minute against italy in the semifinal, and finally, gloriously, they beat powerhouse (and tournament favorites) spain in penalties in the final.

i’ve never felt sick to my stomach so many times in a tournament! but it was completely worth it to watch this team lift the trophy for the second time. i fell back in love with the sport after watching the english women win in 2022, so to see them win again after three years of following the players and the sport really closely was one of my favorite moments of the year.

BOOKS

HITS:

freedom: a winding family drama set in wisconsin, jonathan franzen eloquently and accurately describes the ways we shape each other as family members, friends and romantic partners amidst a changing society, with some of the most fully formed characters i’ve ever read. i laughed and cried. can’t recommend this enough.

my other favorite book this year was sally rooney’s intermezzo. it follows two estranged brothers in dublin, one a lawyer and one a former chess prodigy, who are trying to navigate life and romance while grieving the recent loss of their father. i have cried telling people how much i loved this book! a truly gorgeous, poignant reflection on the power and beauty of all different kinds of love.

MISSES:

the sunrise on the reaping: this hunger games prequel follows the 50th hunger games, won by katniss’ mentor haymitch abernathy. it repetitively rehashes many of the plot points of the original series and i thought it was a bit too long and not well written. however, the casting for the upcoming movie was excellent and i will be seeing it in theaters when it comes out next year.

the nude: the premise of this sounded like the exact kind of book i would love. it’s 1999. a female art historian from the US, unhappy in her marriage, goes to a small island in greece to acquire a sculpture (the titular nude). she suffers from debilitating jet lag and migraines, which adds a disorienting feel, and gets mixed up with her mysterious translator and his sexy young wife. but it just didn’t work. the main character is miserable and unlikeable, and not in a fun way. and i think the whole novel takes itself too seriously.

but my biggest gripe, that i will never get over, is WHY DOES THE BOOK REPEATEDLY TALK ABOUT PAYING IN EUROS IF IT’S SET IN 1999? euro banknotes and coins weren’t interested there until 2002. would it have been that hard to research this while writing or catch it while editing? what does the author have against the drachma?

thanks for reading as always and see you at the end of the month for a december recap. what were your biggest hits and misses of the year?

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food and bev

theodora - HIT

a restaurant that feels like it was developed in a lab for me to love. crudos, breads and dips, vegetables, seafood and a couple of large format proteins cooked on an open-fire grill and oven. we ate there for my birthday in february and were blown away. the service was so attentive and the staff genuinely seemed to be having fun. we chatted with a dutch winemaker in town from his vineyard in catalonia and drank a fantastic bottle of his wine.

i went back on the first sunday in november and had a similarly great experience. the menu standouts: red snapper ceviche, za’atar kubaneh presented like a savory cinnamon roll, a great little gem and a half chicken. the other diners felt excited to be there and the room is bright and warm. i don’t recommend doing this but they also very kindly turned what was supposed to be a reservation for two into a table for four to accommodate us! theodora is a tough table to get, but they operate miss ada, also in fort greene and with a similar menu, and nili, a café in carroll gardens that serves an excellent hummus bowl.

borgo - HIT

okay, so one of the infatuation’s best new restaurants in nyc is indeed excellent. i’m skeptical when new restaurants seem to be universally adored (more on this in my next post). so i arrived for lunch with supremely talented design substacker david michon the day after the mayoral election with high spirits but low expectations. we shared the fava bean puree, spaghetti pomodoro, chicken milanese, and a sachertorte and WOW. i didn’t even think i liked fava beans but would return for this dish alone.

chicken milanese can be simple to the point of boring when not done well, but this one was perfectly breaded and fried. the addition of comte and what i think was celery dressed in a mustard vinaigrette created a nearly perfect bite. the spaghetti pomodoro was similarly simple yet delicious, with a bright tangy sauce and fresh basil.

the dining room is also gorgeous. bright and comfortable with big tables and a vintage-looking chandelier as an anchor, it reminded me of a cool version of the uptown restaurants we used to go to with clients at my first job. we had a long lunch but i could’ve sat there for a few more hours! i’m curious about the vibe at dinner and i can’t wait for my next visit.

tolo - HIT

does the parcelle team sleep? they’ve opened three restaurants in three years: tolo, parcelle greenwich village (my preferred location until they put the picnic tables back out at dimes square) and the brand new omakase/natural wine spot mitsuru. somehow tolo is the oldest of three and is one of those places i’ve been meaning to go to but never made it to, until earlier this month!

it’s the kind of fun, lively restaurant great for a group with a lot of small dishes to share. highlights from what we ordered: duck leg confit spring rolls, sticky rice with chinese sausage and shiitake mushrooms, cold spicy chicken with cashew sauce, raw tuna with cucumber and sesame seeds, and the “beef and broccoli.” i went midweek but can see this being a solid spot before a night out, based on both the food and location (on canal street in dimes square). and the music was really good!

lucia - MID / ceres - HIT

i didn’t plan or mean to try both of these famous slices on the same day, but our friend eva was in town from london and wanted to taste them both and who was i to decline? the cheese slice from lucia was good. i liked it. but not super memorable which isn’t a good thing.

ceres, however, was great. i only shared a slice (we walked there from lunch in west soho to realize they only do full pies) but it was significantly more flavorful and with a thinner, crunchier crust than the one at lucia.

i just don’t know how to engage a place like ceres… the space isn’t conducive to a sitdown meal, you can’t order delivery, and you can only get a full pie. so who is it for? pizza nerds and tourists?

altro paradiso - HIT

c’mon, consistency! i love altro because it’s always good, but it was extra-good for lunch on a recent sunday. the cacio e pepe is one of the best in the city, the fennel salad is a winner, and we added a (new to me) grilled half chicken and the burger on my last visit. all stellar, especially the burger. i respect the commitment to lunch versus brunch, but i would love to see something with eggs or in the pancake family on the menu.

misc.

some other places i ate and drank this month that didn’t warrant a full review

• twin tails: i had a great meal at this vegas-y columbus circle “thai/vietnamese” spot when i went for their friends and family opening last fall and went back for a work dinner two weeks ago. we had a set menu with a huge amount of food served. the food was good but it didn’t reflect the highlights from the first meal i had there, except for the ube crème caramel, which i loved.

• virginia’s: i went for brunch. cute room. our server was lovely. and the burger was good. curious to go back for dinner and try more of the american bistro-style menu!

• massara on park: another midweek lunch situation. i shared a baby gem salad with my dining companions and then had paccheri pomodoro (loved it) and a decadent chocolate sorbetto to close out the meal. also a great lemonade. i’d like to go back! it was just dead for lunch and the space is huge, so that was a little weird.

arts and culture

bugonia - HIT

this is the second (excellent) movie i’ve seen this year that’s examined the impact of what covid/conspiracy theories have done to us as a society, the other being eddington. jesse plemons, emma stone, and aidan delbis are all so good in this, and i particularly loved stone trying to negotiate her release from captivity using corporate jargon. bugonia is actually an english-language remake of a south korean film from 2003 called save the green planet but i can see why yorgos lanthimos wanted to make it now.

sentimental value - HIT

start engraving the academy awards for stellan skarsgård, renata reinsve, and especially inga ibsdotter lilleaas NOW! the film, directed by joachim trier of the worst person in the world, follows a renowned director trying to make one last (semi-autobiographical) film while trying to repair his estranged relationship with his two adult daughters. it’s very emotional, but funny and centers around a beautiful house in oslo — so the dialogue is mostly in norwegian.

scaffolding - HIT

set in paris between 2019 and 1972, this novel by lauren elkin follows two couples living in the same apartment, their contrasting marriages and their relationship to feminism and an evolving society. there are some sally rooney-esque elements happening here (no quotation marks and everyone’s varying degrees of sad) but it feels very french and it’s very sexy. and i wept at the end. if you’re going to read this please look up jacques lacan beforehand. there are so many references to him and his work and i had no idea who he was (and no wifi on the plane) so was a bit lost at points.

speaking of complicated marriages, i read something rotten by andrew lipstein immediately after scaffolding and liked (but didn’t love) it. a disgraced NPR host goes to copenhagen with his danish wife and son for her maternity leave, where they reconnect with her dysfunctional danish friend group that includes the wife’s terminally ill ex-boyfriend. chaos ensues. it was a bit hard to follow at points but as an american who spends a lot of time thinking about and dealing with danes/danish culture, elements of it really resonated with me.

bravocon - MID

i love bravo, and i can’t speak for those who went, but i was just expecting more from it this year, especially since it was two years since the last edition (the next one will also be in 2027.) the highlights:

vicki gunvalson is confirmed to return for RHOC season 20. she drives me insane but she’s a pillar of the franchise as a whole and deserves it.

and we got the RHORI trailer. i’m intrigued and thrilled for my fellow new englanders, but it feels very similar vibewise to RHONJ? i watch all of them, and admit RHONJ is probably my least favorite, but i really don’t know if we need both.

i know the experience is really geared towards attendees but i would’ve loved a confirmation of the new RHONY cast or an update on what’s happening with RHONJ. oh well!

travel

piaule - HIT

i am not an upstate person. i never have been! i’m from what is basically the woods, and moved to new york to get away from the woods. and when i need a break from the city i want to look at the ocean. but i toured piaule last week. and while i’m still not an upstate person, i am sold on piaule. beautifully designed cabins integrated almost seamlessly into the aforementioned woods with a great view of the catskills. and a main lodge to sit by the fire, eat your meals, and enjoy spa treatments. they also just opened a new 3-bedroom house that’s part of the property if you’re traveling with friends/family or want to entertain.

milwaukee, WI - HIT

i went into our milwaukee trip with zero expectations. we kicked off the weekend with a tour of the miller brewery which took a little over an hour but was a great way to learn a little about the history of the city through one of its most famous businesses. every woman on the tour asked about the RHOSLC visit to the brewery, and the bartender at the end of the tour gave us a (pretty tame) account of their time there.

we also made a trip to nonfiction natural wines, which seems to be a four horsemen inspired wine bar — right down to the font on the logo and the art on the walls. the space is gorgeous, if a little 2016 coded, with 20+ foot ceilings, paper lanterns and pothos climbing up the walls. wisconsin’s lax liquor laws means the wine shops allow for on-premises drinking as well so we split a nice bottle of wine under the cozy dim lighting. nonfiction is located in the bay view neighborhood, on kinnickinnic ave, a lively street with lots of shops and bars where i would’ve love to spend more time exploring.

we stayed at the kimpton journeyman in the historic third ward, part of downtown milwaukee. some really stunning buildings! on saturday before the wedding (congrats allie if you’re reading this!) we visited discourse coffee (location on south barclay) and had some of the best coffee we’ve tried in a while and breakfast, which for me was a delicious avocado toast. aaron thought his egg sandwich had too much going on. and i agree!

after breakfast we walked along the lake for about an hour. it was a shocking 65 degrees and sunny, which i was not expecting from wisconsin in november! and we followed that with a pre-wedding light lunch, including fried cheese curds of course, at the outsider, the very vibey bar on the roof of our hotel.

milwaukee felt like a very american city. friendly people, big wide streets, and some beautifully preserved 19th century architecture. i’d be excited to go back!

and that’s it for november… so far. thanks for reading and see you in two weeks for a review of the biggest hits and misses of the year.

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pearl’s night out - HIT

custom matchboxes and napkins with her face on it. cosmos and mezcal margaritas flowing from pet water fountains. dry food (chick-fil-a nuggets and fish sticks) and wet food (asian tuna salad and marinated shrimp salad in tins). ice cream cake. and a case of rosé.

yes, we threw a really over the top birthday party for our cat, pearl. and she deserved it! it was such a fun night and i do think she (and her sister uni) enjoyed the festivities, attention — and catnip.

food and bev

esse taco - HIT

i probably should’ve expected a taco shop from a legendary mexican chef like enrique olvera to be excellent, but i don’t like to get my hopes up too much before trying somewhere new. and how excellent it was! stunning, bright guacamole topped with fresh white onions, “poc chuc” (roasted over charcoal) chicken and pork adobado tacos with pineapple butter. lively, spicy salsas, and the best mezcal margarita in a plastic cup i’ve ever had. esse also has a convenient handwashing station so you don’t feel gross eating with your hands. it’s apparently been open for more than a year and a half, and i can’t believe it took me this long to visit. highly recommend esse for lunch or a snack in williamsburg.

razza - MID

it’s important to state that our meal at razza wasn’t bad! i loved the yogurty dressing on the kale caesar, and the pizza was satisfying but not special. however, i think razza is a victim of its own hype here. do i think it’s one of the 25 best pizza places in america? no. is new york’s best pizza in new jersey? also no. but it was a nice ending to pre-wedding festivities we attended in jersey city. and we took the ferry to get there!

tortelli - HIT

it’s hard to overstate just how tiny this pasta shop in carroll gardens is — but the salads, burrata, and pastas were excellent. you can buy fresh pasta to-go or order from the counter and eat it there. i’ve been twice now and will definitely be adding it to the rotation. we also bought the basil sauce after our second visit — will report back once we’ve tried it.

lei - HIT

aaron and i first ate at lei for his birthday on one of the hottest, most humid days of july, and had an excellent meal. highlights of the smaller dishes were the ham with seasonal fruit (i think we had pear), and the crown daisy/burdock salad. the hand-rolled cat’s ear noodle was one of my favorite pastas of the year, and the sweet and sour rib was delicious too. i returned with friends in october, and it wasn’t as excellent as i remembered but still really good. it’s tiny, but the room is so cute, the music was fun, and they have sabre chopsticks. what more can you ask for?

sports

nycfc - HIT

i watch a lot tv. and i watch a lot of soccer on tv. so it was a real treat to watch professional soccer live and in person in october! even though it was at a baseball stadium. even though nycfc lost. even though they’re owned by city football group (one of the faces of 21st century sportswashing) and i don’t believe in the multi-club ownership model. that’s how fun it was! i’ll definitely go to a game (or a few) next season and i’m looking forward to when the actual soccer stadium they’re building near citi field is finished.

arts and culture

the life of a showgirl - MISS

i’ve been a fan of taylor swift’s music for 15 years, and she’s consistently (but not always) been in my top five most listened to artists. i’ve loved most of her albums and at least liked all of them. except this one.

maybe taylor’s music is just better when she’s unhappy, maybe taylor reveling in her wealth and success just feels wrong for the current political climate, maybe she’s completely lost touch of what made her music so loved in the first place. or maybe it’s a combination of all of these. this is the first album of hers where i genuinely didn’t save (or enjoy) a single song, and the fact she released THIRTY-EIGHT versions of this album feels like both a cash grab and a cheap way to break adele’s record. better luck next time!

the diplomat - MID

i would watch keri russell watch paint dry, and her chemistry with costar rufus sewell (who does an incredible american accent) is electric. plus allison janney and bradley whitford playing a married couple. i also love nana mensah, who plays white house chief of staff billie appiah.

the third season just did not work. too much conversation and not enough actually happening, and i struggled to care about eidra/stuart’s storylines. this season seemed a bit transitional so here’s hoping season four is a return to form. i felt the same way about the most recent season of slow horses, but i did really enjoy task (hbo) and the perfect neighbor (netflix).

ruth asawa at MOMA - HIT

i am a new york city resident who hates crowds, so i don’t make it our many museums very often. it was fomo that brought me to MOMA on a recent afternoon. my mom was visiting and i wanted to hang out with her and my sister. but i’m so happy i joined them to see the ruth asawa retrospective, which is on view through february 7th.

i didn’t know much about ruth before we went — i thought the exhibit did a wonderful job outlining her life, work, and the variety of mediums she worked across. a few interesting tidbits: she and her family were detained and placed at a internment camp in new mexico during WWII, she studied with josef albers at black mountain college, and she had this incredible career while raising SIX kids. it made me want to go back in time to visit san francisco (where she lived and worked) when it was a creative capital. definitely go!

misc.

aka some other places i ate and drank this month that didn’t warrant a full review

• st. jardim: went for book club. they have an eight-top that’s the perfect spot to host one! i enjoyed the wine, and the small plates we shared were tasty but very small.

• cove: stunning room and great service. i was lucky to be invited for friends and family, and thought it felt very polished (but it’s expensive!). the menu rotates a lot and i’m excited to see what’s on it the next time i visit — my favorite thing was the seabuckthorn sorbet!

• balthazar: they’ve still got it! we ate at 5:45 on a thursday night and the service was slow enough that it felt like a really relaxed, leisurely meal. maybe too relaxed. we couldn’t get our server to give us the check! i was getting antsy by the end.

• grand central oyster bar: i have to give my mom credit for making us go here, since i’d never been! the oysters were cold and so were the martinis so can’t complain. kind of curious to return for a larger meal.

• kiki’s: when kiki’s is good, it’s great — and it was so fun and delicious on my most recent visit. we sat in the satellite restaurant on the south side of division street where you can order kebabs, maybe that’s why?

• inga’s bar: the site of a post work event celebratory dinner after a really wonderful night with buffy’s book club. it’s so cozy in there, the food is solid, and the drinks are strong — we were there until about midnight!

• third time’s the charm: a new pizza place opening in one of my favorite neighborhoods is a major event, so we ate there one of the first nights they were open. i’m excited about its potential. loved the caesar salad, and the pizza was done well. the standout, shockingly, is the “lite lime” which is sort of cacio e pepe style with lime zest. eat in the main dining room and not the heated backyard.

that’s it for october! we’re only a few days in to november but it’s been a fun month already. i’m eating at borgo and tolo this week and heading to milwaukee for a wedding next weekend. i’m excited to watch down cemetry road (apple tv) and the beast in me (netflix), and sentimental value (in theaters). and thanksgiving is on its way!

thanks for reading and see you in a couple of weeks. what were your highs and lows in october?

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i took a big gulp of the austrian wine we were drinking and started to panic. this isn’t a question to which i really have an answer. for a long time, i would’ve said the great gatsby, which i first read as a junior in high school — it was also the source material for my senior quote in the bishop guertin class of 2012 yearbook:

but i don’t think it’s my favorite book anymore. in lieu of answering, i pulled up goodreads and sorted all the books i’ve read by rating. and to further avoid picking just one book, here’s everything i’ve given five stars to on goodreads, loosely in order (least to most recent) of when i first read them.

big little lies / liane moriarty

i read this in one sitting right before the hbo series came out, and i’m so glad i did. the show is obviously so well done but the underlying class tension in the gentrifying australian town where the book is set really adds an extra element of conflict that i think is important. i don’t know if i’d give this one five stars today. maybe it’s time for a reread?

the idiot / elif batuman

i just love selin, the painfully awkward harvard freshman at the center of elif batuman’s first novel. i remember both cringing at and empathizing with her as she tries to adjust to her new life and pines after ivan, an older, hungarian, math student. the book gets even better when she heads to europe for the summer and we get to follow her (mis)adventures in hungary and paris. i also gave five stars to the sequel, either/or, but i think the first book was more memorable.

the girls / emma cline

it’s been almost 10 years since i read emma cline’s debut, which follows evie, a teenager in 1960s northern california who ends up in a manson-esque cult. i didn’t enjoy her follow-up, the guest, as much as this one, but it’s clear cline is interested in and skilled at writing about young women finding themselves lost in places they don’t belong.

my year of rest and relaxation / ottessa moshfegh

a rich, snotty new yorker decides to spend a year checked out of society with the help of many, many prescription drugs from her quack therapist. i’ve had times in life where i’ve wanted to sleep for a week, a month, a year — and moshfegh deeply explores that feeling. i won’t give anything away but the ending of this book is one of the most memorable i’ve ever read. i reread this in one day in january 2024 and it was even better than the first time.

severance / ling ma

severance follows candace, a post-grad office worker, as she navigates a pandemic in nyc. it’s described as a satire but i think it reads more like horror/thriller. i read this before 2*20 and couldn’t stop thinking about it during that year. i cannot believe this hasn’t been adapted to tv show or film and will die on the hill that THIS is the severance that should be winning Emmys!

girl, woman, other / bernardine everisto

this booker prize winner, about 12 different black women and their lives, set mostly in the UK, stuck with me for months after i finished it. everisto expertly weaves these characters together, treating them with care — they all feel so alive.

the vanishing half / brit bennett

this novel is about black twin sisters (one living as a white woman in california and one in louisiana), their daughters, and the many paths life takes us on. i absolutely bawled when i finished this. the final pages are so stunning.

rebecca / daphne du maurier

a true classic and a great horror read for october. the unnamed narrator marries a wealthy widower and moves into his seaside estate, where she’s tormented by the memory of her new husband’s deceased wife. also includes one of the great opening lines from any novel: “last night i dreamt i went to manderley again.”

the great believers / rebecca makkai

set between the 1980s and 2010s, the great believers is equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. the plot jumps between yale, a gay art director in chicago, to his friend’s sister, fiona, who is trying to track down her missing daughter in paris. it’s so beautifully written and a real tearjerker.

is mother dead / vigdis hjorth

i went through a major scandinavian lit phase a few years ago, and this thriller by norwegian talent vigdis hjorth was my favorite of the bunch. a successful painter returns to oslo for a retrospective on her work, but being back in the proximity of her estranged mother psychologically torments her and she starts to unravel. it’s fast-paced and you start to feel the narrator’s exhilaration and trauma like it’s your own.

other people’s clothes / calla henkel

zoe, an american college student, escapes to berlin to study abroad following the murder of her best friend. she moves in and parties with glamorous hailey in one of the stunning berlin apartments you’d find on the listings project, but they realize their landlady is spying on them. a page-turning thriller ensues!

tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow / gabrielle zevin

this has to be one of the most universally enjoyed novels of the last few years, and i agree with the universe here. a beautiful story about friendship between two video game developers. if only playing my favorite video game, FIFA, felt as noble as their creations do!

giovanni’s room / james baldwin

the second-oldest novel on my list. david, an american engaged to a woman, recounts his love affair with giovanni, an italian man he meets at a gay bar in paris. it’s very dramatic, well-written, and one of several novels on this list about americans in europe.

the secret history / donna tartt

an absolute classic. a student at a small private college in vermont falls in with a group of charismatic rich kids. one of them ends up dead, and you find out why over the next 500 pages. perfectly paced, i couldn’t put this down. best read in the winter in my opinion!

the shards / bret easton ellis

a loosely autobiographical, but fictional, novel about a serial killer terrorizing a group of rich kids in the LA in the 1980s. lots of sex and drugs. the shards is a little all over the place and could’ve used some editing, but i couldn’t put this down. sexy and scary. luca guadagnino was supposed to make this into a tv series but it’s now ryan murphy doing it. disappointing.

the bee sting / paul murray

i love a looong family novel and this ticked many boxes for me. set in ireland and told through alternating points of view by members of the unhappy barnes family, the reason(s) for their unhappiness reveal themselves over multiple decades and 600+ pages.

the line of beauty / allan hollinghurst

set in london, a 22 year old gay man moves in with his best friend’s family in notting hill and tries to find himself while getting twisted into their dynamic. the line of beauty explores power, wealth, status, and politics at the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. a (very deserved) booker prize winner!

what was she thinking? [notes on a scandal] / zoë heller

i watched (and loved) the movie based on this book with judie dench and cate blanchett as a teenager, and finally read the novel last summer. it’s intense, biting, sometimes very darkly funny, and a fascinating portrait of loneliness, jealousy and obsession.

love junkie / robert plunket

easily the funniest book on this list, love junkie is about a wealthy housewife living outside of NYC who falls in love with a (straight) gay porn star. this novel went out of print for many years, but was republished last year (i read about it in new york mag). it is truly laugh out loud hilarious.

the safekeep / yael van der wouden

this is the book i recommend most often. set in the netherlands in 1961, isabel is stagnating in her dead mother’s home when her brother’s girlfriend eva comes to stay with her while he travels for work. i can’t say enough positive things about this one. beautiful prose, riveting plot, sexy, sad, emotionally loaded, and so much more.

freedom / jonathan franzen

i’ve read three franzen novels, this one most recently. another winding family drama, franzen eloquently and accurately describes the ways we shape each other as family members, friends and romantic partners amidst a changing society, with some of the most fully formed characters i’ve ever read. i laughed and cried. can’t recommend this enough. i also gave five stars to the corrections but i liked this one better.

intermezzo / sally rooney

sally! people seem to love or hate her writing. i love it, and i thought intermezzo was her best yet. it follows two estranged brothers in dublin, one a lawyer and one a former chess prodigy, who are trying to navigate life and romance while grieving the recent loss of their father. i have cried telling people how much i loved this book and am crying now writing about it! a truly gorgeous, poignant reflection on the power and beauty of all different kinds of love.

so that’s the list! have you loved or hated any of these? what are some of your favorite books? and what should i read next?

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the silverlake pool & inn - HIT

i’ve stayed much further west on recent trips to LA, so it was a joy to lay my head right in the center of silverlake on my most recent visit. my room (i was upgraded to a deluxe king) felt gigantic and was a very pleasing, neutral green that i’m certain we will look back to as a defining color of the 2020s.

what else? super friendly staff, a well-curated mini bar (think zapp’s potato chips and yola mezcal), and a couple of nice outdoor areas to hang or work on your laptop. plus a decent sized, nicely heated saltwater pool area (recently refreshed) that was a great place to spend a few hours catching up with a friend. i only had arancini and fries from the restaurant, marco polo, but they were solid (and the lemonade was delicious). it’s also a short walk from seco and mohawk general store, two of my favorite silverlake spots. i’ve stayed at other palisociety properties but this was definitely the best so far. looking forward to my next visit!

grandpa and office supplies — HIT

maybe it’s just the change of scenery, but i sometimes think LA has more exciting design shops than new york. ethan gaskill said i had to check out grandpa, a tiny (by both LA and NY standards) spot in los feliz next to and owned by the crew behind the restaurant all time, which is also good. you’ll find a variety of vintage books, objects, art and jewelry, haphazardly yet delightfully styled and all for sale. they also host wine pop-ups every thursday. very charming!

i also stopped by office supplies in echo park, by prop stylist turned youtuber turned interior designer paige wassel and her best friend/fellow prop stylist/designer kate leonard.

it feels a bit like stepping into one of the videos they’ve made together: pillows and chairs upholstered in funky plaids, flea market art framed by kate with unexpected matting, and some larger, furniture pieces. i also love the way they share and style their inventory on the store’s instagram.

barbuto brooklyn — HIT

the new outpost of the iconic california-italian institution only opened in mid-september, and i’ve been three times. barbuto is probably the restaurant that i have the most personal/family history with (more on this when i eventually write about my favorite bars and restaurants in nyc) and it’s an absolute delight to have one within walking distance of my apartment.

located in the 1 hotel brooklyn bridge, barbuto BK does have a bit of a “hotel restaurant” feel, but the floor to ceiling windows feel more true to the original manhattan location on washington street than the relocated space on horatio does.

all of the classics (kale salad, jw chicken, hannah pizza, off-menu carbonara, budino) are there, along with an expanded seafood section. the very lovely staff is still working out some new-restaurant-service quirks, but i’ve thoroughly enjoyed all three of my visits and am already looking forward to my next meal there.

winsor house & island creek oyster — HIT

i spent the last weekend of september visiting my dear friend tatum and her cherubic daughter in the south shore of massachusetts. she took our other dear friend mia and me to lunch at winsor house (i keep wanting to spell it windsor) in duxbury on saturday afternoon, where we dined on ice cold massachusetts and maine oysters (the highlight was the tumblecans, get them if they’re offered as a special!) and other solid brunch food. but the real star was the incredibly kind and generous service — the manager of the restaurant picked a bouquet of colorful dahlias from the restaurant’s garden for us and put them in a nice little glass vase for us to take home. really sweet.

after lunch we had a drink across the street at the raw bar at island creek oyster, (the same team owns winsor house) which i’d heard so much about and was very excited to try. it’s a huge space with some indoor seating and tons of outdoor picnic tables and high-tops. we looked out at boats bobbing in duxbury bay and drank raspberry-colored hibiscus margs. they also have great merch. loved this spot and can’t wait to go back.

new music — HIT

there have been so many new releases this month! i read somewhere that a lot of artists are trying to get ahead of t*ylor sw*ft’s album launch at the beginning of october. it’s fun to have a lot of new things to listen to, but it’s made the release calendar feel a little crammed. my highlights:

CATTY — 4am (back in his bed): welsh up-and-comer CATTY channels robyn’s “with every heartbeat” in this electropop banger, where she calls out a lover who’s torn between CATTY and her boyfriend.

jordie — all over the place: i found this one via the artist’s tiktok and it only has about 10K streams on spotify. just a simple, earwormy tune about desire!

cardi b — pretty & petty: kendrick lamar’s not like us eviscerated drake and shattered expectations of how commercially and culturally successful a diss track can be. and while i don’t think cardi’s takedown of fellow rapper bia will go quite so far, it’s confrontational and clever in a very similar way. in just a little over 3 minutes, cardi hits back at bia over and over on a beat that makes you want to shake it at the club. seems like she won this one.

tate mcrae — tit for tat: the internet seems to feel that you either “get” tate mcrae or you don’t, and i definitely do. this her first song since her breakup with fellow gen z-er and rapper the kid laroi, and she airs him out for their relationship’s demise in her signature raspy hybrid between whispering and singing over a thumping beat. it really works!

maude latour — XOXO: it’s been a great month for uptempo electropop, this one included. where were these songs IN THE SUMMER? i love the refrain “oh no, did we take it too far? we just XO’d in the back of your car.”

perrie — absofuckinglutely: little mix’s resident vocal powerhouse perrie edwards dropped her first album on the 26th, and this is my favorite song that she didn’t release as a single. (the best single, and most played song of our marseille trip, is the kelly clarkson-esque if he wanted to he would.) quick backstory: perrie was engaged to zayn malik from one direction when they were each part of the biggest boy and girl groups in the world, and she was very, very publicly heartbroken when it ended.

fast forward quite a few years, and she’s in a happy long-term relationship with footballer alex oxlade-chamberlain (they have a son together and another baby on the way). the song is about his proposal to her in 2022 and you can feel her emotion and joy. maybe it’s a little corny but it makes me cry!

midnight sun — zara larsson: not a song but a whole album. i’ve loved this swedish popstar for years and years, and this album, produced by the absolutely brilliant MNEK, feels like a real return to form after a few missteps. the title track (and single pretty ugly) are both really good, but my favorites are blue moon, girl’s girl and puss puss. just a fun, dancey run of songs that remind me of being in my 20s and going out with friends. my only complaint is that she didn’t release it in june.

LA restaurants — MID

i’ve had some incredible meals on recent trips to LA. i did not eat as well on my last visit. we had a great meal by chef jake brodsky at the event we hosted with DWR (highlights were his melon avocado salad and salty, juicy grilled steak) but two of the restaurants i went to for dinner, bacari and doto, were just ok.

i also didn’t love my miso bowl from honey hi (it really needed dressing) or the al pastor tacos at salazar (having meh tacos in LA is borderline embarrassing). when the culinary highlights of the trip are goop kitchen’s spicy chicken caesar wrap and the hailey bieber smoothie from erewhon, it’s probably a sign it’s time to go home.

brideshead revisited — MID

i wanted to love evelyn waugh’s 1945 classic that’s been cited as inspiration for emerald fennell’s saltburn, but it didn’t resonate with me. i think i was hoping for less gay undertones and more gay overtones. i did find the catholicism/decline of english nobility themes interesting, but overall just didn’t connect with the narrator the way i wanted to. luca guadagnino was planning a remake with an incredible cast in 2022 (andrew garfield, cate blanchett, ralph fiennes, oh my!) but it seems like it’s no longer happening. i’m going to give the 1981 miniseries a shot in the meantime.

arsenal women — MISS

what is going on with my girls? after ending last season as champions of europe for the second time (still the only english club in the women’s game to do so!) under first-time head coach renée slegers and a strong transfer window this summer, hopes were high for AWFC to topple chelsea’s five-year reign as winners of england’s women’s super league.

the gunners got off to a strong start with 4-1 and 5-1 wins, but drew against manchester united and, more surprisingly, often mediocre aston villa. perhaps more concerning is the lack of rotation — australian midfielder kyra cooney-cross and american defender jenna nighswonger haven’t played and are sometimes missing out on matchday squads altogether.

arsenal have another big match against manchester city this weekend, and anything less than a win will likely put them out of the title race with the season less than halfway over. we’ll see what happens. meanwhile, arsenal men came back late on sunday to beat newcastle united 2-1, so at least there’s something to celebrate!

and that’s all from me for september! lots of fun things coming next month:

• book club at st. jardim (we read i have who have never known men)

• dinner at flynn mcgarry’s new spot cove

• a wedding in new jersey

• work event with buffy’s book club in brooklyn heights

• my mom is coming to visit!

• the return of the real housewives of potomac and a new victoria beckham documentary on netflix

thanks for reading! more from me soon. what did you love (or not love) in september?

it’s september 2022 and i’m at paris fashion week for work, which was not part of the original itinerary (a 19 night trip where i stayed in 8 different hotels). i was working at vanmoof at the time, and the team had planned a big group ride from soho house paris to a cool café called le saint gervais.

i was assigned to ride ahead of the group to make sure the café was ready for us (they were not) and got absolutely soaked on the ride from pigalle to the third arrondissement.

the highlight of the evening was my conversation with a smart, interesting french woman. i don’t remember most of what we talked about, but i do know she leaned in and told me that if i wanted to experience the real france, i should visit marseille, where she was from.

so marseille has been on my mind since then. it’s come up at random times in the last few years. i stumbled upon erin wasson’s post about leaving cecile food club and some other people i follow on instagram have visited, but i don’t know many people who have been (yet).

our original idea was for a slightly longer, more ambitious, and more american-coded trip that included a couple nights in marseille, costa brava, and barcelona. but it got too complicated to plan so we decided on “just” marseille. five nights in the city and five at the beach.

here’s everything we did — hits, mids and misses.

or you can scroll right to the end for my personal hit list and what i want to do next time.

friday, august 29:

i woke up a little fuzzy after dinner at mangia, the venue for our finale meal on the press trip i planned to copenhagen and one of my favorite restaurants there. (you can find my copenhagen guide here).

i caffeinated and scarfed down a mediocre bmo at the airport before my flight to CDG, where i’d meet up with aaron before our flight to marseille.

after walking through what felt like all of CDG, i finally found aaron, who was surprisingly chipper post-overnight flight. i feebly attempted to practice my french on the airport bartenders while we waited to board our delayed flight.

we got to marseille via uber at dusk and checked into our airbnb in vauban. i’ve never liked arriving to a new city at night — everything seems even more unfamiliar than it would be during the day and i find it so much harder to get my bearings. nervous exhaustion would set in, we quickly showered and took a car to prosper, a new restaurant by septime alums in the graffiti-covered, dimes square-on-steroids cours julien.

no reservation = no luck at prosper! but i did spot the team behind fabro (also in copenhagen) eating there. my biggest tip for marseille dining is make a reservation if there’s anywhere you really want to eat. i hate when every meal is planned out far in advance, but we had no issues getting a reservation anywhere we wanted to go even if we booked the night before. the restaurants just don’t seem incentivized to take walk-ins the way they do in other places.

the surprisingly kind woman we spoke to at prosper told us to try la ola a few blocks away, so we listened. i didn’t know this beforehand, but la ola exclusively hosts rotating residencies for emerging chefs. we tried kale salad with melon, a manchego beignet with fruity habanero hot sauce, veal in oregano and thyme, and socarrat with mussels by charlotte carenou, who is there until september 20th. i’m excited to see where she lands next!

between the food, two bottles of alsatian wine (the highlight was a pinot gris rosé by domaine geschickt) and that giddy “first night of vacation” feeling, the vibes were extremely high at this point.

so we decided to stay out after dinner! we walked back to the absolutely raucous planète livre marseille la passerelle. we sat outside and split a bottle of jajatoes by domaine du petit oratoire, a young winemaker near avignon, and chatted with an extremely drunk english girl who lived in marseille and was bickering with her friends.

we needed pizza after all the wine and stumbled to pizza enervée, a typical drunk slice place that was much better than it needed to be — and finished the night with a nightcap and a shot of canelé-infused rum (don’t knock it til you try it!) at chat perché.

saturday, august 30

it would be a lie to say i didn’t feel a bit ill on saturday morning, and i would never lie to you, dear reader. we dragged got ourselves out of bed for a little walk to explore our new hood, which was both cuter and much more upscale than i expected. there’s something very healing about a pastel colored building with perfectly juxtaposing shutters. and radiant, app-color blue, cloudless sky and 75 degree weather.

conveniently located across from our airbnb was pompé, a café and bakery with a bit of a north african/middle eastern twist. it was a multi-beverage morning for both of us. i think we had green juice, coffee, lemonade, sparkling and still water on the table. we dunked fresh, crusty bread in fennel tzatziki, zucchini babaganoush and shared a “mornin’ pompe,” a nourishing brioche sandwich with a fried egg, cheddar cheese and their citrusy barbecue sauce.

after breakfast we walked down a huge hill towards the old port area to do some shopping. not one thing i read about marseille before coming here described how hilly it is. the reality: it is extremely hilly.

we stopped in a few places en route to our main destination: maison empereur (recommended by shopping maven laura reilly). it’s a gigantic, labyrinthine hardware, kitchen, home goods and clothing store that’s been around since 1827 and an absolute must visit. i was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume and diversity of product, but aaron locked in and got a couple pairs of cute espadrilles for about €14 each.

next on our list was jogging, a 10-year old concept store that also has an italian restaurant next door. they were having a small issue where the entire store smelled like ancient sewage. and the merchandise could’ve been at any store in the lower east side, LA, or major european city so i wasn’t particularly impressed. but the owner also operates a gallery a few blocks away and holiday rental near where we stayed at the beach that i’d love to check out next time.

after a bit more wandering and a glass of rosé at a touristy spot next to the vieux port, we walked to epicerie l’idéal (another laura rec) for a late lunch. we shared green beans with anchovies, olive oil, egg and croutons. aaron tried their take on pain bagnat while i went a bit more basic with a jambon sandwich (and affogato for dessert!) it’s a hybrid specialty grocery store and restaurant, so we bought pastis, tuna and a few other items and chatted with our very charming and very hungover server.

we regrouped for a few hours at the airbnb and then made our way out for the evening. we drank rosé at le café de l’abbaye, a humming little spot with tons of outdoor seating, a solid view of the sunset over the old port, and even better people watching.

for dinner we decided to try douceur piquante because of great write-ups in both the infatuation and the new york times and had kind of a bizarre experience. the chef/owner strictly speaks french and swahili (and will firmly tell you this in french). we sat outside on a quiet street and the menu only has three dishes, which is all very charming. the food was fine, but our plates had tiny, even for europe, pieces of chicken and sea bream while other tables received much more generous portions. i wouldn’t go back.

after dinner we returned to la passarelle for another bottle of wine and then walked to l’annexe bar made in marseille, a fairly compact but very fun gay bar. people were smoking cigs inside, rupaul was playing, many gin and tonics were consumed, and pastis was tried (it is not for me). we ubered home and used a vpn to watch real housewives on my laptop while we ate french burger king.

sunday, august 31

we had a supremely slow morning but made it to bistrot plage for lunch where we shared grilled fish, a pizza, and listened to an excruciatingly painful “american college kids studying abroad” conversation by a group of american college kids studying abroad. the food wasn’t remarkable but it’s a beautiful spot, great for laying out (reserve chairs via phone) and taking pictures of the orange and red sun loungers contrasting with the mediterranean.

after lunch we explored the adorably picturesque vallon des auffes and corniche kennedy, which has some cute restaurants and stores. we took a quick dip at plage de maldormé, but the more fun scene was definitely the rocks under le petit nice where there were people of all kinds chilling, reading, listening to music and swimming. we picked up a bottle of wine at mademoiselle wine and halfheartedly drank rosé on the sidewalk at pigment before retreating to our airbnb to watch arsenal lose to liverpool and take a nap.

our dinner at localino al mare was a standout of the trip. it’s an outpost of a restaurant in paris with a cute terrace in the front and young, stylish and tan staff serving simple, gorgeous italian food (mainly pasta) in a serene dining room. after starters of buffalo mozzarella and grilled artichokes, i devoured paccheri with tomato sauce while aaron had what he said was the best linguini with clams of his life. i can vouch for this.

we sat next to an adorable grandmother, mom and her two kids, drank orange wine from campagna, and finished the meal with a chocolate tart after seeing it on the table next to us. i also drank the best sparkling lemonade of my life. it somehow felt like a family affair but also very romantic. truly a dream sunday night. this is a must visit spot if you come to marseille.

monday, september 1

woke up to a lot of rain and with a bit of a cold. we had a very late breakfast at pompé again, and then did a bit of exploring before trying to find lunch. we all but struck out at cocotero, arriving right after the kitchen closed, but they did have a leek quiche with a nicely dressed salad that aaron loved. i had the kimchicken with a side of marinated cucumbers from cecile food club and we took shelter in the airbnb for the rest of the afternoon.

the sun finally came out in the evening so we went to le vin sur le main, an ADORABLE little wine bar on the north side of the old port.

whether it was due to the earlier rain or it being a monday night, this part of the city felt much quieter (but also more like paris?) than the other areas we frequented. we sat on the sidewalk across from the bar and just watched the place glow while we sipped rosé called “freaky” from SETE. i think this bar does food as well but people seemed to be mostly drinking.

for dinner we ate at the very very hyped la cantinetta. not only was it recommended by our hungover server at l’epicerie ideal, (he had been there the night before) it’s on a bunch of “best of marseille” lists. we sat in their huge, lively backyard an ordered a lot of food — the antipasti du jour, a parm, arugula and mozzarella salad, burrata, and a tuna dish. all solid, with the salad and tuna being the highlights.

i was so excited for my rigatoni arrabbiata (apparently a specialty of theirs and it’s so rarely on restaurant menus in the US) to hit the table and so disappointed once i tried it. the sauce was sweet and not spicy — and aaron had a stale ravioli with cod and citrus that just did not work. it was such a letdown that we skipped dessert. not sure if we just went on an off night but didn’t enjoy this one.

tuesday, september 2

our last day in the city! still not feeling great, we tried to do some vintage/antique shopping at brocade absolutely fabulous and joli rouge (both worth checking out, especially the former) but didn’t have any success. aaron was dying to try a traditional pain bagnat, so we went to a cute sandwich shop called, appropriately, bagnat, where he ordered and enjoyed exactly that while i had a grilled cheese. shoutout to the owner who we spoke to and was very sweet.

we returned to le café de l'abbaye to watch the sunset and then walked up to grenadine, a tiny wine bar and cave à vin that’s been open for about a year. we each had a glass of what was either the lightest red or darkest rosé in marseille, in the best way possible, and shared some fennel sausage and cornichons. aaron had a lovely conversation with owner nominoé guillebot, who is an absolute delight. he bought two bottles that we drank on the second half of the trip — we loved grenadine and would’ve visited again if we had more time.

perhaps fittingly, our final “city dinner” was at prosper (we made a reservation this time). i was starting to feel pretty unwell at this point, and the meal was overall unmemorable — there was a tuna dish with XO sauce and a pizza frite but neither really made an impression. i probably wouldn’t go back.

wednesday, september 3

changeover day! we packed and closed out our time in vauban with a final breakfast at pompé before jumping in a car to our next airbnb. the south of marseille borders the calanques national park so after a moderately terrifying 30 minute uber ride getting tossed around the backseat we were in an area so remote feeling that i started to worry that we should’ve rented a car.

we stayed next to the calanque de samena, which marks the beginning of the park. our spartan-yet-cute apartment had a charming address (6 rue des roucaous) and i cursed myself for not sticking with french as i struggled to communicate with our genial host who spoke ZERO english and had a lot to tell us.

aaron and i were both in the mood to explore a little bit, so we walked 20 minutes southwest to les goudes, a tiny fishing village on the very edge of marseille that became the epicenter of the second half of the trip. we stopped at grand bar des goudes for the first of many, many seafood-focused meals.

lunch started with a tarama (french fish roe dip) and crab beignet that turned out to be just fried softshell crab. neither were for me, but i did enjoy a very fresh grilled dorade and a few bites of aaron’s lobster frites.

after lunch we discovered that there were plenty of lime e-bikes we could use to get around (there’s also a marseille-specific app for this called levélo.) i can’t overstate how convenient / transformative this was. ubers and taxis can take a while (like 10+ minute wait times) in this part of marseille but we didn’t end up needing one until we left for the airport on monday.

after a dip and a bit of chill time, we rode to meet our french friend emma for dinner at tuba club, which is one of the most famous (and coolest) places in marseille. it’s a former scuba center that has been converted to a five room hotel and two restaurants, with funky, warm, unpretentious interiors by local designer marion mailaender. there aren’t a lot of pictures of the building online because the exterior is just…. not that pretty, but you can dine right on the rocks and the setup/view is incredibly stunning.

we hadn’t seen emma since her going away party in nyc a few months ago, and it was SO fun and a little surreal to reunite with her and catch up. we kicked off the meal with mezcal margaritas (satisfying — served up, not on the rocks). i got stung by a bee before we started our evening with a good chunk of the small, VERY seafood oriented menu: tuna tartarte with cantabrian anchovies (yum), yellowtail ceviche (fine), another tarama (fine to me but délicieux per aaron and emma).

the main courses are where the meal went from being good to excellent. i’m still thinking about the clams ‘nduja, which we all loved, soaking up the leftover sauce with bread. but the ultimate showstopper was the grilled sea bass, perfectly blackened with a spicy yuzu rub and one of the best pieces of fish i’ve ever had.

we finished our orange chardonnay over beignets still warm from the oven with a strawberry apple marmalade, while emma bantered hilariously in french with our charming server. it was the most expensive meal we had, and you have to reserve in advance to eat here, but DO NOT SKIP IT.

thursday, september 4

determined to kick my cold, i really needed a day of doing nothing. i slept until 11:15 while aaron hunted (explored and reserved sunbeds for the next day) and gathered (a pain au chocolat from a nearby bakery and fennel sausage and cheese). he bought the sausage and cheese at chez mère-grand, a cute specialty grocery store in nearby la point-rouge that you should definitely stop into.
i spent the afternoon lounging and reading ruth (i gave it 3 stars on goodreads) while aaron did a bit more exploring and made a little spread for us to snack on while we watched the sunset.

we went back to les goudes for dinner, this time at la marine des goudes, which is co-owned by paul langlere of cecile food club. the restaurant was fairly empty when we arrived and we had the only truly bad service of the trip, which was quickly remedied by a change of server. we had a mullet crudo and rockfish soup to start (aaron loved his soup, the crudo was fine). i was impressed by my entrée — tuna with black rice and saffron poached in ‘nduja with a tomato/pineapple/pepper relish. we finished the meal with a huge green salad, incredibly cold and crunchy with a straightforward garlic vinaigrette. i’d definitely eat here again.

we realized how Amongst Nature we were as we walked back to our airbnb and watched wild boar dart past us. we were both very concerned for the safety of the stray cat colony that lived outside our airbnb but they seemed unbothered by the commotion.

friday, september 5

aaron and i rode into la pointe-rouge in the morning for a pastry before a 1pm lunch res at la baie des singes. it’s above a secluded little cove that’s about a 20 minute, easy walk/hike from the center of les goudes and you can dine, lounge on the sunbeds or both (we did both!).

the restaurant was bumping with tourists and locals having looong lunches and many bottles of wine. the menu is very marseillais and the food took forever. i’d skip the tuna ceviche if we went again, but the grilled sea bass was one of the best we had and they served it with the ideal side — perfectly fried potatoes topped with minced garlic and parsley. we spent the remainder of the afternoon swimming, reading and drinking rosé with ice before trekking back to our airbnb at around 6pm.

we were a bit drained (and still full) from our afternoon in the sun. aaron pulled out the sausage and cheese and made us tuna sandwiches with cucumber and basil on a baguette. so simple, but i’d been looking forward to this all week and it was a food highlight of the trip for me. we ate them while watching the sunset and drinking our wine from grenadine.

curious to see the vibe in les goudes on a (blustery) friday night, we biked in and had a g&t on the bar side of grand bar des goudes. it wasn’t busy so we rode home, saw an entire herd of wild boar, including a little boarlet, and watched real housewives on my laptop before bed.

saturday, september 6

up at 7:30 to get ready for a BOAT DAY! we got cash from the closest atm in la point-rouge and then biked to the marina in les goudes to meet our captain. i’d read good things about zeboat and eco-calanques but we used click&boat, which is similar to airbnb. you can rent boats of varying sizes with or without a captain. it takes a little more outreach/planning than some of the other services, but we were set on doing a private boat for a full day and had a specific itinerary we wanted to accomplish.

*also, since the calanques are a national park, you need a specific pass to access them. a lot of click&boats did not have the pass and wanted to take us to the frioul islands instead so make sure to ask about this if you want to explore the calanques.

our captain, riad, spoke almost no english and i’m embarrassed by how little french i’ve retained, but we got by with some patience and google translate. our first stop was île de riou for a morning dip and some sun. we lounged there until about 11:20 before departing for the main event: lunch at chez le belge.

only accessible by boat or a 45 minute hike, chez le belge doesn’t take reservations, credit cards, or have running water, and the menu is on a chalkboard. captain riad couldn’t anchor so we swam in. after a scary situation with a too-full tote bag and deeper than expected water, we made it to shore and had a super satisfying lunch of greek salad, spaghetti bolognese (the specialty), and fries with dijonnaise. it felt like we were on a private island and i was just grateful to be alive after the swim there. we wolfed down spaghetti and gazed out at the boats bopping. the crowd was a fun mix of sweaty french families on hikes and boaters with expensive watches. truly such a special meal and unique experience.

after lunch we boated to a few other calanques and captain riad took us to a famous blue cave. i am by and large anti-cave after watching the descent in middle school and not sleeping for three nights in a row, but was happy i swam into it. it felt like we were on another planet.

we toured around a bit more before returning to île de riou where we met up with captain riad’s brother in law and friends, who generously shared their watermelon with us. we spent the afternoon swimming, listening to french rap (our captain was the DJ. aaron and i shazamed about five songs each) and feeding fish. there were about 15 other boats anchored there but the vibe was more relaxed family afternoon than boozy yacht party. through the magic of google translate, riad and i made the hilarious connection that i work for a lighting company and he’s an electrician!

after disembarking, we quickly showered before dinner at les tamaris, the pizza restaurant in front of our airbnb. it was very busy, with the staff literally running back and forth to the kitchen, and they almost didn’t give us a table. we drank piscines during the hour wait for our pizza and calzone, which were both meh but exactly what i wanted after a long day floating under the sun. the highlight of this dinner experience was a group of teenage boys celebrating a birthday that stood in front of the bar while their server patiently split the check 15 ways.

sunday, september 7

our last day! we biked into la point-rouge for a final croissant (i’m not mentioning any of the bakeries because none of them were very good) and then to callelongue, a tiny town just past les goudes that’s considered the beginning of the “wild” part of the park. there wasn’t much to see: a single restaurant, private petanque court and some cute fishing huts, so it was a quick trip. we stopped for sandwiches at the les goudes location of cecile food club and headed back to our calanque for a final afternoon in the sun and water.

we originally planned to eat at bikini on our last night, which is on the roof of tuba club and reportedly more casual (and less seafoody) than its sister restaurant. but we were so impressed with our first meal at tuba that we decided to end the trip with… more fish!

we ordered a lot of the same things (we had to have the clams and sea bass again) but added their crab special (a hollowed out crab on ice with its meat, chives, egg, cornichons and onion inside) and a tuna carpaccio with egg on top. both hits.

pro tip: the staff told us they reserve the two-tops on the rocks for hotel guests, and the rest are basically assigned based on how far in advance you make your reservation. i was initially a bit bummed to be up on the deck, but it’s cool to have a higher vantage point.

the vibe was much different on sunday than when we went midweek. it was more of a scene and more couples, including a young english duo who seemed very disappointed by both the amount and prices of fish on the menu. we left happy and with two tuba club t-shirts and a baseball hat. i love merch! what can i say.

i do think a lot of time something happens on the last day or night of a great trip that indicates it’s time to go home. after five days of seamless lime-ing up and down the coast, our luck finally ran out on the last night. there were 0 working bikes on lime or levélo, but after 30 minutes of frustrating trial and error aaron managed to find a lime scooter and i trekked to one from voi. we made it back to our airbnb safe and sound before an early flight to CDG and then new york the next morning.

final thoughts

this was one of the best trips we’ve taken together (we couldn’t stop saying this and are still saying it) and we both would love to return. marseille is inspiring, beautiful, fun, wild and bustling. we loved the food scene — french food is even better when there’s pizza and ‘nduja/harissa on the menu. and we felt safe the entire time (although we are two men traveling and we live in new york city). i loved how rural and relaxed it felt just outside of the city and found the people so warm and friendly.

five nights felt right for both the city and beach portions — and there are obviously plenty of places to visit within a few hours’ drive if you want to rent a car. i think there’s even more to love if you hike (which is not our thing) as there are some beautiful calanques between marseille and cassis.

if you’re looking for a eurotrip with a fabulous villa and beach clubs, this is probably not the destination for you, but the culture and nature we experienced were absolutely top notch.

next time i’d like to try more north african food and maybe stay at tuba club.

the hit list (in no particular order):

city: le café de l’abbaye, grenadine, localino al mare, maison empereur, epicerie l’idéal, le vin sur le main, pompé, planète livre marseille la passerelle, la ola, vallon des auffes, corniche kennedy

beach: tuba club, la baie des singes, chez mère-grand, la marine des goudes, chez le belge, île de riou, boat day

next time:

city: chez yassine, chez moe, ripaille, ivresse, poissonnerie kennedy, limmat, livingston, mercato x winesucker, provisions, T65, les flots, cocotero

beach: bikini, le cabanon de paulette, calanque du sugiton