Just Good Shit: 11.17.19

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

I’m normally a very resolute “I don’t recognize the existence of Christmas until after Thanksgiving” person…but this year, for whatever reason, I’m ready to skip ahead. I think it’s because Thanksgiving feels late this year (even though it always feels early when it’s not November 28th or later) and because I don’t have any big plans for that week. And because my body is calling out for twinkle lights and cozy blankets. Like, let’s just get on with it!!!

Anyway, here’s what I was up to this week…

On the blog

• Cozy potluck ideas

Editing

• Amateur Hour: ‘I Want to Fit in at Work, but I’m Not a Big Drinker’

• How to Explore Your Queerness When You Have a Straight Partner

Reading

What the battle over a 7-year-old trans girl could mean for families nationwide, Vox.

Suzy Batiz’s Empire of Odor, The New Yorker.

How to Make a Website, The Atlantic.
I love WikiHow and its incredibly wholesome/earnest approach to service content, so I really enjoyed this.

One of the most famous incidents of campus outrage was totally misrepresented, Vox.

Robyn Crawford Opens up to Lena Waithe About Her Relationship With Whitney Houston, Oprah.

The New Power Lunch Is Sweetgreen, Eater.

How foil balloons went from Instagram bait to every party in America, The Goods / Vox.

Apple Gives Up On Its Worst Design Mistake Ever: The Butterfly Keyboard, VICE.

Alison Roman Cooks Thanksgiving in a (Very) Small Kitchen, The New York Times.
This post is threatening to change my mind about Thanksgiving! I really want to try this stuffing. Also, it’s just a fun/voicey/servicey read.

Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I Started Cooking, A Cup of Jo.

I’m a Normal Person and I Buy My Instagram Followers, The Cut.

How To Name a Lesbian or Bisexual TV Character, Autostraddle.

Watching & listening to

I’ve started watching Twin Peaks, which I’ve never seen. I’m really enjoying it so far — it’s so mellow and the cozy mountain vibe is very much my shit. I also listened to some very good You’re Wrong About eps this week: Marcia Clark, Anita Hill, and “A Dingo’s Got My Baby.”

Shoe news

My beloved Tessa Clogs are now available in two new colors: honey and golden tan. I’ve ordered the honey and am very excited for them to arrive!

My girlfriend and I saw the J. Crew Sadie glitter boot online earlier this fall and were very into them, but then they suddenly disappeared entirely. After a lot of searching, she eventually found a new pair at a deep discount on Poshmark. I was (and am) jealous because even though they aren’t my typical style, they are so goddamn cute in person. Anyway, now they are back in stock at J. Crew! They are perfect for holiday parties, winter brides, and really anyone who wants to look like a winter witch.

Have a great Sunday! 🍁

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Cozy potluck ideas

This weekend, I had some friends over to my apartment for a potluck. I didn’t call this gathering a Friendsgiving because I didn’t want to give anyone the impression that I would be making a turkey (absolutely no), or imply that they should limit themselves to bringing Thanksgiving sides.

I’ve never been a big fan of Thanksgiving. This is due in large part to the fact that no one ever really bothers to make it fancy, which I don’t understand. Like, what is the point of a holiday if there isn’t cozy lights, a little sparkle, and an on-theme outfit???? (This doesn’t just apply to the end of year hols; it also includes Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and the 4th of July.) Give me a bougie Williams-Sonoma catalog party or nothing at all!!! I also just don’t like Thanksgiving food very much. It’s a lot of work/stress/money for not a lot of payoff, imo.

Anyway, the potluck went great! My mantra when thinking about this gathering was “do less.” I have a tendency to go overboard with stuff like this, and I wanted this dinner to be easy and fun without too much fuss or expense. Or, put another way, mood over food.

Food & drink

I made The Kitchn’s baked ziti, which I also made for a cozy winter party last January. It’s easy, inexpensive, delicious, and feeds a lot of people. It’s also so practical. It can be made it advance, so you still have plenty of time to do the dishes and clean your kitchen before anyone arrives.

I also made Alison Roman’s labneh dip, which was a hit. I doubled it, and I’m glad I did. I also waited until right before the party to assemble the dip/add the oil (which I’d made in the morning) — I was able to get a nicer presentation that way.

My girlfriend made the apple cider spritzes from my friend Jess’s blog. I always love Jess’s cocktail recipes, and these were no exception. Would recommend/make again!

Everyone’s potluck contributions were great. In terms of recipes, there was a broccoli rubble farro salad (love Smitten Kitchen), a cheesy Hasselback potato gratin (gorgeous and delicious), and leeks in vinaigrette (the unexpected hit of the night).

Decorations

Because I was committed to doing less, I scrapped my initial plan to go to Michaels and/or Party City; the bulk of my energy went to finding a tablecloth online. (Two tablecoths, actually — I decided to set up a folding table my girlfriend bought this summer in my dining room for food and move my actual dining room table into my living room, a setup that worked out very well. In general, I’m a fan of rearranging furniture to make a party work better in a small space.) Because the tables were kind of It, I wanted a really cool and special tablecloth and…turns out, that doesn’t really exist for Thanksgiving!

I ended up going with two gray buffalo check tablecloths ($22.99+ each on Amazon), a dozen mini white pumpkins ($24.89 on Amazon), and two bouquets of flowers from BoHaus. (Tiny bonus tip: go for a floral arrangement with eucalyptus; not only does it look great/dramatic, it smells wonderful.)

Anyway, that turned out to be all I needed! Everything else was just stuff I already owned. One of my favorite things about holidays/hosting is going through the cabinet where I keep all my fancy wares and being surprised/delighted by what’s in there. I’ve acquired a lot of different items (cloth napkins, bottle openers, cheese boards, serving ware) over time, and faithfully sticking to neutrals + metallics for years means I rarely have to worry about the specific items I need matching/working for a given occasion. You really can’t go wrong buying dishes or oven-to-table items in white. (Also, if you stick to white, you can use regular bowls and plates as serving dishes as needed and still have it look cohesive. I also think it’s easier to decorate on a small budget this way.)

If you want something a little more festive, I think tree/branch/wood motifs in white/silver and/or stripes in black/gray/cream/green are the way to go because they work for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.

Also! It pays to hoard good finds from the Target dollar section until the moment you need them. I have no idea when exactly I purchased two packs of dessert plates with a copper foil autumn leaf pattern on them—I thiiiink maybe 2017???—but I was very grateful to Past Me when I found them! The fabric pumpkins I mixed in with the new ones fro Amazon also came from Target several years ago.

Things I would do differently next time

• Start at 5 p.m. instead of 4.

• Buy bigger cups. (This was the one downside of not going to Party City.)

• Make the ziti the night before instead of the morning of.

• Move my kitchen trash can into my dining room for convenience.

• Decorate with/incorporate twinkle lights.

• Take more photos. ✨

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Just Good Shit: 11.10.19

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

Hi! Just a short one for you tonight — I was sick with terrible allergies this week, and then was out of town in the Catskills this weekend. Here’s what else I was up to…

Elsewhere

How to Say No During Wedding Season, The New York Times.
My first NYT byline!

Why Being Organized Was The Best Thing I Did For My Life, BuzzFeed Nifty.
(Adaptation of this essay.)

Reading

Managing Your Friendships, With Software, The Atlantic.
I’m all for using apps or spreadsheets to remember your friends’ birthdays and such, but this just seems like software bros discovering emotional labor for the first time and feeling the need to “disrupt” that (for profit!!).

The Death of the Rude Press, The New Republic.

What Happened to Deadspin, According to the People Who Were There, Slate.

Should I Fake My Astrology Sign to Be More Employable?, Out.

Eating

My girlfriend made olive oil roasted chicken with caramelized carrots from NYT Cooking this week, which was delicious. One caveat: the cooking temperature/time listed…didn’t work. (It seems like that was the case for several commenters, too.) We made a second batch the next night and baked everything at 350 for an hour, and then turned it to 400 for another 25 minutes or so, and that was perfect. (I also recommend adding potatoes to the pot!)

Have a great Sunday! 🌲

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Just Good Shit: 11.03.19

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

Hi, pals! Here’s what I was up to this week…

Reading

I Accidentally Uncovered a Nationwide Scam on Airbnb, VICE.

For Many Widows, the Hardest Part Is Mealtime, The New York Times.

‘Being Careful’ Won’t Prevent Revenge Porn, The Cut.

This Is Just What It's Always Going To Be Like Now, Deadspin.

What’s Left of Condé Nast, NY Mag.

Inside R/Relationships, the Unbearably Human Corner of Reddit, The Atlantic.

'Instacouples' Are Big Business For Brands. But Monetizing A Relationship Has Its Challenges, MTV News.

Meet the Instagrammers who try on clothes so you don’t have to, Vox.

After 15 Years, Dream Mall Finally Becomes a Reality, The New York Times.

#1232: Infertility and In-Laws, Captain Awkward.

‘OK Boomer’ Marks the End of Friendly Generational Relations, The New York Times.

I Let Our 2 Million Instagram Followers Decorate My Studio Apartment—And Here’s What Happened, Apartment Therapy.

Here Are the 10 Most Frightening Stories You Will Ever Hear, Jezebel.

10 More Petrifying Tales to Ensure You Never Sleep Again, Jezebel.

The Gloriously Queer Afterlife of Death Becomes Her, Vanity Fair.

This Is How It’s Gonna Work, Deadspin.

Diana Moskovitz’s thread of her best Deadspin articles.

An Unexpected Story of Love at First Sight, A Cup of Jo.

Watching

I saw Parasite last weekend and loved it. I didn’t know anything about it going into it — I had only seen the trailer — and that was perfect. It was so unique and so entertaining; highly, highly recommend. And I watched Death Becomes Her on Halloween and it was exactly what I was looking for in a Halloween movie. Just campy and funny and perfect!

‘Ween

This Marie Kondo family costume is one of the best things I’ve seen in a long time. I also loved the 13 Pitbulls, the Holmeses, the Fleabag dogs, Jurassic Park, and pants.

Have a great Sunday! 🌚

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Just Good Shit: 10.27.19

Image: Kiyana Salkeld/Just Good Shit

Hello from rainy Brooklyn! It’s pouring outside and there’s taco soup on the stove and twinkle lights around the window, so I’m feeling great right now. Here’s what I was up to this week…

On the blog

• The gold hoop earrings I wear every day

Elsewhere

So your kid is a bully. Here’s how to stop it., Vox.

Reading

Underground Lives: The Sunless World of Immigrants in Queens, The New York Times.

Why Black Homeowners in Brooklyn Are Being Victimized by Fraud, The New York Times.

She Was Assaulted During A Massage, And The Spa Blamed Her For It, The Cut.

Alison Roman Is More Than #TheStew, Jezebel.

The best $1.75 I ever spent: Hand sanitizer that allows me to exist in public, Vox.

Prince Harry and Meghan's ITV documentary focuses on rifts with British media and the Cambridges, Lainey Gossip.

I Became Vegan to Hide the Fact That I'm Gay, SELF.

Our Nostalgic, Fancy, and Kinda Polarizing Cranberry Sauce Is Here, Bon Appétit.

The Cranberry Caucus Is Insanely Powerful, Modern Farmer.
This is wild.

How to Tell What Everyone Is Talking About on Social Media, Lifehacker.

Watching

I watched Jawbreaker on Friday night, which I haven’t seen since high school (when I watched it dozens of times), so that was fun. And I’m going to see Parasite tonight with friends.

I also watched a few episodes of Modern Love on Amazon and it…sucked. Every episode is filmed in a way that signals “rom com” but like the plots don’t match that at all. Also, this version of NYC is so sanitized, I felt like I was watching a Hallmark movie. The Tina Fey/John Slattery one is basically gay propaganda because it paints such a bleak picture of heterosexual marriage. They were all just so boring. DNR (do not recommend)!

Listening to

The Nicole Brown Simpson episodes of You’re Wrong About, which are harrowing.

Eating

I got my copy of Nothing Fancy this week, and am loving it so far. (I think it’s going to be better than Dining In.) I made the Labneh Dip with Sizzled Scallions and Chile on Friday night and it was *chef’s kiss*. It tastes like fancy French onion dip. I love labneh so I went out of my way to buy Karoun labneh at Whole Foods, but you can also use sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt.

I also went out for an anniversary dinner (!!) at Five Leaves (the Brussels sprouts are…incredible) and had brunch at Sauvage and drinks at Extra Fancy.

Have a great Sunday! 🎃

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The gold hoop earrings I wear every day

Image: Catbird

I spent a not-insignificant amount of time last fall looking for a new pair of earrings. I wanted wear-them-literally-every-day earrings (you know I’m not one for variety) because the pair I had been wearing for the past six years was feeling a bit tired/dated.

I was strictly looking for studs, but eventually started considering hoops, though I kept balking every time I’d try a pair on — because when you only wear studs, hoops will leave you feeling wildly overdressed. I looked at several different brands, clicked on every Instagram jewelry ad I got (there were many), and checked in with Catbird periodically to see if they had anything that felt right.

After a couple months of this, I was delighted to discover that Catbird was selling whisper thin tiny gold hoops ($88 for the pair). I went to the store to check them out and was thrilled to realize they were exactly what I had been looking for. Most small hoops are very chunky, but these aren’t; they are super subtle, and their texture makes them catch the light and sparkle. So…done! Sold!

While I was there, I started looking at all the other earrings, and lamented the fact that my second piercings had not been operational since...I literally could not recall? (Fun fact: I also used to have my cartilage pierced and my nose pierced!) On a whim, I decided to see if I could put an earring in the second hole, which honestly could have gone very badly, but it...worked????? My holes had not closed after all???? So I now also have a set of teeny diamond studs ($98 each) that I wear in my second piercings.

Image: Catbird

Image: Catbird

I have worn this combination of earrings basically every waking hour ever since, and I like them so much. They work with literally everything. The studs give the hoops a little extra sparkle. The hoops are a bit hard to put on/take off at first, but once you get used to them, they’re fine, and they feel very secure. 

The Catbird hoops turned out to be kind of a gateway drug; I started experimenting with some other hoops in different sizes, so I have some additional recs for you!

• I found a pair of gold hoops on Amazon that come in a bunch of sizes and are great if you prefer thin hoops. I got the 16mm pair ($26) when I decided to dip my toe into the bigger hoops pool, and I like them a lot. The 10mm ones ($20) would probably make for a pretty good Catbird knockoff, though I don’t know that they’ll hold up super well over time...but if you liked that size/general idea, you could always upgrade later.

• I have Mejuri’s Between Hoops ($65), which are very similar to the style from Amazon but are sliiiightly (but noticeably!) thicker, and much higher quality. 

• My gf has Catbird’s and gold Ear Nut earrings ($66 each), which are very pretty and sort of mimic the look of a double piercing.

• I loved these Wolf Circus hoops — again, I’ve come along way with regard to earring size in the past year — but they are no longer available. I was on the lookout for a similar pair for a while, and recently decided to try Mejuri’s Idol Earrings ($69). The Mejuri ones aren’t quite as cool but I like them a lot! I wear them when I want something to make me look more pulled-together/Dressed (most often with this navy turtleneck).

• I don’t own these Mejuri Crescent Midi Hoops ($65) but I like them a lot! ✨

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Just Good Shit: 10.20.19

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

Hi, friends! Here’s what I’ve got for you this week…

Reading

One Night at Mount Sinai, The Cut.
This is harrowing.

A Young Man Nearly Lost His Life to Vaping, The New York Times.

Peloton is Spinning, The Cut.

Why Are All The Men In My Life So Angry About My Short Hair?, Refinery29.

A Former Justin Bieber Stan on Why She Finally Quit Him, Man Repeller.

How to pack a Norwegian sandwich, the world’s most boring lunch, Vox.

Yelp's Horniest (and Best) Reviewer Is a Jacked Foot Worshipper Named Fox E, VICE.

Autocorrect Is For Cowards, VICE.

Also, I was recently made aware of cheese board influencers; @thatcheeseplate is making my brain light up. (Look at this fall one!!!)

Have a great Sunday! 👻

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Just Good Shit: 10.13.19

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

Fall is officially upon us and I couldn’t be happier! Every time the temperature drops another 5 degrees, I get a little closer to my full powers. When I wasn’t trying on every sweater I own and aggressively researching boots and coats, here’s what else I had going on…

Reading

This week, I read Know My Name by Chanel Miller, which I highly, highly recommend. Miller is an excellent writer, and this book is an incredible meditation on trauma (and the tedium that often goes with it). I highlighted so many passages and cried fairly often, but I also cackled out loud on multiple occasions. Know My Name is, as far as I’m concerned, canon, and pretty much everyone should read it.

Also:

The Irrepressibly Political Survivorship of Chanel Miller, The New Yorker.

Ronan Farrow Depicts a Chilling Cover-up at NBC, The Cut.

It’s time to ban cars from Manhattan, Curbed.

What Are Californians Supposed to Do?, Slate.

On Coming Out, Slow and Not Always Steady: 6 Stories, Vogue.

Can a $1,300 baby bed make me a better mom?, Curbed.

How We Came to Live in “Cursed” Times, The New Yorker.

Discussing Blackness on Reddit? Photograph Your Forearm First, The New York Times.

Succession uses Shiv Roy’s hair and clothes to tell the story of her quest for power, Vox.

A good comment and another in an Ask a Manager thread about making a habit of using “they/them” pronouns.

At the Russian Baths With the Big Boys of Brawn, NY Mag.

AAFU: I begrudge my ex her success, The Outline.

Basic Bitches, Collective Delusion, and The Long American History of Being Defensive About Pumpkins, Summer Block.

A Publisher Attempts to Brainstorm Books for Women, McSweeney’s.

Eating

It’s fall, so taco soup is officially back in the rotation! Also, my girlfriend made Alison Roman’s creamy cauliflower pasta this week, which was delicious. And we went to Gertie for breakfast and loved it; it’s so cute and chill and the food was great.

Have a great Sunday! 🦇

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Just Good Shit: 10.06.19

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

Happy October! This week was a bit of a whirlwind — I started at VICE and then headed to a friend’s wedding this weekend. Here’s what else I’ve got…

Reading

Inside the Cutthroat World of Royal Gossips, Marie Claire.
This is fascinating.

Inside TheMaven's Plan To Turn Sports Illustrated Into A Rickety Content Mill, Deadspin.

Growing Up In The Forever 21 Generation, Refinery29.
“As the brand scaled, it continued to place all its eggs in one basket, its only appeal: It was so cheap and so on-trend that you could afford to ignore the rest.”

How the Pineapple Became the Icon of I.V.F., The New York Times.

The Cheating Scandal Rocking the Poker World, The Ringer.

In a professional wrestling ring, a transgender woman faces a roaring crowd, The Washington Post.

Pop Culture History 101, The Ringer.

Your Joke's Not Funny Anymore, Lifehacker.

Have a great Sunday! 🍂

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Just Good Shit: 09.29.19

Image: Kiyana Salkeld / Just Good Shit

Friends, I have some good news to share: I have a new job and I start tomorrow! I’m joining the team at VICE as Deputy Editor, Life. I got the news, like, minutes after I got the first draft of my manuscript back with edits, and right after lining up a ton of freelance work for September, which is why I’ve been quiet lately — a lot has been happening! I’m very excited about VICE, and only a tiny bit nervous about going back into an office after eight months away. (I feel…feral, and have been wearing a bra in increasing increments every day this week to prepare.)

Even more good news: my girlfriend also just accepted a new job! The amount of work/prep she did to get to this point has been truly incredible and very impressive to watch, and the job is so good/exactly what she wanted/extremely well-deserved. I am so, so thrilled for her!

It’s been a big few weeks, and I’m feeling very excited and optimistic about October! Here’s what else I have for you today…

On the blog

• Tiny life tip: Name your group texts on iPhone

• I’m currently very into Tessa clogs

Elsewhere

This week, I wrote two posts for Girls’ Night In: A Modest Proposal: Make a Q4 Resolution – You Won't Regret It and Go Small or Go Home: How to Adjust Plans So You Actually Keep Them. I also guest-edited this week’s GNI newsletter.

I was also interviewed for a series of articles for Shine Text: How to Own the Awkward and Make New Friends, How To Treat Yourself Like A Friend—Especially When You Feel Lonely, and How to Lean Into and Deepen Your Friendships.

Reading

The “Cancel Culture” Con, The New Republic.

The Internet Is Overrun With Images of Child Sexual Abuse. What Went Wrong?, The New York Times.
Head’s up that this is a fairly graphic article.

'I Will Survive' Saves Marginalized People A Spot On The Dance Floor, NPR.

‘Close Friends,’ for a Monthly Fee, The Atlantic.

Hustlers is a recession-era period piece. Here’s how the costume designer created it., The Goods / Vox.

Deep Throat’s identity was a mystery for decades because no one believed this woman, Washington Post.
(lol at the fact that “this woman” is Nora Ephron)

Mattel, Maker of Barbie, Debuts Gender-Neutral Dolls, The New York Times.

How to say “it's not okay” at work, Ask a Manager.

‘Our Love Is Built to Last’, The New York Times.
This wedding is incredible.

Watching

The Savage X Fenty fashion show on Amazon Prime.

Wearing

I’ve mentioned these Los Angeles Apparel sweatpants ($40) before, but I just wanted to share them again because my gf recently bought them in the Maple and they are such a pretty color for fall. (They are the color of pumpkin pie!)

Have a great Sunday! 👩🏽‍💻

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