A Palate Cleanser
An easy flick, a Beyoncé cover, and the best bolognese you'll ever make
When the wonderfully-written longform story Jerry and Marge Go Large came out back in 2018, I fell in love. Reading it felt like watching a fantastic movie because it’s a (true) story that has everything: a hero, a villain, the fulfillment of a dream of striking it rich.
In real life, Jerry was something of a math-whiz who, post-retirement, discovered a loophole in a state lottery game. He won $16,000 his first week playing and eventually got family and friends involved to up the ante (and the winnings). As you’ll see from the article, it was never really about the money for he and his wife, Marge. It was about being able to help other people and also about being able to have fun playing a game.
The article is a few years old now but you’ll probably hear more about it, as it’s been turned into a show on Paramount+, starring Annette Benning and Bryan Cranston. We watched it last night and it was sweet and silly and a no-brainer. It kind of reminded me of the many feel-good movies of the 1990s — the kind you’d watch over and over as a kid. Sexy? No. Fast-paced? Definitely not. But it’s a good palate cleanser if you’ve been mainlining content about Warren Jeffs, as I have (more on that, below).
All of the photos from Beyoncé’s British Vogue cover are…perfect. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such phenomenal photos in a fashion magazine (at least, not in years!) And the news that she’s dropping her first album in three years on July 29 is…flawless.
I devoured Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey in about two days and it’s all I’ve been thinking about since. The docuseries tells the story of the rise of Warren Jeffs in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and how he exploited thousands of people (notably, women and children) to do his bidding. And also how he was living it up in Vegas and riding Harley-Davidsons, while the folks back home were living Little House on the Prairie-style because he told them if they didn’t they would face eternal damnation. (Turns out, he was not a great guy!) It is horrifying, fascinating, and a really educational watch.
The label Alex Mill was initially created with the aim of making the perfect shirt. The line is full of basics, but always with a little twist (a fun color, a slightly oversized fit). An oversized button-up — worn open over a white tee, tucked in to high-waisted shorts, or just as a coverup to the beach — just feels right at the moment, and they know how to do it.
One of my favorite AD home tours in recent memory is that of the Portugal beach home of Jean-Philippe Demeyer, Frank Ver Elst, and Jean-Paul Deweve. The three are “partners in life and work” and they seem to have figured out the formula to design, as well as life in general. “Frank has a very good eye and reins me in when I go too far. Jean-Paul is finance and organization,” Demeyer says.
Saint Jane’s pore-smoothing SPF 30 is protective (important this time of year!) but it also contains a tiny bit of tint. So you could really wear it on its own, in lieu of makeup, or as a primer if you want more coverage. I love products like this, that don’t completely mask your skin but still protect against the elements.
This is the best bolognese I’ve ever made — and it’s entirely meatless.
1 C. mushrooms
1/2 C. walnuts
1/4 tsp. chili flakes
1/4 tsp. fennel seed
4-5 garlic cloves
Salt & pepper, to taste
Olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a pan)
Pasta of your choice (I used a brown rice capellini)
Throw all of the first five ingredients into a blender until they reach the consistency of a paté.
Meanwhile, boil your pasta according to the package directions.
In a separate sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes, until it’s shiny.
Add the mushroom mixture to the pan and heat for a few minutes.
Add a jar of your favorite tomato sauce to the mixture (plus some salt and pepper, to taste) and let it bubble over medium heat.
Once the pasta is finished and drained. add it to the pan and coat with the sauce.
Plate and serve (with basil, parsley, or a copious amount of parm if you like).
Recommended reading:
Two workers at the Pennsylvania M&M factory fulfilled my life-long dream of falling into a vat of chocolate while on the job.
The new trend at upscale restaurants these days? Fancy bread and butter.
A costal grandmother weighs in on the trend.
And I’ll leave you with this….