September's Six

Image Credits: upper-left tile via npr.org; upper-right tile via lamag.com; lower-left tile via halfbakedharvest.com; lower-right tile via sephora.com.

The aim of this series is to corral some favorite things and share them in a short and sweet post. Whether it’s a song, book, recipe, tip, or product, hopefully you will find some inspiration in this list.    

1. Every musical project Glen Hansard has had a hand in is phenomenal. From The Frames, to the Swell Season, to his solo work, he is a musical genius. For proof, look no further than these songs (here, here, here, here). And believe me when I say those just scratch the surface of an unbelievable body of work.

2. Speaking of Hansard, Once is a must-watch movie/musical (but not a musical, if you know what I mean—show tunes are not my jam). It’s touching and just an absolute delight to watch. Purchase a DVD for about $5 here. I promise you will want to watch it more than once (terrible pun intended).

3. If you’re local to the Los Angeles area or will be in town at some point, visit one of the seven restaurants picked by Beard award-winning critic Bill Addison here. Not-to-miss spots like Gjusta, Republique, and Mozza don’t need the shout-outs, but the lesser-known restaurants featured on Addison’s list are apparently just as good. I can’t wait to try Carnitas El Momo; if you visit one of these restaurants, let us know if they live up to the hype.

4. Not in LA but still hungry for a great meal? Put Half Baked Harvest’s tomato carbonara with crispy prosciutto and burrata on this week’s menu (here). HBH recipes have been featured here before for good reason: they always manage to turn out so delicious and are relatively easy to prepare. Plus, it is so satisfying to cook alongside the videos she sometimes pairs with her recipes so that you know exactly what to aim for (watch here).

5. I plan to read Amy Hempel’s Sing to It as a reward for when I submit my next dissertation chapter (here). Need to be persuaded to read it too? Check out James Wood’s New Yorker review of Hempel’s short story collection (here). Wish me luck that I finish this chapter draft soon so I can get my hands on a copy!

6. I love a semi-sheer lip product, ideally one that’s hydrating and offers a subtle sheen and hint of color. Thankfully the dried-looking matte lip trend is dying out! I have already sung the praises of Burt’s Bees tinted lip balm (buy the shade Red Dahlia if you haven’t already here). But if you are looking to add to your stash, check out Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatment in the shade Petal (here) or Dior’s Lip Glow in the shade 001 (here). These colors are definitely universally-flattering. If you have your own personal favorites to recommend, please share!

Alison