I got to binge on a bunch of Steven Universe on a plane and have been obsessed ever since. The show is about a little boy with latent magical powers and three alien ladies who keep watch over him, helping him to learn his powers and make sense of his existence. Steven's dad is a failed rock star and his mom, an alien herself, gave up her corporeal form to have him. There are lots of unanswered questions, particularly about Steven's mother, and the show spends a lot of time with him seeking answers to help better understand her and who she was. This aspect of the show, while not the only major aspect (there are still plenty of cartoon elements - coming of age tropes, battles, more common struggles a little boy might face like older kids, meanies, fights with your best friend, etc.) is what keeps me invested. Rebecca Sugar has beautifully captured what it's like to miss a parent who is no longer around, to struggle trying to know a person who no longer exists, and has packaged it in a way that is positive and accessible to not only kids but adults as well. This clip is definitely spoilery, but I think it really sums up what I mean. Also the music is really fantastic.
I'm not proud of my love for frozen pierogies, but it's there, it's real, and I can't shake it. The way I see it, a plate of forzen pierogies is a lot healthier than a frozen pizza, so there. I love them with plain Greek yogurt and a salad dressing of 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce and rice wine vinegar each, garlic and onion powder, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes.
Broad Cityhas been on Amazon Prime for a minute and I finally watched the whole thing in a day a couple weeks ago (just in time for the new season) and was elated. The show is hilarious. The premise is classic - two 20-somethings struggle to make it in the big city - but that's where classic ends. It's a female buddy comedy, as bawdy and gnarly and stupid as Ass Backwards or Bridesmaids. I have a weird thing where I don't laugh at TV or movies unless I find a joke absolutely, uproariously funny. This show gets me howling. Bonus: the adorable Hannibal Buress plays an even more adorable dentist.
Have you had green onions? They're amazing. You can put them in anything and it's instantly better. For whatever reason, though, I have hard time keeping them fresh in my fridge? Like, an onion will stay edible for a month, but these are kaput in a day. I don't know what I'm doing wrong (and I'm not going to correct anything I'm already doing) but that's the only reason they're not 100% superior to an actual regular onion.
I spend a good deal of winter in a modestly heeled black leather ankle boot. The shoe looks a little fancier than a flat and goes well with almost all of my outfits, the leather keeps my feet warm, and I'm more conscious of my walking so I never slip. I haven't slipped and fallen on ice (sober) in over 3 years. This is a feat in North Dakota, okay. Still, this year I thought maybe it would be an okay idea to have a pair of flats on hand, so I bought these at a discount around Christmas. I love the Chelsea boot style and will definitely continue purchasing this style for a few years because holy cow it feels good to easily slip in and out (while my idiot friends must tie and untie, zip and unzip!) of a comfy boot that is rugged enough to carry me around like a bad ass through alleys and snowy fields and what not without the boot itself being some L.L. Bean monstrosity. These boots are kind of shit and won't make it to next year, but I'm happy with the overall purchase and will be looking into a pair of Doc Martens next winter.
Honorable Mentions:
Pretzel Buns - make aioli with a little soy sauce thrown in and eat anything, literally anything on it, and it'll be delicious. A friend suggested this pairing with a grilled Portobello mushroom that had been marinated in balsamic vinaigrette. I hate mushrooms but tried it anyway and that was a tasty Goddamn sandwich.
Unseasonably Warm Weather - it feels like March here in the Dakotas. I guess the East Coast is about to get slammed and here we are in 45 degrees wearing t-shirts and taking our dogs to the park. A colleague joked about how no good can come of this, that in our relaxed state we will be barraged with the storm to end all storms, but I think after last winter this is exactly what was coming to us. WE EARNED THIS.
A Non-Pizza Body - I stopped working out last October because it's the fucking holidays, I don't have time to exercise, okay? Maybe I just didn't want to. It doesn't matter. It's none of your business. I recently returned to the gym thinking I could run a half mile and would keel over, but I've been running miles pretty easily and will be back up to speed shortly. I'm glad my body is strong and didn't turn into pizza during our hiatus.