And not because of some tragic plot twist, but because of what it says about the reality of the lives of so many minority kids in this country and their relationships with the police that are supposed to serve and protect them…
March 2016
Jill Platner is going to turn your bathtub into a work of art
JILL PLATNER | Made on Crosby Street from Jill Platner on Vimeo.
This video celebrates the work that went into the design and fabrication of Jill Platner’s new Isla line of bathroom fixtures for Waterworks.
I have been close friends with Jill Platner for my entire adult life. Every season, for as long as I’ve known her, she holes herself up in her studio for an intense period of time, stays up till the wee hours, doesn’t return any of her messages and then, just when you start to get worried, emerges with a brilliant new collection that is better than anything she’s produced before. This happens every single time. Without fail.
But this month she’s outdone herself by emerging with not only a new collection of jewels, but the most sublime family of bathroom fixtures a person could ever imagine. With the esteemed brand Waterworks as her partner, Jill spent the past two years drawing and sculpting and dreaming and manufacturing a whole new take on the bathroom fixture. It’s enough to make me want to rip out my entire (rental) bathroom and replace it with this stuff. They are by far the most beautiful spouts and hooks and shower heads I have ever seen.
And we can all get our hands on them via Waterworks.
Monday, Monday… Or a few links to topics that I am suddenly more interested in now that I am “of a certain age”
See? Look! More and more people are buying vinyl records every minute.
Vinyl is back!! I just knew there was a reason why I never got rid of my records…
Turns out if you reveal your math anxiety to your kids while trying to help them with their homework, it’s worse than if you don’t help them at all.
They say that calling yourself a “feminist” is old school, but lots of us disagree. Take this quiz to find out what kind of feminist you are.
So I finally succumbed and got myself a pair of reading glasses… And then I watched this video of Dr Mercola giving advice on how to naturally improve your eyesight… which led me to this more informative video about the Bates Method of improving eyesight (which I watched despite the slightly odd vibes of the narrator). That video led me to this potentially more practical video filmed from a mountaintop in North Carolina, which is the last video I watched on the topic. Not because I don’t love going down the YouTube rabbithole, but because I had to go pick up my kid from school.
My two favorite fashion blogs for grown-ups are Girls Of A Certain Age and Accidental Icon, almost more for what they write about than for the clothes they promote. (But don’t get me wrong… I like the clothes too.)
Wait a minute… there is such a thing as pelvic floor physical therapy?
18 songs that I feel like listening to right now because it’s my birthday
Seems like only yesterday…
I’ve been around for, like, ever.
So now it’s time to celebrate!
It ain’t over till it’s over…
Is this turmeric latte the answer to all of my problems? Maybe…
Sure it’s March, the days are getting noticeably longer (though that’s about to be rolled back a bit this weekend) and it was 70 degrees in New York City today. But don’t let that fool you. It is still very much cold and flu season. And there’s something nasty going around which I am determined not to catch if I can help it. I’ve upped the family’s daily dose of elderberry syrup and am trying (trying) to get enough sleep.
But the thing that I think may be really keeping me sniffle free (thanks to my friend Rita) is this most delicious ginger and turmeric latte which has now become part of my daily ritual.
It’s filed with all sorts of great things: turmeric (anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, supports liver function, plus lots more) ginger (which we all know is a wonder herb when it comes to fighting colds and flu) and, of course, coconut oil (which is as close to a nectar-of-the-gods as you can get in health terms). Add to that it’s almond milk base and you’ve got yourself an incredibly delicious soothing velvety mug of heaven.
It’s super easy to make (unless you are crazy like I am and feel the need to make your own almond milk, which is without a doubt better tasting, but which involves a bit of advance planning as you have to soak the nuts overnight). Start warming up a cup of almond milk. Then grate a teaspoonful of fresh turmeric and the same amount of fresh ginger into a blender with a tablespoon of coconut sugar, a pinch of sea salt and 2 teaspoons of coconut oil and combine. Once you’ve got that going, add the warm almond milk and blend till the whole mixture is smooth and frothy.
Here’s the original recipe on Goop, if you want a more traditional format. But whichever set of instructions you choose to follow, just make sure you try this… You won’t be sorry!
Less paper towels in 2016!
Swedish sponge from ancient industries.
I would be fooling myself if I claimed I could completely cut out all paper towel usage, but damned if I’m going to let that stop me from making a serious dent in my consumption.
So, in the spirit of every little bit counts, I give you these Swedish sponges which are kind of like a cross between a paper towel and a sponge. They are super absorbent, but also reusable and, quite frankly, they last far longer than any sponge I’ve ever had in my kitchen. When they get dirty, you just wash them and they are as good as new. I’ve had mine for about 6 months now and they are still gong strong.
I haven’t done any official measuring, but I do know that I go through far fewer paper towels than I used to. Plus I don’t feel the need to keep several rolls on hand as replacements, which gives us more room in our already overtaxed utility closet. And anything that helps save the trees, which helps the ecosystem and which helps save the air we breathe, is fine by me.
Baby steps…