We seem to be out of danger from Southern California’s Bobcat Fire. Huzzah! I’m trying to stay positive rather than dwell on the fact that fire season won’t officially be over for another couple of months. It’s almost autumn, my favorite time of year! Here’s some stuff to help you celebrate.
1) The last film I saw in a theater was A Hidden Life, Terrence Malick’s latest work, back in January. Based on real letters between an Austrian husband and wife, Franz and Franziska Jägerstätter, it tells the story of a man who even under pain of death would not violate his conscience by declaring allegiance to Hitler. For his integrity and sacrifice, Jägerstätter was declared a martyr and beatified by the Catholic Church in 2007. He, along with Helmuth Hübener, has become one of my personal heroes.
The direction, photography and score are exquisite and the acting is impeccable. Unlike some of Malick’s other films, it’s linear and easy to follow. It will both devastate and inspire you. It premieres on HBO next week, and I’m delighted to be able to see it again. With just one viewing, it’s become one of my favorite movies of all time.
2) I recently bought a digital subscription to Whetstone, a gorgeous new magazine devoted to cuisines of the world. Its stated mission is “championing food to expand human empathy.” Since travel is light years more difficult now than it used to be, I’m savoring the in-depth articles and profiles even more than I might be otherwise. Whetstone has a blog as well, so check it out to get an idea of what the magazine is like. With stories on subjects like chainaki, Sardinian biscuits, and chouriços de Goa, it’s not a good idea to read it on an empty stomach! My mouth waters uncontrollably every time. There’s an accompanying podcast, too. Now I need to go find a snack.
3) Speaking of which: looking out at our grim, smoky skies these past few days, our youngest daughter has said more than once, “It seems like hot chocolate weather.”
And with fall on the way, why not? My favorite hot chocolate since childhood has always been cinnamon-laced Ibarra. My mom used to make it as a special treat. (Nestle’s Abuelita brand is not as good.) Don’t buy the new-fangled powdered stuff; you want the O.G. hexagonal cardboard box that has chocolate tablets in it.
Here’s how to make it. Disregard the portion suggestion on the box; you need half a tablet per person. Melt the chocolate with a little water in a heavy sauce pan, stirring often. Once it’s melted, add a cup of milk per person and stir some more. When it’s your desired temperature, either use an immersion blender or CAREFULLY pour it in a blender and blend with the lid vented. Serve at once.
4) I’m always wary of people touting miracle supplements, but I’m about to do just that. Several months ago, I read about pycnogenol, which comes from the bark of the French maritime pine. Among other things, it’s supposed to be great great for fading the patchy hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage or old blemish scars. You can get it to use topically from The Ordinary, which I did.
But when I read that it has been proven to counteract oxidative stress in the brain and generally reduce inflammation, I decided to try taking the capsules as well. I’ve been taking 300 mg every morning since March.
I can’t report a definite cognitive edge (and I don’t know how I’d measure it), but I can tell you that really does fade hyperpigmentation. My skin looks uh. May. Zing. You’d never know that I’ve struggled with acne off and on my entire adult life.
And it’s not just me. I got some capsules for my daughter, who started taking it just before she left for Paris in August. (She doesn’t have the topical treatment.) We got to FaceTime this past Tuesday, and I could not believe the difference in her skin. I bought the NusaPure brand, but there are tons of different kinds out there.
5) My mood defaults to melancholy, and most of the time, I like that just fine. Sometimes, though I need to get chipper. To do that, I often turn to music. Songs guaranteed to improve my outlook include REO Speedwagon’s “Roll with the Changes,” “El Rompecintura” by Los Hermanos Rosario, and just about anything by Great Big Sea.
But today’s offerings are from a little-known gem of a Montréalais band called Soleil. Definitely check out their hit “Ce Qui Guide Mes Pas” (below) but they put out a new song this summer, and it’s excellent.
Have a great weekend! I’ll see you again on Monday.
This is one of my favorite posts yet! Thanks for all the recommendations. :)