#5SmartReads - December 9, 2022

Abigail is the Brooklyn based founder of This Needs Hot Sauce, a food newsletter and community that recently celebrated five years! She's the co-author of Meal Prep Made Simple, a meal prep ebook designed to reduce decision fatigue, a freelance journalist and copywriter for hire, and a big fan of Taylor Swift, oyster happy hour, and cozy sweatshirts.

Drag-Queens Fear For Their Lives As Right-Winged Extremist Attacks Intensify (Buzzfeed News)

This story is hard to read, but so important.

Drag queens are fearing for their lives as they perform, host story time events, and generally share their joy with the world. In one example in the article, the queens and venue staff were watching a child whose mom was selling food outside the venue. An immigrant single mother was able to get childcare from her village and now is facing threats and harassment.

Children are not just safe around drag queens, they are being entertained and learning about different and beautiful forms of self expression. And children's programming, of course, has different content than events designed for adults. One drag queen does head, shoulders, knees and toes but was accused of teaching children to twerk.

It's awful to think about the canceled events, the extra precautions, and the very real danger this community is facing and I hope the shows can safely go on.

In Dan “Grossy'“ Pelosi’s Kitchen, Manicures Make The Meal (Allure)

In spring 2020, I followed Dan Pelosi on Instagram. His account is pure joy and his vodka sauce recipe has become my go-to.

Dan is outspoken about his queer identity and his struggles with eating disorders, making his page a safe and joyful place to discuss food. He also supports LGBT elders with his merch line (I've gifted my sister one of the hats and it's so cute). His family is a huge part of his content and it's such a blast to get to know them as well, especially his 100 year old grandfather Bimpy.

He's also a branding wiz and I'm constantly impressed by his visuals and how kind and responsive he is in the DMs. Read this interview and follow Dan, you won't regret it!

How’s Everyone Getting Outside This Winter? (Cup Of Jo)

I really struggle in the winter with getting outside before the sun goes down and I don't like getting up early. I've come back to this article a few times to get some inspiration for my morning walks.

Once I go outside, I never regret and I remind myself that even a few minutes is better than nothing. I'm trying to start my days with either a Peloton ride or a walk and the rumors are true, it does boost your mood.

I also take a Vitamin D supplement because it can get really grey here. And good podcasts really help get me outside! I love Las Culturistas with Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers and Shortcomings, a very irreverent Sex and the City recap podcast.

“We Blew The Doors Off”: How Bring It On Shocked Hollywood (Vanity Fair)

Bring It On came out in August 2000 and was not expected to be a hit.

There's a new book out about the movie's unexpected success and how Black audiences really carried it to a super successful opening weekend. Gabrielle Union is a personal hero of mine (highly recommend both of her books). She often talks about how her character was ahead of her time and is still mislabeled as a villain for standing up for herself and her team.

The movie is so applicable for today and I'm definitely due for a rewatch.

There’s No Wrong Way To Champurrado (Epicurios)

I used to come home from school and have a mug of hot chocolate. There's something so comforting about a hot beverage at the end of the day.

Champurrado is a chocolate flavored atole, a warm drink thickened with masa and sugar with Indigenous roots. It's popular in Mexico and Central America. I lived in Guatemala for a year and often stopped for an atole on my walk home from work, the cinnamon flavor was my favorite.

Andrea writes about how champurrado has evolved with post colonial ingredients and different types of masa. She also includes two recipes: one more traditional and one with sesame butter. Both sound absolutely delicious.