issue #65 - the one about omelettes

There’s an omelette, and there’s a French omelette.

And then there’s Selena Gomez learning how to cook on HBO Max, and that is my latest obsession.

Selena + Chef is what I discovered one night, after my husband and I watched our nightly Watchmen episode and I had to get back to work.

Listen, Watchmen is amazing. But Selena + Chef is clearly a show created in and for quarantine, and I am so here for it.

Watching Selena make a cheese soufflé and ask her grandmother ‘do I like nutmeg?’ filmed in static, awkward angles is the content we need.

I have talked openly about how difficult the past month has been for me on Instagram. But this show reminded me that this period has nothing to do with perfection, but just making it through with as much joy as possible.

It’s not about perfection. But it’s about finding little moments of perfection in the chaos of life.

And it’s about shaking the pan while you cook your eggs, because that apparently is the trick for a perfect omelette.

From this week on, I’ll be welcoming guest curators of #5SmartReads. Emma Cardenas curated Wednesday’s reads, and also shared a book and podcast recommendation as well.

What We Read This Week

Hitha

Finding Freedom - I don’t even care how salacious or exaggerated this book is. It read like a real life The Royal We and I am here for it. And juxtaposed with Meghan’s interview on The 19th*, I frankly feel it’s more aligned with the truth than everything that’s been published by the British press. I personally am waiting for Elizabeth Holmes’ take on the book, but I highly recommend you read this for yourself.

Emma

40-Love - I am here for an older women getting a hot man who worships her! She's 40 and he's 26, will their connection go beyond a resort fling? Loved this steamy read that pulled me out of a reading slump!

Monday

• Viral Video Seemed to Show BLM Storming a Church. The Real Story is Much Darker (BuzzFeed News)

• Two Exes Wasted My Time. So I Sent Them Invoices. (Zora)

• How a Cult-turned-Corporation Hijacked American Sikhism (The Juggernaut)

• How America’s Leading Aerosol Expert Gets It Done (The Cut)

• Trump said more Covid-19 testing ‘creates more cases.’ We did the math (STAT)

Tuesday

• The way forward: How experts would clean up our COVID nightmare if they were in charge (ABC News)

• If You Aren't a Morning Person, Neuroscience Says Please Stop Trying to Be (Inc.)

• Justice for Breonna Taylor (Phenomenal Media)

• Too Busy? Make Time To 'Do Nothing' (NPR)

• Want to fix policing? Start with a better 911 system. (Vox)

Wednesday

• Indian Americans have a stake in the Biden VP pick (CNN)

• Nima Bhakta lost her battle with postpartum depression. But her family is honouring her legacy by helping other women (Tweak)

• Public defender: I worked with Kamala Harris. She was the most progressive DA in California. (USA Today)

• Death spiral for consumers (Axios)

• How Kamala Harris’ immigrant parents shaped her life — and her political outlook (The Mercury News)

Thursday (curated by Emma Cardenas)

• Immigration Nation Might Be the Only Documentary You Will Have a Hard Time Binge-Watching (Be Latina)

• Puerto Rico partially suspends primary voting due to lack of ballots (The Hill)

• I Went On A 3-Month Fitness Journey (BuzzFeed)

• 4 Ways to Connect with Other People Online (and Combat Loneliness) (cupcakes and cashmere)

• Without Federal Protections, Farm Workers Risk Coronavirus Infection To Harvest Crops (NPR)

Friday

• Can Military Academies Serve As A Road Map For Reopening Colleges? (NPR)

• Armed And On The Frontlines: Inside Zimbabwe's All-Female Anti-Poaching Army (ELLE)

• When and how to vote in all 50 states (Axios)

• At 18, I’m facing a choice that will define my adulthood: Should I wear hijab? (The Lily)

• It’s Easier Than Ever To Make A New Face On Social Media. But Is It Killing Your Confidence? (Women’s Health)

Random things we love

From Emma

• Absolutely loved this chat between Mirna Valerio and Rich Roll. They discuss Mirna smashing stereotypes, running on her terms, and racism in the outdoor community. Her positive attitude is infectious and you'll come away more knowledgable after listening to this episode.

From Hitha

• My body skin is in great shape because of two products - Talula’s body butter (gifted) and my Luvscrub. The Talula body butter is really rich and does have a light fragrance, which I personally love. The Luvscrub was recommended by Grace, and is just the best body wash sponge/exfoliator/back scratcher.

• I’ve had the biggest sweet tooth lately, and these Sun-Maid Bites and Smart Sweet gummy bears have helped curb it. Smart Sweets have a ton of fiber per bag so…consume carefully.

• Watching Rho and Rhaki finally play together is such a joy. This sensory table (which we sanded down and spray painted red) is where they spend a solid 20 minute stretch playing happily together before things inevitably devolve. We’ve owned it since last summer, and I think it’ll last until the boys outgrow it.

• I’ve talked about it before, but the Our Place pan is one of my favorite kitchen tools ever - and things ever. Last night I steamed a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies in the basket, and prepared a Thai red curry with tofu in the pan. Easy to use, easy to clean, and I love the pale pink color.

Hope you’re surviving Leo season better than I am. Happy Sunday, friends. And a very happy week ahead.

xo,HPN