Hello again friends and happy Friday. I don’t know about you, but this felt like a particularly long week for me, and I’m sooo looking forward to the long weekend ahead.
Avu and I are headed back to Willamette Valley, outside Portland. My mom and stepdad are there for the weekend, and we’re headed out to spend some time with them, take in the landscapes of the valley, sip some pinot noirs… and hopefully not much else. (It is supposed to hit 90 degrees on Sunday…. so I’m hoping to sneak in one last pool day too😎).
Whatever you do decide to do this weekend, I hope that it’s safe, relaxing and fun for you. We all deserve to enjoy those kinds of moments any chance we get these days.
And after this weekend, I’m diving headfirst into all things fall. It’s my favorite season by far, (something I’ll probably mention way too much over the next few months), and I am SO ready to start sharing fall-themed recipes, cocktail ideas, inspiration for decorating and party planning, and all the lessons in mindfulness and gratitude that fill me up during this time of year. I hope you’ll keep following along!
Some things to chew on…
- Labor Day Weekend is always a major travel weekend in the U.S. and it’s looking like that will continue to be the case this year. According to flight booking data, even though reservations are only about a third of what they were last year, millions of people are still projected to set out for a LDW destination. Experts are saying this weekend will be a major test for Americans heading into the rest of the year, and the holiday season that’s just a few months away…. and they’ll be watching to see if there’s another surge in cases like there was after Memorial Day and Fourth of July. The issue right now, as CNBC puts it, is that we’re “heading into the holiday weekend with roughly 40,000 new Covid-19 cases a day, twice the number of daily cases from last spring, and with more businesses, events and activities reopened than before.” So all that said, if you do plan to travel (and I am one of those people), PLEASE see how you can do it as safely as possible. Avoid flying if you can, take precautions where you are staying, WEAR YOUR MASK, wash your hands even more often, and for the love of god, practice social distancing.
- And if you’re looking for some low-risk ideas for celebrating the long weekend, check out these fun ideas …. or these more culturally minded suggestions.
- And if you’re looking for some low-risk ideas for celebrating the long weekend, check out these fun ideas …. or these more culturally minded suggestions.
- Perhaps one of the most low-risk things you can do is also one of the biggest parts of Labor Day Weekend, if we’re being honest. THE SALES. Pandemic or not, there are still major discounts at big and small name brands across the board this year…. so you can spend the weekend online shopping to your heart’s content. I found a few round ups of some of the best sales happening this weekend for kitchen gadgets, and other treats for your home. Target, Macy’s, Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma and Wayfair are just a few of the stores offering HUGE deals for the next few days. Check out the full rounds ups here, here and here.
- I shared some in-depth research and reflection this week on how the pandemic is impacting and changing our health habits this year. And it turns out our sleep quality was one of the major things that’s taken a turn for the worse in the midst of this crazy, unpredictable, anxiety-inducing time. Not really a surprise there, but something that I want to call attention to again because it’s just so important. Sleep quality is one of the BIGGEST factors in our overall health, wellness and longevity. I wanted to share even more great insight on sleep, including answers to some of the most pressing and controversial sleep questions out there, and an interesting deep dive into why we need to stop conflating sleep with actual rest.
Some fun foodie news…
- State fairs are definitely not a thing this year… but that doesn’t mean fair FOOD is cancelled. Loved this article diving into how fair vendors around the country are finding ways to get their corn dogs, funnel cake and other deep fried treats into our hands. I for one, am devastated about the fact that the State Fair of Texas isn’t happening this year, even though I know it’s for the best. Luckily, I will be visiting Dallas in October and I am so glad I’ll be able to get my Fletcher’s fix before I go. A little bit of googling and you can find out where to get the fair foods in your state too.
- Not exactly fun, but important PSA people!! Taco Bell is cutting a bunch of menu items, and the Mexican Pizza is among the next round of things to go. 😭😭😭 I’m so sad about this, I ate them all the time growing up! BUT BUT BUT, there is a petition to save the Mexican Pizzas, and it has nearly 19,000 signatures as of this writing. Get your name on it now if you love these fast food classics as much as I do!
- Omg this is too much. Mean Girls Toaster Strudel is now a thing. And it comes with pink icing. It’s definitely fetch. And if you have no idea about the references I’m making GO BACK AND REWATCH THAT MOVIE ASAP.
And a few treats to leave you with…
- Exciting pumpkin things are happening, and I’m SO EXCITED to try them and report back. First of all, can’t wait to get my hands on Trader Joe’s new Pumpkin Empanadas. Apparently they are sweet and creamy on the inside, like a flaky festive little dessert. And to wash ‘em down…. new Pumpkin Spice Hard Seltzer from VIVE. I can’t even imagine how this tastes… but I can assure I will be ordering some to try it out. It’s only being sold in limited locations, so fingers crossed I can get my hands on this stuff.
- For anyone not quite ready for pumpkin yet, you can still embrace the final days and weeks of summer with my creamy, sweet and tangy Peach Sorbet recipe. And after you’ve peeled and pitted those fresh peaches for this dessert, check out this article on all the things you can do with those leftover peach scraps.
Did you like something in particular from this newsletter? Or did you see a story out there that I should know about? Please reach out and let me know!
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