👋 Introduction
I would use the word settled to describe my August. I have spent the past 3–4 weeks in New York City which has felt really good. It has allowed me to get back into a routine and challenge myself to explore new parts of the city I’ve been meaning to see. I’ve felt pretty burnt out this month from social media. I find myself unnecessarily scrolling and have a newfound annoyance for short form media. Let’s get into the favorites! Fun fact: This month will mark my 6th favorites article.
💖 Favorites
📚 Books
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
This is probably my favorite Jhumpa Lahiri book. It’s a series of short stories navigating the lives of various Indian immigrants to the US. Her writing is beautiful and poetic. This book was truly hard to put down.
👚 Clothing, Beauty & Decor
I have been so bad with sunscreen this summer and it’s because I kept putting off buying a new one. I have been testing out the 3 top Supergoop products and have found that their Unseen Sunscreen is my favorite. It has a primer like consistency and stays on your face. The only con is that it’s expensive.
After finishing my Amika Clarifying Shampoo, which I absolutely love, I decided to try out this new clarifying shampoo by Ouai. It doesn’t smell as good as the Amika one, but my scalp feels lighter and cleaner after using this product.
Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm by Aesop
My bougie self decided to stop by the Aesop store. I tested out the two different balms they have and decided to pick up the Resurrection scent which I’ve now figured out is my favorite. This is a really great gift for $30.
Wooden Arched Mirror by Target
This mirror has been on my wish-list for over a year and I finally bought it on sale. After some delivery mishaps, I finally got the mirror, and I got it for free how exciting! It is really beautiful and I’m excited to have this mirror for a long time.
🍱 Restaurants
Eek so good! I’m not the biggest fan of Korean food, but this place really impressed me. There is so much attention to detail in all of their dishes. Her Name is Han specializes in traditional Korean dishes. I really loved their kimchi, kimchi pancake and korean fried chicken dishes.
Momofuku Noodle Bar in East Village
Momofuku is my one true East Village love. It finally reopened after months of being closed and al;skdjf their ginger scallion noodles were just as perfect as I remembered them. If you can only go to one place in the East Village, this is it.
Every time I come back from a trip, I crave baonanas. They make banana pudding with fun flavored Asian twists. My favorite flavor is their Ubenanas.
I went here yesterday with a friend and was really impressed by the expansive restaurant and decor. This is a vegetarian friendly Mediterranean spot with a wide range of dips and mezze. This is one of my favorite ways to eat because you can try a lot of different little dishes.
🫑 Food & Recipes
Japanese Fried Rice with Shrimp and Broccoli
I’ve been on a broccoli and shrimp kick recently. It’s so easy to fry up some shrimp with ginger and garlic and keep them on hand. I used to dislike broccoli but I’ve found that making it extra soft with garlic, ginger and soy sauce makes me like it so much more. I am lazy and use the frozen TJ’s Japanese Fried Rice and mix in my broccoli and shrimp. I top it with fresh cilantro, kewpie mayo and chili flakes/oil. This is a super easy weeknight dinner.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich by Oh She Glows
This used to be my go to quick meal in college and I had forgotten about it until recently. It’s such a fun lunch to have on hand, and it’s fairly healthy!
Shrimp Linguine with Herbs, Corn and Arugula by NY Times
I’ve made this before, but made it again recently and added cilantro, fresh tomatoes, and used a chicken bouillon cube instead of white wine. This is a fairly easy dish to make, yet it’s super impressive when you plate it.
🎹 Music
I made this playlist a long time ago and it’s a mix of old Indian music and newer stuff. I’ve really been enjoying listening to it recently.
Hehe going to a Lauv concert tomorrow and have been listening to his music nonstop.
🛣️ Places
Just go to this museum. Just do it. It’s $10 and you have to get timed tickets before hand. The museum is located underground in an old subway stop that has been decommissioned. You can go into old train cars and read the entire history of the New York Subway system. It’s a truly impressive museum and I cannot recommend it enough.
The Brooklyn Bridge esplanade is really nice. There’s so much greenery and it’s really pleasant to walk to Dumbo along the water whilst looking at the New York skyline and the various bridges.
I wouldn’t pay money to go to this museum but they have Free Fridays after 5pm if you get a ticket online and I would recommend doing that. It’s a small museum but there were some cool exhibits and live jazz playing.
🎞️ Media
Finally finished The Rehearsal and I liked it more than I thought I would. Nathan Fielder is a really unique character and I think he has created something really special.
Never Have I Ever Season 3 — Netflix
I love this show and really loved this season specifically. I thought they did a really good job explaining the nuanced emotions that come with grief. It’s also very cool to see a show about an Indian American girl!
i want to own my own content — Rachel Nguyen
This is a Youtube video I’ve watched probably 3 times this month. It’s made me think a lot about the content we create on the internet and how to think about the internet as a positive space. She does a really good job explaining how short form content is trendy and fails to truly let creators create what they want to create.
✨ Random Things
The New York Liberty WNBA Game at Barclays Center
I’ve never really been to a professional basketball game and I’m really glad this was my first experience. The tickets for a WNBA game are a lot cheaper and we were able to sit pretty up close to the court. The atmosphere was really fun, and even though the Liberty lost, it was a super fun game!
I really like BeReal. I don’t know if I’m obsessed with it, but it’s the first app in a while that’s made me spend less time on other social media, and less time on my phone in general. I can see it being a trend and dying off, but for right now, I’m a fan. I also like it when people genuinely post what they are doing, even if it’s just working or eating a meal.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
This is a workbook I’ve been doing this month and I’ve really been enjoying it. My favorite part of the week is when I get to go on an “Artist Date”, where I take myself out to do something fun for myself.
Waxing
I’ve been getting my legs waxed more frequently and have really been loving it. I forgot how enjoyable the process is for me.
Complaining to Airlines
This summer has been pretty bad for airlines. I feel like everyone I know has had at least one flight cancelled or delayed. I decided to write an email asking for compensation for one of my flights that was cancelled in June that forced me to rebook hotels and rental cars. I was surprised to receive an email back recently where they gave me a decent amount of flight credit back. Now I can use that money to go on another inevitable trip!
💭 Final Thoughts
It’s wild to me that the summer is almost over. It’s been a hot one but also very fun. I’ve had my ups and downs and am excited for the next few seasons. I’ve really been enjoying getting myself out of the apartment and exploring new parts of New York. I feel more like a New Yorker every day and finally feel somewhat settled in this constantly changing city.
