Amid the discerning consumers of post-pandemic wellness culture– in which the prospects for future thriving look increasingly like things we used to do in the past— ice baths and cold plunges are having a pop culture renaissance. I first heard about cold plunging almost ten years ago, when the talking heads in the New York […]
pop culture
An Insider’s Guide to Monterey, California (“Big Little Lies” Edition)
Monterey, California is a charming little beach village located about 2 hours south of San Francisco and 45 minutes north of Big Sur, California. The unparalleled beauty of the coastline in this region, especially along the iconic 17-Mile Drive, is one of the many reasons that visitors have been drawn to the area for decades. […]
9 Common Themes in Scary Dreams, and What They Mean for Mental Health
Oneiromancy is the Ancient Greek art of using dreams to interpret the future– and since this early period in civilization, society has maintained a persistent and often controversial obsession with using dream interpretation for mental health. Humankind has a long history of collective fascination with dreams– from early religious ceremonies to psychological thought leaders like […]
A “Forrest Gump” Guide to Savannah, Georgia
Tom Hanks’ 1994 performance in the iconic American film Forrest Gump was a revelation at the time the movie came out– though the politics of having an able-bodied person (Hanks) play someone who was intellectually disabled (Forrest) have certainly changed. (Spoiler alert: that is a bad idea!) Nevertheless, Forrest Gump remains an essential narrative within […]
Watch Will Smith’s Powerful Red Table Talk on Resolving Conflict
One of last year’s most poignant episodes of “Red Table Talk” (Jada Pinkett-Smith’s new family-focused talk show on Facebook Watch) was an episode featuring Will Smith that centered on conflict resolution. In this episode, Will Smith hosts a conversation with Janet Hubert, who played the original ‘Aunt Viv’ on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” with whom […]
John Krasinski’s “Some Good News” is Making the World a Happier Place
Desperately seeking some good news, John Krasinski recently put out a call on Twitter in which he asked fans to tell him what was inspiring them at the moment. Some very good news ensued. The beloved actor was so moved and overwhelmed by the enthusiastic responses that he cobbled them together in a new video […]
Michelle Obama’s Shrimp Linguine Recipe is Lovely
Michelle Obama’s epic shrimp linguine recipe was something I saw whispered about in various presidential profiles detailing what Barack Obama liked to eat at home. Eventually, I found the recipe on Genius Kitchen and decided to make it fresh with a few modifications, below. (Minor adjustments made to up the nutrient profile while making the […]
Joni Mitchell’s Easy Lentil Soup (Comfort Food)
Joni Mitchell’s easy lentil soup recipe is a darling little gem that reflects the no-frills food ethos of the 1970s. Made with red lentils, tomato puree, and a hint of sweet paprika, this easy blended lentil soup recipe is the ultimate fall/winter comfort food. This recipe originally came from a repost in The Guardian, who […]
Joan Didion’s Artichokes Au Gratin Recipe is Delightful
It’s hard to find good artichoke recipes out there, but Joan Didion’s artichokes au gratin recipe is a real keeper. Even if it weren’t the literary icon’s own recipe, I’d still love it. It’s creamy, rich, simple in the way that all cooking was in the 1970s, and delicious– a crowd pleaser that can simultaneously […]
Hillary Clinton’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (With a Twist!)
Last year when I unearthed the recipe for Hillary Clinton’s chocolate chip cookies in Family Circle Magazine, I was bummed to learn that the original recipe calls for vegetable shortening as the principle fat. Vegetable shortening is pure trans fat and should be avoided at all costs. Trans fat has *zero* redeeming health qualities– and yes, […]