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On Saturday, I returned to Frank Lloyd Wright’s spiral art palace!

I forgot how much I missed going to museums until I visited Fotografiska on Monday. Luckily, NYC has dozens of them, large and small, many of which I have still never been to after all these years. I made a google doc of the ones I’m most interested in and listed their admission price and pay-what-you-wish days (lol) because if you’re not careful, this can be an expensive habit.

I just so happened to see that November 6 was a free museum day at the Guggenheim for those who had reserved tix in advance! So I did just that! Saving some $ makes me feel less bad about spending it on other indulgences.

Speaking of, the gift shop was selling a really cute balaclava and I’m sad I didn’t get it. I will need one for winter biking.

Stared into Etel Adnan’s brushstrokes.

But strongly preferred looking at her work from a distance. They seem to glow.

Communed with Kandinsky. It’s impossible to take a good picture of these paintings, and that’s probably for the best.

I loved this exhibit. I felt the way I felt in the presence of Hilma af Klint’s work—so absorbed. His paintings seemed to be moving. Looking at them got me HIGH. I love an art high.

I then visited Maya Lin’s Ghost Forest in Madison Sq Park. I wanted to see it before it closed. However, I biked 56 blocks + a few avenues to get here, which left me feeling pretty exhausted by the time I arrived. I’m so inspired by Maya Lin and this project and the ethos of her entire body of work, and now I know for next time how important it is to get into a more prepared headspace before attempting to commune with an artist’s vision.

Usually after a great therapy session, I debrief all of my insights and findings in my journal, but I sometimes struggle with processing things coherently in a linear format.

So, I decided to do an Austin Kleon-style mind map instead, in which I drew a little picture of myself with my thoughts orbiting around me, all connecting in multiple and unexpected ways. This wasn’t the original mind map I made, but I liked how this one came out and was surprised by how much clarity and peace I gained from making it!

There’s a word for making visible/tangible what is normally abstract and amorphous, and it is “operationalization.” My favorite therapy word.

Love the decor at Pye Boat Noodle

Excerpts from the (long) weekend: On Sunday, I had a very open-ended day but did everything that I sort of set out to do! I made it to my first in-person, quasi-groupmuse of the pandemic in Central Park! This was Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons - Autumn.”

I spent the entire weekend alone (like I usually do), and I waffled back and forth between whether or not I wanted to “put myself back out there” again. I re-downloaded okcupid on Saturday but by the time this picture was taken, I had already deleted it again. I think there’s been a part of me that feels guilty about enjoying my singlehood and independence. But why? Maybe everyone else’s partnership anxieties have rubbed off on me. At the end of the day, I feel that my self-sufficiency and total freedom are gifts to enjoy to the fullest, and I really do delight in my own company. It really doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.

On Sunday and Monday, I took my first NYC ferry trips across the river AT SUNSET. My god. What a dream. I love using my time on the ferry to just empty my mind and feel deep gratitude and wonder. This is the absolute best way to get around.

“Enjoy your forgiveness”

On Monday, I went to the Fotografiska museum. Really enjoyed it—very thought-provoking and quite manageable to get through without burning yourself out. Also, this elevator was like a strange little tin-foil-covered room.

Communed with “Codie” for a while.

OK, thennnn I went across the street to the National Arts Club—NYC has a few of these storied “society clubs” and certain sections of them are open public galleries while other parts are very mysterious and off-limits unless you’re a member in proper attire! One day, I will know more…

And finally! I had an AMC gift card from the Before Times burning a hole in my pocket, so after my museum gallivanting, I got to use it to see The French Dispatch! OMFG this movie was like, tailor-made for me. I DELIGHTED in every part of it. I look forward to watching it on a smaller screen with subtitles one day!

Speaking of, I can’t remember the last movie I actually sat through and felt fully immersed in—probably the last one I saw in theaters. This is why I love the movies. They are expensive but worth it for the viewing experience, in my opinion.

I found a semi-hidden spot in Astoria Park to peacefully sit and commune with the trees and water 😌

Yossy Arefi’s book Snacking Cakes is one year old today! I can’t believe that—it feels like I’ve been baking from this book for years. It is, no joke, the only cookbook I have ever successfully used, and it has done wonders for my sanity this year. Truly, snacking cakes are the only kind of sweets (other than Christmas cookies) that I want bake.

As we speak, I am enjoying the Minty Chocolate Malt Cake, sans chocolate glaze, in mini mini bites. It is SO good and feels like it was perfectly formulated for me: airy, spongey, dark-chocolatey, and minty-fresh. As the name suggests, there’s malted milk powder (aka Ovaltine) in here, too, but I can’t really taste it.

I did not know BIBLE was an acronym

Easter candy in autumnal drag: a revelation

Chaotic encouragement at the thrift store

Presenting the Ultra Elixir of Health aka what I’ve been having for breakfast these past few weeks.

Add in this order to Vitamix (accept no substitutions):

• 1 cup of cold water (or whey, if you have handy)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp raw cacao nibs
• 1 puck of frozen spinach
• ¾ of a frozen banana
• 1-2 ice cubes’ worth of frozen mint leaves
• half of a handful of walnuts

Take a deep breath and whiz up in Vitamix, gradually increasing speed (and volume) until the darkest particles are smaller than a grain of sand. Resulting texture of the smoothie should be fine but delightfully chewable. Taste is vaguely sweet and chocolate-minty. You’ll never taste the whey or spinach.

I’ve also substituted frozen mixed berries or frozen blueberries for the spinach, which will result in fun magenta or purple smoothies, respectively. And I do recommend substituting, because if you leave the spinach in with the mixed fruit, it will look like pond slime.

Glad that somebody out there gets my lifestyle!!!

Having a little Israeli mezze on the UES and feeling deeply happy. 🫖🍵🥙

Artificial oasis in DUMBO

Forever obsessed with these sherbet-colored roses 🍧

Stumbled into some good bisexual lighting on this bridge.