NYFW, Tiny Apartments, and edibles too pretty to eat
Masks up, masks down. Keep calm (there’s an edible for that…see below), and carry on.
1.
Fashion Week starts tomorrow, and it promises to be a mixed bag of digital and in-person presentations—or in some cases, performances (at least from the early intel I’ve gathered thus far). This season more than past, I’m especially jazzed to see what some of the smaller* brands have to reveal: Markarian, which is showing for only the second time on the runways (and just over a year since Jill Biden wore a coat and dress by the brand at the inauguration); Victor Glemaud who’s certainly not new to the scene, but each collection only gets better and bolder; Hillary' Taymour’s latest output for Collina Strada, especially coming off of a colorfully stellar spring collection; and Bevza, a Ukrainian brand that I’ve been keeping a close watch on since its NYFW debut several years ago.
* "smaller" meaning quite a few possible things: smaller in business size/output; younger and emerging; lesser-known compared to the giants such as Michael Kors, for example, etc.
2.
One of my fondest memories of this past Christmas with best friends was the simplicity of our dinner: pre-made lasagne from a favorite local spot, reheated under the broiler and served on gorgeous fine china plates that we pulled out from one of my mother’s “special occasion” cabinets. Christmas was a special occasion worth breaking out the porcelain for, but the notion of a no-fuss meal that didn’t skimp on the specialness of the presentation is something I want to adopt more often. Pizza on Astier de Villatte? As soon as I have some Astier in my arsenal…sure! According to this recent piece in the NY Times, the custom has become a lingering pandemic-born trend of sorts. It pretty much goes hand-in-hand with the habit of lighting candles at the dining table back during lockdown days, and other precious-turned-everyday habits.
3.
A Tiny Apartment is a freshly-launched newsletter by Christene Barberich that—knowing Christene, a best friend, confidante, and soul sister—promises to deliver big ideas in small, yet meaningful ways. From her welcome letter: “Your home never lies to you...at any given moment, it’s more than happy to share the truth of what you really want your life to be, even if you’re afraid to say it out loud.” Expect plenty of great style and design guidance, but at its core, this is a newsletter about making a home, or even just a tiny sacred corner for oneself, in ways that nurture and express our perfectly individual selves.
4.
With cannabis’ continuing legalization across multiple states, edibles are getting the fancy artisanal treatment. Case in point, these delicious and darling macarons (pôtisseries?) from Hervé, available in flavors like salted caramel, chocolate ganache, and my personal pick: birthday cake (tho you have to be in Nevada or Cali to get yourself some).
5.
My moratorium on buying cookbooks may have to end. I’m trying not to add to my crowded library before giving potential candidates a real test run first—either borrowing from a friend, or even the library, so see if it’s something I’ll reliably reach for every so often. I haven’t given Joshua McFadden’s “Six Seasons” a real audition (yeh, yeh, I know it’s been out for almost 5 years now), but I’ve found myself coming back to his cooking in various ways, either through food publications and outlets, or his new Portland restaurant Cicoria, where I ate one of the best salads of my life last week—spicy caesar!—that I think it’s a safe bet.