Probably This Week (February 19, 2020)
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This weekend I got to see not one, not two, but SEVEN chihuahuas wearing tutus, so I’m pretty much still riding that high.
We went to Krewe of Barkus, a dog parade in the French Quarter, and it was hysterical and adorable as ever. Tons of dogs and puppies walking in costumes or relaxed comfortably in makeshift floats as they paraded down the street, receiving praise and treats. We go every single year, and it’s always chaotic and long because the dogs stop at random times and get distracted, but that’s part of the fun. We brought Fox, who hates pretty much every other animal and also most humans, so for most of the parade he stayed nestled in his dog pouch, where he is happiest.
Now we’re less than a week away from Mardi Gras Day, so Matt and I are hard at work finalizing our costumes… which for Matt means a lot of bejeweling and for me means a lot of thinking about bejeweling. I’m going as Cupid, and I have a costume I created almost entirely in one thrift store run. There’s a big wooden bow, a red shimmery blazer, flowy white linen pants, and a crown. I still need to work on making it a bit more flashy, but I’m feeling confident. Matt’s going as a thunderstorm—or as I keep referring to it, “rain on the parade”—with a jacket full of blue and grey tassels that swing around, a big hat he made into a thunder cloud, and, a lot of other stuff. If it sounds complicated that’s because it’s complicated, but quite impressive, in true Matt fashion.
When we’re not deciding on tulle vs chiffon, we’ve been busy making blog posts happen! Matt wrote a piece about how he’s been using leftover wall paint samples to make simple art for around the home. I love love love that it’s been a way for him to flex his creativity, and also that it means less waste, less money spent, and more art. See what he made and some of his methods and thought starters right here.
I’ve been pretty busy myself shoveling tater tots into my mouth for today’s blog post—which is all about tater tot hotdish. It’s like a chicken pot pie but instead of crust, there’s tater tots. Like wow. You can check that out right here!
And at night, when everything is quiet and I set my bedside lamp to dim, I’ve been gobbling up Little Fires Everywhere, a best selling novel by Celeste Ng, that has got me absolutely obsessed. The subtle, surprising, suburban drama of my dreams. I’ve just finished it this morning and am, in short, devastated that it’s over.
Ah well.
Weekly Reading
First: We’ve said it forever… don’t overthink gallery walls. They’re the one thing that you can really make as rigid and structured or random and unstructured as you want—and anyone who walks into your home will assume it’s intentional ;) Proof There’s More Than One Way To Display A Gallery Wall, And They’re All Worthy Of Love (via Apartment Therapy)
Second: Your long read this week! Exploring the concept of the nuclear family, how it fell apart, and why it probably wasn’t a great or realistic goal to begin with. Welp. The Nuclear Family Was A Mistake (via The Atlantic)
Then: Some recent favorite items, if you’re into that kind of thing. We’ve both been using the Contigo hot/cold water bottle thermos and love it. So much cheaper than a lot of the ~ fancy ~ bottles online, and cutting down on our single-use plastics. Yes yes. Jonathan Adler’s home furnishing and decor line, Now House, has got me, uh, swooning. The curved furniture, the colorful decor. I live. If only we actually needed anything new. Finally, we got a SMEG brand blender in cream from my mom for Christmas and have been in love with how well it works, how simple it is, and how cute it looks on the counter. 10/10 would recommend!
Also also: Universal basic income! A concept that’s been tried in countries around the world. What would getting $1,000 a month look like in America? Probably pretty good, but who really knows. This Is How We’ll Live When The Government Gives Us All A Thousand Dollars A Month (via Vice).
Finally: Taco Nation, Bon Appetit’s latest stroke of genius exploring one of the country’s most consumed hand-held foods, offers delicious recipes alongside cultural exploration and even a few history lessons. And fun little graphics to boot! This Is Taco Nation (via Bon Appetit)
Finally finally: This time last year we went public with our morning coffee routine and honestly nothing has changed. Fresh ground coffee pour over life is the life for me. Our Morning Coffee Routine (via Probably This)
