I sat down to write this and ended up with about 20 pages of sporadically coherent content. Here’s a look back into my week. Hold your literal phone while I shape the rest into anything worthwhile. HOLD THE PHONE, Cousin Doug!!!
Hobbying: Planning a trip to Italy for my dad’s 70th birthday! That I will not be taking! Both of my parents’ birthdays are this week and my mom decided to treat them to a trip to Northern Italy in October. My contribution is in planning the details and logistics. They start in Milan, spend a couple of days in Lake Como and Bellagio, then head to Valtellina for alpine hikes and Nebbiolo wineries. I’ve added a couple of surprises like a day in the thermal baths, a trip to George W. Bush’s favorite tie store, and cheeseries.
My favorite part of planning was encountering this Italian proverb comparing its famous cities: "Rome is a voluptuous woman whose gifts are very apparent, while Milan is the shy, demure girl whose treasures are plentiful, but discovered in time."
In turn, my father bought my mother a toilet mounted bidet, the exact thing for a 69th birthday. Pro move.
Dating: It has been a big week! Last Saturday, we went out to Gage & Tollner for a fancy steakhouse lunch. We ate burgers and had a long walk by the waterfront.
On Sunday, we went to Vinegar Hill House with friends for apple pancakes. On Wednesday, I went for a ladies’ steak night with coworkers at Hawksmoor. We split the porterhouse and chateaubriand with truffle cream sauce. Roy came home Friday and we went for a negroni at Sundown Bar then out for Decades pizza in the neighborhood.
Sweating: Pathetic showing this week. I’ve near nothing to report. I guess I racked up steps between restaurants.
Buying: This is my favorite time of year to treat myself, my friends, and my person. I bought this dress in red for a low-key Valentine’s Day. I am dropping heavy hints for a new set of silk pajamas. I also bought myself this lotion bar and hot cocoa set as a Valentine’s Day present. The reviews are glowing and I soon will be too. One last naughty: the sweatshirt featured in this article lives up to the hype.
Eating: Roy was in Chicago this week and, left to my own devices, I had cava twice. My order:
Base: lentils + power greens
Dips: crazy feta, red pepper hummus, baba ganoush
Protein: braised lamb (why do you need to charge me extra?) or falafel
Toppings: pickles, tomato salad, cabbage, feta,
Drinking: Too many Bee’s Knees with the girls. Coconut lacroix to soothe the next morning.
Reading: ehhhh… I guess I spent a lot of time digging into my birth chart + outlook for Aquarius season on my Chani app. I also truly enjoyed this article and the idea of errand hangs.
Watching: Vanderpump rules, season 1. I have no idea why or how I waited this long to watch. In just a few episodes, there’s already a recovering methhead, a physical altercation, a stripper getting pregnant, and a tragic aspiring music career. Why is Stassi so mean?
Listening: This Kendrick Lamar album I bought for Roy as an early Valentine’s Day present.
Ruminating on: POST MALONE AT THE SUPERBOWL OMG GHFEFNDUISAHFUINFJDKNANFJKSNCJKDNCJDKNDJKCSNCJKDANCNDSKJN Wasn’t that the sexiest thing that every happened in the whole world ever?? My nipples will not soften! I sweat from places I didn’t know I could sweat from. What did I say about turquoise jewelry making a comeback? Nothing out loud to anybody but I knew it and I have the google history to prove it!
Post Malone Sings America the Beautiful at Super Bowl LVIII
Cat: The crime rate in my household has soared while Roy’s away. They’re hiss-behaving.