Reviews #1
Welcome to my first set of reviews! In this series, I’ll be sharing some of the things I’ve recently done and been into. I hope you enjoy this week’s list.
I just finished reading…
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. I decided to read this book because it was readily available on Libby (if you know you know) and I needed a change in book genre. Jhumpa Lahiri is one of my favorite authors. I first fell in love with her writing many years ago when I read The Namesake; I was fascinated by her insight on immigration and integration of first generation Indian-Americans. Interpreter of Maladies grapples with the same lessons as The Namesake but on a greater scale. The book is composed of many short stories that discuss the various experiences of Indian people -- in the states, in India, romantic, familial, etc. Through trials and tribulations faced in everyday life, each character reveals their “truest” self while also divulging bits of their suppressed dreams. The protagonists create an aura of mystery around themselves by choosing to live a life that is different from they really want. Each character ultimately demonstrates how one has to take charge of his or her own life in order for it to go as wanted. Because the book is only made up of short stories, the reader only gets a glimpse into a moment of time for these characters. Every short story left me with room for interpretation and imagination, while also communicating profound messages that I could extrapolate to my real life. Indian or not, single or married, the book is bound to have an impact on its reader.
I listened to…
“Relationships with Christina Tosi and Will Guidara” (A Bit of Optimism podcast). This episode covers great lessons in developing professional and personal relationships from the perspective of a very successful, entrepreneurial married couple. Will Guidara is the owner of Eleven Madison Park and Christina Tosi is the chef, founder, and owner of Milk Bar. A lot of what is discussed in this episode is how Guidara courted Tosi - warning, it’s pretty strange. But overall, they make solid points on how important it is to reflect on the emotions surrounding successful or failed social interactions. They discuss the feelings behind a group hang out, the importance of bringing something to the table, how to know when to let someone go, and where to invest your internal energy.
I made and baked…
Homemade granola. I made my own recipe inspired by some I found online (check out Delish.com and Nourishedbynutrition.com for some inspo). Granola can really be made with a combination of any nuts and superfoods you have in your pantry. Feel free to substitute anything or comment if you have questions! This recipe makes a lot of granola.
2 cups of old fashioned oats
1 cup of crushed almonds
1 cup of crushed coconut chips
1 ¼ cups of salted sunflower seeds
2 tbsp of hemp seeds
2 tbsp of flax seed meal
3 tbsp of vanilla maple syrup
3 tbsp of melted coconut oil
3 tbsp of arrowroot starch (helps make the clusters)
Many dashes of cinnamon
Instructions: preheat the oven to 325F. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients to form the granola mixture. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the mixture thoroughly spread out on the parchment paper. Bake for a total of 30 minutes (I mixed up the mixture while still in the oven at the 15 minute mark so the entire mixture would toast evenly). Cool the granola completely before serving so it hardens. I served it with Lavva yogurt and blueberries. Enjoy!
My favorite workout of the week was…
JABS by Gina - Combos with Shay. These girls get my vote for the best and hardest workouts of quarantine. Combos with Shay kicks my ass every time, and I’m in pretty good shape. It’s an incredible full body, shadow boxing and HIIT workout. It’s also incredibly affordable and has classes scheduled at all hours of the day. Let me know if you want to do one together!
I’m obsessed with…
Julia & Hunter Havens’ YouTube channel. I could say that watching their content is my guilty pleasure, but I’m not guilty whatsoever about it. At first, I thought the idea of watching couple YouTube channels was weird. Now, I could not recommend it more. Julia is the most stylish and relatable girl I follow on social media, and seeing her happy and coexisting with her husband Hunter on the day to day is all the more fun. They really are such a normal, hard working couple. Let me know if you watch some of their videos. I’m curious if you’ll like their videos too.
