KAYTRANADA Timeless Tour 2024, with Channel Tres, Sam Gellaitry @Forest Hills Stadium
I had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to see KAYTRANADA live since at least 2016 when 99% dropped. I thought it finally was the right time four years ago, until the Corona virus happened and the tour was canceled. Which is why as soon as I saw he was doing a Timeless tour and performing at one of my favorite small stadiums in NYC, I had to buy tickets immediately. Sold out back-to-back Friday and Saturday nights’ shows, I knew we were in for a very good time.
Summer of Mulberry, Bettica Jugíto de Mora
There are few things I’ve enjoyed as much as I have re-watching the original worldwide success that was Betty La Fea. Growing up in the 2000’s, there was no escaping the show since it went on to be adapted in close to 20 different countries, each using the basic set up: an “ugly” but brilliantly intelligent woman succeeding in a beauty-driven industry, as a springboard to tell decidedly local stories to each country.
Virginia is for Lovers (And Memories)
After couple of years before we got married, my husband and I took a long weekend trip to Virginia Beach. It was a random day trip even back then, but it’s a coastal city that has always been dear to me. This summer, it seemed daunting trying to land on a destination to celebrate our Anniversary. We always agree that we should have considered getting married during any other month but August. August is hot, muggy, and uncomfortable. August is peak hurricane season, and everything is booked everywhere and everyone is busy there. It’s the crunch right before summer ends and all of us are desperate to enjoy the last sliver that remains.
Old Souls, New Pretzels, and a Whiff of History
Considering the proximity between our cities, I’m surprised the first time I’d actually visit Philadelphia wouldn’t be until this summer. I expected similarities given the endless comparisons between the two, but the history displayed throughout so many parts of the city felt distinct to New York’s. Unique to itself, the bustle between streets above and underground during rush hour felt familiar, but not as much as the smell of burnt pretzels wafting through the streets.
Beyond the Skyline: New York City’s Beautiful Beaches
Summer in New York is in a league of its own. A scoop of Ralph’s Italian ices walking on the boardwalk, walking through Central Park, and of course, the obligatory beach day. New York beaches have a bad rap because there are simply so many better beaches everywhere else. But that doesn’t mean that there’s anything so repugnant about beaches on the East Coast. This summer, after years of not making the time to go, I finally said “let’s go to the beach this weekend.” And so we did.
An Enemy of the People @Circle in the Square Theatre
Adapted and reconceptualized by couple Amy Herzog (playwright) and Sam Gold (theater director), Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s classic 1882 play is a visceral, emotional and honest look at how society deals with politically inconvenient truths and community pressure. The play concerns Dr. Thomas Stockmann (Jeremy Strong), a widowed physician who has moved back to his hometown with his daughter Petra (Victoria Pedretti) as appointed medical director of the new Baths which are set to open in warmer weather as a booming business for the town. After discovering through secretly carried out tests that the water supply for the baths is polluted by the runoff from local tanneries and is teaming with bacteria, he feels a duty to public safety and his hometown to inform before it’s too late.
Depeche Mode Memento Mori World Tour @Barclays Stadium
Depeche Mode’s legacy is a showcase of brilliant discography and lyricism, and getting to watch them play live is unlike anything else. My first concert at Barclays in years, my seat was in a considerably strange bend of the stadium which I only noticed when the man assigned to the seat next to mine arrived and sat only to be facing me instead of the stage.
Recipe: Ají (Colombian-Style Fresh Salsa)
Ají as it is called in Colombia, isn’t quite a hot sauce and not quite a salsa. Somewhere in between, it’s a traditional presence in practically every meal, so it was vital I learn how to make it at home and perfect it over time.
Recipe: Crème Brûlée, A Moment to Indulge
Créme brûlée is the kind of dessert that tastes like luxury. A truly impressive dessert worthy of making for any occasion, it’s much easier to make than it seems. I hadn’t found a recipe that didn’t need any tweaking or adjustments in terms of time or steps, so over time (and some trial and error) I wound up putting together the parts that worked to guide me when this dessert is requested - which is often since getting this recipe down. I did buy a small handheld torch online for the job but if you don’t have one for your créme brûlées yet, I’ve included instructions on how to use your double broiler to achieve the same glass-like caramelization you can’t wait to break through and indulge in.