Lunch Date Got Me Feelin' Cute

No, it wasn't a literal date, mom. To celebrate not wearing Birkenstocks, black jeans and an old Hanes sweatshirt for the fifth day in a row I met up with a friend for lunch at Bluestone Lane in the West Village, which used to be my old barbershop, Moustache. The shirt is Our Legacy, though that exact style is basically sold out. They have a similar one that looks a bit heavier? The pants are Carven—I wear them almost exclusively with this shirt because I love the blues together, though over the summer I wore them a lot with my favorite vintage Hawaiian shirt. The sportcoat is A.P.C., the belt is ladies' Uniqlo, and the bag is my ever-trusty Filson.

The café is perfectly cute, I guess, but also sort of highway robbery? Oh my god, you guys, I just Googled this place and found out that they officially call themselves "The BSL Collective Café." I can't, I give up. And I ate avocado toast there! I feel so guilty. I'm gonna go watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix and dream of simpler times.

P.S. Speaking of avocado toast, did you guys know grain bowls are a big thing? It's sort of like grain bowls are the new avocado toast (and I can't even fux with açai bowls). I have to admit that ever since I had the sorrel pesto brown rice at Sqrl I've been a total convert to that bowl life. Nothing in NYC compares, as far as my tastebuds are concerned, but the going rate for this hippie shit is taking a massive toll on my wallet anyway, so I Pinterested some hearty grain-centric recipes to try at home.

Left: photo © Ryan Liebe / Martha Stewart; right: photo © Jeanine Donofrio / Love & Lemons

One involves lentils and butternut squash and the other involves the combo that won't quit, avocado and poached egg. Sidenote: I am so ready for lentil season.

6 Degrees of Outdoor Entertaining

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I moved into a new place at the beginning of this month. I have a lot of ideas and thoughts to share about that, just like I did last time I moved, but am wary of posting them for fear of, you know, never actually doing them. I've had a painter come in for a consultation, though! I always get so many grand plans—thanks, internet—and then following through is such an ordeal. Keep your eyes on Instagram and whatnot to keep tabs on this. In the meantime, feast your eyes on Alessandra Facchinetti's terrace, above, where I'm fantasy-hosting the shit out of a Bloomsbury Group type dinner party, except none of us are romantics and all of us are climate change activists.

Speaking of home life, I made some potatoes last night:

There was no one to share them with so I ended up binge eating all of them, which is sort of like going HAM on french fries, but since these were organic and from the farmer's market...healthy? I ate them with eggs, though mine were scrambled, not fried—a choice I'm reconsidering in light of this recipe. One day!

Photos: François Halard for W magazine; Williams-Sonoma; Katie Quinn Davis

Farm to Table Baby

I royally suck at cooking. I do. But I'm stubborn and I like the idea of cooking and being self-sufficient in that neo-homesteader, Pinteresty sort of way. And I enjoy cooking, whether or not I'm good at it.

Most of what I eat at home is vegetarian, honestly out of personal preference (the best meal I've had all season was a salad from Romans, though it should be noted that burrata was involved.) And I feel like I've eaten my body weight in kale over the last few months. I rely pretty heavily on eggs (and occasionally peanut butter) for protein, and can now incorporate them into almost any meal—as long as it involves carbs. (Is butter a carb?) Two particular favorites: roasted asparagus with an egg on top and a rice bowl with fried egg and avocado, which is sort of a whitewashed version of bibimbap. (I also really love this cheap and easy recipe for a poor man's spaghetti carbonara.) You can see more of what I'm eating on Pinterest, duh.

Original photography © Dabito / This Fruit Blogs. Recipe photos via How Sweet Eats and Bon Appétit.