June 2023 - Wanderlogue

06.2023

June gloom hit different this year. It was gloomy. It was stormy. In a strange plot twist for a Californian transplant to New York, it was even smoky. Not much time spent outside, a few out of house activities in between volatile weather forecasts.

June was a month filled with iced matchas on humid days. Spontaneous meals. Buying flowers for the little joy on grey days.

June was gloom. There’s more summer to be had.

movies and meals

As the days grow longer and the humid air thicker, sometimes you just need low energy activities, and a movie fits the bill. Nothing like having an excuse to just sit in the dark and stare forward with brain off for a while.

Did a risky outdoor screening at the Skyline Drive In in Greenpoint. Thankfully the skies cleared just in time, or we’d all be feeling Under the Sea a little too real. The unexpected blessing came in the form of tacos: who knew all it took was an aggressive downpour to get rid of that Taqueria Ramirez line?

Also attended a screening at Angelika, followed by a late night bite at Bar Moga, and truly what better way to finish up a post-work weeknight than with new acquaintances and omurice?

current obsessions: iced oat matcha

I mean, when is matcha NOT my obsession? But I may have gone overboard this month. As in, probably spent close to $100 on iced matchas alone. And took notes on each one: the quality, taste, strength. Do they use the good shit? Do they actually whisk and sift enough? Noting the prices and portions, how much more for oat? is there an upcharge for ice? Findings are still inconclusive in terms of the best in the city, but there are some top contenders, and some that will be solidly filed under “maybe better to just stick to coffee”

And really leaned in on the “japanese food in the east village” theme, with a first time visit to tokuyumatcha and a long overdue visit to cha an.

culture fix

Cultural consumption was just chasing dopamine. Granted hours and hours of educational podcasts were also consumed but the TV watched on rainy days was just straight candy.

why is this just the perfect low maintenance show

why is this show so perfectly bad????

why do these movies even exist??????

NEW FIND

WORKING FROM: MIDTOWN

Perhaps not actually new, but certainly a newly discovered acceptable reason to actually exist in Midtown. A coffee shop in a coworking space in the lobby of a commercial office building that is the platonic ideal of a work-from-cafe situation. Which is, well, saying something in this city. Not to be taken for granted. And an excellent escape for a working Friday on a sweltering summer day.

EXPERIENTIAL: NAIL SALON

Literally why does the Chillhouse exist like this? It’s like the perfect millennial fever dream of a nail salon cafe experiential retail shop that somehow feels dated and yet also very much a culmination of contemporary capitalism at its peak. I won’t lie, the concept does make for a nice indoor activity between the salon treatments and cafe space. But it does feel like you are partaking in mid-2010s Instagram life.

good bites

Ate spontaneously and sporadically this month but still managed some great bites.

A. was in the neighborhood, and so walked into ugly baby right when they opened bc apparently years of planning couldn’t do what a random idea did

B. sunday morning trek into midtown (i know!) to meet an old fried for morning pastries

C. sidewalk brunching at little egg

D. meanwhile the first time i actually made plans instead of just walking into gertie

E. work from greenpoint day, breakfast break at cafe alula

F. braved the heat to live that brooklyn life at edith’s

what's cooking

Actually cooked a decent amount this month. With very little rhyme or reason, just inspired by the ingredients on hand and executing the random ideas as they came.

Leftover roasted rhubarb and strawberry jam paired with labneh made for a pretty presentation on a slice of homemade whole wheat loaf. This was riffed in other forms, yogurt bowls swirled with rhubarb and topped with fresh fruit and granola. Blitzed with silken tofu for a mousse-like situation. Used as a base for a chocolate chia mousse. Creative freedom was exercised.

Noodles ///

(top) cold udon noodles with spicy and creamy soy based broth, topped with cucumbers, scallions and braised tofu skin.

(bottom) “Carbonara” ramen with fixings dictated by the heart (which ended up being cucumbers, woodear mushroom, tofu pocket, and plenty of scallions, seaweed and chili)

black sesame chia pudding set with a peanut butter “shell” layer, a sesame tangyuan and topped with roasted peanuts and toasted sesame

mapo tofu, garlic stir fried veg, tofu and woodear liang ban, braised tofu skin and steamed millet pork ribs

Breakfast ///

(left) japanese breakfast spread with soft boiled egg, miso soup, salmon, pickled, steamed and stir fried veg

(right) taiwanese breakfast with scallion egg shaobing sandwich (w cucumbers, kewpie and chili oil to jazz it up), oolong infused soymilk and a yogurt parfait side (bc taiwanese cafes love throwing in a random side)