From a young age, I aspired to be an “accomplished woman” like the heroines of 19th century European literature who managed to excel at many disparate talents and interests. I sought to be as well-rounded as humanly possible with as many activities as could fit in a day. I honestly didn’t care about perfection so…
Tag: blogger
Book Review: Mrs. Dalloway
With this review of Mrs. Dalloway (Virginia Woolf), I have finally completed the pile of books I picked up a few years ago from The Winding Stair bookshop in Dublin (with the exception of a puzzle book). One of the other titles, How Should One Read a Book, also by Woolf, was a great little…
Book Review: Bite by Bite
I was enamored with Aimee Nezhukumatathil ‘s book of essays World of Wonders a few years ago when I was gifted a copy, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants style. I was encouraged to read the book, then write a little note in the front cover and pass it on to someone who I thought would…
Book Review: The Art Thief
My primary career goal lately has been to maintain my status as a non-starving artist. I keep telling people (why does everyone keep asking what I’m “up to” lately??) that I am a full-time creative with multiple part-time gigs. This is basically what my entire post-graduation career has looked like, I just now know how…
Asheville, North Carolina | 2023
In July 2023, very shortly after traveling for 8 weeks on the International Business Institute, I took my first-ever girls group vacation to Asheville, North Carolina. Why Asheville? None of the six of us had ever been there, it was within a one-day driving distance, and seemed to offer quite a bit of variety in…
Expanded List: Kitchen Equipment
Inarguably, humans must eat to survive. That is a fact. But to eat, you don’t necessarily ever have to cook. Sadly, the avoidance of the kitchen and its equipment is to miss some great opportunities of adventure and discovery. As I previously wrote in Essential Equipment, there are some things that I believe are non-negotiables…
Spaghetti on Fire
The world doesn’t need more cookbooks, although that’s a moot point because every chef has their own style and methods for creating delicious things to eat and drink. There are endless recipes that can (and should!) be written down. Perhaps a more accurate blanket statement is that the world does need more home chefs who…
Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 2024
Once upon a time, some friends and I tried to go to Canada for New Year’s Eve. The concept was magical, if a little bit of a logistical nightmare for the dead of winter in the North. Ultimately, due to sickness and a winter storm, the plans were cancelled at the last moment and we…
Lofty Mid-year Bonus-goals
Have you revisited your New Year’s Resolutions lately (or ever)?? In case you somehow missed it, we have arrived in the second trimester of 2024. Mid-May is running our schedules into manic chaos, and the weather (at least in the Midwest) is propelling us outside every moment of the day, tempting us to shirk responsibilities….
L.M.Beatty 