the subtle art of dining solo

I know people who would rather skip a meal than eat alone in public. And as someone who often eats alone at restaurants, I find this incredibly curious. Don't kid yourself, it's hard to miss the concerned faces that jut towards me as the host clears the extra place setting from a newly spacious (and now, suspicious) two-top. It's how I imagine kids faces turn when they see their teacher outside of school. So, what is it about eating out that demands the presence of at least one comrade? How is a woman eating alone such a glitch in the matrix? Depending on the company, I might very well prefer to eat solo. Especially when so many of the couples I see eating out together look positively bored out of their minds. To eat alone or not? That is the question.

table for uno

another thriller because fiction before bed is my favorite night time ritual (read: yes i'm still single)

This one is by the same author as the last one I recommended. It's an easy, quick read that I honestly, couldn't put down. The author, Lucy Foley, does a really good job at building anticipation, which truly keeps you wanting more. So much so that I actually found myself peeking down a few paragraphs for clues to what just went down and what was about to happen. For me, this is a sign of a book I'm into. I also really enjoyed her character development and it was juuuust the right amount of scary to still be able to read alone at night in bed. Enjoy it!

c'est la vie

i'm going trekking in the himalayas but i'm confident you'll find this fascinating, too

According to a 2010 psychological study about the connection between anticipation and happiness published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life, just planning or anticipating a trip can make you happier than actually taking it. Knowing this, I've been reading up on India, Nepal and the Himalayas and my due diligence wouldn't be complete without Into Thin Air. If you haven't read it already, you might know the author from some of his other books, Into the Wild and Where Men Win Glory. You may not be going to this side of the world, like me but that doesn't make it any less fascinating or cool. 

closer to everest

healthy sweet potato nachos 

I had to pat myself on the back for this one. Swapping the over-salted ultra processed chips for thinly sliced, seasoned and baked sweet potatoes “chips” now feels like a total no brainer that I should have tried way earlier. Combine that with the comparatively modest sprinkle of cheese and you've actually got yourself a decently healthy meal that still satisfies the more feral nacho craving. 

indulge without “indulging”

cured focus and clarity capsules 

Doubling down on this brand 2 weeks in a row because there's actually a second product I'm really excited about that ACTUALLY helps with focus and attention. I was an ADD kid growing up and took adderall for high school and college. I'm not on any stimulants now except coffee so something sustainable with supportive short and long term benefits was really appealing to me. I take 3 of these / day while continuing with my other healthy habits (whole foods, exercise and meditation in the morning) and I can legitimately feel and see a noticeable difference. If you've been on stimulants, are trying to get off 'em or jjst want something natural throughout the day, this seriously  works for me. Try for yourself; code HUMBL for 15% off your total order. 

pure and honest focus support