As I was gathering items, links, and photos for the annual All Good Things gift guide I kept thinking about a story I read recently.
— An anthropologist invited children from an African tribe to play a game. He placed a basket of fruit near the tree and announced, addressing the children: "The one of you who reaches the tree first will be rewarded with all the sweet fruits." When he signaled to the children to start the race, they locked their hands tightly and ran together, and then they all sat together and enjoyed the delicious fruit.
The astonished anthropologist asked the children why they all ran together, because each of them could enjoy the fruit for himself. To which the children replied: "Obonato". Is it possible for one to be happy if everyone else is sad? "Obonato" in their language means: "I exist because we exist." —
As we get caught up in our holiday shopping lists for loved ones and assess our own year of being naughty or nice, may we embody the spirit of these children. Let’s all join hands and make sure everyone gets to equally enjoy the fruits of the universe as we go into this season of giving. Obonato.
I’ve compiled a list of things I love, some made by people that I love, that have helped me get through 2020.
Jao Refresher
I’ll start off with the obvious. Hand sanitizer. Jao Brand Refresher isn’t just some chemical goo that rubs the germs away. It truly refreshes with each spray and is a self care step that feels indulgent. It’s a pick me up for the face, the body, and of course a sanitizer for your hands and surfaces. If you live in New York City, treat yourself to a field trip to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn to shop the Jao Brand store. It’s a carefully curated global collection of very special things.
Portococo
This week my old friend Aaron Stewart launched a new product line. He’s a Kansas City boy who became a designer for Martha Stewart in New York City and now owns a design firm in Puerto Rico! I’m constantly inspired by his creations and accomplishments.
While buying pandemic supplies in March, Aaron thought to himself, “Why does it all look like it came from a hospital supply closet!?”
He realized there was a gap in the market for a new and well-designed line of sanitizing products—a line of products easy to use, fun, and different, that can become a fashion accessory for people on the go. Always one to make thoughts become things, Aaron’s new products from Portococo start shipping December 1st!
The sanitizing solution is made locally in Puerto Rico, all eco-friendly, and part of the sales will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Puerto Rico so that they can keep nurturing and educating the future of Puerto Rico through their amazing after-school programs.
During the lockdown and protests this spring and summer, I discovered two Black poets that brought me calm, hope, and healing. Their books are gorgeous and thoughtful gifts.
Small Cures by Della Hicks-Wilson
In this beautifully tender and ambitious debut collection, Hicks-Wilson weaves together more than 150 poems written over the course of seven years into a single one - to form an unforgettable and empowering book-length ode to self-love.
In what reads like an effortlessly honest and lyrical conversation, Hicks-Wilson skilfully takes you on a persuasively healing journey in three parts: diagnosis, treatment and recovery, whilst working through the complexities of pain, love, loss, acceptance, growth and repair with both sensitivity and confidence.
Love Language by Adrian Michael Green
155 lessons. to hold you. to push you. to remind you. to heal you.
words for a time of deep reflection through the lens of love.
speaking love. being love. feeling love. giving love. to self. to others.
love language. a calling into. an open invitation.
to breathe in. and breathe in again.
Marmalade/Marge Jars
I’ve always said that my desert island foods would be chips and salsa, chocolate chip cookies, or tacos. But the food that brings me the most comfort is toast with butter and jam/jelly/marmalade. My dear friend and part time boss (AKA Steve Martin’s chef) Andy Olson, makes marmalade! He makes a lot of amazing things, but the good people at Olive Oil Jones are selling his citrus marmalades. Someone you love needs a jar. Someone you love who loves Steve Martin needs a jar. They. Are. So. Good.
American Vinegar Works
A new friend makes my new favorite ingredient line that is taking the culinary world by storm. Rodrigo Vargas is the fermenting wizard behind American Vinegar Works. The price point, the packaging, and the flavor combinations blew me away. You’ll want to try them all.
We make all of our small-batch vinegars using a unique process from the early 1800s that produces vinegars with greater depth of flavor and brighter colors. All of our vinegars are naturally fermented using American wines, ciders, sakes, and beers—in this way our vinegars honor and build on the national craft alcohol movement. Made, aged, and hand-bottled by us in our vinegar works in New England. Our vinegars will enhance your cooking and cocktails and are intended for home cooks and professional chefs.
If you’re looking for a stocking stuffer for a teenager or even your grandpa - check out Nuts ‘n More. It’s a high protein peanut butter spread that doesn’t have a bunch of junk in it. It’s my after workout snack, but a spoonful often subs in for dessert after dinner each night. I’m obsessed with Birthday Cake but they have 20 incredible flavors.
We Can Do Hard Things.
Pandemics. Protests. Elections. Write Books. Recover from surgery. Make art. Raise children. Heal from breakups. Mourn a loved one. Move cross country. Fight racism…
My old neighbor Arlynd Fletcher, from when I lived in Long Island City (when Channing Tatum used to live below me!) married the woman who made this sweatshirt! Angi (in the photograph) and Arlynd have a whole lifestyle world of bio-hacking/potions/and practices that is fascinating. The message of this sweatshirt called my name. This should be the official slogan of 2020, right?
Angi partnered with the small business Soul Honey to make a line of We Can Do Hard Things clothing items - for children too! Get on this today though, because they make them in small batches and you want to get yours in time for the holiday.
Inspired by words her mother used to repeat to her and the determination and grit she has developed throughout her life, our hope is that these 5 simple, yet profound words inspire you to live out exactly what they say. To push yourself, to have courage, and to do the hard thing, because you just might surprise yourself in what you are capable of!
Mahabis Slippers
The word mahabis comes from the Swedish concept of mysa which means ‘returning home, getting yourself comfortable and hanging out.’ The closest possible translation to English would be ‘making yourself cozy’. Yes, please!
I live in slippers. I have a shoe free home, so I come in the door and I kick off the streets of NYC that are stuck to my feet in shoe form and I melt into my Mahabis slippers. The soles are colorful and supportive which translates to joy and comfort. I cook in these slippers and I log a lot of hours on my feet. These days so many people are working from home, not just cooks! Let Mahabis take care of your feet while you stay cozy in your home. (They are offering a free pair of merino socks with each purchase for Black Friday!)
Fit Track Dara Smart Scale
For years I’ve weighed myself and been pleased or disappointed by the number I saw when I looked down between my feet. That number, be it too little, too much, or like Goldilocks, juuuuussssst right, is only a number. There is very little information attached to it, and yet for many of us, our weight number defines us and we give it a great deal of negative/positive value.
My Fit Track scale has changed my morning weigh in routine. Yes, it delivers my weight number, but it also attaches itself to an app in my phone that provides 17 metrics of what is really going on in my body beyond that number. It shows my muscle mass, protein mass, metabolic age, bone mass, water percentage, muscle rate, visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, BMI, and more! It is extremely interesting as well as satisfying to see this information. I work really hard to stay active, fit, and healthy. The Fit Track makes me feel like an athlete working towards the goal of getting stronger, not just some middle aged lady toiling away to become skinnier.
Not Our First Goat Rodeo
Many of you know that my love for blue grass music and the artist Chris Thile runs deep. In 2011 Chris collaborated with Yo-yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, and Edgar Meyer to make my favorite album of all time: Goat Rodeo Sessions. And this year, during the pandemic, they regrouped and gifted the musical airwaves with another album: Not Our First Goat Rodeo. Both albums, featuring the gorgeous harmonies of Aoife O'Donovan, are delightful mash ups of classical and bluegrass music creating a sophisticated, yet whimsical listening experience.
And if you’re just here for the recipe…
2020 has been a year like none other. Incomparable. A Non-pareil, if you will. The word translates to having no match or equal; unrivaled. The French translation is none better. Though 2020 doesn’t fit THAT description, let’s go out on a positive note!
Nonpareils are also one of my sister’s favorite candies, so I decided to make a homemade treat to go with my gift guide. There are plenty of mesmerizing videos online of these little chocolate buttons being made, and with very few ingredients needed, it’s an easy little project and it requires no baking! I improvised on the traditional white candy seed topping. I also got the chocolate and candy canes from the dollar store, so you don’t need to spend a lot of money either!
Homemade Nonpareil Candy
400 grams chocolate- milk, dark, white, or a mix!
a pinch of sea salt
4 tablespoons coconut oil
Sprinkles, Crushed candy canes, cacao nibs, chopped nuts
(Have you been to the Fancy Sprinkles website? So fun!)
Prepare a tray with each topping spread out into a layer covering the bottom of the tray. To gather up all the extra sprinkles/etc. at the end, it’s easier to cover the tray in parchment paper first to easily slide the excess back into its container.
Place a few inches of water in a small saucepan with an empty bowl placed on top to create a double boiler, add the chocolate, salt, and coconut oil to the empty bowl, stirring as the water begins to boil and the chocolate begins to melt. Once completely smooth, remove from the heat. Let cool slightly so the chocolate mixture thickens a bit and you don’t burn yourself trying to pipe out the little buttons.
I have pastry piping bags in my kitchen but if you don’t, a ziplock bag, or a funnel will work. Place the chocolate in your bag situation, snip off the end and pipe out 1 inch circles. You can also spoon little discs of chocolate onto the sprinkles/etc. Place the tray in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to harden completely. With your hands, gather up the one sided candy coated discs, sifting off the extra topping. Keep them in a container in the fridge so they don’t soften.
