May is always such an amazing month, filled with so many memorable events and warm weather. It is the month that celebrates mothers, the long weekend that announces summer’s arrival, and occasionally a graduation. May is the month when magic happens and everyone’s moods lift up and up.
May is the month of change and possibility because the longer days invite more activity and energy into our lives. It’s hard to resist the buzz in the warm, hazy air. It’s the beginning of iced drinks and even icier cocktails. We’ve already crossed some things off our list and we’re ready for more. We’re ready for the beach and we’re ready for lobster rolls on the patio.
Let the fun begin.
Wei’s Picks
Hey guys! This month has been such a roller coaster for me. I switched up careers and started a new job and it’s all very scary and exciting. It’s a huge adjustment but I’m learning so much and meeting so many amazing individuals. I’m getting so much love and support from my friends and family. For that, I am grateful.
This month, I am also grateful for my wonderful mother. She’s made adulthood a bit easier and more fun. For that, my brother and I took her to Banyan for brunch. The food was so delicious that I persuaded Leili to go there with me for our next restaurant post. That will be coming very soon. For now, here are my May favorites.
Beauty
My beautiful friend Brittany recently launched her beauty blog, Beauty by Brittany, and it is absolutely fantastic. Brittany and I have known each other for years. Between our hours running around and working at the coffee shop, we’d end up talking skincare and makeup. People who know me will know that I am an obsessive YouTube watcher and most of the videos I watch center around beauty and food. So when I met up with Brittany a few months ago in New York, we immediately started talking about those things. Soon after that, her beauty blog was born.
Please give Brittany’s blog a visit – she’s beautiful and knowledgable and she covers a bit of healthy foods as well.
Food
I paid a visit to a soba restaurant that recently opened up in Somerville called Sugidama. It was my first time experiencing the authentic way to eat soba noodles. I had the cold uni soba noodles which comes with soba noodles piled with uni on top with a cold sauce on the side. It was definitely different but it was delicious. The place also serves sushi, hot soba, and yakitori (grilled vegetables and meats). The staff is incredibly nice and friendly, quick to answer all questions a new soba eater might be too afraid to ask.
Health
Another favorite is the book, Eat. Nourish. Glow. by Amanda Freer. I bought this book a while ago and I am still going through it but it’s got so much great knowledge about health, nutrition, and food. Amanda approaches health and food in such a relatable way and it’s not about extreme, scary methods. Instead, it is about what fits your lifestyle and your goals, and slow routines that turn into habits.
It’s a philosophy that I stand by – eating and being healthy do not have to be scary or tasteless. Healthy foods can still be delicious and one healthy habit lead to other healthy habits. She has some wonderful recipes in there and I might try one of her desserts soon.
Shows
Aside from our longstanding love for all things Game of Thrones, I am so excited that a new season of Chef’s Table has come out. If you’re not familiar with this Netflix documentary series, you need to check out the first season. Each hour-long episode features a different chef in a different region and focuses on their style and philosophy on food and cooking. It’s from the same director who created the masterpiece Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
Leili’s Picks
Hello friends! This has certainly been one hell of a month. I am now officially a Harvard grad, which means I must join Wei in the scary and often too-real real world. But I’m trying not to think about that too much, lest I fall into a state of paralyzing anxiety. Instead, I’m eagerly anticipating our celebratory night out at The Brahmin in Boston’s Back Bay, where we will drink and be merry and try our best not to hurt anyone as we bust our moves on the dance floor.
After my graduation ceremony, I went out to Picco with my family, Wei, and the boyfriend for some celebratory pizza and ice cream. If I could have only one kind of pizza for the rest of my life, it would be their Alsatian pizza. And have I ever mentioned their Scharffen Berger hot fudge? Well if I did, too bad, I’m mentioning it again. It’s my favorite thing in all the world, especially when it’s poured over their brownie sundae.
Aside from the excitement of graduation, I’ve been changing up my routines and trying new things, and I’m going to tell you about a few of them. Because we’re friends and this stuff is worth knowing about.
Books
I’ve been flying through Me Before You by JoJo Moyes. My mom had read it a few months back and had recommended it to me, saying it was great but a real tear jerker. But I don’t always trust my mother’s taste in books, and because I was in the midst of midterm exams at the time, I wasn’t really in the mood to be bummed out. But since I am now done with school, I have all this time on my hands to read for pleasure (time which I am thoroughly enjoying, by the way) so I decided to give it a go, especially after seeing the trailer for the movie. And man was my mom right. Most of the pages in the second half are crinkled with my dried up tears, and I’m saving the last couple of chapters for a private moment when I can get intimate with a box of tissues. Love stories just get me right in my gut. I totally recommend it.
Beauty
I’m nowhere near as big of a beauty buff as Wei is, but lately I’ve been delving into the wide world of natural skin care. I’ve been oil cleansing and moisturizing with jojoba oil (and loving it), using a konjac sponge to exfoliate (AMAZING), and even applying actual dirt (okay, clay, whatever) to my face as a mask once a week. I’ve thrown out most of my old face washes and spot treatments in this effort to go the natural route, and so far my skin is loving me for it. If you’re looking to change up your skin care regime (or create one), this stuff is worth a look.
Health
This month, I’ve decided that eventually, I want to go completely vegan. I say eventually because I know it’s a transition that will take time, especially because my love of ice cream has not waned one bit. So I’m starting the process by becoming a vegetarian – which works, because as you may have noticed, I don’t really eat much meat to begin with – and have been doing well so far, aside from the odd bite of bacon (I’m only human). I’m not perfect, and I’m doing my best. After finally watching Cowspiracy, which has been on Netflix for a while, and this TED Talk on eating meat, I’ve officially decided to stop supporting factory farms. So you may be seeing more vegan-leaning recipes from me coming up, which I hope you’ll try out even if you’re not vegan yourself. And don’t worry, I will never be preachy; my philosophy is that you should eat whatever you damn well please.
Food
As part of this natural trend I’ve been following, I’ve recently started ordering from Boston Organics, a local company that delivers organic produce (and even dairy and other pantry staples if you so choose) straight to your front door on a weekly or biweekly basis. It’s better than a CSA because you can pay weekly instead of paying a whole bunch of money up front, and you get to tell them which vegetables you don’t ever want to get or add on extra ones that you love. I’ve been making sweet potato fries and kale chips like there’s no tomorrow, and I’m happy to say that not one piece of produce has gone to waste. It’s a great way to learn about new foods and eat healthier, because you may just get some weird root vegetable you’ve never heard of before and have to figure out how to make it edible. Fun stuff, really. If you’re in the Boston area, I highly recommend them.
So this is what we’ve been up to for the past month, and we’ll be back next month with our June update. Considering our plans for beach trips and summer picnics, we should have plenty to update you on. That’s all, folks!