(You can see my favourite photos from 2022 over here.)
Favourite Photos of 2023
by Liz Heather in Family, Personal
Favourite Photos of 2023
December Dalliances 2023
Grand Central Station, December 2023
Grand Central Station, December 2023
Welcome to the last monthly post of the year! I would say that this felt like a fast year but truthfully it still feels like 2012 to me so my opinions might not be reality-based. Here’s what went down last month!
Here are the best tweets of the month.
I recapped how I did on my autumn list.
I wrote my winter list of things that I want to do.
I got drinks at The Peninsula, which was fun and Christmas-y but wildly overpriced.
With Diana at The Peninsula
Some of the department store windows in NYC this year were fantastic.
Saks Holiday Display, 2023
Rockefeller Tree, December 2023
The New York Public Library, December 2023
The NYPL Christmas Tree, December 2023
I made these espresso martini cookies and they were really good.
Nathan’s special was named Best YouTube Special of 2023 by The New York Times (!!!!!!!)
Finally got dinner at Mel’s (in the old Del Posto space) and it was good! But I never need to go again.
We’ve needed new pots and pans for over a decade, so it was immensely satisfying to buy this set from Wayfair.
I made this apple crumb cake over Christmas break and I didn’t try it (!), but it wasn’t a big hit since it was only half eaten by the time I left for New York so I should remember not to make this one again. (Also I never want to become the type of person who doesn’t eat the things she makes for others, it goes against everything I stand for??)
Speaking of Christmas food, so much was made!
Still obsessed with making homemade pizza with sausage and fennel.
Two charcuterie boards: I will forever add candy to these boards going forward. And I finally made the ricotta jam jar and it was a a big hit. Absolutely should be on all charcuterie boards at all times. (The tip I use to make this faster: make the tomato jam yourself, but absolutely buy jarred pesto.)
The mushroom loaf (that I learned about from this tweet) that I will absolutely make again, it was so good.
The leftover turkey sandwich: always a winner.
The Nutella cookies: always my favourite. Next year I won’t be so stingy with the amount of Nutella.
Made the spinach & artichoke puff pastry Christmas tree for the second time and I absolutely love this recipe. It’s delicious, beautiful and actually not difficult to make.
Not every recipe can be a winner, so the losers this year? The Christmas lunch roast beef sandwiches. The meat was overcooked and tough enough that it made me instantly decide to try a new lunch recipe next year. Also I’ve messed up shortbread on TWO different recipes this month. The Alison Roman ones I always make during the holidays AND a new recipe of chocolate pistachio shortbread cookies. Both doughs were beyond crumbly, and they just didn’t taste right. So I’ll need to take a long shortbread break.
Sausage & fennel pizza
Christmas tree charcuterie board
I’m still learning how to create a good board
Ricotta jam jar
Mushroom loaf
Leftover turkey sandwich
Nutella-stuffed cookies
Spinach & artichoke puff pastry Christmas tree
Obsessed with the Mighty Patch nose patches.
Some things I watched:
I started Office Christmas Party and stopped it after twenty minutes, it was so bad.
I finished The Crown. Oof. Other than the fact that this was, by far, the worst season of all - it really made me focus on what a terrible show it truly is and how thankful I am that it has ended. I hate that it was based on all of these real people, but so much of it is fiction. If the writers/creators would have just committed to either being fully truthful or fully fictitious then I wouldn’t be left with this feeling of disgust. There’s so much to complain about, but I’ll let it go because let’s just be glad it’s done. But really… the ghost of Diana? God, this series was sick.
The egg nog flavoured Greek yogurt at Trader Joe’s is spectacular.
Officially a nog head
We didn’t have the whole family together this Christmas (which never feels right), but we made the most of it.
Christmas kids!
Did my annual skating night with some close friends that truly heals us all, haha.
Buying skates at age 38 was the smartest decision I’ve made in my adult life
Nathan and I spent the past few days near Baltimore in Maryland and went to The B&O Railroad Museum (yes the B&O Railroad from Monopoly), which is a must-visit attraction if you’re nearby and then I had a great crab cake from Alexander’s Tavern.
Fun clouds make a photo a thousand times cooler
I told Nathan that one of his resolutions will (not “should”) be “take more photos of Liz.”
Fully regret not buying this shirt
Train museums are the best museums, fight me
Maryland crab cake!
Some things that I’m looking forward to this month: looking forward to seeing the Restaurant Week menus (it starts on January 16th), I’m going to start using this first-of-the-month checklist again and I’ll recap my resolutions from last year as well as make new 2024 ones.
If you have any interest in the other monthly roundups of 2023, they can be found here: November, October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February and January.
Baby Dog in slumber
Winter List 2023
Childhood bedroom window
Childhood bedroom window
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
I love that the first day of the winter is in the same week as Christmas, I always seem to forget that it is and it’s the nicest surprise every year. Here’s what I’d love to do this season.
Go skiing.
Eat ramen for the first time (I know, it’s insane this hasn’t happened).
Make some Christmas-y appetizers (cranberry grilled cheese, charcuterie wreath, etc.)
Get the lobster bisque from The Soupman (the Seinfeld soup nazi) near Central Park (I haven’t eaten it in years and it’s incredible).
Find a snowmobile and ride it. This one will be hard to do because I don’t know anyone with a snowmobile (mental note: make a resolution to befriend snowmobile types).
I’ll also watch some of these movies, obviously. And I hope you write a winter list of your own because no one is going to enjoy your life for you.
And if you’re stuck on ideas, you can see my past winter lists below: Winter List 2022, Winter List 2021, Winter List 2020, Winter List 2019, Winter List 2018, Winter List 2017 and Winter List 2015.
Autumn List 2023 Revisited
Camden in the leaves
Camden in the leaves
Autumn has ended! Welcome to the coziest time of year. Here’s how my autumn list went.
1. Make an apple flavoured dessert.
I made my favourite apple fritter cake for Thanksgiving. Might be my favourite apple dessert of all time? I also made apple cider doughnut cookies that were pretty great, too
Apple fritter cake
Apple cider doughnut cookies
2. Taste a turnip.
For some reason, every time I saw one at the grocery I winced and kept moving. Maybe I need someone to cook me a turnip? I don’t ask for much from my friends.
3. Make a homemade pumpkin syrup for iced coffee.
Did it! And I might do this every year from now on. Homemade syrup tastes eons better than any bottled one.
4. Wear bolder lipsticks.
I did! Mostly in October, but still.
5. Watch at least ten horror movies I haven’t seen before.
Sabrina The Teenage Witch (the movie) - not horror but spooky themed so I’m counting it. As well as Knock At the Cabin, Prom Night, Blades, Trick R Treat, Coherence, The Fog, Night Beast, Tourist Trap, The Black Phone and Child’s Play 2.
4/5! Okay, that’s pretty good. Winter list coming tomorrow!
Navigating November 2023
Can someone please make me a Nordstrom flagship store ambassador?
Can someone please make me a Nordstrom flagship store ambassador?
I truly love autumn weather, there’s just so much vest action. I couldn’t be happier. Here’s what went down last month!
The best tweets of the month can be found over here.
I finished up the Fall Fridays series because autumn ends in my brain November 1st.
I have friends who are kind of a big deal and I make appearances on their TikToks.
Finally bought new nonstick pots and pans and IS THIS HOW EVERYONE IS LIVING? Had no idea this kind of kitchen ease was possible. My eggs are gliding in these babies, it’s almost sensual.
Loved Kaia Wine Bar on the Upper East Side. $8 martinis in 2023 is so unbelievable, I really should shut my mouth about it. I also tried birria tacos for the first time and lord almighty. Who wouldn’t want to dunk something delicious in something else delicious? Duck tacos were incredible, too.
I think these took off in popularity because someone smart decided not to call them “wet tacos”
I heard a great baking tip: make whipped cream fast in a food processor. So smart.
Experienced the awfulness that is Rolf’s German (Christmas) restaurant in the city. DO NOT GO. I let loose on a Google review and maybe that’s cold, but I had to, man.
A place this pretty has to be absolute trash.
Nathan was featured again in the New York Times recommending his Gramercy show (which he’s going to tape on February 5th), so that was huge. I’m becoming a regular at the framing place near my house and it’s wonderful.
Nathan! Succeeding!
So in love with the new Wegman’s in the city. I wish I could go back in time and tell kid Liz how much time she’d spend in grocery stores as an adult - she’d lose her little mind. There are just too many good deals at different grocers! I’ll never be above a good deal.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you already know how much I loved The Shark is Broken on Broadway. Best play I’ve seen in years. The Times critic Jesse Green is absolutely out of his mind for his review of it. (A deep dive of this man showed that he loved Shucked, so now I know he’s not the brightest.)
I made a pumpkin pie rice krispies fake pie because my dear friend Casey wanted one for Thanksgiving and it was cute as hell.
Rice Krispies Pumpkin Pie
Vowing to get the Baskin-Robbins ice cream turkey cake next fake Thanksgiving. I did sample their Turkey Day Fixin’s flavour of the month and you know what? I respect it.
I saw too many outfit reels on Instagram and it altered my brain in thinking that I needed that one boring black, basic, long, “evening” coat that every white woman under 40 owns for every winter outfit so I bought the $50 one at Zara and returned it within two days. I’M NOT THAT WOMAN! Also that coat has the worst material, every single piece of lint in the air is attracted to it. Remember when Zara was good quality?
If you’ve ever used a Half Baked Harvest recipe, you might find this article interesting. The blogger apparently responded to the piece on Martha Stewart’s podcast, but I haven’t heard it yet.
Absolutely gutted that Duck Season is permanently closed! It had the only good poutine in this entire country. I’m not being dramatic.
So I’ve been doing this morning routine for about three weeks now and it’s wild how much happier it has made me. I wake up, make a spinach smoothie, walk Baby Dog, come home and eat an omelet and then open my email/look at my phone, etc. It’s been incredible. Also, not to overshare but I’ve also been drinking three liters of water each day and I don’t necessarily see a difference yet, but I do have an underlying better-than-you vibe that has been hard to shake off.
I don’t want to get you too excited but I am in possession of THE GLOOM ROOM. My overly generous friend Yassir got it for us and my life might now be complete? Words can’t express the beauty of this piece. (I couldn’t stop saying how “coveted” it is in the “miniature community” at fake Thanksgiving and I think it might have ended the party early?)
My wonderful friend Richard made stuffing as a main entree for a dinner at home and CAN WE MAKE THIS A THING? Genius idea.
STUFFING FOR DINNER
You’re already Christmas shopping so just a gentle reminder: get the gift receipt.
The snow is coming and you will slip and possibly fall. Act accordingly.
I saw Priscilla in theatres and loved it. It was a little slow, but still great. I also bought the book it was based on, so that review is coming soon.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: of course I’ll be lighting my bayberry candles on Christmas Eve as well as New Year’s Eve, December is always the most expensive month but it doesn’t have to be, don’t forget to buy your mistletoe, I’ll definitely watch some of these, I’ll absolutely watch The Snowman yet again and once again I’m begging you not to give lottery tickets as gifts.
If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went on in October over here. And my autumn highlights on Instagram can be found here.
October Occurrences 2023
This backyard is all I need sometimes
This backyard is all I need sometimes
That was one of the longest Octobers I’ve ever experienced and it couldn’t have been better. Here’s everything that went down last month:
The best tweets of October can be found over here, and I also did a post about the best Halloween tweets.
I started doing weekly Fall Fridays recaps because I can’t shut the hell up.
Made Halloween cake pops with Maya with meltable chocolate from Michaels (the funfetti vanilla is the best one) and I think these might be among my favourite desserts now. Nothing says ‘I’m almost 40’ like discovering how good cake pops are 15 years after they became popular?
Maya’s Halloween cake pops
Got a drink at Beetle House (the Beetlejuice-esque bar in the East Village) and that place is a party. Cocktails with dry ice should be mandatory at all bars for the prices we’re paying these days (I’d run on this platform alone if I were up for mayor).
Cocktail from Beetle House, NYC
I used a few of the single packets of the Dennis Gross triple eye serum and I could really see slight results in only a couple days. So annoying when expensive skincare products actually work well.
This chicken marsala remains one of my favourite top three dinners to make.
It’s a tall order, but please serve this chicken marsala at my funeral
TIP: if a recipe calls for softened butter but you forgot to soften it in advance, you should just brown the butter instead. This works for me literally every time. Browned butter is incredible.
Finally went to the Oscar Wilde bar and it was beautifully decorated for Halloween. It also had one of the best lighted washrooms I’ve ever seen in NYC.
It’s one week into November so have I already had the Thanksgiving dumplings from Mimi Cheng’s as well as the Bobbie (Thanksgiving) sandwich from Capriotti’s? We both know the answer, don’t make me say it.
Made pecan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, but they were only okay. I think I’ll steer clear of the baking recipes from Bon Appétit for awhile. Independent bloggers almost always have better dessert recipes.
Underwhelming pecan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
Okay, the flagship Nordstrom in Manhattan? New favourite place to shop for dresses. There’s also a great happy hour bar on the fifth floor with this incredible locker that charges your phone while you walk around.
I’ve made the Chrissy Teigen jalapeno corn pudding for the past few years as part of our Thanksgiving meal and I might finally be sick of it? Looking for new corn recipes.
Jalapeno corn pudding
My favourite freezable meal right now is this short rib bolognese.
Walked through a section of Central Park that I’d never seen before (the north woods) and it felt like an entirely different park.
Look at that little face
Made apple cider doughnut cookies that turned out great. I thought the cinnamon sugar topping sounded a bit boring, but it was perfect.
Apple cider doughnut cookies
It is both a blessing and a curse that I learned of Nuts Factory existence (it’s basically American Bulk Barn).
Made this coconut chicken tikka masala in the slow cooker and it was pretty good. I doubt I’ll make it again though because I never cook rice anymore and this is a recipe begging for rice. (Why don’t I like to cook rice? Um, it takes forever? And I threw out my rice cooker because I hate having useless appliances that I’ll use once a year.)
The focaccia ready-made sandwiches at Eataly? Holy shit. Unbelievably good.
Focaccia sandwiches at Eataly, NYC
Went to Canada for Thanksgiving and it was so lovely, as always.
Some things I watched:
Sabrina The Teenage Witch (the movie): I had no idea it was a movie before it was a show. I’ll always love Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina, so this was a great find.
Urban Legend: totally forgot about how good this movie was. With the exception of the dog-in-a-microwave scene, obviously.
Knock At The Cabin: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, M. Night Shyamalan’s movies are always so hit or miss and this one? STUNK. I really hate that he insists on making cameos in them, too.
Prom Night: Great! Jamie Lee Curtis is a phenomenal dancer. Nobody talks about that.
Blades: it’s literally just a Jaws parody but with a lawnmower instead of a shark. So what I’m saying is that it was fantastic.
Trick R Treat: so terrible.
Halloween (the Rob Zombie one): UGH! Awful! Nathan claims that I hated it because apparently I don’t like “dysfunction or reality.” WHO DOES.
Coherence: so good! Everyone should see it.
The Fog: loved it! So fun when the villain is weather. And I LOVE the fact that when it was first released, they installed fog machines in some movie theatres where the movie was showing. God, that’s great.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: Nathan’s big Gramercy show this weekend, buying new cookware finally because our pots specifically are pretty toxic, might make these salted chocolate pecan pie bars for (fake) Thanksgiving later this month and I can’t wait to finally eat at the Christmas restaurant in the city Rolf’s.
If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went on in September over here. And my autumn highlights on Instagram can be found here.
October 2023
Happy Halloween!
I can’t be stopped! Hope you had a great Halloween!
September Shenanigans 2023
Simpsons foliage >
Simpsons foliage >
September has come and gone! Welcome to grade 33, as Martin Short would say. Before we can sing the praises of this perfect time of year, here’s what went down last month:
The best tweets of September can be found over here.
I compiled my favourite photos from the summer.
I finally wrote about my dad’s 100th birthday party from June and Global News Canada did a short segment on my dad!
Mom & dad at his 100th party
I started a new series (Fall Fridays) and I’m probably more excited about it than you are? And that’s okay?
I found 20 new Halloween decor/kitchen things that I need to buy immediately.
I recapped how I did with my summer list, then made a new autumn one for the season.
Had my favourite meal of the entire season at Shukette.
I made this tomato tart and it was pretty good. It felt cool to make the bread base even though I have zero bread-making abilities (though next time I might just stick with store-bought puff pastry since it’s eons better).
Heirloom tomato tart
Made this chocolate zucchini banana cake for Nathan’s birthday because he loves it and it’s always so good.
Zucchini chocolate banana cake with coffee cream cheese frosting
This batch of pumpkin spice coffee syrup is my new favourite seasonal recipe (especially if you add milk to it before adding to iced coffee).
So I made these pecan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and yes they’re good, but they need some sort of frosting I think. Cookie recipes are so plain these days and someone needs to take a stand against them.
Pecan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
Jimmy Buffett passed away Labour Day weekend, so I finally made my way to Margaritaville in Times Square and it was actually great. The food was rough, but the drinks and the key lime pie were perfection.
Just realized now that I wore funeral clothing to Margaritaville in Times Square, NYC
Got drinks at the Chelsea Hotel and saw Matthew Broderick sitting with John Slattery, who were both babes.
Caught up with my dear friend Sarah who was visiting from Montreal!
Margaritas with Sarah
I went to Shopsin’s in Essex Market and whoa. Any time I’m craving a sandwich, I should always just come here. It’s hard for a chicken sandwich to impress anyone these days, but theirs was memorably fantastic. All sandwich bread should be garlic bread.
Fried chicken sandwich at Shopsin’s
Nathan and I went to Shot of Art to paint and it was kind of really fun.
I mean… we’re really cute here
I have been using the scar cream Mederma on this brutal wound that I’ve had since July and it’s almost magical. The scar isn’t completely gone yet, but as soon as it is I’ll do a side-by-side comparison.
I met R.L. Stine!
Some things I’ve watched:
Night Beast: great. Tubi has such good old horror movies.
Tourist Trap: okay, not a great example of a good Tubi horror movie, but definitely unique. Loved the ending.
The Black Phone: YIKES. Not good. To everyone who enjoyed this movie: it’s sad that your love for Ethan Hawke has clouded your vision because this was utter trash.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I have to get my hands on these snow globes stamps as soon as heavenly possible, I have to put the final touches on my Halloween costume, seeing The Shark is Broken on Broadway with Nathan and spending Thanksgiving in Canada with the family.
If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went on in August over here. And my autumn highlights on Instagram can be seen here.
Summer List 2023 Revisited
I’m a little sad to see this summer end since this was probably the best one I’ve had in decades. We had my dad’s huge 100th birthday party, Marla came to visit me in New York, we went on a family trip to Scotland to see my brother Gary’s family, I had such a fun August with the kids in Canada and I finally got a contact lens that fit my left eye. This summer was huge. But how did I do with my summer list?
1. Bake some sort of tomato pie.
Did it! Should I get a medal for hand-making the dough? Yes, yes I should.
Tomato pie with heirloom tomatoes
2. Go jet skiing.
Not even kinda close to doing this one. Hopefully one day!
3. Eat at the new Superiority Burger.
Went! The veggie burger is as good as they claim, but the sides were only okay. I’d go again definitely for the burger and for the dessert.
The veggie burger at Superiority Burger, NYC
The peanut butter pie at Superiority Burger, NYC
4. Finally visit Smorgasburg.
Did not go! I went to countless other markets, but that absolutely does not count.
5. Swim at least five times.
Damnit I only went three times (so I’m taking a half point). I really wanted to get in some lane swimming, but there just wasn’t any time for it. That will be priority next summer.
So all in all, 2.5/5 - I’ll take it! For a season that I usually loathe, a passing grade is a win for me. Don’t judge my low expectations for myself, please. To see further proof that this summer was so great, I posted my favourite summer photos over here.
AUTUMN LIST COMING TOMORROW!
Favourite Summer Photos
And you can see my summer highlight reel on Instagram over here.