Brooke's Bookshelf: January 2023 Vol. 1
Books I’ve read/ shows watched in the last two and a half weeks:
Books:
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (Fiction Book) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Formidable female scientist in 1960s California
The House in The Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune (Fiction Book) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I just loved this
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors (Fiction Book) ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Saw this on the IG for Shakespeare & Company and downloaded on Kindle. Some say it’s Sally Rooney-ish? Recently announced to become a TV series
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Second chance love amongst writers
Television:
National Treasure: Edge of History (tv) on Disney+: A reimagined variation of National Treasure and I am loving it. Airs on Wednesdays on the platform.
The Mole (tv) on Netflix: A recreation of an older show where a team of individuals problem solve for a cash prize while trying to deduct who amongst them is secretly working agains their mission. The whole series is out on Netflix.
1923 (tv) on Paramount+: A Yellowstone spinoff. Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford. Enough said. Airs on Sunday evenings on the platform. (Although it is currently on hiatus until February)
The Menu (film): I usually don’t explore this horror/thriller genre, but with a star-studded cast and several recs from folks, we decided to dig in. I had my eyes shielded for most of the film, but it was spectacular.
Wednesday (tv) on Netflix: Obsessed. Truly obsessed. The whole series is out on Netflix.
Studio updates:
Our blog is back! After a sweet stitcher told me that she missed my blog and if it were coming back, I decided to take the plunge! It meant a lot to hear her inquiry, so I hope you’ll enjoy it!
I also turned in some designs for Isabel Harte Spring 2023 that I hope you’ll love.
New recipe I tried:
Over the holidays, we made bagels for the first time! We missed the bread making portion of quarantine and PNW bagels are subpar compared to the East Coast. We followed this recipe and they were delicious— especially with cream cheese, lox and pickled onion! Next time, we will opt for trying “flavored” bagels with toppings
Mood board:
In our new apartment, my husband has requested that our modest furniture be industrial with black metal and brown wood. This is usually the opposite of what I would choose, but the price was right and I decided to indulge him. Browsing H&M Home for some inexpensive basics, I stumbled along this photo and just loved it.
Something I learned:
Peanuts are legumes, not nuts! A friend shared this and I was floored.
Favorite song of the week:
Too Much by Reneé Rapp After watching The Sex Lives of College Girls on HBO over the Holidays, I shamelessly looked up some of the actors on IG and discovered photos of Reneé on stage performing. For what? I wondered? Turns out she’s a belting songstress and I can’t stop listening to her music on doggie walks.
I also love Everything to Everyone, In The Kitchen, Colorado, Tattoos by Rapp
Favorite quote:
I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want. And why do I want? I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in my life. — Sylvia Plath
Sustainable tip:
Don’t toss your strawberry tops! Here are a few uses for them from The Farmers’ Almanac beyond adding a nutritious kick to your smoothies.
Adding to my bucket list:
Exploring the Olympic Penninsula this summer! We live so close yet so far. With travel limited the last few years and being back on the East Coast for a few weeks, we just didn’t quite get there. Hoping to explore the glacial lakes and mountains in a few months.
Favorite colour of the week:
Gratitude of the week:
Handwritten snail mail from friends and family
Puppy cuddles
Foggy hikes with friends
Out of my comfort zone:
Went for a polar plunge! Standard practice here on Vancouver Island, you can find most beaches and watering holes clad with courageous souls dipping their toes or submerging themselves in fridgid water before seeking the closest hot tub! We followed up our plunge with friends with hot tub mimosas and bagels with lox. I think I’m becoming more of a New Year’s Day fan than New Year’s Eve.