Master of None in Italy

My husband and I just finished binge watching the second season of Aziz Ansari's Master of None.  While I enjoyed the first season for its refreshing candor, this season is by far my favorite.  First the first episode debuts in Modena, Italy, following an ever enthusiastic Dev throughout Italy on his pasta pilgrimage.  While planning imaginary vacations to all corners of the globe that I one day dream to visit, I often forget about the loveliness and warmth of Italy until I see it onscreen.  Now after living vicariously through Dev and Arnold's Italian escapades, I'm itching to get back there.  And rewatching my favorite movies set in Italy in the meantime to get a fix...Under the Tuscan Sun and Only You to name a few.

This season follows Dev on his pasta internship, where we meet the lovely Francesca (Alessandra Mastronardi) who is a delight to watch, magnetic and captivating in her own right. Then of course, fan favorite Arnold joins Dev in Italy where they embark on a series of hilarious adventures, navigating narrow Italian roads in a too-small-for-Arnold car, biking through Tuscan hilltowns, and dining at the famous Osteria Francescana (home to famous chef Mossimo Bottura of Chef's Table Season 1).  

Perhaps my favorite scene of the entire season is a charming scene between Dev and Francesca, features this catchy Italian song, Guarda Come Dondolo (surprisingly not featured on the Season 2 soundtrack).  I've since downloaded the track from iTunes and have spent many replays dancing alongside my kids to it.   Ahh...it's so lively and fun, you just can't help but dance and twist along - I love it so much!

If you want to explore more of Master of None in Italy, follow along with this Master of None guide to Italy.  And if you haven't started Season 2 yet, this is your nudge to partake!

This post is part of my partnership with Netflix where I share what my family and I are watching each month on our favorite streaming platform. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  #StreamTeam

Homemade Hummus

I've been trying to make my favorite dips and dressings at home the past few months, and tried my hand at homemade hummus a few weeks ago.  However, in typical recipe making fashion, I neglected to read through the entire recipe, realizing that it would take a good 12+ hours to complete.  Whoops!  

Don't get me wrong, hummus itself is pretty simple, it's the soaking and simmering of chickpeas that is a huge time suck.  However, the fruits of my labor was ultimately worth the reward.  Fresh, homemade hummus stands apart from its counterparts for its freshness, tanginess, and sure packs a punch of tahini-y flavor, something no Sabra or Trader Joe's brand can achieve (sorry guys, I still like you too).  

In case you're interested in trying it out yourself, I used Molly Yeh's recipe from her new book, Molly on the Range (similar recipe here).  {Learn from my error, and keep in mind, you'll need to prepare ingredient a good half day in advance of when you plan to serve.}

image/mynameisyeh

Foodie Roundup

Is it just me, or are the summer recipes just bursting through your feed as well?  I've been pinning recipe after recipe, mouth watering in eager anticipation of all these tasty treats we will (hopefully, ideally, perhaps...) make someday soon.

{savory}

+ mexican caesar salad

+ one pan spanish chicken and rice

+ greek sheetpan chicken souvlaki and potatoes

+ paleo chinese orange chicken

+ blt kale salad with greek yogurt ranch

+ mediterranean chicken cous cous

{sweet}

+ strawberry graham ice box cake

+ frozen peanut butter cup pie

+ rhubarb cream scones

+ carrot cake with hawaij and tahini caramel frosting

image/smittenkitchen

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!  Wishing love and happiness to all the mamas out there.  My heart is full of gratitude as I celebrate my fourth Mother's Day this year, and was awoken to the sweet scent of pancakes, a card bearing by my children's names in my daughter's penmanship, and a bouquet of  flowers.  I love my children fiercely, and though they sure wear me out by bed time, I couldn't imagine life any other way.  

Also sending a heartfelt prayer to all of those women dreaming and wishing to be mothers, who may not have gotten the opportunity yet for a number of reasons.  Today, I am thinking of you today, and praying for you. 

In the event that you have a little extra time to peruse links on your special day, here's a roundup of a few that intrigued me this week.

+ this episode of Radio Lab (it's old, yes, but very interesting about the challenges some same-sex couples face internationally related to surrogacy)

+ watched The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks on HBO this week. I read the book years ago, but this gave some perspective to the character of Deborah Lacks (Henrietta's youngest daughter).  Oprah is powerful and captivating as Deborah, you truly forget that she's Oprah!

+ this sweet, reaffirming post on aging 

+ salivating over these antipasto skewers, summer picnics are in sight!

+ eager to read this new parenting book

+ loving this post on finding the balance between being motherhood and everything else

+ interesting read, "our mothers as we never saw them"

image/designmom

Lovely Little Reads: Not Quite Narwhal

Books are my love language.  Have I told you that?  I love a good book; whether that be a high-school-English classic or a children's picture book or a smutty chic-lit read, there is something about engaging and getting sucked into a good book.

I've been a bit behind posting our latest favorites in children's literature to the blog, but I'm quite active over on instagram if you'd like to follow along.

Not Quite Narwhal caught my eye because my kids are obsessed with narwhals.  Fun fact, my husband - the engineer, mind you - wasn't sure narwhals were real things.  He thought they were up there with unicorns and hippogriffs.  Yep, honey.  They're real whales.  

Anyway, Young Kelp was born in the sea, but as a helmet-clad unicorn, grew up believing he was just an unusual narwhal.  He recognized that was he was different growing up; tastes in food, speed of swimming, you know, the basics, but never really understood why.  Until one day, he catches a glimpse of a unicorn's silhouette on the horizon at dusk and is enchanted.  Could it be?  Another creature just like Kelp?  His first experience on land, he must teach himself to walk, and discovers that there is a much bigger world than what he's known in the sea.  A sweet story about finding your footing, learning you you really are and where you want to be.

For more of our favorite reads, follow along on instagram!

Anne of Green Gables

Have you heard?  A remake of Anne of Green Gables will be available this month on Netflix!  I read and loved the first few books as a kid, but wasn't a huge fan of adapted movie or TV mini series.  Hence, I am excited to see if this does the books justice!  Here's a preview, the trailer looks promising and the setting verdant and wild.

What do you think?  Will you watch?

This post is part of my partnership with Netflix where I share what my family and I are watching each month on our favorite streaming platform. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  #StreamTeam

Fun Find

I loved flower pressing as a kid.  I'm not even sure why exactly, it's not a very fruitful hobby.  I remember picking blooms off my mom's potted pansies without her approval and then carefully pressing them between two sheets of cardboard.  My press always felt "fancy" to me, as there were several screws you cranked to ensure the press was successful. When I saw these glasses over at Cupcakes and Cashmere and a wave of nostalgia for those lazy summer days, picking and pressing flowers which later ended up glued onto birthday cards for grandparents.  

Anyone else press flowers as a kid?  I think I might buy these glasses solely to indulge in that sweet memory.

image/urbanoutfitters

April Favorites (a few days late)

+ Native deodorant (paraben and aluminum free) - by far the best natural deodorant I've tried, clean, fresh scents, and comes in the traditional stick form

+ the show Life in Pieces on Netflix

+ the Moana soundtrack (of the childrens tunes we own, this album hasn't driven me crazy yet, I attribute to the fun, catchy beats)

+ two young adult novels by Jennifer Niven, All the Bright Places

and  Holding Up the Universe, both are intense and heart wrenching at times, but I couldn't put them down

+ this delicious recipe for everything Greek pork pitas

+ this post about teaching children consent (especially #2, "don't pout" which I think is something my parents' generation does all the time and until now, I never realized this could be teaching kids to feel guilty in relation to consent)

+ this post makes me want to get back to Croatia

image/pinterest