Leftovers #103
Disappearing acts, a recipe-not-recipe for sad pasta feat. ricotta and new romance.
Thinking
Unoriginal observation: I often put off things that seem terrifying, even when they are as simple as driving. Simple, because I have been driving for 16 years. Simple because I have driven on the wrong (right) side of the road many times before, in California no less. Instead of jumping in the car I’m literally insured on, I spent two full days walking in Los Angeles (unheard of), racking up tens of thousands of steps. This morning I drove to Echo Park – delightful, easy, uneventful – and realised how many first steps I’d missed just by dint of being afraid of crashing.
Anyway, it’s now 4pm and my best friend
has just landed in LA. I can see this by her location that for some reason we have shared with each other despite living on opposite sides of world. I’ve cleaned up my mess, laid some treats for her on the bed (eye mask, lip balm, magnesium, suede jacket, welcome to your 30s) and we’ll be heading up to the park to sip Ghia in the sun overlooking the city, alone together for the first time in two years – which also happened to be in this city.
I know I’ve been absent on this newsletter, and I promise I’m working on an essay. I’m enjoying consuming and reading and taking things in so apologies this Leftovers is a little brief; back to usual programming when I’m back in London at the end of May! It’s also my birthday on Monday; determined to prove this podcast title wrong.
Reading
Good News: Love Isn’t Dead, It’s Just Overcomplicated, Byline
As someone who grew up dreaming about Mr. Darcy, consuming art by the romantics, idolizing Audrey Hepburn's demeanor, and believing in flirtatious banter as a form of foreplay, I feel ashamed to admit that I fundamentally changed my expectations to fit in with what I was getting from the men (and the stories) around me. It didn’t feel good, but it also felt like a reality I couldn’t push against.
I’m a sucker for an article about the complexities and disappointments of modern dating, and also for anything on Byline. It touches on some of the thoughts I have on being desired or desiring as a binary, which I wrote about in an essay a couple of months ago.
Recommending
Some of my favourite LA spots and a few new ones too. Barnsdall Art Park, which is so London coded because it’s the only park I’ve seen in this city where people are lying down (lying down in the sun in parks is such a London pursuit and it runs deep in my veins). Kismet Rotisserie in Los Feliz, my first stop as soon as I landed, which still stands up as my favourite place to eat in LA (so sue me, I love chicken, hummus, pickles and their miso poppy seed vinaigrette). Griffith Park, daily, for its views, semi-challenging hikes and great dogs. Found Oyster in Silver Lake with the inimitable
for the best salmon and tuna crudo that’s ever melted in my mouth. Amano in Echo Park which exclusively sells vintage tees, leather and denim, aka my uniform. And The Dresden in Los Feliz with my friend Romy, where I was served the best dirty martini I’ve ever had. It’s so dark and sexy in there, it makes you want to snog someone. And of course Tabula Rasa, my friend Nicole’s wine bar in Thai Town, which is where I tried a gorgeous minerally white from Tenerife called marmajuelo.Cooking
Sad Pasta, unsure which version we’re up to now. I went to the local grocery store (down the bottom of my road and about 0.1% cheaper than Erewhon) and spent an ungodly amount of money on 8 cans of Ghia, 2 avocados, a punnet of tomatoes, basil, tomato paste, ricotta and fusilli lunghi. I wanted to keep things simple with dinner, so it’s back to basics with a new-old recipe-not-recipe.
Do your pasta thing (boil water, salt it, decide how hungry you are, cook until your desired tenderness! I used fusilli lunghi, the princess of pastas imho). Heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan, add three handfuls of halved cherry tomatoes and cook down on a medium heat until they start to release their juices. Add some finely sliced lemon rind (I just cut two big pieces then sliced), 3-4 chopped garlic cloves and add a big pinch of salt and chilli flakes. Let the garlic and lemon rind soften (for about 5 minutes) then add 1 tbsp double concentrate tomato paste. Season to taste and add a couple of spoonfuls of pasta water. Throw in a handful of chopped basil, stems and all, then stir your pasta through. Add a couple spoonfuls of ricotta, mix, finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, some more fresh basil and enjoy on the floor with your best friend who makes you feel whole again!!!
Drinking
This Japanese beer that I’ve stocked up on from my friend Nicole’s fridge. It’s fragrant and nutty but with a floral edge? Makes me want to open a brewery in my garage like those brothers in Joe Swanberg’s Easy.
Listening
Watched The Greatest Hits on Disney+ (weird plot, but watchable) and was reminded of this song. Big road trip energy.
That Byline..! Excellent recipe can’t wait to make it!