april favorites
so much to smile about in my life.
well, well, well. it feels like just yesterday i stood on the stairmaster typing out my march favorites in the notes app, but here we are again.
the theme of april was getting back into a normal life. march was full of special moments, from travel to visitors to the marathon, but april granted me thirty blissful days to adjust to a routine that i can sustain. i enjoyed early mornings and long work days and late-night plans with friends after closing shifts and sundays off and long-ish runs and more weekly television.
despite my submergence into mundanity, i found things to love in every single day. here they are.
eating:
avocado crispy rice salad - since rediscovering sweetgreen last month with my doordash gift card, i knew i needed to create a salad that would hit the same spot at home, even if just to get That salad off my mind. to me, the most decadent part of sweetgreen is their crispy rice topping, so i replicated it by tossing leftover white rice in olive oil and air frying it for 20 minutes. i combined this with chopped arugula, avocado, crispy tofu, and peanut sauce for the most fresh and delicious spring meal.
dailybasis greens - i must admit, i am the nepo-friend of dailybasis’ social media manager, so i was able to finesse myself a spot on their PR list. however, even if i don’t know if the green juice is really doing anything for me, i’ve been enjoying the daily ritual of consuming something green with breakfast, and a few extra micronutrients every day never hurt anybody.
grillos hippeas - i was insanely jealous after seeing claire and ashley sample these at expo west last month, so imagine my excitement when i spotted them at besties vegan paradise in east hollywood. they don’t skimp on the pickle seasoning, and i’m a longtime lover of any food with a styrofoam-like texture, so i tend to enjoy any hippeas variety, and this was no different.
tj’s honey peanut butter - as i continue to dip my toe into the world of honey, i discovered the peanut butter with honey at trader joe’s. basically a blended version of my beloved honey-roasted peanuts, this is an excellent addition to oatmeal, yogurt, a slice of toast; or straight out of the jar with a spoon. i think i’ve been averaging a jar every five days this month.
cilantro lemon hummus - at the hollywood farmer’s market, mom’s specialty foods offers dozens of hummus varieties. i sampled at least ten of them (on their fresh pita bread) before purchasing a tub of the cilantro lemon. the flavor is almost a combination of classic hummus and mint chutney — think the kind you get with indian takeout. it lasted me just a few days, and i enjoyed it with mini cucumbers and green olive crackers from tj’s.
pita wraps - i’ve tried making falafel from scratch too many times to count, and they never turn out how i want them to. this month, i pivoted and focused on creating a pita wrap without falafel at all. i meal-prepped a jerusalem salad with preseasoned greek chickpeas, and added that to toasted pita with crispy tofu and creamy dill dressing for a delectable wrap.
carrot cake - on easter, claire hosted a brunch that was absolutely out of this world. the highlight, though, was a layered carrot cake that we made together (read: she made it and i grated the carrots) beforehand. carrot cake is one of my favorite desserts but i often neglect it because it feels painfully seasonal. however, after devouring that cake, i’m ready to order one as my birthday cake next month.
boxed mac n cheese - when i get home from work or run club at 9 pm, only two things ever sound good to me: oatmeal or a box of mac n cheese with frozen peas. i’ve been opting for the latter, oscillating between the vegan white cheddar varieties of goodles and banza. a box is a single serving for me, and maybe it’s the implied pit of hunger i have when consuming one, but it’s one of the best meals of my week.
mead - another venture of my honey journey was trying mead for the first time. for those who don’t know, mead is like if wine was made with honey instead of grapes. it has more of a similar flavor profile to a good hard cider than a glass of wine, and the honey flavor certainly comes through. i’ll be keeping an eye out for it at the grocery store, because i may have found my new drink of choice.
dining:
pad thai from bulan (silverlake) - as a vegan who loves pad thai, i can’t believe i hadn’t been to bulan until this month. an all-vegetarian thai restaurant across from the silverlake erewhon, it has competitive prices, hearty servings, and a great laid-back vibe for a casual dinner or takeout alike. i, of course, got tofu pad thai, and while i believe i have high standards for pad thai, bulan met and exceeded them.
chilaquiles from kitchen mouse (highland park) - every time i go to kitchen mouse i try and expand my palate, but, at the end of the day, nothing will ever beat their chilaquiles. if there’s no breakfast burrito, chilaquiles will always be my brunch order, and kitchen mouse may just have the best vegan ones in LA.
fried pie from magpies (silverlake) - trust me, this was not my first magpies rodeo. in fact, i was there twice this month alone. however, when andie and claire both ordered softserve pies, i hesitantly strayed from my usual order (waffle cone with corn almond softserve) and decided to try their original fried softserve pie. it had a base of the corn softserve and was piled with honeycomb, whipped topping, fudge, and a “fried” cornflake coating, and was absolutely to-die-for.
“famous everything” cookie from maya’s cookies - because i used to work at a major vegan publication, maya’s cookies is a famous establishment to me. based in san diego, they come up to LA for important events like vegan street fair, which is where i bought a massive cookie filled with chocolate, nuts, marshmallows, and pretzels. the price was steep, but it was worth every penny.
falafel plate from mizlala (west adams) - i broke my cardinal rule of only eating out socially this month with a mobile order from mizlala after a long, grueling closing shift. i’ve been seeking out a good mediterranean spot since leaving behind my favorite one in north carolina, and mizlala was… pretty good! this being said, if you have any suggestions for a life-changing lebanese deli in LA, i’m all ears.
hard kombucha at bar flores (echo park) - honestly, i just had to shout this out because i rarely find a bar with hard kombucha on tap. i’m not even sure what flavor it was, but it was far more enjoyable than a beer would’ve been.
the monty meal at monty’s good burger (echo park) - immediately following a few drinks at bar flores, i ended up at monty’s with some friends at midnight, and one thing came to another, and suddenly i have a box of chick’n tenders, fries, a sprinkle cookie, and a strawberry lemonade in front of me. i’ve only ever ordered a burger combo from monty’s, but these chick’n tenders were gas, and i’d definitely get this meal again.
nachos from gracias madre (west hollywood) - the best part of these nachos was that they were $7. a major perk of working east coast hours on the west coast is being able to go to happy hours, which i want to get more in the habit of doing this summer. gracias madre has a pretty extensive happy hour menu, and i’d love to grab a drink there sometime, but a plate of vegan nachos for $10 including tip is a rarity, and they absolutely hit the spot.
doing:
besties run club - besties vegan paradise, a vegan grocery store in east hollywood, hosts a weekly 5k run club that ends in a free ice cream cone for all runners. initially, claire and i were coerced back by the seasonal flavors (cookie butter and nutella), but stayed for the killer hill workout and excuse to hang out at 9 pm on a thursday. it’s a low-key event that somehow pulls a sponsor every week, and i hope to become more of a regular this summer!
annie dirusso concert - i’d never listened to annie dirusso before march, but when claire offered me her spare ticket, i started listening to her album super pedestrian while lifting weights a few times a week. come concert night, i knew every word to the album and had a blast jumping up and down a few feet away from the stage as annie worked her incredible stage presence and general swag.
vegan street fair - this was my second time going to this annual vegan festival in north hollywood, and i was just as overwhelmed this time around. ashley and i split a “shrimp” sushi burrito, but the real star of the show was a sampler platter claire got which had a whole bloomin’ onion, mozzarella sticks, fries, and a reuben sandwich. all three of us went to town on the sampler and there was still some left, but it felt like something we would never find anywhere again.
trivia at spoke bicycle cafe - i’ve been meaning to go to the trivia night at spoke for months, since it’s one of my favorite restaurants in town and i love their somewhat-regular comedy nights. tldr, i was only marginally helpful on the television-oriented questions, but i had a blast sipping a hard kombucha and chatting with friends and getting super competitive about something i was horrible at.
silverlake classic race - my run club throws a twice-annual two-mile race at the silverlake reservoir to raise money for the park’s conservation, and sarah, amber, and i decided to sign up on a whim hours before registration closed. the included shirt is cute as hell, there was free salt & straw scoops for all runners, and it was amazing to get some speed in my legs after only running easy for a month following the marathon. i ran faster than i expected to, keeping even 7:20 splits, and it reminded me how much i love to race, even if it’s low-stakes and i haven’t trained.
hollywood farmers market - this is considered by many to be LA’s best farmer’s market, and after finally attending, i can confirm that it is. honestly, i can’t afford to buy much produce locally, but what i love about the farmer’s market is the pure vibe. i love snacking on free samples and buying a little coffee or juice and leaving with a tub of hummus or punnet of strawberries. it’s a blissful, communal way to spend a sunday morning, and i could get used to it.
renaissance fair - man, i just love seeing people get super excited about something, and the renaissance fair was all about that. staff, performers, and attendees alike were absolutely dripped out in medieval garb, and rides were operated manually by a hilarious crew. aside from being obscenely overpriced, i truly felt transported back to a simpler time, as my mom would say.
streaming:
the last bit of yellowjackets season 3 - okay, we all knew this was coming. the final two episodes of the season aired the first two thursdays of april, and they were nothing short of life-ruining. i already screamed into the void about the penultimate episode here, but the finale delivered on high highs (a really profound ‘pit girl’ scene explanation and long-awaited antler queen reveal) and low lows (jeff and callie smoking for ten minutes while taissa dumped van’s body in a shallow grave on the side of the highway). as much as i complained about the show as it aired, i love weekly television and theorizing on twitter all week between episodes and crying about the show in the break room with my coworkers. i’m anxiously awaiting a renewal and eating up the last bits of press from this season.
the white lotus season 3 finale - i’ll be the first to admit that this season of the white lotus didn’t have me by the neck the way previous seasons did. it may have been due to my coinciding fixation with yellowjackets as it aired, but i couldn’t find it in myself to grow attached to characters or become too entrenched in the fan spaces online the way i have previously. however, the ninety-minute finale delivered on what i felt was lacking this season, and i was able to find closure in the plentiful loose ends that i wasn’t sure they could tie up. while a white lotus death never hits very hard because seasons are standalones, i was devastated at the characters who died at the end of this one. the only loose end that wasn’t tied up was where lachlan would be going to school in the fall, and as a north carolinian, i need to know.
santa clarita diet - can you tell i’m going through liv hewson withdrawals? this has become my silly show to watch while working from home. it’s easy to follow, lighthearted, and unbearably wholesome, filling the sitcom-sized void in my heart without redundancy. i’m moving through it slowly, as i still have over a season left, but i’m having fun watching television casually again after a few months of keeping up with prestige dramas that have entirely infiltrated my timelines.
hacks season 4 - my long-anticipated release of april is finally here! hacks is a rare example of a recent television show that hasn’t gone downhill by its third or fourth season. the writing is just as snappy and witty as it was in season one, and the dynamic between protagonists ava and deborah continues to evolve while remaining exactly the same as it ever was. this is a show i will universally recommend because it is simply that good.
‘end of the world’ by miley cyrus - i’d say that i’m a critical listener of cyrus, meaning i’ll stream anything once but have zero blind loyalty to her music. however, as soon as ‘end of the world’ came out, i dropped every other song in my rotation for at least four days.
‘star witness’ by neko case - as all great songs are discovered, this one came to me in an edit on my for-you-page of van palmer (of yellowjackets fame). anyone who knows me knows that i have a bias toward music with a six-eight time signature, and this one is no different. i’ve had numerous stairmaster sessions and long drives this month with only this song on repeat, and come may, it still hasn’t gotten old.
woodworking by emily st. james - claire recommended this one to me because st. james has worked as a writer on yellowjackets, and while i’m not entirely pleased with that writer’s room right now, i’m so glad that i gave this novel a shot. i loved the intentional use of first, second, and third person voice, the rotating selection of narrators, and the lovable cast of complex characters that got fully fleshed out over the course of woodworking. it was an easy read that still required critical thought, and it singlehandedly dragged me out of my reading slump.
shy girl by haute & freddy - haute & freddy only have 4 songs out right now, but they emulate an early-last-dinner-party sound that i haven’t really seen done since ‘nothing matters.’ it’s the kind of music i would never put on at my retail job but could still dance around my apartment to or lift weights to, and it has a euphoric lightless that isn’t in much pop music these days.
drop - while march was a bad month for new releases, in my opinion, i didn’t have high hopes for this blumhouse feature. at best, i hoped that it would be so-bad-it’s-good, but drop surely exceeded this expectation. i was gagged by the twist and engaged the whole time, and considering i attended a 9 pm showing, that says a lot.
a nice indian boy - i was so excited for this one, after seeing numerous tiktok testimonies of tears in the theaters. the first half of the movie had me cringing in secondhand embarrassment at the protagonist, but by the time we got settled into act two, i was cackling and, yes, crying, at the wholesome story on the screen. it was deeply paralleled with a bollywood film, and i’m sure that if i were familiar with DDLJ, i would’ve been even more touched by the film. it was extravagant and silly and i loved it.
wearing:
vintage LA marathon sweatshirt - i impulse-ordered a sweatshirt from the LA marathon online store after finishing the race, and unfortunately, it fits absolutely horribly. a few days later, i stumbled across a 1997 LA marathon crewneck with an embroidered decal and double-collar detail on depop for $21. i’ve been living in this sweatshirt. it has a perfect boxy shape, muted green color, and worn feel. i’m going to order vintage merch for every race i run, moving forward.
heartbreak 6-panel running hat - i’ll be the first to advocate for a bob haircut, but man, it’s annoying to run with all the flyaways it invites. i dug my old cap from heartbreak running co out of the depths of my closet, and maybe i’m officially a hat girl!
wrangler jorts - as it got warmer, i began my hunt for the perfect pair of long, loose denim shorts for summer. a pair of well-worn men’s ones came across my path at work, and within fifteen minutes of coming into contact with them i’d purchased them and stowed them away. i know i’ll be fully embracing the long jorts this summer and these’ll be on repeat.
soccer shorts - i recently came to the realization that i hate most of my activewear. i tend to run in big cotton tee shirts and old shorts from high school because i can’t bring myself to spend money on running gear i actually like. while i’ve experimented with almost every silhouette of shorts, i’ve come to the conclusion that soccer shorts are my preferred cut. this month, i ordered two pairs of soccer shorts (one nike and one adidas) on depop for under $10 each, and i finally feel like i’m heading in the direction of activewear i look forward to putting on my body.
salomon xt6 - as someone who’s worn sambas every day for over a year, a new pair of casual sneakers was much needed. my job requires i spend 8+ hours on my feet regularly, so i was on the hunt for comfort, first and foremost. my new salmons are possibly the most comfortable shoes i’ve ever worn, and i also love the way they look with a casual jeans-and-sweatshirt outfit. i wear them to work, the gym, parties, or wherever else life takes me. bonus points for bungee cords instead of laces. i’ll never tie a shoe again.
brooks glycerin 21 - i’d been running in on cloudmonsters for a couple years, but after my stress fracture in january, i honestly have a little bit of trauma from the shoes. i decided i needed a change of pace, so after doing some research about which shoe aligned with my foot type and running goals, i landed on the brooks glycerins. while the 22 is the newest model, i was able to snag a pair of the 21s for a steep discount, and they’ve been incredibly comfortable and cushioned for the few weeks i’ve been running in them.
well! i told you, a lot of favorites! i won’t even bore you with a long-winded outro. hope everyone’s april was awesome. ily.
Oo did you see raffella open for Annie dirusso? I’m obsessed with them both