This week, I discovered homemade crepes. I'm a big fan of pancakes and when I craved them some days ago, I tried to make some without having the proper ingredients. The batter ended up too watery and flat, which actually was the perfect consistency for crepes.
We’re now at the end of the week and I don’t make crepes by accident anymore. I really love how varied and customizable the filling options can be—it can be sweet or savory, depending on what I’m feeling that day, and it’s all easily attainable with what I already have in my pantry. I recently discovered the simplest recipe for a caramelized apple crepe and it’s become a house staple now.
Aside from crepes, I’ve also binged on some anime recently. A quick backstory: Early in July, I learned that “Umbrella Academy” (UA) season 2 would be released at the end of that month, and so I rewatched the first season in preparation.
I finished the sci-fi dark comedy quicker than I expected—a bit more than a week before its follow-up was released. I suddenly had a free window which I can use to watch something short, light, funny, and without a serious storyline—a show that could easily allow me to divest my time and focus when UA season 2 finally gets here.
“Attack on Titan” was not that. It had hundreds of plot twists that made me end up watching six episodes in just one night. I immediately knew I was going to be hooked until the end. I remembered how I enjoyed watching this anime despite all its tragedies and most of my favorite characters dying. Having seen it before, I now had a different perspective on the characters’ mindsets, and even saw telltale signs of the treachery I was previously so shocked by. It definitely was a pleasure to rewatch to see all the epic gift scenes again.
Vinny’s picks
I went through the first season of “Hospital Playlist,” a medical drama slash romantic comedy this week. Though it’s fiction, I chose to watch the show to remind me of all the heroic sacrifices and impossible hurdles medical workers face everyday, even before the pandemic has struck.
The pace of this K-drama is incredibly real, and all its characters are incredibly human. It’s a light and easy watch with some tearjerkers in between. It takes off the white coats and scrub suits off our doctors, letting us peek into the challenges they face outside hospital premises, and the professional culture and individual empathy they wish to nurture in their peers and those they mentor.
Not all of us are privileged to wait this pandemic out in the comfort of our own homes, baking bread and watching as much K-dramas as our body clocks permit. How we live our days is owed to the fact that our frontliners have been working their asses off day and night these past months. They too have families to take care of, dreams and goals to pursue, a life to cultivate and live—but all of these are put into hold as they bravely face and mitigate the risks of our new normal for us.
I’m no professional, but I’m prescribing “Hospital Playlist” as a late-night breather and a hopeful reminder that good people are holding the line for us out there.
Christine’s picks
One of my favorites this week is NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert series. The video series of intimate live concerts started back in 2008 and has since featured artists from all genres including Coldplay, Blood Orange, Weezer, and Taylor Swift.
Since I’ve been listening to more female artists as of late, some of my favorite Tiny Desk episodes feature Raveena, H.E.R. and Noname. My all time favorite set is Snoh Aalegra’s though—the queen brought an 11-piece orchestra, and they all absolutely just killed it.
Another favorite this week are Chloe Ting’s workout videos on YouTube. I’ve been staying at my parents’ home in Chicago for the last few weeks, where I don’t have access to weights or any other gym equipment. I’m not a huge fan of just plain running or simply doing basic bodyweight movements like pushups and crunches, so I’ve actually been less motivated to exercise these days. I knew I had to get moving though, so I decided to check out YouTube for some creative home workout videos.
I’ve done a few of Chloe’s workouts in the past, and I knew that following one of her training videos would give me a good sweat without the need for weights and other equipment. She’s created tons of different workout plans targeting different muscle groups, so I think everyone will be able to find a routine they’ll like whatever it is they’re trying to work on. The length of her workouts range from 10 to 40 minutes, so you’ll be able to find something whether you’re looking for a quick sweat sesh or a full body routine. Besides her fun workout videos, she also posts a lot of healthy recipes and lifestyle tips. I also just love watching her videos because of her quirky personality!
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