Hello, friends!
Howโs your summer going? I had a bit of a detour last month when I was laid up in bed recovering from Gum Surgery. Yup, thatโs right. Other women my age are getting Botox and (.)(.) jobs, but I had to get a gum lift to treat my recessed gums. And, let me tell you: It was awful. I could only eat smoothies and soup for two weeks. So, while everyone in my feed seemed to be vacationing in Italy, my face was bruised to the point where I looked like Beetlejuice, with my mouth stitched together like Hannibal. Not cute. Yet now I can proudly boast that I have the gums of a 20-year-old :)
Thankfully I have fully recovered and you can find me running my new gums below. Have a wonderful weekend!
Xo,
Toby
โข It might make me unpopular, but Iโm feeling kind of done with the hype machine behind restaurant culture. The food at these hard-to-get reservations never feels worth the fuss. Unless, of course, itโs a Lord of the Rings-themed spot. I had a delicious mug of gazpacho there. No reservation needed. (Hobbit Cafe)
โข On that note, a friend recently turned me onto Dungeon Synth, specifically an album by Hole Dweller, Flies the Coop. Itโs the perfect vibe if youโre looking for some new meditation or background music. (Spotify)ย
โข Oh, man. In this day and age of men doing the absolute least when it comes to dating, Rebecca Woolf is done with it.ย (Romper)ย
โข Hereโs the most fascinating article youโll read all summer about a woman who can smell Parkinsonโs. (NYT Gift Link)
โข With school starting in less than a month (!) Iโm already on the lookout for weeknight dinners, and added Joyโs Easy Ham and Cheese Croissants to my list. I click on all of her recipes that have โeasyโ in the title and I like that these can be made in advance so all I have to do is pop them in the oven after work. (Joy the Baker)ย
โข OK the short film, The Tragedy Of The World’s Tallest Waterslide, is โฆ tragic. But I did enjoy learning about the history of waterparks in the United States and the engineering (or lack thereof) behind waterslides. (YouTube)ย
โข It won’t come out for a while, but Iโm already looking forward to this luscious love story between Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. (YouTube)ย
โข Also marking my calendar to see Lawrence when they come to Nashville this September. They are a pop-funk machine and their new album, Family Business, exudes pure energy. (Spotify)ย
โข Run them through butter/add a little salt. (Reflections)
โข What are your favorite walking sandals? I wear these clunkers every yearโand walked the length of Manhattan in them last summerโbut am looking for an update. (SAS)
โข One treat I recently discovered for your feet is this Aveeno Foot Mask. You canโt beat that price ($4, ppl!!) and it leaves your toes feeling pedicure-fresh. (Target)ย
โข While I do not normally jump on the historical fantasy train, My Lady Jane is an undeniably fun ride. It has three things I value dearly: zippy dialogue, shape shifters, and square necklines.ย (Amazon Prime)
โข Iโm excited to dig further into The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century because Iโve already seen quite a few for my TBR list. Plus, feast your eyes on all those pics of beat-up paperbacks. (NYT Gift Link)ย
โข Claire Zulky writes the best parenting newsletter in the biz, and I especially related to this solution-oriented issue where she tackles all the stuff a household accumulates. Iโve been hauling away garbage bags full of party favors, rocks (yes, rocks), and neglected toys all summer long and still feel like I havenโt made a dent in our house. (Evil Witches)ย
โข This account of riding around on a scooter with 94-year-old Joan Squibb is sheer joy. Who else wants to relocate to that kitschy Sherman Oaks apartment complex? (Vulture)
โข What is something you refuse to pay for yet definitely use on the reg? I swipe the mini Coffee-mate servings from gas stations because theyโre just the right size for daily consumption and having a full bottle of Coffee mate in my house would become an issue. I recently discovered a supply of Caramel Salted Brownie, which led me to investigate this handy flavor ranking. (Parade)
โข Finally, how sweet is this sandwich art by Paul Octavious? (Instagram)ย
15 Responses
Oh, Toby, glad you’re feeling better! Gum surgery *may* be in the cards for me, but after being explained what it’s like and seeing pictures, I really, really hope I can avoid it.
Woolf’s article… Yep. I feel many of us got tired of putting up with bs and don’t feel like putting in the effort into dating when you feel you get so little in return (speaking for me, at least!). I can only applaud it. I know there are some great men out there, but most of the time… Ugh.
I hope you have a great Sunday. Mine’s going to include baking a cake, watching Winbledon men’s final and later tonight the Euro final.
Hope u can avoid the surgery but, if not, I was happy to put it behind me
Toby,
Iโm a small person with very wiiiiiide feet plus a bunion (the cherry on top!) Finding comfortable shoes that arenโt too orthopedic looking is quite a challenge, but Iโve come across two styles that work very well for me:
(1) Fitflopโs Lulu back strap sandals
https://www.fitflop.com/us/en/shop/lulu-adjustable-leather-sandals-p-FV8#090
and (2) On Footโs Cynara Espadrille sandals
https://www.nordstrom.com/brands/on-foot–22074?origin=productBrandLink
The Fitflops are the most comfortable shoes Iโve ever worn and have proven their worth over many miles of walking but I hate the fact that they look and feel a bit plasticky,
The On Foot Cynaraโs are nearly as comfortable and durable as the Fitflops and do not feel plasticky at all.
Good luck with your sandal search!
Those LuLuโs are cool-looking, thanks! And cheers to small people with big feet :)
My favorite walking sandals, by FAR, are these!
https://www.toms.com/us/women/shoes/sandals/womens-rory-tan-leather-strappy-sandal/10020811.html
These are so cute, thank you for sharing!
I had gum surgery two summers in a row! My periodontist is great, but he didnโt love the outcome the first time so he did it again for free. ???? Glad youโve recovered! Thanks for the links!
Oh honey Iโm so sorry
This post confuses me. You included a link to a pair of sandals that cost $145.00 and you want an upgrade, yet you โrefuse to pay forโ coffee creamer that costs less than $5.00 for a month supply, preferring to โswipeโ from a local business. Bye
Swiping from Exxon? Guilty as charged!
I agree. I love it when people reply with more ad links.
Gulp. I kinda donโt want to know since I have so much dental anxiety but I have to ask, are you completely anesthetized for surgery like that? I canโt imagine this is novicane alone? Glad youโre on the other side of it.
Oh completely 100% sedated, I donโt remember a thing. And I must have made a scene bc the receptionist started laughing when she saw me come in the door for my follow up!
This summer I discovered Saltwater sandals and Iโm in love. Iโve walked everywhere in these and theyโre amazing – even though they have no arch support. https://saltwater-sandals.com/products/salt-water-original-1?variant=41513936650427
Hey, sorry about the gummy thing. Yikes! I’ll try my darndedest to avoid that!
Comfy shoes? I have plantar fasciitis, so cushy, comfy is a MUST! I don’t dare buy things online if I haven’t tried them on. I swear by Skechers sandals. The foam insole ones. I travel a LOT. I walk about 15-20 kms day (2 or 3 separate outings) while visiting a new location. I couldn’t do that wihout my Skechers. I do have to get new ones every year. I literally wear the tread off of them, even though I have two or three new pairs every year. So far this year, I’ve visited 11 new countries since January. I carry mole skin in my purse, but I haven’t needed to use it once ! You might check them out. Good value for the $ too.