no. 69: april digest

the best things I read, watched, shopped, saved, and ate in april including a retelling of a historical classic, a vampire movie I can't stop thinking about, and the new albums I have on repeat.

The monthly digest is a summary of the best things I have read, watched, listened to, saved, shopped and considered each month. As usual - she’s a bit long, so you might want to check out the browser version or expand in email.

Perhaps I’m a walking cliche, since I seem to write all my monthly digest intros about the weather.

And then April comes around in the PNW like an apology for a long, dark, shitty winter. All of a sudden you’re facing down a week of 75 degrees and sunny with the realization that the skin on your legs has not seen the light of day since October and it's too beautiful outside to even care that your skin tone might blind everyone. The bulbs you carefully planted in the fall burst into bloom, and you realize your dream of fresh bouquets every week of the month from your own garden. There is a sudden and startling return to outdoor dining, the experience of overhearing a stranger's completely unhinged gossip spurred on by sunshine and that second spicy marg that has you sprinting to the group chat to spill the second hand tea.

All that to say; April deserves her flowers, and in Seattle they showed out. Looking forward to a May full of growth and expansion.

Let’s get right to it,

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books

My favorite read of the month was James by Percival Everett – a re-imagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, an escaped enslaved man who accompanies Huck on his travels. I knew the general premise going in, but was completely floored by the experience of reading a story I had read decades ago from such a sharp, emotional and creative perspective. This review does it as much justice as I wish I could, so I’ll just leave it at that.

I also read and loved speculative climate fiction Terrestrial History by Joe Mungo Reed (reviewed here), the incredible AI and technology warning Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (reviewed here) and the wonderful memoir meets advice for life’s biggest transitions, The Next Day by Melinda French Gates (reviewed here)

I’m about to finish Martyr! By Kaveh Akbar – a sprawling family epic about an Iranian immigrant to America who becomes obsessed with death and meaning after a series of personal losses. He struggles with addiction, suicidality, and a deep desire for life and death and everything in between to mean something. It’s beautifully written, if a bit tough to read in some places.

kids books

Lots of great books this month! The hands down favorite has been a Sesame Street Picture Dictionary, with more than 1300 words and definitions. Our little guy LOVES it and we read at least a letter or two every day.

Had a handful of translations that were really sweet and special - Clover by Nadine Robert and Qin Leng, about a little girl who learns to listen to her intuition, Bear With Me by Kerascoët, about a little one who wants to bring their special bear friend everywhere, and Rosie Runs by Marika Maijala, translated by Mia Spangenberg, about a greyhound who escapes from the racetrack. We also couldn’t put down Keat’s Neighborhood, Ezra Jack Keats, an anniversary collection of all his best work. We also loved the very beautiful Yellow Kayak by Nina Laden and Melissa Castrillon.

I utilized one of my childcare days this month to go see a matinee showing of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners (solo and in IMAX, obviously) and it was stunnnnnnnning. The music, the acting, the history and the storytelling were all nothing short of striking - highly highly recommend.

Otherwise it was a veeeeery light TV month! Happily working through Your Friends and Neighbors (Apple TV+, reviewed here) cried and adored every minute of Dying for Sex (Hulu,reviewed here), and circled back to make my husband watch Paradise (also Hulu, reviewed here).

Up next: realized in never finished S1 of The Last of Us (last few episodes came out right when I returned to work from mat leave and I just… forgot) so going to finish that and start S2!

Highly ready for Lorde summer - Started by looping back to Melodrama and have been playing What Was That on repeat.

Big month for annoying people – new Bon Iver AND new Mumford and Sons? I’m seated. Highly recommend this On Being interview about Being Bon Iver for the woo-woo and the OG fans among us (IYKYK)

If Mel Robbins has no haters, I’m dead:

Currently working my way through: Mother Country Radicals:

I don’t make the rules, but spring is

Restaurant Dropout

Season – I took a break but I’m BAAAACK baby. Zoe does spring and summer produce SO WELL and it’s been so nice not to face the 3 pm dinner dread. This week of recipes looks amaaaaaaaze, highly recommend.

Hailee!!!!

Delighted by two cookbooks this spring:

• By Heart, by Hailee Catalano – absolutely delighted to see that Hailee’s debut cookbook has reached the NYT bestsellers list. One of my first follows on TikTok back in the day, I have always loved her skill, sincerity and timeless but fresh approach to cooking. The book is beautiful, and I can’t wait to cook through my copy.

• A Grain, a Green, a Bean by Gena Hamshaw – y’all know I love a formula and am always looking for more easy, budget friendly vegetarian recipes. The french onion brothy beans and greens with garlic toast was a *revelation*, and I’ll be living on the lemon orzo and roasted zucchini with tzatziki all summer long.

For Seattle Locals: Visited two new-to-me coffee shops this month and loved: Upwell Wine & Coffee in West Seattle (amazing ambiance, great vibes for working) and George Coffee and Pastries in U-District (absolutely *insane* pastries y’all). Have become an aggressively loyal regular for The Independent Pizza (IYKYK) and resumed my love for fries, a salad and a spritzy drink from Terra Plata.

coffeewithmaggie

A post shared by @coffeewithmaggie

I've had a very specific Hill House Nap Dress on my wish list since 2022 and have never been quick enough on the drop to get the size and color I wanted. By a stroke of luck I was looking for a dress that could work for a few summer events (anniversary parties, baby showers, etc) and managed to grab the Cosima Nap Dress (in apple stripe!!). I’ve worn it twice already and have been so happy with how cute and comfortable it is to dress up and down. Heads up - It does run a bit big – I’m usually a 4-6 and took a small, but could have gotten away with an xsmall.

I tried out a tinted sunscreen since I'm spending a lot more time outside in the sunshine with my toddler – I got this one from Supergoop! and overall liked it but definitely picked a color that is tooooo light for my summer skin tone (i got 20C, probably should have done 22W?) so will likely just save for winter.

Ran of out my on-the-go hand sanitizer and was deeeeply influenced by a friend to pick up the paume hand sanitizer – one of the only ones I’ve ever used that doesn’t dry out and chap my hands (a must for managing sticky toddlers on the go)

used up:

• Caudalie Reveratrol Lift Firming Cashmere Moisturizer - listen I was lightly bullied into purchasing this in City Pharmacy by a very chic French woman and she knew what she was talking about. I’ve evangelized half my friend group, and will be purchasing the refill.

• Waleda Skin Food Oil-to-Milk Cleanser: I grabbed this at my local co-op and was surprised by how much I liked it - like an oil pre-cleanser and a regular cleanser had a strange, viscous baby. It’s one of the only face washes that doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry and tight within seconds of using, so I’ll be repurchasing.

• Paula’s Choice BHA Toner: This is one of my favorite exfoliators that I’ve been using for yeeeears. I replaced it with a new-to-me Eadem Cashmere Peel AHA/PHA toner during the Sephora sale and it’s felt a lot more gentle so far!

• How I feed my toddler, including a whole week of meals and the must-haves on the grocery list.

• One of the most popular issues this year, including my favorite relationship advice.

• How I tracked everything in my closet, and a round up of what I wore in Q1.

• The books that changed my life (and yours!!!)

• Some personal life updates and bts.

that’s enough of that! see you soon!