#5SmartReads- May 16, 2023

Abigail is the Brooklyn based writer behind This Needs Hot Sauce, a food newsletter she started in 2017. She likes taking walks around the neighborhood, long phone calls, and hanging in the park with friends and an ice cream cone.

Your Home Deserves Custom Matchbooks (Eater)

I love candles and I love restaurant matchbooks. I have a bowl in my living room that serves as a useful reminder of some of my favorite meals and travels.

I love the idea of making custom matchbooks (one of my friends did this as for wedding favors) to celebrate a new apartment or special occasion! So classy!

In Mexico, Carne Is King- Would Eating Less Meat Mean Losing My Identity? (The Guardian)

I'm so proud of Frida (who's been my friend for over a decade) for writing about her journey of eating less meat and her Mexican culture.

Food and family are so linked and I'm so happy her family has come around. She also shares a lot of context about plant based traditions in Mexico and the rich history there.

We Need To Abolish The “Exonerative Tense” Of Headlines (BuzzFeed News)

I'm going to miss BuzzFeed News so much! Their coverage of so many topics was impossible to find elsewhere and this is no exception.

Many major newsrooms use this "exonerative tense" when talking about police killings, mass shootings, domestic terrorism and more. It's when you say people are dead or injured but aren't clear about who caused this. Sometimes this language is lifted from police department press releases, which newsrooms should not take at face value.

Once you notice this style of headline, you'll see it everywhere (and question it)!

‘Justice 4 Jordan’: New Yorkers Who Have Experienced Homelessness React To Subway Killing (City Limits)

I haven't stopped thinking about Jordan Neely, who was killed on the subway in a chokehold last week. He was killed for being homeless and struggling with his mental health and he should absolutely be alive today (so far, no charges have been pressed on his killer).

In this piece, New Yorkers who have also experienced homelessness react to this incident and empathize with Neely's struggles.

All Hail The Single Girl Supper (Bustle)

Ending with something light from the wonderful Hannah Orenstein! I've been in a relationship for years but still enjoy the single girl supper with friends—it's wine and cheese! She writes about why this order is perfect for dates.

Hannah also offers the best dating advice on her Instagram stories and in her monthly advice column.