5SR - July 14, 2023

Abigail Koffler is the Brooklyn based writer behind This Needs Hotsauce, a food newsletter she started in 2017. She works in PR and loves beach days, fun TV like The Summer I Turned Pretty, and cooking.

It’s Pasta Salad Summer (Vox)

Have you made pasta salad yet this summer? I didn't grow up eating it but have had some delightful (and mayo free) versions in recent years, including a pesto asparagus one my friend made for a potluck recently.

TikTok is driving this food trend, like so many others, and the combination of cute pasta shapes and colorful vegetables is irresistible to the algorithm. I've seen a few colleagues pack pasta salad for lunch and I might have to join them!

Mad About High Restaraunt Prices? It’s Not The Chef’s Fault (Food & Wine)

Inflation is affecting pretty much everything and food prices are super visible. Next time you balk at menu prices, consider this article, which walks through how a price can reach the $20 mark for a seemingly simple dish like avocado toast.

I've seen restaurants near me shut down because they can't turn a profit, even with pricey drinks and entrees. It's really challenging to run or work in a restaurant right now. And remember, even if the price is higher than you'd like it to be, wages are not rising with inflation, so be sure to tip!

A New Decade, A New Album, A New Life- Olivia Rodrigo’s Next Chapter (Vogue)

It is a good summer for pop music (hello, Speak Now, Taylor's Version) and I am really looking forward to Olivia Rodrigo's sophomore album. I loved this profile by Jia Tolentino where they chat living in New York, heartbreak or lackthereof, and how to protect yourself and your emotions when expressing them is part of the job.

Being a famous teen girl is not easy and I hope Olivia enjoys her twenties and protects her peace.

I Went To A Wellness Resort In Arizona On A Solo Postpartum Trip- Here’s How The Meditation Labyrinth Actually Cleared My Mind (Travel + Leisure)

The word labyrinth is used frequently in metaphors (and song lyrics) but I've never come across one in real life.

Writer Devorah Lev-Tov came face to face with one in Arizona on a postpartum retreat and found a ton of benefits (and moments for reflection) as she navigated it. I love a good long walk to reset my mood and this story made me think about ways to switch up that walk to challenge myself. Labyrinths are not mazes but they are challenges and they offer lots of lessons.

Why Am I Not Over This By Now? (Tough Love)

Taylor Swift recently performed Dear John, her song about her relationship with a much older John Mayer, at a stop on the Eras tour and told her fans that she doesn't care what happened to her when she was 19.

No disrespect to Taylor, but I don't believe her. I still care about what happened to me when I was 19 and you might as well. Tiff's essay, about finding out about her partner cheating, makes an important point about grief and memory. Everybody moves on and you don't. It's part of the process and incredibly valid. Whether it's a trauma, a death, a painful relationship or something else, it's okay to not be over it