An escapist TV thriller, colorful sneakers, and a charming amaryllis

plus garlic salt that makes everything taste better

The sunlight today is bright in that distinctive January way - bright to the point of blinding but still somehow cold. I’m on the train, headed to NYC for the day, wearing my winter uniform, swaddled up in an enormous down puffer, and cocooned in the delicious dislocation that traveling by train always gives me - I love that pulled-out-of-time feeling of being in motion. There are no dishes to do, no friends to call, no ‘shoulds’ weighing on me. I find the end of January to be the nadir of winter, a true psychological slog. I know, though, from long practice, that by Valentine’s Day, the light will have shifted inexorably towards spring, warmth, and growth. So, I’m taking it one day at a time, focusing on the little joys like being bundled up on the train.

What I Read (and Watched!)

The Day of the Jackal was just the show we needed this month - gripping, escapist, full of twists. It’s hard to find shows that all of us, including our teenager, can agree on, but we binged on this one in …