Hitting Pan II

April's empties

Hello and welcome to another monthly installment of Things I Used Up and Look Forward to Purchasing Again.

Today, a world of self-improvement—from restorative foods, to Vitamin D management, and more.

Passionfruit for the Soul

Thank you to New Zealand

I was in Costa Rica on a family vacation in 2018 the first time I had a fresh passionfruit. I was rendered delirious by the balance of tart, sour, fragrant, sweet, juicy, and crunchy (from the seeds).

Our last trip to Costa Rica was February 2020. Little did we know it would be our last. Ever year since, I’ve treated myself to a case of passionfruit from Baldor Foods. It costs less than a vacation, but it’s also not as good. I stand in front of my kitchen window and consume them, one after another, in the gray and cold winter light. They are edible sunshine.

Carry-on Sunscreen

SPF 60 or bust

Who am I to complain, though, because in April we took a very last-minute trip to Vieques, P.R., for spring break. We literally decided to go on a Thursday and were on a plane that Sunday. Instead of buying a bunch of carry-on friendly bottles of SPF, I decanted an existing supply of La Roche-Posay into small containers that I found at Target. These 4-ounce jars are technically too big for carry-on, but we eluded detection by the TSA. I feel very proud about this.

Literally Hit the Pan

We’re going to ignore the piece of lint on the product

Whenever someone says my skin looks really good, the answer is this bronzer. As an impulsive beauty product consumer with a lot of mis-picks under her belt, it is very satisfying to hit pan.

A Really Good Memoir

When you burst into tears at the end

Stay True by Hua Hsu was all over my feed a few months ago, and I bought it without learning too much about it in advance—like going to a movie without knowing the plot. Fun! I love reading memoirs and this one was so beautifully constructed. It’s about friendship and loss, but also about the craft of writing, memory, storytelling, and how to represent one’s own self. Loved it.

Talk to you soon!

C.