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Kicking things off!

1. I'm Abigail and I live in Brooklyn.

2. Last night for dinner, I had a rice bowl with fried eggs and pickled veggies, very simple.

3. I started TNHS in October 2017 :)

4. Yesterday's episode of Celebrity Book Club brought me so much joy. They typically read a book but this week, they tasted a bunch of wines (because wine tells a story...) and it was hilarious. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6a2ih3MxX4mRsYojp757df

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Jul 7, 2022·edited Jul 7, 2022Liked by Abigail Koffler

1. I'm Gillian and I live in Rome

2. I had 2 Campari spritzes for dinner last night. It was too hot to eat.

3. I found you through Substack Grow

4. I escaped the city for the country north of Rome for a few days. There have been power cuts and fires and unrelenting heat for weeks. What is bringing me joy right this very moment? The thunder in the distance after a few minutes of much needed rain and the sweet chirps of a Hoopoe and the crow of a rooster.

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Jul 7, 2022Liked by Abigail Koffler

Hey hey hey!

1) Leah here reading from Manchester, UK!

2) Herby tomato soup with a cheese toastie (or grilled cheese as you guys say!), simple but effective!

3) I discovered TNHS through Twitter and loved the conversational but informative output bringing us into your world :)

4) Being able to attend live events again now its festival season, being healthy after some recent anxirty and the Summer sun

x

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Jul 7, 2022Liked by Abigail Koffler

Greetings fellow hotsauce-heads!!!!!

1. I'm Julia Reinstein, and I live in Brooklyn.

2. Last night for dinner, I got takeout from Sage, my favorite local Thai spot! Gotta love a spot with an appetizer sampler.

3. Not to brag, but I'm an OG reader, because Abigail has been my BFF since we met as summer camp roomies in 2010 <3333 yes, she is as rad IRL as she appears to be in your inbox, and yes, it is a joy to read recaps of some of my best meals with her here.

4. I feel like I've shrieked "I FUCKIN LOVE SUMMER IN NYC!!!!!!" approximately 100 times in the past week. Between burgers from Rippers at Rockaway to 360 views of fireworks from Julianne's roof on the 4th and all the other fun stuff I'm looking forward to, I am just losing my dang mind over summer fun :')

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Jul 18, 2022·edited Jul 18, 2022Liked by Abigail Koffler

Gosh, first off, it's exciting to comment because I'm a (cheap but enthusiastic!) reader who often heads to comment and is not able to, blah blah blah not-a-paying subscriber : )

1. I'm jess and I'm commenting from the interior of Alaska.

2. I had a "big salad" of arugula, romaine, butter lettuce and basil with noochy sesame avocado toast on no knead bread.

3. I noticed a comment recommending TNHS on a food newsletter thread around the time I joined substack, and I quickly checked it out and subscribed.

4. BASIL. The short summer up here was cut even shorter last year by early snow, and my partner and I had a rare Saturday off yesterday so we drove to Fairbanks for the farmers market & yard sales. Long story short, we came home with a FLAT of basil that I'm swooning over and processing into pesto for fresh & freezing.

Cheers!

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Jul 11, 2022Liked by Abigail Koffler

Hi!

1. I'm Caleigh and I live in DC!

2. Last night I had panzanella with tomatoes from the farmer's market and some peaches for dessert, very much leaning into the summer produce lately :)

3. I found TNHS through the Substack discover feature. I love reading all of the Substack food & bev newsletters— there's such a good community on this platform!

4. I'm gearing up to help with a bake sale for charity (abortion funds) and I am having so much fun doing recipe testing and playing around with new ideas for treats!! I can't wait to help out for a good cause.

Thanks for all of the work and love you put into your newsletters— I always look forward to reading them!

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Roen, here in Vermont!

We had braised pork shoulder with penne, radicchio and broccoli rabe. Few glasses of Picpoul.

I found your blog literally by searching for "hot sauce". (I love hot sauce).

Listening to Van Morrison with the simplest of fluffy white tortillas, scrambled eggs and...hot sauce.

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Hi Abigail + TNHS readers!

1. I'm Hillary and I live on the Upper East Side in New York City.

2. Last night, I went out to dinner at a very cute Austrian restaurant in my neighborhood, Blume. I split a charcuterie board and tried a new-to-me cheese called "alp blossom" and then had an extremely delicious squid ink fettucini with clams! (Fun fact, the restaurant switches to be Alpine ski themed in the winter and renames as Hutte)

3. I found TNHS because I'm friends with Abigail IRL, but the content is so relevant to my interests that I'd be a subscriber even if I didn't know her.

4. I've recently discovered the joy of walking to the park after work, laying on a blanket, and reading a book. It feels extra special in the evenings when it's light out so late!

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Hey there!

1. Suzanna Simpson here - located in Estes Park, Colorado at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.

2. I had a solo night, so I made a summer pasta I've been dying to try for a while. My husband doesn't like summer squash, so I try to cook with it mostly when he's gone. It was delicious and I added some grilled corn, ricotta, and basil.

3. I discovered TNHS through the Morning Brew's Sidekick newsletter.

4. My thriving plants at 7,500 feet. Coming from the DC area 10 years ago, I was bound and determined to make this work. I've had to adjust my attitude and preferences a bit, but isn't that part of life? I have a terraced rock garden out front with many succulents that have returned year after year (many blooming this year), and lots of columbine, geranium and lilacs in the backyard. What used to be garden plants for me (tomatoes, greens, herbs, etc.) are now in pots and that is just fine.

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Hey there Abigail! I'm Terrell Johnson and I live in Atlanta, Ga., and I had fried shrimp for dinner last night -- but I'm on vacation at the beach with my family, so that's okay, right? And, I found TNHS by meeting you (of course!) back at the Substack gathering in NYC a couple of years ago. And, something bringing me joy right now is John Grisham's 'Camino Island' -- I love a good beach read!

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Love this idea!!

1. I'm Claudia and I live in the Philly area.

2. Last night's dinner was tortellini and salad.

3. I subscribed to TNHS after so many other writers on Substack recommended it. Or it was when I began publishing on here and Substack oo-ed and ah-ed over Abigail's knack for building community. One of those.

4. Just accepted a full-time job after a long and hard job search!

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1. I’m Karen and I live in Forest Hills, Queens.

2. See Neil’s reply for what was for dinner last night. We did great with no planning and no trips to the market, utilizing CSA ingredients primarily.

3. My daughter suggested I subscribe to TNHS…

4. Sources of joy: any time I’m with my kids/family/friends; good books; good workout and of course, good meals!

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1) I'm Neil and live in Forest Hills.

2) Dinner last night was a CSA fridge clean-out: summer squash, garlic, and beet greens, sautéed with onions, some leftover marina, and turkey sausage. Served over a half box of pasta and some bread.

3) My daughter recommended TNHS.

4) Seeing the cute babies and dogs on walks/runs through the neighborhood brings me joy.

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I love this idea and I might borrow it. :)

1. I'm Chrissy and I live in coastal North Carolina.

2. For dinner last night, I had peanut tofu stir fry over quinoa, which my husband made for us, which is a pretty big deal, as I am a the main chef in our home and also a little bit of a control freak.

3. I don't remember - it's been a while. I'm a long time reader!

4. In mid-June, I started a running streak - one mile a day, no matter what. It's been a nice, low effort, grounding practice that starts my day on the right foot (pun intended lol).

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Hello! I'm reading from Tallahassee FL. Last night we were driving home from a short vacation in the North Carolina mountains and we just snacked in the car (cheese crackers, peanut M&Ms, prunes (??), and gas station iced tea. Not feeling my personal best this morning haha!

I must have discovered TNHS from another newsletter... Alicia Kennedy maybe?

Something bringing me joy right now is my morning walk. I used to walk every morning before I had kids, but for the past 10 years I've been finding excuses on why I just simply can't get up early enough for an hour walk before work...until about a month ago when I just started doing it. It's been fantastic! The movement feels great for my body, I'm a morning person and getting to see the sun rise each day has been so life-affirming, and it's giving me so much more reading time (in the form of audiobooks).

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Hi there!

1) I'm Hannah and I live in Charleston, SC!

2) Last night for dinner, I had cowboy caviar with tortilla chips- some days it's just too hot here to eat anything but dip for dinner.

3) I found TNHS after I liked a post on Alicia Kennedy's newsletter and saw you'd like it as well!

4) The new MUNA album and the fact that last night I went to in-person yoga for the first time since March 2020 are currently brining me joy!

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Hello ☺️

My name's Madison and I am from Milwaukee.

Last night (as with EVERY Wednesday night since the pandemic began), my partner and I made homemade chicken tenders and air fried them, pairing them with oven baked sweet potato wedges. It's a tradition we have become very fond of, and although eating the same dinner every Wednesday got old a few times, it DID help us stay grounded when it seemed like the world was turning upside down.

I honestly don't really know how I found TNHS. I think I found it in a recommendation from a podcast or radio feature.

Right now I am beaming with joy just from getting to have my morning coffee with my cats in the perfect summer weather.

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Hii!!

1. I’m summer and I was born, raised and currently reside in London

2. Last night, I made a (very involved) paella- it was very tasty.

3. I found TNHS through your meal prep book co- author erica! (I can’t wait to purchase btw)

4. I’ve been eating at the dinner table recently and I’m really loving it. I still watch netflix on my computer, but it’s lovely to actually use my table.

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1. I'm Jorge, I am a foodwriter and I live in Santiago (NW Spain).

2. Beans and rice with Laoganma Sauce, sauteed eggplant and a tomato salad.

3. I knew about it via Alicia Kennedy newsletter.

4. Last days of summer. That, here, means ripe figs, local grapes and, in a few days, chestnuts and wild mushrooms.

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Hi Abigail!

1. My name is Emily Rose and I'm here in Chicago, IL

2. Last night I ate prosciutto direct from the package, like a heathen, and a cabbage salad with apples, sunflower sees, cranberries and a parmesan vinaigrette.

3. I was happy to find TNHS through a Substack grow workshop.

4. I rescued a dead/dying orchid from my mother's house and nursed it until it grew a stem. She's now got 5 blooms and 5 buds on their way. With everything going on (gesturing) out there, I keep my tiny joys close to home.

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Hi! A little late but wanted to say hi!!

1. I’m Rachel and I live in Brooklyn. I moved to NYC from Boston last November and absolutely love it.

2. Last night I had leftover rice and veggies with crispy tofu and a spicy yogurt harissa sauce.

3. I found TNHS through Instagram.

4. Something bringing me joy is thinking of the vacation I’m leaving for after work today - I’m headed to my friends lake house upstate for a long weekend of relaxing, reading, good eats, and good company!

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Hello!

1. I'm Dana and I live in Brooklyn.

2. I ate a custom pizza from Brooklyn Pizza Crew

3. I found TNHS through another Substack

4. I am to Portland next week where I'll be going to the best grocery store in the world, New Seasons

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Hello !

I'm Pauline and I currently am based in Tokyo.

For dinner, I had nothing japanese despite living in Tokyo, but some korean chicken called "Yangnyeom" (sweet and spicy sauce) with cheesy Tteokbokki (rice cakes) and a light white wine.

I found about TNHS while looking for food-related newsletter/blogs.

I'm doing my dream job (or something that is super close) and I have access to the best coffee for free 🤍

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Hey hotties,

1. I’m Sophie and I live in Hackney, east London.

2. Last night for dinner I had noodles in broth. I bought a bottle of Yuzu Ponzu, and can confirm it is the absolute bomb and I will be adding it to everything going forward.

3. I just found TNHS after being in breakout room with you in Substack Grow!

4. Aside from the Yuzu Ponzu, I’m loving eating ice lollies (ice pops? Or are they popsicles?!) in the garden with my three kids at the end of a hot day. Such a sweet moment of pure childhood joy x

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Hi! A little late but thought I’d chime in :)

1. I’m Hoi and living in Singapore

2. I had a strawberry passionfruit banana smoothie, but balanced that out with a piece of brownie :P

3. I honestly can’t remember, must have been linked from another newsletter

4. Took advantage of prime day on amazon to buy a bunch of OXO items to replace some crappy kitchenware I bought in my 20s, so am feeling very grown-up

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Hi All -

Wanted to chime in as well!

What’s your name and where are you located? My name is Grace (she/her) and I’m located in Richmond, VA

What did you have for dinner last night? (no judgement) we had grilled turkey and mushroom meatballs with fresh pasta and broccolini (thanks to the farmers market!!)

How did you find TNHS? I don’t totally remember - I know I found it on Instagram, maybe a share or round up by another creator? No matter how I am so so glad to be here!!

What’s something bringing you joy right now? (can be big or small) I’ve been painting my nails almost every week since the pandemic started for the first time in my life. It’s been something that is a quiet moment for myself and makes me feel like I’m always a little put together even on days I barely change out of PJs. It’s also so fun to try the colors I never would have bought when I was younger - neon? Go for it! Green that might look like mold? Try it anyway it’s only a week (and the mini bottles are great for trying a color!)

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1. Diana from NJ! ( I am close to Philadelphia)

2. Salad with roasted veggies and vegan dressing :)

3. I have no clue how I found TNHS, BUT I am so happy I did, love the weekly newsletter so much!

4. Spending time with my mom and dad this summer (The live in SC, I am in NJ , and my father is very sick) So each day is a gift!

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Hi!

1. I'm Annette and I live in Auckland, New Zealand.

2. Last night I made a TVP-pinto-black bean chilli, starting with a bean recipe from Provecho and adding a few extra ingredients, and put it on a baked potato along with a side of broccoli gratin.

3. I am actually not sure 😳 but most likely via Instagram or another newsletter.

4. It's midwinter here and I installed two heated cat beds under my desk, so I have little friends with me all day as I work from home!

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Howdy!

My name is Chrystal and I live in Vinton, VA.

I wish I could say I had something amazing for dinner last night…I had French fries. But after a long weekend of work, comfort food hit the spot.

I think I came across TNHS in Morning Brew’s Sidekick.

I am still soaking in the joy, amazement, beauty, and excitement of my recent vacation in Germany and Austria.

This is a great idea for a little ice-breaker activity I can do with my work team. I love it!

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1. I'm Kim and I live in Naples, FL.

2. Last night for dinner, I had a turkey burger (homemade) and roasted broccoli.

3. I started a Substack newsletter this year and found TNHS while browsing.

4. Watching Better Call Saul this summer to prepare for the finale.

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Hi!

1. I’m Lauren and I live in Austin

2. Last night we made instant pot pork quesadillas

3. Found through another newsletter

4. My cold brew is bring me some joy on this extremely hot monday.

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Abigail!

I feel like this post is a sign that we're somehow cosmically linked because I also dropped a "introduce yourself" thread moments after you did!

1. I'm Ashley and I live in Madison, Wisconsin

2. Last night for dinner, I ate chicken nuggets because I'm a child. BUT the night before I made a pantry pasta with roasted artichoke hearts I found in the back of my cabinet.

3. I can't remember if I started following you first or you started following me! But I think it must have been through Twitter or IG

4. I just picked up my farm box and there are fresh raspberries, which I didn't expect to get.

You're awesome!

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1. Tina, I live in Paris (and moved from Brooklyn last fall)!

2. Dinner last night was at a restaurant called LArchimede near the Canal Saint-Martin. The 5 of us ordered one of everything and shared.

3. I learned of TNHS from Zeke!

4. Summer in Paris is bringing me much joy, especially sitting along the canal in the evenings.

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Jul 8, 2022·edited Jul 8, 2022

Hi Everyone!

1. My name is Miranda and I live in Phoenix, AZ.

2. I had a frozen pizza for dinner last night.

3. I found TNHS through someone who recommended THE pumpkin bread.

4. I just finished rewatching The Good Place and now I'm listening to The Good Place: The Podcast and it's a delight.

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1. I'm Jen and I live in Vancouver, BC

2. Last night I had rice with some white beans baked with arugula and lots of herbs from my garden, lemon, smoked paprika, and pecorino and cheddar on top.

3. I think I found TNHS through a retweet of the hamantaschen bakeoff!

4. Something bringing me joy right now is Star Trek: Strange New Worlds :')

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Hello Abigail,

1. Skye here from Near Canberra in Australia!

2. I found you via SubStack Grow (and love your work)

3. Last night we had a red curry chicken curry for dinner in front of the fire.

4. It’s the depths of winter here so right now I am grateful that I can stay in bed a teeny bit longer with a cup of coffee and keep warm because I don’t have to scoot the kids of to school.

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Hiya!

1. I'm Jacob and I live in Bishop, CA.

2. A glorious bean salad from Rancho Gordo and Emily Nunn! Added some feta and oh man.

3. Honestly, no idea, but I'm very happy when it pops up in my inbox.

4. Iced americanos from my Moka Pot -- Bishop gets very, very hot in the summer.

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1. I'm Mike from Toronto

2. Last night I had the Chinese leftovers from the massive combo plate I bought for lunch at a nearby Asian supermarket.

3. I found TNHS from the Bon Appetit Hamentaschen brouhaha!

4. I bought some green walnuts last week that I'm soaking in Everclear to make the Italian liqueur Nocino. It should be ready by Christmas. My wife is away until Saturday, so I've bought some rhubarb (which she loves) to make rhubarb liqueur with the remaining Everclear. I'll surprise her with it when it's ready in a month or so!

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1. I'm Rebecca and I'm located in Boston, MA

2. I had carnitas tacos with homemade corn tortillas and they were extremely good!

3. I honestly can't remember! I think maybe you tagged me in something on instagram? Or I may have followed when you hosted some sort of substack event? Not sure!

4. Turning the A/C off and opening all the windows to enjoy a nice summer breeze.

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I'm Hannah and I live in the mountains near Asheville, NC.

For dinner last night, I enjoyed some gluten-free pizza from a local pizza place. It was my friend's birthday but she's stressed about covid so we ate outside - thankfully we had a rain-free evening. I have lately become obsessed with artichoke hearts and so I added those to my pizza too!

I found this newsletter because I work for a couple of craft food/bev companies and honestly I thought at first that it was a newsletter about hot sauce. Now that I know that your scope is broader than that, I'm trying to learn more about food/bev in general. I always really enjoy how you place things in context in your writing - that larger food/bev context is what I'm trying to learn!

What's bringing me joy right now is following a Raptor Rescue account on Instagram @raptororg and especially learning about Snowy Owls. I can't believe they're real and I kind of want one.

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1. Hi! I’m Meagan and I live in Denver, CO.

2. Last night for dinner I had homemade pizza from my friend’s wood-fire pizza oven! Delish.

3. I found TNHS by searching food-related Substacks to follow. I started my own last summer called Cook the Books (shameless plug!! 😂)

4. I’m visiting my mom this week and she has been making me all of my favorite snacks. The highlights include Rice Krispie treats, Waldorf salad and canned biscuit donuts!

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1) I’m Eden from Brooklyn 👋

2) I had mazemen from Kokoro in Vancouver and an ice cream sandwich from JAPADOG! It’s literally a scoop of ice cream on a lightly fried hot dog bun. We used to have JAPADOG in NY and I miss them so much.

3) I think I found you on Instagram through some mutual followers (shoutout @howtobebrokeinnewyork)

4) Right now I’m on vacation in Vancouver (first time). Over the weekend I watched one of my friends marry the love of her life and I got to reconnect with friends who I haven’t seen in years. There were tears and hugs and it was everything I needed.

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hello!

1. Xio, most recently living in Seattle!

2. last night for dinner we did make your own veg sushi roll/rice paper crisp things! slapdash and yummy and mostly crunchy things with veggies and sushi rice and condiments

3. my friend (maybe our mutual friend from philly?) charlotte m recommended it!

4. that the sun seems to finally be here to stay after a very long rainy season! the latest episode of on being with adrienne marie brown (https://onbeing.org/programs/adrienne-maree-brown-we-are-in-a-time-of-new-suns/) and her meme compilations/mood boards on instagram @adriennemareebrown

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hi hi! (relatively) new to the community, so I'm stoked to introduce myself :)

1. I'm Maia, and I live in Brooklyn

2. I had a mix of pizza, snacks, and beer from a party at a lakehouse upstate

3. I *think* it's been 1-2 years, but I know for sure that I found TNHS via a recommendation on Alicia Kennedy's newsletter

4. mentioned in #2 that I'm upstate - getting away from the city and experiencing the sounds and smells of summer in Ithaca are giving me a ton of joy rn!

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1. I'm Chelsea, and I live near Charlotte, North Carolina.

2. Last night, my sister-in-law and I watched a movie together and ordered "Southwestern egg rolls" from Chili's for dinner with the avocado-ranch dip. No regrets.

3. I cannot remember, exactly, but I think it was another food person on IG or an email newsletter that said to follow THNS! Maybe Girls' Night In or Ann Friedman's? I came because I trusted whoever made the rec then I stayed for the great content and thoughtful perspectives.

4. Experimenting with watermelon cocktails because it's a million degrees outside.

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1. I’m Kirsty and I live in Saitama, Japan (just outside Tokyo) but am originally from Auckland, New Zealand and will be moving back there in a month

2. Veggie nachos

3. Through fresherica

4. Icy cold non alcoholic drinks

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1. I'm Khuong and I live in Los Angeles.

2. Leftover Chinese food. Orange and sweet & sour chicken with broccoli over white rice.

3. A friend told me to check out TNHS!

5. My 3-year-old son, Felix, and summertime seafood boils.

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1. I'm Kathrine and I live in England, specifically a town on the South coast called Worthing (it's near Brighton)

2. For dinner last night I had a smoked tofu, sweet potato and spinach curry

3. Through the Substack recs page if I remember correctly

4. Bringing me joy is the summer weather and swimming in the sea before and after work, seeing as it's a 3 minute walk from my house!

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1) I'm Lindsay and I live in Kansas City

2) Meatball subs on leftover hot dog buns, green beans sauteed with bacon

3) I'm not totally sure but my best guess is somehow through Who? Weekly or the adjacent fb groups

4) Yesterday on my lunch break I went to Trader Joes to get out of the office and rediscovered the Green Dragon Hot Sauce that I forgot I am obsessed with

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Hello!

1. I'm Camille and I live in Denver, CO

2. Last night for dinner we had Indian takeout - IMHO Indian food is the best option when I'm looking for a veg meal

3. My sister gifted me a subscription <3

4. All the crafting. I sewed up some linen curtains last week that I love and have both a crochet and knitting project in the works.

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