There are a lot of hard parts about being an adult (taxes, not being sure if you’re doing anything right, random stomachaches, I could go on). But one of the best parts, that can also be a liability, is that you get to decide how you spend your time, at least some of your time (capitalism and the lack of affordable childcare in this country really puts a damper on things).

All this to say that this weekend, my friend Tilden and I went upstate. I left my laptop at home. We didn’t book it to coincide with a new Taylor Swift album but it was a very happy coincidence. We drove up to Hudson, stayed in this adorable AirBnb with a bathtub and hung out. We didn’t hike and we didn’t pick apples. Instead, we walked around town, did some shopping, took a candle making class that I’d highly recommend, ate great meals, and really caught up, in a way that’s hard to find time to do in daily life. We both packed at the last minute and were happy there was a CVS to grab forgotten items. Being in the driver’s seat for the weekend felt really good and it was a reminder to make space to ask yourself what you want to do. Sometimes it might mean planning a trip or it might mean making sure you get some fresh air before sitting down at the computer for the day. It’s up to you.

Thursday’s newsletter comes on a very special day for This Needs Hot Sauce! It’s the 5th anniversary of our very first issue (I can’t believe it) and we are taking a full walk down memory lane! Don’t miss it. If you’re in New York, save November 15th for a birthday party! More details coming soon.

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Now, let’s dive in.

Something to cook:

I ate so much of our wonderful meal prep from last Sunday! A real highlight was the scallion sour cream, which was excellent dolloped on top of chili and baked potatoes. Baked potatoes are going to be a winter staple for me. If you’d like to jazz up your sour cream, here’s the recipe:

Scallion Sour Cream:

1 cup sour cream (sub whole fat greek yogurt)

4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced or finely grated

½ tsp salt

Whisk together the sour cream, scallions, garlic, and salt. Let rest for 30 minutes for the flavors to fully meld. Serve on a baked potato or with chili or nachos (yum!).

You can find more recipes here!

Another staple lunch last week was kale salad mixed with wild rice. It really bulked up the salad and wild rice is another food I don’t eat often enough.

Have you cooked anything from Meal Prep Made Simple yet? I’d love to hear about it and hope you’re enjoying it!

In Hudson, we didn’t cook but we did assemble a snack lunch with cheese and crackers from Olde Hudson Market. They have a great cheese selection and the AirBnb had Heath ceramics. I took the leftover cheese and fig jam home for more snacking.

Enjoy while watching season 2 of abbott elementary

Something to order:

I’ve been working from home since 2018 and I love a good break in routine. The Malin, a new coworking space with locations in Williamsburg and Soho, invited me in for the day. It’s located at the William Vale with stunning views and lots of outlets. There’s coffee with oat milk, sparkling water on tap, and it’s nice and quiet with a completely silent library area and some meeting rooms you can book. I had a really productive day there and will definitely be back! If you’d like a tour, you can email their GM Madeline and tell them I sent you!

Isa took me to dinner to celebrate Meal Prep Made Simple. We took full advantage of the happy hour at Flex Mussels (they have two locations, we were downtown). The happy hour, which goes till 7, is a full menu, complete with appetizers, multiple pots of mussels, and drinks of course. We split the green goddess salad, the whipped ricotta and the classic mussels with a side of fries of course. It was so nice to catch up and the location is perfect for friends who live in different parts of Brooklyn—you’re near all the subways.

Isa’s outfit really matched the meal’s color palate

A few hours after getting home yesterday, I headed out to Lighthouse to meet Julia for a special announcement they were making! I’ll share details next week once it’s officially launched but it’s very cool and the food was delicious as always! They have my favorite fries.

Hudson:

This was my second time visiting Hudson and the food is great! It’s also super walkable which I love. After parking, we went for tacos at La Mision, where the veggie tacos had many types of vegetables and were very good.

We got dinner at Lil Debs Oasis, a queer oasis with colorful decor and food! It’s a great vibe all around. We shared a bunch of dishes including the cauliflower dosa, the patatas bravas with capers (brilliant!), and sweet plantains with cilantro yogurt. The wine list describes each wine with a poem, which is very fun.

On the way home we stopped at Rivertown Lodge for a drink and dessert. I love their bar and we had one of the best desserts I’ve had in ages: chocolate mousse served with whipped tahini topped with espelette pepper and sesame seeds! It was so good and hit all the flavor notes.

I know this is a terrible photo but I am still thinking about this dessert!

Supernatural Coffee was my favorite caffeine stop, they make a nice cardamom pumpkin bread. We also had breakfast at Little Rico before driving back and they make a filling veg breakfast sandwich with plantains and black beans.

The Maker Hotel team invited us for dinner (more on how that works here) on Saturday. It’s a gorgeous space in a former private residence and it’s full of art and thoughtful details. The dining room is in a greenhouse and the service was excellent. The lounge, which is the former carriage house, has a cocktail menu where each drink corresponds to a fragrance from the owner’s line. You get a sample with each drink you order, which is a lovely touch. The food was delicious, with lots of GF and veg options. We started with the local sourdough and had a bitter greens salad with nuts, seeds, and ricotta salata, and ricotta dumplings in mushroom broth. I also got the grain bowl with greens, and crispy mushrooms, Tilden got scallops, and we finished with olive oil cake.

cocktails that correspond to a perfume, how chic!

In terms of non food activities, we did some shopping at Proprietors, Talbott & Arding, and Batterby House (so many good kitchen antiques, condiments, and adorable mugs). Tilden found Poured Candle Bar, where we made candles. The candle making process was so cool—you smell the whole range of fragrances, choose notes that will complement each other, and blend the oils in a beaker (they give you aprons so you don’t splash yourself with oils). The final product is beautiful—they make a custom label and the vessels are really pretty. It has to cure for a week but I can’t wait to burn mine.

Something to read:

Want more reads? I include five special ones in Thursday’s newsletter!

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Have you ever ordered a drink carcass out?

Curated grocers are everywhere but how do they choose what to stock?

Fill out the student debt relief application if you’re eligible!

I love that Omsom is selling an MSG shaker!

Getting Christian Girl Autumn content with Caitlin Covington

For Black cooks, spaghetti represents connection and ingenuity

Learn more about pandan and how it’s used

Erica and I took over Hitha’s fantastic newsletter to chat meal prep and answer your food questions!

Craving foods while on a feeding tube

This story is full of twists and a must read, about Detroit and property and so much more: I was given a house for free – but it already belonged to someone else

How delivery workers won their first charging hub

The Plan to Completely Transform Governors Island Faces One Last Hurdle. This plan is terrible and involves building a climate center at sea level, among other things that just serve real estate interests.

Self-Care Isn’t Enough—We Need Political Action. Make sure you have a voting plan ready (today is the last day to request an absentee ballot in New York)! Literally so much is at stake and we know the people who want to restrict our rights will show up, so we need to as well.

What Was Brangelina?

Loved this convo about Taylor Swift as a self portraitist

“You Don’t Look Anorexic” New research shows that our assumptions about eating disorders are often wrong — and that many larger-bodied people are starving themselves.

Let’s discuss favorite months!

Idalia: My favorite month is July because it’s my birthday month and it’s full of hope :)

Julianne: No surprise my favorite month is October!

This week, I’d love to know your favorite Halloween candy! I’m always looking for a snickers or a reese’s! I’ll share the answers next week!

Thank you so much for being a part of the TNHS community, whether you’re brand new or have been here since the beginning! I appreciate you so much!

xo, Abigail

This Needs Hot Sauce

Getting Lost Upstate