That's How the Light Gets In
Plus, a very exciting cookbook giveaway!
Today’s subject line quotes Leonard Cohen, who was quoted by the Rabbi at Brandon and Alyssa’s beautiful wedding. He spoke about the tradition of breaking the glass and offered a few explanations, including one from Leonard Cohen, “There’s a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” It was such a beautiful evening, on a perfect spring day in Red Hook full of light. I was a little nervous about attending my first wedding since the breakup, but I had a great time. Brandon and Alyssa are such a great couple and Erica and I introduced them a few years ago. During the wedding, I scrolled back to the first texts I sent Brandon about Alyssa and got so emotional. Their wedding was a powerful display of love and commitment, of realizing you found someone who complements you so well and making sure they know it, in front of your whole community and on quiet days when it’s just you two. I want that someday and in the meantime, celebrating with them gave me a lot of hope and joy. I would have had fun no matter what, but being there so soon after my own break up made me appreciate the intention behind the day even more. Plus, I love a dance floor that includes millennial wedding classics like Dancing On My Own, Cut to the Feeling, and Wake Me Up. Mazel tov, Brandon and Alyssa, it was a true honor to celebrate with you!
Now, let’s dive in! Last week, I wrote about walking and adopting my sweet cat Este. This week I have a work trip so Thursday newsletters will resume next week.
Something to cook:
I hosted Leah and Erika for dinner so they could meet their niece Este and made another recipe from
’ cookbook, roasted vegetables with whipped feta. You roasted red onion, chickpeas and carrots and serve it over a bed of whipped feta, which I made in the immersion blender. Top the whole thing with nuts and herbs (I used pistachios, basil and pea shoots) and you have a lovely dinner. I served some toast on the side so we could eat more whipped feta and it was so good.
I used leftover whipped feta for an easy breakfast—I spread it on toast and topped each piece with an egg over easy cooked with spinach. I covered the whole thing in Daily Provisions hot sauce (so good) and it was great.
On Saturday morning, I read
’s new cookbook, Make It Plant-Based! Mexican, cover to cover and bookmarked so many recipes. Mexican food is already so vegetable forward and Andrea’s recipes are creative, accessible and beautifully written. It comes out tomorrow and I am giving away a copy (she kindly sent me one and I had already preordered it) to one paid subscriber—to enter, follow Andrea on Instagram and comment your favorite kind of vegetarian taco (mine’s mushroom). I’ll pick a winner next week and reach out for your address.
I took advantage of a slow Sunday to make a batch of granola for the next few weeks. I love to bring a little yogurt parfait in a jar to the office.
For dinner, I made a simple pasta with white beans, broccoli, and pesto. I boil the broccoli in the pasta water, just add it a few minutes after you add the pasta. I topped the pasta with nutritional yeast, pecorino cheese, and some chili crisp salad sprinkles for a little spicy crunch.
Something to order:
hosted a froyo meetup at 16 Handles and it was so nice. I’ve spent lots of time at froyo shops over the years and I am here for a froyo revival. She’s having another one on 5/19 and wrote a fun recap of our meetup.
Amy and I got my platonic ideal office lunch of a Just Salad wrap and a Diet Coke. Just Salad, if you are reading this, please bring back the buffalo cauliflower!
I caught up with Zoe and naturally, we got tacos at the just opened Cariñito Tacos near Union Square. It’s a six month pop up of a taco spot from Mexico City and the vibes are great (there’s also a secret mezcal bar upstairs). My favorite taco was the eggplant laos with crispy shallots and Zoe’s favorite was the crunchywrap with Sichuan style brisket.
I got a cappuccino with Claire from
, a lovely newsletter about coffee, New York city, and more. We went to Devocion on a rainy morning and the coffee was perfect—I love making friends on the internet. After coffee, I picked up a breakfast sandwich at Daily Provisions. Ivy told me to get extra hot sauce and she was right, it’s so good.
We kicked off wedding festivities with a welcome party at Brooklyn Brewery with From Rome to Brooklyn Pizza. It was casual and fun and set the tone for celebrating.
Alyssa and Brandon got married at Liberty Warehouse, which was stunning and the food was good! The cocktail hour had a full wheel of parmesan (gorg), and a mezze station with watermelon salad and spanakopita. The after party had special treats: Walter’s Hot Dogs drove down from Westchester to serve late night snacks. The curly fries were incredible and so was the energy
Something to read:
The wonderful team at Domino let me chat about my love for Costco sheets, thank you
!Meet the high school grads with multiple high paying job offers, thanks to trade programs.
How to Spend Time Alone, from the very wise
How To Not Give Your Baby or Toddler A Smartphone (some of this advice applies to me, trying to lower my own screentime which has gotten v high since I started living alone)
Need to try
’s red curry daal.The world wants you to be smaller but Casey Johnston wants you to get swole.
Desperate children and adults in Gaza struggle to get food as Israel blocks aid. Criminal and cruel behavior—World Central Kitchen just had to stop serving meals as they have no supplies.
It took me a long time to finish Playworld, but I’m glad I read it.
I got my annual skin check this week, reminder to book yours if you haven’t already! I love the team at Glamderm—I see Alissa but they’re all great. Also, Alissa said my eyelashes looked fantastic and I just started using this mascara. Compliments from a dermatologist are powerful.
Have a good week! And don’t forget to enter the cookbook giveaway by leaving a comment with your favorite plant based taco.
xo, Abigail
My favorite vegetarian taco is probably a mushroom taco as well! Growing up Catholic though, my first thought was oh either a shrimp taco or a fish taco hahahaha.
I feel like every week when I read your newsletter I'm convinced that I could live on veggie tacos alone; you always make them sound so enticing! I do get a bit sad every time you hype up mushroom tacos because I can't eat those, but a smoky sweet potato or sweet corn is totally my jam.
I'll definitely have to try that taco popup near Union Square though - looks so good!