Allyson Whipple

Tag: the best of it

  • The Best of It: Working From Home Indefinitely Edition

    Chile Colorado and red rice from Friday night
    1. Wearing yoga pants every day of the week.
    2. Not having to pack my lunch.
    3. That I had the foresight to bring my work laptop home when I left for spring break, even though school hadn’t officially been closed yet.
    4. That I actually have been using my work laptop for work rather than just using my personal machine for everything.
    5. That I listened to my instincts about what I needed to do for my class, rather than defaulting to all the pedagogical noise, and I can tell that I made the right call.

  • The Best of It: Tea Edition

    My favorite cup and a French press of fog tea
    1. The Merit Occupied Japan teacup I found in a thrift store in rural Illinois over the holidays.
    2. I’m glad I decided to sign up for the Tea Embassy monthly subscription; I got the cheapest plan, and wow, I got my money’s worth.
    3. The sweet hand-written notes that came with my first monthly shipment.
    4. The fog tea in this month’s shipment. Wow, I have a new favorite.
    5. Receiving Easter tea as a gift from my mom.

  • The Best of It: Kitchen Organization Edition

    Everyday use items
    Pots and pans in the style of Julia Child
    Common cookware
    1. Yesterday, John helped me put up a peg board so I could hang my pots and pans. I love how it looks, and I am thrilled with how this has opened up cabinet space.
    2. John also reorganized my shelves to make common dishes and cookware easily accessible. I’m really grateful for his sense of design.
    3. We got takeout from our favorite Chinese place, and it felt so decadent.
    4. I got to lead a yoga nidra practice via Zoom as part of the Austin Wellness Collaborative Corona Series.
    5. Every episode of Brooklyn 99 fills me with delight.

  • The Best of It: Hearth and Home Edition

    Turmeric-coconut curry with pork from the March Bon Appetit
    1. This morning I woke up without sinus congestion for the first time in I don’t know how long.
    2. Chris Morocco’s turmeric-coconut curry with pork recipe is both easy and amazing. John and I ate nearly the entire thing.
    3. My weighted blanket arrived this morning, well ahead of schedule. I can’t wait to sleep under it tonight.
    4. The Le Creuset French press is wonderful. Ceramic definitely keeps coffee warmer longer.
    5. Adopting a pretty new house plant that I found left on the curb during last night’s walk.

  • The Best of It: First Post Edition

    Breakfast tacos made from leftover Frito pie, with guacamole and Mexican crema
    1. The first week of all-online teaching went surprisingly smoothly, with relatively few tech hiccups.
    2. I signed up for a level 1 mat Pilates teacher training (via Zoom), and I’m really excited for it.
    3. My new rug arrived, and it is beautiful.
    4. I got some early birthday presents: a large package of Herr’s ketchup-flavored potato chips, and a Le Creuset French press that matches my Dutch ovens.
    5. 90% of my mung bean plants have sprouted!