Uptown Girls/Barbie (Movies): It started with a clip I saw on YouTube shorts. 20 something Brittany Murphy was picking up a young (older than 5, younger than 10, that’s as far as my age guessing skills go) Dakota Fanning for the first time from a fancy private school on the Upper East side, a gig Brittany had to take because of her sudden fall to impoverishment. If you think this movie is nothing more than a rendition of classic rich girl gets a jolt of real-world trope, then be prepared to be pleasantly surprised. There was something in this exchange between the 2 characters at the school pickup, girls of different ages but somehow flipped in their decorum that instantly grabbed my attention. This was also the week I was watching Greta Gerwig’s much awaited Barbie movie, so I was all in on bathing in anything that presented the opportunity to introspect on girlhood. What I enjoyed about both Barbie and Uptown girls was the unabashed self-awareness from the movies that knew its audience. By women, for women. It delivered on the fun while also curiously cataloguing the stages of girlhood and womanhood. I found the scenes that touched me the most in both the movies were ones where women of different age groups or different stages of their lives shared an intimate moment together. Be it in the form of Barbie complimenting the older woman at the bus stop or Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning sharing the ways they cope with their sadness (hint: teacup ride). There is something so beautiful in seeing love, mutual respect and wisdom shared between women of different groups. So, if you’re freshly coming out of watching Barbie (as most of NYC judging by how difficult it was to get a showing was), then I would highly recommend Uptown Girls if you want to continue to be on that high.
Marriage Customs in Nepal (Book): I am (officially) starting wedding prep! Frankly I don’t know where to begin. I have always found learning to be one of the best ways to bridge any gap, so that’s where I’m starting the process. Our wedding will be in Nepal and will follow Hindu traditions. So, in preparation, I am trying to learn more on how “love” and “marriage” are portrayed in Hinduism and what kind of customs are traditionally followed in Nepal. I grew up Hindu and while it is commonplace to see divine pairings in temples/books, I don’t think I know much about how the religion views the concept of love or marriage. Most of the ceremony itself will take place in Sanskrit, so I’m hoping to understand the meanings behind different customs through the book. Learning a lot so far on the minutia of the traditions and some topics like thinking of marriage as a union between Universal (male) and Eternal (female). This concept has left me pondering for quite a while, which I’ve really enjoyed as a thought exercise. The book is written by 2 Nepali Academics who are married to each other (love a good creative pairing!). I’ll report back with more as I learn more.
The Instant Pot and other miracle Kitchen Devices (Article): As someone who recently bought a garlic/ginger mincer, this is very topical. Susan Orleans catalogues popular kitchen gadgets that promise to make our lives easier and quicker in the kitchen. From the instant pot to air-fryer, it’s almost like, as people we forget every time that we don’t need to buy every single product that is marketed as a kitchen hack. While I don’t fully agree with the characterization of cooking as a Sisyphean task, I do understand the sentiment shared by many people who seek for a reprieve in the kitchen. This article really made me question my relationship to all the “gadgets” I have in my kitchen – 1. how do I use it? 2. how often do I use it? 3. what would happen if I didn’t own this product? One thing became glaringly obvious as I went through this thought exercise. There are definitely some products that are marketed as must haves in the kitchen that I don’t know if truly are must haves for everyone – I’m looking at you toaster oven. Highly encourage anyone to go through this exercise of asking the 3 questions above not just as a way to declutter but also as a way to appreciate tools in your kitchen that make your life simpler and spark joy. So far happy to report the garlic/ginger mincer is a huge hit.
Fed Interest rate (Article): We’re here again. Since inflation rate last month in June hit 3%, down from 11% in March, a lot has been said about Bidenomics. But the louder murmur has also been around what the Fed might potentially do with upcoming interest rate hike. Fed for the first time in 2 years paused rate hikes last quarter but currently seems almost on a steady path to increase rates by at least 0.25%. Opposers, there are many, say that the rate hikes would unnecessarily put the economy under stress when the latest inflation figures are already showing positive signs. Proponents of the hike, however, argue that the Fed needs to continue the hike to bring the inflation close to its desired 2%.