Hibernation Mode Deactivate!
I'm Alive!
It feels surreal to be typing these words after a three-month hiatus. But here we are, reunited once again in the digital realm of Food For Thought.
During these past few months, I’ve been living in a neat little zone, caught in a pattern of ritual:
Wake up for work.
Go to work.
Be at work.
Go home.
Make Dinner.
Go to bed.
Of course, there are little details of things that happen in between. Sipping my oatmilk latte at home. Answering emails. Seeing my therapist. Cleaning the community fridge at work. Most weekends I lounge about. Water my plants. Give into a second cup of coffee.
I've had the opportunity to reflect, recharge, and refocus. I've delved into new experiences, explored different avenues of writing, and most importantly, taken the time to gain fresh perspectives on the topics I love to discuss here.
Now, as I sit down to resume our conversations, I'm filled with anticipation about the stories I'll share and the ideas I'll explore. Whether you're a longtime subscriber or someone who's just joined the newsletter, I extend a warm welcome to each and every one of you.
What I’ve Been Up To
A week ago I thawed my cold paws in Miami for a couple of days. I soaked in the sun and ate ceviche from one of my favorite places, SuViche. Honestly, I only endured a crappy waterless flight on Spirit Airlines because I knew this ceviche would be in close reach.
I suggest folks run and don’t walk to see the French film The Taste of Things with Juliette Binoche. An exceptionally moving film about love and gastronomy. Everything is gorgeously shot. From the acting to the set design, food styling, lighting, ambient French countryside sounds humming in the background…I could go on. The food in the film isn’t the only feast for the eyes.
As some may or may not remember I’ve been researching and working on a cookbook for the last couple of years about the African diaspora’s influence on Latin American cuisine. I’m an independent researcher and author so my pockets have completely funded this process and has at times felt never-ending, but I can say confidently that I’m so much closer to my goal of publishing than I was before! I’ve hired a wonderful creative director who understands my vision for what the book will be. She’s also a great person who has and will keep me accountable for finishing it this year.
What I’ll Be Digging into More
Food, culture, + identity will always be topics that I will explore in this newsletter, but I'm also excited to delve into the topic of sustainability. How it’s showing up in food spaces, the importance of the secondhand economy, and exploring small businesses and designers as a sustainable alternative to supporting large platforms like Amazon.
In the coming weeks, you can expect a diverse range of content from thought-provoking essays to curated recommendations, from interviews with experts to personal reflections on current trends, there's something here for everyone. The newsletter will be running bi-weekly from now on with bonus newsletters thrown into the mix every once in a while.
What I’ll Be Digging into Less
Paid subscriptions. As much as I have appreciated all my paid subscribers along the way, I feel as though once I turned on my “paid” feature a certain pressure was tacked on to my creative process that wasn’t there before. I want this newsletter to feel fun and organic again and not a contrived thing that I am obligated to do because people are paying me for it.
My series Eating A-Z in NYC will be on hiatus indefinitely (or until I feel the pull to start it up again). So many folks became subscribers just for this series alone. My attempt at eating around the world from A-Z in the five boroughs of New York City was a fun feat, but one that I found less and less time for as I started full time work last year. I also feel less enamored with the idea of putting restaurants on the radar when social media and food media outlets have taken the fun out of just stumbling upon a place with zero recommendations - virality just ain’t my jam. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still give shout-outs to places I try in this newsletter - if you haven’t gone to Rolo’s in Ridgewood or Patok by Rach in Inwood you’re doing yourself a disservice!
Mini Online Thrift Store?!
I’ve talked about my obsession with buying household items secondhand and since I’m digging more into sustainability I figured I’d ask if you guys would be interested in buying any of the dozens upon dozens of treasures that I’ve collected over the years that could use new homes.
As always thank you for being a part of the Food For Thought. community! I’m so happy to be back and looking forward to having great conversations again in my inbox so please feel free to reach out!
Cook. Eat. Repeat.
Natalie ❤️✨
Love to read you as always!
Yayyyyy!!! My favorite blog returns!