Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T: May 28-June 2, 2024
Alison Pegg
I had my first estate sale heartbreak last weekend.
I’m still a relative newbie to the estate sale/antiques game. To me, it’s still kind of like HGTV in real life, part shopping for furnishings, part nosing around other people’s homes.
I still haven’t figured out the balance of when to pounce at a sale. Do you go the first day to scope it out? Get there first on the second or third days hoping to score a better deal?
the estate sale house that broke my heart
My heart was broken last weekend with a piece of art. I knew at the sale’s full price it was out of my budget, but thought I’d take the chance it might still be there, marked 50% off, on the third day as some sort of kismet situation. Alas, it wasn’t, and I was bummed, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
Here is this week’s Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T.
Reading
Detroit sees population growth for the first time in decades (The Week)
Finally, the world is discovering what we’ve known for awhile, Detroit is alive and well. After years of ruin porn from outsiders dominating it’s reputation, the articles this month about Detroit’s population gain were full of words like “comeback”, “hidden gem”, essentially everything the locals already knew. I loved the year I lived in Detroit, and still stop in frequently on my way up north. If you haven’t been - go - you won’t regret it.
Eating
Tomato Mozzarella Salad
Who knows if it’s the new potting soil, the Miracle Grow starter, or the hot, rainy spring we’ve been having, the leaves on my basil plant are enormous. The plant is growing so well, we’ve been forced to pick it early this year, to keep it from flowering. Not that I’m complaining, it’s just means I’ve had an early start making my favourite salad that requires fresh basil, Barefoot Contessa’s Tomato Feta Salad. Freshly salted room temperature cherry tomatoes covered in ribbons of basil, mixed in with a healthy portion of cheese. For me, I sub mini pearl fresh mozzarella, it gives the salad a more caprese taste than the salty feta does. I can’t wait to eat this all summer long.
Playing
I thought it would take me awhile to get obsessed with another kdrama after Queen of Tears. But I just knew once I started seeing clips of Lovely Runner on my fyp, that I’d eventually get sucked in. And I officially have. I’ve been a ridiculous amount of episodes in a very short time this past week and can’t wait to sit down and finish the rest. Lovely Runner is heartwarming, adorable, and everything you love about kdrama romances.
Obsessing
Lip Snuggle High Pigment Oil Balm (Half Magic)
I love a hydrating tinted lip product. From lip oils to lip jellies, glosses to balms, any time a moisturizing lip product contains a wash a colour, I want to try it. That’s not to say I outright avoid lip sticks, I totally think matte lipsticks are coming back in, but the ease of applying a lip balm is more my style. That’s why I’m so intrigued with Half Magic’s new Lip Snuggles. They’re the texture of a balm with a pigment of a lipstick, and I can’t wait to get to Ultra to try them out.
Recommending
Digital Countertop Oven (Kitchen Aid)
Now that the air conditioning has kicked in, the last thing I want to do is turn on the “big oven” to bake anything. I really can’t justify heating and cooling the house at the same time. That’s where my toaster/countertop oven comes in. I picked up this KitchenAid oven on Black Friday last year and it’s easily become one of my favourite kitchen appliances. Sure, it browns a mean piece of toast, but it’s size is large enough to roast a bag of mini potatoes for potato salad, bake two fillets of fish for weeknight dinner, and even french bread pizza for a Friday night. Plus, it looks pretty great sitting on the counter too. This thing is a workhorse and I highly recommend.
Treating
This is the most extra thing I’ve ever purchased. It also might be the biggest game changer. The amount of times my iPad has crashed into the floor during the night is too high to share, and this tablet stand from Amazon might have fixed that. It’s also the biggest enabler of lazy there ever was. My tablet can be placed at the perfect angle to watch all my kdramas in bed, making for the comfiest weekend mornings ever. You don’t think you need one of these, until you get one.