Oops! This was supposed to go out on Friday, but in all the moving madness I didn’t end up sending it. So here it is now!
Dark Chocolate + Peppermint + Crunch = My Personal Crack
I am planning on getting some homemade cookie recipes to you later this month, but I’m moving tomorrow so today we’re thankful for the magical world of treats available at the grocery store.
It’s Christmastime. It’s the season of Peppermint. It’s the month that I accidentally eat an entire box of cookies over the course of just two days.
I love a good chocolate/peppermint combo, by which I mean dark chocolate with just enough mint. I’m not talking York Peppermint Patties here— I don’t want to feel like I’m eating toothpaste. I’m talking just un soupçon of mint to tingle the tongue and freshen the palate. When the right combination of chocolate and mint is achieved, it’s perfection— not too sweet, thanks to the bitterness of the chocolate, nor too heavy, thanks to the lightening quality of the peppermint. And, when all this is packed in a crunchy little morsel, I could eat it all day.
Ghirardelli’s Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark achieves this all too well— with added butteriness from the white chocolate top. Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Joe Joes Dark Chocolate Bar is also an excellent candidate, and located right near the checkout for me to impulse buy.
But the winner— the best ready-made dark chocolate peppermint crunchy delight— is Trader Joe’s Mini Dark Chocolate Mint Stars. These delightfully crunch chocolate shortbread cookies have just enough mint and are covered in dark chocolate and white nonpareils. And, oh boy, I have to limit myself with these because otherwise I’d probably go through several boxes a week. They are perfect.
Anyway, if you like chocolate and mint, try them out. You’ve been warned.
The Strange and Wonderful World of Second-Hand Home Decor
Due to the whole “I’m moving” thing, I’ve been doing some buying and selling of items, via Facebook Marketplace and the local classifieds. I really enjoy this for the most part; the people I meet are kind and friendly, and I like that buying and selling used furniture is so much more friendly to the environment. Not only that, but you find real gems, so much more interesting than IKEA. A shallow teal bookcase for my boyfriend’s and my Criterion Blu-Ray collection? Check. A vintage jewelry cabinet painted with floral for storing my Etsy story items? Check.
However, spending tons of time doing this has also given me a new hobby— looking at local listings of home decor items. People have the weirdest stuff. People SELL the weirdest stuff. There’s a whole world out there of bizarre items that people chose to put in their homes for aesthetic purposed. I absolutely love seeing what people have deemed beautiful and valuable enough to both have displayed in their homes and sell. Here’s a few pictures of the best listings I’ve found:
Did Lee Pace Post a Thirst Trap This Week?
Oh my goodness… HE DID. All hail. He went to Vulture Fest to receive an honorary degree, and posted pictures of his fit for the event.
Ever wonder why Lee Pace is my choice for this newsletter spot? I mean, look at him, first of all. And I love his acting, especially in TV shows Pushing Daisies and Halt and Catch Fire. But also, the man is a work of art! His beauty is the stuff of sculpture. Michelangelo would see this guy and lose his mind. If you want a better written look into Pace’s appeal, read Kathryn VanArendonk.
The Muppet Christmas Carol at 30
The best Christmas movie is 30, and certified Muppet fan Brett Goldstein interviewed the Muppets for EW. Always good to see the Muppets (despite the fact that whoever is currently voicing Kermit is BAD)!
If you’re in the mood for more Muppet Christmas goodness, I recommend Emmet Otter’s Jug-band Christmas, a TV special from 1977 with adorable little fuzzy muppets— and the funniest blooper reel ever.