Stuff I Like: Sparking Joy.

In today's post about Stuff I Like, I'm going to tell you about what's sparking joy in my life lately - the daily small pleasures that get me through the day. Here we go:

This Espresso Machine That Brings All The Joy
I seriously love espresso and after much cajoling (and a sale) I managed to convince my boyfriend that we needed this Breville Barista Express Espresso machine. It takes a bit of work to dial in but once you have it calibrated you are good to go. I am not exaggerating when I tell you the thing that gets me out of bed every morning is the Americano (or two) that I make for myself, a process I find deeply satisfying. Seriously, if there was a fire I'd have cats under one arm and my Breville under the other. I love it that much. It's fucking expensive but a few times a year William-Sonoma puts it on sale for $599. Worth every ridiculous penny.

This Book I'm Recommending Before I've Finished Reading It
I'm currently reading Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson and it's so good that I'm just going to go ahead and recommend it before I've even finished reading it. It's a multigenerational story "of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names can shape relationships and history." The writing is beautiful and the characters feel like real people. It's a good book to dive into if you want something really satisfying and evocative to read. 

This Album That's Become My Summer Soundtrack
You know how when you become obsessed with an album and every time you listen to it later you remember that time? Well, Harry's House is my soundtrack for Summer 2022. I don't love every track on it but so much of it is excellent. It's the perfect, easy album to listen to while you drive around with your thoughts. Just let it float over and around you and enjoy. Also, this video of Harry and James Corden making the music video for Daylight is hilarious.

This Guilty Pleasure I Can't Not Mention
Y'all, nobody was more excited about the return of Floor Is Lava than me. The first season came out exactly when I needed it - mid-2020 when the pandemic had ruined all summer plans and my dad was in the hospital. I just needed a show that would allow me to turn my brain off and watch over-confident bros slip and take a header into fake lava. It's back with a (much too short) second season and it really delivers. The stakes are incredibly low and you have a cast that's easy to both love and hate. Plus, it's just so, so stupid. I love it completely.