An apothecary, the lightest shade of pink, and lemon pasta
What’s on the menu for May
I kick each month off with a little life update by way of a sample platter: what I’m reading, something I recently bought, what I’m working on, an artist I love...an amuse bouche to set the tone for the next few weeks.
Book on my nightstand: I’m between reads right now, but I am making my way through the many pages of the new issue of Cabana Magazine! If you aren’t familiar, Cabana is an Italian lifestyle publication that celebrates design and the decorative arts. It’s consistently beautiful, but their 10th anniversary issue is especially stunning thanks to its 10 different Valentino silk-wrapped covers. (Side note: in addition to the print magazine, Cabana’s online content is excellent, especially their “Cabana Films” series.)
House I wish was mine: Or rather, a hotel I wish was my house: Sterrekopje Farm in Franschhoek, South Africa. I was unfamiliar with this 125-acre, 11-room property until I stumbled on this image of the farm’s apothecary on Instagram and had to know more, because, just look at it…
Lauded as the ultimate wellness retreat, Sterrekopje Farm is made of the stuff of dreams: vineyards, olive groves, fragrance and medicinal gardens, pastry making classes, morning yoga, a spa, an orangery, a library, and a million little places to read or rest. Each room is a total cabinet of curiosities filled with art, textiles, and antiques. I’m ready to book a trip when you are.
Recently purchased: I made two newsworthy purchases on my trip to NYC last week. The first was a cashmere cardigan from Guest In Residence that is 1000% my new favorite sweater; it’s perfectly cropped and although the website calls it “cream”, it’s really an ultra-light shade of pink that reminds me of the inside of a seashell. The second was an antique tablecloth from Sharktooth in Williamsburg. It was originally owned by a textile collector, and then Sharktooth overdyed it almost the exact shade of light pink as my new sweater, so it felt like fate brought us all together. The universe works in mysterious ways!!! Sharktooth is great, by the way…I could poke around in there for hours.
On my wish list: My candle stash is running dangerously low (I’m down to the last one after my Black Friday stock-up!) so I’ve been on the hunt for a few to add to the lineup. I sniffed Mr. Chung’s Niwa Mint candle the other day at November 19 and it was really pleasant, like a cowboy chewing Doublemint gum. I’m also interested in Santa Maria Novella’s Tabacco Toscano candle, which is the same scent I wear as a perfume most days. But I’ll probably fall back on my forever favorite: a big restock of Maison Louis Marie’s No. 4.
What I’m eating: I ate well in NYC last week (Roscioli! Bernie’s! Thai Diner!) but I was thrilled to return home to LA’s abundance of spring produce this week. My fridge is packed with sugar snap peas and asparagus spears and tons of dill, mint, and basil just begging to be tossed with a lemony pasta. I make Evan Funke’s Lemony Asparagus Pasta on an almost weekly basis each spring, but I’ll be trying
’s Lemon Pepper Pasta this weekend. (So glad her Youtube show Home Movies is back!)On the top shelf: Ever since I discovered last year that my skin is not just very dry but dry AND sensitive I’ve been hesitant to introduce new products into my skincare routine. I typically turn down beauty gifting because I don’t want to be wasteful (or break out in a rash), but when OneSkin reached out to me a few weeks ago and asked if I wanted to try their anything from their 4-item line of skincare products I took them up on it. OneSkin is run by a group of PhDs in skin regeneration, stem cell biology, and immunology, and they have a very science-forward approach to their product, an ingredient called OS-01 that focuses on targeting cellular senescence (aka damaged skin cells that are the key drivers of signs of aging). I take it all with a grain of salt, but after a couple of weeks of using the eye cream and face cream I’m already seeing a slight impact, especially in discoloration and wrinkles around my eyes. I’ll report back, but so far so good! (Also, I rarely do this, but they’ve offered 15% off anything on their site with the code ALI15 to you guys. As usual, all opinions are entirely my own, and you KNOW I have opinions on things!!!)
An artist to know: Shaskia Stacy Cuaspa! I stumbled on Shaskia’s Instagram a few weeks ago and fell in love with her work; I’m determined to buy one of her paintings before she inevitably blows up and I can no longer afford a piece. I’m saving for a really big one, but she regularly posts smaller paintings for $300-ish if you’re looking for an entry point in collecting original artwork. Keep an eye on her Instagram for what’s available!
Currently working on: A bunch of client work, planning a couple of new things for Pasta Girlfriend, and trying to remember to make space for personal projects here and there. Oh, and a personal life; I was in a work hole for all of April and I am vowing right here and now to be a better friend and family member this month.
Something I’m looking forward to: An entire weekend of nothing. :)
Next week’s newsletter is a Side Order, aka my themed shopping round up for paid subscribers. Make sure you get it in your inbox by upgrading your subscription below. Annual subscriptions are 20% off for the month of May!
x
Ali
In case you missed it:
Notes of: Aperitivo
Welcome to Notes Of! Each month I make a mood board and post it to Instagram as a little creative exercise in thematic thinking. Notes Of elaborates on each month’s theme and includes links to relevant articles, videos, products, and more.
The April Specials
Each month I send out a list of the month’s Specials, or 10 things I’m reading, watching, thinking about, listening to, etc. And this is that list! The first three things are available to read for free and the rest are for paid subs.
ÀLC FAQ: How do I translate inspiration into real life?
Welcome back to ÀLC FAQ, a maybe-monthly column where you submit questions and I answer them! I’m your host, Ali LaBelle, and today we’ll be talking about three very important things: utilizing inspiration, time management, and bangs.
Made Evan Funke’s Lemony Asparagus Pasta last night and it was so so good!
Hey Ali...just wanted to mention that Tatine's Woodsmoke candle is really delish (if you like woody/smoky scents)... https://tatinecandles.com/collections/candles/products/woodsmoke ...thanks for another fun post!