Stress Baking + What Else I've Been Up To

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely and safe weekend at home. Weekends around here usually look the same; I bake something, go for a run or two, watch TV and read. I'm trying to make the most out of this unexpected free time but at the same time I've been feeling so exhausted and slightly paralyzed by the grief of what's going on in the world. Some days are definitely better than others, those are the days I try to tackle a little bit of a to-do list or get blog work done but I'm also giving myself grace to not be overly productive some (okay, maybe most) days. One hobby I've picked up? Baking! I saw a meme the other day that said something along the lines of "What part of the end of the world makes people want to bake banana bread?" and I literally lol'd, obviously we know it's not the end of the world, but it's true! Something about this insane time has definitely made me turn to baking and it definitely helps relieve some stress. I've already baked chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, a blueberry cake and this week I'm going to bake banana nut muffins. Have you been stress baking?

Here's what else I've been up to,

Watching TV

Killing Eve | My best friend has been telling me that I need to watch Killing Eve for ages and wow, was she right. The show is based around Eve, who is tasked to track down an assassin named  Villanelle but they both become obsessed with each other. Phoebe Waller-Bridge (the writer and star of Fleabag) is the writer so I'm not surprised that it's amazing.

Ozark | I've been hearing so much about the release of season 3 that Derek and I finally decided to start watching it. We're still on Season 1 but I've been enjoying it so far, even if it is pretty dark.

Tiger King (Duh) | I finished this docuseries in two days and all I can say is wow. What a ride. Make sure you watch it, all you cool cats and kittens.

Downton Abbey | I have been wanting to watch Downton Abbey. FOREVER. So I'm finally doing it! If you don't know (which I'm sure you do), it's a show about a British family based in the early 1900's with lots and lots of ~drama~.

Reruns | Broad City, New Girl, Sex and the City, Friends, Girls and Parks & Rec. These are my absolute favorites! Whenever I'm having a really off day and can't even manage to change out of my pajamas I lay on the couch and re-watch one of these shows. Something about watching a tried and true favorite is so incredibly comforting and it always makes me feel at least a little bit better.

And Movies

The Talented Mr. Ripley | This '90s movie was filmed in Italy and it kind of makes you feel like you're on a vacation, despite the fact that it's a psychological thriller.

Under the Tuscan Sun | Another movie filmed in Italy! This feel good early 2000s classic was one that I decided to watch on a day where I was feeling particularly bummed about everything and it left me feeling a little bit better.

Before Sunrise | An American-Austrian romantic drama from the mid-90s, this movie is focused on  two young strangers spending an evening in Vienna together and possibly falling a little in love.

The Darjeeling Limited | A Wes Anderson classic that follows three estranged brothers on a train ride across India. I love most of Wes Anderson's films and this was no exception.

Two for the Road | One of my favorites! I love that I'm getting to watch so many classic 90s and early 2000s movies that I've never seen before during this time but it's also great to re-watch a film that you love. The movie starts Audrey Hepburn, she and her husband look back at their first decade of marriage which included road trips through the French countryside.

Ghostbusters | This was Derek's pick one night. Neither of us had ever seen Ghost Busters (I know!) so we decided to watch it and all of its 80s glory one night.

Amélie | A comedy about a young woman in France; this movie is quirky, colorful and hilarious. The bonus? It was shot in over 80 locations in Paris so if you're missing that magical city as much as me you can get wonderful glimpses of it throughout the film.

Exercising (Here and There)

Running | I've been running all over the city. Some days I run all the way to my old neighborhood, Old City, and then other days I'll run in Fairmount Park. I try to go during off-peak times though to avoid crowds.

Walks Around the Neighborhood | Getting out for a morning or lunch-time walk has really helped my mental health. Getting out of the house and going for a scenic walk always makes me feel a little better.

Yoga | I'm really missing in-person yoga classes A LOT. But I'm trying to embrace doing that at home during my own time. I try to do at least 1 class a day, even if it's only 10 minutes.

Learning French

I've been to Paris five times since 2015 so it's safe to say learning French is long overdue. I'm actually enjoying the learning process much more than I thought I would be. I've been using DuoLingo Plus which has been great for me!

Reading

How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell (Non-Fiction) | Honestly, this was the perfect timing to read this book. This book focuses on why we don't have to be "productive" all the time and what capitalism is subconsciously doing to us (AKA, it's making us feel stressed AF when we don't need to be).

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert (Fiction) | This story is told from the point of view of an older woman looking back at her youth. It starts at her life as a 19-year-old living in NYC in the 1940's so it takes you through quite the love (and non-love) stories.

What have you been up to these last few weeks?