A Book & I go to Fate (a bar)

Of the Month: What I'm reading, writing, and cooking

Today’s newsletter is a bit longer than usual and serves as a January wrap up — yes, the month that had four months in it is finally over. Phoenix friends, read on for two (!!) exciting events coming up in February.

Reading

Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism by Aja Barber was the last book I read in 2024 and has me thinking about my stuff more — trying to do with what I have and consider the things I want or need more critically. Aja’s Patreon has also been a huge treat, it’s fun, informative, and there was a perfume exchange over the holidays! Related: I’m wearing a shirt (deadstock white Hanes tee from eBay) with a stain on it and remembering

Isabel Slone

’s essay On Loving My Clothes With Stains and Holes.

A book I knew I needed to read as soon as I saw

bettina

post about it a few months back was: American Oasis: Finding the Future in the Cities of the Southwest by

Kyle Paoletta

. I interviewed Kyle while he was in town on book tour, and when we met I told him it was a “a book I’ve been waiting for” which is probably a too-earnest way to start an interview. Oh well.

The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ

One of my favorite categories of reading right now is the bookclub read. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto, translated by Megan Backus (for the

Alicia Kennedy

bookclub) and Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women's Football League by

Frankie de la Cretaz

and Lyndsey D'Arcangelo (for Frankie’s bookclub) were very different, but both excellent.

I’m almost finished reading Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder by Asako Yuzuki, translated by Polly Barton, and Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives by Louise DeSalvo. Last Wednesday, midday, I texted Michael that I’d need to get out of the house when he got home from work stat and that’s how I ended up at our local bar (Fate Brewing Co.) for one beer, one plate of French fries, and Butter.

I took Butter out for a beer.

Panadería: a Cookbook Zine by

Teresa Finney

is sitting on my desk as I type and I am really in love with it. Reading along as Teresa developed, wrote, and distributed it has been a gift. And now seeing

Karmela Padavic Callaghan

and

Melisa

post about baking from it has me eagerly looking for my next open morning for baking. Zines forever!

Writing

I’ve been working on some client projects and I have a few essays at various stages of drafting. Many pots on the stove. Writing adjacent, I’m looking forward to being in conversation with Ida Rose Florez about her new book at Changing Hands Bookstore on Sun. Feb 9 at 5pm. Read our interview from last week for a preview.

Art Opening Announcement!

"machinemachine, a critique on the trauma of labor under capitalism," hosts an opening reception at the Red Floor Gallery (41 W Southern Ave, Tempe) on Saturday, February 22 from 6-10p.

This exhibit hosts 20 national and local multimedia artists who express their critiques on capitalism through a variety of artworks including sculptures, fiber artworks, quilts, paintings, interactive art, and collage.

Let us know if you would like to contribute to the labor of installing this show and running the opening!

machinemachine includes artworks by artists Devin Kate Pope, Marlaina Larsen Thorslev, Stacy LeFevre, Michelle Dawn, Pigeon Inkwell & Zoe Sugg, maryhope|whitehead|lee, Maira McDermott, AmyLou Bogen, Liz Miller, Dempsey Keenan, Celleste Murtagh, Sean Avery Medlin, Timothea Haider, Misako Yamazaki, Tori Holder, Emma Bush, Tonissa Saul, and Haley Orion. Curated by Charissa Lucille.

Cooking

Braised kale stems and chickpeas in a tomato broth (I.e. I don’t want to throw away these locally grown kale stems, what do I do with them?) Coconut ginger chickpeas and lentils with an apple and cilantro stem chutney (I didn’t have raisins.) Earlier in the week I quick-pickled red onions and have been eating them on everything from tofu quesadillas to rice bowls. I used this beet green recipe after baking the beets, but next time I’m making

Apoorva Sripathi

’s saag with paneer. The beet greens got stirred into a baked rigatoni and tucked into a pita with hummus (Reem Assil’s recipe from Arabiyya) and feta. A note on making the hummus: My youngest (age 1.5) currently hates the food processor and similar loud noise makers, so that’s how I ended up finishing the recipe in my bedroom.

Eating

A moment for the pastry case (and really, this was just half — the pies, cakes, and bars are to the left, not pictured) at Ollie Vaughn’s in Phoenix. The blackberry sticky oat bran muffin will be living in my taste memory indefinitely. Imagine a not-too-sweet nutty, earthy muffin, glazed with a caramel that leans more molasses than caramel apple.

---

The Good Enough Weekly comes out on Fridays, alternating essays and shorter updates. I also take on freelance editing and writing projects. Reach out if you’re looking for help in those departments — I’ve worked on everything from zines to textbooks.