Be gentle
On setting intentions, a 22-layer cake and diverse YA novels.
Welcome to Small Joys, a bi-monthly(ish) newsletter about all the little things that bring great joy. Here are a few things that have brought me joy.
Set: a one-word intention
I spent most of January trying to think of a one-word intention to set for myself. I was first inspired by Gretchen Rubin’s annual prompt to “choose one word, or a short phrase, to sum up what we want to focus on for the new year.” Eventually, I settled on gentle. I chose it for a couple of reasons. I am (and I’m sure I’m not alone) really hard on myself and probably my own worst critic. I found myself doing a lot more of this last year. Objectively, I know that we’re in a pandemic and can’t be expected to function the way I used to, but I still found myself minimizing my struggles.
So this year, I want to be more gentle: with the expectations I set for myself, how I work and how I care for myself. I also want to be gentle with others because everyone is going through something. Initially, I struggled with this because gentle is not an ambitious word nor is it necessarily inspiring. But it’s exactly what I need right now. If you’re still looking for your own, here are some ideas.
Eat: a 22-layer olive oil chocolate mousse cake
For my first (and hopefully last) pandemic birthday, I bought myself a cake. More specifically, I ordered a 22-layer olive oil tsoko mousse cake from Adobar because I knew it would bring me an abundance of joy and chocolate. Adobar is a home-based online business from Toronto that specializes in modern Filipino food and I first heard about it on Twitter from Suresh Doss. My friends had originally planned to get it for me but I ended up placing an advance order because it was something I wanted to do for myself.
You know how you see a photo of something but the real thing inevitably disappoints? This cake was everything I dreamed it would be and more. It was 22 delightful layers of airy, moist (sorry) and chocolaty goodness with the perfect amount of sweetness. I’ve eaten it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I bought the full size 6” cake, but it’s also available as a slice and a deconstructed version in a jar. Highly recommend—birthday or not!
Buy: a lip and cheek tint
This is a literal small joy because it’s a teeny, tiny beauty product that makes a big impact. When it comes to products, I have unreasonable expectations and want to put in as little effort as possible but still want it to perform. Nothing is as effortless as this Milk Makeup Glow Oil Lip + Cheek. It’s $20 CAD at Sephora and comes in four shades. I unexpectedly fell in love with Astro, a glimmery plum shade that has none of the Kirakira level of shimmer. You swipe it directly on your cheeks and blend it in with your fingers. It’s the thing you quickly apply before a Zoom call and look super glowy, even without good lighting.
Read: two joyful YA novels
These two YA novels were at the top of my reading pile: Happily Ever After by Elise Bryant and A Pho Love Story by Loan Le. I love them both for many of the same reasons. They’re the kinds of young adult books I wish I had more of while growing up.
A Pho Love Story is about two Vietnamese-American teens, Linh Mai and Bao Nguyen whose parents have rival pho restaurants. When a chance encounter sets off sparks between them, the two have to figure out how they can fit into each other’s lives in the midst of a restaurant rivalry.
Happily Ever Afters is about Tessa Johnson who’s never seen herself in the pages of the romance novels she loves so she writes her own. When she’s suddenly hit with writer’s block in her new creative writing program, she hatches a plan with her best friend to get her writing groove back (hint: it involves her own IRL romance).
From my bookmarks:
In honour of the Netflix premiere of To All The Boys: Always and Forever, Lana Condor and Noah Centineo read goodbye letters they wrote to each other.
A field-guide to heart-shaped foods in The New Yorker.
“This year isn’t living up to my hopes, so I am learning to hope in a new way,” writes Margaret Renkl for the New York Times.
I haven’t watched Minari yet but I love these printable recipe cards from director Lee Isaac Chung and the cast.
A few housekeeping things:
If you can’t find the newsletter, check your spam folder and mark this address as ‘not spam.’ It might also be under the Promotions tab. To make sure it lands in your inbox, click and drag this email into your Primary folder.
If you know someone who will love the newsletter, share it and spread the joy. 💌 If it was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here. You can also follow Small Joys on Instagram or catch up on past newsletters here.
Have a great long weekend!
Mishal