What's IN/OUT this week

If you’re reading this before 9 a.m. central time, know that I’m probably at my hair appointment, waffling on bangs. I’m pro-bangs, but we’ll see what my stylist Bobby says. He may have a big opinion or he may not care at all. During my last appointment, he was so excited about his new car that he made me leave the salon with my hair wet and a towel over my shoulders so I could sit in the driver seat and pretend I know anything about interiors. Cool knobs, I guess! Should I get bangs??

IN: My new best friend Betsy. My pal Jessica took Lacy and I to her special swim spot on Lake Michigan near Hyde Park. The morning was chilly as hell, but it turns out that low-to-mid 70s in direct sun is kind of perfect. We swam out to the remains of a 1914 shipwreck! We had an excellent picnic on the rocks! We gabbed for hours! But the highlight might have been Betsy, an artist who’s been coming to this spot since the mid-1980s. She was an absolute delight, skittering around the beach chatting with anyone nearby, zipping through the water in her inflatable canoe, and making us lift rocks for a fitness photoshoot. Her energy was amazing, even when I told her I lost her goggles: She waved off my apology because she’d found them washed up on the shore, then she showed me a big bag of other found items. OUT: The city’s restoration plans that would really change this sweet little area, I’m told. Betsy and others in the community are aiming to preserve this beach, which is a really unique part of the Lake Michigan shoreline. Read about it here! 

IN: Lemon balm bread. My parents always had a boatload of lemon balm growing in their yard, and years ago I found a recipe for making mini loaves of bread using the herb (think: a lemon-y version of banana bread). Jessica sent me off with a big armload of lemon balm from her garden after our Sunday swim, and I made my best batch of bread and mini muffins to date. I firmly believe the trick was rubbing the chopped balm into the sugar with my fingers and letting the oils release overnight. Better Homes & STEIMER, am I right?? Reply to this email for the recipe! OUT: How quickly lemon balm dries out once picked. Even when putting them in water, far more crispy lemon balm leaves wound up in the trash than fresh leaves made it into the bread. We live, we learn.

IN: Using speakers while you bike. I love when people strap a bluetooth to their handlebars and you catch a whiff of their hot tunes while they zip by. I was walking up Clark Street over the weekend when a cyclist passed me, blasting “Blue Monday” by New Order and wearing a hat that said “CRY.” It reminded me of driving into Indiana one summer evening years ago: A woman pulled up beside my friend and I with her windows down and “Waterfalls” by TLC cranked up on the stereo. She drove off into the sunset, and not a day goes by that I don’t think of her. OUT: Nonstop headphone usage, as previously discussed in Tuesday’s newsletter. But I’m going to be very specific about a place where I hate it the most: at the grocery store. Because you’re blasting 311 and reading the nutritional facts of pizza rolls, you can’t hear me say ’scuse me while I try to squeeze past. AND! you also can’t hear me ask for help: I am so short and the beans are shelved so high!!

IN: My local bike shop. This is a new spot for me, but I popped a tire over the weekend and needed a fix. I toddled over with my wheel because I know neither the size nor how to actually replace the tube myself. The guys at the shop were so kind and helpful. I wound up needing a full tire replacement, and the gentleman explained how I need to keep my tire pressure a little lower than typical because of my old-ass Schwinn’s steel frame. But, alas, I am a pretty green rider (only been biking in Chicago since 2020) and will likely still mess up reading the gauge and eventually have other issues. But at least I have a dedicated place to correct my mistakes! OUT: This sudden drop in temperature. Most of the summer made you want to shave your head, and this last week I needed to throw on PANTS and LONG SLEEVES in the mornings. That said, a lower electric bill will be nice I guess. : )

What did you hate this week? Leave a comment on this web post, or reply to this email to chat with me directly!