Five Little Things
Five Little Things I loved the week of July 11, 2026: a bucket list meal at The French Laundry, quality time with children, the iconic Din Tai Fung chocolate mochi dumplings, and more!
How is your weekend going? When you return home from a trip, are you eager to get back in the kitchen for a home-cooked meal, or do you miss the break from cooking? This week, I’ve been wavering between those two feelings, and luckily for me, I’ve been able to balance cooking old favorites such as Stuffed Eggplant with Meat and Tahini with an indulgent anniversary dinner (see below!). As for getting back into the swing of work, well, that’s another story!
Here are Five Little Things I loved this week, plus a precious bonus:
1. A Bucket List Meal
Ever since we moved to California and got married, a dinner at The French Laundry has been on our bucket list. Over the years, we’ve checked for reservations to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones, but it never seemed to work out… until the other night.
On a whim, we checked for reservations for our upcoming 25th wedding anniversary and were stunned to find a same-day table. We had just 2½ hours to get there—get dressed, start the drive, navigate a flat tire, hop into an Uber, and somehow make it to Yountville in time. And let me just say: it was worth the wait. The exquisite hospitality at TFL made it a meal to remember and cherish always.
2. Quality Time on the East Coast
I recently returned from some time on the East Coast! The best part was one-on-one time with each of my kids. I got to watch my son’s last race at the velodrome in Pennsylvania, road-trip with him to see his new apartment at school (where we cooked Mexican Street Corn Chicken Tacos), and indulge in a lot of comfort food along the way. In between, I squeezed in a weekend in New York to visit my daughter! She and I brunched at NAKS (see reel below), watched the hilarious Schmigadoon! on Broadway, and strolled through Williamsburg. I just loved every minute with each of them!
3. Din Tai Fung’s Chocolate and Mochi Dumplings
Did you know that Din Tai Fung’s iconic Chocolate Mochi Xiao Long Bao actually originated in the Philippines? I had no idea until recently, thanks to Featr’s piece! This is my family’s favorite way to end a meal at DTF!
4. The Tour de France
The Tour de France began this week! Whether you’ve been watching for decades or just started recently, I think you’ll appreciate this nifty primer!
5. Lessons on the California Coast
Tyler Mitic has been riding his tandem along the California Coast with help from strangers along the way. I love how he shared this final lesson as he reached the end of his ride.
BONUS: My Mother’s Plants
My aunt and uncle from Iowa visited me this week with a special gift: plants! These weren’t any old plants. These were babies from cuttings that they took from my mother’s plants many years ago when they moved from New York. They have taken care of those cuttings, which have prospered, and now all those baby plants have found homes with friends, my cousin, and now me! It is the most precious gift and memory I now have of my mother.
Stay joyful!
COOKBOOK
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