Happy Monday friends!

Hope you had a restful weekend! It’s the fresh start of yet another week in quarantine. Jess and Kendall here kicking off enough week ahead with our FIFTH (already!) edition of On a High Note– a snippet of inspiring, lighthearted and/or helpful ideas to try, read, make, cook, drink, do, and so on! Let’s jump in.

Make...

A pretend restaurant!

“I loved reading this personal essay on Bon Appetit, “We Can’t Go to Restaurants Anymore, So I Opened a Pretend One.” The writer and her husband lamented over a canceled trip to France, so she decided to open her own pretend French restaurant, complete with candles, courses, and a handwritten French menu. A quick read that is absolutely worth your time, and a very cute idea that I will be copying. ” – Jess

Try...

TableTopics!

And while you’re dining at your pretend restaurant, why not mix it up with some table topics?

“A few of my girlfriends said they learned things about their husbands that they never knew before- such a fun way to mix up conversations- whether it’s face-to-face with your significant other or on zoom calls with friends! While it may seem like all we do right now is talk to each other (whether it’s someone you live with, on the phone with your family or Zooming friends), it can be so easy to fall into the same conversation routines (i.e. the news!) or you feel like you don’t have much to talk about- “not much more to report over here!” That’s where TableTopics comes in- a set of cards to spark incredible conversations. There are so many to choose from- for families, couples, date nights and dinner parties!” –Kendall

Drink...

Aperol Spritzes!

“With the weather so gorgeous again yesterday, we broke out the spritzes and soaked up the sun outside. They’re the best refreshing cocktail for that makes any day feel festive. I highly recommend cracking the Aperol for your next happy hour treat. And the best part? They’re ridiculously easy to create!

To make, combine equal parts prosecco and Aperol in a glass with lots of ice, until the glass is almost full, then top with club soda. My favorite is to use Tangerine or Mango LaCroix, for a twist on the traditional!” –Jess

Watch...

Saturday Night Live

“Did you guys see that SNL is back?! There’s something comforting about seeing “normal” pastimes pop up again- bonus points if it involves comedy! I died at Brad Pitt’s cold opener as Dr. Anthony Fauci, and I’m looking forward to watching the rest of the clips throughout the week!” –Kendall

Learn...

A bite-size virtual tour of The Art Institute’s most iconic works

“I love the Art Institute so much and can’t wait for it to re-open. In the meantime, for a fun dose of culture, you can take an “Art Institute Essentials” tour online! It’s a bite-sized tour of 5 of their iconic pieces, including Sunday on La Grande Jatte, and Nighthawks. You can also watch them on their Art Institute Essentials Tour playlist on Youtube! You’ll get a behind the scenes look, narrated by the experts.” –Jess

Read...

9 Little Ways to Go Easy on Yourself Right Now

“I think a lot of us have been dealing with quarantine-related guilt lately- like we should be doing more, have more energy, bettering ourselves at every turn. If you’re just trying to keep your head above water, you’re far from alone! I loved this Self piece on going easy on yourself- it’s a list of things you probably think you “should” or “shouldn’t” do during a pandemic. Some of the tips might seem simple or obvious because sometimes the best advice isn’t advice at all: It’s permission. Permission not to do stuff, permission to ignore advice that feels too difficult right now, and permission to be kind to yourself and resist feelings of guilt or shame.” –Kendall

Wear...

Tretorn Sneakers- 40% off!

“After hearing Jess rave about these sneakers for forever, I finally bought them when she posted they were on super sale. (They’re still 40% off!) While I have a variety of white sneakers, each one serves its purpose and I know these will get a ton of wear! The small act of buying something for the future (these won’t replace the slippers that I currently live in 😉) fills me with so much hope that one day soon we’ll be back out exploring and soaking up time outside!” –Kendall

“Also, I wore these yesterday on a 4.5 mile walk! They’re ideal for your daily neighborhood strolls. I’ve had them for years now and they were comfy from their very first wear! No break-in required.” –Jess

Listen...

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

“Okay, this could count as “read” too, but I got the audio version and LOVED listening to it, especially while cooking! I loved Reichl’s latest book Save Me The Plums so much that I bought three of her other books and decided to listen to Garlic and Sapphires, which chronicles her time as the New York Time’s restaurant critic, where she had to come up with elaborate disguises and take on totally new personas in order to not be recognized. I love that she reads it herself, and it will make you laugh out loud and smile the entire time! Definitely a must for anyone who loves food. You can download on Audible or Libro.fm is another option that benefits small, independent bookstores!” –Jess