#38 Newsletter: What You Should Be Watching
The Crown, Be My Guest, The Lost Kitchen, and More
Oh Indiana, why do you do this to me every year? Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy????????
p.s. this squirrel needs a heating pad. (everyone needs one)
Hello. How are you? I wasn’t prepared for the snow here in Indiana. It was only an inch or two…but still. I was in denial that we might have 60-degree weather through December. Unreasonable? I think not. Ha.
I stocked up on winter coats a few years back so I’m ready for the cold and snow. Sort of. (Yikes!) p.s. My tip is to buy a coat(s) when they go on sale. You won’t regret it.
I caught up on a few TV shows and thought I’d share some recommendations with you. Most of the shows are cooking shows. I love to cook and I always get some ideas and inspiration from cooking shows. I did not watch every episode of all of these shows. Some of them I only watched a couple of episodes. But, I usually give myself 15 minutes to watch a show and see if I like it. If I don’t, I usually bail on it. I really enjoyed these shows.
I hope you’ll sit down, put your feet up and cover yourself with a soft blanket and watch a few of these shows.
p.s. I’ve always been a fan of heated throws, but…times they are a changin’. I am now a fan of a heating pad paired with a blanket. It generates just as much heat and I can easily wash the blanket. Washing electric blankets/throws are a pain and they don’t seem to work the same after they’ve been washed. You can buy a good heating pad for around $25.
So trust me on this… Heating pads. Buy yourself one. You will feel instantly warm and will most likely fall asleep. It’s like a sleeping pill without the drowsiness. I don’t take sleeping pills, but that’s what I hear. Ha.
If you recently subscribed with a paid subscription or renewed your paid subscription… Thank you. It means so much to me that you are reading and supporting this space.
-Aimee
The Crown - Season 5
Diana (Elizabeth Debicki), The Queen (Imelda Staunton), Charles (Dominic West)
Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) and Mohamed Al-Fayed (Salim Daw)
I read a handful of ho-hum reviews of this season of The Crown (stream on Netflix). I don’t get it. I’m four episodes in and I’m thoroughly enjoying this season. I do not believe the show is a documentary and I know it is a TV show. I don’t think a disclaimer is necessary.
I am an Anglophile and a huge Diana fan. There was no one like her - ever. My opinions of Diana won’t change because of The Crown.
If anything, the show is prompting me to research news articles of the real events and people season 5 covers.
It’s hard to watch the show and not want to book a flight to London ASAP. Let’s meet for tea at Fortnum & Mason. Sound good?
Tip: Town&Country has an excellent article on season 5 with who’s playing who, etc.
Be My Guest - Season 2
Ina Garten and Nathan Lane (Don’t have any fun without me!)
It’s a new season of Ina Garten’s Be My Guest (stream on Discovery +), where Ina invites a celebrity over to her house to cook and chat. The episodes are light and fun and I always learn something about the celebrity or Ina. It’s funny that some of Ina’s questions are the same questions James Lipton asked on Inside the Actor’s Studio. Guests on this season include: Nathan Lane, Emily Blunt, Marcus Samuelsson and more.
Tip: I’ve never been to The Hamptons (it’s on my list), but I marked this page on Ina’s website with Ina’s Hamptons recommendations.
The Lost Kitchen - Season 3
An ice fishing party/winter picnic in Freedom, Maine
My dad used to go ice fishing in upstate New York and he says there’s nothing colder than ice fishing.
This is the third season of The Lost Kitchen (stream on Discovery +). I’ve been a fan since the beginning. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at chef Erin French’s restaurant and what it takes to get ready for a dinner/event. The show is a love letter to Maine. I love how Erin French adds special touches to each meal she creates. New episodes are available each week.
Tip: Check out the dreamy The Lost Kitchen website which has an online shop.
Somebody Feed Phil - Season 6
Phil Rosenthal
My brother sent me a text and asked if I watched the new season of Somebody Feed Phil (stream on Netflix). If you haven’t watched the show, Phil Rosenthal (creator of the TV show, Everybody Loves Raymond) is a foodie and he travels to different cities and visits several restaurants in each city. Phil gets super excited as he takes each delicious bite of food. He really champions restaurants and chefs— whether it’s a food truck or a fine dining establishment. Phil invites a local food writer or friend (various actors, writers, comedians) to join him at each restaurant.
I watched the Philadelphia episode and I am still thinking about the pizza and cheesesteaks featured on the show. I skipped ahead to Nashville (a city I love so much) and can’t wait to visit again soon. Oh, how I miss you Loveless Cafe.
Tip: You can find the list of featured cities on Phil’s website.
My Best Friend’s Kitchen (new series)
Gaby Dalkin and Hilary Duff (actress/singer)
Gaby Dalkin (pronounced “Gah-be” - wearing the striped sweater above) is a chef who was raised in Arizona, and lives in California with her husband and daughter. Gaby was Jessica Simpson’s (singer/designer) personal chef back in the day. Gaby is famous for her love of guacamole. She is a cookbook author with an extremely popular Instagram page (@whatsgabycookin). Gaby’s cooking style is very laid back and she doesn’t seem to get stressed out while she’s cooking. Her new show, My Best Friend’s Kitchen (stream free on QVC + - download the app on your phone or TV) is fun and very California cool. Each episiode Gaby visits a friend and helps her friend prepare a meal. New episodes are available each week.
Tip: Take a long look at the celeb kitchen she features. I got a lot of ideas by watching the show.