Welcome to this edition of Dimanche (That Means Sunday), a roundup of things that caught my eye this past week.

This week was all about catch up. I got back from New Orleans on Monday night, and I was busy the rest of the week with full-time work and freelance writing.

By the time Friday rolled around, I was ready for a break. I spent the weekend meeting up with family and friends, reading, and pursuing some new hobbies.

See: the dried flower cloche at the beginning of this post. My friend Carly suggested taking a dried flower cloche class at Bowood Farms, a local nursery that offers arts and crafts classes through the year. I was wondering how it would go, but as it turns out, I love making cloches. I forgot how much I like designing things and working with my hands. It’s very relaxing.

It also involves more instinct than thought, as most creative activities do. It’s good to turn off my mind every once in a while and make something beautiful. I hope at some point this week, you can do the same.

Without further ado, here is Dimanche:

I saw this archived New Yorker story a couple weeks ago and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I love Jamaica Kincaid’s writing. In this story, she writes about her time living in New York in her twenties. It’s extremely relatable. I like the part when she loses her hat and then cancels her plans with her friends because she’s so disgusted. I think we’ve all been there before. Read the full story in the New Yorker.

Xoco is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago, and so it was fun to read a profile about the chef. You might know Rick Bayless best for his restaurant Frontera Grill, or for his salsas and chips in most supermarkets. I liked what he said in the interview about how he cooks something from beginning to end every week. I did not identify with his love for extreme yoga, though. Check out the Q&A in Chicago Magazine.

I almost spit out my tea when I saw that there’s a new Elena Ferrante novel coming out in November. I’m a big fan of Ferrante’s novels, especially the Neapolitan Novels. Apparently, the new book is also set in Naples. Get more information in this piece from The Guardian.

I usually always get a doughnut at KNEAD, but at lunch today, I decided to try their new oatmeal cookie. I’m so happy I did. I’d highly recommend getting one if you’re in or around South City and you’re craving delicious baked goods. The bakery is open every day except Monday. 

I’m very excited that Balkan Treat Box made Bon Appétit‘s list of 50 nominees for America’s Best New Restaurants. It’s well-deserved. Savage, an upscale restaurant in St. Louis that I haven’t been to yet, also made the list. Check out all the nominees on Bon Appétit‘s website.

Seeing news like this makes me wish I still lived in D.C. There’s a new mural of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on U Street, a commercial and arts thoroughfare in the city. For now I’ll settle on seeing it in a photo, but I can’t wait to see it in person on my next trip to D.C. Read more about the mural in this CNN piece.

One of my favorite WashU professors, Rafia Zafar, is teaming up with St. Louis Metro Market’s “Food Bus” on a community cookbook project. Professor Zafar, along with many community partners, will create a cookbook based on local food narratives and “treasured family recipes.” I can’t wait to buy one once they’re published. Learn more about the cookbook project in this statement from WashU.

Last but certainly not least, Merriam-Webster is expanding its food and drink vocabulary. New entries will include “tallboy” and “matcha.” Not sure if this is a high point or a low point for society, but you can be the judge. Read the full story in the Washington Post.

Enjoy your week! Here’s a song to get you started. I heard it in an Uber in New Orleans and it’s been stuck in my head since.