three small bites: ⚰️🕯️🍲
a perfect show for Valentine's Day, sardine candles + go-to meals
Hi! Happy Valentine’s Day. I’ve got a few updates for you:
❤️ Until the end of the month, the Red String Theory audiobook is on sale for $3.99 through Libro.fm, just in time for the Lantern Festival (RST starts on this holiday!) and Valentine's Day! That's an 86% savings, so you can have your midnight dumplings and freeze-dried ice cream, too. If you ever wanted 'invisible string' in the form of a book (but make it red), this one’s for you.
📗 The sweetest Katie Garaby (a legend and ultimate romance champion, as well as the Between the Covers romance book club leader and curator of the Love, Parnassus romance subscription box at Parnassus Books) recommended Yin Yang Love Song in the Nashville Scene’s Love Issue! She said “YYLS is a romance book for all the readers out there who miss the heyday of the ’90s rom-com and want to feel deliciously twitterpated again.” The ultimate compliments! And twitterpated? I mean, come on! What a word.
🏷️ Also, I’m having an annual subscription Valentine’s Day sale (ends on 2/17)—you can get 15% off past, present, future! If you’ve been wanting to get the full subscription, now is the time. When you’re a paid subscriber, you get access to everything around here: three small bites, books from the past, present, future, 10 things lately. You can read what I learned about writing from Ina Garten or see what I’m shedding vs. keeping this year. You also get full access to the romanticizing writing with… archive. Big hugs and thanks to those who help keep this newsletter running. ❤️
Let’s get to the bites…
1. ⚰️ a perfect show for Valentine’s Day
Or honestly, any time of year. The way I laughed out loud watching Laid. It’s a twisted rom-com about a woman who learns that everyone she’s ever slept with are starting to die in mysterious ways. She’s already having a hard time finding love, and this just makes it that much more challenging. The writing is sharp on this one. It has snappy pacing with hysterical bits that are delivered with admirable commitment. Every episode entertained me as Ruby and her best friend, AJ, work to figure out why this is all happening. Despite there being something supernatural going on, the story feels rooted in reality. They take steps to get outside help, but also go warm the past partners about what’s been going on to try to save them.
It’s so cute, too, with very sweet moments layered in between solving the mystery of why Ruby’s ex-sexual partners are all dying. There were so many mentions of rom-com movies, which I ate up. The whole When Harry Met Sally spiral Ruby goes down just for it to circle back to her love of Billy Crystal? So good.
I signed up for Peacock just for this show (worth it), so while my paid month lasts, I’m looking for other recs. Got any? Obviously I’ll be watching Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (streaming now) and am intrigued by SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.
P.S. If you’re into stories that explore curses, I have a book rec for you. 😉
2. 🕯️ sardine candles
I’m clearly on a fish kick, but how cute and quirky are these Wishy Fishies? I love how these sardine celebratory candles kind of look like Swedish fish. I normally don’t give much thought to candles on cakes (they’re useful for as long as it takes to sing ‘Happy Birthday’) but these are making me think otherwise. They can really add something special (or on-theme) to a cake/cupcake/treat, celebration or otherwise.
3. 🍲 go-to meals
You know when you’re asked “What are you reading right now?” and suddenly it feels like you’ve never read a book in your life? That’s how I sometimes feel when I’m asked what I love to cook or what my favorite dish to cook is. So often, it depends on my mood and cravings.
When I went to see Ina Garten in Nashville in the fall, she described her go-to meal for dinner parties that she “can make in her sleep.” It’s her Rack of Lamb and Orzo with Roasted Vegetables from Barefoot Contessa Parties! She also talks about it in this Ask Me Anything, which got me thinking: what would my go-to meal be for dinner parties? I’ll be thinking on this and will share more once I’ve got some good answers.
Do you have a go-to meal?
Hope you have a rom-com filled weekend! 💕
From me to you, in the present,
Lauren
nine more bites:
About me: I’m Lauren Kung Jessen, author of Lunar Love, Red String Theory, and Yin Yang Love Song. Connect with me on Instagram for more on books and food.