A Friday Buffet

No. 039 Indulgence and nostalgia and growing up.

Aug 04, 2023

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While I have yet to see Barbie, we did watch The Beanie Bubble on Netflix a few nights ago and it came with an ocean-size amount of nostalgia. The movie offered an eye-opening, not-entirely-positive look at the founder(s) of the famous plush toys (my beanie collection is waiting patiently in boxes) and an entertaining look at the past. For many of us that were kids in the 90s (and born in the 80s), Beanie Babies were a phenomenon that took over for a wild, yet brief amount of time.

My grandmother worked at a small, independently-owned toy shop in Maine during the Beanie craze which made all of us even more aware, involved, and excited to collect the inexpensive, cute toys. My collection soared past 100 and we also somehow got a lot of the tiny ones that were sold at McDonald’s thanks to my dad’s heroic efforts. What a time!

Looking back at the rise and fall of that toy craze through the lens of a Netflix movie made it all the more entertaining and nostalgic. It felt incredibly indulgent at the time to have so many of those little stuffed animals and to feel as though certain ones had such “ value.” Of course, once the bubble burst…all of that value changed instantly. I never got rid of my collection because I am someone who loves a collection (have you seen my shoes?); I should have sold them all and instead created a nice little savings account. Live and learn!

Beyond the amusement of The Beanie Bubble, it also provided a block of time to live in my memories of the 1990s which was a section in life that, for all intents and purposes, was incredibly easy, care-free, and fairly indulgent.

To be clear, I was 5 years old in 1990 and just 14 in 1999 so those years aren’t necessarily one’s most difficult. I fondly remember my main goals were to play outside, collect toys, and eat a lot. And to go shopping. Heh, my favorite activities these days are fairly similar! ;)

Where am I going with all of this? I bet you’re curious, too.

Well, this week’s episode of And Just Like That… was shockingly good and felt, once again, somewhat nostalgic. I am a devout Sex and the City fan and despite the various cringe moments in the new show (season one and two), the latest episode (and the one before that) really hit its stride. I am finally enjoying the characters, plot line, and appreciating the entertainment of it all.

Perhaps this is because the show is finally focusing on the relationships and discussing actual friendship issues (to some extent) which affect us all in the real world. My college roommates and I would watch Sex and the City seasons over and over again and now my post-college friends and I discuss And Just Like That… episodes with the same vigor. It feels indulgent to discuss episodes of TV in such depth because it’s so “unnecessary” to the flow of life; but at the same time nothing feels more natural, relaxing, or nostalgic.

I find myself reading episode recaps, in-depth fashion pieces, and other articles that deep-dive on the smallest of details of the show. Sure, it’s not exactly poring over Shakespeare’s most famous works, but I’m definitely enjoying it just the same. And it’s just so nostalgic! Let’s be real: I am not much for Shakespeare, but 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) will always live near the top of my favorite movies. Can you sense a theme here? I loved the 90s.

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From the beanie craze to the years of Sex and the City to the fashions of the times (wide-leg jeans, cargo pants, platform boots, they’re all back) and the movies which perfectly represented all of us in 1999, I love to look back at that period of life for myriad of reasons. Basically, it was pretty fun!

I’m getting all nostalgic this month because August brings more summer weather, the promise of fall fashion, and my birthday. Yes, I’m a Leo so take that however you’d like. I find birthdays to be a good moment to reflect on the past, appreciate it, and find ways to bring the best parts of it into the future in new, modern ways.

I’ll be 38 in two weeks which truly feels ridiculous. 38. Who is 38?! How am I going to be 38? 38 feels like a giant weight. I was just 15. I was just 25. I was just 35. Wow. Time. Keeps. Going. But I don’t feel any different? But life is very different. I’m married. I have a puppy. I have a house and a yard and a mortgage and a job and bills and all of the adult things that are not uncommon to have when one is approaching 38.

However, one of my favorite activities, to this day, is to go to the mall, browse around, go out to lunch, and then go home to watch TV or sit outside and relax. Just like when I was a kid - in the 90s…

Friday [gluten free] Food Focus

From the top, L-R: cocktails, hamachi crudo, mozzarella sticks and stuffed olives, chicken milanese, house-made sweet corn gelato scoop and mint scoop.

Faccia a Faccia - Newbury Street, Boston

Seth and I went to this spot for our anniversary lunch and OMG it continues to dazzle me every single time we visit. The food is impeccable, the service is great, and the gluten free options are plentiful. Do yourself a favor and head down to Newbury Street for a wonderful experience from first bite to dessert. My favorite must-order dishes: stuffed olives, mozzarella sticks with caviar, chicken milanese, and the sweet corn gelato. Superb!