Consumption Lounge: Spark Joy This September
Sunlight, breadcrumbs, and other sweet treats for a stress-free September
Welcome to the Consumption Lounge: a regular feature where I showcase all my favorite consumables from the food, beverage, cannabis, lifestyle, literary worlds, and beyond. Occasionally, affiliate links are included, but all recommendations are of my own.
Hey everyone,
It’s that time of year again—the air is a little crisper, the nights a little longer, and everything around us is buzzing with that transitional energy—September is here, whether you like it or not! (It’s also halfway over, so hopefully you’ve already made peace with that).
The month kicked off with New York Fashion Week, marking an annual tradition where I leave town because I just can’t pretend to care anymore. I even committed a faux pas by accidentally wearing Brat Summer green after Labor Day, which I guess is even more passé than wearing white shoes now. Because I can’t stand crowds or help being a contrarian, low season is a real high for me. So, I decided to jet off to Detroit and will be headed to NorCal next for the Hall of Flowers conference in Sonoma, which should be pretty exciting! More on both of those soon.
Personally, I’m feeling a little betrayed by summer as I barely got to the beach thanks to oppressive heat followed by more days of rain — just the perils of climate change (can we please make sustainability cool again?!). At best, I had a near spiritual experience one afternoon walking the boardwalk from Coney Island to Brighton Beach—one of the most godless places in New York City—and even then, the weather wasn’t so great (but the honey cake from Genatsvale certainly was).
Luckily, I remembered the Catskills are just a hop-skip away, so I got to spend a few fun weekends away this summer with friends and am currently amped up for the glorious return of fall foliage. There’s a guide for that, too!
Order your copy of “Easy Weekend Getaways in the Hudson Valley & Catskills” now!
According to all six of my horoscope apps and my own psychic intuition, the full moon tonight marks a time to surrender to the forces of the universe and accept things that are beyond our control: the lack of beach excursions, the inevitable changing of the seasons, those Oasis tickets I didn’t get 😢. Fortunately, this is also the perfect time for indulging in a little self-care and productivity, experimenting and elevating the senses along the way (an impromptu road trip, perhaps?!).
Whether you're looking to hit that higher plane or just get cozy, treat yourself this September with elevated experiences that look as good as they feel.
What’s Sparking Joy This September?
Coasting out from the summer haze into cozy season, September is all about deep experiences, intense flavors, and new perspectives. It’s a month sitting on the cusp of something transformational, like transforming your living room by investing in that sleek new bong or a luxe blanket to curl up under. Here’s some more ideas on how to splurge on comfort this September:
Do this: Hall of Flowers
The cannabis industry’s premier B2B event returns this year to Santa Rosa on September 20 to 21—opening its second day to consumers as a festival experience for the first time ever, including a line-up of Michelin chefs, sommeliers, and horticultural heavy hitters who are all elevating the herb. Yours truly will be talking about beverage and travel trends happening coast-to-coast in the Sonoma Hills Farm culinary wing, moderating panels with Jamie Evans of The Herb Somm, Ian Cauble from Vyne Wine, Claudio Miranda from Budist, Brian Applegarth of Applegarth Strategies, and Bryce Skolfield of Mine + Farm Inn, a NorCal bud & breakfast that just earned a nod from Time Magazine as one of their World’s Greatest Places 2024.ICYMI: My guide to the NorCal Emerald Green Road in Wine Enthusiast
Plane Reads: Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler
Truthfully, I absolutely DNGAF about John Mulaney’s messy divorce except that he decided to shove his new relationship and baby down America’s throat, so we had to hear all about it anyway. Fortunately, his ex, artist Anna Marie Tendler, is writing her own narrative—one that doesn’t involve him at all (and frankly sounds a lot more interesting). As someone working through my own understanding of C-PTSD, I’m looking forward to tackling this candid mental health memoir and grateful that these challenging conversations are becoming more mainstream.
Food for the Mood: Sunlight and Breadcrumbs by Renee Erickson
Blame it on all the hateful Gen Z food content, but I am finally falling back in love with cooking by getting offline and learning to trust print cookbooks again. Between the pandemic and going back to school last year, I fell victim to a girl dinner lifestyle—which is really just disordered eating, if you think about it—and many of the cookbooks thrown at me over the past year were very meh: too complicated, too many niche ingredients, or so highly specific that pulling a recipe didn’t feel intuitive. Fortunately, four new cookbooks are coming out this fall that I’m super jazzed about, including this one from James Beard Award winning chef Renee Erickson of Sea Creatures Restaurant Group in Seattle. This is true a cookbook for creatives. Not only because Erickson is an artist herself, but because the recipes are genuinely inventive, approachable, elegant, and many stand the tests of time (plus, it’s a pretty good read!). Her tuna melt, for example, uses charred and pickled jalapeños, chives, and provolone cheese—not completely inventing the wheel, but a smart and easy upgrade on a classic I wouldn’t have thought of! Pre-order now!Drink this: Dark Matter Coffee sets up NYC satellite cafe
Many moons ago, I discovered my favorite little hole-in-the-wall: Star Lounge, a scrappy little cafe with exceptional coffee situated slightly off-the-beaten path in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village. Owner Jesse Diaz started about as small as you can get, roasting coffee beans using a popcorn air fryer before eventually leveling up the operation into full-scale roasting facility churning out coffee that could easily stand up against the city’s caffeinated giants. After putting them on the national radar among Food & Wine’s Best Coffeehouses in America in 2010, Star Lounge has since exploded into a constellation of Dark Matter shops and a growing footprint, and is now breaking ground on its first New York City shop in the Lower East Side that will open later this year! Congrats, friends! Excited to have you!
Weed Witch Wardrobe: Debbie Harry x Wild Fang
Can you believe Debbie Harry is 79 years old and this fierce? Wild Fang obviously took notice, launching an excellent grommet-embellished line of punk attire that says, “I’m the kind of punk that has a dayjob and bathes.” And of course, I bought three of them so I guess that’s what that says about me.
Dreams Come True: Kitchenaid 2024 Design Series Evergreen Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
A bit embarrassed that I’m not more on the up-and-up about pimping my Kitchenaid with all of their cool accessories, but fortunately Williams-Sonoma had my number with a targeted ad showing off the latest limited edition run with a 5-quart walnut wood bowl. STUN-NING. Wow. Apparently, there’s a whole world of cool bowls, too?! Unfortunately, the walnut wooden bowl is only part of the Dream Series, so I guess one of you has to marry me so I can put this on my registry.
Rituals & Reflections: The Reset
Happy birthday to all the Virgos and Libras out there! September brings a chance to reset, recenter, and reevaluate what’s important. Virgo is all about maintaining order, while Libra is the great balancing act, making this harmonious time to step back from the noise and light up with intention. Even if you missed the recent new moon it’s never too late to set your goals for the rest of the year, be more mindful of your daily habits, and reconnect with your purpose. Smoke in peace; reflect in clarity!The September Stash:
Here’s what I’m reaching for:Strain of the Month: Pink Jesus. Since I’m heading to Sonoma County, obviously will be lighting up this legendary bud from Sonoma Hills Farm—genetics worth traveling for in wine country! Plus, pink!
Edible: Blackberry lemonade gummies from Bettering Company. Proudly a mid-weight stoner (why destroy my tolerance when I don’t have to?), these 10mg gummies from Chicago-based edibles brand Bettering Company just launched in the New York market and I’m obsessed. Using real fruit juice, they don’t just taste better, but they’re better for you. Hopefully other edibles brands will take a hint because too many are filled with way too much sugar and preservatives and I’m over it!
Drink: Water. Mostly because I’ve been dehydrated and need the reminder, so you probably do, too. Here’s my favorite water bottle, which has hour increments for those of us who space out and lose track of time (guilty as charged!).
Snack: Earl grey sea salt caramels from The Blu Kitchen out of Plymouth, Michigan. Picked these up on a whim in Detroit at Monger’s Provisions and they did not disappoint. Made in small batches, using fresh cream and butter from a local dairy—as they should be!—the slight hint of bergamot is a really classy touch.
Until next time, stay lifted and live deliciously!
C
MORE FROM THE CONSUMPTION LOUNGE
Consumption Lounge: Hot Amnesia Haze August
Consumption Lounge: July Summer Smoke Show
Consumption Lounge: The 2024 Guide to 4/20 in NYC and Beyond
Welcome to the The Weed Witch coven. If you liked this post, click the heart button below and consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Fall down the wrong rabbit hole? Click here to unsubscribe.