Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Monday mornings with five things/ideas/events for the week:

I.  I recently partnered with an amazing new culinary app called Cookila.  The company features recipes by pro chefs tailored to foodies who want to cook at home.  I was thrilled when I found out that Cookila is using my Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage Brown Butter as a part of its autumnal ad campaign.  The ravioli are too die for and couldn’t be easier to make (using store-bought wonton wrappers in lieu of pasta dough).  Take a look at the recipe and many others on the beautiful app!

II.  Have I mentioned my obsession with gold this season?  I can’t pinpoint exactly when it began, but it’s quickly become borderline unhealthy…  Everything from the revamped T&T business cards I just ordered (will post as soon as they arrive) to the candles on my coffee table is suddenly gilded.  Though I have no need for new lighting, I couldn’t resist researching the gumball desk lamp I found on Pinterest over the weekend.  When I spotted it on Urban Outfitters, I was so excited about its affordability, I snapped one up without even thinking about whether there is anywhere to put it in my apartment.  Oops.

III.  On the topic of all that glitters, even household greenery isn’t immune from elevation via a touch of gold.  While perusing plant options for my living room, I came across this striking cactus in a metallic pot and plant stand from ferm LIVING.  Typically, I steer away clear of cacti - their prickly exteriors don’t exactly scream comfortable home design.  Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a leafy green that pairs well with my plethora of boxwood topiary.  When I saw the dressed-up cactus, I knew that it would be the perfect match.  Check out Cactus Limon for fantastic deals on oversized plants to fill your new pot.

IV.  Did you know that macaron ice cream sandwiches exist?!?  I’m a huge fan of the Diddy Riese build-your-own ice cream sandwich shop in Westwood, and obviously adore macarons - but never have I ever fathomed such a perfect confectionery combination.  You can imagine my delight when I found out that they are sold in San Francisco at multiple locations.  

V.  Dating: hate.  Online dating: loathe (e.g. see here).  Data Science: love.  What do you get when you combine love and analytics?  Evidently, a pretty genius hack.  In her TED Talk, How I Hacked Online Dating, Amy Webb chronicles her difficult breakup at 30 and her efforts to find another partner via the world wide web.  Initially, Amy had little luck.  Rather than deleting all of her dating apps, she turned to data.  Given that much of online dating is based on algorithms, this makes an enormous amount of sense.  Amy used reverse-engineering (and fake male accounts) to come up with 72 different data points, which she prioritized into a two-tier ranking system, and then ran through a scoring equation to predict whether or not someone would actually be a good mate.  I love a good scheme as much as the next girl, and this one had a happy ending - Amy married one of the men she matched with.  Whether or not you’ve experienced the joys of l'amour sur internet first hand, you’ll love Amy’s brilliant story.

Have a wonderful week!  xx tt