Hey Croissants,
Hope you are all having a splendid week. This post will be coming out a bit after the fact as I’m pre-loading in preparation for my trip to India! More about that upon my return.
This week, I have eaten the same exact order from CAVA no less than SIX times. As many of you might know, I have real difficulty feeding myself (especially when not putting in effort to enjoy with someone else), and am luckily married to a very good cook. Unfortunately, he is also frequently on tour, and when he’s gone my meals tend to rotate between Banza pasta with parmesan cheese, plain peanut butter out of the jar, RX Bars, Tuna melts, and Canned Soup. Sometimes I eat Ground Turkey. But just cooked plain. With some feta or something.
Another of my go-to meals I like to call “Can of black beans with chunks of cheddar cheese.” I guess I couldn’t find the cheese grater that day.
Anyway, since I discovered that CAVA has locations in Nashville, and was home alone this week, I indulged a bit. Here’s my order, in case you’re wondering:
Base: 1/2 supergreens 1/2 black lentil Dips: 2 scoops Hummus, 1 scoop Tsatziki Protein: Grilled Chicken, or 1/2 sweet potatoes if available Toppings: corn, broccoli, feta, pita strips, cucumber Dressing: Yogurt Dill + Lemon Herb Tahini Total Cost: ~ $12.00
I’m very hungry as I write this, and my mouth is starting to water as I write this so I’m going to move on.
Also pictured: Imodium tablets purchased in preparation for India trip.
On another topic, back in May, I met up with my sister in the Netherlands after a small tour. We spent King’s Day (the NL’s biggest national holiday) enjoying ourselves on the Culture Boat (a coffee shop housed on a beautiful converted ship sitting in the canal) and wandering through the many street sales. Feeling very happy, I spontaneously purchased this camera from a stall for 40 euros, without knowing anything about it. I finally got some film to bring with me on my trip, and am hoping that I can take some cool photos. I will keep you updated on this new Art Hoe pursuit! Film heads, LMK what I should know about this camera.
My final update is that my “Sports for Art Hoes” journey continued this week with a trip to see Nashville SC play Orlando at our home stadium. Nashville is unfortunately a bit of a sad team to support this year, and we saw them lose 0-3, with not many moments of hope along the way. However, we did enjoy ourselves and got to experience “Soccer Moses,” a true fan who attends every game dressed as Moses, and sporting a sign that says “Let My People Goal” in both English and Spanish.
As someone who has spent every Spring flicking wine and yelling “Let My People Go!” at a Passover seder (rebranded as “A Humanist Liberation Festival” by my Atheist-Jewish father), Soccer Moses spoke to me.
Alright, croissants. That’s all for now.
Before I sign off, some great work to check out if you desire. My good friend Anna Jane Lester, who is the visual artist behind all of my recent album art and merch, is also a professional Baroque violinist, and her ensemble, the Butter Quartet, recently released an album entitled Scintilla: Early Italian String Quartets. I am enjoying it as I write this very newsletter!
Also, I read this beautiful story from the New York Times this morning, which profiles Ko Maung Saungkha, a poet and rebel militia leader in Myanmar. This is a fascinating look at the power and popularity of poetry in that environment, and when poets decide it’s time to take up arms. Here’s one of Saungkha’s poems, quoted in the story:
On my manhood rests a tattoo portrait of Mr. President. My beloved found that out, after we wed. She was utterly devastated, inconsolable.
And with that, I will leave you for now.
Until next week,
Rachel
Just read that poem to my wife. Was a big hit.