066: Maple Suggests Mr. Bao's rice pudding, etc.
Doing scary things and more
~I'm Maple, I’m currently in Park Slope, Brooklyn 🫶 and this is a weekly deal where my friends and I suggest all kinds of things you should try~
Good morning folks! I have an announcement coming regarding this newsletter soon. All good stuff, but the teaser is: I’m embracing some limitations and changes. But for now, here’s a list mainly of foods I’ve savored this week while enjoying the company of people I LOVE:
1. The peppers from El Pingüino. This place is such a star in Greenpoint. The staff is incredible and the BREAD is just, mm. My friend Jonny and I got the peppers at his recommendation and I’ll never not order them again. They’re charred at the edges and sliced thinly like lox. Excellent.
2. Time Galleries. I bought some vintage lamps! For my indoor plants, of course (they’re so spoiled). This vintage shop is just a couple of avenues down from me and is everything you want out of a vintage shop: relatively affordable, great selection, smells like mothballs, complete with store cat.
3. The faux chicken sandwich from Orchard Grocer. I’m not even vegan, but this vegan deli RULES. I forgot about it until I was ordering lunch during a color grading session in SoHo, and it popped up on the GrubHub list. How do they make this chicken sandwich taste like that?? God I love this place.
4. The rice pudding from Mr. Bao. Two nights ago, I ordered from this spot while visiting my friend Stephanie in Williamsburg. The food was insanely good and the rice pudding came in little baby food jars with cork lids. I squealed!!
5. Doing scary things. I learned recently that my contract at Meta is not going to be renewed as of the end of this year. There are a lot of shake-ups happening over there, and the bottom line is: I’m taking it as a bit of a sign. I’ve been having so many moments of pure joy in this commercial directing journey I’ve been on this year, and I want to keep doing that. I don’t know how it’s going to pan out for me (I’m just getting started, I’m not repped). But I’m also feeling confident in my gut these days, and my gut is telling me to open myself up to opportunities. This isn’t to say another full-time job is off the table… but whatever I do next needs to be creative direction, somehow. Even setting that bar is scary, because it’s really leveling up for me. But, it’s spooky season, so — toss me the sheet with the eye holes cut out and call me a ghost cuz here I go scarin’ myself!!
I simply don’t know what I’d do without you all. All my love until next time,
xo Mapes