Lockdown Consumption: Week 2-3
Ok, I’ll admit it. I got a little lost when Week 2 became Week 3. Fourteen days blurred into an abstract artwork depicting successful home-cooked meals, a couple of baked goods, numerous video calls, scouting the shortest supermarket line, several searches for flour and serendipitous sightings of friends on sidewalks. Amongst the bright splashes of colour exist smudges of muddier ones: moments that were slow, empty, lonely, frustrating, confusing, claustrophobic. An artwork to place, hang and remember.
Though blurry, some notable consumables of the past fourteen days are listed below.
EATING：
So the story goes like this. I wasn’t looking for him, but one fateful trip to the asian supermarket changed everything. I turned the corner, we locked eyes, and the next thing you know, I was taking that jumbo 4-pack of Indomie Mi Goreng home. (Note: if you’re doubling-down, which you will be, because who ever has one packet?- add extra chilli, a drizzle of sesame oil and kecap manis for maximum goodness.)
Yeah, I’m a week or so behind this isolation-sensation but hey, my lack of beers in the house held me back on this baked good. I should have hunted down a beer much sooner because that Lockdown Loaf is joyous. Topped mine with a caramelised red onion/spring onion/paprika concoction, served it with a slashing of butter and avo. Chelsea Winter, you get it girl. I imagine her responding with a knowing look.
Only a fairly recent favourite, date scones have become my baked good of choice alongside my mug of English Breakfast (black with the teabag in, thanks) at morning tea. With ample time, ample flour and no Westcity Bakery round the corner from work, I thought it would be a prime opportunity to make a few myself. I limited consumption to one a day: but I made six scones and they didn’t last over the weekend, so something odd happened there…
These are a controversial Easter treat, but I allowed myself to a humble pack of 12 marshmallow eggs. The best $3.50 spent at the supermarket.
I made a Malaysian chicken curry because I was craving the comfort of Dad’s cooking. And because I had no excuse and every reason, I thought I’d try my hand at making a side of roti. This involved a slightly distressed Facetime with mum and dad, a doughy, flour-dusted iPad, very gumby attempts at flipping roti dough (instead of a satisfying slap on the bench, they made a disheartening flop) and picking out melted butter that had coagulated in my hair. Despite its predictable ups and downs (I could tell mum was rather worried about the fate of my dough), the project had some good results as voted by the boyfriend and I. Would willingly attempt it again.
READING:
My friend wrote a book on Jacinda, so I read it. It made me laugh, it didn’t make me cry, and it gave me a much-needed schooling of New Zealand’s political history. It also made me appreciate and respect (even more so) our country’s strong female lead. Buy it on Kindle now and read it with a side of heater, blanket, tea and snacks.
The smallest book on my shelf that I haven’t read: The Great Gatsby. Might need to watch the movie again.
The smallest book from the stack that was closest to me when I finished the above: Shakespeare, by Bill Bryson. This was a pleasant surprise and highly enjoyable, more so for the author’s bemused tone of voice. It’s an achievable one-dayer, because as Bill puts it: “[Shakespeare] is at once the best known and least known of figures.” Hence, a short book.
Currently: The Bletchley Girls.
LISTENING:
Unbeknownst to me (because yes, I have lost track of the days), I chose to do a grocery shop on the morning of Good Friday eve. When it clicked (it didn’t, until later that afternoon from a stuff.co.nz article) the extremely long(er-than-usual) lines outside Ponsonby and Mt Eden Countdown made much more sense. In search of a shorter, more pleasant line, sheltered from the impending rain, I found myself at Westfield Newmarket, sliding into a reasonably empty Level 3 Carpark (declared as the best access for Countdown- this can be confirmed). Once I joined the for the supermarket line, I lost track of time. All I know is that my shopping experience wouldn’t have been as enjoyable if it weren’t for Dave Chang chatting about feeding his household delicious things during the lockdown, and a sighting of the nation’s beloved John Campbell, suited up and shopping in Tai Ping.
I’ve followed this account on Instagram and saved many a post, but have finally taken the time to tune into The OneUp Project. My first one was an easy-listening conversation with Beks Anderson, the founder of shoe brand Chaos and Harmony.
WATCHING：
Still no Tiger King. But finally, Cheer. Netflix. It’s only taken me however many months and procrastinations to finally buy into the emotional, stressful, mesmerising world of American competitive cheerleading. Yes, I’m counting down to the 2019 Daytona National Championships, and yes, I feel every single one of those broken elbows and concussions. I’m hooked.
Rick and Morty: Netflix. What started as passive, side-eye consumption whenever I shared the couch with the boyfriend became slightly more active as I found myself prolonging the looks over my book and buying into the storyline. It’s quirky, clever, topical, outrageous and hilarious. Suspend sensibility and it makes for a satisfying, 20-minute side to a meal (or elaborate snack.)
Plus One: a little feel-good, break-your-heart, then put-it-back-together-again rom-com about two ‘friends’ who plus-one each other over wedding season. I won’t say anymore.
Love, Wedding, Repeat. Netflix. I had to, what else was there to do over Easter weekend? It started and finished as hoped, but gets a little lost and annoying in the middle. Yup, I skipped a couple of bits here and there.
Homecoming: Beyoncé. Netflix. Facilitates a welcomed singalong and boogie from the couch, then makes you wish we weren’t in lockdown and that you could time travel back to Coachella 2018.
