I love all of my children equally! The American one on the left is messy, loud, optimistic, sassy and uses the letter z far more often. The British one on the right is more subdued, wittier, has a better grasp of European history, often judges the louder American one. I’m sad to report thatRead On >>
New book from Jess – out in May 2019!
Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come
Hello!! Jess here! Some updates since Graduates in Wonderland ended: Rachel moved back to Paris! I’m visiting her TOMORROW via the Eurostar and I will be sleeping on her sofa. I still live in London! I’m still with Sam Singer! I still really like him so it looks like this just might stick! And IRead On >>
Michael Phelps and I Have A Lot in Common
But seriously, cupping is terrible
Finally. An excuse to write about Michael Phelps. I wrote about cupping in GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND, because it was possibly the most terrible experience of my life. Here’s an excerpt in my letter from Beijing to Rachel in New York: Anyway, we actually lost a little bit of time together because I got sick. It’sRead On >>
Elves f**k and have better clothes than you
Elf School
I went to elf school in Iceland and wrote about it for Jezebel: “Every time I see a local ripping off a tourist for some ‘authentic’ experience, I think, ‘Who the hell is going to fall for that?’” Dylan, my ex-roommate, remarked a few months ago over breakfast. “And then I think, ‘Oh wait.Read On >>
Bake These Tarts, Bag Your Own Tyrannical King
(includes gluten because kings love gluten)
If you’re always a bridesmaid, never a bride, don’t fret. Attracting the perfect mate is time-consuming and difficult in the best of times. But there’s an easier way, and it dates back to the 16th century. If you’ve been watching Wolf Hall and want that really joyful time in history to be your reality, then this is theRead On >>
How To Get Fat In New York*
*And Be Trendy, Too!
Last fall, I flew to New York under the guise of supporting Sam Singer while he ran 26.2 miles in the freezing cold wind through all five of the city’s boroughs (aka the New York City Marathon or something). Meanwhile, I engaged in a week-long, full-on eating marathon. After several days of eating out inRead On >>
Winter of Discontent
The Worst Thing I Ever Did (Train for a Half-Marathon in Winter)
Here’s a post I wrote for The Daily Telegraph about my training for my first half-marathon in Brighton, England. Don’t expect pro advice, though. I’m just hoping to finish/show up. Here’s how it’s going so far: Midway through my 3-mile run in London, my lungs and legs feel too heavy to continue and I stopRead On >>
It’s 11/11! Happy Singles Day!
Let us eat Pocky forever and ever
In the book, I mention my favorite late-night snack / hangover snack in Beijing: Pocky (or Pepero in other countries) It’s a crunchy cookie shaped like a stick and half-covered in chocolate (or white chocolate, strawberry and green tea icing). It is perfect for snacking while binging on DVDS or sitting on your orange couchRead On >>
Make Paris Yours
A guide to experiences you need to have in the city
Paris is a tricky, slippery little city. It can be like a grandmother: gorgeous, bedecked in jewels and richness. Or it can be like a punk-ass teenager: dirty, assuming attitudes, out until dawn. It can be a scholarly middle-aged man, going to the same cafes and perpetually reading the same books; it can be aRead On >>
A Nut Tart from the Roman Era
Baking from a Bygone Era
Hello! I’m currently in Tuscany, where it is beautiful and warm and sunny, but also ripe with snags that I’ve taken to (obnoxiously) calling #tuscanyproblems such as having no hot water, going to various restaurants and grocery stores only to find they are closed just as we need them and getting constantly lost on windyRead On >>