Momentary Recommends: Resources from Emily Neuman
Looking for indulging content? Momentary Recommends is a bi-weekly round-up of content, selected by a Momentary staff member. This week, enjoy a list of recommendations from Public Relations Manager, Emily Neuman, including new books, new hobbies, and where to find good food locally!
What I’m Watching:
I love contemporary art, but I am a big fan of Impressionist paintings as well. The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia is one of my favorite museums for this reason as it is home to one of the world’s greatest collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and early modernist paintings.
Like many art institutes that closed their doors to help contain the spread of the coronavirus, they started offering several online resources to stay connected with them. I’ve been enjoying their “Barnes Takeout” videos on YouTube. In these short daily videos, Barnes curators, scholars, and educators present off-the-cuff musings about some of their favorite works in the collection. It’s been a nice way to stay connected to art, and learn some new musing about the works. Videos are pretty quick and easy to follow as well—bonus!
What I’m READING:
I recently just finished Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. It’s a beautiful coming-of-age story about nature, survival, and love, mixed in with a murder mystery.
Reese Witherspoon’s monthly book club is my go-to for finding my next book to read. For June, the book is Austin Channing Brown’s I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. I’ve ordered it online and am looking forward to diving in as soon as it arrives, and I invite you to do the same. Here’s an online review:
“From a leading voice on racial justice, an eye-opening account of growing up Black, Christian, and female that exposes how white America’s love affair with “diversity” so often falls short of its ideals.”
What I’m DOING:
I’ve always wanted to learn how to knit. I’ve tried going to the store by myself to figure out what needles, yarn, and whatever else I needed to learn how to do so. I never felt confident that I was buying the right thing, or doing it correctly as everything I made turned out really bad.
I was excited when Hillfolk opened its doors across the street from the Momentary at 8th Street Market and started offering classes on the subject, as well as kits you can do yourself at home. I’ve recently purchased their “Learn to Knit Kit” and loved it! The knitting kit has all the essentials you need to create a cozy and simple cowl—from detailed instructions to the needles and yard. Hillfolk offers free shipping in delivery in NWA on orders over $75, so locals: hit them up!
What I’m EATING:
Oven & Tap in downtown Bentonville is known for their custom-built wood-fired oven-and-tap wall, and the delicious pizzas that come from it (and other dishes, too!). I’ve often found myself craving Wood-Fired Edamame and a Spicy Joe pizza from them during quarantine. Luckily, they’ve been offering to-go orders during this time so I’ve been able to still pick it up on occasion. A new thing they’ve been doing that I’ve really been enjoying their pizza and pasta kits! They give you all the fixins’ to make their quality of pizza and pasta at home yourself. So fun and I would definitely recommend it!
I live in Bentonville but have a soft spot for driving down to Fayetteville to walk around Lake Fayetteville. The added bonus: I’ve been able to pick up a delicious dinner from Feed and Folly or Atlas afterward to bring back home with me. These are two new restaurants that opened right before the pandemic hit but are still going strong with offering to-go options. Definitely two delicious options if you are looking to skip cooking tonight!
What I’m BUYING:
A good candle can change your life. And your home. I’ve become obsessed with Twig Candles from a local boutique called The Nest in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They have 16 different scents and hand-pour them onsite. The formula is a combination of beeswax and paraffin, so I feel good about what I’m burning during the day. Order them online, and I promise, you won’t regret it. My go-to has been the scent “D” (driftwood). It’s a warm mix of pepper and tobacco.