Setting an Intention
Plus, The Dream Hotel, savory morning buns, and coffee cocktails.
Hello lovely readers! How are you doing today? It’s a pale, luminous sky here in Virginia this morning, the air heavy with humidity but also, somehow, with promise. Maybe it’s because I’m writing from my porch, listening to the creek trickling and the birds trilling, noticing the green leaves sprouting from the sturdy branches of the black walnut tree. Spring is here, and hope springs eternal. As always, thank you for being here!
INTENTION: what one intends to do or bring about. A determination to act a certain way. (Source: Merriam-Webster)
I think of setting an intention like planting a seed, whether they are things that I want to accomplish or ways that I want to show up in the world. Intention can be a delicate thing and as such, it must be protected. So many things will compete for your time, your attention, your energy, threatening to burst your bubble. When you set an intention you make it known to yourself, but it can be helpful to share your intentions with others, as a way to share what’s important to you, but also as a way keep you accountable. Determination can only take you so far—we all need support to meet our goals, to reach for what we are aiming for.
In my writing life, intention setting is sometimes practical, like calendaring time to work on my memoir or newsletter and then guarding that time preciously. Or knowing that I work better with a deadline, giving myself until the end of May to finish the latest round of memoir revision before handing it off to the next editor I’ve hired (more on that talented individual below!). I had a pretty good writing schedule going, but lately I’ve been feeling more ebbs than flows. And it’s okay. Part of the reason for that shift is that I had set another intention, that of finding more balance and consistency in my freelance work. It’s something that I’ve thought about, held loosely, and stayed patient on, and it only recently came to fruition.
Taking on a part-time copywriting and copyediting job means that other areas of my life are affected, writing and otherwise. This shift serves as a natural reflection point, a reminder that we are constantly needing to reevaluate our intentions. Shifting what we hold close to make space for new opportunities doesn’t mean that you’re falling short on your other intentions. Rather, it’s an opportunity to live with intention, to honor what you are capable of in this moment, to meet yourself right where you are.
Part of the etymology of intention includes Latin roots intentionem, “a stretching our, straining, exertion, effort; attention.” (Source: Online Etymology Dictionary) Sometimes, intention setting requires us to stretch; it can feel uncomfortable, this stretching, but it is a sign of growth. Any kind of growth usually comes with some discomfort, but when you reach, you expand, and if you pay attention, you’ll see that every inch gained is bringing you closer to aligning with your purpose.
When I set the intention to write this newsletter on a weekly basis, I knew it would be a stretch. But it is a gift to sit and put words to paper and then to screen, these thoughtful missives that I send out to you, in hopes that they land in your mailbox with the most heartfelt of intentions. It fulfills my purpose too: to serve others with my words. It means the world to me when someone comments or emails or messages me to tell me that my words resonate, that they are a balm, or that a particular sentence was exactly what they needed to hear, or that I offered them a new perspective.
Setting an intention can start by simply stopping to listen, to tune in to what your heart of hearts is telling you is important to you. And then honoring that, making space for it, and letting it flourish to serve your purpose. It doesn’t have to be a lofty goal; it can be a determination to show up for yourself and honor one small thing you need today. And then, even if the best of intentions don’t manifest quite how you thought, knowing when to let it go and set another one.
Memoir Updates
I’ve got one month to finish revising my manuscript before I hand it off to Brian Howe, who I’ve hired to edit the next round. After returning my sample edit, we agreed that we’d tailor a package to do a heavy line edit that focuses on sentence-level polish and higher-level plot. Brian and I worked together at Indy Week when I was the food editor and he was the arts and culture editor. He is a talented writer and impeccable editor, and has edited more than 100 books across a variety of genres. I’m thrilled to be working with someone who I respect and trust so much.
In other memoir news, I was accepted to a juried workshop at Aspen Summer Words and will be spending one week in Aspen at the end of June with Héctor Tobar and a talented group of memoir writers.
Published Articles & Media Appearances
From Uruguay to Virginia, Tannat Takes Off
For my second story for Wine Enthusiast I wrote about tannat, a grape I discovered while researching Virginia wineries for another story. I learned about a cool winemakers’ exchange program between Loudoun County, VA and their sister county, Canelones, in Uruguay, and how much the wine industry has grown in Virginia. This article really pushed me—wine is not my main beat, but it is something I’m interested in, and in pursuing the story, it deepened my appreciation for growers and producers and stoked my curiosity.
13 Best Cookbooks to Gift This Mother’s Day
For Food Network, I compiled a round-up of new spring titles and returning favorites for my annual Mother’s Day cookbook gift guide. I’m especially excited about The Fishwife Cookbook: Delightful Tinned Fish Recipes for Every Occasion by Becca Millstein and Vilda Gonzalez (I can’t get enough of Fishwife’s tinned fish, especially the Smoked Salmon with Fly By Jing Chili Crisp) and Third Culture Cooking: Classic Recipes for a New Generation by Zaynab Issa, which I hope to delve deeper into and unpack for a future newsletter topic on Third Culture Kids.
The second installment of my monthly food column at The Roanoke Rambler came out earlier this month, and May’s will be out next week! It covers Roanoke restaurant news (openings, closings, menu additions, and concept changes), a First Impressions restaurant review (April’s was my mixed reaction to Donnie D’s Bagels & Deli), and an Ask Layla: Where to Eat reader-generated dining question.
Books, Bites & Beverages
Books:
Okay, we need to talk about The Dream Hotel. It was incredibly well written and had a satisfying ending, but I was kind of stressed reading it and filled with a sort of looming sense of dread by the end. Laila Lalami’s dystopian novel follows Sara T. Hussein, who has been detained at LAX and then sent to a retention facility based on her risk assessment score being too high. She hasn’t done anything wrong, but her dreams suggest she is at risk for harming her husband, and her agitated attitude doesn’t help her case. It is crazy to think that surveillance technology and the way people are wrongfully detained are not such a far-off premise. Ultimately, witnessing the protagonist’s fight for freedom and survival makes for compelling, emotional storytelling, and I highly recommend it!
Bites:
I finally checked out The Albemarle Bakery & Coffee House in Roanoke, where I was delighted to discover their morning bun du jour. I love a savory pastry, and this one delivered with a classic ham, egg, and cheese combo, though the aromas wafting from the kitchen prompted me to ask what else was in the oven. Baker Jennifer Bun Fralin was tinkering with a sausage and chili crisp version, and I can’t wait to stop in to try that one next.
Beverages:
The first time I went to Show Pony, I missed trying the Banana Nicole Smith, a riff on the espresso martini crafted with plantain-infused cognac, banana liqueur, and espresso. On my second visit, I made sure to try the Electric Funeral, which is more a riff on a carajillo, a new-to-me spiked coffee drink made with brandy or rum. Bartender’s Cas Moser’s version featured both Raynal VSOP Brandy and Planteray Dark Rum with Cuban espresso and cinnamon, which added up to a velvety after-dinner sipper.