3 Things I'm Watching, Listening To, and Eating This Week
Including a remarkable podcast episode about how to tell a better story
I went out to Kalaya for dinner on Saturday with some college friends, and my first thought walking through the door wasn’t about the how bustling the James Beard Award-winning Thai restaurant was, or how many orders of garlic and chive rice cakes and delicate, flower-shaped chicken dumplings I was about to take down. No, the first thing that popped into my head was that I can’t believe that last week I accidentally left it off my list of Really Great Philly Restaurants Where You Can Totally Bring Your Kids.
A glaring omission, and not just because it’s definitively a place you want to eat when you visit Philadelphia. Nok Suntaranon’s homage to Southern Thai cuisine made an indelible mark on the city’s restaurant scene almost immediately after opening in a snug spot in the Italian Market in 2019, and continues to shine in its bigger, fancier space (that also happens to have a full bar and some palm trees growing in the middle.)
But more importantly, if you bring your baby and Nok is on site, there’s a better than average chance that, while you’re somewhere in the midst of shoveling fiery Massaman curry into your face, she will pick up your baby and swan around the room in customary fashion, probably wearing couture.
I’ve heard she does it from friends who’ve seen it, read it mentioned in Google reviews of the restaurant, and personally witnessed it on two occasions. One of those times, she sat down at our table, decked in an extremely chic hot pink matching sweatsuit, carrying an unfazed infant chewing on a teething toy. I asked where his parents were and she responded blithely, “Over there, they’re still eating.” It was the best.
If I still had an infant, I would book a 5 p.m. res to eat some of Philly’s very best food, and might even get a few minutes of break to enjoy it.
Below, I’m sharing what I’ve been listening to, watching, and eating this week. The Carry On is on a break next week and will return on January 2nd. (Coincidentally, the day my kids return to school. #sendhelp) In the meantime, I’m sending good wishes for a happy holidays!
Listening: How to tell better stories with Matthew Dicks
I love Lenny’s Podcast — Lenny Rachitsky interviews product and growth experts that usually have some keen insights and prescriptive advice for growing a business. But the one I listened to this week with Matthew Dicks was one of my favorite episodes of any podcast. Dicks is an elementary school teacher, writer, and world class storyteller, and I paused the interview dozens of times to write down his gems, including, “No one actually cares that you were in Aruba, and you’re a terrible person for trying to use up their time so you can humble brag about your vacation.” And “The shortest version of every story is the best version of every story. Starting as close to the end of the story is the best place to begin.” I’ve already asked Eric for a last-minute Christmas gift of his book Storyworthy, so get excited for a post about that in 2024.
Watching: Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares?! on HBO
The 25-year-old Brit’s first comedy special is a 70-minute ode to (and skewering of) Gen Z, filled with sharp and deeply self-aware bits and a smattering of songs he performs, composed by his pal Toby Marlow, a co-creator of “Six The Musical.” It’s a pleasure to watch, and I also just felt astounded that someone so young created something so funny and thoughtful and impressive.
Eating: Pecan Maple Butter from Logan Petit Lot
Sometime during the haze that was the first year of the pandemic, Tourisme Montréal kindly sent me a package with some Canadian treats. One was a jar of Pecan Maple Butter from Logan Petit Lot, a small-batch nut butter maker based in the city, and it blew my mind. I visited Montréal last year and I brought home a dozen jars, and when I eventually ran out, I couldn’t bring myself to pay the $30 shipping to buy more. Until last week, that is, and breakfast toast is once again bringing me joy.