My 3 Favorite Things - Spring/Summer 2020 Season

The beginning of the balmy summer season seems to be a perfect time to slow down the pace a little and have some fun. Therefore, this month I am providing a list of a few of my favorite things that I have discovered recently. With a background in media, perhaps it was no surprise that my first list of favorites would feature at least a couple of media products. It includes one TV show and one Instagram account to be exact. Thus, without further ado, here is a list of my favorite things from the current spring and summer season.

1. MY LOTTERY DREAM HOME ON HGTV

I have been watching David Bromstad’s TV programs since Color Splash debuted on HGTV many years ago. The latest installation from Mr. Bromstad, called My Lottery Dream Home, is another crowd pleaser. For this program, a recent lottery winner who is looking to purchase a new home is selected for the show and it is up to Mr. Bromstad to help them find their dream home. This long-running show recently marked its 100th episode and it is a program that has many positive aspects, including a charismatic, fun-loving and knowledgeable host, which might explain part of its long lasting and enduring appeal among its audience.

Another interesting aspect of this show is the lottery winners themselves. Despite winning a tremendous amount of money through the lottery, many of them usually choose to exercise some sound financial judgement when it comes to deciding how much money they are willing to spend on their new dream home. Indeed, it is the ingenuity, flexibility and ability that this program and Mr. Bromstad continuously display to find interesting, and in some cases outstanding homes, for the lottery winners that are always within their budget or spending comfort zone that separates this real estate program from many others. This is a show that proves that it is still possible to dream and that you do not have to spend a million dollars to feel like a millionaire.

This show also is not afraid to have fun. One of my favorite episodes so far is an episode featuring Mr. Bromstad and his makeup artist. I had a serious case of makeup envy when I saw what his makeup artist did for his Halloween transformation. Being a Halloween creature and monster never looked so good. Despite his desire to remain anonymous during Halloween and initially thinking that no one would recognize him because of his heavy Halloween makeup, it was not to be. Instead, Mr. Bromstad was besieged with photograph requests from bystanders because of his outstanding Halloween makeup.

Check your local TV schedule for the airtimes of My Lottery Dream Home.

2. SOMA CHOCOLATEMAKER’S COCONUT TOFFEE MILK CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS

Yes, the name of this chocolate treat is a quite a mouthful. However, Soma Chocolatemaker’s of Toronto has created another winner. Since the company, or the chocolate factory, was launched by David Castellan and Cynthia Leung in 2003, Soma has created many delicious confections, most of them involving chocolate. They have consistently turned out many delectable treats and have shown their loyal customers that chocolate can be enjoyed and consumed in so many ways. One of my favorite desserts from Soma until now had been a chocolate gelato ice cream that was filled with little cake pieces.

My current favorite is a snack that is made with toffee. Known as the Coconut Toffee Clusters, this highly chewable delicacy proves that good things do come in small packages. What makes this toffee-based sweet especially tasty is the Thai coconut that is part of the ingredients list. It is also a candy that melts easily and deliciously in your mouth. If you love chocolate, coconuts and any snack that melts in your mouth, this is your dream treat. Most people should be able to finish one little bag, or two, of these tasty clusters in one sitting. Presently, this little confection is available in two flavors: Creamy Milk Chocolate or Deep Dark Chocolate.

SOMA Chocolatemaker also currently operates three store locations in Toronto and my only regret is that their gelatos is not available for delivery because they will melt before it reaches their customers’ residences.

3. ERIC RIPERT’S INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT

I am definitely a foodie and one of my newest and favorite pastimes is to discover interesting food related social media accounts to follow. At the top of that list is Eric Ripert’s official Instagram account.

Mr. Ripert’s reputation for culinary excellence is well-established and is practically legendary. He is the chef and co-owner of Le Bernadin, a restaurant located in New York City that is widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in the world. Le Bernadin has consistently been awarded three stars from the Michelin Guide and four stars from The New York Times for its gastronomic brilliance. He is also the author of several well-known cookbooks, such as Avec Eric and On the Line, and most recently 32 Yolks: From My Mother’s Table to Working the Line which is a memoir of his life. In addition, he is also the recipient of numerous James Beard Foundation Awards and Daytime Emmy Awards, some of it for his work based in television.

With such success in the television world, including his charismatic and informative appearances on such programs as Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on CNN, which featured the late Anthony Bourdain, perhaps it should be no surprise that Mr. Ripert should find further success on another media platform: Instagram.

His Instagram account is certainly captivating and interesting. There are certainly many food-oriented pictures, but I am personally partial to posts that display details of his numerous trips to Japan. Apart from posting many images of Japanese restaurants, he also publishes pictures featuring one of my favorite meals in the world, the Japanese breakfast. Since I have a Japanese background, it should be no surprise that the Japanese style breakfast holds a special place in my heart. In Japanese cuisine, breakfast is indeed a special occasion. It is usually a sumptuous event and it often feels like a meal that is fit for a king. In fact, after getting used to having a meal involving at least fish, rice and a delicious miso soup for breakfast, I often find it hard to muster much enthusiasm for the Western style breakfast.

Those interested in the realm of philanthropy will also find Mr. Ripert’s account intriguing and educational. Mr. Ripert is well-known for his various philanthropic efforts and his account regularly features updates regarding his involvement with City Harvest, a food rescue organization based in New York. My current favorite philanthropic postings are those involving his efforts to supply New York’s many frontline healthcare workers with healthy meals during the pandemic. He and several of his staff regularly take to the kitchen to prepare hundreds of delicious and healthy meals for the many healthcare workers who are certainly working exceedingly long hours during this pandemic.

Mr. Ripert’s Instagram account is located at @ericripert.

Eiko