Things That Made Me Less Cranky: April 2025 Edition
Answering your question right now: April is the best time to visit Lima
Welcome to my monthly list of recommendations. It is made up of completely random things/events/moments that made me less of a raging, bitter, hag despite the dumpster fire that is our world. It also includes food-centric suggestions. Enjoy!
Idiosyncratic List of What Made Me Less Cranky
Friends texting you late at night to tell you about their crushes. Always text me about your crushes. I’ll indulge your obsession.
Recitals for adults. Just kickin’ it back like 5th grade choir.
Nice, encouraging rejections. Almost there.
Corgi’s butts.
Weekday trips to the mall with your parents.
The return of sea salutations, now that summer in Lima is really starting to fade
Parking yourself in front of the snacks table at baby showers and refusing to budge.
World Book Day!
Lonchecito and chisme with friends.
Doing something with your hands. Like ceramics, you pervs.
90s boy band as the universal language of karaoke.
What I’m Watching:
ER. Yes, the ER that first aired in 1994 and ran for fifteen seasons. I miss The Pitt and there is one specific two-parter that I never got to finish because Sony Television, the one cable channel that showed US network series more or less in the same year that they aired up North, was a little chaotic when it came to showing ER in order. I can’t wait to tell my sister what finally happened to the patient the mafia guys kidnapped.
No Other Land. The documentary some mayor in Florida doesn’t want you to see and US distribution channels are too chicken shit to show! As expected, the documentary is heartbreaking and infuriating. There are few movies that so effectively demonstrate the unbearable weight of a Sisyphean task.
What I’m Reading:
I finished Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte and it is every bit as unsettling as you’ve probably heard. It is also hilarious, in a way that will gross you out and will make you question your own morality. It is unforgettable and that is both high praise and a fucking curse, because there are certain images I want to scrub clean from my brain. I also finally finished 1,000 Words by Jami Attenberg. Anyone thinking of doing it this year? I think I am. Maybe I’ll add some writing “hours” to help us get through it.
I’m also reading The Mother Code: My Story of Love, Loss, and the Myths That Shape Us by Ruthie Ackerman and Fan Favorite by Adrienne Gunn. I’ll be interviewing both for the newsletter on their journey to publication. Stay tuned for those!
What I’m Listening:
The Coachella version of “La que puede puede” by Ca7triel & Paco Amoroso with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philarmonic, specifically. No one has jammed harder than Dudamel on any song ever. Look at his face! He’s having a blast! He’s on a musical high that I thought only the guy who gets to shoot off the cannons in 1812 Overture could reach!
What I’m Downloading:
Money for Couples gives the same gossipy satisfaction of Esther Perel’s podcast but you also get money tips out of it. But let’s be real, I’m mostly here to gawk at how damn messy all these married people are!
Special shout out to Bukele: el señor de los sueños if you want to know how this niño bien who worked in advertising ended up being one of the most monstrous politicians of our time.
Restaurant of the Month: Casona Ofelia (Lima)
I’m not one to put “vibes” as the number one criteria when it comes to restaurants, damn what The New York Times says! But the food standards in Lima restaurants—from huariques to the Michelin darlings— are so high that sometimes, what stays with you, are the vibes. And Casona Ofelia is a vibe. It’s like lounging in your wealthy gay uncle’s Latin American estate, the one who promised you are his sole heir. The focaccia sandwich with prosciutto, stracciata, and pistachio pesto I ate was also a beauty.
Bar of the Month: [shoulder shrug emoji]
None! I was a hermit for so much of April as I tried to save money for my birthday trip. I spent my weekends working on puzzles, which I hope makes me sound endearing instead of pathetic.
Best Thing I Ate: Siam Dumplings at Tanta (Lima)
It’s the rocoto chili oil spiced sauce for me.
Best Thing I Drank: Mezcalina at Como Agua Para Chocolate (Lima)
I’m still in the hunt for an acceptable taco in Lima but this joint’s cocktails are made with a healthy pour. So healthy I kind of forgot what this cocktail included. Lime juice? Definitely tajin.
Elevator Lewks:
I like seeing what normal people wear and I, a normal person, like sharing outfits that I think look good on me. For some reason, I only notice them when I’m in the elevator.
The Month in Newsletters
Missed an issue? I got you!
AWP 2025: The Newbie Recap
All the literary luminaries have already published their missives on this year’s Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference (or AWP) in Los Ange…
Back on My Bulls**t: DTLA
Back on My Bullshit are intermittent, totally idiosyncratic travelogues. Don’t worry, I give standard recommendations below but this isn’t your mom’s Travel & Leisure city guide.
The Burden of Vargas Llosa
Up until the atrocious events of last year, I was probably the most embarrassing thing to come out of Columbia University—for sure the most embarrassing to come out of their storied Casa Hispánica. N…
Subscriber Benefits
Our next mini-salon is on Thursday, May 8 at 12pm CT/1pm ET. The topic? “Why Even Make This: Finding spiritual and practical meaning in the creative process.” Paid subscribers can submit questions ahead of time and will have access to the recording. If you are a free subscriber, the mini-salon is offered as a pay-what-you-can event with a $15 suggested fee (but we welcome all amounts). You can sign up here.
I’ll send out the May schedule for the Cranky Guide Writing “Hour” soon! I have to change our usual Mondays due to travel this month, but hopefully changing the day means other can attend that haven’t had the chance yet.
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Shameless Self-Promotion
I make a brief guest appearance in
’s publication The Conscious Traveler about the perception of police and policing in Peru. I’m by no means an expert on this subject, but I’ve picked up on a few things during my time here and I’m grateful for the conversation James and I had. I hope to write more about this in future issues.Here are some books I’ve worked on:
LGSNQ: Gentrification & Preservation in a Chicago Neighborhood (co-author)
Desolación by Gabriela Mistral (co-translator)
My most recent writing:
If you’re struggling with the artist statement, I can help! My On-Demand class, Navigating the Artist Statement, is available for purchase at StoryStudio. Watch at your own time, at your own pace, and send those babies out!
Every week, I look at Five Calls, pick the issue that is most making me scream into the void, and use their app to call my reps. This week, I’m going to flat out tell them to block anything regarding ICE. Remember how we wanted to “Abolish ICE”, back when everyone was pretending to care about other people in 2020? Let’s bring that back. If you have 5 minutes to spare, please join me.
If you ever want to peruse all the books I recommend in the newsletter, head over to my Bookshop bookstore!
Crushin.
it.