Sunday Spotlight 04- Meet Rebecca!
I am so excited to introduce you to the most hilarious and intuitive friend of the bunch, Rebecca, better known as Beccjo (a mashup of her first and last names). She is genuinely the funniest person on the planet, but she’d never take credit for it. Memes and Tik Toks live rent free in her head, and she never misses an opportunity to whip out subtle references to them at the most opportune times. While her wittiness is off the charts, her intuitiveness and ability to listen are some of her best qualities (in my humble opinion.) She’s picked up so many useful skills in her profession as a social worker and during her time spent working with adults and children through art therapy that she’s the go-to friend for advice and navigating difficult situations.
Everyone needs a Rebecca!
About Rebecca
Hi, I’m Rebecca!
I am from the same home town as Maggie but, sadly, didn’t meet her until college. I moved to New Orleans for graduate school 6 years ago and never left. I now work in a pediatric emergency department and hold a lot of hands as a social worker. (Pro tip: Do NOT buy your kid an ATV!)
In my free time, I’m involved in property management and pottery creation (my creative outlet.) Check out @beccjoceramics on the gram to see what I’m working on! (Maggie here: She’s insanely talented. Her flower pots are her best sellers, and I personally own some of her serving pieces. Perfect for the upcoming holidays!) I am terrible with all things numbers, but Maggie has always encouraged and inspired me to be a better small businesswoman. My dream is do both social work and pottery on my own terms so I can travel as often as I please! I am constantly working on finding that balance.
Reading Recommendations
Favorite Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Fiction
Currently Reading:
I typically do most of my reading when I’m traveling, so I’ve been slowly working through Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir on my last few plane rides— I love it. I’m pretty sure Maggie has already reviewed this one. (Maggie here: She’s exactly right. This was my favorite book of 2021!)
Top 3 Favorite Books:
Deacon King Kong by James McBride - This book includes hilarious dialogue by colorful characters. I laughed out loud throughout the entire story, and it’s probably my favorite book from the last year. It’s set in Brooklyn in the 1960’s - highly recommend.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins - I spent a lot of time thinking about this book long after I finished. It tells a terrifying story of a mother and son fleeing their home in Mexico to start a new life in the U.S., and it hooks you from the opening pages. It evokes undeniable empathy from all readers and shines a very important spotlight on the topic of immigration.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides - This is a psychological thriller that I couldn’t put down.
TV Show and Movie Recommendations
Favorite Genres
I’m typically drawn to drama or thriller movies and TV shows. The critically acclaimed section on Netflix is where I do most of my scrolling.
Current Favorite Shows
The Terminal List - This was the last show I binged, and you can find it on Amazon. It’s the kind of show where calculate how many hours of sleep you’ll get if you fall asleep this very minute.
Succession - Watch it on HBO!
I’m also excited about the new Game of Thrones spinoff (on HBO) and upcoming Lord Of The Rings series (on Amazon.)
Favorite Movies
Favorite Movie of All Time: It’s hard to commit to just one, but Interstellar is ranked pretty high. I love anything set in a dystopian future, but if the writers add realistic physics and space travel into the movie *Italian hand emoji.* Oh, and the soundtrack! Don’t sleep on the Interstellar soundtrack.
Favorite Movies Lately: Belfast and Dune (The book, Dune, was a little dense TBH.)
Food Recommendations
l feel like I do less cooking and more combining. You will not find me gathering niche ingredients for cookbook recipes on a weekly basis. I’ll have my “big recipe moment” occasionally, but I stick to simple pastas, chicken and veggies, or a panini press when I’m not eating at the hospital cafeteria or at a favorite local spot.
Favorite Restaurants in New Orleans
Lily’s Cafe - A Vietnamese restaurant on Magazine Street that’s one of my staples. The vermicelli is so good.
Tito’s Ceviche & Pisco - An Uptown spot for upscale Peruvian food. This is my favorite local spot to take visitors that is never swamped with tourists.
Barracuda - Best Uptown taco spot. (Can you tell I live uptown?)
Bearcat Cafe - Brunch spot with two locations and two different menus. You can’t go wrong with either menu, but the Central Business District (CBD) location usually has shorter wait times. Go early!
Bacchanal - Wine and cheese bar in the Bywater. It has small plates, outdoor seating, and live jazz music. (Maggie here: I think we go here every time I visit NOLA, and I love it. You can also build your own cheese plate by picking out different cheeses, crackers, etc. from the fridge right when you walk in. Super cool place!)
Jacque-imo’s - Cajun/Creole soul food in the Uptown/Carrollton neighborhood. I take my out-of-town friends and family here when they request “New Orleans food.”
Domilese’s for poboys!
I hope you enjoyed options outside your typical Quarter classics!
Favorite Food Bloggers
Both have so many easy and yummy meals. I especially love the 5 items or less means, because they don’t require multiple grocery store runs… unless you don’t have a Trader Joe’s, of course!
Go-to lazy meal
Right now my favorite summertime sandwich is the tomato sandwich, a southern staple. It’s best if you don’t try to over do it. All you need is your favorite mayonnaise spread on bunny bread, a juicy, sliced red tomato, and a good shake of salt and pepper. Cut that baby in half and serve with a side of your favorite Sun chips. Grab extra napkins for the #drip!
Podcast & Music Recommendations
Podcasts
I really enjoy This American Life on Spotify and NPR. It can be both serious and funny, which I appreciate. This weekend on a road trip I especially enjoyed a few of the recent episodes released: The Possum Experiment and Essay B.
Normal Gossip is a newer podcast I discovered that takes you through some good ole anonymous, local gossip.
Music
Paul McCartney is my all time favorite artist, and I don’t care how cheesy that sounds. In addition to Paul, this year I’ve listened to a lot of Clairo, Big Thief, and Kate Teague. Kate Teague has a new album in the works that I’m especially excited about! (Maggie here with a fun fact: Kate was Rebecca’s roommate in college and for a short time post-college. She’s incredibly talented and on the up and up. Definitely give her a listen!)
10 Favorite Things
1. Nisolo Leather Tote - I purchased this tote (splurge!) in college and haven’t looked back. It is so versatile, high quality, and goes with everything. I used it in grad school for class, and it’s my forever plane carry-on, beach bag, big purse, etc. I would buy it 100 times over (but I don’t have to because it lasts forever, am I right?!)
2. Amber Oil - This has been my scent since 2015. Sorry, friends, if you’re tired of this smell, but I am not. It’s subtle and I get compliments all the time— great daily scent. My mom gets me a bottle at Christmas and it lasts me the year!
3. Madewell Pink Corduroy shacket — I bought this last fall and wear it all.the.time. In fact, the store carried it in both green and pink, and I was feeling bold the day I found it and chose the pink. I loved it so much that I went back to get it in green a few days later, and it was sold out everywhere! I’m praying they drop this same shacket this year so I can buy it in every color. (Maggie here: THEY BROUGHT IT BACK!)
4. Amy Head Cover Stick - I keep things minimal when it comes to makeup, but this is my tried and true non-negotiable product. Amy Head is a Jackson, MS native, and I will riot outside her house if this is ever discontinued. (I also use the mint stick for redness, as needed.)
5. Hair Clips - These have been praised on the Sunday Summary before, so I’ll just retweet! (Maggie here: Legitimately our entire friend group owns these clips, if that has not been made clear.)
6. Tony’s - Buy this, and put it on everything.
7. My pottery class – I took a pottery class for fun in college, and I picked it back up after grad school at a local pottery studio. I actually love that I am one of two folks in my Friday morning class under the age of 60. It’s a special and fun way to build deeper connections with people in my community, and it’s comforting being around older ladies on a weekly basis (…in addition to the obvious joy of creating pots!) In short, find a place to hang out with older ladies!
8. I mentioned the Nisolo Tote already, but this backpack was another game changing bag for me while traveling internationally last year. If you want a stylish option that doubles as a backpack and purse that can zip, this is perfect. I wore it hiking, shopping, and to meet ~his parents~. The funniest part about this is that it’s technically a diaper bag, but that just makes it’s both spacious and easy to clean!
9. Silicone straws for my nalgene bottle. I find that keeping a straw in my nalgene helps me drink more water and makes it easier while on the move!
10. Coffee, but make it fun with a monthly subscription matched to my tastes. This was gifted to me a few years ago, and I’ve kept up with it! I get fresh coffee beans from all over the world shipped to my door every month. This is a great gift for coffee lovers, IMO.