fave five #15: ania pilch

featuring big magic

welcome to today’s fave five, featuring picks from ania pilch. ania and i met some years back while working together at kitchen stories and, funnily enough, we handed in our resignations on the same day. i left to take a break and work hands on in a restaurant kitchen, ania left to explore living and traveling around europe and southeast asia. let’s just say i was not jealous.

thanks to one of the only (?) positive things about social media, we’ve been able to keep up with the highlights of each other’s lives since we stopped working together. ania gave me some much needed positive feedback about this very newsletter when i first got it going, something i really needed to hear and very much appreciated.

last year, ania started not the creative kind, a community focused on reclaiming and exploring what it means to be creative. every month she tries a new hobby and hosts group challenges and workshops to build an inclusive and open space to be creative together. i’m currently undergoing my own creative reckoning (#theartistsway, iykyk) and find her journey and prompts quite inspiring. without further ado, enjoy ania’s fave five and see you next week with a new recipe!

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ania pilch’s fave five

1. Vermouth: I can’t shut up about it because I only just discovered it, but Mallorca is full of vermuterías (I love this one) and its a vibe—it might be my new favorite aperitif. Served on ice with a grapefruit slice and olives, it’s bitter, slightly sweet and dangerously good. Vermouth + sun = heaven. Trust me on this one.

2. Ugly Art: Making art just for fun (and mental health) is my number one obsession at the moment. No, I’m not an artist, and no I am not good at it! But creating something purely for fun—rather than to make money, improve oneself, or be useful—has been my biggest discovery and, in my eyes, a rebellion against meritocracy and capitalism ;). Create more, consume less. I’m so done with Gym Bro energy and fully embracing Craft Babe culture.

3. Tarta de Queso: I think cheesecake is Spain’s best kept secret! Why has nobody told me? Maybe they have but I am only listening now. It’s not a fluffy New York-style situation. No, it’s smooth, creamy, slightly savory and so rich you can even spread it on bread, like I might have done. There’s even a BLUE CHEESE version. I mean, come on. No specific recommendations needed—just check that the inside is runny, and you’re good to go. I loved these places in particular: Madrid, Palma, Barcelona one and Barcelona two.

4. Films from the 90s: Maybe it’s because I’m constantly on the move and need something familiar, but 90s female-led movies are my comfort food. There is something about the vibe, the music and the dialogue that just hit the spot. And somehow, I missed a ton of them growing up? Maybe I was too young or Germany was behind? Either way, I’m making up for lost time and recently watched Reality Bites, Mystic Pizza, Heathers, The Craft, First Wives Club (ICONIC). Also, can we talk about how Michelle Pfeiffer is wildly underrated?! I’m officially a stan.

5. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: This is way outside my usual book recommendations. Normally, I go for super sad, anger-inducing feminist reads—but this book had me in a chokehold for a while. It’s a non-fiction book about ideas, talent, and the myth of the tortured artist, it really breaks down how little ego should play in creativity, and that we don’t need permission to create. Since I’m fully immersed in my creative journey right now, this book just fueled my obsession even more. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to read it again.