Sunday Memo #7

It’s been a slow transition from summer to fall, and the heat in Austin isn’t making it any easier. Halloween decorations are appearing on porches and storefronts everywhere, but I just don’t feel ready to embrace it yet.

The past two months have been incredibly busy, filled with travel to California, Massachusetts, Florida, and Texas. Whenever I finally get a moment to relax, I just want to immerse myself in art or settle down with a good book to let my mind unwind.

In addition, we welcomed a second dachshund in August. Her name is Ava, and she is a delightful mix of calm and spunk. While she adds to the chaos, she also brings so much joy to our little family.

In this week’s memo, I’ll share the book I finished on a recent flight, my favorite San Antonio destination with a scandalous past, a stunning exhibition I saw in Boston, and a few more small delights.

During a recent trip to Boston, I visited the Museum of Fine Arts to see the exhibit “Rachel Ruysch: Artist, Naturalist, and Pioneer.” Ruysch (1664–1750) was a Dutch painter known for her stunning floral paintings. She grew up cataloging curiosities in her father’s scientific collection and began her apprenticeship with Willem van Aelst at the age of 15. Over a career that spanned six decades, she painted flowers with exceptional accuracy and drama, often incorporating exotic plant, animal, and insect species from South America, Africa, and other far-off places that were being discovered at the time.

One interesting thing I learned about Ruysch is that she was not a forgotten artist; she was recognized and famous during her lifetime. She was the first woman admitted to the artists’ society, the Confrerie Pictura, in The Hague, and later became a court painter in Düsseldorf. Her work was collected across Europe, which is a remarkable achievement for a woman of that era.

The exhibition is dark, dreamy, and beautifully curated. It will be on display until December 7th, and it is definitely worth a visit.

One of my favorite hotels is Hotel Emma, located in San Antonio’s Pearl District. This historic hotel was once the Pearl Brewery, which opened in 1894 and operated as a functioning brewery for 107 years until its closure in 2001. The building features soaring arched windows, original machinery displayed like sculptures, leather chairs under iron chandeliers, and a library that seems like it would belong to a very charming historian. It is old, industrial, and beautiful.

One of my favorite spots at the hotel is the bar, where I first experienced the “Three Emmas” cocktail and learned about the hotel’s fascinating history. The hotel’s namesake, Emma Koehler, ran the Pearl Brewery with strength and grace after her husband, Otto, the founder, passed away in 1914. Years earlier, Emma was involved in a car accident, and Otto hired a nurse named Emma (nicknamed Emmi) and began an affair with her. He later moved Emmi and her tall, blonde friend—also named Emma—into a separate house. During a heated argument, this third Emma shot and killed Otto, causing a scandal that buzzed throughout the city for years. Despite the turmoil, the original Emma maintained her poise and kept the brewery alive, adapting through Prohibition by offering near-beer, soda, ice cream, and even dry cleaning to ensure people kept their jobs. Beauty with a backbone—that’s at the core of Hotel Emma.

Three Emmas (serves 1)

• ¾ oz gin (The Botanist)

• 1 oz Amontillado sherry

• 1 oz beer–rose cordial mix*

• ½ oz fresh lemon juice

• ½ oz fresh grapefruit juice

• Garnish: mint

Shake all ingredients with ice, strain over ice into a pretty glass, and garnish with mint.

*Beer–Rose Cordial Mix (makes ~1 cup)

• ¾ cup light lager

• ½ cup sugar

• ½ cup rose cordial (or ½ cup simple syrup + 1–2 tsp rose water, to taste)

Warm beer and sugar gently (don’t boil) until dissolved; cool, then stir in rose cordial/rose water. Refrigerate.

Yesterday, I attended a coffee festival in Austin with my sister, where we discovered Comeback coffee sodas at one of the stands. These are fizzy, flavorful coffee sodas made by a Memphis roastery that started as a small local shop and is now roasting, canning, and shipping its products nationwide.

When I heard “coffee soda,” I expected something like cold brew with bubbles, but these were different. They sip like spritzers with a hint of coffee at the end—light, fruity, and refreshing. There are three flavors available: Southern Style, which tastes like a more complex version of an Arnold Palmer; Field Day, which is strawberry and lime flavored; and Greetings From, which has a passion fruit flavor. The coffee reads like a spice—you notice it last, in a good way.

All three flavors were enjoyable, but my favorite was Greetings From. These sodas are perfect to keep in the fridge for that 3 PM moment when you crave both some sparkle and a caffeine boost.

This novel is about a 21-year-old single mother in 1970s Tokyo. She has no husband, no safety net, and no desire to lose herself in the role of “mother.” Takiko is messy, stubborn, and full of life, seeking work, her own space, intimacy, rest, and a sense of identity. The mountains serve as her personal horizon, representing not an escape from her baby, but a retreat from the judgment of others. Tsushima’s writing style is spare and steady, making the difficult moments hit even harder. It’s an intimate and slightly claustrophobic narrative that can be challenging to read at times. I recommend this book if you’re okay without big plot twists, want a portrayal of motherhood without the Instagram filter, and appreciate women who won’t behave.

* For a discount at Bookshop.org use this link.

Dachshunds are long, low, and mildly bossy, sporting an “I run this house” swagger that never fails to make me laugh, even when they’re ignoring me. They burrow like pros, sigh dramatically, and give side-eye that could end a conversation. Many artists have been captivated by them—Picasso had Lump (a legend), Andy Warhol owned Archie and Amos, and David Hockney painted Stanley and Boodgie. Even Queen Victoria couldn’t resist their charm.

We recently welcomed a second dachshund, Ava, and it has shifted the entire atmosphere of our home for the better. Our first dachshund, Austin, was initially unimpressed and honestly annoyed during those first couple of weeks—he let out heavy sighs and strategically ignored her. However, he eventually warmed up to her, and now they nap together, chase each other around, and share squeaky toys. The house feels warmer—messier, yes—but undeniably happier. Ava brings a new kind of chaos, and it’s the kind that we love.

Wishing you a beautiful week!