The Simpler Times #04
reporting on references, recipes & reminiscing for real life
Welcome back to…
In this issue: let’s go for a drive
Cruz Control
To-Go, To-Hold, To-Spill
View From The Backseat
A Road Trip Worthy Recipe
Soundtrack Playlist 04
Driving Miss Penelope
On first glance Penelope Cruz as passenger princess in a glossy black Range Rover could be an editorial shoot with paparazzi-inspired creative direction. But it is in fact just a paparazzi encounter. Maybe it’s the colouring, or the silky texture of these images, or perhaps the somewhat artistic flair that the car’s reflective surface adds, but they have been lovingly stored in my saved folder for almost a year for some reason. I couldn’t bring myself to delete them but I had no idea what I was screenshotting them for. I figured they’d come in handy eventually. And so here we are, as I dissect their Cool1.
Penelope Cruz epitomises what people (primarily online) mean when they talk about “effortlessness” as a concept in style, imagery, fashion, beauty etc. She balances a look of put-togetherness with a chic essence of carefree that still manages to steer clear of boho. It likely comes from her sense of self. I don’t know her but sometimes you get an impression of a person who seems so comfortably themself. To me, she embodies that well, which is why it doesn’t cross my mind to categorise her style for the internet’s understanding. And that’s the goal when getting dressed, or mine at least. To be uncategoriseable.
Diving into specifics, I really enjoy the decision to pair a structured pristine white blazer with her dark haphazard tresses. Remember in 2010 when every Parisian style book came out and claimed that not brushing your hair was a French girl thing? Cruz’ hair had been there, done that, and driven far away six years prior. The rest of her outfit here is a simple white tank, blue denim bootcut jeans and a creamy pointed toe heel. Minimal black sunglasses appear to be the only form of accessory, if you’re not counting the behemoth Range, and that’s all there is to it. So stunningly simple that you could recreate it with little to no effort if you wanted. You don’t even have to brush your hair, it’s that easy.
Can I Get That To-Go?
Balanced on the roof for a second and left there as you drive off, coffee pouring down the back window as you wonder where you put it.
A full cardboard carrier teetering on the knees of whoever called shotgun because “it’s just a short drive back so you’ll manage right?”. The unlucky passenger staring down with eyes like a hawk waiting for the moment you turn a sharp corner or forget to slow down for a speed bump mid-conversation.
Somehow the presence of cup holders still doesn’t ease the mind. What if a lid isn’t secure enough and flies off, hot black coffee jumping out of its paper cup like an ejector seat, leaving the two front seats drenched and burned? It’s a risk you have no choice but to take—the road trip waits for no one.
You switch to a reusable cup because it’s the right thing to do and all of a sudden the cup holder is only good for holding keys and loose change you save for the parking meter. Not to mention your coffee now has this permanent metallic taste.
Don’t put it on the dashboard. Take it off the dashboard. No one is going anywhere with an iced latte resting up there waiting for its starring moment to slide off and flood your lap, leaving the chair with a syrupy residue that just won’t go. And now the whole car smells like damp old milk. You’ll have to trade it in.
So maybe coffee and cars don’t always go together. But coffee coloured cars? That’s something I’d like to see more of. The irony in all of this is that I can’t actually drive.
View From The Backseat
time for a pit stop - take a break with this curated scroll
A Road Trip Recipe: The Best Banana Choc Chip Muffin
I know I’ve suggested banana bread before. But this is technically not banana bread so... It’s like banana bread to-go. It doesn’t require cutting a slice and protecting it with foil, paper or a pathetic piece of kitchen roll. It holds itself. Perfect for grabbing on the way out the door and jumping into the car. Just make sure to bring enough for all passengers otherwise seething envy may envelope the car on first bite.
I got this recipe from
via her TikTok.2 Don’t get it twisted, this is not your average TikTok recipe. It’s really good. If you still don’t believe me, I raise you the only review that matters—this text from my mum.
So with Cheyenne’s permission, I pass the recipe to you. Perfect for your next road trip. And if you’re the designated snack coordinator of the trip, you’ll likely get bonus points for the home baking.
Bakes 12 muffins
Ingredients:
188g (1 and 1/2 cups spooned & levelled) all-purpose/plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
345g (1 and 1/2 cups) mashed bananas (about 3 large ripe bananas)
85g (6 tablespoons) melted unsalted butter
135g (2/3 cup) packed light soft brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
30ml (2 tablespoons) milk
1 ish cup of chocolate chips—I opted for 60g of dark-milk chocolate, chopped (use a bit of the flour to coat these beforehand to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins)
--
Preheat oven to 200 c fan / 425 f
Line muffin tray with cases or lightly grease beforehand
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl
Mix wet (+ sugar) in another bowl
Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into wet a little at a time and mix in
Add the chocolate chips and fold in
Spoon into muffin pan
Bake at 200c/425f for 5 min then reduce the heat to 160 c/350f for 15 more minutes
Enjoy a warm muffin with some extra butter if you’re impatient and allow the others to cool
Soundtrack Playlist 04: songs for driving
track 1 / crazy (james michael mix) - alanis morissette
track 2 / high and dry - radiohead
track 3 / put you on - royaljag
track 4 / american pie - madonna
track 5 / mirrorball - elbow
Reality Check
Bring it to life with this checklist:
Seek your bootcut jeans out from the back of your wardrobe, it’s time to emulate 2004 in its chicest form. Throw on your basic staples and jump in the car. Call an uber if you have to. We’re going somewhere in this outfit so you better text, call, email, and fax everyone you know to get outside. It’s called an outfit for a reason. And don’t you dare brush your hair before you leave.
If like me you cannot drive3, pick up coffees to-go with a friend and get your steps in as you chat about your dream cars for when you do finally deem driving necessary to learn. Make sure you discuss cup holder requirements in depth because you’re going to need hands free for navigation and turning up the volume. If you can drive, assess your cup holder situation. Is it reaching its full potential? How many coffees can your car really hold for you? Did you leave your americano on the roof just now? Would your car be way cuter if painted a coffee shade?4
Build your own curated scroll or board of car-inspired selects if you like. Then take your eyes for a scenic drive through it to see where it all connects. What does every image have in common? Does it inspire you to ask questions that you can read up on and learn about? Do you all of a sudden want to grab a camera, a friend, and a taxi to shoot your own? (The latter is how I always feel when curating scrolls).
Text the group chat. Make sure at least one person can drive and has a car. Pick an end point and get that road trip booked. Now you have to bake and bring road-trip banana muffins. Or, just bake the muffins anyway as a breakfast treat, a work lunch extra, or an easy dessert this weekend. You won’t regret it.5
Add the soundtrack playlist to any of your current listens for something new, or into any existing driving playlists you might have. Do one better and burn a CD mix, including them, for the next time you’re in a car (that still has a CD player). Roll down the window and pretend you’re in a music video for each song. It’s only right.
Catch up on previous issues of The Simpler Times:
To see something new in your inbox this weekend, upgrade your subscription for about the price of one cappuccino to-go. If you’d rather have the extra cappuccino this week I get that, we’ll just have to be apart for a little longer.
Thanks for reading. See you soon.
I don't know what else to call it so forgive me if that word has a cringe effect on you.
Cheyenne credits Sally’s Baking Addiction for the original recipe.
It’s a choice! Environmentally, financially, and also I’m scared of other drivers.
Trick question. The only answer is yes.
Unless you have certain dietary requirements.