Weekly A to Z, June 22nd.

The one where I'm glad to be home.

Hi there, Courtney here! A quick update: I find myself coming off a few projects and currently have the bandwidth for additional work. Please consider contacting me for any of the following needs you might have in your organization: media training, content creation, writing articles, and copy-editing. You can see more of my portfolio and publications I’ve written for here.

I’m not sure how you spent your Eid, but I’m here to tell you that Sri Lanka is still incredible and that you should absolutely stay at the Airbnb we rented.

I was also able to put together some of my favorite moments from my recent French cheese trip — have a look here and here.

Finally, the team at Butter was kind enough to send over an array of DELICIOUS cookies for me to share with the Dubai Eye team. #gifted

Links, please.

• I was on the radio with

  Jennifer Crichton
  yesterday! (Listen from: 45:22). Spotify

• Some of my recent thoughts about sustainability in gastronomy. Luxury Lifestyle Awards

• Anyone have an extra 15K? There’s a dinner I want to go to. Instagram

• How many group chats are you in? (The average number is insane). NY Post

• I need this Italian McDonald’s happy meal (thanks, Erin!). Instagram

• The impact of noise at restaurants. Washington Post

• Catch me drinking Cosmos out of this. Delfina Delettrez

• Food “wars” at the Euros. The Guardian

• I might have my own ice maker, but I also wouldn’t mind one of these. Twitter

• The one person you need to thank when your flight leaves on time. AFAR

• What are the best airport lounge amenities? (A: space). OMAAT

• Apropos of nothing: Grimace’s winning streak. ESPN

• Dr. Pepper is more popular than Pepsi. (No lie, I would drive FAR out of my way if Diet Dr. Pepper was reliably offered in the UAE). Washington Post

• Tim Tam tuna pate. Taste

• What if we kintsugi’d Oreos? Twitter

• Can we stop with all the croissant variations? Eater

• Luxury fruit as a status symbol. Food Institute

• Some people really like crunchy food. (I do not). Bakery and Snacks

• Unsurprised at this Scottish behavior. VinePair

• Five years from now, how will AI change the F&B industry? Food Navigator

• Next trip to Qatar… The National

• Pretty sure I need this cheese grater. Prepara

• For my font girlies. Twitter

• Literally never heard this. AFAR

• Best food for being outdoors this summer. Eater

• The things you should never monogram. Southern Living

• For my other aunties. Romper

This weekend? Honestly, a bit of a reset. Your favorite introvert needs some recovery time and detox after back-to-back trips. Barring any incredible press opportunities, I’ll be on the ground in the UAE until August, and I’m very happy with my schedule. July is such a great time to visit places that have been on my list, and I’ve already got a few lined up.

Next week? A few things! I’m most excited to take Poppy (and Eric) on a quick staycation to the W the Palm. We’re heading to Akira Back, which has launched a tasting menu, and this felt like a fun way to review (and enjoy a dog-friendly hotel, like we did at the W Mina Seyahi last year).

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C.