It's tiiime..
we're relaunching Little Pleasures, y'all!
We’re back, folks! Before we get into the wines, cheeses, recipes, and general deliciousness Little Pleasures is known for, here’s a quick update on me:
After nearly five years at Vox (primarily Eater) I was laid off back in August, along with many incredibly talented colleagues. You may be thinking, poor Lee. But I maintained (and still do!) that it may have been one of the better things to happen to me. The universe knew I needed a kick in the pants, to get out of a grey office, and put myself and my dreams first. Because there’s really no better time than now, especially if you have 14 weeks of severance.
I proceeded to travel to Guanajuato (Mexico), Sicily (IT), Venice (IT), Treviso (IT), Tokyo (JAP), Osaka (JAP), Kyoto (JAP), Alentejo (Portugal), Napa (USA)… and I’m such a lucky girl that I actually had to check my photo app to confirm all of the above locations. (Never let them know your next move!) Most of the trips were hosted by wine appellations and brands, so they were an absolute whirlwind of wine and food and talented people, and having them all back to back burnt me out a little. (I am not complaining. It is a simple truth that traveling that much and being “on” for 12 hours a day surrounded by peers and producers made my social battery shrivel into a dried wasabi pea.)
I haven’t shared everything from these trips yet, but I am majorly investing time and energy into pushing past the cringe and growing my Instagram. Please like/comment/support. To be blunt, growing my follower count will majorly help my career, general life, and finances. I also have a lot of fun travel / food / wine / generally delicious things to share.
I have also been working! I have a monthly column for Total Food Service, I’m a contributor to The Kitchn, Cheese Professor, and many more. I am also currently Serious Eats’ head taste tester (I was paid to build gingerbread houses and rate them on texture, flavor, structural integrity, and variety of candy. Like I said, I’m a lucky girl!) I’ve been working more in editorial than ever before, which has been so much fun. You can read all of my latest pieces here. I had the absolute honor to adapt one of my grandmother’s recipes for Eating Well. (It was one of her favorite magazines, and now she and her recipe for Spicy Maple Walnuts are immortalized in print.) I’ve also concepted, scripted, and acted(!!!) in social videos for cheese brand Fromager d’Affinois (five more cheese pairing hotline videos will roll out throughout 2026). I’ve also been doing more things but NDAs exist! (I like to think that sounds cool of me to say but it’s also true.)
I still teach at Murray’s Cheese in the West Village (best job on the planet), appear on tv, and am growing my private event and tour business. Just last night I led a bachelorette party through a wine and cheese tasting and then became their tour guide to the Lower East Side. (I think there’s a future there, but it’s only sustainable if I abstain from the espresso martinis.) If you have any leads, lmk!
While I’m not saving lives, I do hope this newsletter, my Instagram, and generally anything I put out can help add to your life, and help you live it more freely and deliciously. I’ve joked lately that I’m a professional hedonist. While there’s been many a caviar bump, I’ve found that the most stirring moments have been the ones that cost the least: The $6 bowl of miso ramen in Osaka, the thousand-year-old olive tree in Portugal, the sunset over the vines, the sharing of flavors and cultures. I hope my work moving forward helps to connect you to that.
Chat again very soon —
Lee