Lisa Ludwinski (Baker)

Lisa Ludwinski, of Sister Pie, is one of my all-time favorite bakers. I was so excited when she agreed to share her inspirations with us! Not only are her pies delicious, they’re also creative and seasonal, using fresh ingredients and unique flavor combinations. And don’t even get me started on her cookies! Her extremely popular buckwheat chocolate chip cookies are so friggin’ good! They’re the perfect combination of nuttiness and sweetness. And they’re gluten free, so bonus! They sell them at various shops around Detroit and they call out to me wherever I go. I can’t walk past a display without buying one!

So, if you’re ever in Detroit, and you want to treat yourself, check out Sister Pie. Their baked goods are guaranteed to please! And don’t just take my word for it. Last year, Bon Appetit wrote an article on Sister Pie titled “We'd Visit Detroit Just to Eat at This Pie Shop.” (See, I told you! It’s that good!) Read on to see Lisa’s list of inspirations. Click here to visit the Sister Pie website and order online. ~Erin

Listen

I always enjoy listening to Krista Tippet's podcast On Being and there was a wonderful episode last year featuring Pauline Boss called "The Myth of Closure." It's all about the concept of ambiguous loss, and I found it forgiving and fascinating.

Read

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I can't recommend it enough. The author has succeeded in bringing her American readers into a familiar world as experienced through an outsider. It's both accessible and challenging, on top of being beautifully written.

Watch

13TH, the original Neflix documentary directed by Ava DuVernay, is a must-watch for every human. It will anger, awaken, and inform you. It's devastating, and it's necessary.

~Lisa