10 Things We're Doing Besides Maxing, Relaxing, and Podcasting

Download the latest A Few Things and get up-to-speed on:

• The most fashionable candy in all the land and the most excitable bachelor on all the Lower East Side.
  

• Games you should be playing and celebrities you should be ignoring.
  

• Banks, sports bras, books, travel hacks, and—wouldn't you know it?—coughing remedies.

erica’s things

• Stocking up on mini bottles of prosecco—ideal for topping off a negroni sbagliato or three and for eliminating the anxiety caused by a half bottle of something bubbly going flat in the fridge.

• Clenching my whole being for all 83 minutes of the oh-so-timely movie Beatriz at Dinner. Also: Salma Hayek + Connie Britton!

• Feeling better about an extremely fraught relationship in my life: the one I have with dry shampoo.

• Ripping this article out of Elle and adding Dream Hoarders—about 20-percenters and inequality—to the ol’ GoodReads.

• Moving here. Byyye.
  

claire’s things

• Signing up for the Shondaland newsletter faster than you can say “It’s handled.”

• Declaring the laid-back, delicious, and just-so-easy Hart's my new, new-neighborhood spot. Aaaand they have orange wine by the glass. So.

• Keeping Kleenex’s questionable design sensibility under wraps.

• D’oh-ing at the real explanation for the sudden explosion of poke restaurants (that has zero to do with our country’s appetite for dried-seaweed-bits-as-topping).

• Getting to know a thing or two about grilling and agreeing with NYMag: This charcoal's the stuff to beat—and the stuff that’ll infuse your meat and veggies with lots of that so-smoky flavor.

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• Dressing-up a dinner of Domino’s GF with these.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Taking 30% Off Until Tomorrow

The holiday weekend is over, but the deals are not. You’ve got until Thursday (that’s tomorrow!) at 11:59 p.m. ET to take 30% off select editions with the code FREE4ALL. Get to it!

erica’s things

• Finding so much (too much?) satisfaction in a bottle of maple syrup that doesn’t get sticky goo all over everything, itself included.

• Rushing out to see The Big Sick, a touching, real-feeling rom-com with hospital scenes that somehow make you laugh.

• Deeming this neon sitch 1) totally ridiculous 2) utterly eggs-cellent.

• Getting pretty heart-eyed over the minimalist oak furniture from Akron Street. How ‘bout this desk and this coat rack?

• Giving those laundry pick-up services a spin and finding a favorite in Cleanly—its app makes getting my DCO stuff picked-up and dropped-off as dreamy as you can expect such a thing to be.

claire’s things

• Telling Trudeau to make way for a different kind of Canadian superstar that, frankly, deserves a little more hype than it’s getting.

• Trying to remember the last time I laughed out loud for the entirety of a book before tearing through Standard Deviation. An ideal summer read if there ever was one.

• Rescuing a pair of white pants from an unfortunate meeting with a glass of spilled port using a little bit of liquid magic that every watering hole would do well to keep behind the bar.

• Feeling entirely too delighted by the sight of a bunch of dead bugs, thanks to a very effective (if unattractive) trap. Is it weird that I’ve made a habit out of checking it first thing every morning?

• Devouring this doc on the Hulk Hogan (but also secretly Peter Thiel) v. Gawker saga, a story that is as fascinating and entertaining as it is thought-provoking and relevant.

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• Discovering that I should have been wearing a plummy blush this whole time—the fellow green-eyed among you are gonna feel the same way.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Finding Our Warm-Weather Wearables

Because summer shouldn’t be all about whites and jewel tones, we started designing the latest PC by Of a Kind collection with a pretty perfect color palette in mind: army green and pale blue. Which, you may recall, were also the hues of the two best (and summeriest) scents of Gap’s nineties-era foray into fragrances: Grass and Dream. Right on the nose, if you ask us.

erica’s things

• Puttin’ on a lip to go see War Paint on Broadway—about the decades-long rivalry between Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein (and the biz-lady B.S. they both endured).

• Craving some sort of rich-but-summery dinner and getting exactly what I wanted from this zucchini carbonara recipe.

• Streamlining the process of finding whether a username is available on alllllll the platforms (MySpace included) with this handy thing.

• Re-falling in love with papercut art c/o these.

• Talking about nothing while eating lunch at Little Pepper in College Point, Queens, aside from how unreasonably good the string beans, the cumin lamb, the mapo tofu, the scallion fried rice, the everything tastes.
  

claire’s things

• Buying a home (!!!), a process which involved a lot of bros I hope to never interact with again, with the strong exception of our real-estate broker, Grant, who I liked way, way more than I ever thought I could like a broker. (Sorry, brokers.)

• Ridding myself of my Ziploc bag habit (and the waste-related guilt that attends it) with the help of these remarkably useful things.

• Hearing from a friend with a little one that my longtime go-to cotton tee doubles as an A+ breast-feeding uniform. (I hear the same about this, too, by the way—a slightly more office-appropriate option.)

• Trying to remember the last time I got excited about a new-to-me personal blog the way I have with Messy Nessy.

• Wondering how long until this sponge-like thing that does duty as a lint- and hair-catcher, duster, and god knows what else becomes the next viral home product. Obsessed with it for those shiny white countertops that are dust traps.

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• Treating my skin real nice with a cleanser that doesn’t dry it out, make it feel tight, or otherwise give it a hard time.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Talking Your Ears Off

Lately on the podcast, a few things that…

• Felt too obvious to include in this newsletter—but that we need to discuss anyway. (Plus the scoop on the polish colors that are ending up on everyone’s hands and feet, from the founder of cult-favorite nail salon, Olive & June.)
  

• Alex would like to tell the world about proper dating etiquette. (Plus the scoop on the Turkish rugs that are ending up on everyone’s arms and feet, from the founder of cult-favorite accessories line, Artemis Design Co.)

erica’s things

• Marveling at the innovation that is self-cling bubble wrap—because anything that eliminates battles with packing tape deserves our respect.

• Craving Zapp’s Voodoo Heat chips, especially served as a cocktail snack as they do at Diamond Reef in Brooklyn.

• Finding that the content of The Mothers is on par with the cover design (which, I should note, is v. v. v. good).

• Envisioning floors and backsplashes covered in these tiles—or these or these! I’m falling down a rabbithole, no doubt grout about it.

• Predicting that my consumption of this salad (and that anchovy dressing of its) will hit absurd levels—check back in with me in a month.
  

claire’s things

• Relishing a very meaty conversation between my favorite radio personality and my favorite Delawarean.

• Reintroducing mascara into my makeup routine after a brief hiatus because I finally found one that leaves zero shmutz underneath my eyes (for real).

• Still mourning the discontinuation of the Nike Free 3.0s—the shoe that converted me to the barefoot-ish running trend—but taking comfort in the next best thing.

• Feeling silly telling you how fanatically I love Schwab bank but feeling even sillier keeping it a secret. Their customer service is unparallelled. (And, FYI: They don’t just do brokerage stuff—I use ‘em strictly for plain old checking.)

• Absorbing an extraordinary story about the role of humor in times of strife.
  

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• Counting on my loved ones to tell me when I have overworn this thing to the point of embarrassment.

10 Things We're Doing Besides HIRING.

We’ve got one spot open on the dream team that is Of a Kind, and if we had to take a guess, the perfect candidate for it—somebody with serious marketing and project-management chops—is probably already making a weekly habit of reading this newsletter, soooo… 

erica’s things

• Getting excited about a dustpan.

• Celebrating something BIG with a flashy, shiny, enthusiastic balloon that takes about 60 seconds (and no helium access) to bring to life.

• Eating a shockingly satisfying salad at an airport—the kale and garlic shrimp one from a place called, if ya can believe it, Go-Go White Sox Grill at Midway. Recommended pairing: cheese + caramel popcorn from quotation-mark-abuser "Nuts on Clark" (just careful calling what they dish out Chicago Mix).

• Taking recs for a serious sports bra from Serena Williams after my ol’ standby was discontinued.

• Trying to keep all the Chrises straight. If you require additional tutoring as I do, there’s also this.
  

claire’s things

• Getting as close to making my own pão de queijo as I ever will, thanks to YuBuns, which give off the unmistakable aroma of really having your life together if you pop ‘em in the oven 30 minutes before friends come by.

• Drooling over the handmade hues of Toronto Ink Company, all derived from natural ingredients like wild grapes, bark, and bricks. DIY ‘em if you’re feeling brave.

• Thinking of this wonderful piece on the magic of cross-generational friendship after spending the week on the road interviewing some seriously inspirational work wives, who, fingers crossed, will be continue to double-date us.

• Speaking of being on the road for a week: This was a remarkably cathartic read. (“The flight is delayed for more than two hours, for whimsical reasons known only to the airline.”)

• Rounding-out asparagus season with a lick-the-plate recipe that’s ready in 10 minutes flat if you skip the leek shenanigans.
  

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• Dabbing this stuff on for a nineties-ish, brick-red lip that doesn’t feel too Fairuza-Balk-in-The-Craft intense.
  

10 Things We're Doing Besides Stillllll Podcasting!

The latest from A Few Things—straight from Alex’s House to your ears:

• + THE Jami Attenberg came on #ReadingThings to chat all about Saint Mazie and give us some straight talk re: our casting decisions.
  + Alex is still living single, and we’re still feeling smug for knowing what the Indian dance style Bharatanatyam and teen-dance sensation Maddie Ziegler have in common.
  + We go deep on our love for Maya Kaimal and for all things chickpea-adjacent.

erica’s things

• Sending moolah via Popmoney, which transfers funds from one bank account to another by way of someone’s phone number or email address using the ol’ ACH network.

• Cleaning a tough-to-get-at vase with just a little rice—rice!

• Praise-handing the discovery that my SPF brand of choice, Supergoop, now has a (sweat-resistant) powder sunscreen—so easy to swipe on your face before a run or to dab on your shoulders when you’re catching more rooftop rays than planned.

• Tuning in for this captivating, calculus-y episode of Radiolab, especially the segment on the Erdös Number Project, which is kind of like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon but for mathematicians. (And, um, add to that that there is such a thing as an Erdös-Bacon Number.)

• Experiencing regular cravings for the spicy thai salad from by Chloe, the pretty ‘n speedy vegan joint that’s about to open in its fourth city (that happened fast!).
  

claire’s things

• Already missing the eminently likable characters in No One Can Pronounce my Name, Rakesh Satyal’s funny, touching novel about Indian-Americans living in Cleveland, Ohio.

• Crossing my fingers that this will solve what might be the hardest part of my upcoming move: ending my reliance on doormen.

• Dog-earing the crap out of the latest issue of Cherry Bombe, which has everything from a meaty interview with Martha Stewart to words of wisdom from the CEO of Vitamix, who, as it turns out, is the fourth generation in her family to run that empire (!).

• Scooping up this seriously stunning book of still lifes by Irving Penn. His retrospective at The Met reminded me that they’re every bit as breathtaking as his fashion photography.

• Wanting all of my working lunches (...and breakfasts and dinners) to take place at Pondicheri in NYC. Whichever meal you choose, chickpea chocolate fudge should be your dessert.

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• Slathering on a body lotion that doesn’t leave me sticky or greasy—who knew it was possible?!

10 Things We're Doing Besides Taking 25% off the Perfect Wedding Gifts—for a Few More Hours!

Guys! Those five (six?) summer weddings you’ve got on your calendar? We have your presents for ‘em riiiiight here, and they’re 25% off with the code HOMERUN until 11:59 p.m. ET tonight. Sure, you could buy the four butter knives and the wine key that make up the straggler section of the gift registry, or you could give them something, well, more special.

erica’s things

• Losing track of time reading this completely captivating profile of Glennon Doyle Melton of Momastery and Love Warrior fame.

• Prescribing myself a spoonful of honey instead of cherry-flavored goo before bed to fight this cough that really, really needs to go away already.

• Watching all the waxing videos. IDK why either, but I can’t stop. Here—try this.

• Gobbling up green beans in a romesco-ish (fauxmesco?) sauce that brings it with the smoky, garlicky kick.

• High-fiving my husband for completing 1) his dissertation and 2) a companion playlist with an inequality (a.k.a. $$money$$) theme that’s v. v. appropropriate for someone getting his PhD in economics.
  

claire’s things

• Using up half a bottle of this stuff in no time at all—goes on cheese, veggies, fish, meat...and feels like the Italian answer to Marmite.

• Keeping my hair hydrated in between washes with the most up-for-anything oil around—goes on men, women, skin, or strands (which, as it turns out, makes it an A+ travel companion).

• Feeling calmer just knowing that UCLA put their mindfulness meditations on iTunes—I’ve never seen ‘em all in one place before, and they are as legit as you’d imagine they’d be.

• Going nowhere near an airport without this bag, either as a carry-on or folded-up inside my luggage for emergency souvenir situations. It’s got Mary Poppins-like storage capabilities, and it straps right on to my rolling suitcase.

• Applauding the genius of GiveBackBox, which makes it ridiculously easy to donate used goods to local charities without having to schlep them yourself.

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• Taking even more pride in being on Team Bar Soap with these in my grip.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Long Weekending with A Few Things

Caught up on the podcast lately? Feels like now’s the time to queue it up ‘cause though nothing’s going to make MDW traffic jams move faster, these eps might make ‘em feel a little less painful:

• + What you should be watching on television, for which we brought in an expert because we can only tell you to tune into Friday Night Lights and Vanderpump Rules so many times before you stop listening.
  + What exactly a creative director does, straight from the mouth of one of the best in the biz, who also happens to be one of the OG fashion bloggers.
  + How to stop being so neurotic about following recipes and just start cooking, courtesy of someone who makes it all seem so easy—because maybe it actually is?

erica’s things

• Revisiting this after realizing my jorts saw so little action on a vacation that had plenty of beachy, cutoff-friendly moments.

• Over-ordering and -eating tapas at Petit Comité and Mamarracha in Sevilla, Spain...and then promptly collapsing into bed at the v. pretty—and right in the heart of things—Corral del Rey.

• Going deep on the gripping work-wife drama that is The Animators.

• Pounding the pavement and the cobblestones in these sandals that 1) have loads of support 2) keep your feet up and away from city grime and 3) remind me of Gwen Stefani circa 1996.

• Seeking out some new toppings for my ‘bout-twice-a-week lunch standby, a baked sweet potato, which lately has been getting doused in coconut oil and tamari (hey, don’t knock it ‘til you try it).
  

claire’s things

• Flipping a lid upon realizing that there is, in fact, a way to reuse those travel-size saline solutions (that, naturally, only come in two-ounce bottles

• Appreciating the solid advice and useful reminders in this Q&A about how to fight with your romantic partner like a (semi-)sane person.

• Giving the curls a helping hand with a brand-spankin’-new (to me) wand that I’m way into and that seems to be inflicting less heat-related damage to my already dry hair.

• Fangirling pretty dang hard over a Mira Jacob and Priyanka Chopra combo. BTW, are you following Mira’s illustration insta? It’s cracking me up.

• Feeling crazily, crazily inspired by the design and hospitality at Santa Clara 1728, a gem of a B&B in Lisbon, Portugal, from João Rodriques, who also has three (soon to be four!) other spots around the country.

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• Outfitting my flowers in the vase equivalent of a classic striped T-shirt..

10 Things We're Doing Besides Taking 25% off Select Jewelry

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, as is the end of our MOTHERLODE promo that will get you 25% off select jewelry. Use that code by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 10 (that’s Wednesday!) to send something shiny to whoever you think could use some extra love on this sometimes-kinda-complicated holiday. 

erica’s things

• Feeling so much more interested in camping now that I’ve seen the Japanese cookware from Snow Peak and coffee gear from Glocal Standard Products. But, still: this.

• Going ga-ga for shiny new books from two authors I've tracked for a good long while: Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood and Woman No. 17 by (friend of the podcast) Edan Lepucki.

• Finding a new (carved) apple of my eye.

• Contemplating ways to get my hands on the syllabus for Dolly’s America, a course being taught at University of Tennessee about the life of The Smoky Mountain Songbird.

• Taking my probiotics as I do my Pixy Stix: in candy-powder form.

claire’s things

• Finding a (five-minute!) recipe that validates what I’ve always known to be true: The stems are the best part of the broccoli. (And they’re even better fried.)

• Abiding by my mother’s “no-tattoos” rule well into my thirties but knowing that if I ever enter a grown-child rebellion phase I'll head straight to Nice Tattoo, the prettiest (and kindest) parlor you ever did see.

• Applauding the truly delightful concept (and execution!) of the coffee-table book I Actually Wore This: Clothes We Can’t Believe We Bought.

• Crushing on Kelly Marie Beeman. Her colorful paintings call to mind Alex Katz, and her black-and-white line drawings feel Matisse-inspired...and if none of that makes you click, then I’m all out of ideas.

• Upgrading from St. Ives with something that hurts less, works more, smells great, and looks a whole lot prettier on my bathroom counter.

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• Calling it now: Body butter’s ‘bout to stage a comeback.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Agreeing That Books *Are* Magic

Hudson News is great and all, but a bookstore shouldn’t be judged on the strength of its trail mix. It should live or die by the coziness of its children’s section. Obviously. We know this, and so does beloved author Emma Straub—which is great because she just opened a suuuper buzzed-about new bookshop in Brooklyn and came on the podcast to tell us all about it. She’s a real charmer, and the space is, too.

erica’s things

• Wanting more, more, more of this: celebrities talkin’ personal finance.

• Masterfully using up the last remnants of a tub of coconut oil (a substance that hasn’t been mentioned here for weeks, ok???).

• Decanting the weird world of blind tastings, sommelier competitions, smell-training tactics, and weird wine additives (um, Mega Purple!) by way of Bianca Bosker’s insidery book Cork Dork.

• Impressing myself—and, soon, dinner guests—with how fancy-looking and just plain good this salmon is, with about five minutes of prep involved.

• Deep-thinking around the Nashville music scene in 2017 with a recent ep of Jon Caramanica’s always solid Popcast.

claire’s things

• Cheering on our gal Sania, who’s expanding her brow empire by bringing on the next generation (literally: They’re her daughters and niece) of expert tweeze-’n-trimmers. If you can’t make it to NYC, grab the next best thing here.

• Willing more orange wines to show up on menus—and, in the meantime, scooping up this very drinkable $23 bottle for the home supply.

• Wondering if it’s time to reacquaint myself with needlepoint now that knitting season is coming to an end (can’t have a pile of wool on my lap in 80 degree temps) and starting with the custom kits over at Needlepaint.

• Banging out some laps without drenching my hair, thanks to a nifty little water barrier that goes under your swim cap.

• Devouring Vinegar Girl—a charming, modern-day re-telling of Taming of the Shrew—in one cross-continental plane ride. LMK if you manage not to picture Julia Stiles and Larisa Oleynik as the main characters.

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• Questioning why it took me so long to try these pants on. They’re perfect. And now they’re mine. (And now they’re also on sale.)

10 Things We're Doing Besides Marrying Up

Can you feel it? It’s here. Wedding season is happening, and we’ve got bits and bobs to help you through it right this way. You’ll find everything you need from worry dolls to wedding bands—oh, and flasks, too. You’re welcome. (As are your in-laws.) 

P.S. Still in the planning phases? Register your desires here.

erica’s things

• Filling a Big Little Lies-size hole in my life with How to Start a Fire, a novel about three female college friends with plenty of turmoil and drama...and a murder.

• Welcoming the idea of a layover at PDX: short films at the airport!

• Flagging allll kinds of tips from this home makeover (not that I have a renovation anywhere near my future—but someday, maybe?).

• Preparing to add Serena Williams to this badass history of women athletes dominating after childbirth—should she want in on it, that is.

• Working up the nerve to make socca, a sorta chickpea flatbread itching for bunches of toppings, and immediately kicking myself for waiting so long. Ample weeknight-dinner potential if you spend two minutes whipping up the batter in the A.M. while you brew your coffee.

claire’s things

• Naming a new favorite app: Snatch keeps track of all the places you have been meaning to try saw on Instagram that one time but can never possibly remember when hunger pangs set in. Date night: suddenly so much less...exactly the same as it was last week.

• Giving new life to these guys, thanks to this pro-tip for getting rid of wax residue.

• Conjuring up as many excuses as possible to visit the old-school-fancy bar room at Fowler & Wells for Tom Colicchio’s high-end version of Lipton’s french onion dip.

• Consuming the charming, thought-provoking, and straight-up useful How to Be Married at just the right time: while muscling through the pain of a joint mortgage application. Hashtag romance!

• Nodding emphatically at this ode to the transformative powers of anchovy paste...to which I’d also add anchovy oil—like a somewhat lighter (and Italian) version of Vietnamese fish sauce.

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• Finding a new honey.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Sample Sale-ing

See you soon. And, until then: Cheers. 

erica’s things

• Improving my banana-peeling technique by doin’ as the monkeys do: starting at the other end.

• Relishing a chill, sunny-Sunday-afternoon haircut at Headdress in NYC’s East Village with bob savant Emily Carroll.

• Turning off a dirt road into the parking lot of Acre Restaurant in San José del Cabo and feeling very “what is this wondrous place?” about it immediately...and still.

• Finally finding a (simple, leather) laptop case I can get behind.

• Falling deeeeep down the rabbit hole that is Grand Designs, a really ambitious British home-design show that makes Fixer Upper look like child’s play.

claire’s things

• Accepting a 10 Things pitch from my husband, who has replaced his bar soap with this $7 face wash and is feeling mighty proud about it.

• Feeling grateful to have a name to put to the Bumble-induced bummers some of my friends are enduring right now—hey, "micro-breakup”—and a few coping mechanisms to go along with it.

• Sending a friend off to to Toronto with a restaurant recommendation that had my mouth watering at the memory. Go for the ease with which they facilitate a group-dining experience, stay for the labneh and mejadra.

• Having a GD dream of a hair day week after discovering my new go-to washing solution.

• Craving one of my mom’s all-star baked treats. (Yes, it is a fancy Oreo with mascarpone filling, and, yes, it is very much worth your trouble.)

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• Struggling to think of something that’s made me laugh harder than these—especially this truly dumb one, which nobody but me seems to love so much.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Saving the Date

Mark your calendars: On April 20th and 21st, we’re hosting a sample sale in our NYC office. That means you’ve got a week and a half to start thinking up excuses for why you’re going to show up to work late on one of those days. In the meantime? Hang out with us here.

erica’s things

• Wanting, oh, just a few cases of something wondrous called watermelon jerky.

• Caring more about shipping containers than I have since season two of The Wire thanks to this podcast ep featuring the story of the first female captain of an American freighter along with much other goodness.

• Concluding that I’d be way more up for learning euchre if that pursuit involved these playing cards.

• Rooting for the 12-year-old protagonist of the real, real charming debut novel Rabbit Cake.

• Gasping at the marvel that is Rev.com, a speedy, couldn’t-be-easier transcription service that does a remarkably good job makin’ Word docs outta mp3s.

claire’s things

• Sipping an afternoon snack that truly beats trail mix. I’m partial to the Thai curry bone broth but haven’t been let down by any flavor yet.

• Obsessing over the magic (er, science?) of this stone-like Japanese bath mat that absorbs water instantly—and, ya know, avoids the grody moldiness factor of the shaggy kind you’re used to.

• Locking down my go-to summer drink in April: dare you to try to find a more refreshing combo than red vermouth with soda and lime.

• Reeling from the discovery that shaking your iPhone is the control-Z (a.k.a. undo) of the mobile world. How did I not know this until now?

• Getting a good laugh, a hearty dose of inspiration, and an unexpected history and public-policy lesson from the memoir of one of Obama’s closest right-hand-women. (BTW: This one’s a no-brainer for the almost-college-grad in your life.)

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• Packing this little number for a beachy weekend getaway (and planning to do the same for all trips to warm climes in the foreseeable future).

10 Things We're Doing Besides Discussing Dominant Jeans

Have you noticed? It’s suddenly bare-ankle season. Which dovetails nicely with the rise of the mullet jean, a hot topic on our most recent episode of the podcast, where two of our favorite denim experts give us the dirt on dungarees...and two of your favorite podcast hosts share some of their favorite podcasts.

erica’s things

• Thinking this website was made just for my scrolling pleasure: Girls at Library, asking women I want to know what they’re reeeading.

• Fine-tuning my egg-boiling. Per Bon Appétit, 6 minutes and 30 seconds is exactly where it’s at for that jammy, custard-yolk consistency.

• Celebrating Christmas in April—I sure hope the nieces and nephew are ready to unwrap Santa’s Husband just as soon as this thing comes out.

• Pitching this as long-reading for MLB opening day (<< that’s today): The bat flip is the hair flip of South Korean baseball.

• Having a real moment with Reese Witherspoon.

claire’s things

• Depositing the amazing story of Bib 261 into my running inspo bank, which I will be drawing upon heavily come November, when I’m running the NYC Marathon (!!!).

• Feeling marginally less anxious about my impending move thanks to the discovery of these things, which are great for so many reasons, including the fact that they eliminate one of my least favorite parts of the process: packing tape.

• Bookmarking this very useful dictionary of tech terms defined in layman’s terms.

• Feeling a mix of optimism and overwhelming rage reading about the latest major medical development...that we may never benefit from.

• Urging you to queue up the Paula Scher episode of the entertaining series Abstract (like Chef’s Table for design) for a fascinating deep-dive into the brain of a real badass.

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• Willing spring to come on and show its stuff—because nothing makes me feel chicer quicker than a really perfect light layer.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Keeping Your Pits Fresh

Of all the things we’ve imagined for Of a Kind’s destiny, we never considered we might one day sell quite so much deodorant. But we do. Soapwalla’s creation is just that good, so we dragged founder Rachel Winard on the podcast to spill the beans (er, cream?) about what her process involves and how she’s convincing the world that crystals need not be the only alternative to your drugstore antiperspirant. 

erica’s things

• Questioning my decision to tell y’all about Alta Calidad, a very good new Mexican restaurant in my Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, ‘hood. Here’s what to order: everything.

• Crossing my toes that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel gets picked up for a full season—Rachel Brosnahan, I suddenly love you. In the meantime, I’m happy to go a few more rounds with the pilot.

• Feeling less shame Seeing more potential for the stacks of books that seem to accumulate on ALL surfaces in my apt. after landing on this.

• Getting about as close as I ever will to taking a writing class from Mary Karr (hero status, that one) by way of her insightful ’n voicy The Art of Memoir.

• Scraping the bottom of a pint of Van Leeuwen honeycomb ice cream in, oh, two days. And telling enough people about it to realize the flavor’s cultish following.
  

claire’s things

• Applauding the seriously impressive feat of reporting that is this outstanding story on how the NBA runs on PB&J. Goes way deeper than you think.

• Downloading a bunch of empire-building inspiration from Rebecca Jarvis’s podcast series interviewing women moguls—early favorite eps include Grace Bonney, Aly Raisman, and Sallie Krawcheck.

• Hoping my frying pans don’t miss me too much because these days I’m all about roasting the stuff I used to sauté. Exhibit A: tofu. Exhibit B: onions, specifically vidalia.

• Spotify-ing all Charles Bradley, all the time. File under: If you like Sam Cooke, Leon Bridges, etc. This late-in-the-game discovery brought to you by the truly wonderful soundtrack of Big Littles Lies. (Sure, I’ll stop talking about this show someday.)

• Revisiting my childhood Archie Comics obsession via Riverdale, an addictive mashup of Twin Peaks vibes with the series’ lovable characters, come to life on the teevee.
  

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• Doing whatever I can for my sad, angsty cuticles—bless this stuff that you can apply with such precision that you don’t wind up getting it on everything you touch (you’re welcome, iPhone screen).

10 Things We're Doing Besides Feeling Really Ready for Spring, Howboutu?

Lately on the podcast:

• We dished about cleanse-ish type behavior and got real with our favorite ex-MTV VJ about personal finances.

• We confessed to how we’ve basically stopped dealing with anything that feels too complicated (don’t worry—we’re still brushing our teeth, for now) and then quizzed an expert on what the deal is with barre classes and why everyone’s addicted to them.

P.S. Pssssst, over here. You'll want to see this. Some prices fell (but none were hurt).

erica’s things

• Pledging to read all of Jami Attenberg’s books after tearing through her most recent, All Grown Up.

• Keeping all the hats ‘n gloves ‘n scarves at the ready in this basket ‘til slush-puddle season is behind us. (WHEN WILL THAT BE?)

• Simmering lentils and rice at the same time. Great with caramelized onions, yes, but also without as a side for fish or whatever.

• Nodding along to this thingy about how to cold-email—something I’ve been dedicating too much brain space to ‘cause, hey, we’ve been doing some hiring!

• Adding pivoting windows and brick floors to the list of home-design things I’m feeling right now—oh-so-many of which this house in Tucson checks off.

claire’s things

• Taking my guy on a (pirate-themed! indoor!) mini-golf adventure for his bday at Shipwrecked in Brooklyn. Also file under: great way to entertain kids on snow days.

• Thumbing through a couple of picture books that got me real choked-up about being a woman—this and this (the proceeds of which go to Planned Parenthood) would make great gifts for the teen in your life.

• Refusing to leave the house without this stuff in my purse. It’s my first line of defense against my chronic migraines, and it really does work wonders.

• Getting so, so much more than grooming tips out of this amazing two-minute video of centenarians discussing their beauty routines.

• Keeping a close eye on this nine-year-old fashion critic and illustrator with a spot-on sense of what makes a look work.

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• Offering up over $200 worth of goodies for way less than that—plus the chance to see Erica and me struggle awkwardly through some ballerina-type stuff...which is definitely priceless.

10 Things We're Doing Besides (Enthusiastically) Flexing our Muscles

GUYS! We are very, very excited about this one: On Sunday, March 26th, we’re hosting a class at Bar Method Brooklyn. Price of entry includes one of our (soon-to-be-released!) Professional Enthusiast Round 2 sweatshirts, Pointe Studio socks, a bevy of goodies, and the chance to see the two of us stumble awkwardly through one of our favorite fitness classes. Newbies very welcome, but if you plan on taking the day of rest literally, you can still swing by the lobby to check out our mini pop-up shop from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

erica’s things

• Suddenly desiring an Umbro sweatshirt. Or a Fila one. Or any that James Merry touches.

• Sending some newly engaged pals congratulatory French 75s via Cocktail Courier instead of plain ol’ champagne (I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with plain ol’ champagne).

• Snuggling up to a new favorite pet of Instagram: Chewy the alpaca, whose punny handle @chew_paca can’t be beat either.

• Reupping on this moisturizer...and trying not to think about what a desert my face is without it.

• Imagining a world where you could buy a five-story building in Soho for $68,000 while poking around Donald Judd’s sunshiny, late-sixties/early-seventies live-work space.

claire’s things

• Binge-listening to The Hilarious World of Depression, a funny, sad, and most of all cathartic podcast featuring famous comedians talking about their struggles with clinical depression. More of this openness around mental health, please. (Related: this.)

• Surely saving myself many unnecessary mornings of endlessly circling the block with Ebro as my only consolation prize, thanks to the super simple Parkside app.

• Giving the stamp of approval to the pros over at Simply Framed, who were responsible for finishing off this beauty.

• Filing away the perfect, poetic present for the Scrabble enthusiasts in my life.

• Getting in some serious strength-training at Brooklyn Bodyburn. Don’t let the pilates-ish-looking reformers fool you: There is nothing familiar about this very grueling workout.

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• Preparing for wedding season—well, at least when it comes to paper goods—with this and this.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Earring You Out

If your lobes are being boring lately, look elsewhere for excuses. Because frankly, our earring department is really bringing its best game these days. Some of us are even getting extra piercings just to deal with it.

erica’s things

• Grinning my way through this tour of Marilyn Minter’s as-cheery-as-it-gets home in Cold Spring, New York. And c’mon with this quote: “I’m a bad girl, but I’m always polite about it.”

• Embracing the fact that it’s actually below freezing with some butter-happy comfort food: mushroom stroganoff ft. these egg noodles.

• Filing away the smart little As You Stay app, which lets you book a hotel room based on when you actually want to be in it—none of this 3 p.m. check-in/11 a.m. check-out business.

• Burying my nose in the star jasmine that’s currently blooming—flourishing!!!—on my windowsill.

• Growing my knowledge of 1) geobiology and 2) the life of a female scientist by way of Hope Jahren’s completely captivating memoir Lab Girl. If you need to be sold on her writing, try this.

claire’s things

• Bookmarking this succinct and spot-on guide to Tokyo that’s way more user-friendly than the unwieldy mess of forwarded emails I pass along whenever anyone asks.

• Wishing these sheets came in bigger-than-a-crib size.

• Dreading departing from EWR just a little bit less thanks to Dale Talde’s Little Purse in Terminal C, where you’ll find dumplings that are far better than any airport food really needs to be.

• Finding beauty in bread tags.

• Rooting for Werk, a job-listing site featuring ambitious roles that have flexible schedules, with the goal of advancing women to leadership positions even when their lives don’t fit so neatly into the traditional 9-to-5.

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• Finally purging the Pier 1 mugs I proudly purchased for my college apartment, thanks to these mix-’n-match beauties.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Book-Bashing

Our latest podcasting adventures had us facing a first for our #ReadingThings book club: We did not enjoy our pick. But we finished it anyway. And then dragged our editor into the recording studio to defend the author’s honor. Hearing us bitch about a book not your thing? Weird. Then catch up on last week’s episode where we talk to-do list strategies and chat with Jane Mount, the illustrator behind the most beautiful and meaningful bookshelves you'll ever lay eyes on.

erica’s things

• Marketing these raspberry-and-pistachio brownies to myself as vaguely healthy (which is harder to do if you top one with vanilla gelato but…wow, do that).

• Scoping out vintage home stuffs on Pamono—the serious search filters let you hone in by design period, dimensions, etc., etc.

• Fattening up my Goodreads queue with recs from this list.

• Listening to all of the dermatologists and getting on the retinol train: This stuff from cultish L.A. facialist Shani Darden doesn’t bug my very irritable skin one bit.

• Counting the number of dressings (27!!) in the forthcoming Salad for President cookbook. Really looking forward to the accompanying Joana Avillez illos, too

claire’s things

• Sweating Richard Simmons’s whereabouts.

• Appreciating the genius of Traveling Mailbox—it scans your snail mail and emails it to you. Perfect for those who travel a lot, who don’t want their address public...or who are just really lazy about opening their mail.

• Wondering how much time, money, and over-reliance on friendly neighbors I could have saved over the years with this keyless entry system. For my next trick: Keeping my phone charged long enough to use it.

• Admitting to feeling more than a little creeped-out by this (surprisingly off) glimpse into who the algorithms think I am based on my online activity.

• Giving a nod of sincere appreciation to E!’s insta-story game. It’s unparalleled.

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• Calling on some vegetable matter to exfoliate my face.

10 Things We're Doing Besides Getting Up-to-Speed

Been awhile since you’ve caught up on our podcast? Some of our latest and greatest topics below—and by “greatest,” we mean ones we haven’t called out in this space yet, so we’re worried you might have missed them.

+ On consuming the news, whether we like it or not.

+ On the world’s most charming Taco Bell enthusiast.

+ On Amelia Bedelia’s enduring relevance.

+ On why fancy things cost so dang much.

+ On the psychological barriers of packing for travel.

+ On why Minneapolis is worth a weekend—maybe more.

erica’s things

• Settling in for a weekend of mountain funtimes with friends at a Scandinavian-chic ski chalet in Mont Tremblant, Quebec (jazzy pics here and booking here!).

• Making rice feel special with 1) an oven 2) boatloads of shallots and 3) gobs of garlic.

• Getting so very much out of the How I Built This interview with Kate and Andy Spade. Nice to know the people who look like they’ve had it all figured out, always, had zero clue what they were doing when they started out, too.

• Feeling really G.D. virtuous after downing a rooster bowl for breakfast at the new, women-owned—and so good-lookin’—NYC joint De Maria (designed by the whizzes over at The MP Shift).

• Keeping my eyeballs on the furniture co. Greycork—the full-blown living room set is especially smart.

claire’s things

• Running out of excuses to skip my morning miles thanks to the game-changing genius of Yaktrax, which lets you pound the pavement even when it’s covered in ice and snow.

• Passing a cozy weekend with A Separation, a totally captivating and wonderfully written read in which, for once, it’s the husband who goes missing. Fingers crossed for news of a movie version soon.

• Looking for a time machine so I can go back to starting Of a Kind, but this time with Above the Glass at my disposal. “A Beginner’s Guide to Cap Tables,” whaaaa?!

• Yesssssssssing to Tagwalk, a fashion search engine destined to claim hours of my life.

• Celebrating a moment I’ve been waiting what feels like forever for: The HBO miniseries version of an all-time favorite book is finally here. And it’s just as good as I’d hoped. Don’t trust me—trust Willa Paskin.

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• Feeling really, really good about the direction that statement necklaces are moving in for 2017.