A Thing Or Two We’re Doing Besides Shelling Out

Did we cry before we talked to this week’s podcast guest? Yes. Did we cry while talking to this week’s podcast guest? Also yes. Listen, the photographer Gillian Laub’s latest project—about family and America’s political climate—really is so moving that you need to hear about it directly from her. Also: If you’ve been thinking about giving Secret Menu a shot, we’re donating September new-member monies to the International Refugee Assistance Project, which rallies law students and lawyers to support legal and human rights for refugees and displaced persons.

erica’s things

• Feeling less overwhelmed by all the Big Fall Books.

• Signing up for the NYC/Hudson Valley CSA of my dreams: oysters! Sourced from woman-owned and -managed farms, even.

• Dipping into retinol and tag-teaming with this balm to keep things soothed.

• Prescribing this movie for when you just need to feel something. Imperfect! Satisfying! I teared up! (A theme this week?)

• Imagining the many, many applications of a crossword-puzzle maker (beyond the perfect anniversary one I received, even).

claire’s things

• Thinking that of course the people behind Kewpie mayo know how to make an outstanding salad dressing.

• Clicking on a headline that’s of great interest to me.

• Ascribing magic powers to a, um, spray bottle—one that has majorly improved my hair routine on no-wash days.

• Flagging that there’s still time left to get in on this extremely lovely Yom Kippur tradition, Jewish or not!

• Feeling compelled to spread the word whenever I come across a perfect chambray—one so good that my dad asked if I could get one for him too??

A Thing Or Two We’re Doing Besides Putting The Pieces Together

Do you all remember the the intriguing classified ad that ran in this very newsletter seeking a deep and meaningful friendship? WELL! This week on the podcast, we caught up with Katie Seaver, the equally intriguing woman who wrote it, to kick off a *friendship grab bag* episode. One other topic of discussion: How juvenile is it to name friend groups—or at least their associated group chats? WB with your thoughts!

erica’s things

• Loving, oh, every last thing about Antonio Carrau’s collage art (and contemplating one of his prints).

• Flying high over the discovery of NASA oven mitts. They look like astronaut gloves. Obviously.

• Counting on Bitches Get Riches to pose better personal-finance questions: "Ask Not How Much You Should Save, Ask How Much You Should Spend."

• Requesting more detail shots of this out-of-control embroidered couch.

• Spying a dynamite magazine cover that made me think “Wow, I want to buy that issue”—a special treat of a feeling that I’ve missed.

claire’s things

• Reeling a bit from how intensely nostalgic and oddly comforting it feels to look at the pages of a phone book—especially one showcasing old numbers of Steve Buscemi and the like.

• Ordering a swim cap that can handle my hair.

• Offering up a poem specifically for today.

• Bringing on back-to-school vibes with my fresh new planner. (For what it’s worth, I categorize by type of task instead of day of the week, but, you know, you do you!)

• Spreading the word about Barnraisers, an org training white people in antiracist organizing that Erica and I both got so much out of. Registration opens today for September cohorts. Here for questions if you have ‘em!

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Loafing Around

Do we have thoughts on hair length, produce refrigeration, and the best product descriptions on the internet? Of course we do, and you’ll find them all on this week’s podcast episode. If you’re a new listener lookin’ for a place to start, here are some greatest hits, too.

erica’s things

• Asking for a friend: How weird would it be to order custom Sour Patch Kids for yourself?

• Granting the award for “best use of a chandelier” to this brilliance.

• Aspiring, just once, to look as stunning in a photo as one of these birds.

• Chasing Bama Rush content with this fascinating piece on dorm decor (and the parental psychology that partially fuels it).

• Getting the most, the most out of Wikipedia.

claire’s things

• Swiping on a (clear!) natural deodorant that’s got a woody scent that’s very much my vibe. I keep being like “What’s that lovely smell?” and realizing it’s me.

• Flying through Katie Kitamura’s latest—as in, I read the whole perfect thing on a cross-country flight.

• Bringing home loaves of GF bread in my suitcase because, wow, they’re good. 3, 2, 1 until I pony up for shipping.

• Making two laundry-related recommendations: this app (which comes in handy when deciphering, say, Japanese care instructions) and this stain remover.

• Eating up Anne Helen Petersen’s deep dives into the world of Peloton celebrity, especially the breakdown of Ally Love’s wedding.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Looking Ahead to Fall and Spring

It’s the heat of the summer, and we’re seeking relief in fast food and oysters...and you can too this week on the podcast. If you’re looking for a good read for a day at the beach, in the park, or with some serious A/C, we have plenty of thoughts on that, too.

erica’s things

• Trying all the trendy hard seltzers; endorsing this trendy hard seltzer.

• Going wide-eyed over Shaker furniture kits.

• Feeling things c/o this Jason Reynolds piece about the power of YA books to help people “become the dragon slayers and whistle-blowers and survivors we read about.” (See also: the glorious list that accompanies it.)

• Reaching peak nineties nostalgia with the revival of Kid Pix. (Is Spelunx next??)

• Placing an order for some awfully sophisticated fall-planted bulbs way before they ship because, honestly, I just can’t contain myself.

claire’s things

• Practicing my newfound plant-identification powers left and right—surprisingly satisfying!

• Deciding it might finally be time to become a house-shoe person.

• Finding a worthy reason to add to my overstuffed stationery collection. (Are these next?)

• Joining the cult of the sprouted almond and thinking it’s probably worth making them at home.

• Appreciating that the hygiene renaissance has brought about an ideal product: hinoki hand sanitizer.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Bugging Out

If we’re being honest, we had a surprisingly good time talking to Nora McInerny about supporting loved ones dealing with grief, loss, and hard stuff in general. We think you will too? If there are other things you’d like us to dig into in upcoming podcast episodes, let us know—just WB to this email, even.

erica’s things

• Dwelling on a family portrait series that gets richer ‘n richer every year.

• Dreaming of Italy; filling the void-ish with these travel guides.

• Adding something halfway between mouthwash and oil-pulling to my bedtime routine. It tastes gross at first..and then not.

• Anticipating the rise of the grass-green dresser, the shocking pink nightstand.

• Getting up to speed on Phoebe Philo chatter, Cannes fashion, and, uh, the Adam Driver perfume ad with this ideal getting-ready pod.

claire’s things

• Finding myself bringing up Learning in Public in more conversations than not.

• Scouring the internet for Tokyo Olympics posters...from 1964. So good!

• Finally (finally!) getting an answer to a) what pickleball is exactly and b) why it’s become such a thing all of the sudden.

• Setting a calendar alert for the release of a kid’s collection because it’s just that charming. Come on with this wall hook!

• Subscribing enthusiastically to the fun scale, a reference created for outdoor activities that’s extremely useful in all areas of life.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Taking Our Time

You know, we always love New York, but this week on the podcast, we’re getting into exactly what it is about the city that’s really doing it for us right now. Related, this month’s new Secret Menu subscriptions will support a local-to-us org that’s been hard at work for 25 years: The Lower East Side Girls Club, which provides free programming in arts, sciences, leadership, entrepreneurship, and wellness for young women and gender-expansive youth.

erica’s things

• Remembering that one of my all-time favorite salads comes via a pasta chain in St. Louis (iceberg optional).

• Getting some tremendously helpful admin support from Squared Away, which works with a top-notch team of military spouses.

• Taking advantage of sbagliato weather with this stuff, which is like Campari on a chill pill.

• Heading here whenever I need a dose of truly charming weirdness.

• Drawing on the glidiest eyeliner I have ever encountered.

claire’s things

• Feeling more enthusiastic about a drink mixer than I realized possible.

• Receiving an especially beautiful education in composting. (Throw your toilet paper rolls and used matches in the bin along with your stale Swedish Fish!)

• Calling three a trend when it comes to designy, modern Judaica: Oneg, please meet JST and Via Maris.

• Casually flipping through a funny, knowing graphic novel over breakfast only to find myself still sitting in the same spot an hour later, weeping as I finished it.

• Resenting the look of my Apple Watch slightly less thanks to the best band around.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Ringing in a New Week

erica’s things

• Finding something to like about Twitter.

• Breaking a sweat reading The Second Season, about ambition, motherhood, and the NBA Finals.

• Skipping the moisturizers, the serums, the anything elses on the nights when I use this hard-working stuff.

• Nodding, nodding: Yes, Ring Pop jewelry is a natural extension of the color-happy look happening just about everywhere else.

• Unlocking the secret to shucking oysters with ease: grilling ‘em first. (Put this on them after—and on many other things also, probably!)

claire’s things

• Replacing our stained, fraying, always-askew kitchen rug with something that’s truly made for the task.

• Partaking in a board game that is the perfect length and level of complexity to accompany an after-dinner drink.

• Putting a personal guarantee on this insane BBQ sauce—if you don’t like it, just send it to me.

• Wearing these three days in one week and planning to repeat as necessary for as long as this humidity sticks around.

• Discovering that Field + Supply—a legendary upstate New York maker fair—now does e-comm. Major.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Having Our Cake

In recording this week’s podcast, we realized that 1) we’ve been friends for 19 years 2) we should probably make some big plans for our 20th anniversary and 3) we really have a whole lot to say about our relationship. You can hear all about it here, and if you’re looking for more in this vein, head on over to Call Your Girlfriend for their quite charming Summer of Friendship series—our chat is part of that, too, and in such good company!

Erica’s Things

• Referencing this book about the language of cults in multiple conversations. And you can too!
  

• Following all of three accounts on TikTok: a sheep, a cockatiel, and one very winning woman. 
  

• Dabbing on a product that goes by Cheekslime. 
  

• Losing it over balloon animals.
  

• Uncapping a bottled salad dressing that delivers on taste, ingredients, and (obv) ease. So green, so bright.
  

Claire’s Things

• Leveling up my weather app in a big way.
  

• Admitting I’m intrigued by the latest in brow grooming: lamination.
  

• Challenging you to find better product descriptions anywhere on the internet. You can’t! You won’t.
  

• Getting fully behind the cake-as-decor movement.
  

• Landing on a signature sunglass frame...if that’s a thing? Sure, it’s a thing.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Pooling our Resources

If you’re here because you like our recs, then you’re going to want to hit play on our podcast’s latest Thingies installment, in which we crown our best-in-category picks, from a knife sharpener to a liquid bandage (useful pairing?). If you want even more, Secret Menu is for you, and this month’s new-member money goes to Participatory Defense Movement NOLA, which gives justice-involved citizens the legal tools they need for court cases. (More on the couple behind the org in this epic doc.)

erica’s things

• Cackling at this fashion trend-spotting.

• Never having to wonder what a takoyaki ball would taste like as a corn puff because the answer is delicious.

• Finding that I can, in fact, be charmed by a novelty pool float.

• Taking advantage of Spotify’s (weirdly buried) audiobooks, starting with this one.

• Pondering whether matching sandals are over now. These! These!

claire’s things

• Relishing a fancy room spray that would make an especially good housewarming gift.

• Grasping at straws—er, starches—that might diminish the amount of sand that enters my home post-beach.

• ...Especially considering Ita is making seaside jaunts seem particularly appealing right now.

• Wondering why I’ve never attempted homemade ice-cream cake before last weekend. A (very easy) hit!

• Clocking a major milestone: a muggy afternoon in the backyard with zero (zero!!) bug bites. Thermacell, take a bow.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Contemplating Getting Dressed

What are we wearing? What are you wearing? We’re in the mood to talk about fashion, and there’s really no one better to do it with than Lauren Chan, the founder of the oh-so-chic and size-inclusive line Henning. Tune into the podcast for what clothing is calling her name and—speaking of trending topics—our discussion of, um, baby birds.

erica’s things

• Having more FUN with a robe than I previously thought possible.

• Adding "polyworker" to my résumé.

• Falling for a short-story collection—a rarity for me!—that makes for absolute peak subway reading.

• Dunking just about everything in this salsa. Should I be cooking with it?? Probably.

• Requesting a flip book (and/or a framed photo) of this dinosaur-bones behind-the-scenes.

claire’s things

• Sucking the itch out of bug bites.

• Embracing the miracle—and joy—of this powdered CBD. It really does work (for me!). It’s 20% off with the code ATHINGORTWO, too. #SPONSORED

• Recognizing that I’ve been taking the beauty of the Arby’s sign for granted. It’s so good! (As is the Instagram account that brought this oversight to my attention.)

• Rocking an anklet with those denim shorts I told you about.

• Considering the breastfeeding vs. formula decision in a different light.

• Suggesting you jump to around the 16-minute mark of this to hear some truly legendary radio drama.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Layering Flowers on Flowers

What might a person put on a wedding registry? And what’s the latest with Flea? So glad you asked: We’re digging into both topics on this week’s podcast episode. And, if you want a deeper dive into our registry recs (or, you know, just a thorough guide to a bunch of cute stuff to put on your kitchen table, from glassware to flatware), Secret Menu subscribers can access the whole shebang.

erica’s things

• Becoming a person who packs a yoga mat in her suitcase. This one really does fold up so small! And lunges on a towel really are a bad idea!

• Giving frozen pizza a new lease on life.

• Never daring to consider what would happen if Broad City bumped into Notting Hill but experiencing the joy of that meet-cute anyway.

• Getting my hands on a cookbook that’s luring me out of a months-long cooking rut.

• Smoothing this body oil over exposed limbs for a fakey summer glow. Friends, the smell.

claire’s things

• Finding a perfect jean short after years of trial and error—size up once or twice, unless you’re doing hot pants summer.

• Arriving quite late to the fact that Courier is so good—if you like this newsletter and you like(d) Bloomberg Businessweek, you’ll like this magazine.

• Incorporating these into my bedtime routine.

• Basking in the luxury of continuous spray SPF without the guilt of aerosol.

• Going absolutely nuts for the most special vases I’ve seen in a good long while.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Watching It

Ladies, gentlemen, and esteemed associates, today on the podcast, we bring you an icon: Atoosa Rubenstein. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, well, all the more reason to listen—and to leave us a review to let us know which eps and topics are really doing it for you.

erica’s things

• Planning weekend walks around where I can score the best mangonadas in NYC. (This is me sourcing your recs. WBASAP.)

• Delighting in this perfect little novella, which might be just the thing to get you out of a reading rut if you’re in one?

• Hoping, praying for a cookbook from La Copine for the 364 days a year when I’m not near Joshua Tree. The story behind this place!

• Treating my sun-chapped skin to this stuff, which sinks in way better than you’d think given how rich and soothing it is.

• Wanting my future concert-theater experiences to look a little something like this.

claire’s things

• Taking care of those bumps on the backs of my arms.

• Telling Flik and Flak to watch their backs.

• Cheering on Fully Funded for helping freelancers figure out parental leave.

• Finding room in my heart and my home for another tote—one so good it makes me wish we still had a store so we could sell it ourselves.

• Developing a thing for vintage flatware.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Finding Gems in the Junk Drawer

We fell short this week on the podcast: We taste-tested snacks and dove into Claire’s new go-to beauty products but somehow failed to merge the two in a discussion of hair masks you can eat. Next time. Until then, if you’re looking for more from us, might we recommend signing up for Secret Menu? This month’s new subscriber dollars go to the National Network of Abortion Funds and the org’s work tackling financial and logistical barriers to abortion access. And in this week’s installment of Secret Menu, we’re talking about camp food, Barbra Streisand, the clothes we keep forever, and compost bins. You must be curious, right?

erica’s things

• Knowing in my heart that I don’t need a terracotta container to serve tinned fish. And yet…

• Relishing the execution of this profile of Benji the dog—the Robin to Yoga with Adriene’s Batman—that opens with the line “Benji has the square, earnest jaw of a high school quarterback who’s about to win state.”

• Committing to little bags and setting my sights on these. And, ok, these, too.

• Sourcing expert answers to questions like “But what’s a good printer?” and “Which is the best podcast-editing software?”

• Smizing at some dang charming found-object embroidery projects.

claire’s things

• Giving Lipton a run for its money with this extremely good vegan onion dip that serves as a nice hummus alt.

• Rethinking credit-card rewards.

• Geeking out over print-nerd notecards. C’mon with that holographic foil.

• Identifying the easiest, most painless way to get a quote for term life insurance, a thing I’m realizing I should probably have (already had?) at this point. #SPONSORED

• Feasting my eyes upon a cornucopia of crocheted delights. (And if you like those, these felt friends are probably going to do it for you, too.)

• Stashing a smart, single-cup coffee solution at my in-laws’ so nobody has to make a whole pot of decaf just for me.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Identifying a Cottage Industry

This week on the podcast: We’re letting in the summer breeze, we’re carving out time for creative projects—can you tell we’re ready for a fresh start?! The other thing on our minds right now: Tomorrow will be a year since George Floyd’s murder. There’s so much to be said about it, most of it not by us. If you’re leveling-up your commitment to dismantling white supremacy, check out Barnraisers, which teaches white people what it means to organize for racial equity and how to do it. We’re part of the current cohort, and we’re looking forward to sharing more about our experience.

erica’s things

• Welcoming Atoosa Rubenstein back into my life with unbridled enthusiasm.

• Heralding the golden age of mental healthcare for kids—I hope!—and just, you know, mental healthcare for everyone.

• Puzzling over how it is that I just tried orgeat—basically liquid marzipan—for the first time. It’s excellent in this Angostura-fueled cocktail, but I’m figuring it has a whole bundle of winning applications.

• Rediscovering the magic of collage through Jibade-Khalil Huffman’s work (and not just because of this piece, ok?).

• Relishing the cut and shape of this half-zip. The vibe is very “Audrey Hepburn squeezes in a workout.”

claire’s things

• Suggesting that if our podcast episode on ambition spoke to you, so will this wisdom-filled convo. A key snippet: “I’m not sure ambition means pursuing excellence. I think ambition for me is about wanting to leave your mark on the world.”

• Upgrading from Zillow-gazing to Inigo-gazing. Because if you’re going to dream...

• Pointing people toward a perfect little picnic accessory.

• Feeling optimistic whenever I learn about biz-funding sources that are not VC.

• Hoping to shift the concept of a “status candle” to something truly deserving of the label.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Considering a CD Collection

This week on the podcast, we’re talking about drinking less booze and eating less meat—and promising we’re still plenty of fun to hang out with in spite of that. Should you have thoughts/feelings to share, our voicemail box is ready and waiting: 833-632-5463.

erica’s things

• Contemplating keeping hard-boiled eggs in my fridge always just so I can make this sauce/dressing/condiment.
  

• Presenting an impressively chic way to incorporate a Sade CD (or an Aaliyah CD or a Lil' Kim CD) into one’s home decor.
  

• Looking ahead to fall flower bulbs when I plan to use the term “lasagna planting” in many sentences.
  

• Spotting yet another good application of the QR code. (Who would have guessed that QR codes actually stood a chance?!)
  

• Adopting a new go-to baby book for gifting. Tell me: Is an appalled plum or a disgruntled pomegranate more relatable?

claire’s things

• Wading through a trove of design-forward and actually doable DIY furniture projects.

• Subscribing to a delightful weekly for women who “aren’t still young, but aren’t yet old.” (Think: Girls’ Night In for the, ahem, geriatric millennial crowd.)

• Welcoming a hit of the Dean Fleischer-Camp brand of humor in poster form.

• IDing an actually useful thing for your pregnant friend.

• Venturing an hour and a half outside of NYC to a sweet little oasis of Italian art...with a side of donkeys.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Striking a Match

Oh, what a joy it is to catch up with Amanda Hesser—the co-founder of Food52, a site we visit with embarrassing frequency—about how she’s coping, what dinnertime looks like at her house, and the cooking tools she’s leaning on hard. Also, if you’re into this newsletter, tell a friend or three? We especially love a you-approved subscriber.

erica’s things

• Soaking up all the Gen Z news I need from one trusted source.

• Fearing for the stock levels of this hub for cute and useful kitchen and dining stuff that, wow, delivers on its nothing-over-$25 promise.

• Considering the concept of stewardship.

• Longing to have these amazing, ridiculous tile rugs drying from the balcony of my house.

• Nodding fervently at the notion that “cabbage can be a star” (and nominating this gingery concoction as a dressing for your summer slaws, too).

claire’s things

• Letting my mind run wild with all the gifting potential in a custom matchbook print.

• Spritzing my face and chest (and, soon, arms and legs) with this stuff for an easy-peasy glow that requires no rubbing in.

• Feeling psyched for Cam that after living with Kenesha Sneed’s art on his walls, he now gets to add her brilliance to his bookshelf, too.

• Finding the overflow seating solution I’ve been searching for thanks to an A+ collab.

• Locking away a few things.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Appreciating a Good Stalk

If, like us, you have no interest in running around for meetings but some interest in running in general, this week’s podcast episode is for you. As is this week’s installment of Secret Menu, which is full of links that’ll help you become the next Shalane Flanagan (or, similarly aspirationally, a committed jogger). And if you’ve been looking for an excuse to subscribe, maybe the fact that this month’s new-member $$ goes to Supernova Women, an org creating a space for women of color in cannabis, is it.

erica’s things

• Anointing Harrison Ford my spring-to-summer, sweater-with-shorts style inspiration. (We need to talk about the shoes, though.)

• Marveling at the existence of biodegradable glitter. Made from eucalyptus!!! The innovation!!!

• Getting so much out of Jami Attenberg’s newsletter, which is technically about writing but possibly about everything.

• Putting my veggie scraps to extremely satisfying use.

• Flagging a guide to fashion repairs (and remakes) that really brings the cool.

claire’s things

• Spending a solid 30 minutes researching Barbra Streisand and Elliott Gould’s romance because how could you not?

• Cycling (and running and jumping) through all the emotions while watching the absolutely tremendous TikTok of World Athletics.

• Adding to my cute bowls drawer with People’s Pottery Project, whose wares are as lovely as their mission.

• Pleasing a crowd with a pretty asparagus presentation.

• Relishing the truly contagious charm and enthusiasm of so many rock-and-roll legends, most especially Flea, who I’d watch talk about pretty much anything.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Getting Souped Up

Last year, we really started to question our ambition. This year, it’s perfectionism that’s got our heads spinning. If you want to read some of the books that sparked this convo and lots of others we’ve had on the pod, you can find ‘em here.

erica’s things

• Consuming miso soup in its most adorable (and giftable) form.

• Remembering the pressure of braces on my teeth reading this, which really gets the wheels turning.

• Hydrating from a glass filter pitcher that looks good on my table and refills like a breeze.

• Embracing an approach to between-washes hair that doesn’t involve dry shampoo.

• Relishing an ode to my favorite fast-food sandwich.

claire’s things

• Not hearing nearly enough chatter about Shiva Baby, at least in my corners of the internet.

• Aspiring to this level of dedication and service to the snacking community.

• Keeping a your-lips-but-better balm close at all times—it’s got all the makings of Black Honey universality to it.

• Thanking the megaplex for giving us the indie-film boom of the late nineties.

• Reigning in my bra straps so they won’t peek out from racerbacks.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Chasing Scoops

What are we going to be wearing post-pandemic (a term we feel nervous even typing)? We get into it in great detail on the podcast, and we’re pretty desperate to hear your take. Call us! 833-632-5463. DM us!

erica’s things

• Declaring a new frontrunner in The Great Merch Wars: the ACLU.

• Following a sk8r boi man on Instagram. Welcome to something I never thought I’d say.

• Guffawing at the beauty and thoroughness of this plant-care site.

• Slipping into something that can really only be described as a fitness catsuit. To only have to put on one item of workout clothing!

• Getting weirdly emotional over a Naomi Klein interview about climate change and...love?

claire’s things

• Ridding myself of the nagging feeling that I’m missing an essential life skill by not knowing how to sharpen a knife; this wonderful $10 tool asks so little yet gives so much.

• Feeling a fruity phase coming on.

• Slacking multiple passages from this Katie Porter interview to Erica. It’s the Vera Bradley sample sale line for me.

• Deciding that if I’m comfortable ordering baked goods over Instagram DM, I can do the same with smiley-face spoons.

• Taking 10 minutes to think about my core values.

A Thing or Two We’re Doing Besides Noticing Something Fishy

If you haven’t read the book Black Buck yet, you’re going to be itching to after you listen to the extremely winning author Mateo Askaripour on our podcast this week. Oh, and: If you haven’t checked out the discounts from our podcast sponsors lately, all the coupon codes live over here, ripe for the redeeming.

erica’s things

• Amping up canned-tuna meals with this complexly smoky version (that comes with a charming name + packaging, too).

• Questioning my period—and periods in general.

• Missing New Orleans especially hard now that we’re on the cusp of Jazz Fest season and taking a two-pronged approach to coping: 1) this cookbook 2) this radio station.

• Relishing the slow drip of my bday gift from Claire: a quarterly (floral!) mug subscription.

• Requesting more country music in the vein of the country music from this duo.

claire’s things

• Getting As to my Qs about NY legalizing recreational cannabis use.

• Satisfying my salt ‘n vinegar needs with a serving of veggies.

• Bringing up this podcast episode in conversation too many times over the last week not to include it here. It’s two hours long, about labor organizing, and way more fun and fast-paced than either of those descriptors would indicate.

• Entering the time of year where I find myself schlepping a lot of food to and fro and eyeing a cooler bag that’s a whole lot cuter than the drugstore find I’ve been workin’ with.

• Appreciating this succinct and simple guide to talking to kids about gender.