The Week In Recommendations 11.8.23
A thoughtful true crime podcast, winter skin care, new "Selling Sunset," and sleek black sneakers (on major sale!).
This is the free edition of Rich Text, a newsletter about cultural obsessions from your Internet BFFs Emma and Claire. If you like what you see and hear, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Our latest podcast was about Britney Spears memoir, “The Woman In Me”! Rich Text is a completely reader-supported project — no ads or sponsors!
While Claire is out on maternity leave, we’ll be featuring guest recommendations from some of the coolest tastemakers we know. This week, that guest is Danielle Maltby, a registered nurse, health care advocate, and co-host of The WoMed podcast. (And yes, you may recognize her from “The Bachelor” and “Bachelor In Paradise, but honestly those are the least interesting things about her.)
Danielle has been reading… 📖
“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin. I’m about halfway through and its beautiful and engaging and was highly recommended by a friend of mine. A bunch of the girls at work have been going on and on about sexy, fantasy novel “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros, so that one is up next.
Danielle has been watching… 📺
I’m kind of embarrassed to say that I’ve been watching “Grey’s Anatomy.” (Editor’s note: This is not embarrassing.) I had never watched it, and my podcast co-host shamed me enough that I’ve been starting to work my way through the show’s 20 seasons. I’ve never watched an unluckier cast. (Editor’s note: Are you telling me that most hospitalists don’t experience a never-ending series of bombings, shootings and natural disasters, all while fucking their colleagues in call rooms?)
I’ve also gotten into “The Great British Baking Show” — yes, I’m new to that as well! I hear “Shinning Veil” is really good so I’m going to try that out next.
Danielle has been listening to… 🎧
Music: Margaret Glaspy, The Nude Party, Olivia Rodrigo, David Borné, Leah Blevins.
Podcasts: The Daily, Pod Save America and Let’s Not Meet, a podcast of “true horror stories written by those that made it out alive.”
Danielle has been buying… 🛍️
Cold weather is coming, so I’ve been stocking up on skin care: ZO Radical Night Repair, Skin Better Mystro Active Balance Serum, Super Goop Glow Screen. And OSEA body oil is my favorite for the winter.
Checkered trench coats, like this chic L’Academie June Coat.
I’m almost ready to purchase the iconic Prada loafers. I don’t lean into much designer stuff unless it feels timeless — something that I can picture my future kids will appreciating and coveting.
Since this is my first official winter back in the midwest I am on the hunt for some new snow boots! And in that vein of less fun but necessary purchases… I just had to buy new tires — womp womp.
Emma has been reading… 📖
I have long been a devoted reader of
’s column, and I really really loved this week’s writing about shame, the vicious ways it can make us act towards others, and how those actions ultimately hurt us. Heather has a way of writing that hits me right in my softest parts, and this is no exception.
This essay felt particularly relevant in light of the absolutely noxious, destructive, limited Instagram silos so many of us have fallen into since October 7. Sometimes it’s best to sit with our discomfort when we see someone post something we don’t love or that hurts us— at least until we are ready for real dialogue. We’d also do well to assume their best intentions instead of their worst. (This is as much a reminder to myself as anyone reading this newsletter.)
Emma has been watching… 📺
The latest season of “Selling Sunset,” the most mind-numbing and addictive show on Netflix. The fashion remains insane, the actual real estate sales remain dubious, and Brett finally decides that he’d actually like to appear on this show! (Please show us more scenes of Brett and Jason fighting about unnecessary office spending. This is the content we deserve!) It’s fascinating to watch how the dynamics of the show have shifted as the cast members have settled into their lives as professional reality stars more than real estate agents. Watching Chrishell Stause, arguably the central protagonist of the show, try to draw (healthy!) boundaries within a setting that literally depends on a lack of boundaries in order to make good television is particularly fascinating.
Emma has been listening to… 🎧
What Happened To Libby Caswell, an iHeart original investigative podcast, hosted by our extremely talent former colleague Melissa Jeltsen. This is the second season of What Happened To… — the first season delved into the case of Sandy Beal, a young woman who died under murky circumstances in the 1970s. Melissa is one of the best reporters in the domestic violence space, and she takes such care with the stories that she tells. Caswell’s is no exception. (Also, I got to interview Melissa for a bonus episode of this pod, so I got to listen to some of the episodes early. And, truly, it’s a true crime podcast that doesn’t flatten its characters or devolve into harmful tropes.)
Emma has been buying… 🛍️
I was recently down in Atlanta doing a really wonderful book event for my dear friend Alison Greenberg, who has been featured in this very newsletter! While I was there, Alison took me to what was billed as a pilates class, which turned out to be… half pilates, and half running on a treadmill. Unfortunately I had no running shoes with me. This is all to say that I ended up buying these black APL Women's TechLoom Phantom sneakers, and I am… obsessed?
They’re so comfortable, look sleek, are great for walking around the city OR exercising, and you never have to retie them! I also realized after the fact that I got a wild deal on them at Sculpthouse. If you’re in the market for new sneakers (mine had started to have holes in them), have been looking at these APLs and are a size 6-10, buy them here! They’re 57% off, which is a pretty wonderful deal.
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Thanks for the podcast recommendation Emma - I really enjoyed your previous recommendation of Gone Hunting (when I listen to true crime these days, I’m gravitating towards the long form investigative stuff).
I’ve been listening to a really good podcast called In Her Defense which is about a woman sentenced to 18 years in prison after killing her husband who had abused her for decades. Jana Pruden is a really thoughtful journalist and tells Helen’s story with such care. I’m not finished the series yet but it’s so apparent how much this woman was failed for this to be her story.