The Week In Recommendations 1.31.24
A shockingly great Hallmark show, two Alison Roman stews, a compelling podcast, and a Dagne Dover dupe. Plus, one great thing from Gibson Johns!
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 Jacqueline Novak’s “Get On Your Knees.” Rich Text is a completely reader-supported project — no ads or sponsors!
Claire has been reading… 📖
“One Star Romance” by Laura Hankin. So sorry to recommend a book that isn’t out for months and months, but put it on your Goodreads shelf, preorder it, mark your calendar! Each Hankin book is my new favorite of hers; she gets stronger with each one. “One Star Romance” is her first straight rom-com, and it’s based on a true story: She once had to walk down the aisle at a friend’s wedding with someone who had given her book one star on Goodreads. In “One Star Romance,” this incident derails a burgeoning connection between the heroine and her best friend’s fiancé’s best man, setting up a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers story between the novelist and the snooty linguistics professor who savaged her debut online. I’ve read a string of rather disappointing rom-coms lately, and have found they tend to fail on a couple of fronts: poor pacing, characters that don’t feel real or who don’t grow throughout the narrative, or a sheer lack of fun. “One Star Romance” was a breath of fresh air, rich in character growth, chemistry, and comedy. I always have to disclose that I’m biased, because Laura is a long-time friend, but I always immensely and genuinely enjoy her books — and, as I did this time, I end up crying tears of sadness and happiness.
Emma has been reading… 📖
I’ve been going deep into the world of style Substacks. I feel like in some ways this a return to form, a more adult version of my early 20s obsession with style blogs. Yes, I did read every 2010-2012 post on Man Repeller, and have been really enjoying
’s as a result. Her personal style doesn’t necessarily overlap a ton with mine, but Cohen brings a joy and creativity (see: this post on how to wear black without looking boring) to clothing, which feels inspiring. She also has gotten me fully on board with winter red.Other favorites include…
by , which has given me a newfound appreciation for denim, what quality means when it comes to jeans, and what makes a high-priced jean “worth it.” (Not unfinished hems.)My friend Kate recently introduced me to
’s , and then this week I saw that our buds over at had also shouted her out! I love Becky’s laid-back approach to fashion, and most importantly, her practical tips for putting together outfits.- has that cool-girl Los Angeles style that I deeply admire and could never pull off. But reading still gives me a lot of great outift ideas (like this guide to short girl styling) — and keeps me up to date on runway trends.
I often randomly think about
’s post about cool sweatshirts on .- by . Her capsule wardrobes are a delight to peruse, and I loved this piece about how the internet is collapsing personal style.
Claire has been watching… 📺
“The Curse” on Showtime. When I first saw Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone in a quick-turnaround parody of Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney introducing their trailer for “Anyone But You,” I knew I needed to see this creepy, dark comedy about a Asher and Whitney, a young couple trying to make it big with an HGTV show. Fielder and Stone are both legends – Fielder as an innovator in awkward semi-scripted comedy, and Stone as an actress with unbeatable range – and the show’s conceit was particularly alluring as someone more fascinated by the dark underbelly of the home reno show economy than the shows themselves. Little did I know that by episode two, the series would have already taken me on a rollercoaster of unexpected twists, like a subplot involving Asher and his father-in-law as the Cherry Tomato Boys (I refuse to spoil the reason for this nickname), the quite literal casting of a curse, and Whitney’s desperate attempts to assert a close friendship with a prominent Native artist who seems to find her repulsive. The show also delves into the seedy side of these glossy projects: avowedly idealistic and progressive Whitney’s ties to prominent slumlords (her parents), the shallow roots of any measures put in place to protect local residents from the ravages of gentrification, and the shady real estate schemes that can shape markets for ordinary citizens. The performances are pitch-perfect, the script is unhinged in the best way, and the cinematography is distinctive – it’s definitely a treat to watch at the end of a long day.
Emma has been watching… 📺
I never thought I’d write this, but I’ve become minorly obsessed with a Hallmark original series. Before you immediately write it off, let me say that it stars the always-great Andie Freaking McDowell (“Four Weddings And A Funeral” forever!!!) and Lexi Grey (Chyler Leigh) from “Grey’s Anatomy.” I’m a sucker for time travel stories — “Back To The Future” is one of my all-time faves — and a sucker for late ‘90s / early aughts nostalgia. “The Way Home” has both in spades, plus some mystery elements, plus some tug-at-the-heartstrings mother-daughter dynamics. I streamed all of season 1 over a couple of days on Hulu.
"Colin From Accounts" (Paramount+): When I stumbled upon a Variety article that described this show I had never heard of as a "small Australian comedy that became a global smash," I decided I needed to check it out — and I'm so glad that I did. "Colin From Accounts" is an eight-episode rom-com starring its married-in-real-life creators Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall, whose characters are immediately bonded following the unusually bleak meet cute involving a dog being hit by a car (don't worry, the dog lives!). They have incredible chemistry, both comedic and romantic, that really carries this show forward, and there are also some scene-stealing side characters you'll want more of. It's easy to see why this show was such a success and why it's already filming its second season. I realized while watching it that one of the reason why I enjoyed it was that it reminded me of some other fantastic rom-com series from recent years like "Catastrophe" (Prime), "Trying" (Apple TV+), "Starstruck" (Max) and "Platonic" (Apple TV+).
is an award-nominated entertainment journalist, host and reality TV commentator known for his Bravo hot-takes, celebrity interviews and prolific tweeting. He’s conducted interviews with celebrities like Khloe Kardashian, Matt Damon, Chrissy Teigen, Kate Hudson and Gabrielle Union, as well as over 80 Real Housewives. He’s appeared as a moderator at multiple BravoCons, and been a guest on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy. He is the author of the newsletter.
Claire has been listening to… 🎧
“The Big Dig,” a podcast from GBH News that had been on my to-listen list for months. It’s a nine-part series about a notorious infrastructure boondoggle in Boston: a multi-decade effort to dig highway tunnels under the city. The project was plagued by delays and massive budget overruns, becoming a joke not just regionally but nationally. Ian Coss hosts the series, which starts way back in the mid-20th century, with the first stirrings of the anti-highway activists who successfully derailed plans to build interstate highways through the city. I didn’t know anything about this project, or the history behind it, beforehand, so it’s fascinating to dig into a whole new story and learn about the history of American urban planning.
Emma has been listening to… 🎧
I finally listened to Ezra Klein’s Jan. 9 podcast episode about “How to Discover Your Own Taste,” which features a really fascinating conversation between Klein and
. Chayka and Klein chart the way that algorithms have made it harder than ever to distinguish personal taste with the aesthetics of globalized internet culture, and how developing true taste requires us to sit with art and assess how it makes us feel internally.Claire has been buying… 🛍️
Glossier Full Orbit and : I haven’t found an eye cream I like since Glossier discontinued Bubble Wrap two years ago. I’ve tried eye creams so ineffective that my concealer snags on dry skin flakes despite religious application, and I’ve tried eye creams that break me out. Finally, Glossier is back with the perfect in-between product: hydrating, light, and quick to absorb, it ensures my eye areas are as plump as possible and has yet to give me a halo of painful zits around my eyes. Given that I haven’t slept more than 5 hours consecutively since July (and usually, to be frank, it’s more like 3 hours), I need an eye cream that delivers, so I’m relieved to have Full Orbit in my medicine cabinet.
Glossier always gets me with the $35 free shipping minimum. This time, to surpass the minimum, I got the Ultralip, their light gloss/lipstick hybrid, in Pony. I have mixed feelings about this product – I think the brighter shades look sort of bizarre on me – but Pony is a lovely neutral mauve and an immediate staple.
Emma has been buying… 🛍️
I’ve been searching for a smaller weekender than my giant (and BELOVED) Lo & Sons Catalina Deluxe, which I have taken on long Euro trips and quick weekend getaways, but on smaller planes can be too big to take as a personal item. I had been seeing the Dagne Dover Landon Caryall Bag in Large everywhere, but it was a bit more than I’ve wanted to spend. Enter the Quince All-Day Neoprene Duffle Bag, which is an excellent dupe of the Dagne Dover, but for less than half the price. I got the beautiful olive green color. Quince wins again! (Honestly, they rarely miss.)
Claire has been making… 🧶
This week, I made nothing except many trips to the pediatrician with the baby, who went from a little cold to the most grotesque case of conjunctivitis I’ve ever seen (imagine, if you dare, a thick smear of yellow snot gluing both eyes shut) to a teeny case of pneumonia and an ear infection. Thanks to one of the all-time best substances, bubblegum-flavored amoxicillin, he is now totally fine. I, naturally, now have his cold. As a result, my cooking was limited to canned soup and many cups of hot rooibos chai tea with lemon (or orange juice) and honey. If you’re not feeling THAT sick, I recommend adding a splash of whiskey or brandy to make it a hot toddy. Yum.
Emma has been making… 🧶
One soup and one stew, both by
. (I know, I know. YOU’RE SHOCKED.) The minute I saw Roman’s recipe for Golden Mushroom Soup with Buttered Orzo in , I knew I had to make it. And it did not disappoint. I added a bit more orzo than the recipe called for, and used vegetable broth, which made the soup a bit more substantial. This felt like more a lunch than a dinner to me, which is also how Roman said she tends to eat it.For dinner, I tried her NYT Cooking recipe for Spicy White Bean Stew. I used baby spinach instead of broccoli rabe, and it worked great! The second time I made it I also threw in some cherry tomatoes that were on the verge of going bad, and that worked too. She describes this recipe as sort of a fridge clear-out meal, and I have to agree. It was so delicious, and held up really well as leftovers. This will be a frequent remake.
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I love the style Substacks, but I’m having trouble finding any run by fat creators. If anyone knows of any plus size style writers, please share! I crave relatable content.
Ahhh thank you Emma!! 🫶🏼 this makes my day!