The Week In Recommendations 5.15.25

Netflix romances, Lena Dunham on leaving New York, and summer tops and footwear!

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 subscriber podcast was about episodes 2-4 of “The Valley.” An episode about S2 of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” is coming soon! Rich Text is a reader-supported project.

Over on Love To See It this week, we’re talking about “Farmer Wants A Wife” and Bravo’s “Love Hotel.”

Civic challenge of the week:

Call your representatives and make sure they are voting NO on the GOP’s budget reconciliation bill, which could cause millions of Americans to lose their health coverage. (And make sure to leave a voicemail with your full address if your rep’s office doesn’t pick up!)

Claire has been reading…

I’ve just begun reading “Information Age” by Cora Lewis, an upcoming novel about a young journalist working in the trenches of digital media during the 2010s — an experience that is, shall we say, somewhat familiar — and so far am enjoying it, though I haven’t found much time to read lately.

I did read Mahmoud Khalil’s letter to his infant son, published in the Guardian this week. In it, Khalil reflects on the agony of being separated from his family just as it is growing, denied furlough to support her at their child’s birth and unable to meet his newborn. His letter is overflowing with love and empathy for his wife, his child, and all the other men with whom he is detained, and all their families. But what it doesn’t contain is regret. I will quote in full the paragraph that moved me to tears: “The struggle for Palestinian liberation is not a burden; it is a duty and an honor we carry with pride. So at every turning point in my life, you will find me choosing Palestine. Palestine over ease. Palestine over comfort. Palestine over self. This struggle is sweeter than a life without dignity. The tyrants want us to submit, to obey, to be perfect victims. But we are free, and we will remain free. I hope you feel this as deeply as I do.”

Emma has been reading… 📖

I finished “Maine Characters,” Hannah Orenstein’s just-published summer novel. The book follows half-sisters (and polar opposites) Vivian and Lucy, who meet — and cohabitate at the family’s Maine lake house — for the first time after their father dies, and we switch back and forth between the two sisters’ perspectives. It’s a really really fun and engaging read! I especially enjoyed the romantic subplots (Emma & Claire catnip, obviously), and Orenstein’s beautiful descriptions of Maine and the lake house. (It’s very clear that Orenstein has herself spent many a summer on a rural Maine lake!)

I also loved Lena Dunham’s recent New Yorker essay about ending her “three-decade fight to mold” herself to New York City. (She has lived in London for the last five years.) I have always loved Dunham’s writing, and this essay is no exception. She writes about the irony of “Girls” cementing her as the ultimate New Yorker, when in reality “the safest [she] ever felt in New York was either hiding under the covers or pretending to be someone else under klieg lights.” I was also struck by how profoundly differently we experience New York City, perhaps precisely because I was raised in the suburbs and yearned for city living for years before experiencing it. I craved the pulsing energy of the city streets, the thrill of wandering without a clear destination and inevitably stumbling upon some cute cafe or dive bar, the feeling that a new experience might always be around the corner. After 15 years, some of that spark has faded; my adult life is still mundane in the ways that all adult lives are. And yet, the thought of breaking up with New York feels as painful to me as it does natural to Lena Dunham.

Claire has been watching… 📺

I’ve started watching “Forever,” a modernized adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic 1975 novel – which, I am embarrassed to admit, I have never read. Because of this, it’s hard for me to gauge how much has changed, though by the first episode it is clear that smartphones, social media, and revenge porn will figure heavily into the drama, so… presumably a good amount. And, notably unlike Blume’s original story of teenage love and sexual exploration, it is a romance between two Black teenagers in 2017 Los Angeles. Created by Mara Brock Akil (“Girlfriends”) and starring Lovie Simone as Keisha Clark and Michael Cooper Jr. as Justin Edwards, the Netflix adaptation makes the Black experience central to their story; from the first moments of the first episode, it is emphasized through Justin’s loving but overbearing parents that he is expected to follow stricter rules than his white classmates, constantly communicate with his parents about his whereabouts, and avoid dating white girls. It’s a slow-paced drama, not a lively romcom, but I like that it demands more attention than a lot of Netflix fare I’ve seen lately and is beautifully shot.

Emma has been watching… 📺

I had Covid pretty much all of last week, so I spent a lot of time isolating from Adam in our bedroom, and watching television between feverish naps. In my haze I watched the entirety of “The Royals,” an Indian Hindi-language rom-com series on Netflix. I was initially drawn to it because I recognized one of the leads, Ishaan Khatter, from his role in the incredibly uneven Netflix series “The Perfect Couple.” It follows playboy royal heir Aviraaj Singh (Khatter) and no-nonsense CEO Sophia Kanmani. They meet at a bar — Sophia has no idea who Aviraaj is — and have an initial spark that quickly turns sour. A few months later, they re-encounter each other in a business setting. Sophia’s company is hoping to spearhead a deal that will give Aviraaj’s family a much-needed infusion of cash. (It’s expensive to upkeep a bunch of palaces!!!) When they meet again, we get a lovely little enemies-to-lovers arc. And, honestly, the whole series was such a fun, breezy, kinda cheesy, romantic watch! It’s full of melodrama, looooooong lingering looks between hot people, sex scenes between hot people and well-choreographed dance scenes.

Photo Credit: Netflix

On a less lighthearted note, I watched Ms. Rachel’s interview with Mehdhi Hasan, in which they discuss her advocacy for children all over the world, and specifically kids in Gaza facing an absolute horror show of a humanitarian crisis. I share her incredulity that wanting food, shelter and safety for children — all children, any children — could be seen as controversial. As she says, “Our compassion doesn’t have boundaries or borders. We just love kids.” The whole thing is worth a watch.

Claire has been listening to… 🎧

What Happened to Talina Zar, the latest season of our brilliant former colleague Melissa Jeltsen’s investigative podcast. Talina Zar was an Oklahoma woman who disappeared in the early months of the pandemic, after she posted a cryptic message on social media claiming she had Covid and was retreating to a favorite spot by a lake to ride out the illness. Jeltsen introduces us to Talina, a middle-aged widow beloved by the community she’d created for herself, but known for being protective of her boundaries. She also introduces us to the amateur sleuths and dogged friends who have been looking for Talina for years. This podcast is an immediate listen for me whenever a new season drops; Jeltsen is a thorough and sharp reporter, and her genuine care for the women whose stories she tells is unmistakable.

Emma has been listening to… 🎧

The latest episode of Search Engine, in which PJ Voght goes deep on a seemingly tiny and insane question. (My favorite kind of Search Engine episode!) A handful of iPhone users alert PJ’s attention to the fact that one particular phrase is preventing voice memos from being sent: Dave & Buster’s. I’ve been thinking a lot about D&B lately thanks to Janet from “The Valley,” so I was delighted by this random rabbithole. As always with this show, a tiny question uncovers larger questions: about AI, about phone security, about the age of constant communication that we live in.

Claire has been buying… 🛍️

Tariff stockpiles, inspired by my anxiety-fueled research. (Does getting triggered by Bluesky posts I happened to see while scrolling qualify as “research”?) Much to Greg’s chagrin, I cleared out grocery store shelves of my favorite coffee beans, grabbed vanilla extract bottles by the handful, and ordered spare bottles, bars and boxes of all our staple toiletries. We have batteries and lightbulbs, granola bars and applesauce pouches, flour and maple syrup, and box upon box of laundry detergent sheets. I got more art supplies for the kids, and stocked multiple backups of my favorite beauty items. When I realized that I was having constant minor meltdowns every time I thought of another essential item I hadn’t stashed away, I cut myself off. And then Trump made an agreement to (partially) roll back the tariffs. Which is good, I guess? But I’m exhausted now, and my apartment is full of stuff?? I hate it here!

And, to be totally transparent, I have also been “stockpiling” things like “summer clothes for myself” (as if I don’t already own enough). I keep gravitating to blouses or boxy crop tops, which I think pair better with all my linen pants than a basic t-shirt, but I don’t own many that fit the bill.

This J. Crew sailor top is an ideal cropped length for high-waisted pants, and the simple square-neck look is akin to an elevated tee. I can’t decide whether to keep the white or red (which is bold for me) and regret not trying the blue, which is now sold out in most sizes.

I also love this gingham linen top from Reformation (available in solid black, white, and chocolate as well), which also falls just right over a billowy pair of high-rise trousers.

And I think a crop top might be my favorite of the Hill House summer gingham pieces I tried on: the Azalea top, which I don’t personally love with the skirt (though it always looks so elegant on other, taller people). This is my favorite version of the Azalea I’ve ever tried — it’s lined, sturdy, summery as hell, and is crying out to be paired with some full maxi skirts or barrel-leg pants.

Emma has been buying… 🛍️

Summer footwear that is actually suitable for walking around a city and up and down subway stairs!

I already have these Jeffrey Campbell mesh flats in yellow, but I decided to order them in black as well this week when I saw they were on sale. (A year after purchase, my yellow flats are still in great shape.) I have narrow feet and struggle with blisters with almost every flat shoe. The mesh material of these flats is so soft that I can walk around all day in them without my feet feeling raw afterwards. Plus, I think they’re chic and I love that they have some sparkle, which makes them work for both day and night!

I’ve also been loving my Paige Reid Sandals for a way to get some height (petite girl problems!) without killing my feet. These platform sandals are actually surprisingly comfortable, outside of a little bit of normal breaking in, and the criss-cross straps mean that your foot is very held in. They’re actually on sale on Revolve right now, but a lot of sizes are sold out.

Claire has been making… 🧶

A whimsical floral fairyland of a cake! My friend Alex invited me to a Mother’s Day event that felt like stepping into a dream – a cake decorating workshop in a whitewashed Fort Green brownstone, with perfume floating on the air, cascades of blooming peonies and tulips, Aperol spritzes, and crostini dolloped with spring pea and ricotta puree. I wore a pretty dress and no one smeared peanut butter on it. It was so perfect, I momentarily wondered if I were being lured into a cult. (So far, so good.) (OK, very jealous of this!!! Sign me up for the cult! -Emma)

Hosted by the House of Creed, Create Dinners and the From Lucie bakery, the event included a cake-decorating tutorial from Lucie followed by an opportunity to put our new knowledge to the test. I’m normally more of a baker than a decorator, so I rank this as my most visually pleasing edible creation yet — though, to be fair, the breathtaking flowers from Bloomcourt Farm did the heavy lifting for me. Fortunately, I was able to remove the larger flowers after we cut the cake, and they’re still blooming gorgeously in bud vases.

Emma has been making… 🧶

Mostly just trips to the (online) pharmacy to get more Airborne / Extra Strength Tylenol / cough drops / DayQuil while I was convalescing with Covid. I’ll get back to cooking later this week.

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