The Week In Recommendations 8.30.23

A super horny queer teen comedy, a dating show pod, a song to line dance to, and the cool-girl belt you'll have forever.

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 the ending of “And Just Like That” season 2 (including the return of Aidan and Samantha)! Rich Text is a 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 Amanda Montell, author of “Wordslut,” “Cultish,” and the forthcoming “The Age Of Magical Overthinking,” as well as co-host of the Sounds Like A Cult podcast.

Amanda has been reading… 📖

“Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” by Yuval Noah Harari: I had only ever read excerpts of this absolutely fascinating, iconic book, until my boyfriend and I got trapped in a cabin in a remote mountain town during Hurricane Hillary the other week… dramatic, I know. He had a copy of Sapiens with him, and we started reading it to each other aloud. Thinking about the 200,000-year history of our human species does wonders for my mental health, because it keeps me feeling small/in awe and puts my problems into perspective. Hunter-gatherers had it figured out, lemme tell ya.

Amanda has been watching… 📺

I saw the movies “Theater Camp” and “Bottoms,” both in theaters, this week, and my god, I have never guffawed so hard. Both very distinct comedies, one chronicles a struggling performing arts camp in upstate NY, and the other is about a horny, violent fight club for high school gay girls. Genius all around. I want to be in a coven with Emma Seligman, Ayo Edebiri, and Molly Gordon. (Editor’s note: Same.)

Amanda has been listening to… 🎧

I go line dancing every week at a queer event in LA called Stud Country (it’s become my entire personality), so I’m always listening and practicing to the playlist of songs we dance to. It’s not just country music either—we line dance to Britney, Kylie Minogue…etc. One of my fave routines is to “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” by Caroline Polachek. Heaven.

Amanda has been buying… 🛍️

My main expense in life is food. Mark my words, the best smoothie in LA (and in fact the only smoothie I *truly* enjoy) is the lavender smoothie from Naturewell Juice Bar in Silver Lake. I get it probably twice a week. We should all be putting lavender in our smoothies. It’s like the French countryside in my mouth!

Emma has been reading… 📖

Rachel Handler’s absolutely delightful NYMag cover story on the brilliant talents behind “Bottoms”: Emma Seligman (writer/director), Rachel Sennott (writer/star) and Ayo Edebiri (star). Yes, the profile dives into the evolution of the horny comedy about “Machiavellian lesbian incels,” but it’s really a story about friendship. Seligman, Sennott and Edebiri all met during their time at NYU, and their creative partnerships were born out of that we-have-nothing-to-lose young creative energy. I’m a sucker for stories about friends making each other better, and this is exactly that.

Emma has been watching… 📺

Netflix’s “You’re So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah,” the sweetest Adam Sandler movie there ever was. YSNITMBM follows best friends Stacy Friedman (Sunny Sandler, Adam’s younger daughter), and Lydia Rodriguez Katz (Samantha Lorraine), who are on the cusp of having their Bat Mitzvahs, becoming young women in the eyes of the Jewish community. But when a popular tween boy, Andy Goldfarb, threatens to come between them, their lifelong friendship is threatened as are their blowout Bat Mitzvahs. I adored this movie. It was sweet and awkward and clearly made by actual Jews, which frankly is always refreshing when I comes to Jewish pop culture. (The actors actually pronounce Hebrew words correctly!)

I wouldn’t call YSNITMBM great cinema, but it’s absolutely worth a watch. Especially because it is a full Sandler family affair. Adam’s oldest daughter, Sadie, is hilarious as the acerbic older sister, Ronnie, and his wife Jackie Sandler, plays Lydia’s mom. Adorbs!

Also! After having it recommended to me by about 100 different people — including in this newsletter! — I also finally watched Celine Song’s “Past Lives,” now that it’s available on VOD. And oh my goodness, it’s just as heart-achingly beautiful as everyone said it was.

Emma has been listening to… 🎧

After we had the wonderful Zakiya Gibbons on Love To See It to recap the finale of Charity Lawson’s season of “The Bachelorette,” I immediately went and binged every episode that has come out of her reality dating show podcast, “Hang Up.” And as expected, it is super entertaining, queer, and not at all focused on marriage! I can’t wait to see how this season wraps up, and I sincerely hope it gets a second season.

Emma has been buying… 🛍️

I had been eyeing the Isabel Marant Lecce Belt in black for like six months, and when I found a partially used Saks gift card in my drawer, I decided it was a sign that I should finally bite the bullet and do it. It arrived yesterday and oh my goodness was it worth the splurge. It’s gorgeous and slightly architectural and made of high-quality leather, and just takes a simple outfit and elevates it.

I’ve been making an effort to invest in classic basics, and accessories that will work across a bunch of different pieces that are already in my closet, and this belt fits the bill. It’s a bit of a statement belt, but it also is plain and unbranded, and can be worn on both the natural waist to cinch a drapey garment, or lower down with jeans. I’m honestly tempted to go back for the same belt in navy, which is currently on sale.

I also found the perfect drapey striped oversize t-shirt at Zara. And it’s only $15! Do I need it in every color now?

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