The Week In Recommendations 9.13.23

"GUTS" on repeat, a classic Hitchcock film, "Strike Force Five," and some perfect fall pieces from Hill House.

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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 Cowper, the Field Producer at “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” and co-creator and producer of the Girls on Porn podcast. 

Amanda has been reading… 📖

“Romantic Comedy” by Curtis Sittenfeld. As we enter Month 3,000,000 of the WGA strike (and Month 1,546,000 of the SAG strike), I am DESPERATELY missing my job at “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” This author did her research about what it's like to exist in the late night comedy world, and I was downright wistful reading the barbs and quips of her fictional comedy writers. If you can't get enough of the lore around “Saturday Night Live,” you will love this book.

Amanda has been watching… 📺

Hold onto your butts but... “Rear Window.” Yes, the old Hitchcock movie. I like my movies young, usually the 1970's and beyond, but damn, Rear Window is so good. The production design is a feast for the eyes, and it wasn't creepy / scary like The Birds or Psycho. Also, Grace Kelly's wardrobe is FANTASTIC in it.

Amanda has been listening to… 🎧

Strike Force Five, the podcast with Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver and my beloved Seth Meyers. These gentlemen came together to make a podcast to help pay their staffs and crews during the strike. What gents!

I also listen to On with Kara Swisher, and The Town for additional strike content.  Then I listen to “A&W” by Lana Del Rey on repeat. (I promise I contain joy, it's just been a weird summer.)

Amanda has been buying… 🛍️

Dream Water. The greatest product with non-existent marketing. It's sold at every Hudson News in the airport and it is genius. Like a 5-hour energy in reverse. Drink it and within 20 minutes you're drowsy enough to cut through your latest existential dread and fall asleep!

Also, the Norah Nap Dress in multi-berry crepe. I ran into Emma at the Hill House Home store the other week, and she encouraged the purchase of this dreamy, perfect dress. I plan to wear it through the fall — now with my Jeffrey Campbell platform sandals, and then Heist tights and Prada loafers when it cools down. (Editor’s Note: It’s sold out in black, but still in stock in white!)

Emma has been reading… 📖

A handful of essays and articles. First, Rob Sheffield’s excellent review of “GUTS” for Rolling Stone, in which he declares Olivia Rodrigo to be “a truly brilliant rock star.”

Also, two pieces about #TradWife culture that feel like companions: First, Kathryn Jezer-Morton’s column exploring the question “Is Tradwife Content Dangerous, or Just Stupid?” Then,

Anne Helen Petersen

’s guide to the different brands of Trad Wife content and the way that the Stay-At-Home-Girlfriends and Biblical Trad Wives overlap in their aspirations to “embody ideal femininity [and ]serve others at all times,” which ultimately leads towards “self-annihilation.”

Emma has been watching… 📺

“Selling The OC” season 2! An extremely chaotic show about — and I feel no hesitation in saying this — the worst people on earth. OC is the uncanny valley version of “Selling Sunset,” except with a more MAGA cast, more scripted dialogue, and somehow less selling actual real estate? And yet I did devour every single episode in a depressingly short period of time. Incredible how watching ever-changing, paper thin alliances amongst a group of truly heinous individuals can still be entertaining. (For context: Alexandra Rose used to date the now-ousted founder of Project Veritas, Kayla Cardona used to follow some distinctly QAnon hashtags on IG, and Alexandra Jarvis seemed to passively support the insurrection. And these are just the political leanings that we explicitly know about.) And yet, there’s also a freedom in watching a reality show where there is no one root for. (Except maybe Brandi.) One storyline I simply cannot support though? The show’s naked attempt to make Alex Hall and Tyler Stanaland some sort of will-they-or-won’t-they romantic heroes.

Emma has been listening to… 🎧

Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS” on literal repeat. “SOUR” was my default soundtrack for about a year, and now I cannot get enough of Rodrigo’s gorgeous sophomore album. If “SOUR” was the anatomy of first love shattered, “GUTS” is the painful process of growing into adulthood. Rodrigo may be 20, but she has managed to capture feelings with her music that linger far longer.

Also… season 3 of Snapped the Podcast! Billed as a podcast about “Greek life, uncensored,” Lucy Taylor combines personal experience with in-depth interviews with experts, as well as current and former members of sororities and fraternities. The podcast takes a critical eye to Greek life, the underlying misogyny and racism that shaped the start of these institutions, and the way that these things permeate in sorority and fraternity culture today. Taylor’s reporting and production skills have really grown over the course of these three seasons, and the episodes that have come out so far in season 3 are truly damning.

Emma has been buying… 🛍️

Still dreaming about fall weather and fall fashion, despite the fact that it has been ungodly humid in New York City this week. I grabbed this deceptively simple sweater from Hill House’s latest drop in black. I think it is going to be my go-to fall and early winter top. I love the ballet/extreme boatneck, and it’s thin enough that it’s easy to tuck into a skirt or jeans if you, like me, are still committed to the high-waisted life. I also deviated from my normal tastes a bit and grabbed the Tatiana skirt in an equestrian print. I’m picturing this skirt with a neutral top, an oversized brown or green blazer, and knee-high brown boots.

I’m also currently on the hunt for some comfy ballet flats that can take me through at least Thanksgiving. Anyone have a pair that they love that are on the narrower side? I’d love some suggestions! I’ve had my eye on these satin ones from J. Crew and I may pull the trigger because they’re on sale, but open to be talked into a different pair.

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