No. 7: A Reading Rut
Plus perfect ice spheres, good tunes, and an Austenian drama
As I write this, I’m on the plane to my ten-year college reunion. So wild to think it’s been a decade since I graduated! College feels both fresh in my mind and also so long ago. Time is weird like that.
I had grand plans of writing a travel guide for this issue, but life happened. So today’s issue is just a smorgasbord. Five fun recs below—though, alas, no books in this list. I’ve been in a real reading rut recently! I keep picking up and putting down different books that I think I like and want to finish but can’t seem to (Four Thousand Weeks, Enchantment, How Far the Light Reaches). I have another pile of books on my nightstand that I’m genuinely excited to read (Birnam Wood, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, My Brilliant Friend). I’m really hoping one of these not only reignites my reading habit, but also is so excellent as to demand a spot in May’s smorgasbord. We shall see.
For now, enjoy this random assortment of things I’ve discovered and enjoyed over the past month!
🚰 Ice molds: I’ve been editing a fun cocktail book these last few weeks by former bartender and recipe developer @bevsbybeverly. She recommended these ice molds, which have been a game changer for us! They work so well, and create little spheres of ice in the perfect size and shape. So satisfying to use in iced coffee, cocktails, even water…
👒 Sanditon: Based on an unfinished manuscript by Jane Austen, this PBS show follows a young girl named Charlotte who is invited to stay with a family for the summer in Sanditon, an up-and-coming seaside town on the coast of England. Come for the romance and Austenian drama, stay for the stellar acting, delightful costumes, and witty repartee. My colleagues have been telling me to watch this show for months, and I finally got around to it while Andrew was out of town; I watched the whole first season in a week! If you like Pride & Prejudice, Bridgerton, and other romantic period pieces, you’ll love this (and if you watch White Lotus, you’ll recognize the hunky hero).
🎹 Neal Francis: Andrew and I recently caught a Neal Francis show at Sweetwater, an iconic venue in Marin. Each of the four members of the band is SO talented at their respective instrument (piano, guitar, bass, drums), and frontman Neal is a *big mood*, which made for a really entertaining show. So two recs here: Neal Francis—a live show if you can—and also Sweetwater, if you live in the Bay Area.
🎧 Podcasts with Alison Roman: Alison Roman’s new dessert book, Sweet Enough, just came out, and she’s been popping up on allll the media I follow. I listened to her on the Taste podcast, and also on Armchair Expert, and was pleasantly surprised by both conversations. She’s smart, well-spoken, and I like her self-deprecating sense of humor. She also speaks articulately about her sort-of-cancellation a few years back and seems genuinely regretful. The AE convo is more about her personal life/journey, while Taste focuses on her career and new book; both are worth a listen.
🇷🇺 Navalny: This award-winning documentary about Alexei Navalny—the Russian activist who was poisoned and nearly murdered—is a wild ride. You almost can’t believe it’s true.
Thanks for reading, and see you in two weeks for a cookie download!
Xo,
Claire