Explore every episode of the podcast Radio 831: A Romance Podcast

We are THRILLED that cultural commentator/overall delight Hunter Harris—of Hung Up and Lemme Say This fame—is joining us today to share her Thingies! We couldn’t chat with her without asking for her takes on all the hot pop culture gossip, so unwrap your Fruit Roll-Up and enjoy!

Want more of Hunter? If you don’t already, subscribe to her must-read newsletter Hung Up and listen to her Wondery podcast Lemme Say This, which she co-hosts with Thingies alum Peyton Dix. 

Hunter’s Thingies are LMNT electrolyte drink mixes, Fruit Roll-Ups, lemon and orange essential oils in the trash can, Rhode Pocket Blush, washing her makeup brushes, iS Clinical Active Serum, and tennis.

She gets her news (aka celeb gossip) from Gossip Time, StraightioLab, Las Culturistas, Who? Weekly, and of course, Reddit influencer snark. 

Want to get in on the accidental Idiocracy x Crocs collab? Share your thoughts at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva!

Oh, we are excited about this week’s Thingies guest! Get ready to dive into the mind of the inaugural 831 Stories author, Alexandra—AKA Zan—Romanoff. We gab with her about Big Fan, fanfiction tropes, Hanson, ocean swims, online vintage shopping, you name it.

Zan’s Thingies are Henné Lip Tint, Bask reef-safe sunscreen, Will Rogers Beach in Santa Monica, the Gem App, and the public library.  

Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff is out tomorrow, September 10. Grab a ticket to one of Zan’s LA or NYC events (we’ll be in attendance too!) and dive into the all of the book-universe bonus features (including an epilogue).

Get even more Zan: Read her YA books (Grace and the Fever is very Big Fan–adjacent) and listen to the pop culture + sports podcast she co-hosts with Sarah Enni, On the Bleachers.

More on Canadian Shack fics (um, delightful).

Also, we want to make sure you know that we are in the Jack Schlossberg/Miele fan club.

What’s your fandom of choice? Share with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva!

Follow @haagendazs_us on Instagram and let them know in the comments that we sent you! 

YAY.

In a true throw-back classic episode from last year: Make sure to double-knot your shoes because we’re running through a bunch of activewear brands, morning baths, kale phones, butter money, and COTC (corn on the cob, clearly).

You can read more about Vuori’s lore in Courier (and try out their Pose fitted polo, Daydream drew, and All the Feels bra for yourself). Other workout wear of interest: Splits59 (specifically their Raquel flared leggings), Wilson (how ‘bout these Wynne pleated pants and the pleated court short?), Tracksmith ( their Article One running sunglasses collab!), District Vision, Satisfy, On, Tory Sport, and Sweaty Betty. Curious about cool sports stores? We’ve heard good things about Distance in Paris, we love FrontRunners in L.A., and we have to hand it to Pete Carlson Golf and Tennis in Palm Desert for going *deep*. 

The everything shower! Consider this reel from The Everygirl your primer. 

If you’re looking to limit your oblivion time, check out the OneSec app…or consider the cocaine/kale phone, via George Mack by way of Trung Phan. Also, the to-google notepad, ℅ Courtney Martin. 

Butter sculpture season, our Bama Rush? A great read: "The Secret Feminist History of Butter Cows” by Lyz Lenz.

What activewear brands do you like, how do you morning bath if you do such a thing?! Share with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva!

Show your hair the love with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link.

YAY.

Is anybody looking to start a hummus business?!? Do we have some domain names for you! In addition to our GoDaddy closet sale, we also have a grab bag to discuss, including mouth tape, face shaving, rat poop legal battles, WNBA mascots, and more!

Re: personal catchphrases: the title Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner got us thinking. 

If you want to hear the case for VIO2 mouth tape that converted Claire, check out our Guest Thingies episode with Glynnis MacNicol. 

Claire loved getting dermaplaned at Carrie Lindsey Beauty in Brooklyn. 

Erica’s nightgown journey involves the Skims Fits Everybody and Soft Lounge dresses, while Claire’s includes Taleen, Eileen West, Vermont Country Store, and Salter House—if you’re chasing the Victorian ghost aesthetic. 

For all your LA luxury cat hotel needs: Check out Chats de The, Purrvana, and Cateau Marmont.

WNBA star to stan: Breanna Stewart. US Open player with peak energy: Taylor Townsend. 

Want to start ratemyvcs.com? Great, get in touch via 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

Follow @haagendazs_us on Instagram and let them know in the comments that Claire and Erica sent you! 

Slip into your new fall shoes from Marc Fisher and use the code ATHINGORTWO to receive 20% off your purchase.

YAY.

Some of you Detective Bobs have already caught on to this, but: We’re starting something new! It’s officially time to give you the scoop on our romantic fiction entertainment company, 831 Stories…and the first book we’re publishing, Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff. It comes out September 10…which means right this second is the perfect time to pre-order it. 

Special thanks to Bea and Leah Koch, behind The Ripped Bodice, for kick-starting this journey! Our podcast episode with them from 2019 for a taste.

The authors and titles that made us fall hard for romance include Robinne Lee’s The Idea of You, Talia Hibbert (The Brown Sister Series—and our 2021 podcast interview here), Tia Williams's Seven Days in June, Tessa Bailey (start with It Happened One Summer…or our recent chat), Abby Jimenez (loved Yours Truly), Lyla Sage’s Rebel Blue Ranch series, and Yulin Kuang’s How to End a Love Story. 

We also think about what Sanjana Basker shared about romance on the Care So Much podcast all the time.

Sign up for the 831 newsletter, follow 831 on Instagram, and pre-order Big Fan. We cannot WAIT to share it with you.

What was the romance novel that got you into the genre? Tell us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

Show your hair the love with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

Find your new fall shoes from Marc Fisher and use the code ATHINGORTWO to receive 20% off your purchase.

YAY.

Another great day for Thingies! This time from newsletter legend Caroline Chambers, whose book What To Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking (a verified banger!) comes out tomorrow. You’re in for a treat.

Caroline’s Thingies are Sézane Jimmy trousers (often worn with Sézane Lenny low mules), the Olympics (DUH), having swim-safe kids (New Yorkers: Imagination Swimming), and Taylor Swift singing to Travis Kelce. Also, some romance recs! Pucking Around by Emily Rath, Kulti by Mariana Zapata, and Happenstance by Tessa Bailey.

Hey, The Idea of You fans! Check out Caroline's interview with Robinne Lee on her podcast So Into That. 

P.S., if you are as riveted by the idea of “lockstep individualism” as we are, read this Washington Post article “The mysterious tyranny of trendy baby names” by Daniel Wolfe that references Laura Wattenberg, author of The Baby Names Wizard. And sign up for the Gloria newsletter that surfaced this!

What’s your fave thing to cook when you don’t feel like cooking? Please share away at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

Tackle stress with Stress Relief from Ritual and take 25% off your first month with our link.

YAY.

Aaand we’re BACK! We are returning from our summer vacation with lots of updates and some Thingies from the great Tessa Bailey. (If you haven’t read her books yet: WE BEG YOU.)

If you’re looking for good places to start in the Tessa Bailey universe, try It Happened One Summer, Chase Me, and her latest, The Au Pair Affair. She also has an absolutely tremendous TikTok.

Tessa’s Thingies include cleansing wipes for her nose piercing, avocados, Blistex, GXVE by Gwen Stefani’s Liquid Lipstick, Merit (specifically the cream blush and the highlight stick) "Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?" by Taylor Swift, the RedHanded podcast, and Apotheke’s Earl Grey Candle.

Her first romance read was Hidden Fires by Sandra Brown.

Ahead of Tessa’s appearance, we talk LMNT’s Watermelon Salt flavor (thanks Nikki Ogunnaike!), romcoms in action movie clothing, and a London stuffie report (Paddington was there, and we found a Miffy x Liberty London collaboration we didn’t know we needed).

What’s your favorite Tessa Bailey book? Did any Thingies happen during our break? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link.

YAY.

You know, this episode from last year is an all-time classic—a real Bobs smörgåsbord if you will. We welcome your updates on all of this! Especially how you’re footwearing for summer rain.

Our rain-clog conversation has reached new heights! As in: We have a Calzuro review for you. 

Holiday shopping season is starting early because the Staten Island Pizza Rat hats are back in stock. 

Now onto romance! For an IRL one, try Julia Allison and Noah Feldman. Fictional romances we love include You, Again by Kate Goldbeck (bonus read: this Vulture story about fanfics-turned-bestsellers by Elizabeth Held), The Art of Scandal by Regina Black, Tessa Bailey’s books including It Happened One Summer, Hook, Line, and Sinker, Fix Her Up, and Chase Me, and Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan. Re: sports romances, see Icebreaker by Hannah Grace, The Deal by Elle Kennedy, Kennedy Ryan in general, and this GQ interview with Phillies player Bryce Harper. Also! Let’s talk about Danielle Steel’s desk—Samantha Leach did a good profile of the icon for Glamour—and Rachel Antonoff’s fall fashion campaign (completely unrelated but we love her email roundups to her vet).  

Share the romances you’re into with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

YAY.

Consider this episode—one of last year’s favorites!—an ode to your embrace of the term “regrettably worth it” aka RWI aka something we get asked to define as least weekly <3

Some regrettably worth it submissions from IG (and our brains) include Skims (related from The Cut), sleep consultants for toddlers, law school, putting your phone in another room after 8 p.m., professional framing, going to Ikea, getting your shoes repaired at Leather Spa (see also: New York Sneaker Society), peeling chickpeas, and stretching. 

Do you love car washes as much as Kris Jenner, who compared the experience to Disneyland?

Car accessories that peak our interest include the car trash can, car tweezers, elevated car air fresheners (featuring DS and Durga, Three Potato Four, L:A Bruket, and Hello Adrienne), and, last but *certainly* not least, CarLashes.

Meghan Palmer’s That's so Interesting Newsletter gave us some great insights into car conversations.

What are your favorite car listens—songs, audiobooks, all of it? Share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! 

Treat your hair extra-nicely with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

If mid-July has you a bit out at sea with your routines—show of hands?!—this might be just the right time to revisit one of last year’s hit eps about creativity and exercise. Let’s do this.

For more on morning pages, we direct you to The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. And, a book that comes up a lot despite our mixed feelings about it: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. 

A YouTube vid Erica followed to write a novel, as recommended by Mary HK Choi.

Some workout wardrobe staples include unitards—check out Girlfriend Collective and Héros—and the posture-correcting sports bra from Forme (more from Fast Company).

If you need a work-out pep talk, you can always count on Coach Bennett. (And while we’re here: Thanks for programming this ep, ​​Sarah.)

How do you keep going with exercise? Are you a morning-pages person? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! Grab a Secret Menu membership for more, more recommendations.

Let this greatest-hits ep be all the proof you need that things are still a mess! Should you need supporting evidence, might we direct you to Leah Chernikoff’s recent article for Harper’s Bazaar on the topic?

On gel manicures: Uché Blackstock is going to keep getting them, and Claire is too—but now with Maniglovz to protect her hands from those UV lights (and with CND Shellac whenever she can).

For a one-coat at-home mani, Olive & June Cosmic, Pleasing Pearly Tops, and Dior Glow deliver a shimmery, sheer finish. A listener said Dazzle Dry is one of their Thingies, and multiple of y’all have called-out Londontown Kur Nail Concealer (<< the name!). For growth (and nail-biting-prevention), try Nailtiques. For setting yourself up for DIY success, arm yourself with  Olive & June dry drops and the brand’s clean up brush. 

We have a lot of thoughts about mess, and so do some other people. Dig into For Scale’s “Exquisite Chaos” installment, "Girl Clutter" by Molly Soda, “What If You Just Didn’t Clean That Up?” by Kathryn Jezer-Morton for The Cut, and “This Trend Is a Mess” by Callie Holtermann for NYT. For a listen, check out "How to Keep House While Drowning" on Terrible, Thanks for Asking with guest KC Davis, the author of How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing. 

Our convo also reminded us of the books All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood by Jennifer Senior and In My Room: Teenagers in Their Bedrooms by Adrienne Salinger (a sampling of some of those pics here). 

And a retaliation to the white-box era we’ve been living in can be found on @officialsadbeige.

For a clustercore explainer, we’ve got Better Homes & Gardens. For primo examples, we always think of friend-of-the-pod Rumaan Alam and David Land’s collection of George Washington paintings in their dining room, and dip into Catherine Newman’s home tour on A Cup of Jo. 

Two messfluencers to know: Alix Earle and Julia Fox. 

On the topic of digital messiness, how many tabs do you have open right now? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! For more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership.

Get good hair with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link.

YAY.

Why *wouldn’t* we revisit any entertainment property—this podcast ep included—starring Channing Tatum?! Behold, one of last year’s hits, for your (re-?)listening pleasure.

What do the critics have to say about Magic Mike? Here’s Shirley Li at The Atlantic, Emma Specter at Vogue, A.O. Scott at the NYT, Richard Brody at The New Yorker, Bob Mondello at NPR, and Kyle Smith at the Wall Street Journal. 

Channing’s look right now! Specifically this Met Gala pic and this Variety cover! He and Zoë Kravitz share a stylist, Andrew Mukamal (who was featured on Kell on Earth—see also: this Interview interview with Kelly Cutrone).  

If you’re into the business side of Magic Mike, check out WSJ’s story “For Magic Mike, Channing Tatum Looked for Strippers Moms Could Love.” As for Channing’s other creative projects: Sparkella, Born & Bred Vodka (more from BonApp), and the much-hyped romance novel he’s writing with Roxane Gay. (Unrelated but also totally related, Tessa Bailey’s reverse-harem romance Happenstance.)  

Oh, Girl Scouts, preparing girls to meet the world with courage, confidence, and character since 1912! We love the logo redesign by Collins, and if you need a cookie source, buy them from Troop 6000, a first-of-its-kind program designed to serve families living in temporary housing in the New York City shelter system, or from trans girls around the country. 

Another scouting org we love: Radical Monarchs, which creates opportunities for girls and  gender-expansive youth of color—this doc is great.

Share your Magic Mike reviews with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! And for more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership.

The juggle is real. Don’t just respond to stress, get ahead of it with Stress Relief from Ritual. Get 25% off your first month at ritual.com/athingortwo. Start Ritual or add Stress Relief to your subscription today.

YAY.

We’re back with some new nyms, a report from Paris, housekeeping news, and more!

Steve Dolinsky bravely tackles PIGUE (Pizza I Grew Up Eating) Syndrome head-on. 

Time for a Paris report! Shoutout to the Moxy hotel in the Marais for its ideal location. Shopping for men’s clothing? Stop by Cuisse de Grenouille, LA panoplie, and Le Mont Saint Michel. For kids, go to Petit Bateau, Monoprix, Bonton, and the top floor of Le Bon Marche. Sabre Paris also has the cutest kids' flatware. We also recommend a visit to The Musée des Arts Décoratifs, specifically for the exhibit "The Birth of Department Stores," La Grande Mosquée de Paris, and Roland-Garros (you know, next year). 

A bonus shoutout to When Women Ran Fifth Avenue by Julie Sato.

Thank you to the Dear Media team for a very long run! Extra high fives to our lovely producer Olivia Meade!

Do you have a personal PIGUE? Share it with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva! See ya in August!

Take care of your hair with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

Ready your wardrobe for summer with Johnny Was and use the code ATHINGORTWO for 20% off your order.

YAY.

Listen, spending the summer in Paris isn’t in the cards for us, but spending an episode with Glynnis MacNicol talking about 1) her summer in Paris 2) her book about it, I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself and 3) her Thingies…a surprisingly close second.

Glynnis MacNicol’s memoir I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself is out this week! We also love her previous book No One Tells You This and her podcast Wilder, about the life and times and lasting impact (for better and/or worse!) of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Glynnis’s Thingies include VIO2 Mouth Tape, not putting moisturizer on after retinol (she likes La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum, ideally purchased in France!), Last Summer directed by Catherine Breillat, and Garnier Ombrelle Face Sun Protection.

The books she mentioned: Speedboat by Renata Adler, Middlemarch by George Eliot, The Guest by Emma Cline, Swimming in Paris by Colombe Schneck, and The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy. 

Re: the golden age of podcasts, we’re very excited about A.J. Daulerio’s The Small Bow Podcast, Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike, Lemme Say This with Hunter Harris and Peyton Dix, and Fashion People with Lauren Sherman. 

What are your Thingies? Share ‘em with us at with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva! 

Prepare your wardrobe for summer with Johnny Was and use the code ATHINGORTWO for 20% off your order.

Give your nails polish with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System when you use our link.

YAY.

Some philosophies on dealing with customer service-heavy moments, the benefits of estate sales, and some plane-travel RWIs.

Things to shove in your summer-travel carry-on (whether that’s an Alex Mill Perfect Weekday Tote or a Lo & Son O.G. 2): a Dagne Dover Arlo Neoprene Tech Organizer, a foot sling, a Sarisun headrest travel pillow (pair with a Lunya Washable Silk Sleep Mask or an Alaska Bear), and a packable duffle like Paravel’s. 

Estate sale curious? @handledestatesales is a great follow, and we’re sending a special shoutout to Bumble Bee Estate Sales in Charlotte, North Carolina.

What are your tips for visiting estate sales? Please share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva! 

Revisit the heyday of the department store with the wonderful book When Women Ran Fifth Avenue.

Start reading Line Sheet everything else Puck covers—use our link to sign up for a 14-day free trial.

Get ahead of stress with Stress Relief from Ritual and take 25% off your first month with our link.

Ready your wardrobe for summer with Johnny Was and use the code JWPODCAST for 20% off your order.

YAY.

Oooh, do we have some Thingies of you, ℅  Katherine Lewin, the brains behind one of our top shops Big Night and its wonderful new companion cookbook SLASH hosting guide. Also: a listener’s Olivia Rodrigo concert insight that is really quite moving??

Related to FUN + Olivia, this Romper essay by Glynnis MacNichol “My Job As An Auntie Is To Tell Parents They’re Doing Great.” 

Katherine’s Thingies include B Sides Lasso jeans and Nelle Atelier denim, carrying a lady bag along with her Extra Large L.L. Bean Boat Tote, brown mascara (perhaps Covergirl's Eye Enhancer 3D Mascara in Berry Brown?), and Gap High Rise Boyfriend Joggers.

We loving shopping at Big Night, and we’re about to love cooking/having-people-overing from the Big Night book, which has 80+ recipes for 6+ people and just all kinds of tips and tricks. 

Do you have any Thingies or dream Thingies guests? (Oprah included!) Share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva! 

Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link.

Care for your hair with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

Give your nails polish with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System when you use our link.

YAY.

As we revisit this crowd favorite episode from last year, can we ask you to leave us VMs and tell you how you’re coping with cringe now? Is it changing? What’s to thank (or blame)? 833-632-5463! 

If you’re not getting our newsletter!

Today’s prompt: Nell Diamond’s repost of a tweet from @isabelunraveled. (For more on Nell, founder of Hill House Home, dip into these profiles from New York Magazine and Harper’s Bazaar.)

The Justin Long post. Discuss!

For some cringe backstory: Kaitlyn Tiffany’s story “How Did We Get So ‘Cringe’?” for The Atlantic.

We had to revisit Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic—because avoiding cringe and chasing perfectionism are related…no? See also: Ninth Street Women by Mary Gabriel, David Brandon Geeting’s installment of the Perfectly Imperfect newsletter, and the edition of Kaelen Haworth’s Kael Mail newsletter about ins but no outs. 

Check out Her Country by Marissa R. Moss. Among the themes: how Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, and Mickey Guyton gave up on wanting people to like them to find success.  

On finding affection for your younger self: this Anne Helen Petersen newsletter, Jonah Hill’s doc Stutz, the podcast Mortified, Justin Cooley on his role in Kimberly Akimbo, and Mo Willems in the NYT.

A definition of post-cringe; an example of post-cringe: Kaitlin Phillips.

How are you embracing cringe? Who’s your cringe-spiration? You know where to find us: 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

Lots of discoveries this week! Including amber wine, UHNWs, Mike’s Bites, people as fonts, customizables, and MORE. 

Mike’s Bites probably deserve a whole documentary, honestly.

Some great customizable things: a whole lot of stuff in Ralph Lauren’s Polo Create Your Own Shop (including a perfect plain baseball cap), Artifact monogrammable canvas bags from Omaha. Monica Vinader’s Nura Tiny Fine Chain Bracelet and Signature Signet Rings, and Anya Hindmarch’s The Bespoke Collection (also: her T mag profile about decluttering).  

If you haven’t read Miuccia Prada Vogue cover story yet, do it!

Some basics we’re loving: Donni’s pointelle tee, Favorite Daughter’s The Mischa jeans and The Jordie jeans, and Richer Poorer’s perfect gray sweatshirt. Worth the resale-site stalking: Wardrobe.NYC’s denim jacket (via Poshmark) and Proenza Schouler long-sleeve tissue jersey tees (via The RealReal).

Ok, what are your thoughts on Costco’s rotisserie chicken? Give us the lowdown at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

New nyms! Thoughtful follow-ups on previous episodes! Romances we’re loving right now! All that and more in your ears right this second. 

Our previous episode about grief led us to the GQ profile "The Dave Matthews Guide to Living and Dying" by Alex Pappademas and “The Jewelry I Wear to Help Me Grieve” by Leah Chernikoff for Harper’s Bazaar and spurred some thoughtful conversations in our Geneva.

More on the perimenopause discourse: Miranda July’s new novel All Fours and The World’s First Podcast’s interview with the endocrinologist Dr. Jordan Geller.

Three romances we read and loved: Yulin Kuang’s How to End a Love Story, Abby Jimenez’s Just For the Summer, and Rainbow Rowell’s Slow Dance. 

What are you excited about right now? Share all your thoughts via 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

Prepare to be charmed! We have writer, social strategist, and gal about the internet Peyton Dix hand-deliveringher Thingies. Also: This Ask a Manager post demanded discussion.  

Peyton’s Thingies include Aesop Post-Poo Drops (available in Europe, pals), being bi, Kellyoke, Noihsaf Bazaar, having less screentime, and sharing your location. Peyton’s bonus-round Thingies: wired headphones, SLT, Todaytix, The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative by Vivian Gornick, game nights, “Karma” by JoJo Siwa, and Ouai Curl Cream.

Have any new Thingies? Share ‘em with us via 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link.

Source the good writing tools with ​​JetPens—free JetPens marker and washi tape with any $50 order when you use our link until 6/30/24.

Amp up your garden with Fast Growing Trees—get an additional 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHINGORTWO.

Do your own nails (well!!) with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System when you use our link.

YAY.

We are here to report on our experiences at TWO Major Cultural Events: an Olivia Rodrigo concert at MSG (incredible and moving!) and a screening of The Idea of You (really fun—lots of laughter!).

Fans of the The Idea of You book—if you haven’t read this yet, let’s GO!— join us for a night of trivia on May 1 at The Crown Inn in Brooklyn. 

The Idea of You lands on Prime Video on May 2, and you better believe we’re watching it again.

If you, like most we know, consider Lauren Sherman’s newsletter Line Sheet required reading, tune into her new podcast Fashion People on Tuesdays and Fridays, too.

When you watch The Idea of You, PLEASE share your thoughts with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva. We probably need to air some reactions, right?!

Score the good writing tools with ​​JetPens—free JetPens marker and washi tape with any $50 order when you use our link until 6/30/24.

Impress yourself and your nails with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System when you use our link.

YAY.

You want more Thingies? We’ve got more Thingies! This time with one of the most charming interior designers around, Billy Cotton, who has a stellar new collaboration with West Elm and a book we love, love, love.

Billy’s Thingies include a Lorezi Milano toothpaste squeezer (paired with Marvis Toothpaste at the moment), Cowboy Carter (but of course), Hillstone (specifically the Bal Harbour location) Elephant and Castle (Michigan Star!), the city of Houston, and, of course, Fruit Loops. 

A few of our favorites from his West Elm collection are this checkered rug, this pepper mill, this etched glassware, and this shell bowl for cereal or anything you please.

Didn’t know we had to announce it, but we’re #teammascara. See: Kevyn Aucoin'The Volume Mascara and Lily Lolo Mascara…and let us know your faves at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva. 

Give your hair a boost with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

Get the good writing tools with ​​JetPens—free JetPens marker and washi tape with any $50 order when you use our link until 6/30/24.

Go green with Fast Growing Trees—get an additional 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

We brought back Nikki Ogunnaike, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire and writer of the very good shopping newsletter Self Checkout, to share her Thingies. Also: Closing shift, to the tune of “Closing Time.” 

Ready for Nikki’s Thingies? Great. Try Uniqlo U white T-shirts, Vegamour GRO Biotin Gummies, Uzo liquid eyeliner and pencil eyeliner, and three resources for the good watches: Fashionphile, The RealReal, and Bob’s Watches.

A whole sub-category of running Thingies! Like Coach Bennett’s guided runs on the Nike Run Club App (also: our past episode with Coach Bennett that we still think about), Fabletics Define PowerHold High-Waisted 9” Short, Panache Wired Sports Bras, and LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix (also a bonus shoutout to Pocari Sweat).

The idea of the closing shift came to our attention via The Everygirl newsletter, and it lead us to think about Mike Bise’s Gap Store Playlists.

Dip into our 2020 convo with Nikki, too!

What are your Thingies? Share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva. 

Give your closet a spring refresh with Nuuly and take $20 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO20.

Make some new plant friends with Fast Growing Trees—get an addition 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

We’re giving some children’s programming rave reviews, digging into your trending Thingies, and reading a lot into an interesting story about Manhattan’s history. 

Endorsed by Claire (and Cam!) Cosmic Kids Yoga (+ guided meditation!) and Numberblocks. 

People love granola! Now more than ever, according to Global Newswire! If you’re in NYC, seek out the greenmaket seller Baker’s Bounty; if you’re anywhere else, make Bon Appétit's Vanilla-Scented Granola. Also, something that makes us giggle: this 2016 headline from The Cut: “Americans Still Believe Granola is Good for Them.”

People are dyeing their brows at home! Specifically using henna or Just for Men, but Harper’s Bazaar recommends getting brow-specific products or going to a professional. 

After one of y’all shared enstrual discs as a Thingie, we received several votes for Flex —they have disposable and reusable versions. 

Lots of discussion about making natural deodorant actually work. Erica is using Megababe’s Soapy Pits plus Space Bar Underarm Soap. People like Nuud, which is its own ~vibe~. There’s also a lot of discussion about using CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser for its 4% benzoyl peroxide—and LOL at the "How to Clean Armpits with Cerave" TikTok page. 

Thoughts on deodorant? Vaginal discs vs. cups? Share with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva. 

Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link.

YAY.

This week, we’re issuing some micro updates and corrections before we dive into the meat of this episode: grief. (A content warning, if you will.) 

Some corrections: The Stanley cups are WEARING the backpacks (find a visual aid here), BonBon Swedish candy is having a nightlife moment, and the Pineberry also goes by Berry de Blanc. 

On loss: The LA Times story "How Not to Say the Wrong Thing" by Susan Silk and Barry Goldman delves into the ring theory of grief, and All There Is with Anderson Cooper explores anticipatory grief.

If you care about a person (any person), give Being Mortal by Atul Gawande a read—it offers much good guidance and framing for tough conversations.

A couple planning resources: Policygenius for life insurance and Trust & Will for, you guessed it, trusts and wills.

Share all of your thoughts with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva. 

Refresh your wardrobe with Nuuly and take $20 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO20.

Treat your hair to Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

This week, we’re talking Thingies with Jo Piazza, author of The Sicilian Inheritance—exactly the escapist, immersive book we want at this very moment—and its companion true-crime podcast…because this woman is one of the most ambitious storytellers you’ve ever encountered, ok? Also: We raise a case for cold-calling your friends, expectations free. 

Jo’s thingies include trad wives (or maybe that’s a Claire Thingie?), Oak Essentials moisture rich balm (s/o to the cleansing balm also!), Freda Salvador shoes and the Jada ballet flats in particular, The Other Two on Max (see also: The State, Party Down, and Girls 5Eva), the podcast Time Capsule: The Silver Chain. 

There was a lot of food talk, naturally: Jo raves about Norah Ephron’s pasta alla cecca recipe, and some Philly restaurants she loves include Friday Saturday Sunday, Trattoria Carina, and Zahav.

Jo’s Italian heritage liaison: Laura Lee of Digging Up Roots in the Boot.

Want more Jo? You are in LUCK! Her new release The Sicilian Inheritance has an Elena Ferrante meets Gabrielle Hamilton meets Liane Moriarty vibe, and it pairs perfectly with this non-fiction podcast where Jo, NBD, works to solve a family murder. And dig into her other books We Are Not Like Them, You Were Always Mine, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, The Knockoff, and How to Be Married. Want something to listen to? Dive into Under the Influence, Wilder, Committed, Fierce, She Wants More, and Too Much Money.

What are *your* Thingies? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva.

Change your clothes with Nuuly and take $20 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO20.

Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link.

See your garden thrive with Fast Growing Trees—get an addition 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

Greetings, Thingiemabobs! We have some wee updates, a Tokyo tour, and an important (to us) conversation about whether or not cropped pants are allowed. 

People are loving the idea of a shower as a room (on of Emily Sundberg’s Thingies!) and were intrigued by this IG reel where @mrsmckennabarry installs a little shelf in her shower for a lamp and a speaker. In more offputting bathing news, Jessica Biel eats cereal in the shower. 

Speaking of cereal! Jacqueline Tse of Mad Brooklyn makes compelling Lucky Charms sculptures.

More tiny things!! LOL at this mini backpack you can put on your Stanley Cup; a case for mini soda cans.

Erica just went to Tokyo and has thoughts on the Muji Hotel and Miffy’s dominance (see: a florist called Flower Miffy: Dick Bruna’s Atelier with Flowers, where the classic arrangement uses a mum for Miffy’s head). We also surfaced an important piece of lore about Miffy and Hello Kitty’s relationship via The Guardian. 

While Erica was in Japan, Claire was reading Bride by Ali Hazelwood (NSFW discourse warning!). For those who don’t know what TF the omegaverse is, this episode of Fated Mates breaks it all down (and the show notes include lots of reading recs).

Grappling with everchanging pant trends after a meeting with Katie Anderson of Mend Tailoring and reading Jonah Weiner’s New York Times Magazine piece about pants. TY to High Sport for continuing to make a strong case for the crop. 

Do you eat or drink in the shower? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or get into it in our Geneva. 

YAY.

Take a stroll through the grocery aisles with us as we talk about some culinary updates featuring (metaphorical) sausage races and (literal) marshmallow innovations.

The Milwaukee Brewers Famous Racing Sausages show us that we never know how any race will end.

So many marshmallow innovations popping off these days, including but not limited to Stackers, Lucky Charms-shaped jet-puffed marshmallows, Just Magical Marshmallows, Jet-Puffed Bits,  Hello Kitty marshmallows, and, in a rare case of timeliness on our part, Lucky Charms™ Limited Edition St. Patrick’s Day Just Magical Marshmallows. We also can’t help but mention the MMX Marshmallow Crossbow we included in last year’s gift guide. 

Peeps have also been up to some things. Our concerns include Dr. Pepper flavors, dog ropes, "Hanging with my Peeps" merch, and Pepsi’s Peep-flavored soda. For enthusiasts, check out Racine Art Museum’s Annual International Peeps Art Exhibition, and we have to admit we’re kind of charmed by Peepshi.

Fruit innovation! We’re talking pineberries (great in a Marcella Hazan recipe for macerated strawberries with balsamic vinegar!), sumo oranges, raspberry oranges, cotton candy grapes,and pink lemons. 

According to the NYT, chocolate chip ice cream is falling out of favor—very upsetting to us.

What do you think we should name the fruit marketing revolution? Share your ideas with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva. 

YAY.

We’re (gladly) diving back into the Miffy-verse, talking cover songs and fortune cookies, and asking the question: How did Google search lose its luster??

As expected, the @miffydances Instagram account is perfection. 

Cover songs—having a moment! Beyond the epic “Fast Car” moment with Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs, 50 Cent's "P.I.M.P.”, by Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band in Anatomy of a Fall, the Kelly Clarkson effect aka Kellyoke, Pedal Steel Noah, Boygenius doing “Cowboy Take Me Away,” Leon Bridges performing Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” T Pain’s On Top of the Covers album, the Like a Version YouTube show, and Norma Fraser doing Sheryl Crow’s “First Cut is the Deepest.”

The high five being 47 years old feels, stay with us, kind of like this tweet. Related: High Five by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri is an excellent children’s book by the duo who brought you Dragons Love Tacos.

Fortune cookie–related things include Coming Soon’s nickel-plated version, Chefanie’s giant ones,  and a recipe from Red House Spice.

On the dismal state of internet searching, “The Tragedy of Google Search” by Charlie Warzel for The Atlantic. Other search engines out there: DuckDuckGo, Startpage, and Perplexity, seen in Laura Reilly’s installment of the Why Is This Interesting? newsletter.

Favorite covers, favorite fortunes? You just let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva. 

Impress yourself and your nails with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System when you use our link.

Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link.

Gift Charles Chocolates—the good stuff!—and get 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHING15.

YAY.

Before we get to Thingies with Emily Sundberg, we have an order of business to attend to: ) Our semi-finalists for listener names are here! Thingiemabobs, Loony Twonies, Thingles, and, a late entry, Two Timers. We’ll need you to cast your vote on Instagram, clearly. 

If you don’t already know Emily Sundberg’s work, please subscribe to the “hottest business newsletter” Feed Me and read her iconic stories like “Welcome to the Shoppy Shop” and the “hot girl drink whole milk” piece for New York mag. 

“You may also like” newsletters: Casey Lewis’s After School, Lauren Sherman’s Puck Line Sheet, and Chris Black and James Ellis’s Public Announcement.

Emily’s Thingies include FIT Center for Continuing Education classes, The New York Times and New York magazine archives, making hot sauce, pickles (some of note include Hot Girl Pickles and Grillo’s) neighborhood field trips, poker, and treating your shower like a room. Other loves: Fara Homidi’s lip compact and Soft Services Theraplush.

Share your Thingies with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva. 

Treat yourself to the good chocolate with Charles Chocolates—15% off your first purchase with the code ATHING15.

YAY.

We’re thinking big and talking miniatures, reading and listening to a book simultaneously, right-size restaurant empires, the comeback of color analysis, and a stellar Father’s Day gift for all the planners out there. 

A new-favorite mini restaurant empire: Mason Hereford’s New Orleans spots Turkey and the Wolf,  Molly’s Rise and Shine, and Hungry Eyes (see also: his wonderful cookbook, written with JJ Goode). Some other faves: Ann Kim’s in Minneapolis, Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s in L.A., Nancy Silverton’s (also) in L.A., Marc Vetri’s in Philly, and the Hart’s/Cervo’s/The Fly trifecta in NYC.

More on color analysis via Calin Van Paris’s story for Vogue. Related: Kibbe types, c/o The Concept Wardrobe and Vox. 

So much on miniatures! The Guardian article “‘A place where millennials can own a home’: why doll’s houses are having a big moment” by Nicole Cooley, Shrunk magazine, DWR’s Vitra miniatures collection and Champagne Chair Contest, Yuta Segawa’s vases, Tatsuya Tanaka, and the (40th anniversary!) Marc Jacobs show. 

We’re seeing bitsy charms on all sorts of things, including Susan Alexandra Tiny Joys Lucky Charms, Haricot Vert “Dear Diary” Charming Bag, Mother Denim Lucky Charms Beanie, and Hello Adrienne Bite Size Dangles. And let’s pleeease not forget Mini Brand magnets. 

Share your favorite small restaurant empires, color analysis thoughts, fave minis, and more via 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva. 

Get your chocolate fix with Charles Chocolates—15% off your first purchase with the code ATHING15.

YAY.

Giddyup! This week we’re talking about an essential Thingie, being forthcoming with one’s universe, the squashissance, cowboy love stories (real and fictional), and, as usual, a whole lot more.

Big Thingie Energy: a good vet, specifically cat ‘n bunny caretakers at Catnip & Carrots. 

Having a moment? Squash. Some recipes we love include Aacorn Squash with Coconut Custard from Kristen Kish for Food & Wine, Soy Glazed Kabocha Squash with Japanese Sesame Seasoning from Season with Spice, Delicata Squash Agrodolce from Athena Calderone for PureWow, and Roasted Honey Nut Squash and Chickpeas With Hot Honey from Melissa Clark for NYT. 

GRWM audiobooks we’re into include Tom Lake by Ann Patchett and You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith (< who you probably know from her poem “Good Bones” and/or her essay “My Marriage Was Never the Same After That.”). 

We love cowboy love! Get into Lyla Sage’s Rebel Blue Ranch series, starting with Done and Dusted and the upcoming Swift and Saddled. Related: the rodeo, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, and Bella Hadid’s cowboyfriend. 

We love easy crafts! Including decorating these 99¢ frames, rolling beeswax candles, doing fruit and veggie prints (maybe at RecCreate Collective in BK?), and collage journaling like Martina Calvi. Also, we endorse Target’s Spritz line of party decorations (balloon arch + gold fringe, hello). 

We are deep in the Grossy Universe. Do you want any context on the people in our ‘verse? Ask away at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or even our Geneva. 

Do your nails so well you impress yourself with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System when you use our link.

YAY.

Di-hards, Clairericas, ATOTs, Thingles, actual listener name TBA: It's time to dive even deeper into Rivians lore, share the case for sleeping in socks, and add a new one for hand warmers. Also, it’s feeling like the tong discussion on this podcast is just beginning…

Listen to the How I Built This ep with the founder of Rivian; read the WSJ story “‘If You Sleep in Socks You’re a Psychopath.’ Health Tip Kicks Up Controversy.”

Ocoopa hand-warmers—have we tried? Or Zippo’s?

What should we call ATOT fans? Now’s your chance to let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—and bring the debate to our Geneva (either the app or the browser version!).

Hire for that role with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link.

YAY.

May we ask a question? Are you a Framebridge groupie yet? We’re partnering with the fantastic company on this glorious ep—and an event at their Park Slope store from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 3, with 15% off! Which is all to say: If you’re not already hooked, you’re about to be. Behold, CEO Susan Tynan’s Thingies, your family-photo anxieties, and how what we’re hanging on our walls offers a lens into ~the culture~.

Susan’s Thingies include egg rolls in a bowl, Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA, Pomela Casa mugs, the Marrakesh frame from Framebridge, Caroline’s Cakes 7-Layer Cakes, and the Spoonful of Comfort Thinking of You Package. 

The Framebridge gallery wall sets = a stroke of genius.

If you’re commissioning illustrations for future framing, we love the work of Julie Houts and Olivia de Recat.

What are your framing conundrums? How have you taken ownership over your own bday happiness? Share with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—and chat it up about anything at all in our Geneva!

Come join us for the easiest, most stylish framing at Framebridge Park Slope this Sat., 2/3, from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. and get 15% off (a very rare discount!). 

We’ve got some hot topics like celebrity activism and when to share pregnancy news—and even hotter topics like verbal leashes, sleeping with socks on, and weird terminology for just wearing your damn clothes.

New nym alert!!! Good Inside by Becky Kennedy brings us MGI: most generous interpretation. 

Claire’s IG exchange with Nancy Meyers in this Instagram post confirms that there are, in fact, Vicente Foods bags in The Holiday (and that N.M. is the greatest). 

The thing having a moment this week: Rivians and their mascot, Gary the Gear Guard.

Two things we’re happy about being “in” in 2024 include outfit-repeating and going to the movies. Shoutout to this @flwrchldtweets tweet and Dwight Garner’s Grub Street Diet. 

Dog people: Is a verbal leash (not the yet-to-be-written spinoff to Best in Show) a thing? Please let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—and chat it up about anything at all in our Geneva!

Let’s talk Thingies with Samhita Mukhopadhyay, a writer and editor who covers feminism, politics, culture, fashion, racial justice, and existential dating dilemmas—in short, so much we want to read. She’s the editorial director of The Meteor, the co-editor of the best-selling anthology Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance and Revolution in Trump’s America, and the author of Outdated: Why Dating is Ruining Your Love Life and (forthcoming!!) The Myth of Making It: A Workplace Reckoning. Yes, consider this the you-hear-it-here-first pre-order nudge.

Samhita’s Thingies include Ranavat hair oil, wearing her partner’s class ring, Care Touch lens wipes, Jolly Rancher Chews, a poem by Hala Alyan, and Megan Thee Stallion’s bodyodyody. 

The phrase “Oh, I’m JV” is brought to us by Sara Petersen’s Substack In Pursuit of Clean Countertops, and we have a bonus Thingie: the memoir installments of Kim France’s Substack! 

What areas are you happily JV in? Share with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—and chat it up about anything at all in our Geneva!

Let’s dive into some Hellmann’s drama, TSwift x Wordsworth, and lots more re: the secret life of girls (thank you to Wired for the Notes App *respect*!!!).

To know Prof. Stephanie Burt is to love Prof. Stephanie Burt—this NYT  interview about her Harvard Taylor Swift class will get you there. A fave on the syllabus: Grace and the Fever by Zan Romanoff.

It’s pintxo season (we say!). Woldy Kusina shows us how it’s done, and Despaña is a great ingredient source. (Also: RIP the Prune Chicago Matchbox Bloody Mary.)

Indoor/Outdoor Boyfriends brought to you buy Ella Risbridger’s You Get In Love And Then newsletter. (Have you read her book Midnight Chicken?) 

Did you know Hellmann’s mayonnaise is known as something else entirely in parts of the West? Share your thoughts on this revelation at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq, and chat it up about anything at all in  our Geneva!

Get your nails in good shape with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System with our link.

YAY.

We’re wise enough to know it’s about time to revisit this wisdom episode from the vault. We share our feelings about feeling our age and some excellent advice we caught about living with a little longing—and we very much would like to hear if this one hits differently the second time around.  

Some readings that impacted how we’ve been navigating aging include Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, Casey Johnston’s Swole Woman program, Cheryl Wischover’s “What Changed When I Started Lifting Weights” in the Gloria newsletter, and Kayleen Schaefer’s “How 50 Pushups A Day Helped Me Cope In An Uncertain World” for Elle. 

If you have thoughts on longing or musings about aging share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq. And try out a Secret Menu membership for more recommendations.

Today we present a very *us* episode from the archives: What does “After Dark” mean to you? How does one explain what consulting is? Are you signed up for Dua Lipa’s newsletter? What does it mean to actually *build* a bear? All this and more in your ears now!

For some discomfitting Build-a-Bear products for adults, enter The Bear Cave. For other “but what does it MEAN?” After Dark content, check out National Parks After Dark and this edition of Emily Henry’s Book Lovers. 

Check out this YouTube video from Charlie Berens for on ope usage and Midwest vs. Everybody’s great ope merch. Also: on the rise of the Midwestern vibe.

Takeaways re: "A ‘Landmark’ as Women Will Coach Against Each Other in Men’s Soccer," which also made us think about this episode of Throwing Fits.

Join us in subscribing to Dua Lipa’s newsletter Service95 and listening to her podcast At Your Service. 

Share your thoughts on all of this at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! And try out a Secret Menu membership for a whole lot more recommendations. 

Turn to Shopify for all your ecomm needs and get a free 14-day trial with our link.

YAY.

We’re so excited about this Guest Thingies ep with Ellen Van Dusen of Dusen Dusen—a greatest hit if there ever was one! But first, some nuggets of wisdom from famously creative famous dudes.

We’re definitely taking inspiration from Rod Stewart’s model railway side project and Tom Hanks's advice to Austin Butler. 

Ellen’s Thingies include being comfortable inside and outside the home (please see: her delightful robes…and brand-new slippers!!), @Favetiktoks420 on Instagram, and cool silverware (especially David Tisdale’s Picnic Flatware, which makes us think of Ahimsa dinnerware for kids). She also loves tile right now—see: Heath Ceramics, her collab with Concrete Collaborative, Fireclay, and Oasis—and you have to, have to check out her backyard mosaic. Last but not least: Her love of bird-watching has us asking when she’s going to start selling the birdhouse she designed for Brooklyn Botanic Garden (in the meantime, the MoMA one we’re all into). Ooh, and as we told Ellen, Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a great book and a much better movie than it gets credit for being.

Share your dream Thingies guests with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq. And for more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership.

Treat your hair to Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

This week, we’re talkin’ Thingies with Alison Roman, the woman behind a SLEW of recipes we cook all the dang time. We know you know her, but JIC, she’s the author of NYT bestselling—and gifty!—cookbooks Sweet Enough, Nothing Fancy, and Dining In, she doles out the most delightful kitchen content in A Newsletter and on her Home Movies YouTube channel, and she delivers guidance of all kinds on her Solicited Advice podcast. In essence: She’s full of thoughts, and we want them all.

First things first, what we would bring to a pilot kid-gift swap (thx, Leslie!): Spirograph, Yellow Owl Workshop DIY Pin & Flair Kit, Bastien Contraire Stencil Kit, Majo Ideas Art Pack, and Pop Tubes.

Alison’s tabletop Thingies include beeswax candles (try Greentree Home Candle—maybe in the sangria color?!), candle holders *in general* (e.g., this Sophie Lou Jacobson one), and interesting serving platters including Bordallo Pinheiro's. For the bod, she loves using Laneige’s lip mask as lip balm, and Davines’s Vegetarian Miracle Mask for her hair. On the food front, how about chopped fermented chilies—use them to make her Brothy Chickpeas with Calabrian Chili (and/or these chickpeas)—and, for dessert, Kolsvart gummies. 

Share your Thingies with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, and @athingortwohq, or drop them in our Geneva!

Give yourself the gift of professional counseling with BetterHelp and take 10% off your first month with our link.

Trust us: It’s all about Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

Whoop! Whoop! This week we are discussing our marathon-cheering behaviors, chicken anxiety, iconic hot dogs, and weightlifting thanks—in part— to the Beckham doc. 

The term chicken anxiety was brought to us by Rosie Seabrook on TikTok. 

We can’t believe we haven’t talked about The Wieners Circle yet. Their Instagram is one of the only safe places on IG.

This Vogue story about Victoria Beckham's weightlifting routine inspired us to ask you all how you are thinking about this, and you have answers: @evlofitness programs, CoPilot app, @kerimantie, Ladder app, Liftoff: Casey Johnston’s Couch to Barbell, Stronger by the Day, and Peloton strength classes. A big sell on weightlifting comes from Yasi Salek in the Perfectly Imperfect newsletter. 

Send us your weightlifting thoughts at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, and @athingortwohq, or share in our Geneva!

Learn from the best with MasterClass and get two memberships for the price of one with our link.

Join Book of the Month and get your first book for just $5 with the code SWEATER.

YAY.

It's time for a grab bag featuring a *measured* celebrity fan account, a cooking north star, our POV on holiday cards, and a grand Notes App follow-up. 

Gained some wisdom from @OlsenOracle, a perfect fan account (that is maybe even Olsen approved???).

We’re having a Marcella Hazan moment, thanks to, as Food & Wine put it her “radical simplicity.” Some recipes we’ve been cooking: THE tomato, onion, and butter sauce, grilled fish romagna style, pesto, rice and smothered cabbage soup, and chimney sweep’s gelato. 

Speaking of cooking, we must discuss this Julia Child gas stove story by Rebecca Leber for Vox, which pairs well with “How the Fossil Fuel Industry Convinced Americans to Love Gas Stoves,” which she wrote for Mother Jones. 

Your Notes Apping!! See: this packing-list  revelation from@rileejsmith (um, the template). We also love this TikTok from @kiramackenz.

What weird things are you up to in the Notes App? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva!

Turn to Shopify for all your ecomm needs and get a free 14-day trial with our link.

Join Book of the Month and get your first book for just $5 with the code SPOOKY.

YAY.

It’s time for the (whopping) second half of our 2023 gift guide! We tackle dads, sisters, in-laws, friends, coworkers, and some ideas for presents to ask for yourself when that feels like a necessary thing. 

For the full link-rich rundown, you’re best off heading over to our site: athingortwohq.com/gift-guide-episodes

If there’s someone on your list that we didn’t get to this year, let us know who you’re shopping for in our Geneva! And share more gift ideas with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, and @athingortwohq.

Tackle all that holiday shopping at MoMA Design Store and take 10% off your purchase when you use or mention promo code ATHINGORTWO online and in US MoMA Design Stores  through November 23, 2023.  

Give your hair the gift of Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

Gifts for YOU!

My in laws are great people who will buy exactly what ask for as long as it's 1) not personal care or appearance-related AT ALL, 2) not a ""luxury item"" or a splurge version of something (ie no fancy candles), and 3) under $100. I'm a dedicated audiobook listener and | don't need any more cookbooks or board games. They won't do a donation in lieu of gift. Gift giving is their love language but only if the gift is very practical or they got it on a significant discount. We're fortunate to be in a financial position where I'm generally able to buy practical as they're needed, but my in laws hear ""I don't need anything!"" as a snub. Help!"

• Uniqlo Heattech
• Something Yamazaki
• Cookbooks (like The Lula Cafe one!)
• A traditional restock (plants, PJs, etc.)
• Directing them to a go-tostore like MoMA Design Store and Zingerman’s
• Dinnerware/cookware to build on every yea—Le Creuset, vintage Fiestaware, Dansk, Heath, etc., etc.
• Charms for a charm bracelet/necklace like Jet Set Candy passport stamp charms (+ their NYPL card one is also very good)

Dads & Fathers-in-Law

My Dad sounds more like a brand persona than a real person. He's very cosmopolitan/urbane, lives in the city center even though he's 60, takes public transit, legitimately does his weekly grocery shopping at boutique cheese/bread/specialty food stores, always dressed impeccably. OWNS a beautiful specialty meat slicer that he has in his kitchen and uses for fresh/thinly sliced prosciutto (before you go there I've done ham hocks more than once). Interests: art, food and entertaining, culture. Loves to read, usually big sweeping historical books. Always the hardest person to shop for on my list because his taste level is very out of my price range and I'm tapped out on the specialty food theme. Dad recently become a grandfather (2 grandsons and one more coming in Jan) and it was a little weird for him - he loves my sons but the image of an old guy in a rocking chair teaching kids how to whittle didn't jive with his understanding of himself. He's starting to settle in. Has a very unique grandpa name with many indecipherable layers of historical context and family history that the grandkids will probably never understand. Buys them beautifully made clothes that they would immediately ruin. Talks to them about their shared interests: boats, planes, and other well-designed machines.

• Hoste Bottled Cocktails 
• Regalis Black Truffle Microwaveable Popcorn
• Nordic Ware Indoor/Outdoor Kettle Smoker 
• Custom Opinel
• Berea College Intersections Charcuterie Board
• Big Nights Planner
• Suzanne Sullivan Porcelain Playing Cards or Bone Inlay Domino Set
• Blackwater & Sons Return Address Stamp
• Billion Oyster Project donation
• Rex Design Oyster Plate

My dad. 82 years old. Loves to read serious nonfiction but bus all the books he wants. Loves French and Italian wine but his taste is too expensive for me and he has all the gadgets. Generally expensive taste that's above my pay grade. He dresses pretty dapper and lives in NYC. Gets lots of compliments on his glasses and clothes. Grills meat for dinner nearly every night but stuck in his ways when it comes to cooking. Very much a creature of habit. Likes jazz and classic rock. Best gifts I've gotten for him are interesting casual clothes he wouldn't find himself, a dapper custom English umbrella, taking him to see live jazz…

• Campo Grande
• The Durand - bottle opener for old bottles/corks
• Ralph Lauren custom stuff! Hello, cashmere sweater.
• Vintage tie clip or cuff links from TRR
• Vinyl Me, Please subscription
• The Jazz Loft Project: Photographs and Tapes of W. Eugene Smith from 821 Sixth Avenue, 1957–1965
• Preservation Hall Drum Ornament or Tambourine
• Blue Note merch

Okay, now that I've seen this I feel okay sending a description of my dad. He's a 67-year-old workaholic lawyer many have described as "quite the character, huh?" He takes himself very seriously, though he also can be quite mischievous and loves to stir the pot. His interests include fishing, geopolitics, and monologuing. I truly feel like I've explored all gifting avenues already with him: consumables for his major sweet tooth, outdoorsy gear that he already buys himself, political or economic books that won't lead to arguments (he's conservative, I'm liberal), and seemingly every dog toy or black Labrador art print under the sun. He doesn't drink and mostly sticks to heart-healthy food. While he has many entertaining childhood stories, it seems unlikely he will set aside time for something activity-based like StoryWorth, as he spends most of his at-home free time watching YouTube videos about things like beekeeping (yes, I've gotten him multiple artisanal honeys that had little impact). I'm at my wits' end with this conundrum of a father, please help!

• Unexpected: 30 Years of Patagonia Outdoor Photography
• Custom Smathers & Branson Belts
• Port Bait Co. Bait/Lures
• reMarkable
• North Spore Mushroom-Growing Kits
• Pack of Avec
• Merippa House Shoes

Father-in-law is the definition of introverted, deeply obsessed with cars (has several classic ones), and model trains (legit has an entire room for trains that has like, an actual functional drawbridge for the trains). Also loves good food and good tequila!

• “Rod Stewart's ideal Christmas present? Brushes for his model railway”
• Dining by Rail: The History and Recipes of America's Golden Age of Railroad Cuisine by James D. Porterfield
• Charles Ro Supply Co. gift certificate
• Toyo Toolbox 
• Chevrolet Corvette 1961 Lego Set
• Major Minis 
• Alessi The Tending Box

Sisters & Sisters-in-Law

Present for woo-woo disorganized sister who holds a grudge & has two adorable kids

• House of Intuition Candles
• A Daily Cloud Calendar
• Hightide DTLA Moon Calendar
• Ha Ko Incense Leaves
• Golde Superfoods Mask Kit
• Esker Bodycare Discovery Set
• Julia Elsas Wiggle Wall Hooks

Ok this one is may be a doozy. New SIL: she describes herself as an author but will never discuss her writing, we've never seen anything, nothing published (she is 40, we had a running theory maybe her "writing" was OnlyFans? It's unclear.) She loves Disney (I have secured Hanna Anderson Disney Christmas PJs), Rudy Giuliani (!!!), and believes enough conspiracy theories that we had to change our will about w hich uncle would get our kids if we died. Zola was "too downmarket" for their wedding registry but she doesn't know which fork to use (to be clear, both of these things are fine, just incongruent, right?). So I need something that feels sophisticated but maybe...isn't.

• Ami Ami Mulled Wine Kit
• Gentlewoman Modern Manners Postcard Set
• Anya Hindmarch Bespoke Passport Wallet
• Madewell Disney Mickey Mouse-Embroidered Cardigan Sweater in (Re)sponsible Cashmere
• Kitsch & Disney Satin Pillowcase - Desert Crown
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Black Women Writers at Work 
• How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays by Alexander Chee
• Cultish by Amanda Montell
• Four Seasons Total Landscaping Hat

Boyfriend's sister: 29, children's librarian and loves children's books/ movies. Pretty much hates everything I've ever given her and doesn't really have any taste that isn't just stuff her 63 y/o mother likes... when I try to get her clothes that are more age-appropriate (read: no for a woman in her 60s), she never wears them. She's not materialistic BUT loves going to Home Goods just to get stuff? Also has a New Year's Day bday so I need two things. And this is a big bday (30!)! My boyfriend got her a big set of glass Tupperware which was a huge hit, but then got her a nutri bullet (the mom loves hers) and she hated that. HELP!!!

• Book of the Month subscription
• Persephone Gifts
• Tortuga or Schoolhouse or Justina Blakeney bookends
• Brooklyn Public Library Books Unbanned donation
• Vintage READ Posters from American Library Association
• Ralph & James - framed children's picture book art prints
• Film Art Gallery - classic children’s movie posters 
• Yellow Paper House Junque Journal
• Our Place Wonder Oven

SIL Trying to be an influencer and posts sporadic videos on THIS APP about a home design of a suburban cookie-cutter house. Always mansplains the littlest things. Snobby but for no reason. But also probably a nice person to people she likes? Probably!

• Fiona’s Pasta Gift Box
• Maria Ida Designs
• Madre Linen Napkins
• Big Night or The Six Bells depending on her vibe—anything from either feels safe!
• Canva subscription
• Allison Bornstein or Lakyn Carlton styling session
• Livable Luxe by Brigette Romanek
• Arranging Things by Colin King  
• Beata Heuman: Every Room Should Sing

Sister-in-law: she is a corporate lawyer and very much a Dallas girly (lives in Dallas but also embodies the Dallas vibes with beach blonde hair, very fancy car to drive 5 minutes to work, has a texting relationship with sales associates at various designer stores). If you read the NYTimes article from a few months ago explaining the Dallas food scene, she embodies the Dallas consumer exactly. She is a bit of a Broadway nerd. She is basically the opposite of me in almost every possible way, and I'm always afraid to shop for her. Last year I got her a gift set from The Crown Affair and I don't think she knew a thing about it. Would like to stay <$150 if possible. HELP

• Monogram Mary Vinyl Lulu Tote
• Something Rosemary Home - their vintage glassware feels esp Dallas glam
• Hill House Home Wicked collab
• Porto The Pouch
• Pat McGrath LiquiLUST™: Legendary Wear Matte Lipstick in Elson 4 - Taylor’s red.
• Staud NFL Cowboys Collab
• Broadway Dallas tix

Brothers & Brothers-in-Law 

My wonderful, extremely particular 41-year-old brother who has everything. Niles Crane from Frasier vibes. Loves to cook but has Le Creuset's entire line and possibly every gadget Williams Sonoma sells. Great dad to two adorable kids, 7 and 4. Doesn't like sports, obsessed with and works adjacent to politics. New England energy but lives in LA. Our parents get him a Loro Piana sweater every year which he loves but is extremely out of my budget (I'm 26). Want the gift to be a tangible thing but not a book (have done that a lot). A past successful gift was the New York Times birthday book (shows the front page of NYT every year on his bday since his birth year). His birthday is right before Christmas so kind of need two gifts (or one gift with multiple parts). THANK YOU!!

• Gestura Utensils
• Hakusan Soy Sauce Container
• POJ Studio Kyoto Coffee Gift Set
• Bodum Geo Salt & Pepper Grinder Set
• Butter Meat Co.
• Force of Nature Bison
• Roscioli NYC imported Italian foods
• Buck Mason - a Niles Crane flannel
• Artisaire Monogrammed Wax Seal

My brother-in-law who is obsessed with the Michigan State Spartans, loves cozy pants but they cannot have elastic at the ankle, Pinot Noir fan, and loves to grill. Has three kids and is a wonderful, involved softball dad to his middle daughter. Prides himself on having all the right gear for outdoor games in Michigan but otherwise is a pretty utilitarian guy who works in the plumbing industry!

• Maison Noir OPP
• Conserva Porrón on a Pedestal
• Norse Projects Falun Projects Sweatpants
• Forme Core Tee
• Ooni Pizza Oven
• Custom Michigan State bobblehead (of him)
• Nami Studio Custom Coach Jacket

Co-workers/Employees

I work at a nonprofit and I’m a manager for the first time. I want to get my 2 direct reports a thoughtful and relatively inexpensive (sub $50 each) gift. I’m putting a lot of pressure on this because it feels like I’m setting a standard or tradition with myself. Am I the nonfiction book gift-giving manager? The vague coffee shop gift card manager? The cookies in a holiday-themed commemorative tin manager? What happens when I add more people to my team?

• Standard Baggu set - one thing in different colors
• Gift cert to lunch spot near the office if you go into one
• Loop Switch Earplugs
• Nécessaire The Hand Cream or Aesop Reverence Aromatique Hand Balm
• Bookshop.org gift card
• JetPens gift card
• Hightide Gadget rest stand

Misc. 

Teenage son's girlfriend

• Rhode The Peptide Lip Tints
• Pleasing The Hot Holiday Set
• Olive & June Manicure or Pedicure System
• Fujifilm INSTAX MINI 12 Instant Camera
• A collector’s edition of a book you know she likes - The Folio Society has a good selection
• Wary Meyers Candles or Mar Mar Minis
• Analog Company Tote with Bobbins

The hillbilly neighbors who let us borrow their cat whenever we want.

• Ware of the Dog Felted Mouse Cat Toy
• Liquid Death cat toy
• Vetreska  or Lambwolf cat toys
• A best-in-class but not overtly FANCY food like Garrett Popcorn, O&H Danish Bakery kringle, and Pat La Frieda burgers

Incredible bestie - your most thoughtful friend who remembers your favorite treats and comes to stay with you postpartum to take care of you and make you feel like a human again. Contains multitudes-loves tasting menus but also bodega snacks and street food. Travel, thrifting, crafting, entertaining.

• Haricot Vert Custom Earrings
• Snackcrate, Bokksu, or World of Snacks
• Cochon Butcher Charcuterie
• Julia Turshen classes
• Edith Young Prints or her book Color Scheme: An Irreverent History of Art and Pop Culture in Color Palettes
• Lizzie Fortunato Confetti Letter Charms
• Sandy Liang x Subu Slippers
• Iko Iko Pillow
• La Réunion Studio Côte d'Ivoire Comb 
• Janessa Leone Cashmere Headband

Part 1 of our gift guide is here! We have an abundance of recs for stocking stuffers, boyfriends, husbands, moms, sons, and kids! 

Share any gift ideas with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva!

Gift yourself professional counseling with BetterHelp and take 10% off your first month with our link.

Tackle all of your holiday shopping at MoMA Design Store and take 10% off your purchase when you use or mention promo code ATHINGORTWO online and in US MoMA Design Stores through November 23, 2023.

YAY.

Stocking Stuffers

“We are only doing stockings for adults this year - all the fun stocking stuffers, please.”

• Opinel key chains
• Noso patches
• Scout Regalia sticky hooks
• Favorite musician merch - Olivia Rodrigo Perfect All-American Bitch hat
• Custom family matchbooks
• Nutscene Colorful Tiddler Twine
• Rose Los Angeles x Gossamer CBD Rosin Delights
• Redecker Hedgehog Table Brush
• Silk Daisy Chain Kit
• Nata Concept Store Farfalle Candle
• Hinoki Drawer Bag
• Lisa Angel bottle stoppers / Annie Raysee wine stopper
• TheWhiteStreetMarket wick trimmer
• Kahawa 1893 Single Serve Coffee Packs
• Brightland Olive Oil minis
• Sqwigl Straws
• Curaprox toothbrushes

Boyfriends/Husbands

My husband, 34. Senior web developer manager. Likes home projects, sci-fi books/tv, awesome dad to our 4 year old and 8 month old. He hates spending money and “doesn’t want gifts” but wants gifts. It’s historically been a damned if you do, damned if you don’t type situation. His favorite gifts from me ever have been a car washing kit, a woobles crochet kit, and a Dyson vacuum. Wtf do I get him now?!

• Sven-Saw
• Hoto Brushless Drill - .like the Dyson hairdryer of drills!
• Yuns Hardware gift certificate
• Singer Heavy Duty 4423 
• Open Studio: Do-It-Yourself Art Projects by Contemporary Artists by ​​Sharon Coplan Hurowitz and Amanda Benchley
• Harvest Label Sling Bag
• Slate Flosser
• Camper wool Wabi slippers
• Signed Ursula Le Guin or Octavia Butler

My graphic designer husband who likes quality over quantity, is picky and lives in fear I might buy him clothes as a gift.

• An architecture or design book from a city you visited over the last year—make it an annual thing?
• A piece of art or a study from an artist he likes (for something more accessibly priced, depending)
• Marjolein Delhaas 2024/366 Planner
• Higonokami Knife
• Rose Gold wrench
• Balmuda toaster 
• Bruno Munari Pencil Holder (with a set of Blackwing or Pineider pencils)
• Saint Olio body oil

Husband - new dad, hates buying himself anything. He's bookish and British, and his interests include cycling, cooking, video games, F1 and the Tottenham Hot Spurs. Everything nice he wears is because I bought it for him. Want to get him something good this year because he's been so underslept and overworked, juggling baby and a new job.

• Lewis Hamilton Almave
• Tottenham Hotspurs vintage gear
• Book repair (as recommended by Lauren in our Geneva last year)
• WhiteSpacePress on Etsy for vintage Penguin Classics, etc.
• Fog Linen Brass Cookbook stand or Puebco Cookbook Stand
• Persol 714 - Original (foldable) sunglasses
• Blackstock & Weber Loafers

Asked for gift ideas for a quar romance a few years ago. We bought a house together this year. He's wonderful. His favorite drink is espresso. He loves Guy Fieri. He plays an Irish sport called hurling. We go on bike rides together and love exploring new places. We both lost our grandmothers this year. 

• Air Fieri crewneck sweatshirt
• PillowsPostersPapers Guy Fieri Fan Sequin Pillowcase -we all just need to know this exists
• Ivo Angel Italian splatterware espresso cups
• Oaxacan espresso cup
• Baba Tree bike basket
• Nocs Provisions Binoculars
• Wren Off-Road Growler
• Safety Pizzeta
• The Expert
• Grounded Gift Card
• Kabin Bonfire Builder
• A custom print of something meaningful to him of his grandmother’s from The Heirloomist

Sons

Help! I'm desperate for gift ideas for my 22-year-old son. He's a new grad; job hunting, close to securing his first job, just moved home from Montreal. Uni girlfriend relocated from overseas to our hometown Toronto. He's very private. Hates receiving gifts (?!!?). Is gracious at the time he receives but they always find their way to the return pile. Loves a good bargain, and hates that we spend $ on him. Sooooo hard to buy for. Best gift ever was 3 month cheese subscription sent to school last year. Makes fun of the various prints I've bought him. Lots of friends, but very introverted; sporty; foodie; funny; middle child; does not share info, let alone gift ideas; nothing to see here folks, just move-on kinda guy. Help!!!!!!

• Gift cert for an Island Creek Oysters party with friends (plus a couple of shucking knives) or tinned fish. 
• Hawkins New York cheese knife set - under $40, looks fancier
• Ricki's Cheese Making Kits
• Sowaca Ceramic Cooking Pan
• The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt
• Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook: A Cookbook by Sohla El-Waylly
• Restaurant gift certs—something fancy he and the GF would never do on their own like Prime Seafood Palace or just a favorite spot of two of theirs that feels like a treat
• Luggage! Like the Wallybags Travel Garment Bag, Patagonia Black Hole Duffle Bag, and Alex Mill Perfect Weekday Tote. 

Moms/Mother in Laws 

Quintessential Midwest mom of 3 adult kids who loves baking, reading, watching PBS shows, musicals, traveling, and getting her steps in walking her two black labs. Has been referred to as the "mommiest mom" in the past. Puts up with a lot of BS from her curmudgeonly husband (my dad). I've given her many kitchen items and books over the years. Favorite brands are things like Emma Bridgewater, Hanna Anderson, and Talbots. I recently moved to NYC, so I'm hoping to get her something that will make her feel less "abandoned" and more cared for. Thank you for any suggestions!! 

• Met Opera on Demand
• TEKLA bathrobe
• Lake Pajamas
• 50 States, 50 Pies by Stacey Mei Yan Fong 
• Fresh Midwest: Modern Recipes from the Heartland by Maren Ellingboe King
• Haden electric tea kettle
• Galley & Fen oven mitt
• Vintage PBS shirts

Mom, in her mid-50s, a new grandma. Had a really hard year mental health-wise but making positive changes. Goes to therapy but new at it. Loves to be social, have dinners, see movies and Broadway shows. Loves 80s pop music and Jason Isbell. Enjoys trying new things but tends to move on to something else quickly.

• Molly Mahon block-printing kits
• Martha Mae How to Paint a Cloud Bundle
• Nora McInerny's “Don’t honk I’m already crying” bumper magnet - if she has the sense of humor for it!
• Semikolon 5-Year Diary / Midori 5-year Diary
• Loftie clock - because of sleep hygiene!
• Subscription to Mubi or Criterion Collection
• Subscription to Saipua TV…paired with Saipua Garden Tea that’s made by Deborah Needleman

My Mom! She's 70. A former elementary art teacher...retired and living on a budget. We completely mis-gift each other every year. I try to give her nice (not overly luxurious, but nice) scarves, sweaters, earrings, etc and they always flop. My brother and his girlfriend gave her a plastic porch goose and it's her favorite thing ever. She doesn't read. She's crafty but her medium is always changing and usually something very specific like needle felting.

• Pink Picasso paint-by-numbers custom kits or non-custom ones by Paint Anywhere
• Art Life Practice Kit
• Melanie Abrantes DIY Wood Carving Kits
• Friendly Loom Black and White Potholder Loom Kit 
• Pattern and supplies to DIY her own porch goose outfits—there’s even a crochet one for making hair for them?!
• A duck candleholder to go with her porch goose

Ok, how about my mom? I'll let you describe her though 😂.. something that's not a cookbook and also maybe not clothes because she buys those for herself anyway… In exchange, I'm sharing a brilliant gift idea (or at least I think so) for someone who likes to cook/bake a lot: mudaustralia.com. They have a line that you can not only bake on but then serve on because it's beautiful ceramic! Mom is a fancy Bay Area retired real estate lawyer w/ incredible taste, loves to cook and bake and is not intimidated by complicated recipes (has cooked basically everything from the Pok Pok cookbook), loves to entertain, has a fondness for cute animals and cute things in general. A good storyteller and letter writer, feels very strongly about thank you notes. A grandmother to two boys and a dog named Steve who dressed up as a martini for Halloween. Fashion sense errs towards high-end FUN— a think: Dries Van Noten, Commes des Garcons, etc. Is a very talented crafter with a whole room very chicly dedicated to it, has been very into needlepoint lately. Also a voracious reader.  

• Escali Primo Digital Scale 
• Masienda gift kit
• Laetitia Rouget Butterfingers Butter Dish
• Michelle Kim Chicken Mitt
• Helle Mardahl Espresso Cups
• TheMagic5 Swim Goggles gift cert 
• Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Trailblazing Architect
• Lena Rewell Throw

I need holiday gift help for my boyfriend's mother. A few details about her: She's a professor in the Boston area and an immigrant from a Scandinavian country. She has great taste (homewares, design) and a Scandinavian sense of restrained style -- she's a woman of a certain age after all, not a Copenhagen TikTok girlie. And she has nice-things disease. You know, the stuff in her house is nice. For a general sense of her style, she's always worn Birkenstock Bostons, carries an Everlane backpack to campus, and has functional and pretty cookware (like a beautiful espresso machine). I've struck out on all the gifts I've given her, and I thought I was good at gifting! They include a handmade and hand-painted pottery vase, artisan granola, and Lauren Groff's Fates and Furies (She said she liked her NYer stories, but alas the book didn't work, per her son) She has a dog she's obsessed with, and a beach house, though it's pretty outfitted. Maybe I could try something there? Food and wine/bev gifts are out because of health issues.

• Message Slides + Socks, for an alt to her Birkenstock Bostons
• Deiji Flannel Pajamas
• The Sleep Shirt
• Malaika x Kneeland Co. Seashell Towel
• Saint Olio Aromatic Dog Refresher
• Verloop dog sweater
• Pogo Pet Bowl

Very Christian mother-in-law who writes historical fiction

• Judy Kim Gingerbread Cookie Wreath
• Flowers of Provence by Jamie Beck
• Powder Puff Pullover
• Bridie Hall Intaglio Soaps

In search of gift ideas for my 83-year-old fancyish, but not fussy mother-in-law. Born and raised in DC, still rocks a blond bob, loves hydrangeas, obsessed with bunnies. Raised 5 kids and is over cooking but loves anything with cranberries, nuts and raisins. Hobbies include bowling, Irish dancing, shopping at Aldi, and finding a bargain. Very tech-challenged.

• Coral & Tusk Bunny Hydrangea Tea Towel
• Juliet Wine
• Block Shop Italian Cashmere Wrap
• Italian marquetry pieces from Litten Tree Antiques
• Mother Shrub in Cranberry
• Capital City Mambo Sauce Gift Set

Mother-in-law, early 70s, notoriously difficult and anxious, prefers austere things, drinks a lot of black, understated-but-fancy tea, secretly addicted to watching Teen Mom

• Lea & Nicholas beautifully austere mugs
• Hot Cool Tokyo Tea Storage Container or Kinto canister
• Umezawa Hinoki Tissue Box
• Naoto Fukasawa for Onao Co. Siwa Carryall Bag
• Bare Hands Dry Gloss Manicure Kit
• Annie Ernaux books

Mother-in-law has a big heart and a big personality. Is from Colombia. Likes blue, good food, and excellent tequila. Plays tennis and has picked up pickleball.

• Masienda mezcal cups / Kneeland Co. Rarities mezcal cups / Viski Himalayan salt shot glasses
• Verve Culture Mezcal and Tequila Infusion and Tasting Set
• Mi Cocina’s denim placemats/potholders/table runners
• Mark & Graham customizable pickleball bags
• Chefanie Tennis ball cocktail napkins
• Picnic Time Parisian Picnic Basket 
• Junedays cooler
• Tanchen Wine Bag
• Laines London tequila slippers

Kids

Impressing a 5-year-old on Christmas morning without a massive plastic Barbie house

• Haus or Follies playhouses
• SMOL bounce houses
• Wonder & Wise Theater Setup
• Gathre trampoline
• Lip Smacker Crayola 24-Piece Lip Balm Vault
• Eames Giant House of Cards Deck (and create-your-own ones)
• Ban.Do four in a row

All my friends just started having kids. Best gifts for babies under 1 year

• Nothing - donate in their name to the National Diaper Bank Network
• Bath crayons
• Stapelsteins
• Custom name tags from Label Weavers or Name Bubbles

A toddler whose parent wants "less stuff" in the house

• Consumables!
• Tattly x Richard Scarry 
• Twee sidewalk chalk name sets
• Soap Dough Co (℅ Kyra on IG)
• Supernatural sprinkles/baking sets
• The Dough Project Make Your Own Playdough Kit
• 
  

Two nephews, 2nd grade and 4th grade. Live in the Midwest. They both like video games. My sister-in-law and brother are recently teaching them that "expensive college isn't worth it" (even though my brother went to two expensive colleges and is a successful lawyer). I adamantly disagree. They play soccer, and violin (I also play violin). They don't seem to like sweets or treats unless it's pure sugar. They visit us and my parents in the mountains in Colorado often so they appreciate the outdoors but try not to go into it very much unless my parents force them to go backpacking. I don't want to buy them anything they expect, or that my SiL might throw away or think is too expensive. This is also kind of a gift guide request for my SIL if you're catching on to what she's like, too…

• Anyway Mag Subscription 
• Junior HappyMe Journal, for ages 6-12
• Bo and Mei Lunar New Year Celebration Boxes
• Custom Chuck Taylors
• Stylophone S1 Pocket Synthesizer and e-Blox Circuit Blox 120 Build Your Own Sound Machine and Radio 
• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
• Flik Flak Watches
• MMX Marshmallow Crossbow
• Who’s She? Board Game

See you next week for part 2! 

French-cuff your pants and open your Notes app because this week we’re diving into some cooking thoughts, new vocab, Nora Ephron lore, and more! 

Cookbooks! S/o to this tweet from Jen Rose Smith and Ali Slagle’s I Dream of Dinner, which has been Claire’s dinner salvation of late. As for the It veggies of the season, we present Grub Street’s “When Did Cabbage Get So Sexy?” and T mag's ”Radicchio Is in Season — And in Style.”

New terms to use in a sentence: biz rizz, friend-in-law, and RFP, as applied to dating. 

Fall reading material: I’ll Have What She’s Having by Erin Carlson. See also: I Shock Myself by Beatrice Wood and No Crying in Baseball about the making of A League of Their Own.

Now a question: Is “How ‘bout that?” a thing outside of the Travis Kelce cinematic universe? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva!

Find more weeknight dinner recipes at Pillsbury.com. 

Discover so many more natural diamond truths at naturaldiamonds.com/thankyou.

Learn from the best with MasterClass and get an additional 15% off an annual membership with our link.

YAY.

We’re back to talk Thingies with Karah Preiss, the co-founder of Belletrist, an online reading community and production company she started with Emma Roberts. She’s an executive producer of Tell Me Lies and First Kill and so many things you will watch IN THE FUTURE, and she’s also just an absolute delight. 

First things first, we gotta discuss Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein. 

Karah’s Thingies include The Cockmark (somehow reading-related), May December (out November 17), Rosie O'Donnell (and the taxi announcements of yore and her Friend of Barbie doll), Jenna Lyons, and Tumblr (and, related, the Pop Culture Died in 2009 account and the Swipewipe app). 

Share *your* Thingies with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva!

Count on Shopify for all your ecomm needs and get a free 14-day trial with our link.

Give your hair a boost with Nutrafol. Take $15 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

Start professional counseling with BetterHelp and take 10% off your first month with our link.

Discover so many more natural diamond truths at naturaldiamonds.com/thankyou.

YAY.

We’re pursuing some new interests this week including picking apart oral-care TikTok, attending monster truck rallies, and finding angry aunts that give incredible advice. OOOH, and don’t forget to hit us up with your gift-guide requests—the phone lines are open!

Need noise-cancelers for your next monster truck rally (or Eras viewing)? We’re fans of Loop Earplugs. And! Zach Helfand on Monster Jam for The New Yorker.

Highly recommend The Brooding column by Kathryn Jezer-Morton for The Cut, 

Especially the pieces "Raising Kids Is the ‘Best Job in the World.’ Why Is Caring for the Elderly the Worst?" + "My Mom Is Selfish. Do I Still Have to be a ‘Good Daughter’?" + "Are Helicopter Parents Actually Lazy?" Kathryn Jezer-Morton is also behind Joanna Goddard’s post-divorce Q&A and "What If You Just Didn’t Clean That Up?" Related-ish: Tamar Adler’s food scraps advice newsletter The Kitchen Shrink, Maddie Coleman’s newsletter Wait Have Your Read This?, and the site Girlhood.

For oral-care recs, we were inspired by this Claudia Sulewski TikTok, Curaprox toothbrushes (this travel set!), and the Slate Flosser. 

Which True Citrus are you? Did The White Gown traumatize you as much as it traumatized us? Please let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva!

Discover so many more natural diamond truths at naturaldiamonds.com/thankyou.

Look into an MBA from The Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business.

Join Book of the Month and get your first book for just $5 with the code SPOOKY.

YAY.

We’ve got a grab bag for you today featuring tampon testing, Boynton Blends, Chicken Salad Chicks, and capturing the elusive joy of shopping while at the gas station. 

We were blown away by this Mother Jones article “​​Wait, Tampons Weren’t Being Tested With Human Blood?”

We’re back on our Sandra Boynton beat! See Audrey Gelman’s piece for The Strategist about  Boynton Blends coffee, Anne Diven's Gaga x Sandra TikTok, and an eBay trove of vintage wallpaper.

Friends, we had to do a deep-dive on Chicken Salad Chick (thank you to this How I Built This ep for much of the intel!).  

Jacob Gallagher's "The Hottest Shop in America Is Your Local Gas Station" for the WSJ is very quotable—and about the state of shopping, really. 

Have you eaten Chicken Salad Chick?! Tell us everything at  833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva!

Find more weeknight dinner recipes at Pillsbury.com. 

BOTM

YAY.

Finally, it’s time to talk about our current favorite Rs: rats, rain clogs, and romance! 

Our rain-clog conversation has reached new heights! As in: We have a Calzuro review for you. 

Holiday shopping season is starting early because the Staten Island Pizza Rat hats are back in stock. 

Now onto romance! For an IRL one, try Julia Allison and Noah Feldman. Fictional romances we love include You, Again by Kate Goldbeck (bonus read: this Vulture story about fanfics-turned-bestsellers by Elizabeth Held), The Art of Scandal by Regina Black, Tessa Bailey’s books including It Happened One Summer, Hook, Line, and Sinker, Fix Her Up, and Chase Me, and Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan. Re: sports romances, see Icebreaker by Hannah Grace, The Deal by Elle Kennedy, Kennedy Ryan in general, and this GQ interview with Phillies player Bryce Harper. Also! Let’s talk about Danielle Steel’s desk—Samantha Leach did a good profile of the icon for Glamour—and Rachel Antonoff’s fall fashion campaign (completely unrelated but we love her email roundups to her vet).  

Share the romances you’re into with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

Try professional counseling from BetterHelp and take 10% off your first month with our link.

Take care of your hair with Nutrafol. Take $15 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

Learn from the best with MasterClass and get an additional 15% off an annual membership with our link.

YAY.