A Thing or Two with Claire and Erica

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 follo...

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).

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. 

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....

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 la...

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’...

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 Nel...

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! 

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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...

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 R...

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 discour...

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: ...

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...

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 Sta...

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 whol...

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 ...

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...

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...

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. 

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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-P...