Nyming, Labor Musicals, and Autograph Books

We’re *nyming*! This week we’re covering the new era of nyms (acronyms): LIWMs (Laura Ingalls Wilder Museums), ABs (autograph books), LMs (labor musicals), SKSs (squeaky kids shoes), and CPAs (co-parenting apps). TTYL!

the linkage:

• Our new nyming era is inspired by one of our greatest TikTok minds, Jake Shane (see the toks here and here). We also reminisce on Erica’s chronicles of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and Nancy Meyer’s Instagram post about her daughter’s autograph book, and we can’t get over the Ikiki kid’s shoe lore, specifically the stories of Gina the Giraffe, Rafiq the Rhino, and Brittany Eversweet. AND! Give us all the intel on OurFamilyWizard—we’ll start with celebs that use the app and the company’s new offices.
  

• If you’re looking to observe strike season, check out our favorite labor musicals The Pajama Game (1957) and Newsies (1992). Queue up “Carrying The Banner” and “Seize the Day”; cackle at the signs from a Newsies-themed WGA picket at Disney. 
  

• We will hear any and all of your favorite nyms at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva!

the sponsors (and promos!)

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

• Find wellness on your next stay at Westin.
  

• Cancel your unwanted subscriptions with Rocket Money—and manage your money the easy way.
  

• Get  50% off your first DoorDash order up to a $20 value when you use the code ATHINGORTWO at checkout.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Alpaca Fashion Shows and Beauty Insider Priya Rao's Thingies

A new day calls for new Thingies with Priya Rao, executive editor of The Business of Beauty at BoF and creator of the Glossy narrative skin-lightening podcast Unfair. But first: a camelid costume contest.

the linkage:

• Priya’s beauty-centric Thingies include 111 Skin Eye Lift Gel NAC Y²™, Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream, Ilia Limitless Mascara , and Half Magic’s Glitter Pill. Her non-beauty Thingies? Cadets shorts for her kiddo (Claire also loves Billie Blooms), Lovevery Play Kits, The West Wing (and, ok, Felicity, Joy Ride, and Past Lives). Bonus reccomendations: the Sherri Papini story (coming soon in doc form), Scamanda, My Husband by Maud Ventura, and The Retrievals. 
  

• Do you have new Thingies? Share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva!

the sponsors (and promos!)

• Help out your hair with Nutrafol. Take $15 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.
  

• Find wellness on your next stay at Westin.
  

• Head back to school with an MBA from The Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business.
  

• Cancel your unwanted subscriptions with Rocket Money—and manage your money the easy way.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Same Grade, Mood Boards, and Why We Don’t Get the Good Ice-Cream Bars in America

The oddness of mood boards, some back-to-school content, and one heck of a food journey, featuring international ice cream, dream potato-chip collaborations, and dip delicacies worth dealing with baggage claim. Buckle in! 

the linkage:

• The oddness of mood boards, some back-to-school content, and one heck of a food journey, featuring international ice cream, dream potato-chip collaborations, and dip delicacies worth dealing with baggage claim. Buckle in! 
  

• Erica loves Word. notebooks, and Claire is all about the MochiThings checklist ones.
  

• Some foods discussed: Magnum Double Starchaser, Jon and Vinny’s house salad, the 40 Aprons creamy clam dip recipe, Tenayo bean dip, Brothers Products black bean chipotle hummus, NYT's vegan onion dip recipe, and Gwyneth’s black bean recipe.
  

• This AIGA Eye on Design story by Elizabeth Goodspeed had us reconsidering the mood board. 
  

• Decoupage! Some of our favorite pieces are ones by Michelle Kim (see also: Kneeland Co.), John Derian, Joseph Heidecker, and Quintana Partners. See also: all the good stuff on Chairish. And, PSA: Mod Podge makes dishwasher-safe gloss and has incredible branding in general.
  

• Share how you do your to-do lists with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva!

the sponsors (and promos!)

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

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

• Find wellness on your next stay at Westin.
  

• Embrace BTS season with an MBA from The Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business.
  

• Start hiring now with a $75 sponsored-job credit to upgrade your job post at Indeed.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Morning Baths, Workout Wear, Butter Money, and Kale Phones

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). 

the linkage:

• 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!

the sponsors (and promos!)

• Paint your nails like a pro with Olive & June and use the code ATHINGORTWO for 20% off your first Mani System.
  

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

• Give your hair an assist with Nutrafol. Take $15 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.
  

• Find wellness on your next stay at Westin.
  

• Head back to school with an MBA from The Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Regrettably Worth It and Driving

Get it, bitch, we’re going…to talk all about cars, with a sprinkling of Thingies that are regrettably worth it. 

the linkage:

• 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!

the sponsors (and promos!)

• Get some support with professional counseling from BetterHelp and take 10% off your first month with our link.
  

• Shop for groceries with Thrive Market and take 30% off your first order plus snag a free $60 gift when you use our link.
  

• Find wellness on your next stay at Westin.
  

• Become a green thumb with Fast Growing Trees—15% off your order when you use our link.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

The Notebook, Stickers, and Your Pioneer Intel

We share our (hot?) takes on stickers and The Notebook; we share yours on your younger selves and Pioneer Day.

the linkage:

• This week’s past-selves quotes come to you via Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didian and this profile of Ryan Gosling in GQ by Zach Baron.
  

• The Notebook—James Marsden also has thoughts, ℅ this W mag profile by Evan Ross Katz. Related-ish: Roger Ebert’s own love story ​​"Roger loves Chaz."
  

• Stickers! Sandylion on Etsy, @stickerarchive, Red Bubble's nineties collection, and the Xyron Create-A-Sticker, for starters. 
  

• Let us know if you’re watching 1883 at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva!

the sponsors (and promos!)

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

• Find wellness on your next stay at Westin.
  

• Level-up your garden with Fast Growing Trees—15% off your order when you use our link.
  

• Start hiring now with a $75 sponsored-job credit to upgrade your job post at Indeed.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Parenting Brush-Offs, Your Thingies, and Corn

Today we’re diving into *your* Instagram Thingies submissions, rain clogs (yes, again), parenting stuff, and—wait for it—cotton-candy burritos.

the linkage:

• We learned about cotton-candy burritos via Amy Sedaris’s wonderfully random IG account. Who’s opening that Creamberry franchise? 
  

• Two most popular Thingies right now: Checking out cookbooks from the library and the Owala FreeSip water bottle. Speaking of beverages, y’all have many ideas, including ice-cold Lillet Blanc with frozen orange slices, a Hugo spritz (prosecco + elderflower + soda water), a homemade Arnold Palmer, and a matcha lemonade (a close personal friend of said Arnold Palmer). 
  

• Re: golf, Malbon’s collab with Nike (see also: Laura Reilly’s Magasin newsletter). Re: rain clogs, Calzuros, for your consideration. And do we all know about the AIGA Eye on Design blog?
  

• In your good-news corner: Brentwood Country Mart’s celebration of Ninja Dave's retirement from UPS. Related: that Man Repeller style profile of their USPS guy, Aubrey Dowridge.
  

• CORN! SeaVees shoes, Fernando Laposse wood, Shucked, fresh corn mochi cake c/o Food Network (paired with all the corn soft-serve we’re seeing), and Corn Kid content (the original viral video here; its musical remix here).
  

• Finally, if you’re in NYC, do yourself a favor and see Alex Edelman’s one-man Just For Us on Broadway. (Related-ish: the romance novel A Shot in the Dark by Victoria Lee.)
  

• What Thingies are you loving right now!? Share with us at  833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva!

the sponsors (and promos!)

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

• Find more weeknight dinner recipes at Pillsbury.com. 
  

• Find wellness on your next stay at Westin.
  

• Take advantage of the Partner to Empower program for entrepreneurs of color from Brookfield Properties—apply by August 11.
  

• Watch your garden flourish with Fast Growing Trees—15% off your order when you use our link.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

PMS and Joy (Brought to You by Jubilance!)

This week, we’re talking all things PMS and the many, many joy-givers in our lives. Shout-out to this ep’s sponsor, Jubilance, the most advanced scientific PMS mood relief supplement. Yes, that’s a thing—one that you can try by heading on over to jubilance.com/AThingOrTwo or using the coupon code ATHINGORTWO at checkout.

the linkage:

• Kicking things off strong with the TikTok Taylor Swift Albums as Period Flows Pt. 2, which reminds us how major it was when Kotex used red liquid instead of blue and when Always got a ton of credit for showing…a red dot (more on the bluid from The Atlantic). 
  

• PMS can get worse as you age—and is tied to mental health stuff. More on that from Health.com and Romper.
  

• Happy, happy vs. joy, joy?? Reading c/o a Psychology Today interview with Dr. Pamela King, Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee by, and Inciting Joy by Ross Gay. 
  

• The hot bunny account: @officialaqibra.
  

• What brings YOU joy? Share with us at  833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva!.

the sponsors (and promos!)

• Try Jubilance for $10 off by visiting jubilance.com/AThingOrTwo or use the coupon code ATHINGORTWO at checkout.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Covered Wagon Core, Friendship Ambition, and Summer Movies

Coming through with some thoughts on the intersection of friendship and ambition, covered wagon core (not to be confused with cottagecore!), and ~summer movies~.

the linkage:

• Following up on our Wilder conversation, we’d like to discuss covered wagon core. See Kim K.’s CR Fashion Book spread “The Pioneer Woman,” Rudy Jude, Salter House, and making jam. 
  

• Re: actual covered wagons, Conestoga does a luxe wagon and a bar wagon, both, and Pioneer Woman has a roundup of campgrounds with covered wagons.
  

• Rainesford Stauffer’s “We Should Be Ambitious About Our Friendships” for Elle sparked our convo about friendship ambition—she’s also the author of An Ordinary Age: Finding Your Way in a World That Expects Exceptional and the new All the Gold Stars: Reimagining Ambition and the Ways We Strive. 
  

• We love this tweet about friendship discussion agendas. As for books, this topic calls to mind Courtney Martin’s The New Better Off, Kayleen Schaefer’s Text Me When You Get Home, Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman’s Big Friendship, and Hua Hsu’s Stay True. 
  

• On our TBR list: Sheila Liming’s Hanging Out: The Radical Power of Killing Time. (In the meantime: “The Case for Hanging Out” by Dan Kois for Slate and The Ezra Klein Show episode "The ‘Quiet Catastrophe’ Brewing in Our Social Lives.") 
  

• Bring on the summer movies! Obsessed with Past Lives, itching to see Theater Camp, Joy Ride, Problemista (see also: I Want to Be a Vase by Julio Torres), Red, White, & Royal Blue, Challengers, and, of course, Barbie (all the prophecies, including Margot Robbie in Vogue and Greta Gerwig in Gentlewoman, whet the appetite).
  

• Do you have easy, low-pressure ways to keep up with friends? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! And for more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership.

the sponsors (and promos!)

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

• Find more weeknight dinner recipes at Pillsbury.com. 
  

• Take advantage of the Partner to Empower program for entrepreneurs of color from Brookfield Properties—apply by August 11.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Squishy Cheeses and Life-Improvers

Cottage cheese, pimento cheese, and us bringing our trademark cheese???

the linkage:

• Cottage cheese—"whey cool," per the WSJ; a forever classic, per us. Skip the TikTok recipes and try this savory Bon Appétit salad or this (also BA) horseradish dip. If you’re in NYC, get yourself to Dimes for the breakfast Papaya D’Lite. (Somehow related: charred Mexican zucchini recipe.)
  

• Calling all pimento cheeseheads: We rec Callie’s and Zingerman’s, wanna try this NYT Cooking frittata, and got a real history lesson from Serious Eats. 
  

• It’s a life-hackathon, and the winners are the sticker produce thing, Option-Shift-Command-V and keeping stain remover in the bedroom (see also: Miss Mouth’s, savon de Marseille, and Soak).
  

• All hail long vacation lunches! If you happen to be in Paris, get yourself to Glou and Mokonuts.
  

• Some community Thingies submitted via our Instagram: Taylor Swift Lyric Sporcles, Famous Amos cookies (um, this, ℅ the History Channel!), and the Nili Lotan Brady tee (file under: regrettably worth it). 
  

• What’s regrettably worth it in your life? Do you have a family apple? Share 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 sponsors (and promos!)

• Treat your hair to Nutrafol. Take $15 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.
  

• Find more weeknight dinner recipes at Pillsbury.com. 
  

• Get your groceries with Thrive Market and take 30% off your first order plus snag a free $60 gift when you use our link.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Laura Ingalls Wilder, Savannah Bananas, and the Floss Life

It’s time to revisit some ghosts of podcasts past, from rain clogs to private creative practices to an incredibly detailed review of an electric flosser.

the linkage:

• Our discussion of fun sports experiences is ongoing thanks to the Savannah Bananas, an exhibition baseball team that’s a must-follow on Instagram and TikTok. More on their founding story via WBUR. 
  

• A morning-pages follow-up: Wendy MacNaughton created a DrawTogether 30-day Drawing Habit Experiment Challenge as a visual companion/alt. A quick hospice aside: Check out her forthcoming book How to Say Goodbye and the new release The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments by Hadley Vlahos R.N.
   

• A IG Thingies contributor recommended Plasticana mules as a summer rain shoe. And speaking of summer moisture, our listener Carly suggests battling mosquitos with Tougher than Tom Mosquito TNT. Report back?
  

• On a private writing—or any creative!—practice, this Hanif Abdurraqib’s tweet thread.
  

• Looking for a gift? May we suggest some of the items we are obsessing over, like Cat’s Cradle (see also: this TikTok), a Slate Flosser, Message sandals, and the Forme bra.  
  

• Can’t shut up about the podcast Wilder! It digs deep into Laura Ingalls Wilder (good and bad) and made us think of this classic 2007 Jezebel piece by Lizzie Skurnick.
  

• Let us know your flossing philosophy at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! And for more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership.

the sponsors (and promos!)

• Give professional counseling a go with BetterHelp and take 10% off your first month with our link.
  

• Perfect your at-home manicure with Olive & June and use the code ATHINGORTWO for 20% off your first Mani System.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

The Other Summer Dressing, Overhosting, and Minor League Baseball

It’s time to soothe your mind about summer (salad) dressing stress! Also, we talk the ideal American sporting event and overhosting, a term that speaks to us more than we’d like. 

the linkage:

• Some dressings for summer and really whenever: Via Carota’s, Toro Bravo's, and Kewpie’s BUT FROM JAPAN. Both Mark Bittman and Samin Nosrat do a strong miso-mustard, and our no-recipe recipes are a honey-mustard (just honey, French’s yellow, red-wine vinegar, and olive oil) and the never-fail combo of ketchup, mayo, Old Bay, lemon, and salt. 
  

• Re: minor-league (and G league) sports, more on the short-lived Pizza Rats c/o the New York Post. 
  

• If you’re magnesium-curious, look into the ones from Moon Juice, Calm, and ReMag. 
  

• What makes a summer dressing to you? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! Grab a Secret Menu membership for all the recommendations.

the sponsors (and promos!)

• Trust Shopify with all your ecomm needs and get a free 14-day trial with our link.
  

• Try SKIMS Fits Everybody and get free shipping on orders over $75.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Creativity and Exercise Updates That Feel Weirdly Related

Can we spend a little time talking about creativity and exercise, including how our takes on both are feeling surprisingly similar these days? GREAT. Let’s get into it.

the linkage:

• 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.

the sponsors (and promos!)

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

• Thwart PMS with Jubilance and get $10 off with the code ATHINGORTWO.
  

• Amp up your garden with Fast Growing Trees and take 15% off your entire order with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Bugs and Mattie Kahn’s (Young and Restless) Thingies

We’ve been graced with Thingies from Mattie Kahn, the author of wonderful new book Young and Restless, all about the teenage girls who have fueled America’s biggest-deal social movements. But first: bugs.

the linkage:

• Some great bug-repelling options include Gardner FlyWeb Fly Light Classic, LIV by Thermacell, Neepa Huts, Lygfzf screens, Bluefeel Kruca Camping Fan, and incense c/o Fredericks & Mae, Rinnesha (put it in a kayari buta!), and Madison James.
  

• Young and Restless—the perfect read for right now…or any time.
  

• Mattie’s Thingies include Sunday-morning newsletter review time (ft. Lauren Sherman’s Line Sheet, Becky Malinsky’s 5 Things You Should Buy, Hunter Harris’s Hung Up, Eater’s Add To Cart, and Rachel Tashjian Wise's Opulent Tips), Frog Hollow Farm (um, a Battle of the Peaches Box!), Salt & Straw ice cream deliveries, the Forsyth skirt by Kallmayer, and Saie Glowy Super Gel.
  

• Have Thingies you NEED to tell us about? Share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! Grab a Secret Menu membership for more, more recommendations.

the sponsors (and promos!)

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

• Tackle PMS with Jubilance and get $10 off with the code ATHINGORTWO.
  

• Stock up on groceries with Thrive Market and get 30% off your first order plus a free $60 gift when you use our link.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Gummies, Night Phones, and a Couple New *Strategies*

Sound your alarms! Today we’re rounding up alarm clock suggestions from our listeners, dedicating a much-needed 15 minutes to talk about gummy candy, and incorporating some new lingo into our (ever-evolving?) vocabs.

the linkage:

• Alarm clocks suggested by our listeners include Lexon Cubissimo (shoutout to Sarah in our Geneva!) and Flip+ Travel. Also, how genius is having a NIGHT PHONE!?! (<< TY, Kara.)
  

• Next time you want a gummy treat, chew on BonBon. Come on with their their gift boxes, and grab a bag of Kolsvart while you’re there. Reading while you’re chomping: "Sweet and Squishy as Ever, the Gummy Universe Keeps Expanding" from NYT.
  

• Our philosophy around clusters of convenience (and ending errands with a little treat) reminds us of this Gossamer interview with Molly Young.
  

• What are your favorite clusters of convenience? Share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva!. Grab a Secret Menu membership for more, more recommendations.

the sponsors (and promos!)

• Give the best gifts with MoMA Design Store.
  

• Do your hair a favor with Nutrafol. Take $15 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.
  

• Master the at-home manicure with Olive & June and use the code ATHINGORTWO for 20% off your first Mani System.

• 
  Tell PMS to peace out with Jubilance and get $10 off with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Summer Dressing Conundrums Continued

As the temps rise, we’re starting to think more and more about what to wear in *this weather* (and, while we’re at it, the celebs we love so much we’d like to give thim a daytime talk show).

the linkage:

• Are you paying enough attention to Brandi Carlile? As in, are you watching her coach her daughter on how to use a drill? See also: The Highwomen and their songs "Crowded Table" and "Redesigning Women" specifically. 
  

• Onto summer dressing! (Shoutout to our last summer dressing ep, too.) And the never-ending search for summer dresses! In an effort to replicate the glory days of an old cotton Apiece Apart Josefina dress, Claire is trying out the Flore Flore Esme dress. 
  

• For denim shorts, Claire recommends Raey’s Rivet and Tahiti styles, and Erica loves Agolde’s Parker take. 
  

• Summer shoes! On the sandal front, look to Message and Emme Parsons’s folded slides. For chipped-pedicure days, Repetto, Drogheria Crivellini, Martiniano (for The Row-ish look), and Rothy’s—they do a buzzed-about Mary Jane. Your open-toe mule fuel: Reike Nen (padded cut-out and woven and fringe!), Staud Simone and Janine, and Dries Van Noten (<< sale-alert-worthy).
  

• On a T-shirt journey? We’ve been into Buck Mason, Flore Flore, Sunray, Sunspel, and The Great. 
  

• The button-up—under-appreciated summer savior! we like Alex Mill's Double-Button Shirt,  Estella’s Gemma, Chava Studio's custom (!!) designs (and their Madewell collab), and  Citizens of Humanity’s Kayla. For some styling tips, look to Leandra Medine, Amy Smilovic, and this YouTube tutorial.
  

• Onto accessories that help you keep your cool! MoMA Design Store has exclusive colors of fans by Nishikawa Shoroku Shoten (at it  since 1585!!!), and peppermint oil (Claire likes the De Mamiel Altitude Oil) works wonders.
  

• As for HOT RAIN, maybe a garden clog is the answer?? Gardenheir has Italian AND French styles, and we also like the SeaVees Bodega and Birkenstock Super-Birki. Best lightweight rain jacket: Patagonia Houdini. Or should we lean into pochos, like the ones from Rainkiss, Rains, Stutterheim, and Puebco? 
  

• UM, who wants to start that umbrella company? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or joinour Geneva! For more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership

the sponsors (and promos!)

• Get some green with Fast Growing Trees and take 15% off your entire order with the code ATHINGORTWO.
  

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

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Community Spaces, the Hair on Our Faces

Grabbing into a bag full of community-building opps, a fantastic celeb memoir, unhinged TikTok content, a hair-removal tool we’re into, tulip hacks, and….juice marketing?

the linkage:

• Our adventure at Peoplehood—more on that here—has us adding Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam to our reading list and thinking long and hard (too long, too hard?) about Amanda Mull’s piece for The Atlantic on Bed Bath & Beyond’s closing.
  

• File Tell Me Everything: A Memoir by Minka Kelly alongside Demi Moore’s Inside Out. 
  

• Check out the hashtag #Unhinged7thheaven on TikTok for a wild ride. 
  

• We endorse: Tweezerman’s Smooth Finish Facial Hair Remover, this trick that makes tulips stand tall, and the copywriting going on over at Eager.
  

• Thoughts on sharing contacts…or anything at all? Hit us up at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! For more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership.

the sponsors (and promos!)

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

• Slip into SKIMS Fits Everybody and get free shipping on orders over $75.
  

• Give Bad on Paper a listen—if you like this podcast, you’ll like that one.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Oblivion Time and Taking Our Fandom More Seriously

Don’t zone out just yet! This week we’re talking about what we do during our “oblivion time” and fandoms of our past, present, and future.

the linkage:

• Some fandom-related content: “The Bethenny Clause,” the book Everything I Need I Get from You by Caitlin Tiffany, the article "‘It Made Me Believe That Love Wasn’t Real Anymore. And I Puked.’ Swifties on Cornelia Street take the Joe Alwyn breakup news as well as you’d expect" by Rachel Handler for Vulture, and the article "Psychologists Say That Belonging To A Fandom Is Amazing For Your Mental Health" by Brianna Wiest for Teen Vogue. Also: our past convo about this (and concert specifically).
  

• Also relevant to our personal fandoms: The Baby-Sitters Club and the fact that the artist Hodges Soileau is selling the original paintings of the covers, Gudetama (and his NYT Dining section coverage), and the My Best Friend’s Wedding soundtrack. 
  

• We want to know: How are you filling your oblivion time? And do you have alarm clock recs?? Share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! For more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership.

the sponsors (and promos!)

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

• Drink water like never before thanks to air up. Get the best of both worlds, tasty flavors, and all the benefits of water today at https://airup.link/40V3Ltw

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Walking, Recycling Bottles, and Two Nostalgic Mall Brands

We’re reminiscing about niche educational retail chains of our youth, making a case for pecans, and learning the rules of a hot girl walk (<< there are rules).

the linkage:

• Our research on Zany Brainy (which now has a nostalgic merch project) revived our affection for Sanrio, Klutz, Creativity for Kids, and Brain Quest. 
  

• Enter the The Nature Company v. Natural Wonders discourse via this YouTube video. Also, Buzzfeed's got a zesty take on a bunch o’ bygone mall stores. 
  

• Onto pecans, the nut’s nut. For pies, we rec the recipe in Stars Desserts by Emily Luchetti…and the one on the back of the Karo corn syrup bottle. Also for your consideration: Food52’s flourless pecan cake, Smitten Kitchen’s peach and pecan sandy crumble, NYT Cooking wok-fried asparagus and walnuts (subbing pecans), and Claire’s breakfast combo of pecans + Cocojune yogurt + berries. 
  

• The hot girl walk comes to us via TikTok user Mia, @exactlyliketheothergirls. And walk, don’t run, to the ample NYT walking coverage: "The Next Walk You Take Could Change Your Life," "A Little Motivation to Take a Walk," and "Whatever the Problem, It’s Probably Solved by Walking." 
  

• The NY State bottle bill, fascinating stuff that we learned about from Rothy’s. Related: The Guppyfriend washing bags to keep microplastics out of waterways.
  

• Share your Zany Brainy memories with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! For more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership.

the sponsors (and promos!)

• Score the best gifts from MoMA Design Store.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.

Food Phenom Sue Chan’s Thingies and the Oh-So-Good Judy Blume Doc

Judy Blume forever!! A rallying cry and also the name of an incredible doc we need you to watch. And, let’s talk Thingies with Sue Chan, a tastemaker’s tastemaker—if you’ll allow it—who has all the event-hosting and condiment intel you need over at Care of Chan.

the linkage:

• Plz watch the documentary Judy Blume Forever! And dig into Forever…, and Wifey with us?
  

• For all your *entertaining needs*, check out Sue’s site Care of Chan, which launches Thurs., April 27, with guides, interviews, and essays from chefs, florists, and producers to help us all feel more confident and comfortable with any sort of event-hosting we’re taking on.
  

• Sue’s Thingies include condiments from The Japanese Pantry (specifically togarashi—also love us some Cabi and The Mala Market!), dried fruits from Yun Hai, masa from Masienda (their La Chicharra bowls, too), produce from Cookbook Los Angeles and the Hollywood Farmers' Market, a donabe from Toiro Kitchen, and custom stationery from Pettinaroli in Milan (for more gifting: Flamingo Estate). Some of her favorite restaurants for booking a six-top in NYC are Odeon, Omen Azen, and Lucien. 
  

• Share your Thingies with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! For more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership.

the sponsors (and promos!)

• Turn to Shopify, the trustiest ecomm platform around, and get a free 14-day trial with our link.
  

• Drink water like never before thanks to air up. Get the best of both worlds,  tasty flavors, and all the benefits of water today at https://airup.link/3Mhd7M7. Use code ATHINGORTWO for 15% off your purchase.
  

• Listen to Bad on Paper—if you like this podcast, you’ll like that one.

YAY.

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.