A whirlwind of enjoyable fun!

It's been a minute, and we are in dire need of a catch up!

Nov 25, 2024

Somebody who loves you had an emergency appendectomy, and all you got was this stupid newsletter. Readers, you are you in this situation, and I’m the somebody. About a month ago, I went into the ER with some stomach pain — and it turns out that sometimes they make you get surgery for that!! Afterwards, I fell into the temptation of falling off the face of the Earth for a bit; the recovery, plus the election, had me in a state of feeling… Let’s say generally unwell. But I’m almost fully recovered by now and I’ve decided it’s time to bounce back! I’m not superstitious, but throughout my life, odd years have been good to me while even ones — not so much. The curse has yet to be broken, so I’m holding out hope that 2025 will make up for it. Until then, we hunted and gathered and brought you some links and recommendations. Plus, I included a power ranking of all the shows I watched while recovering. — LM

I’m gearing up for what my fiancé and his family calls “a whirlwind of enjoyable fun” — a week filled with much anticipated, sometimes plain, sometimes out of the ordinary but never unremarkable events. This year my friends and I are skipping the hometown bar Thanksgiving eve circuit in favor of Soupsgiving, a competition in which I’ll be bringing my legendary butternut squash recipe from college (I do not think it will taste as good as it did back then after midnight and several drinks, but we’ll see!) I’ll cheer my sister and Lilly and another friend of ours on at a 5K on Thanksgiving morning, go to Paul’s for dinner part one and my family’s for dinner part two later in the evening. Maybe I’ll see Wicked. My sister will be home from college, so I’ll also be trying on wedding dresses with my family this weekend, and then at another boutique with one of my best friends who’s also getting married. There’s karaoke on the agenda, Black Friday sales to get lost in, and not to be all “My weekend as a 28-year-old living in Chicago” but I can’t wait!

I hope you all have a good holiday week too. Doorknob confession here, but I’ve been thinking a lot about social violence (Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson, Gladiator II, the fallout of the election, ED culture online, microaggressions, jealousy, the way sneezing into your elbow seems to be going out of fashion, or the idea that we owe each other anything at all, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.) Maybe you’ll hear more from me soon on that stuff, but in the meantime — Be good to each other, to yourself, be thankful! — MF

My Recovery TV Power Ranking

In need of a binge watch? Here’s some suggestions. No, I won’t explain. — LM

Fleabag (I know, I’m late!!)
All of RHOSLC except (and I hate to say it) season 5
Rewatching all of Sex and the City
The Martha documentary on Netflix
The current season of Great British Bakeoff
The current season of Survivor
The current season of Outer Banks
…
…
The current season of RHONY (you could never make me turn on Sonja and the Countess - sorry!)
The squad on Thanksgiving Eve. — MF

Hunter-gatherer corner

What we’ve read and DMed each other about latel

“The Promises Martha Stewart Made—and Why We Wanted to Believe Them” by Joan Didion - The New Yorker — There was a lot I loved about the Martha Stewart documentary — most of all that it made me realize how little I knew about Stewart. Afterwards, I was on a Martha kick, so I enjoyed looking back into the archives at Didion’s profile of the homemaking magnate. — LM
“What Kind of Crier Are You?” by Christina Caron - The New York Times — This was a cute interactive quiz! Apparently I am an “attachment crier” and a “compassionate crier.” I’ll literally cry for anything though, so I don’t think this quiz can encapsulate my multitudes :// — MF
“Going Dull” by Katy Schneider - Intelligencer — Everyone in every city has borderline the same Instagram stories, which is its own anthropological wonder (again, there’s that “28-year-old in Chicago” effect). This piece on The Dull Men’s Club was a fascinating look at another kind of social “sameness,” one that doesn’t strive to be interesting at all but is captivating for that very reason. — MF
“These apps promise to help you make new friends. Could it work for me?” by Allie Volpe - Vox — My colleague tried Hey Vina!, TimeLeft, and Bumble BFF (which I’ve personally had a good amount of success on!) and had a positive experience with all three. Your mileage may vary, but it can’t hurt to put yourself out there. — MF
“I told you so” by
Sam Kriss
-
Numb at the Lodge
— While I don’t agree with this essay in its entirety, it’s one of my favorite things I’ve read about the election. —MF

Trying to channel her spirit in a BIG way — LM

Why Not?

Why Not? is our biweekly list of recommendations. Think recipes, gift guides, podcasts, clothes, and anything we consider to be generally chic. Have a suggestion? Let us know!

Featherweight Silk Cashmere Shirt - Buck Mason — Feel free to roast me for this one because I know it’s ridiculous. I bought this egregiously expensive shirt because I felt it in the store, I was going through a lot, and I just really wanted it. Now, I can’t stop wearing it because it is the softest thing I own and it matches everything — so here I am enabling everyone else, and suggesting you get your own if you can. — LM
Chocolate and Tahini Babka - Milk Street Magazine — I made this babka and posted it to my Instagram story, and everyone and their mother had something to say. People I haven’t spoken to in years reached out to me asking for the recipe. And if that wasn’t enough of an endorsement, how’s this? Typically, I give away most of the baked goods I make; I just often don’t have enough of a sweet tooth for them. I was selfish with this babka. I made two loaves, gave away half of one, and ate the rest almost singlehandedly. I’ve already made it again since then. — LM
Tini’s Mac and Cheese - Sugar and Soul — You’ve probably already seen the viral video of this dish, which currently has over 56 million views on TikTok. It is SO good. It’s incredibly easy to make, and will be a crowdpleaser at any Thanksgiving meal. It isn’t too wet or too dry in my opinion, so you’re bound to like it regardless of which style you prefer. —MF
Men’s Essential Popover Hoodie in Light Gray Camo - Abercrombie — You may have heard that Abercrombie is back. This hoodie is the hoodie du jour, according to my 17 year old little sister. On a trip to the mall with her, I watched at least five different groups of teens, both boys and girls, come into the store and oogle at it. Some even gasped when they spotted it! It’s super comfortable, and I really like the neutral wash. I got myself one, and my sister got one for herself and a friend for Christmas. Plus, Abercrombie is doing 25% off the whole site this week, and there’s a 15% off stackable code floating around out there. —MF
Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Brightening Concealer - Sephora — “Self-setting” is a claim I was extremely skeptical of. On top of that, I could only justify the price tag on this during the VIB Rouge sale a few weeks ago. I’d recommend seeing if you can find a Black Friday deal for this one, but this is the first concealer I’ve ever gotten away with not pairing with powder. It’s blurring, easy to apply with a brush or your fingers, has great coverage while also being incredibly lightweight. I don’t think this creases at all either which is insane. Unfortunately I’m obsessed with this, sorry to my other concealers which I’ve otherwise been so faithful to. —MF

If you liked this issue, take care of your one precious appendix! Tell us your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram (@lilly_milman | @melindafakuade), and share it with the person you’d like to spend a whirlwind of enjoyable fun with.

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