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With just about a month until our wedding, my fiancé and I decided to stop drinking until the big day. (And by that I mean, mostly I decided, and he’s husband material so he graciously went along with it.) What can I say? I want our skin to glow. Plus, it seemed like a fun challenge to do together with our last month of being engaged. As of publication, we’re almost two weeks (and two big social events where I’d usually feel the need to drink) in. I have to say, I’m pretty proud of us! We’re usually not huge drinkers, but we’re not small ones, either; and going without a beer in hand during a recent birthday party we went to seemed impossible before we went and found out it was actually totally fine. Anyway, that’s my big update. Otherwise, my brain is abuzz with all the admin-related tasks that putting on a good wedding requires, but reading is one of the things keeping me sane. So, enjoy this week’s longer-than-usual hunter-gatherer corner! — LM
I wish I had more to say and share this week, but I’ve been okay (except that student loans are back….not okay with me.) Some quick hits: My ophthalmologist has put some temporary punctual plugs in my tear ducts — those sick little freaks keep my eyes “lubricated” all the time, as well as they can anyway. I care for them deeply, even though we haven’t been acquainted long. Secondly: My skin has been fantastic lately. Sorry to my haters! And three: I’ve been warding off The Void by trying to move more and be outside. Again, sorry to my haters.
It’s been one of those weeks where every text, email, and thought entering the vicinity of my mind has felt like a personal affront to my happiness. I don’t want to do things, I don’t want to think, I want it to be summer forever, and if not, then I’d like to enjoy the change to cooler weather in peace. Now that the season is ending, I’ve been occupying myself by trying to catch the last of the transitional sunsets, which are truly the most beautiful, probably for scientific reasons I don’t care to look into. Love you all, talk soon! —MF
Hunter-gatherer corner
What we’ve read and DMed each other about lately — our internet bounty is below!
“Have you noticed that everyone’s teeth are a little too perfect?” by Jessica M. Goldstein - Washington Post — I’ve had a small chip in one of my front teeth for as long as I can remember, and every dentist I’ve ever been to as an adult has asked me if I want to do something to get it “fixed.” I always say no; not only am I terrified of dental work, but I also love “normal” non-perfect teeth. In this incredible essay on the flatness of modern day beauty and the bone-chilling trend of premature veneers, Jessica M. Goldstein writes “[Hotness creep is] appealing the same way a McMansion is appealing — a house that does not look ‘good’ but does look expensive and, crucially, like every other McMansion.” Yikes! (P.S. I got three right on the celebrity teeth quiz in the middle of the quiz.) — LM
“Illegal Mopeds and Fake Names: Migrants Scrape By in Underground Economy” - New York Times — Not the headline I would’ve given this article, too clunky and a tad loaded, but title aside, my boyfriend and I have been noticing a huge amount of mopeds in Brooklyn. We don’t love them. These mini motorcyclists zip and break without warning, often onto the sidewalk where I am taking my little Melinda steps and trying to vibe, but this article gave me a lot of insight ointo why it feels like their use has exploded. — MF
“'A Plague on the Industry': Book Publishing's Broken Blurb System” by Sophie Vershbow - Esquire — Sophie Vershbow ends this insidery piece on the book publishing world with the lines: “Blurbs are advertising, like anything else, and as we know, ads are not always as they appear. You may judge a book by its cover, but try not to judge it by its blurbs alone.” I’m embarrassed to say I had never really considered that. A book is more than its blurb, sure, but she reveals the overinflated emphasis on blurbs in the publishing industry — from booksellers being more likely to stock booked blurbed by well-known authors to consumers being more likely to buy them. — LM
“Vanishing Words” by Grazia Rutherford-Swan - Oregon Humanities — Grazia Rutherford-Swan’s personal essay on having a stroke, falling in love for the first time, and choosing to leave an abusive relationship stopped me in my tracks. She beautifully writes about the idea that there is exceptional power in words, especially those you aren’t able to say. Highly recommend. — LM
“Crying in Luke’s Lobster” by Bryan Woods - Dirt — I can’t really relate to public place crying, but have been long fascinated by those spots people seek out, especially in NYC. I loved the prose in this lovely essay from Bryan Woods, with a little nod to Wim Hof in there. — MF
“Is That Restaurant Gonna Suck?” by Tammie Teclemariam - Grub Street — I love Tammie’s Underground Gourmet column, and this quick list is so on point. I am still somewhat vexed about a visit to The Nines last year, with the tiniest, priciest dishes and nothing memorable consumed. Literally what was I thinking? — MF
“Who the hell are 2girls1bottl3?” by Nicolaia Rips - The Face —I like to think that when Melinda and I were eating our post-class $8 sushi in college, we were just being the Mixie and Munchie of Emerson College (or maybe they’re the Lilly and Melinda of South London.) If I had to say… I think I’d be Munchie and Melinda would be Mixie. You’ll have to read the profile to weigh in. — 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!
Orecchiette with Fennel and Sausage - NYT Cooking — Guys, this is so, so, so good. I’m fennel-obsessed, and I love how the flavor comes through in this recipe. Especially after I blended my fennel greens into the pesto, which I do every time I use fennel because I hate to waste any of it. A few commenters said they decided not to blend up the final mix of pesto and sausage as a time-saver, but I actually think it’s necessary. The two halves of this recipe mix together beautifully to create a mouthwatering sauce with an incredibly smooth texture. — LM
Chess.com — I’m learning how to play chess for the second time (my post-Queen’s Gambit chess era was very short-lived) but I think it’s actually sticking now. I’m currently obsessed with doing puzzles on the Chess.com app during my commute and losing games to my fiancé. If you’re a fellow Chess.com head… Challenge me!!! You’ll probably win! — LM
The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports by Michael Waters — This is definitely not my last mention of this book, but my close friend Michael worked his ass off on his first book, out in June 2024 and available for pre-order now. It details the true story of Zdeněk Koubek, a transgender athlete in the 1930s. I am so proud of Michael and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy! — MF
10Q yearly time capsule questions - Every September for the past few years, I answer these introspective questions, and next year they email your previous answers to you and invite you to do it all over again over the course of 10 days. I always forget it exists, and then it pops up in my inbox and it’s like, wow! I always smile at what I wrote last year. It’s always sweet bumping into a faraway, not-far-away-at-all version of myself. — MF
Sweet Loren’s Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough - As many of you can probably relate to, I need to have a little treat or I will combust. Lately, the Sweet Loren’s cookie dough has been doing it for me. They bake in the oven incredibly quickly, are somehow gluten free, and the flavor isn’t sickeningly artificial or totally devoid of joy. So pleasantly surprised at these, and now I’m obsessed. I think you can get them at Whole Foods and Target! — MF
Clarins V-Facial Instant Depuffing Face Mask - Sephora — I’m sorry I keep including Sephora links, but hear me out. I found out about this from influencer
of , and I love everything she does so I tried it out, although I felt sheepish and skeptical. I have been struggling a lot with puffiness, and I was kind of reaching my wit’s end. I cannot overstate the efficacy of this mask: In 10 minutes, I had a brand new jawline. I didn’t even know a mask could do that. Truly life changing, worth more than the $68 price tag. Yes, for a mask, really! — MF
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