#1: hi, hello, hey, is this thing on? 👋🏼
Hi friends,
Welcome to Highly Recommend! What an honor that you care enough about the things I love to subscribe to a whole freakin' newsletter about them. (And congratulations on making it through January, it seems deeply unfair that the first month of the year also lasts an entire year, doesn't it?)
I remember being in high school, and a few friends and I would write down things we loved and share them with each other. We dubbed them our Love Lists. Included were things like: red shoes, when they don't run out of chocolate chip cookies in the cafeteria before I get there, the iridescent glitter from Club Libby Lu (do not @ me), Mr. Parry's "dusty rose" socks, and a bunch of other hyper-specific teenage things we could laugh about.
But they also included things like our favorite song of the moment, the absolute best episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch ever that if you didn't see on TGIF — well, you were screwed, because your mom definitely didn't remember record it on VHS for you — a piece of art from the field trip we'd recently gone on, our favorite quote, the best book we'd ever read, and so on. And then we'd pass the lists around and spend hours excitedly comparing them, and asking to borrow said books, movies, CDs, and so on. It was a bonding experience, but more than that, it broadened our horizons.
And I guess, that's what I'm trying to recreate here. A little bit of, oh my god I love that song too, and a lot of, I gotta check this book out from the library ASAP. And please, oh please, know that this works both ways. I'm always in the market to hear about your latest favorite thing! Just reply to this email, and I'll probably impulse purchase or watch or listen whatever it is you're talking about, because that's who I am as a person, and I'm not sorry. Without further ado... here's the inaugural list of things I highly recommend!
what i'm reading
It's February. We should all have a little romantic thrill this month, right? I know this is a sham, just work with me here. Even if you're not particularly into romance novels, Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston will knock your socks right off. Imagine this: the son of the first female POTUS falls in love with the Prince of England. YUP. It's witty, progressive, pee-your-pants hilarious, and lovely.
Maybe my favorite thing I got to do this month was hit up Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor for a signing and reading of Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. Bonus? Julie Buntin was moderating the chat! Reid's debut novel covers some uncomfortable (but extremely real) topics: racism, classism, how friendships shift and change in your 20s, the fetishization of race, child-rearing, money, growing up, and the ever-present pain of figuring out how to secure health insurance without breaking the bank. Funny, sad, precious, Reid hits all the right notes.
In the shadow of the Weinstein trials, I wanted to read up on things - and there's no better place to start than She Said by Jodi Kantor and Meghan Twohey. Heart-wrenching, brave, jaw-dropping, it will leave you mad, sad, and also extremely glad that people like Jodi and Meghan exist. I also just picked up Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow at my local library - a perfect pairing.
Sometimes, Oprah makes mistakes. And I (and a 130+ writers) think she made a mistake with her #bookclub selection this month. After reading "Pendeja You Ain't Steinbeck..." (Myriam Gurba's review of American Dirt), I've decided to ditch the Dirt and check out these #ownvoices books instead:
Children of the Land by Marcello Hernandez Castillo
Everyone Knows You Go Home by Natalia Sylvester
The Affairs of the Falcóns by Melissa Rivero
Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli
It's Black History Month! Did we see the google commercial that made everyone (me) cry? Cool, cool, cool. In my continual journey to be a better ally, I'm picking up White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo, and I can't wait to spend my month learning from it.
This month, we lost one of the greats. Elizabeth Wurtzel (of Prozac Nation fame), passed away at 52. Jia Tolentino does her legacy a great service over in this article at The New Yorker. I'm reading Prozac Nation for the first time, and it's a rollercoaster. If you have a complicated relationship with mental health, it's a must read.
One of my reading goals for the year is to read a classic a month - because although I'm a voracious reader, I haven't read too many classics - and it makes me feel like a hack. I covered A Room of One's Own in January, and picked up Emma for February - feeling good about 'em both.
Looking for more reading recommendations? You can check out everything I read this past month right here.
what i'm watching
Aidy Bryant is one of those people that if I'm sure if we met, we'd be great friends. That being said, Shrill S2 is BACK, people. I have some (read: a lot) of emotions about this show, and yes I know, Ryan sucks - but this season pays off and had me crying and in my feelings, but what else is new.
Who doesn't love Gillian Anderson? Show me someone, I dare you. Her crisp accent alone is worth the watch, not to mention her wardrobe. Aside from Gillian Anderson, Sex Education S2 tackles an epic amount of important material in a funny, poignant, and wonderful way.
PARASITE!!!! Please run, do not walk, to go see this film. I'm campaigning for it to win Best Picture at the Oscars next week. I will riot (on Twitter) if it doesn't win.
Oscar Nominated Short Films are showing starting this weekend at the Detroit Film Theater!
Cheer on Netflix - Have I ever been in a competitive sport? No. Did this change my mind? Also no. Would I die for these kids? Yes.
P.S. I Still Love You IS ALMOST HERE. The moment we've all been waiting for. The teenage rom-com to soothe your soul and pick your spirits up, the second installment of Jenny Han's P.S. I Love You is coming to you February 12 on Netflix, I mean HELLO!!! Mark your calendars immediately!
what i'm listening to
I used to make mix-CDs for my sorority sisters in college. I took great pride in this endeavor, and I'm excited to be chasing that high again (thank you, Rashelle), putting together a monthly playlist for you. Here's February's Playlist, may you shimmy, shake, booty pop, and cry a little.
Little Women (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Alexandre Desplat, who is the only man who has never disappointed me, amen.
Mythological, a playlist. I don't know how I stumbled across Maya Kerslake's playlists on Spotify, but they're... perfect. And this one is my go-to for when I need some music to read to!
Disappearing Earth on LibroFM! One of my 2020 goals is to get everyone I know on Audible over to LibroFM. Because Amazon is the worst, and Indie Bookstores are the best. This is a hill I will die on, trust me. If you use that link up there, you get your first month free!
I'm not a huuuuuge podcast fan, but I have always loved Katie Sturino, and I will follow her to the ends of the earthy. (She created my fave chub-rub remedy that I buy in bulk when summer hits.) Her new-ish podcast, Boob Sweat with Katie Sturino, is a must-listen for the ladies.
what i'm buying
I'm very into cooking lately, or maybe I'm just seeking a trophy of domesticity, regardless - my kitchen swag is growing exponentially. No more will I settle for the trash sheet pans that are coated in burned whatever-the-hell. I bought these sheet pans because Molly Madfis told me to. They're pretty. They're ceramic non-stick. They're $12? I hate that I bought them on Amazon, but they're HUGE and I love them.
On the subject of great sheet pans (a sentence I bet you never thought you'd hear), sometimes you don't need a sheet pan the size of your head. Sometimes you just need a half-sheet to get the job done. Enter Holy Sheet from Great Jones. It's vibrant and perfect and I'd like to own 10 of them.
If we're friends on the 'gram, there's a good chance you've already seen me spreading the holy gospel of the Revlon One Step. I first heard about the hair dryer on Gee Thanks, Just Bought It, and I waited a few weeks before purchasing it myself to see if the hype is real. THE HYPE IS REAL, LADIES. It was on sale this week for $26, which is $10 less than I paid for it.
Ah, adult acne. The joys. After some due diligence, I'm picking up Sunday Riley U.F.O. to see if it'll work some magic, or if I really just need to give up dairy completely. (I know I need to give up dairy completely, just let me believe that I can keep eating cheese for a little while longer, ok? Ok.)
what i'm obsessed with
I had friends over for dinner last night and made Alison Roman's Slow Roasted Salmon, which is extremely my jam, and is what I'll be serving for dinner should you happen to come over any time soon. (Paired with this roasted citrus salad? Game changer.) I'm also just obsessed with Alison Roman in general. Her cookbooks are perfect. She's a joy on instagram. Her nails are always on point.
For Christmas, I got a pair of Blundstones, and I'm in love. I wear them with everything. For everything. And here's the hottest of hot tips, you can find them on Sierra Trading Post on mega-sale, almost always.
LipSmackers. Why did we ever stop using Lipsmackers? Me and some gal pals had a 90s-themed gift exchange this Christmas and I received like, 6 tubes of LipSmackers and I'm telling you, they're BETTER THAN CHAPSTICK. Plus, the glittery packaging is way more fun. And so are the flavors.
Are you stressed? Do you carry stress in your shoulders? Back? Legs? Buns? Literally anywhere on your body? Cool, me too. Writer Stephanie Danler recommended this back massager and... I owe her everything. Can't afford a monthly massage but feel like you need one? This is your new best friend. THIS IS IT.
I bought myself this projector for Christmas and have since turned my bedroom into what I like to call, The Cinema. It's hilarious. It's huge. I love it dearly. I can't wait to have some backyard movie nights with it this summer. (Hold me to this, friends.)
Bookstore Link, a new and easy way to support independent bookstores from LibroFM. Select the book you want, select the independent bookstore you want, and let them connect you. The bookstore gets all the money! Never buy a book on Amazon again.
what i'm lusting after
Someone who loves me enough to buy me The Duchess from Great Jones. That doesn't seem like too much to ask, does it?
A wardrobe refresh that includes a lot Jo March inspired tops, Amy March inspired footwear, Beth March's whimsical fancies, and Meg March's inspired durability that comes with a side of fiscal responsibility. Any hot tips on where to find these mythical pieces? Slide into my DMs.
Vacation. Honestly, I can taste it. Rather than participating in a traditional Valentine's Day (wherein I eat chocolate and drink wine by myself on the couch as an eternally single woman), I'm taking the weekend to get away with some of my nearest & dearest for some time away. And in March, I'm vacationing for pretty much half of the month, so... hang in there, pals. These grey days are limited. We'll get through them together.
Know a friend who might be into this? Feel free to share the signup link. The more the merrier! Have a suggestion? Slide right on into my DMs. Thanks for jumping on the HR bandwagon with me, pals. See you next month!
