What are you up to this weekend? We have friends in town from far away, so I’m starting my Friday with some of my favorite people I don’t usually get to see more than once a year. I’m also hoping to mulch some new garden beds I’m carving out and make serious headway on my current audiobook.
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting things and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:
I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a bookmarking service.
Jennifer Aniston to Star in ‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’ Series at Apple TV+, Based on ‘iCarly’ Star Jennette McCurdy’s Memoir. (Variety) Big casting news!
What I’ve been reading lately: the new and the notable. (MMD) A small sampling of my reading life these days: narrative nonfiction that’s right up my alley, a plotty thriller by a new-to-me author that sounded super fun for summer, and literary fiction I’ve been meaning to read for ages.
We’ve been making smitten kitchen’s granola bark on repeat this summer, it’s been a favorite recipe for years. (It’s very adaptable to whatever nuts and seeds you have on hand.)
The Surprising Perks of Fireflies—and How to Bring Them to Your Backyard. (Martha Stewart) Bring ’em on!
Help me find my new go-to summer author! (What Should I Read Next?) An Elin Hilderbrand completist is on the hunt for her next run of bingeable, gossipy, scandalous, deliciously detailed stack of reads. The comments section is already fantastic, but your additional suggestions are coveted!
Cressida Cowell Loves to Peruse Recipes Before Bed. (New York Times gift link) I love her answer to the “By the Book” dinner party question: “You have to invite the dead ones. Although one of the many wonderful things about reading is that this is what you are already doing.”
Quinta Brunson Was Built For This. (Bustle) New Quinta Brunson interviews mean the next season of Abbott Elementary is around the corner and I can’t wait.
The Nordstrom sale is on—my summer wardrobe is pretty well set but I’m seizing the moment—er, discounts—to restock on my Natori Bliss Briefs and Hanky Panky boy shorts. Both are cult classics, for good reason. (Additional styles from both brands are also discounted.)
She Was the Greatest Author of Her Generation. She Should Be Remembered for More Than Just Her Writing. (Slate) Wonderful insights about Toni Morrison as an editor.
A Restaurant Surprise I’m Still Thinking of Two Decades Later. (Cup of Jo) “I was blown away by the gesture. I couldn’t believe how generous and thoughtful it was. And, the older I get, the more I realize how rare it is to be genuinely surprised.” There are so many great stories in comments!
The Em Dash Responds to the AI Allegations. (McSweeney’s) “So next time you read something and think, ‘AI wrote this—it has a lot of em dashes,’ ask yourself: ‘Is it AI? Or is it just a poet trying to give you vertigo in four lines or less?’” We have a bunch of em dash fans on Team MMD and were just talking about this at team meeting!
GAH how cute are these new Rothy’s eyelet slingbacks? You can see the detail even better on the ivory; I am also in love with these mesh slingbacks for summer into shoulder season.
Kennedy Ryan Wants Publishing to ‘Let Her Cook.’ (Elle) “’I am not approaching romance from a place of escape,’ she tells me. ‘I’m approaching romance from a place of activism. I want to talk about the destigmatization of mental health in marginalized communities. I want to talk about domestic abuse, and I want to talk about it in the context of a patriarchal culture that values paternal right over women’s and children’s safety. In a romance novel? Yes, in a romance novel.’”
How to find a tailor that works for you. (thoughts from my voice memo) Helpful tips.
Are You Experiencing Posting Ennui? (The New Yorker) “The design of social media has discouraged casual posting, with metrics that make users feel inadequate for not getting enough attention, and with algorithmic feeds that prioritize popular accounts that post constantly—not mundane moments but punditry, provocation, and self-promotion.”
Don’t miss these posts:
20 favorite books for Disability Pride Month and all year long. July is Disability Pride Month!
An ode to an unattractive $9 piece of plastic that brings me oodles of quotidian joy. I’d like to profess my devotion to an unattractive $9 piece of plastic that, when I’ve mentioned it to others in the past, has been far more likely to be greeted with a polite nod (or blank stare) than mutual understanding or a gushing I know, right?!
33 historical fiction books avid readers can’t get enough of. For anyone looking for historical fiction that will transport them to a different time.
Have a great weekend!