Have a Lovely Weekend.
What are you up to this weekend? We’re going swimming at Freddie’s community pool, and the boys are psyched for the diving board. Also, a big thank you to Ali LaBelle for featuring me in her newsletter — her intro made me cry! Hope you have a good one, and here are a few links from around the web…
Are you into the nightgown trend? This dress is really pretty. (Love this one, too.)
What a cool dessert, of all things.
The real reason the Knicks are winning this year.
Looking forward to watching the new Little House on the Prairie with my kids.
Want to stay on trend? Stop brushing your hair. (NYTimes gift link)
Oh my gosh, this dinner salad looks delicious. We swear by so many of Caro’s recipes.
An Italian carousel of fruits and vegetables.
I never thought I’d get excited about laundry detergent, but here we are!
Remember driving by your crush’s house in high school? This really made me laugh.
The #1 thing I’m packing for summer trips.
Finally, the 15 best books to read this summer, including a staggeringly good new novel. (Big Salad, paywalled, we’re always so grateful for your support)
Plus, three reader comments:
Says JA9 on what’s on your resume of special skills: “I think it’s so funny that Elmo is having a PR crisis because he said he hoped both teams had fun in the NBA finals.”
Says Meesh on what’s on your resume of special skills: “My special skill is that I’m able to make people feel ‘invited in.’ Give me a new space or situation, and I can help people feel at ease. This leads to random moments of community at the store, bus stop, or airport. It feels a bit odd to ‘write out loud’, but I do think that my superpower is being a little slice of home for others!”
Says Erin on what’s on your resume of special skills: “Not to brag, but I am a fast pee-er.”
(Photo by Roberta Sant’Anna/Unsplash.)
Comments
64 commentsRegarding Tower28 face spray – it’s just bog standard hypochlorous spray you can find for a few bob a bottle in any baby aisle. Don’t let their fancy packaging and price fool you!
My toddler is trendier than I realized with her proclivity to never ever let me brush her hair. She’s always confidently rocking that bedhead look… haha
For any other “laundry heads” out there I really enjoy @jeeves_ny for all the riveting laundry detergent content. He covers everything from stains and odors to corporate greenwashing . https://www.tiktok.com/@jeeves_ny/photo/7624620746022718734
That Ali LaBelle piece is full of wonderful finds. Thank you so much for sharing some of your favorites! After reading that piece, I went down a rabbit hole browsing all the cute clothes at Le Bon Shoppe. I found their size descriptions a bit confusing, and I wondered if anyone who has actually shopped there could help me out. I was looking at the Arc Pants, and the website says that the size L has a 14″ waist (relaxed/flat) and the XL has a 15″ waist (relaxed/flat). I am not sure how to translate those measurements into more familiar sizing, and I’m worried that even the XL will be too small. I wear about a size 10 in pants, sometimes a 12, but I wear mall brands, not higher-end brands, so I might be a 12-14 in more fashion-y clothes. I don’t know my waist measurement. Is there any point in my ordering an XL to see if it fits? Has anyone bought the Arc pants in an L or XL, who might be able to convert those sizes (very roughly, of course!) into standard US or UK sizes? Thanks so much!
I’d suggest that you get a dressmakers measuring tape. You could take all of the measurements of your body, and of garments that fit you well. Of course different brands fit differently, so sizes on tags don’t really guarantee the fit! If you have fun thrifting, you could carry a tape measure with you, and input those measurements on your phone somewhere.
I haven’t bought anything from them, but I recommend laying out pants that fit you well on the ground, and measuring the waist to compare. Also, if it’s elastic waist that’s unstretched, so recommend measuring a pair of elastic waist pants that fit to get a sense (since you would probably want to size down)
I have the Arc pants in L and wear a size 10 ish. I think that will be fine for you! That said, you could try both and see which is a better fit. Basically the lay flat measurements mean the waist is that x 2 (so 28 or 30 inches around) before the elastic is stretching at all. Worth measuring your waist in inches so you know it in general! Mine is 30, so the L with a bit of elastic action works great for me. Xo
I have the Arc pants in XL and I’m currently usually a size 14 (sometimes a 12) for reference
“I don’t know my waist measurement” The only solution to your problem is to measure – otherwise, you won’t know!
Re: laundry, has anyone else gone down the r/laundry rabbit hole? Since I’ve had a baby 7months ago I’ve gotten REALLY into laundry effectiveness. I was using natural no-enzyme products and they left our clothes so stinky, the whole house smelled like a seafood market at the end of the day. Gross. What fixed it: making sure we had enzymes in our laundry detergent or boosters, and washing on warm for long cycles. Life-changing.
Yes! That and the /CleaningTips sub are my favorite to read and know I won’t do half of the suggestions – but I can’t stop. :)
Haha yes! I recently said to my husband, “I guess I’m at an age where I get excited about laundry now.” My recent discovery, thanks to Reddit Laundry, is Downy Rinse & Refresh (it’s just citric acid) – it’s been helping my sheets and towels feel much fresher.
I’m lost, since when you two came back together? Good for you tow both.
There have been announcements on ig, sub stack, and right here, check out the past couple weeks archive!
I know the not brushing your hair trend isn’t about this but I think Allison’s curly hair routine is made more complicated because she brushes her hair when she gets out of the shower so she has to rewet it. If she brushed her hair before her shower she could skip that whole step.
Hi Leigh! I’ve tried it both ways, and for some reason combing it out and re-dunking my hair in a bowl of water works best for my curl pattern. (shrug emoji) To each their own! xoxo
“I’m in a very shmoopy place right now, so maybe a wedding ring?!” — JG GIRLLLLLLLLLL. The scream I scrumpt when I got there, internally as I sit in a running car since it’s the only place my toddler will nap currently, but don’t tell her I told you so. (also thanks for the intro to another epic substack!)
I love this comment so much
“the scream I scrumpt” is the absolute best.
Came here to say something similar!!! SQUUEEEEE!!!
Laundry Pods look cool, but careful, NYTimes says we all use too much laundry soap and that pods tend to have too much detergent in them: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/stop-using-so-much-laundry-detergent/
plus, hello, microplastics in our water, soil, everywhere!!! Do people really buy those things?
laundry sheets are where it’s at! my mom turned me onto these for traveling, and it’s all we’ve used at home for the past 3+ years. sorry for the terrible link: https://good.store/products/laundry-detergent-sheets?variant=50247595065626/&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22244849745&gbraid=0AAAAAqT3Xs65YFpco19zBkmXepean71Cu&gclid=CjwKCAjwxb7RBhA5EiwAQ-AAdN0qFdg7HyCiNSmaikTwTjdcakHaFrgJxnY4iU2Uy_MbzWuuGOZp2xoCUWAQAvD_BwE
Ugh, yes…microplastics!
My friend and I drove by my crush’s house in high school. Now he’s my husband. It works!
😂👏😍
I’m sorry to “that person,” so I say this with kindness, but I wonder if we can all do better than plastic laundry/dishwasher pods…I personally love blueland. Microplastics in our water is truly terrifying.
I’m with you! Even though I am not usually the kind of person who makes their own things, Nancy Birtwhistle has books that will explain how to make your own (environmentally friendly) laundry detergent. It’s pretty fast and easy to whip up a pretty huge amount, costs pennies a wash, and works great. No extra plastic involved, you’re not participating in shipping huge jugs of mostly water around, AND you have more money to buy books. Triple win!
that’s ok, we are all that person for one thing or another. How does Blueland do on stains and keeping white sheets white?
Here to second Blueland — we have a very messy house (exuberant and MESSY toddler, older pet who is prong to accidents, frequent guests for dinner and for overnight stay) — and both their dishwasher and laundry tablets are phenomenally effective. I was so excited when i saw bluebland now available at costco
I love these kinds of recommendations! Since our current government will not regulate any of the environmental disasters facing us (microplastics, forever chemicals, the climate disaster), we cannot expect extractive companies to do better. It’s a miniscule power, but I try to vote with my dollars until my political votes start making a difference. So thanks for the tip!
I came here to be “that person” too Meg – you’re not alone! Once I went down the rabbit hole of understanding microplastics – and what they do to our health and our environment – it was over for me. We make our own laundry detergent and dishwasher pods from the book “Home by Natural Harry” but Blueland is our backup when we run out! We also use wooden and titanium cutting boards and cooking utensils now, too. Did you know that the plastic that surrounds dishwasher pods can coat your plates in the thinnest film of plastic and that plastic is linked to cancer? Ditto for your clothes when you use plastic-coated laundry pods. How we spend our time and money says a lot about who we are. If that means I spend a silly little afternoon making homemade cleaning supplies, I’m good with it!
Seriously! Powder detergent for laundry and dishwasher (love when it’s in carboard too!!!)
Hilary – your statement is unfounded by science and actual fearmongering. There is absolutely no scientific proof that using dishwasher pods causes plastic residue to be left on your dishes and you therefore consume it: https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/get-facts-about-pva-and-detergent-pods It does shed into wastewater, and I agree that there is a concern that plastics cannot fully break down. It is important to note that wastewater plants DO break down PVAs further: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723049641?dgcid=SSRN_redirect_SD&ssrnid=4485242
Grace: I live by Nancy Birtwhistle too. Her methods work better than store bought chemicals.
@Sarah Levy – fun fact – the Cleaning Institute that you linked to hosts events that have been sponsored by Shell (ie, the petroleum company) https://x.com/CleanInstitute/status/1752832247621673038 They also take money from International Flavors and Fragrances, ie, the people who put lovely smelling endrocrine-disrupting chemicals into millions of household goods: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalFlavorsandFragrances/posts/were-proud-to-sponsor-the-2024-american-cleaning-institute-charity-event-clean-t/783087480531886/ Follow the money 😘 I have a very hard time believing that water with plastic dissolved in it is good for our dishes and clothing whether we can prove it directly in a study or not. No harm in switching to safer alternatives when so many good ones exist!
the salad recipe made me laugh. i make a salad for dinner to save time and effort. this was soooo complicated.
Re: driving by your crush’s house, Gen X would like to add going through the school library books and looking at the checkout cards so you could also check out all the books your crush had read. Just in case he ever wanted to talk about them with you, and also because, ooh, I am touching the same book he touched for hours. So much Science Fiction.
boomer: we drove by. if his car was gone, we checked the house of a girl we suspected of seeing him. trained us s detectives.
Ha! GenX = so much memorizing! Crush’s class sched, home phone number, work hours, and ofc license plate if they had a car plus directions to their house. To figure out all of this intel prior to committing to memory, yes, we’d trail them undercover, or more likely, assign our friends. Summer was the worst; are they even in town? If we managed to seal deal, the eternal wait on the photos developing at CVS. Then stare at the one photo that’s not blurry for three months after the crush has moved along.
Yes, Jen. Boomer here. We drove by so many times his whole family must’ve known my vehicle… Like to think my sleuthing skills have improved since then! :)
I guess I will continue never brushing my hair!
My best friend calls me “the fastest pee in the West.” Guess we need to have a shootout at high noon, partner!
😂
Peeout?
I’m with JA9’s Elmo on this one: you can both be winners!
Would love to see an interview of Meesh on how she makes others feel invited in!
ME TOO! Wow what a good skill Meesh has and I wonder if she’d offer some suggestions on small ways I can practice this skill?
Ohh i like this idea. We have Beauty Uniforms, House Tours and Week of Outfits (all of which I truly love:) and it would be cool to have pieces highlighting these sweet characteristics.
Yeah I really want to hear more about that!! I did recently listen to an interview on The Happiness Lab podcast where they interviewed the authors of a book called How to Feel More Loved. The thesis is that to feel more loved you need to make others feel loved. One suggestion they had was to ask others questions you knew they’d love to answer. Ask about a topic THEY are interested in even if you care nothing about it. Like, “Tell me more about why you love basketball.” It was a good idea, I thought!
Meesh- I had a housemate in my first year after college with that same gift. I did, and still do,talk about how he had such beautiful hospitality of spirit. I’m a primary care pediatrician, and I strive to do this every day. The best compliment I think I’ve ever received is that I help people to feel comfortable in their own skin. I’m still a huge work in progress and have much to learn. I love the idea of you building community at the airport:)
I’m a former teacher and some people truly do just have this quality. I can remember one parent teacher conference I had where the woman who was a mom of a student in my class truly just had an aura of calm and safety and comfort around her. I didn’t want the conference to end! I just wanted to sit near her. It was like my heart rate dropped and I felt so relaxed and joyful being near her. We were sitting on tiny uncomfortable chairs in an over-air-conditioned school so that’s saying something. This was almost 20 years ago and I still remember it.
I was so excited to read about a nightgown dress trend, but ack! I think of nightgowns as floor-skimmers. I would be unable to relax in a loose dress that short! I do not want to wonder about whether I am covering my ass. I have the same issue with Very Expensive Purses: cost and everything else aside: just too unrelaxing!
Something great, in my experience, about being very short? To worry about exposure, I’d have to be wearing nothing but a shirt – all dresses are generous of hem. I invite you to grab a little pair of shorts, if this style speaks to you, and join us over on the mini side. :) Our legs always get the loveliest breezes.
im with you. the pandemic dresses/gowns were all long.
Ha! Thinking the same thing Sar. My sister is 5’7” to my 5’2” and it always cracks me up when she has a cute mini dress on, and then I try it and it’s so long it’s frumpy
I adore actual nightgowns (I have 3-4 on my wishlist for the summer) but dresses have a job to do, including covering my backside and being a layer in between my sweaty thighs and unpleasant benches or chairs.
Fuck yeah I’m finally trendy!!!
Oh my gosh, I totally convinced myself in high school that my ex-boyfriend’s house was absolutely on my way home from my babysitting job. It was not. Not even a little bit.
Erin! “Don’t worry, I’m a fast pee-r” is the first thing I said to my future husband (we were on a restroom line, haha).
hahaha hilarious! I want to know how this went down? Did he get your number before you went into pee, or right after? And how long was that like lol
*that line :)
The line was probably 10 people long and he was right behind me. We didn’t talk after that! This was a quasi-work situation so I ended up learning his name that day, but not directly from him. Then I ran into him at a mutual friend’s concert in lower Manhattan a couple weeks later and we talked all night <3.
My mind went straight to the scene just like this from the Matthew Perry/Salma Hayek flick Fools Rush In!