An all recommendations edition
Lots of things to read, watch, and cook
Hello and welcome back to this newsletter!
ICYMI, I had a baby in March. (More thoughts on that in some future edition of the newsletter.) This newsletter took a hiatus, but I’m excited to be back. I’m starting by writing it every other Sunday for now, and will go back to weekly if/when my schedule allows.
I’ve got lots of ideas for future newsletter essays for the coming weeks, but first up, I’ve got a big recommendations issue. Today’s newsletter is a giant grab bag of some of my favorite things I’ve consumed in the past few months and want to share with you all, from articles to shows to newsletters and more. Enjoy!
Good stuff to read
How the internet turned us into content machines, The New Yorker.
The end of mom guilt, The Atlantic.
What Lean In has meant to women, New York Times. On Sheryl Sandberg and Lean In’s complicated legacy.
Waking up from the Nap Dress, The Cut.
I no longer envy the dad in the basement, Elle.
Imagine a world where men had to breastfeed their babies, New York Times.
You don’t need to post about every tragedy, The Atlantic.
Kathy Hochul is standing on a very high glass cliff, New York Times.
Influencer creep, Real Life Mag.
Dianne Feinstein, the institutionalist, The Cut.
The sad young literary man is now a middle aged dad, New York Magazine.
The Noom paradox, Vox.
“Mom Brain” isn’t a joke, The Atlantic.
The millennial aesthetic comes for your vaccuum cleaner, The New Yorker.
I lived the #VanLife. It wasn’t pretty, New York Times Magazine.
She invented adulting. Her life fell apart. She wants you to know that’s okay, Vanity Fair.
Gen Z does not dream of labor, Vox.
To enjoy life more, embrace anticipation, New York Times. Highly endorse this strategy.
Good stuff to watch
Hacks: I just watched both seasons of this show about an aging comedian and her Gen Z co-writer, and it’s so funny and sweet at the same time.
Under the Banner of Heaven: Do you like true crime, even a little bit? Then watch his show based on a Jon Krakauer book about a murder in a Mormon community in Utah.
The Staircase: Continuing with the true crime recs, this is the ultimate true crime show, about Michael Peterson, who may or may not have murdered his wife, and the documentary that was made about him in the 2000s.
Working Moms: I had never heard of this Canadian sitcom about a bunch of working moms who are friends, but I stumbled on it on Netflix and binged all six seasons in the span of a week or two. It’s delightful and I hope they make more.
Euphoria: You might already be all over this, but I finally watched both seasons of the HBO show about the teens and I’m hooked and ready for season 3.
Good newsletters
Two newsletters I have recently become a fan of both cover the world of momfluencer culture on social media: Sara Petersen’s In Pursuit of Clean Countertops, and Kathryn Jezer Morton’s Brooding. (Morton also previously wrote Mothers Under the Influence on Substack before moving her newsletter over to The Cut.) If you’ve ever had thoughts about Ballerina Farm or bump hands or those letterboard message photos, these newsletters are for you!
Good stuff to cook
Some meals I’ve made recently that I really enjoyed: Fajita cobb salad (this recipe is SO good, y’all). Skirt steak with salsa verde salad. Spicy sesame noodles with chicken and peanuts. Sesame noodles with crispy tofu. Grilled fish with salsa verde. Sesame snap pea chicken salad. Butter chicken meatballs. Pork and asparagus stir fry. Thai turkey burgers. Also, make sure you make this strawberry summer cake at least once during strawberry season. (Or this strawberry spoon cake is pretty good, too).
PS: Here’s a roundup from last year of my favorite summer produce recipes!
Beauty stuff
I have recently overhauled my beauty routine (despite feeling conflicted/slightly guilty about buying into the Beauty/Skincare Industrial Complex, which is a whole other newsletter essay for another week). But if you’re in the market for some new makeup, here’s what I bought (largely by letting 23-year-old Tiktok influencers tell me what to buy, and honestly, everything they recommended has been spot on.)
Things I have bought and loved: Covergirl Skin Milk foundation. Loreal Lumi Glotion. Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (Tip: this comes in a mini size for $15, much cheaper if you want to try it out first and see if you like it). Rare Beauty blush and highlighter. Nars radiant creamy concealer (This one also comes in a cheaper mini size). Summer Fridays lip balm. Dior Lip Glow Oil.
And a tip: if you’re ever looking for some makeup item in particular, just google “Tiktok’s favorite _____” and you’ll find a dozen articles about whatever products have gone viral on BeautyTok and why people love them so much.
A testimonial
Thank you to reader Resh Susan for including me in this roundup of great newsletters, and for summing up what this little newsletter is about better than I ever could:
“Nisha Chittal is the managing editor at Vox and this Internet Tote Bag is best described as a sum total of everything interesting on the internet in a bottomless tote; just that you cannot get enough of it. It includes some of the best longform on the world wide web (RIP all the open tabs in your browser) and also gets personal with Chittal’s recommendations ranging from books to skin care. I’ve looked for recommendations from sunscreen to planner to simply something easy to cook; I think you would love it too.”
If you love this newsletter, I’d love if you’d share it with a friend or two!
Welcome back!! We missed you, Nisha!
Love this! And congrats on your baby :).