Weekend Recs #45: Fun spring things, mostly!

Chatting about the book "Piglet" by Lottie Hazell, sharing a secret iPhone trick I use for journaling (it's not what you think), and...is Joe Alwyn OK?

Happy Friday! For new subscribers, the weekly Friday post is a casual round-up of recommendations for your downtime and useful/fun things noted from the week. It’s a bit of brightness for your inbox. Enjoy. x

• ICYMI: Thank you for all the comments on my latest style column, including your own tips for not buying clothes you don’t need.

• If you’re a paid subscriber, you can now start a thread in our subscriber chat! It’s a helpful place to ask for and give recommendations. This week, there are threads about the best plush bath towels, athletic shorts, and white tees.

In today’s post…

• A rec for a delicious weeknight recipe that actually took me 15 minutes

• An obscure feature you probably have on your phone that helps me “journal” on busy days

• One simple thing I’m adding to my spring outfits

• April book club meetup links and info

• And the usual fun links + reads!

Here are a few things I recommend + noted this week…

• Reading: Piglet by Lottie Hazell. This has become my new nightstand book — it is uniquely strange, and the writing style lulls me into a haze in a welcome way. The protagonist is a woman who goes by her childhood nickname, “Piglet.” Piglet works for a publishing house that specializes in cookbooks, and her greatest joy is cooking and feeding her family and friends. In the days before her wedding to her posh fiancé, Kit, a betrayal is revealed (though the specifics of it are never revealed to the reader), which threatens the very foundations of their relationship and engagement. In reaction, something ignites within Piglet: the desire to eat—endlessly—and test the limits of her appetite. You might enjoy this book if you liked Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason, Old Flame by Molly Prentiss, or the meditative quality of Ruby Tandoh’s food writing. The descriptions of the food are the best part! For instance: ”She had been standing over her Le Creuset, watching onions slacken, their crisp edges becoming soft and nibbled with brown.” It’s a slower book; I would categorize it as neither melancholy nor happy. It is not a rom-com. Is it the best book I’ve read? No. But the sheer…weirdness of it feels freeing.

• Easy dessert: I’m making these for our family’s Passover seder this year (and I have for the past few years). I would love some new dessert ideas, though!

• If “romantic” is one of your style words, too: I’ve been tying a silk scrunchie in my hair nearly every day this week to add a little “something“ to my most basic outfits (like a sweater and a t-shirt basic). I have this set from Amazon and Etsy has similar options.

  • On that note, these just-launched mary jane’s look so good if you’re in the market for a sturdy and comfy pair. I’ve maxed out my shoe budget for the season, so I’m locking my wallet away for now. 🤐

• Cooking: This foolproof recipe made a great 15-minute weeknight dinner this week, requiring very few groceries. It’s pretty easy to memorize, so it’s going in my rotation.

• Wearing: This small crossbody bag¹ is my new spring/summer bag. (I’m realizing that a crossbody is key for that hands-free mom life.) The woven material is neutral enough to go with almost every outfit—a simplified win. Here’s a lower-priced option, and this one looks sturdy.

The aforementioned bag | Shirt | Pants - these are NOT the $800 High Sport kick flares, and they are incredible! | Birks

The rest of my recommendations, links, and tiny journaling tips are below. Reminder: I paywall some of my Friday newsletters as a thank you to paid subscribers. If you'd like, you can join for $5/month to receive every newsletter in full!