Weekend Recs #10: One last summer read and a thriller, to boot

Plus: An important update!

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Hi friends,

In an, er, unexpected turn of events, I’ll be taking maternity leave sooner than anticipated. I hope I can share more details once the dust settles, but—wowza! I know you’ll be in great hands these next few months with Aliza Abarbanel, my longtime editor, who will be taking over the reins. I’ve also got some fun content prewritten for you, and even some more audio content prerecorded for you to enjoy over these next few weeks. And Aliza will be writing and editing lots of new content too. ❤️ I was hoping to leave things a bit more tidy, but…plans, amirite?!

On that note, this week’s issue is short and sweet. My doctor has ordered “rest, ASAP!” so rest I shall.

If you’d like to follow along with my happenings in the meantime, I’m over on Instagram @alisharamos. I’ll see you again in your inbox this winter. Take care! ❤️ —Alisha

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What paid subscribers got this week: A first installment of Winding Down With… an interview series featuring the original blogger Joy Cho and her best tips for setting boundaries. Plus: A summer book club discussion thread for Banyan Moon by Thao Thai, which was such a beautiful treat to read.

pasta: Sophie Wyburd / hijack: Apple TV+

Three ideas for your weekend…

• 📺 Hijack on Apple TV+. The summary: “When Flight KA29 is hijacked during its seven-hour journey from Dubai to London, corporate negotiator Sam Nelson tries to use his professional skills to save everyone on board.” I was wary about watching a show that would most likely spike my anxiety, but—this one hooked me from episode 1. Idris Elba can do no wrong.

• 🥒 Recipes I made this week that you should make, too:

  • A gingery cucumber mini peppers mix plus roasted teriyaki salmon, thanks to this viral TikTok recipe. I’ve slept on cucumbers this summer, and this was so light and refreshing.

  • Courgette (zucchini) and sausage pasta. Thank you, Instagram algorithm and new favorite recipe developer Sophie Wyburd, for floating this creamy goodness to my feed this week. 5/5 stars.

• 📘 Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead. If you’re in need of just oooone last summer read, consider this one. This isn’t a new book, but it popped up on my feed recently, and Michelle’s summary drew me in (plus, I adored Shipstead’s Great Circle!):

“A WASP-y family gathers at their island home to celebrate the wedding of their daughter. Chock-full of lobster, champagne, and family secrets.”

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Thanks to the supporting sponsor of this week’s newsletter, Anthropologie:

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A grab bag of links and reads worth sharing with the group chat.

Articles worth reading

• Have you heard of “phubbing?” [NYT via IG]
  It’s the new relationship-destroyer that we might all be a little guilty of…

• I really don’t think unlimited PTO should be a thing for this reason. [The Cut via IG]
  Instead, I love a “baseline PTO that must be taken” policy. Or else no one takes time off! What do you think?

• The Joy of Intergenerational Friendship [NYT *gift link]
  Simply wholesome.

• Wait, what year is it again? [Vox]

  An explanation of why time feels so fuzzy these days.

• How to Analyze Your Dreams, According to Professionals [Shondaland]

  Using dreams as a route to self-discovery.
  

Hey, cool summer bucket list 🍉

Last week, I asked readers about what’s left on their low-stakes summer bucket list. Here’s what some of you had to say…

“In summer 2020, my husband and I got creative with all our canceled plans and decided to “go to the beach” in our backyard. We set out beach chairs and a kiddie pool, made cocktails and brought out snacks and books and just lounged all day like we were at the beach! It’s a tradition we’re planning on continuing at least once every summer! :)“ —Danni

“I have this month off so I want to walk different local paths each day. I pack watermelon every day in my lunch to keep summer alive.“ —Kris

“Love this! Mine are - take a ferry ride (in NYC they’re cheap and a perfect way to see the city and get a lil breeze) and watch an outdoor movie!!“ —Bella

🌼 And more fun fluff…

• Convinced that this is the best peach ginger tea you can buy. I wanted to recreate a drink I enjoyed from Levain recently. So refreshing when it’s iced; add a teaspoon of agave syrup for a touch of sweetness. It’s a little bit of caffeine without giving you TOO much caffeine.

Links continued below…

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