Weekend Recs #20

Jeans that feel like pajamas, a new word game, and girl desserts.

This is Weekend Recs, a weekly send of ideas and diversions for your downtime.

Morning! Alisha here. For any new subscribers here, welcome. I’m the writer of this newsletter, and I’m still on maternity leave (and still very much sleep-deprived), but I’m sneakily sliding back into your inbox for a few short issues this month. I’m writing this in between nursing sessions and bouncing the baby to sleep, so please excuse any typos or general chaos you may find herein. :)

I hope everyone’s taking extra care this week, logging off as needed, taking action in ways that make sense to you, and giving each other some grace.

Now, onto the light distractions for the week if you’re in the headspace for those.

Here are my current downtime obsessions for when I *do* get some downtime these days…

• Get five minutes of fun: Playing NYT Connections has become a bright spot in my day. It’s quick and fun—you group words into collections that you think make sense. There’s lots of clever wordplay involved, of course. The competitor in me wishes they had a timer component…

• Watch something of no real consequence: This might be an obvious rec at this point, but I can’t get enough of Real Housewives of New York and Southern Charm. I was never really a Bravo gal, but here I am. Who says appointment TV is dead? These two shows have filled up my cup and need for petty drama as my desired form of escapism. If anyone wants to sidebar about Jessel + Sai or Olivia + Taylor, I’m here all day.

  

  one of the greatest moments in tv history

• Lean into maximal comfort: Boring outfits make the best outfits. Consider my new uniform: this specific Nike sweatshirt paired with leggings, these socks, and some sneakers. Comfortable enough to lounge around all day in the house but presentable enough to go for a walk or run a quick errand or two. The sweatshirt is the perfect weight (just heavy enough for fall without being bulky) and length (cropped but not too cropped). I have it in black, and I’m planning to buy it in one more color. The socks are $11, feel just as good as my Bombas, the quality upholds after several washes, and they’re that perfectly cool ankle length for wearing with sneakers.

  

  boring and perfect :)

• Gift some no-fuss meals: Some friends gifted us with some meals from Cook Unity after we had our baby, and wow, it’s been a life saver. It’s a prepared meal delivery service featuring dishes that are designed by well-known chefs. (We especially enjoyed the dishes by chef Esther Choi.)

• Read something fun: You, Again? by Kate Goldbeck is next on deck for me.* It’s a fun reimagining of When Harry Met Sally—but the gender roles have been reversed. The cover is giving major fall vibes. (*thanks to the publisher for sending me an advance copy)

  

• If you must wear real pants: We should all own some jeans that feel like pajamas; I like that these aren’t too thick and thus feel a bit swishy, if you know what I mean. After having a baby, my body has changed. And my jeans size has definitely changed. I highly endorse buying pants that fit your body! (Note for fellow petite ladies: the cropped length of these makes them the perfect length for my 5’0” frame.)

• A book-to-screen adaptation: I’ve watched the first two episodes of Lessons in Chemistry on Apple TV and enjoying it so far. How great are Brie Larson and Lewis Pullman? It looks like they made at least one major change to the storyline. I’m a little nervous and curious about where this goes… (Check content warnings before watching.)

• No-bake spooky treats: We made these “witches’ brooms” last weekend—they’re a delicious and easy Halloween activity for kids with short attention spans.

  

P.S. On a completely different note, a few people have asked me for my postpartum recs, so I’ve dropped those into a separate post here.

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What paid subscribers got this week: 📚 A fun bookish Q&A with Substack writer

Leslie Stephens

, who writes the

morning person

newsletter, which I adore! I think if you’re into this newsletter, you’ll be into that one, too.

And congrats to the giveaway winner and newsletter reader, Alia R., for winning a bundle of our favorite fall cookbooks! 🥘

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

• A beautiful poem.

• When the world is full of noise.

• 13 fall reads for food-loving bookworms [Bon Appétit]

• If both Meg Mason and Ann Patchett recommend a book, it’s an immediate purchase for me.

• How to hire a pop star for your private party. I’ve always wondered about this! [The New Yorker]

• I’d love to bake this. 🍎

• Annnd this. 🎃

• We have “girl dinner,” but do you have any go-to “girl breakfast” and “girl dessert” recipes? Sharing more context below…

Content and links continued below…

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