FRIDAY FOURTEEN ISSUE 72

April 16, 2021
This week: An utterly ridiculous, delightful piece in the Cut about forming friendships with the people in workout videos, how capitalism tricked us all (aka why the phrase ‘work hard play hard’ should be banned), a moving essay in the New Yorker on growing up in America with a "difficult" name, places where cats shouldn’t be, what people don’t want to let go of from pandemic life, and more.

Tiny love stories

This week’s just trust us is this utterly ridiculous, utterly delightful piece in the Cut about forming friendships with the people in workout videos

There’s no such thing as a dream job (see also: this horrific tale of working at Google)

Queen agony aunt Heather Havrilesky is moving her legendary advice column “Dear Polly” from New York magazine to Substack, meaning you can now get her pithy, witty advice delivered straight to your inbox every week. Go, subscribe!

An extraordinary, moving essay in the New Yorker on growing up and living in America (but could be any Western culture) with a "difficult" name (“Life in America is easier with a name that no one ever gets wrong... I cannot detach the name Bich from people laughing at me, calling me a bitch, letting me know that I’m the punch line of my own joke.")

The impact of inheritance

Swooning over everything in this Paris apartment, but especially the green velvet couch, sweeping staircase and all that art. Also love everything about this 70s inspired loft

A wonderful Twitter thread for anyone wanting to learn more about Ramandan and support Muslim friends and colleagues who are fasting

Other ways to ask “how are you?”

Yassss thank you Frankie mag for this excellent, concise list of ways to compost while living in a small space

One of Vanessa’s favourite newsletters, My Sweet Dumb Brain, asked readers what they didn’t want to let go of from pandemic life and the responses are thoughtful and wise. Read them here (you’ll need to scroll down a bit)  

For the first time ever, the Louvre has put its entire collection online (over 482,000 works in all). Delve in via these curated “playlists” created by the museum, like this Masterpieces of the Louvre and Major Events in History

Places where cats shouldn’t be

Videos we used as procrastination fodder this week include these TikTok side table tours, a Brooklyn play date ruined by non-natural wine, no otter left behind (!!), this morning jam that Lizzie uses to make herself get out of bed, when a British guy gives an American directions, and this isn’t a video but it made us lol so much

What we’re eating, listening to, reading and watching this week:

LIZZIE —>

Watching:
I'm a bit slow to the game, but I've just discovered Nailed It on Netflix. I'm now throwing my life away watching people make shit cakes
Smelling: Hopefully Harry Styles. I just need work out how to get these candles shipped to Australia.
Eating: Finding beauty in the simplicity of a smashed cucumber salad. Who knew there was a correct way to smash?!

VANESSA —>

Eating: Anna Jones’ endlessly comforting carrot dal (even better when scooped up with microwave pappadums)
Reading: Just inhaled Greenwich Park, a twisty-turny thriller about motherhood and female friendship. There’s an underlying sense of foreboding that makes this an extreeemely addictive read
Listening: Caroline O'Donoghue and Dolly Alderton talking absolute shit about Sex and the City on the podcast mini-series Sentimental in the City