FMG: Should I put jalapeños in my sauvy b?
plus true crime!!!!
Happy Friday! There’s little to say by way of introduction — the weather’s better, the news is worse, and we’re all just doing our best. Below, the silly little things that occupied my headspace this week…
Wine: As we all know (as I like to reminisce and also remind everyone of this at every chance I get — photos here), I spent a magical few days in Paso Robles, California, last month. Touted as a destination for wine lovers seeking a more casual experience than that in Napa or Sonoma (at least according to me), Paso is a slice of sunny paradise drenched in cabernet. I had the BEST trip with my dear friends, and I now scour the grocery store aisles on every visit, searching for those two magical words: Paso Robles. I’m a longtime lover of the Austin Hope Cab (proof here from May 2024) — and while we visited the AH vineyard and I will forever love their wine, I also had such a great experience visiting the other spots and tasting their wares. While at Trader Joe’s last week, I spotted a Daou cab on the shelf. Being the budget-conscious queen that I am, I said to myself, “Why don’t you opt out of that $25 bottle and challenge yourself to find an under-$20 Paso Robles option instead?” I landed on the J. Lohr cab, I took it home, and I’ve been enjoying it immensely. Budget-friendly, delicious, and a tasty reminder of my wonderful trip. Cheers to that.
Audiobooks: If you’re not on the audiobook train yet, I’m not sure what to tell you. Audiobooks allow me to better myself while doing tasks I already do (i.e. commuting, cleaning, and cooking), and I get to work my way towards my Goodreads goal in record time. After an unfortunately long hiatus, this week I dove back into Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life by my favorite columnist Nick Kristof — and though it is perhaps the longest book in the history of the world, it’s inspiring, educational, and (as the title suggests) truly hopeful.
TV/True Crime: There is NOTHING I love more than when I convince someone I love to join me in an obsession. When my friend Danae texted me this week to ask which three Mayhem songs she should listen to? The true definition of bliss. When my friend Maddie joined me and two other friends at a UConn basketball game, saw Paige Bueckers in person, and said, “Oh, I get it now”? Pure, unadulterated joy. So imagine my excitement, on this past Tuesday evening, when my sister, brother-in-law, and I were scrolling through our streaming apps to decide what to watch. “We could watch the new Karen Read docuseries on Max,” I suggested casually. (It’s key to be casual. You HAVE to act like you don’t care.) Three hours and three episodes later, Tyler was threatening to call off work in the morning so we could finish the whole series.
I myself have been captivated by the Karen Read story for about a year and a half, ever since I first read this article. In short, Karen Read is currently on trial for the murder of her boyfriend, a Boston cop. Did she kill him? Or was she framed in an elaborate setup orchestrated by a ring of fellow local police officers? We may never know, but the new docuseries does such a great job of laying out the facts, the timeline, and the truly insane variables (the snowstorm of it all!!? the footage of the car being mirrored?!??!!?). Please watch this docuseries, then tell me immediately when you finish so we can discuss it.
ICYMI: A few quick hits from the week…
The Staud Sample Sale is currently live, and there are a lotttt of cute bags included (but sadly, no hot dogs).
The Hunger Games people announced a few cast members for the upcoming Sunrise on the Reaping movie: Joseph Zada as Haymitch, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove, and McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner (Note: McKenna Grace is not the same person as Kiernan Shipka!!!! I have to remind myself of that every time I see one of them).
Caitlin Clark and her cutie bf celebrated their anniversary on Thursday (and her teammate Lexie Hull got engaged last week!!).
The TikTok girlies are freezing jalapeño slices and putting them in their sauvy b now. Will report back!
May your weekend be both eventful and uneventful, in all the right ways.
XOXO,
Gail
And as a reminder:
The news is incredibly heavy these days — and it is my duty to remind you that while newsletters like this are crucial for maintaining sanity and levity, I am not a news source and am in no way a replacement for staying informed. For every newsletter you read that makes you smile, I hope you also read an informed take on politics, world events, and social issues (then fact check it!) — and for every heavy piece of news you take in, I hope you also consume and/or create a piece of art that promotes light, laughter, and joy.