Links we sent our friends #12

Don't call Aliza a "boy mom," luxe fragrance dupes, and where locals vs. tourists take pictures

Helloo!

I (Aja) leave for Berlin on Wednesday. It’s primarily a work trip, although I’ve added four days of fun at the beginning and a quick meet-up with my sister Siena in Amsterdam at the end. Professional outfits + cute/summery clothes + work gear + toiletries = a packing situation that, if this were a year ago, would’ve required two-plus large bags. I’m taking one backpack. 

If you’d be interested in an article about how I went from chronic overpacker to one-bagger, let me know in the comments! And stay tuned for updates on my trip. 

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Aja’s Links:

1. Major cities mapped by where tourists take pictures vs. locals (I’m going to use the Berlin map to guide me off the tourist track.)

2. Dossier replicates high-end perfumes — including Le Labo, Gucci, Diptyque, and Jo Malone — at a fraction of the cost. Haven’t bought anything but this bottle’s in my cart…

3. If you’re wondering how #2 is legal: Inside the Complex World of Fragrance Dupes.

4. A very helpful guide to what you should bring as a dinner guest by

   "What's 4 Dinner?"
   . I’m retroactively embarrassed by all the times I’ve broken these guidelines, lol. 

5. Nonalcoholic drinks are having a moment (maybe longer than that?) thanks to declining alcohol consumption. According to this article, we have Gen Z and millennials to thank.

6. I love La Ligne and Outerknown. But they’re pricey. I recently discovered both brands have sections of their website dedicated to “pre-loved” pieces sold by customers who are ready to let them go. Genius! This dress is on sale for $160 (from $495) and this adorable jumpsuit is available for $110 (from $168).

7. Do you like peeking inside real people’s (stylish) homes and/or need an apartment or sublet in New York, L.A., Paris, San Francisco, Berlin, or another metro area? Sign up for The Listings Project. FOTN Emily told me about this round-up of cool available places last year, and although I’m not on the hunt, I still open the email every. single. Wednesday. So fun. 

Aliza’s Links:

1. I've been leaning heavily on Canva¹ to create materials for Jude's first birthday party (more to come on that!). 

2. If you liked 1619 or S Town, you’ll love The Retrievals, a new podcast from Serial Productions and The New York Times. The five-part series delves into the patients who went to the Yale Fertility Center to pursue pregnancy and ended up in excruciating pain. Threaded throughout is a thoughtful exploration of how we interpret women’s pain. (CW: Pregnancy loss and infertility) 

3. Speaking of podcasts: I recently found NPR’s Book of the Day podcast, which spans children’s literature, cookbooks, fiction, and nonfiction.²

4. Since my pregnancy, I’ve bristled at the term “Boy Mom” — as if one phrase could succinctly capture my own personality or identity, not to mention my child’s. I loved this recent opinion piece from Rachel Vorona Cote: The case against ‘BoyMom.’ 

5. Attention curly-headed friends. This conditioner smells like heaven.³ 

6. If you read last week’s essay, then you’ll understand why Aja and I both got a big kick out of this Tik Tok video she sent me a few days later. Lol!

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Before you go: 

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love,

A + A

1. If you’ve never used it, Canva is a free, online graphic design tool with thousands of free templates for hundreds of use cases.

2. Rec courtesy of

Alisha Ramos

’s new(ish) Substack, Downtime.

3. And, according to the packaging, it’s “rich in natural active ingredients, proteins and Vitamins B to give elasticity and volume.” Love.