Hi, there. This is Aliza — I’m writing to you during Jude’s Saturday nap. What a gift!
This week’s undisputed highlight was the Friendship Training Program. Aja and I loved collaborating on the prompts, including “Ask a friend for help with an errand or a task (dropping off a package, grocery-shopping, buying a gift, etc.)” Usually, I think of giving help as a way to connect or bond, but receiving help can be so meaningful. (Doesn’t make it easy.)
A few more recent comments from Platonic Love readers doing the program:
“In one group of friends, we often only see each other at weddings so one friend started what he calls ‘one nice thing.’ We go around and say one nice thing about each person. It usually ends in the person crying *but* is an important way to give and learn to receive love and compliments.” - Jill
“I’m traveling this weekend, and am using these prompts as inspiration to pick up a few postcards in a souvenir shop and write notes to my favorite people.” - Maddie
“I really try to stay off my phone when I'm with other people!” - Aja
For today’s LWSOF, we’re excited to be joined by
, a retail executive focused on merchandising and retail strategy, the author of , and someone Aja and I lean on heavily for fashion updates and analysis.Sarah lives in the Bay Area with her husband and two kids (but still identifies as a New Yorker, where she lived for about 15 years). Her newsletter is like WWD meets InStyle and Lucky Magazine (RIP) — where she spills her fashion and retail obsessions, including trends, insights, disruptive retailers, cool merchandise, and more.
Sarah’s Links:
I’ve always loved BonBon, a candy shop with locations in Manhattan and Williamsburg. After reading this article about the shop’s explosion in popularity (h/t
of Whoorl), I’m craving a bag filled with Swedish gummy treats.I always wish I made more time for arts and crafts. This watercolor kit (created by my talented cousin Berry) makes watercoloring easy — I’ve found it to be one of the most relaxing family activities.
The bag from Uniqlo that I recommend to every friend going on a trip. (Aliza: The best bag, and so affordable! I have it in two colors.)
If you need a reading “palette cleanser” (something between heavy or serious reads) I highly suggest this book. Also the perfect quick read for vacation.
Dealing with heavy world events and politics is often easier through memes; I appreciate Katie Grossbard’s Instagram. (And if you’re in California, don’t forget to vote!)
Last but not least: Consider this your personal reminder to check out upcoming local theater! My friends and I’ve spent the past few days texting about the upcoming Broadway season in San Francisco — including planning which shows to see together (or bring our young children to) — and I’m so excited.
For more excellent picks from Sarah, subscribe to Sarah’s Retail Diary:
Aja’s Links:
Reading about this cookbook club made me smile — and want to start my own (even though, as we’ve established, cooking isn’t my strong suit). As the host Holly Wang explains, “You really get to know people in a more intimate way when you go into their homes. One of our cookbook club members, Amanda, has this giant framed gallery of Guy Fieri cards because her partner collects baseball cards and she LOVES Guy Fieri — that’s kind of an odd thing to have and you show up and you’re like OH, this person’s very into Guy Fieri.”
If you, like me, have always been curious about the literal “behind the scenes” of movie sex scenes… this interview with an intimacy coordinator has answers. (Including what happens during filming when an actor gets turned on!)
For those who have $450 to splash out on a dinner party, this Michelin dinner on demand would be a fun and novel experience.
Aliza’s Links:
The best new (but old) song to start my mornings. (And no, I haven’t gotten enough of Beyonce’s Texas Hold ‘em yet — it’s heavy in the rotation.)
The perfect cozy sweater (currently on sale (!) — and a quarter of the price of a similar version from Jenni Kayne) that’s going to carry me through this Boston winter.
This interview with stress expert
(from ’ podcast series) felt like a much needed therapy session.Several weeks ago, I mentioned Leslie Jamison’s moving essay in The New Yorker — an excerpt from her forthcoming memoir, Splinters, a “blazing unputdownable memoir” about the rebuilding of a life and family after divorce. Last week, Aja and I caught her in Cambridge on her national book tour (which has just started, so you’ve got time!), and she was absolutely mesmerizing — not too surprising, since we learned she also directs the nonfiction concentration in writing at Columbia. At the end of the event, Aja turned to me and said, “I’m ready to follow her anywhere.” Then promptly purchased the book.
Newsletter we sent our friends:
I wouldn’t say
is a cure for wanderlust (it definitely makes it worse.) But if you do have upcoming travels — or are looking for inspiration or daydreaming material — this newsletter from former creative director of Condé Nast Traveler and her team is an incredible resource. It feels like Paris itineraries are following me these days…Question we asked our friends:
We’re adding one more new section here! Sticking with the theme, it’s a “question we asked our friends.” So here goes:
What’s your vote for the best plane snack?
I’m flying down to Nashville with Jude this week to visit my family. When Aja and I traveled to Miami a few weeks ago, I learned that she’ll walk around all day with a bag of snacks from Walgreens if it means avoiding paying airline snack prices. Which I found admirable.
Platonic Love is an affiliate-free publication, meaning we don’t generate any revenue from the links we share so you feel 100% confident in our recommendations. If you’re enjoying the newsletter, please consider showing your support by liking, commenting, and/or upgrading to a paid subscription. Thank you for being here!
If I have a longer flight and plan ahead I pack a bento lunch box with cheeseboard style snacks and food to fuel up with. And to treat myself I like to have Swedish Fish too.
My plane snack strategy is choosing food that's highly vertical — so as to preserve valuable slide-out tray real estate — dry, relatively un-smelly, and doesn't *need* a fork/knife/spoon/etc. That's brought me to:
- Popcorn (Lesser Evil Himalayan Gold and Smartfood both favorites)
- Apples/bananas (just make sure you throw away any uneaten ones before crossing an international border...)
- Dried/freeze-dried fruit
But would love to shake things up for my trip next week!