An easy way to cultivate charm

Hello, friends!

I promised I’d give you an update on my work as a substitute teacher so, let me tell you, elementary school classrooms are a whole production. And I’m just the understudy dropping in during the third act, scrambling to learn my scenes. It makes me feel like the dude from Quantum Leap. My first order of business is always finding the one girl—yes, it’s always a girl—who’ll help me through the day. She’s the goody-goody who makes it her job to tell on her classmates if they pull any stunts and won’t hesitate to tell me what I’m doing wrong. Thank you for your service, babe. Anyway, below are some rays of light for your springy Sunday. I’m gonna google around to see what Scott Bakula is up to these days… 

XO,

Toby

•  Since you could probably always use an extra dose of beauty, Natasha Nyanin is a New York-based, Ghanaian writer whose travel posts make me want to lose my ever-loving mind. Stunning. (Instagram)

•  My new trick is sending friends surprise donuts. It’s an easy way to cultivate charm in someone else’s day. Of course, there are all kinds of fancy food delivery services out there. But I’ve just been punching my friends’ addresses into UberEats and picking a shop close to their house. (Life tip)

•  I caught Waxahatchee at the Ryman last weekend and was instantly smitten with lead singer Katie Crutchfield and her boyfriend, Kevin Morby. Here’s some shaky video coverage of them covering Dolly to tide you over until she makes it to your town. (YouTube)

•  Reckless women make the best subjects, don’t you agree? Chelsea Bieker’s new short story collection, Heartbroke, is full of ‘em. If you’re around this evening, one of my dear Internet friends, Michelle, is hosting a book club conversation with Chelsea at 7PM ET. Wave to me! (Zoom)

•  Here’s an ode I wrote to Pamela Adlon, an edgy icon whose series, Better Things, is one of the best shows on TV. I am bereft that her show is ending but excited to see what she does next. (Kveller)

•  Confession: When I’m looking for new recipes, I just type ‘easy’ into Joy’s search bar. My latest find is this Avocado and Edamame Salad, which I’ll be making this week. Also, rest assured, 2011 Joy had just as much sass as 2022 Joy. (Joy the Baker) 

•  I haven’t watched the second season of Russian Doll yet. For those who have, is it as good as the first? I have, however, been reading all Natasha Lyonne’s press—because, hello, she’s fascinating—and this interview is the best of the bunch. (New Yorker)

•  “I Lived the #VanLife. It Wasn’t Pretty.” Let’s take her word for it. (New York Times)

•  As much as I love gossip, I also carry friends’ secrets to my grave, which makes me a weak gossiping companion. Enter the Normal Gossip podcast. A variety of guests come on to share morsels of gossip from the real world, which essentially boils down to really good story telling. (Apple)

•  Did you know when a pomelo + a grapefruit have a baby it’s called a Melogold? A friend introduced me to this happy mashup via Costco and I’ve never met a fruit hybrid I didn’t love. (Eat Like No One Else)

•  This excerpt from an interview with Jamaica Kincaid is so expertly done, even the questions are poetry: “Homesickness—this kind of interrupted love—is a big element in your work.”  (Paris Review) 

•  HouseInHabit has been one of my favorite follows for years and Jess’s recent turn as a celeb reporter is endlessly entertaining. Her newsletter is worth subscribing to if you like your celebrity drama with a side of low-stakes conspiracy theory. (Substack)

•  OK, technically this isn’t news but, rather, a PSA: Speed holds up exceptionally well and is the perfect movie to watch no matter what mood you’re in. (HBO)

•  Which one do you love more: the actual picture or the fact that she named her dog after a type of pasta? It’s a toss-up, honestly. (Twitter)