JULY 2023 MENU
STARTERS
Good Children is a podcast hosted by lifelong best friends, Joe and Andrew, who met at Disney World when they were four then realized they hailed from the same town in Long Island— the rest is history. They tell stories from their shared childhood that are equally parts outrageous, traumatic, and hilarious, with New York accents that really highlight the Lawng Island of it all. I listened to every single one of their episodes in a month, then subscribed to their Patreon and tore through every single one of those. They’re like two gay older brothers that you feel a little bad for but will nonetheless always take their advice.
I’ve Been Loving You Too Long by Otis Redding first played in an episode of The Bear, and has since been played 40x from the speakers in my car. The wail in his voice just takes you by the heart and shakes you back and forth until you’re forced to pull over and sing along with your eyes closed. I don’t have anyone I’d sing this to besides maybe my cup of coffee in the morning, but the sentiment is not lost on me.
SECOND COURSE
The Six a musical following Henry VIII’s six wives reimagined as pop stars. The sheer brilliance of the idea brought me to tears before the show could even start. The full cast is six women accompanied by an all-female rock band, and each wife’s singing style is inspired by real-life female singers. The ingenuity of other creatives can be very moving—I love when people make awesome things and then other talented people perform those awesome things awesomely. It’s divine.
I had to acknowledge the first pair of jeans I’ve bought in two years: a light-wash pair of Levi’s Lo-Pros. They fit like I’ve always dreamed of: loose around the hips, waist, thighs, calves, ankles— it’s honestly a miracle they stay up at all. They’re not too short, which is normally an issue, and they don’t give me camel toe (unfortunately also a normal occurrence). I got them on major sale and they’re that real denim material I thought only existed in movies— none of the semi-elastic ZARA shit I’ve been buying since I was a teenager. And I got them from Macy’s. I think about them probably twice a day.
ENTREE
When Succession left a gaping hole in my heart, The Bear swooped with spackle, a putty knife, and a hug. The first season of The Bear explored the tensions and incongruence of the staff as they navigated working in a restaurant hurtling towards disaster. It was meant to mirror the environment of a kitchen— stressful, exhausting, depression-inducing; the first season trained you to want a cigarette every time you heard a pan clatter to the floor. The second season explores each of the characters much closer, examining their ingredients and drawing out each of their individual flavors in order to understand what makes them taste so good as a whole. I watched each episode thinking it’d be like the first season, on the edge of my seat every time the camera zoomed in on Sidney or Carmy, but the second season revealed itself to be rich in heartwarming moments and tender emotional exchanges. I could probably write the show it’s own blog post; I’ve recommended it incessantly to anyone who mentions television, cooking, or, frankly, just food in general.
Outlawed by Anna North was an incredibly pleasant surprise. I”ll admit I picked it up mostly because of its cover; it’s pink with a cowboy hat and bandana on it— literally what else could you want. The book follows a young girl named Ada in 1800s midwestern United States, where barren women are hung for being “witches” after a Great Flu wiped out most of the population. It’s part Wild-West adventure, part feminist exploration of the value we place on women for their ability to have children, and features a gang of outlaw women who dress up like men and rob stagecoaches. Come on. I love both the Wild West and thinking about how men fucked a lot of things up for women so this book didn’t have to try hard to win me over. If you like Handmaid’s Tale, Deadwood, or even Little House On The Prairie, read this book.
DESSERT
Julia Jacklin has been one of my favorite artists for a long time— every single piece of music she puts out immediately becomes one of my top listens. I knew Shivers would be no different, and, even better, it signals that she’s releasing a new album soon. The song is a cover of Rowland S. Howard’s original by the same name, but sung in such a distinctly Jacklin style that it sounds entirely new. It’s chilling and powerful and melodic; it’s one of those songs that’s so fun to sing along to despite the somber underlying tone. Jacklin is just so so so so good— especially if you’re in your early 20s and love hearing someone sing about being how hard it is to be in your early 20s. If you like even one of her songs you’ll end up liking them all.
My inaugural Menu post wouldn’t be complete without the piece of media I recommend the most: Binchtopia. I’m not even sure the hosts, Julia and Eliza, understand the power behind they’ve created, but it is truly one of the best podcasts out there. I’ll echo what I said about Jacklin— if you’re in your early 20s and love listening to girls in their early 20s discuss every topic from Brazilian Butt Lifts to to male podcasters to mosquito bites, all with the nuance, humor and wit, then give this a listen. I’ve been listening for almost four years now; I’m a second tier Patreon subscriber, owner of a sweatshirt from their most recent merchandise drop and am going to see them live in less than a month. Consider me a fan.
