A Thing or Two with Claire and Erica

You want more Thingies? We’ve got more Thingies! This time with one of the most charming interior designers around, Billy Cotton, who has a stellar new collaboration with West Elm and a book we love, love, love. Billy’s Thingies include a Lorezi Milano toothpaste squeezer (paired with Marvis Toothpaste at the moment), Cowboy Carter (but of course), Hillstone (specifically the Bal Harbour location) Elephant and Castle (Michigan Star!), the city of Houston, and, of course, Fruit Loops. A few of our favorites from his West Elm collection are this checkered rug, this pepper mill, this etched glassware, and this shell bowl for cereal or anything you please. Didn’t know we had to announce it, but we’re #teammascara. See: Kevyn Aucoin'The Volume Mascara and Lily Lolo Mascara…and let us know your faves at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva. Give your hair a boost with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO. Get the good writing tools with ​​JetPens—free JetPens marker and washi tape with any $50 order when you use our link until 6/30/24. Go green with Fast Growing Trees—get an additional 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHINGORTWO. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We brought back Nikki Ogunnaike, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire and writer of the very good shopping newsletter Self Checkout, to share her Thingies. Also: Closing shift, to the tune of “Closing Time.” Ready for Nikki’s Thingies? Great. Try Uniqlo U white T-shirts, Vegamour GRO Biotin Gummies, Uzo liquid eyeliner and pencil eyeliner, and three resources for the good watches: Fashionphile, The RealReal, and Bob’s Watches. A whole sub-category of running Thingies! Like Coach Bennett’s guided runs on the Nike Run Club App (also: our past episode with Coach Bennett that we still think about), Fabletics Define PowerHold High-Waisted 9” Short, Panache Wired Sports Bras, and LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix (also a bonus shoutout to Pocari Sweat). The idea of the closing shift came to our attention via The Everygirl newsletter, and it lead us to think about Mike Bise’s Gap Store Playlists. Dip into our 2020 convo with Nikki, too! What are your Thingies? Share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva. Give your closet a spring refresh with Nuuly and take $20 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO20. Make some new plant friends with Fast Growing Trees—get an addition 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHINGORTWO. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re giving some children’s programming rave reviews, digging into your trending Thingies, and reading a lot into an interesting story about Manhattan’s history. Endorsed by Claire (and Cam!) Cosmic Kids Yoga (+ guided meditation!) and Numberblocks. People love granola! Now more than ever, according to Global Newswire! If you’re in NYC, seek out the greenmaket seller Baker’s Bounty; if you’re anywhere else, make Bon Appétit's Vanilla-Scented Granola. Also, something that makes us giggle: this 2016 headline from The Cut: “Americans Still Believe Granola is Good for Them.” People are dyeing their brows at home! Specifically using henna or Just for Men, but Harper’s Bazaar recommends getting brow-specific products or going to a professional. After one of y’all shared enstrual discs as a Thingie, we received several votes for Flex —they have disposable and reusable versions. Lots of discussion about making natural deodorant actually work. Erica is using Megababe’s Soapy Pits plus Space Bar Underarm Soap. People like Nuud, which is its own ~vibe~. There’s also a lot of discussion about using CeraVe Acne Foaming Cream Cleanser for its 4% benzoyl peroxide—and LOL at the "How to Clean Armpits with Cerave" TikTok page. Thoughts on deodorant? Vaginal discs vs. cups? Share with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva. Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we’re issuing some micro updates and corrections before we dive into the meat of this episode: grief. (A content warning, if you will.) Some corrections: The Stanley cups are WEARING the backpacks (find a visual aid here), BonBon Swedish candy is having a nightlife moment, and the Pineberry also goes by Berry de Blanc. On loss: The LA Times story "How Not to Say the Wrong Thing" by Susan Silk and Barry Goldman delves into the ring theory of grief, and All There Is with Anderson Cooper explores anticipatory grief. If you care about a person (any person), give Being Mortal by Atul Gawande a read—it offers much good guidance and framing for tough conversations. A couple planning resources: Policygenius for life insurance and Trust & Will for, you guessed it, trusts and wills. Share all of your thoughts with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva. Refresh your wardrobe with Nuuly and take $20 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO20. Treat your hair to Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we’re talking Thingies with Jo Piazza, author of The Sicilian Inheritance—exactly the escapist, immersive book we want at this very moment—and its companion true-crime podcast…because this woman is one of the most ambitious storytellers you’ve ever encountered, ok? Also: We raise a case for cold-calling your friends, expectations free. Jo’s thingies include trad wives (or maybe that’s a Claire Thingie?), Oak Essentials moisture rich balm (s/o to the cleansing balm also!), Freda Salvador shoes and the Jada ballet flats in particular, The Other Two on Max (see also: The State, Party Down, and Girls 5Eva), the podcast Time Capsule: The Silver Chain. There was a lot of food talk, naturally: Jo raves about Norah Ephron’s pasta alla cecca recipe, and some Philly restaurants she loves include Friday Saturday Sunday, Trattoria Carina, and Zahav. Jo’s Italian heritage liaison: Laura Lee of Digging Up Roots in the Boot. Want more Jo? You are in LUCK! Her new release The Sicilian Inheritance has an Elena Ferrante meets Gabrielle Hamilton meets Liane Moriarty vibe, and it pairs perfectly with this non-fiction podcast where Jo, NBD, works to solve a family murder. And dig into her other books We Are Not Like Them, You Were Always Mine, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, The Knockoff, and How to Be Married. Want something to listen to? Dive into Under the Influence, Wilder, Committed, Fierce, She Wants More, and Too Much Money. What are *your* Thingies? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or chat with other Bobs in our Geneva. Change your clothes with Nuuly and take $20 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO20. Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link. See your garden thrive with Fast Growing Trees—get an addition 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHINGORTWO. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Greetings, Thingiemabobs! We have some wee updates, a Tokyo tour, and an important (to us) conversation about whether or not cropped pants are allowed. People are loving the idea of a shower as a room (on of Emily Sundberg’s Thingies!) and were intrigued by this IG reel where @mrsmckennabarry installs a little shelf in her shower for a lamp and a speaker. In more offputting bathing news, Jessica Biel eats cereal in the shower. Speaking of cereal! Jacqueline Tse of Mad Brooklyn makes compelling Lucky Charms sculptures. More tiny things!! LOL at this mini backpack you can put on your Stanley Cup; a case for mini soda cans. Erica just went to Tokyo and has thoughts on the Muji Hotel and Miffy’s dominance (see: a florist called Flower Miffy: Dick Bruna’s Atelier with Flowers, where the classic arrangement uses a mum for Miffy’s head). We also surfaced an important piece of lore about Miffy and Hello Kitty’s relationship via The Guardian. While Erica was in Japan, Claire was reading Bride by Ali Hazelwood (NSFW discourse warning!). For those who don’t know what TF the omegaverse is, this episode of Fated Mates breaks it all down (and the show notes include lots of reading recs). Grappling with everchanging pant trends after a meeting with Katie Anderson of Mend Tailoring and reading Jonah Weiner’s New York Times Magazine piece about pants. TY to High Sport for continuing to make a strong case for the crop. Do you eat or drink in the shower? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or get into it in our Geneva. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Take a stroll through the grocery aisles with us as we talk about some culinary updates featuring (metaphorical) sausage races and (literal) marshmallow innovations. The Milwaukee Brewers Famous Racing Sausages show us that we never know how any race will end. So many marshmallow innovations popping off these days, including but not limited to Stackers, Lucky Charms-shaped jet-puffed marshmallows, Just Magical Marshmallows, Jet-Puffed Bits, Hello Kitty marshmallows, and, in a rare case of timeliness on our part, Lucky Charms™ Limited Edition St. Patrick’s Day Just Magical Marshmallows. We also can’t help but mention the MMX Marshmallow Crossbow we included in last year’s gift guide. Peeps have also been up to some things. Our concerns include Dr. Pepper flavors, dog ropes, "Hanging with my Peeps" merch, and Pepsi’s Peep-flavored soda. For enthusiasts, check out Racine Art Museum’s Annual International Peeps Art Exhibition, and we have to admit we’re kind of charmed by Peepshi. Fruit innovation! We’re talking pineberries (great in a Marcella Hazan recipe for macerated strawberries with balsamic vinegar!), sumo oranges, raspberry oranges, cotton candy grapes,and pink lemons. According to the NYT, chocolate chip ice cream is falling out of favor—very upsetting to us. What do you think we should name the fruit marketing revolution? Share your ideas with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re (gladly) diving back into the Miffy-verse, talking cover songs and fortune cookies, and asking the question: How did Google search lose its luster?? As expected, the @miffydances Instagram account is perfection. Cover songs—having a moment! Beyond the epic “Fast Car” moment with Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs, 50 Cent's "P.I.M.P.”, by Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band in Anatomy of a Fall, the Kelly Clarkson effect aka Kellyoke, Pedal Steel Noah, Boygenius doing “Cowboy Take Me Away,” Leon Bridges performing Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” T Pain’s On Top of the Covers album, the Like a Version YouTube show, and Norma Fraser doing Sheryl Crow’s “First Cut is the Deepest.” The high five being 47 years old feels, stay with us, kind of like this tweet. Related: High Five by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri is an excellent children’s book by the duo who brought you Dragons Love Tacos. Fortune cookie–related things include Coming Soon’s nickel-plated version, Chefanie’s giant ones, and a recipe from Red House Spice. On the dismal state of internet searching, “The Tragedy of Google Search” by Charlie Warzel for The Atlantic. Other search engines out there: DuckDuckGo, Startpage, and Perplexity, seen in Laura Reilly’s installment of the Why Is This Interesting? newsletter. Favorite covers, favorite fortunes? You just let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva. Impress yourself and your nails with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System when you use our link. Hire with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link. Gift Charles Chocolates—the good stuff!—and get 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHING15. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Before we get to Thingies with Emily Sundberg, we have an order of business to attend to: ) Our semi-finalists for listener names are here! Thingiemabobs, Loony Twonies, Thingles, and, a late entry, Two Timers. We’ll need you to cast your vote on Instagram, clearly. If you don’t already know Emily Sundberg’s work, please subscribe to the “hottest business newsletter” Feed Me and read her iconic stories like “Welcome to the Shoppy Shop” and the “hot girl drink whole milk” piece for New York mag. “You may also like” newsletters: Casey Lewis’s After School, Lauren Sherman’s Puck Line Sheet, and Chris Black and James Ellis’s Public Announcement. Emily’s Thingies include FIT Center for Continuing Education classes, The New York Times and New York magazine archives, making hot sauce, pickles (some of note include Hot Girl Pickles and Grillo’s) neighborhood field trips, poker, and treating your shower like a room. Other loves: Fara Homidi’s lip compact and Soft Services Theraplush. Share your Thingies with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva. Treat yourself to the good chocolate with Charles Chocolates—15% off your first purchase with the code ATHING15. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re thinking big and talking miniatures, reading and listening to a book simultaneously, right-size restaurant empires, the comeback of color analysis, and a stellar Father’s Day gift for all the planners out there. A new-favorite mini restaurant empire: Mason Hereford’s New Orleans spots Turkey and the Wolf, Molly’s Rise and Shine, and Hungry Eyes (see also: his wonderful cookbook, written with JJ Goode). Some other faves: Ann Kim’s in Minneapolis, Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s in L.A., Nancy Silverton’s (also) in L.A., Marc Vetri’s in Philly, and the Hart’s/Cervo’s/The Fly trifecta in NYC. More on color analysis via Calin Van Paris’s story for Vogue. Related: Kibbe types, c/o The Concept Wardrobe and Vox. So much on miniatures! The Guardian article “‘A place where millennials can own a home’: why doll’s houses are having a big moment” by Nicole Cooley, Shrunk magazine, DWR’s Vitra miniatures collection and Champagne Chair Contest, Yuta Segawa’s vases, Tatsuya Tanaka, and the (40th anniversary!) Marc Jacobs show. We’re seeing bitsy charms on all sorts of things, including Susan Alexandra Tiny Joys Lucky Charms, Haricot Vert “Dear Diary” Charming Bag, Mother Denim Lucky Charms Beanie, and Hello Adrienne Bite Size Dangles. And let’s pleeease not forget Mini Brand magnets. Share your favorite small restaurant empires, color analysis thoughts, fave minis, and more via 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva. Get your chocolate fix with Charles Chocolates—15% off your first purchase with the code ATHING15. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Giddyup! This week we’re talking about an essential Thingie, being forthcoming with one’s universe, the squashissance, cowboy love stories (real and fictional), and, as usual, a whole lot more. Big Thingie Energy: a good vet, specifically cat ‘n bunny caretakers at Catnip & Carrots. Having a moment? Squash. Some recipes we love include Aacorn Squash with Coconut Custard from Kristen Kish for Food & Wine, Soy Glazed Kabocha Squash with Japanese Sesame Seasoning from Season with Spice, Delicata Squash Agrodolce from Athena Calderone for PureWow, and Roasted Honey Nut Squash and Chickpeas With Hot Honey from Melissa Clark for NYT. GRWM audiobooks we’re into include Tom Lake by Ann Patchett and You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith (< who you probably know from her poem “Good Bones” and/or her essay “My Marriage Was Never the Same After That.”). We love cowboy love! Get into Lyla Sage’s Rebel Blue Ranch series, starting with Done and Dusted and the upcoming Swift and Saddled. Related: the rodeo, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, and Bella Hadid’s cowboyfriend. We love easy crafts! Including decorating these 99¢ frames, rolling beeswax candles, doing fruit and veggie prints (maybe at RecCreate Collective in BK?), and collage journaling like Martina Calvi. Also, we endorse Target’s Spritz line of party decorations (balloon arch + gold fringe, hello). We are deep in the Grossy Universe. Do you want any context on the people in our ‘verse? Ask away at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or even our Geneva. Do your nails so well you impress yourself with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System when you use our link. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Di-hards, Clairericas, ATOTs, Thingles, actual listener name TBA: It's time to dive even deeper into Rivians lore, share the case for sleeping in socks, and add a new one for hand warmers. Also, it’s feeling like the tong discussion on this podcast is just beginning… Listen to the How I Built This ep with the founder of Rivian; read the WSJ story “‘If You Sleep in Socks You’re a Psychopath.’ Health Tip Kicks Up Controversy.” Ocoopa hand-warmers—have we tried? Or Zippo’s? What should we call ATOT fans? Now’s your chance to let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—and bring the debate to our Geneva (either the app or the browser version!). Hire for that role with Indeed and get a $75 sponsored job credit when you use our link. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

May we ask a question? Are you a Framebridge groupie yet? We’re partnering with the fantastic company on this glorious ep—and an event at their Park Slope store from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 3, with 15% off! Which is all to say: If you’re not already hooked, you’re about to be. Behold, CEO Susan Tynan’s Thingies, your family-photo anxieties, and how what we’re hanging on our walls offers a lens into ~the culture~. Susan’s Thingies include egg rolls in a bowl, Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA, Pomela Casa mugs, the Marrakesh frame from Framebridge, Caroline’s Cakes 7-Layer Cakes, and the Spoonful of Comfort Thinking of You Package. The Framebridge gallery wall sets = a stroke of genius. If you’re commissioning illustrations for future framing, we love the work of Julie Houts and Olivia de Recat. What are your framing conundrums? How have you taken ownership over your own bday happiness? Share with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—and chat it up about anything at all in our Geneva! Come join us for the easiest, most stylish framing at Framebridge Park Slope this Sat., 2/3, from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. and get 15% off (a very rare discount!). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’ve got some hot topics like celebrity activism and when to share pregnancy news—and even hotter topics like verbal leashes, sleeping with socks on, and weird terminology for just wearing your damn clothes. New nym alert!!! Good Inside by Becky Kennedy brings us MGI: most generous interpretation. Claire’s IG exchange with Nancy Meyers in this Instagram post confirms that there are, in fact, Vicente Foods bags in The Holiday (and that N.M. is the greatest). The thing having a moment this week: Rivians and their mascot, Gary the Gear Guard. Two things we’re happy about being “in” in 2024 include outfit-repeating and going to the movies. Shoutout to this @flwrchldtweets tweet and Dwight Garner’s Grub Street Diet. Dog people: Is a verbal leash (not the yet-to-be-written spinoff to Best in Show) a thing? Please let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—and chat it up about anything at all in our Geneva! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let’s talk Thingies with Samhita Mukhopadhyay, a writer and editor who covers feminism, politics, culture, fashion, racial justice, and existential dating dilemmas—in short, so much we want to read. She’s the editorial director of The Meteor, the co-editor of the best-selling anthology Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance and Revolution in Trump’s America, and the author of Outdated: Why Dating is Ruining Your Love Life and (forthcoming!!) The Myth of Making It: A Workplace Reckoning. Yes, consider this the you-hear-it-here-first pre-order nudge. Samhita’s Thingies include Ranavat hair oil, wearing her partner’s class ring, Care Touch lens wipes, Jolly Rancher Chews, a poem by Hala Alyan, and Megan Thee Stallion’s bodyodyody. The phrase “Oh, I’m JV” is brought to us by Sara Petersen’s Substack In Pursuit of Clean Countertops, and we have a bonus Thingie: the memoir installments of Kim France’s Substack! What areas are you happily JV in? Share with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—and chat it up about anything at all in our Geneva! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let’s dive into some Hellmann’s drama, TSwift x Wordsworth, and lots more re: the secret life of girls (thank you to Wired for the Notes App *respect*!!!). To know Prof. Stephanie Burt is to love Prof. Stephanie Burt—this NYT interview about her Harvard Taylor Swift class will get you there. A fave on the syllabus: Grace and the Fever by Zan Romanoff. It’s pintxo season (we say!). Woldy Kusina shows us how it’s done, and Despaña is a great ingredient source. (Also: RIP the Prune Chicago Matchbox Bloody Mary.) Indoor/Outdoor Boyfriends brought to you buy Ella Risbridger’s You Get In Love And Then newsletter. (Have you read her book Midnight Chicken?) Did you know Hellmann’s mayonnaise is known as something else entirely in parts of the West? Share your thoughts on this revelation at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq, and chat it up about anything at all in our Geneva! Get your nails in good shape with Olive & June—20% off your first Mani System with our link. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re wise enough to know it’s about time to revisit this wisdom episode from the vault. We share our feelings about feeling our age and some excellent advice we caught about living with a little longing—and we very much would like to hear if this one hits differently the second time around. Some readings that impacted how we’ve been navigating aging include Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, Casey Johnston’s Swole Woman program, Cheryl Wischover’s “What Changed When I Started Lifting Weights” in the Gloria newsletter, and Kayleen Schaefer’s “How 50 Pushups A Day Helped Me Cope In An Uncertain World” for Elle. If you have thoughts on longing or musings about aging share them with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq. And try out a Secret Menu membership for more recommendations. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we present a very *us* episode from the archives: What does “After Dark” mean to you? How does one explain what consulting is? Are you signed up for Dua Lipa’s newsletter? What does it mean to actually *build* a bear? All this and more in your ears now! For some discomfitting Build-a-Bear products for adults, enter The Bear Cave. For other “but what does it MEAN?” After Dark content, check out National Parks After Dark and this edition of Emily Henry’s Book Lovers. Check out this YouTube video from Charlie Berens for on ope usage and Midwest vs. Everybody’s great ope merch. Also: on the rise of the Midwestern vibe. Takeaways re: "A ‘Landmark’ as Women Will Coach Against Each Other in Men’s Soccer," which also made us think about this episode of Throwing Fits. Join us in subscribing to Dua Lipa’s newsletter Service95 and listening to her podcast At Your Service. Share your thoughts on all of this at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq—or join our Geneva! And try out a Secret Menu membership for a whole lot more recommendations. Turn to Shopify for all your ecomm needs and get a free 14-day trial with our link. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re so excited about this Guest Thingies ep with Ellen Van Dusen of Dusen Dusen—a greatest hit if there ever was one! But first, some nuggets of wisdom from famously creative famous dudes. We’re definitely taking inspiration from Rod Stewart’s model railway side project and Tom Hanks's advice to Austin Butler. Ellen’s Thingies include being comfortable inside and outside the home (please see: her delightful robes…and brand-new slippers!!), @Favetiktoks420 on Instagram, and cool silverware (especially David Tisdale’s Picnic Flatware, which makes us think of Ahimsa dinnerware for kids). She also loves tile right now—see: Heath Ceramics, her collab with Concrete Collaborative, Fireclay, and Oasis—and you have to, have to check out her backyard mosaic. Last but not least: Her love of bird-watching has us asking when she’s going to start selling the birdhouse she designed for Brooklyn Botanic Garden (in the meantime, the MoMA one we’re all into). Ooh, and as we told Ellen, Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a great book and a much better movie than it gets credit for being. Share your dream Thingies guests with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, or @athingortwohq. And for more recommendations, try out a Secret Menu membership. Treat your hair to Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we’re talkin’ Thingies with Alison Roman, the woman behind a SLEW of recipes we cook all the dang time. We know you know her, but JIC, she’s the author of NYT bestselling—and gifty!—cookbooks Sweet Enough, Nothing Fancy, and Dining In, she doles out the most delightful kitchen content in A Newsletter and on her Home Movies YouTube channel, and she delivers guidance of all kinds on her Solicited Advice podcast. In essence: She’s full of thoughts, and we want them all. First things first, what we would bring to a pilot kid-gift swap (thx, Leslie!): Spirograph, Yellow Owl Workshop DIY Pin & Flair Kit, Bastien Contraire Stencil Kit, Majo Ideas Art Pack, and Pop Tubes. Alison’s tabletop Thingies include beeswax candles (try Greentree Home Candle—maybe in the sangria color?!), candle holders *in general* (e.g., this Sophie Lou Jacobson one), and interesting serving platters including Bordallo Pinheiro's. For the bod, she loves using Laneige’s lip mask as lip balm, and Davines’s Vegetarian Miracle Mask for her hair. On the food front, how about chopped fermented chilies—use them to make her Brothy Chickpeas with Calabrian Chili (and/or these chickpeas)—and, for dessert, Kolsvart gummies. Share your Thingies with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, and @athingortwohq, or drop them in our Geneva! Give yourself the gift of professional counseling with BetterHelp and take 10% off your first month with our link. Trust us: It’s all about Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO. YAY. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.