Radio 831: A Romance Podcast

It's time to treat ourselves to a good, old-fashioned catch-up. Ready for some updates on workouts, hair styling, hot dogs, and marriage?

Kayleen Schaefer's Elle article "How 50 Pushups a Day Helped Me Cope In an Uncertain World."

Three hair recs: Ranavat Fortifying Hair Serum, the Dyson Airwrap, and Christophe Robin Temporary Color Gel.

Shoutout to PDT, the speakeasy behind Crif Dogs, and the Turkey and the Wolf Cookbook by Mason Hereford and JJ Goode. High-end fun?!

Claire's beloved Kikkerland back scratcher; Cam's beloved Champagne poppers.

"62 Extremely Passionate Recommendations" ℅ Harling Ross's Gumshoe Substack.

Looking for a little pick-me-up? Share what's been cheering you up lately at 833-632-5463, [email protected], @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.

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Ah, we can't wait for you to get to hang with Upasna Barath! We chat *THINGIES* with the author and playwright—and also discuss her experience writing Comedic Timing, a modern bi-awakening with exceptional dialogue and the most charming friendships. It's the next exceedingly delightful 831 Stories release, out tomorrow!

Upasna's Thingies include incense in the mornings (Upstate Stock's Albany Black Spruce, specifically), scented body oil over perfume (Nuxe FTW), a red lip with no makeup ( Violette Bisou Balm—and maybe she'll try Ilia Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon?), Italian hand gestures, a heating pad, meaningful apologies, and Opsin Archive ceramics.

Also, onions are approaching A Moment in untraditional formats (as in, on feet?)?

Keith Haring helps us define cutie eyes—shoutout to Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring by Brad Gooch—and even if you can't make it to Luna Luna, check out the original posters and merch.

What does a meaningful apology look like to you? Share at 833-632-5463, [email protected], @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.

Treat your hair to Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month's subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

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In the throes of everything 2025 is throwing at us, we're discussing how we approach wellness and the small things we do to take care of ourselves (at least a little bit!!!). Major thanks to OSEA for bringing us this episode—10% off your first order with the code ATHINGORTWO!

Can we start with some praise for OSEA's Undaria Algae Body Butter? It absorbs quickly, it feels excellent, and it's making Claire actually moisturize every day.

Claire is also exercising with Cam, opting for phone calls over Zooms, going on "do not disturb" more often, making lunchbox drawings, and watching TV on her phone while doing other things.

Erica's getting an actual desk setup, eating a fulfilling lunch (shoutout to Chris Gayomali's Heavies Substack about soup), revisiting her five-year journal, maintaining a saved sentence archive practice, and having high-end fun and heavy snacks.

How are you taking extra care of yourself right now? Let us know at 833-632-5463, [email protected], @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.

Give your skin a New Year glow-up with clean, clinically tested skincare from OSEA and get 10% off your first order sitewide with code ATHINGORTWO.

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Before diving into the newness of 2025, we wanted to reflect on our top Thingies of last year. Fashion, framing, food, and a full-blown flurry of favorites ahead!

Claire's best-of Thingies include the PJ Library, Wisp, Épice Paris, Bluesafe24 glasses, Caro Chambers, and the Natori Bliss Girl Brief.

Erica's Thingies of the year include Biryani Bol, Nelle Atelier (specifically their Laura style), Susan Orlean's Wordy Bird Substack, Framebridge, Buena Vista Social Club the musical, and, of course, Josh Hartnett's return.

What were your 2024 Thingies? Let us know at 833-632-5463, [email protected], @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva!

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It's time to let your inner Larry David out because we have THOUGHTS to SHARE!

Gen Alpha has a new (jarring??) way to learn their alphabet.

We were suspicious of isitpacked.com for planning a Disneyland trip, but we've changed our tune.

Things we won't shut up about include OSSA phone straps and Goop Kitchen.

Let's discuss Uggs, shall we?

Do you/kids in your life have daily affirmations? If so, send them in at 833-632-5463, [email protected], @athingortwohq, or pop them in our Geneva!

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Call it a classic grab bag from this time last year! Please note that we are still in the market for your Notes App intel…

Gained some wisdom from @OlsenOracle, a perfect fan account (that is maybe even Olsen approved???).

We're having a Marcella Hazan moment, thanks to, as Food & Wine put it her "radical simplicity." Some recipes we've been cooking: THE tomato, onion, and butter sauce, grilled fish romagna style, pesto, rice and smothered cabbage soup, and chimney sweep's gelato.

Speaking of cooking, we must discuss this Julia Child gas stove story by Rebecca Leber for Vox, which pairs well with "How the Fossil Fuel Industry Convinced Americans to Love Gas Stoves," which she wrote for Mother Jones.

Your Notes Apping!! See: this packing-list revelation from@rileejsmith (um, the template). We also love this TikTok from @kiramackenz.

What weird things are you up to in the Notes App? Let us know at 833-632-5463, [email protected], @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva!

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Are a majority of today's topics serendipitously eighties related? Yes. Are we inadvertently excited about that? Indeed.

Pizza Hut updates! Tomato-basil Pizza Wine and American Girl's Book It! Set.

Someone barefoot 24/7: Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins.

And spotted! Cutie eyes on Kacey Musgraves merch.

We are loving Rivals, which is based on a novel by Dame Jilly Cooper. See also: her takes in this Financial Times interview and "It's Family 'Sex Scenes' Night" by Anya Kamenetz for The Cut.

If you're in NYC soon, check out Luna Luna at The Shed, and read Joe Coscarelli's piece on it in the New York Times for more backstory.

Share your follow-ups and/or recommendations at [email protected], @athingortwohq, our Geneva, or our Substack comments!

Count on Shopify for all your ecomm needs and get a $1-a-month trial with our link.

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You ready to talk about romance, feminism, and monsters? We sure are, and so is Sanjana Basker, a psychology PhD student and bookish content creator who we're obsessed with (in a totally normal way). Also: some animal updates, thank goodness.

Animal Updates! Kacey Musgraves is an NYC rat defender (join the club), the raccoon at LaGuardia has captured our hearts, and Claude has arrived at Erica's house (by way of Long Island Rabbit Rescue)!

Sanjana's Thingies are Rivals on Hulu, mass-market paperbacks, Calzedonia tights, @poetssquarecats (see also: @catworkers), and L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil.

Some authors mentioned in this ep include Lisa Kleypas and Libba Bray, and books mentioned include Left of Forever by Tara DeWitt, Office Hours and Sabbatical by Katrina Jackson, Creep: Accusations and Confessions by Myriam Gurba, and Dead Weight: Essays on Hunger and Harm by Emmeline Clein.

Want to more of Sanjana? The way she talks about romance on TikTok is an absolute delight, and her episode of the Care So Much Podcast is fantastic.

What romances are you loving right now? Let us know at [email protected], @athingortwohq, our Geneva, or our Substack comments!

Treat your hair to Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month's subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.

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We are so excited to chat with photo director/visual cultural commentator/incredible Instagram follow Emily Keegin about her Thingies! Also: some thoughts on where to get your gift guides this year, should you not be overwhelmed with them already.

Thank you for respecting our decision not to do 2024 gift guides! If you want past installments, we have five year's worth here. For the freshest stuff, check out Helen Rosner's for the New Yorker, Goop (the modern Neiman Marcus catalog?), Caroline Moss of Gee Thanks!, Alisha Ramos of Downtime, T mag, The Strategist's searchable Gift Scout, and a roundup of Substack gift guides from last year (that'll point you toward this year's too, certainly).

Emily's Thingies include Thomas Tallis polychoral music from the 1500s (Fifty Shades–coded?), spraying perfume or hand sanitizer on your armpits and vodka on your clothes, passionfruit, Madness, Rack, and Honey by Mary Ruefle, and scrolling through someone else's Instagram feed.

What are your Thingies lately? Please share with us at [email protected], @athingortwohq, our Geneva, or our Substack comments!

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Welcome to Article Club! A few that require our attention this week span topics from an important anniversary to management tips to recommendation culture. Now off to go eat a personal pan pizza…

Is it an overstatement to say that Book It! is one of our generation's premier cultural references? This NYT story commemorates the 40th anniversary, and an LA Times article from 1985 made us feel nostalgic. See also: pins for sale on eBay and Tejal Rao's fascinating review of Chain.

We loved "Want To Be A Good Boss? Be A Bitch." by Samhita Mukhopadhyay for Bustle. Here's to intergenerational slaying!

The Locavore Guide to Shopping NYC by Caroline Weaver is a tribute to physical guidebooks of yore featuring 670 NYC shops. It has a a searchable digital directory too! Relevant: "The Banality of Online Recommendation Culture" by Kyle Chayka in The New Yorker.

Does anybody have any intel on Cutie Eyes? Please share with us at [email protected], @athingortwohq, our Geneva, or our Substack comments!

Look to Shopify for all your ecomm needs and get a $1-a-month trial with our link.

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