Spare Time the Pod

Addressing the ~rumors~

Wedding Rundown:

MM Wedding

* BOTW - ceremony <3

* WOTW - sitting in my top on the way and ruining it hehe

AA Wedding

* BOTW - ceremony <3 + Restless Spirit Floral

* WOTW - forgot to wear my grandma’s earrings

Best of the Hiatus:

* Ate

* MM: baked char siu bao as a concept (but especially from Mark’s Duck House)

* AA: some kind of pickled fish thing at 2AMYs that rocked my sox + broiled maine oysters + my bach breakfast

* Read

* MM: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch - also ~in my fantasy era~ Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson and the Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee

* AA: The Names by Florence Knapp + Heart the Lover by Lily King + Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild

* Watched

* MM: Adolescence, The Studio, Last of Us Season 2

* AA: Hacks, Loot, Boots. Beyonce Cowboy Carter tour

Worst of the Hiatus:

* MM general:

* Getting laid off

* 3rd degree burn lol

* Listen:

* MM: Life of A Showgirl so sorry ladies

* Ate:

* AA: Everything at Kellog’s diner but especially the ice cream sundae

How we spent our spare time since we last spoke (other than getting married teehee):

* MM: sourdough, thinking about writing, tutoring children, doing less, slowing down

* AA: Back on my yoga journey, remembering how to cook! (cookie box is going to be insane this year), I continue to be on the fitness journey, using my phone way less, back to concerts TG, small & sweet

Look Ahead / What’s Next:

* 2026 is the year of the News!

* Catch the Best Of edition to see what we’ve really been up to

* First newsletter drops 12/7 + we will be posting 4/month from there

* Publish every Sunday - 4 newsletters/month - 8AM

* Seasonal Monthly (free)

* Marie

* Alissa

* Monthly rundown

Thanks for spending your spare time with us <3

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit inyoursparetime.substack.com

What's that you see? Could it be...the Spare Time Pod dropping on the actual first Monday of the month??? That's right friends, we've got our recap for you, it's right on time, and A LOT has happened.How did you spend your spare time this month:

* MM: Miami whoa

* AA: time off, quitting my job, sleepover with beau, redecorating, etc. starting a new job, small and sweet pop up, meeting HH

Best/Worst:

* Best:

* AA: arsicault chocolate croissant

* MM: Walrus Rodeo Miami but also Canva premium honestly. honorable mention Easter kit kat

* Worst:

* MM: drunk drivers!

* AA: is produce bad everywhere?

Spare Time Rec:

* AA: cookies and cream mask by fenty / facials

* MM: The Slowdown pod and Great River by Mia Word (honorable mention Love from the Outer Bands by Mary Block)

Culture / 3 Things You Need to Know:

* Severance Discussion

* Overcompensating Benny Drama

* Lucy Dacus concert

Look Ahead:

* MM: becoming a wife lol

* AA: may is crazyyyyy! Camping, travel, my best friends wedding, beau turns 5, summer

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit inyoursparetime.substack.com

0o0o0o0 double header (aka it's a long one teehee)! We talk friendship, flowers, Lucy Dacus, and more, plus Marie finally breaks her silence on the Worst Thing She's Ever Eaten

How did you spend your spare time this month:

* MM: Feb - traveling! South Africa and a lil Miami. March - so much special friend time! Flowers, fitness, sitting outside, getting ready for Miami!

* AA: Feb - wallowing! Celebrating Hen, Kelsea Ballerini, celebrating my mom, wedding planning, hatching new ideas March - Getting my shit together, celebrating my best girl!!!, putting wheels in motion, teaching yoga, cherry blossoms, Richmond etc. Spirit is back

Best/Worst:

* Best:

* AA:

* Feb: my adult relationship with my sister (shoutout to Michael too)

* March: +1 and also Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild

* MM:

* Feb: Arthur’s Mini Super in Capetown

* March: bachelorette <3

* Worst:

* MM:

* Feb: THE creamy mussel–click here at your own risk

* March: honestly…the Lucy album? Sad!

* AA:

* Feb: radicchio / men

* March: why are all sandwiches bad - taste test

Spare Time Rec:

* AA: I know Marie already talked about this but now it’s my turn - Tommy Lefroy + Love on the Spectrum and also Trousdale new releases - album this week - Growing Pains

* MM: We Were the Universe by Kimberly King Parsons AND asking for love letters <3 oh and you must know about this IKEA picnic gadget. Okaysyyyy also the app ClearSpace

Culture / 3 Things You Need to Know:

Feb:

* Lucy + Julien 4ever!

* Is social media going to save us or be the end of us (light fodder)

Podcast ep Marie referenced

* Severance

March:

* Women’s NCAA specifically Paige Bueckers

* Something im thinking about is the decline of Maren Morris

* Demi Moore losing best actress to Mikey Madison (Oscars if we care at all)

* Also: White Lotus

Look Ahead:

* MM: Poetry Festival lyfeeeeeee

* AA: hopefully an absolutely new life all around lol hopefully a miami trip and a full spring cleaning

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit inyoursparetime.substack.com

One month down, an Elon to go...I mean an eon. But we're not talking about the Muskocracy, we're keeping it light!! Listen as we dunk on oscar noms, wax poetic about our current fave song, and more <3

How did you spend your spare time this month:

* MM: so much friend time! SNOW! Home Alone, fitness, writing, and films

* AA: murder mystery, with my boys (hockey game!), christmas round 2, cape cod!!! Things have really locked in

Best/Worst:

* Best:

* AA: cape cod with Friend Group <3

* MM: Same <3 but also radicchio salad with poached quince, pickled almonds, fontina, and the tiniest crunchiest croutons at Recoveco with Ada Limon

* Worst:

* MM: having the flu on a work trip

* AA: my nails are ruined (again)

Spare Time Rec:

* AA: Angie McMahon’s album Light Dark, Light Again

* MM: Severance Season 2 drool

Culture / 3 Things You Need to Know:

* Grammys

* The Substance, A Complete Unknown, and The Brutalist Reviews

* Lucy Dacus’ very gay press tour (and new album out 3/28!)

Look Ahead:

* MM: big boy vacation! Continued routine, wedding, wedding, wedding!

* AA: teaching yoga!!, cultivating more community, creative projects, wedding planning, celebrating my mama and henrito, Atlanta, consistency with SWEAT, kelsea ballerini

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit inyoursparetime.substack.com

Another year of this world famous podcast! Hear us yap and yap about all our faves of 2024 and some of what we're looking forward to in 2025 (with a very brief moment at the top for good ol' December)

DECEMBER

HIGH:

* AA: Christmas Family time + a white christmas! Grateful for the luv in my life + murder mystery new years

* MM: New Goodwill in DC lol

LOW:

* AA: what am I doing with my life <3

* MM: parking ticket fest

BEST OF 2024

MOVIE:

* AA: Wicked / Blink Twice (worst: Love Lies Bleeding holy shit)

* MM: My Old Ass

TV SHOW:

* AA: Shrinking (duh) + Bad Sisters + Traitors (recency bias tho?)

* MM: Boring but honestly same!!! Minus traitors plus Hacks season 3

BOOK:

* AA: Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors + All The Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

* MM: All Fours by Miranda July + Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenjah (other five star reads: Martyr, The Round House, The Friend, The Night Watchman, Small Things Like These, Concentrate, Clear, Sandwich, There Are Reason for This)

WORST BOOK:

* AA: Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler

* MM: I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokpokki by Baek Se-hee

ALBUM:

* AA: Weird Faith by Madi Diaz + The Secret of Us by Gracie Abrams (Cowboy Carter)

* MM: Brat by Charli XCX (my preference is for the remix album) (honorable mentions: Stick Season (Forever), Noah Kahan, Cowboy Carter, Beyonce; Tiger’s Blood, Waxahatchee; What A Relief, Katie Gavin; The Secret of Us, Gracie Abrams)

SONG:

* AA: Starting Over At the End by JOSEPH

* MM: Right Back to It by Waxahatchee / The Baton by Katie Gavin

CONCERT:

* AA: Madi Diaz + All Things Go MUNA / Hozier / Japanese Breakfast / Holly Humberstone + JOSEPH @ Sixth and I

* MM: Joseph @ Sixth and I / Brandi @ The Anthem / Betty Who @ Lincoln Theater (wait I forgot about all of these and same)

MEAL:

* AA: Mr Tuna <3

* MM: Burrito from Uptown 66

BREAKFAST:

* AA: beyond boring but Siggi’s in the summer with peaches, raspberries, and Nantucket Bake Shop cranberry granola - sometimes honey

* MM: only counts as breakfast on a technicality but Paul’s Pel’meni in Madison, WI

LUNCH:

* AA: Yume Ga Arukara cold noodles

* MM: Eggplant sandwich from Ideals & lobster roll from Sesuit Harbor Cafe (<3)

DINNER:

* AA: Dame in NYC

* MM: Entrenos in Miami

DESSERT:

* AA: hawaiian roll ice cream sandwich w/ vanilla bean gelato, caramel, butter, and salt from Mr. Tuna

* MM: Passionfruit pie from Doubting Thomas

PURCHASE:

* AA: Vintage Inspired Persian Runner for the Kitchen or Airpods Max

* MM: CarKit for our old dumb car

DISCOVERY:

* AA: yin yoga / sound baths / restore yoga in general

* MM: builder gel nails

TRIP:

* AA: Maine

* MM: Canada

#1 RECOMMENDATION:

* AA: Cupping

* MM: Buy a kitchen timer and put it on your desk (I have this one but I covet this one)

What completely ordinary thing are you most grateful for right now in your life?

* MM: The cup known in our home as Cup™

* AA: pockets of community

Tune in to the next episode for our culture speed round! ily<3

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit inyoursparetime.substack.com

One of the longest months of our lives! So much has happened, high highs and, well...democratically apocalyptic lows. We're looking for the joy. Thanks for being here with us<3

How did you spend your spare time this month:

* MM: North Carolina, Atlanta, Miami, Thanksgiving! An extreme amount of work which also involved catching up with everyone I’ve ever met. …the presidential election. IRL AA time. Hosting and informal hangs as a balm <3

* AA: wedding dress shopping 400 times, NC, not working but somehow working more than ever, friensdgiving, thanksgiving, jeffsgiving, ~new beginnings~

Best/Worst:

* Best: general honorable mention to our eggplant sandwiches in NC

* AA: I love my wedding dress <3

* MM: SANDWICH from Ideals, pitas from Yellow

* Worst:

* MM: too much ham (honorable mention best)

* AA: sick for 2 weeks while being off FML / my new company uses microsoft systems

Spare Time Rec:

* AA: Bad Sisters on Apple TV

* MM: Searows (start with “Older” and “End Of The World”), Sydney Ross Mitchell (“Forward To The Kill” and “Porn Star”) and new EP “born blue” by Tommy Lefroy

Culture / 3 Things You Need to Know:

* What do we think about the gift guides of it all

* Spotify Wrapped / Grammy Noms

* Wicked

Look Ahead:

* MM: Holiday festivities galore. It’s freezing so…coats? Trying to thrift my christmas gifts, it’s time for my best playlist, getting through my reading goal just in the nick of time I hope, and End of Year nostalgia–my fave.

* AA: cookie box time! December by Sara Bareilles on repeat. Finishing reading 100 books. Thinking about who I want to be next year besides a wife and a girl who watches my bestie become a wife! Murdering one of my friends before the year ends (maybe).

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit inyoursparetime.substack.com

This month was a year long and with almost 0 minutes of spare time for either of us...but you know we found plenty to talk about anyway ;) happy listening love u go volunteer to elect Kamala Harris <3

How did you spend your spare time this month:

* MM: Salem, Miami, Los Angeles, election madness, it’s giving season, etc

* AA: Philly, Betty Who, a night away with my boys, NYC, yoga mentor, but honestly not a ton and also my brain is full - not reading :( 

Best/Worst:

* Best: 

* AA: yellow rose quesadilla was truly fantastic + radio bakery french onion croissant 

* MM: basically the city of Los Angeles as a whole and even more specifically driving around the city of Los Angeles in a CONVERTIBLE, but even more more specifically tomato and burrata at Birdie G’s, passionfruit pie from Doubting Thomas, and The Ruby Fruit as an establishment overall

* Worst:

* MM: this NYT cacio e pepe

* AA: I am stressed about the election!!! + its been a taxing few weeks lol 

Spare Time Rec:

* AA: new Kelsea Ballerini album is out - a quart of frozen yogurt is a good thing to have in your freezer 

* MM: English Teacher,  followup about Katie Gavin’s album 

Culture / 3 Things You Need to Know: 

* You should be phone banking today <3  (or knocking on doors or volunteering at the polls! Go do it it’s fun not scary!)

* Thanksgiving 

* Take your friends to work day—what do we think about this as a concept

Look Ahead:

* MM: sending out our f*cking save the dates ughhhhhh, last wedding of the year, big boy work times, holidays and…..waiting to see if the Republic will stand?? Lol

* AA: wedding dress shopping SOS, taking 2 weeks off but kind of not, might be the busiest couple of weeks of my life in fact, finishing my YTT?? Starting a pottery class

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit inyoursparetime.substack.com

Double header! We've been traveling, going to concerts, trying cupping, bumping tunes, getting our nails done and much, much more. Tune in to this XL ep for the deets!

How did you spend your spare time this month:

* MM: Canada, NH, Miami, drove across the country [Pittsburgh, Glen Arbor, Middle of Lake Michigan, Apostle Islands in Wisconsin] and back, back to Michigan, back to Miami twice, and finally, home <3 

* AA: settled on my bday goal, women's soccer, August produce, my favorite state <3, auntie time, JOSEPH, IRL time with Kathryn, Sara B, cupping convert, I miss baking 

Best/Worst:

* Best: 

* AA: the ice cream sandwich at mr tuna / New England / the cold noodles at Yume Ga Arukara 

* MM: The Mill in Glen Arbor, MI, Super Secret Ice Cream in Bethlehem, NH, Paul’s Pel’meni in Madison, WI (aug)

* Worst:

* MM:  too many plums! (aug) / fridge! Lmao (sept)

* AA: fridge ttyl (Aug) + fletcher :( 

Spare Time Rec:

* AA: all in on Sabrina Carpenter + bokksu 

* MM: My Old Ass, Katie Gavin’s solo music, Fruit game (either I Want Watermelon or Cantaloupe) if you need to be smooth brain

Culture / 3 Things You Need to Know: 

* The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

* Builder gel nails - nail technology has really evolved guys

* Laptop purchases: let’s discuss

* I Just Want A ‘Dumb Job’

* Bonus need to know: Erika is a witch

Look Ahead:

* MM: hopefully less humid weather! One of the final weddings of the year! Home improvement journey.

* AA: spooooky season, maybe a new life, maybe engagement photos, working out sorry that I have to keep talking about it 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit inyoursparetime.substack.com

Y'all, we have not heard each other's voices since the June episode...and it shows because this is a long one. We talk Cape Cod, Canada, the Olympics, coconut trees, and more! Buckle up xo

How did you spend your spare time this month:

* MM: Vacation in the woods! A lil Miami time, a little fam time, a little home time! Eating crabs, fruit, being hot, general summer tings

* AA: Cape cod <3, really restorative yoga, swimming in the pond, pickleball, eating soft serve and lobster rolls, reading! Full circle on the Japanese house from June, wedding planning!

Best/Worst:

* Best: 

* AA: CC birthday dinner

* MM: feeling like a nature girlie after a long hiatus

* Worst:

* MM: a macaroni and cheese that deserves jail time from Rose and Crown in Canmore, Alberta, Hannah’s spooky fall

* AA: it's so sad to say that literally every grossy pelosi recipe is bad 

* RETRACTION: Benito Skinner’s boyfriend is Terrence O'Connor NOT known sexual predator/former fashion photographer Terry Richardson (lmao)

Spare Time Rec:

* AA: All The Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker / art that makes you cry 

* MM: Louise Erdrich!

Culture / 3 Things You Need to Know: 

* The Olympics - snoop dogg, flava flav, etc. 

* Good things are always happening to me note - discuss 

* Election update: goodBiden, the month of The Coconut Tree

Look Ahead:

* MM: continuing my relentless travel schedule, wedding tour, introducing Hannah to many of my cousins, Thais’ bachelorette and work in Miami, reading (!!!), wedding planning 

* AA: summer cleaning, enjoying summer???, at long last my return to Maine, holding onto the peace from CC, starting over at the end??? We can only hope, cook90 altho that is no longer possible <3 more to come in august lol, really loving pema chodron 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit inyoursparetime.substack.com

Loving summer so much we are two weeks late on this episode...let's blame it on the childhood expectations of summer vacation and move on! It's about: fruit, Asheville, queer weddings, and more <3

How did you spend your spare time this month:

* MM: Chicago, a hot 24 hours in nyc, friends visiting, being so fucking hot, celebrating Hannah’s birthday, two baby showers, baby news, and new baby arriving!!!! Also I am in my ricotta era

* AA: Mostly in DC! Going to the farmers market, blueberry picking, pool, NYC, asheville, my first queer wedding! 

Best/Worst:

* Best: 

* AA: apricot jam <3 

* MM: SUMMER PRODUCE

* Worst:

* MM: a Truly Horrible cobb salad

* AA: …asheville…

Spare Time Rec:

* AA: The Japanese House 

* MM: Minor league baseball, Gracie Abram’s album The Secret of Us

Culture / 3 Things You Need to Know: 

* brat

* Love island 

* Regrettably I must bring up the presidential election

Look Ahead:

* MM: first trip abroad with Hannah B! Enjoying some big boy mountains for the first time in a long time, college essay tutoring

* AA: cape cod, wedding planning, pickleball and pond every day <3 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit inyoursparetime.substack.com