Sunday Sundries 008: Fall TV & A Surprise Book Fave
Plus, the beauty product I loved so much I immediately bought a backup
Welcome to Sunday Sundries, the antidote to—or at least a distraction from—your Sunday Scaries.
Hello!
Happy Sunday. I hope it was a good weekend and that your scaries aren’t too bad tonight. Truthfully, this week was overwhelming on my end. But there were still some good things:
I got a cute new haircut! I’ve literally never gotten more DMs than when I posted a video on my IG story.1 So, I guess it’s a good one. (I agree.)
I had dinner with a long-distance bestie who was in town.
I saw a screening of We Live In Time starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. It’s in theaters October 11. Bring tissues. LOTS. This was last Sunday, but I’m counting it because I usually write these on Friday afternoons.
I played pickleball three times and worked on a new serve that I think will really improve my game.
I wrote a newsletter about friendship that I’m incredibly proud of. It also sparked an idea for a new series here. (More soon!)
But let’s get into today’s topics… shall we?
📺 Fall TV Is Really Good
For once, this isn’t an excuse to talk about Industry (but you should be watching). I’m pretty proud that I’ve gotten at least 3 IRL friends to join me in my addiction by making it my entire personality and introducing it as a topic in every in-person convo I have.
Here are a few other things currently in my lineup:
English Teacher (FX/Hulu): Think gayer, edgier Abbot Elementary. And the kids are in high school, so the drama’s completely different, too. I love having an easy, breezy 22-minute-per-episode sitcom to add to my weekly rotation.
Slow Horses (Apple TV+): I cannot resist a spy show, and this one has a darkly comedic twist. The show follows a ragtag bunch of British spies banished to Slough House for gross incompetence, yet they always manage to find their way into the action. The show’s on it’s 4th season, and IMO worth catching up on.
The Perfect Couple (Netflix): It’s soapy, it’s murder-y (but not scary), it has lavish real estate and Nicole Kidman playing an icy WASP-y author. What more could one want? Personally, I loved this mini-series adapted from Elin Hilderbrand’s book, so much so that I shared my live reactions to each ep (now saved to my IG highlights). But from my DMs, I gather people are pretty split on this one. I think it helped that I read the book years ago and didn’t remember much outside the basics, so wasn’t too mad about most changes. This may be a case where you want to watch the show BEFORE you read the book.
And a few more things I’m looking forward to:
I haven’t heard anyone talking about The Maison, but I got served a preview for it the other day and it looks like Succession set at a fashion house. Sold! I’m even willing to try it despite the subtitles (it’s originally in French). Out on Apple TV+ September 20.
I cannot wait for Will & Harper, following Will Ferrrell and his long-time friend (and former SNL head writer) who transitioned to live as a woman taking a cross-country roadtrip. The trailer alone made me misty. Out on Netflix September 27.
Fleabag gave us Hot Priest, and now Adam Brody is giving us Hot Rabbi in Nobody Wants This, a new rom-com series where Brody stars opposite Kristen Bell. Also on Netflix September 27.
📚 This Book Surprised Me: ALL FOURS by Miranda July
I started a book this week that I didn’t expect to love. “Then why did you start it?” you might be wondering. Good question. Because it’s this month’s book club pick for my podcast, Bad on Paper.
“Don’t you get to choose the books?” Actually, we alternate months, though we do get veto power over the other’s picks. And I heartily co-signed this one, because even though I didn’t expect to love it, I thought it would make for a great discussion. The divisive books usually do.
But then, from page one, I had that good book adrenaline rush. The “Oh yes, let me snuggle down deeper into the couch and make myself comfortable; I’m gonna be here a while” feeling. I laughed out loud on page 2. I made my first highlight on page 4:
I could have cried, but why? It’s not like I need to dish with my husband about every little thing; that’s what friends are for. Harris and I are more formal, like two diplomats who aren’t sure if the other one has poisoned our drink. Forever thirsty but forever wanting the other one to take the first sip.
I guess I expected the book to be snootier. You know that kind of impenetrable, show-off-y writing that screams, “I HAVE AN MFA!” But instead, the tone is friendly. I’d also heard the book is weird, but so far (26% in; can you tell I’m reading on my Kindle?) I’m finding it good-weird. Great-weird, even.
The book follows an unnamed 45-year-old protagonist who’s an artist of medium renown. She embarks on a roadtrip from LA to NYC, leaving her husband and young child at home. But a couple hours from home she pulls off the highway, checks into a motel indefinitely, and has a transformative experience. Vogue calls it, “A frank novel about a midlife awakening.”
If this sounds interesting, consider this your formal invite to read along with us. We’ll discuss the book in the September 25th episode of the podcast.
Grab a copy: Bookshop | Amazon
💇🏻♀️ A Fine Hair Beauty Must-Have
I read about this flyaway taming wand in
’s newsletter. I added to my Sephora cart, then promptly forgot about it. A couple weeks later, I went back to buy some curly hair products for my birthday goal of learning to air dry my hair and figured, what the heck, I’ll grab this, too.As someone with fine hair, I’m very prone to wispy flyaways when I wear my hair up, especially post-workout. But I was skeptical. I felt sure this would be too heavy for my fine hair and make me look like a grease ball, but it doesn’t. It works exactly as described. You use the mascara-wand to slick back any stray hairs, and it gives you medium hold without a full slickback. I love it so much I just ordered a second to live in my purse!
Where to Next? More Links to Stave Off Your Scaries:
Spotted: a “wild” new book cover trend.
- has a roundup of fall book recs from 8 book lovers (including me!). There’s a mix of new releases and older books included if you’re a library reader or feel like you’re seeing the same recs everywhere.
We have a new BOP episode with audiobook narrator extraordinaire Julia Whelan. The New Yorker called her “the Adele of audiobooks.”
This interview made me giddy for the return of SNL with Maya Rudolf as Kamala Harris.
Fave quote: “If someone was like, ‘Hey, when you turn 52, you’re going to have a moment,’ I’d be like, ‘Sorry, what?’ I did not anticipate this.”
The National Book Foundation announced the longlist of contenders for the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction. I’m currently reading one (All Fours) and have 2 more I hope to make it to this fall (James and Creation Lake)
I’m officially declaring it soup season (weather be damned) and will be making white chicken chili this weekend.
See you next Sunday!
Becca
If you missed it, I’m sure there will be more soon. But the idea of trying to take a selfie for this newsletter gave me full body shivers. It’s been a week and being perceived is too much for me.
I haven't read The Perfect Couple but loved the show. I'm excited to watch The Maison! I'm beginning French classes in October and it'll be the perfect complement. :) P.S. So excited for the All Fours pod! I read recently and am recommending it to everyone I know.