Sunday Sundries 013: A Real Life Rom-Com & One Of My Best Purchases Last Year

Plus, I rearranged my office

Welcome to Sunday Sundries, the antidote to—or at least a distraction from—your Sunday Scaries.

---

Hi pals,

It was A WEEK over here! I went to a Hanson concert (yes, that Hanson), I moderated a book event for Georgia Clark’s newest, Most Wonderful, and I got my covid and flu vaccines. I was prepared for the worst—they usually hit me hard—but so far just a sore arm. But, the thing I’m most excited about is rearranging my office.

On Thursday, I was reading a writing craft book and got to a passage that said:

“If you want a room to write in, just get a room. Don’t make a big production of it. […] Too many people decide they have to paint the walls, then buy wall hangings, a special desk, reupholster a chair, hire a carpenter to build walnut bookshelves, shop for a superb rug. ‘After all, this is my special room.’

It becomes another trick to avoid writing. I have watched friends who made perfect spaces and then couldn’t bear to go into them. They felt more comfortable writing at the kitchen table. It’s hard to sit in an exquisite space and rub against our imperfections which writing brings up.”

Holy shit, I just got put on notice by a book written in 1986. That writer is me!

Except I know exactly why I was writing at my dining room table with rogue Post-It notes and stacks of books all over my main living space. You see, my desk faces a window. That’s the writerly dream… right? Except this window overlooks a grayish roof that gets reflective when the sun hits it and bounces sunlight directly into my eyes. Even the highest brightness setting on my laptop can’t offset the glare. But the room looked nice, even if it was largely unusable during standard business hours when the weather was nice.

Finally, after reading this passage on Thursday, I thought: what the f—k and I doing?! And immediately rearranged the room, swapping the desk with a reading chair in the corner that’s mostly just a surface for junk accumulation. The desk now faces a wall, but upon telling another writer friend, she assured me Stephen King says in On Writing that a writer’s desk should face a wall. Permission granted.

Now, I’m prone to hyperbolic statements and thinking something will completely change my life and then forgetting about it in 3.5 seconds, but I really think this one is a game changer. A room where I can literally close the door on my work at the end of the day. (Of course, I must now admit that I’m writing this to you from the couch, but I think such things are allowed on Saturday mornings).

Alright, enough about me, onto the sundries:

💖 A Rom-Com in Real Life

Have you watched Andrew Garfield on Chicken Shop Date yet? Have you watched it six times while staring at your laptop with a Joker-esque smile? Just me? I can’t get enough. It’s like a banter-y Emily Henry rom-com… but it’s real.

ICYMI: the flirtation started started in 2022 with a chemistry-filled interview on the red carpet at the GQ Man of the Year awards. There was a similarly cheeky moment at the 2023 Golden Globes. Things came full circle this week when Andrew Garfield joined the popular YouTube series as he promotes his new film, We Live In Time.

There was mean flirting, coy lip biting, wheeze laughing, and even a meta-analysis of whether or not the pair could actually date offscreen. When Garfield tells Dimoldenberg, “I’m not asking you to be anything but what you are,” it was the real-life equivalent of Adam Brody’s Noah telling Kristen Bell’s Joanne, “I can handle you,” in Nobody Wants This.

And here’s the thing, I believe it’s real. Dimoldenberg’s onscreen flirting with guests goes awry, creating awkward meme-able moments, just as often as it succeeds. Maybe more. On Garfield’s side, I feel like he’s too much of a Serious Actor™ to pander to the internet masses. Though maybe he’s one of those rare affable people who has chemistry with everybody, as evidenced by his electric onscreen performance opposite Florence Pugh in We Live in Time, and his equally convincing chemistry (not a dig) with her cardboard cut-out.

Would putting Andrew Garfield in a rom-com with Kristen Bell, another actor that seems to have insta-chemistry with every co-star, break the internet? Or—gasp!—what if we cast him in a M/M romance opposite Adam Brody. On second thought, never mind, I’m absolutely positive I could not handle that.

🛍️ A 10/10 Shoe Purchase

It happened so fast that I didn’t see it coming, but last year at the tender age of 37, I became allergic to bending down to put on shoes unless absolutely necessary. In summer, that’s easy enough, but come fall it gets tougher. Last year, I invested in a pair of Birkenstock fleece-lined clogs and they have become an errand MVP.

I pulled mine out this week when the weather got chilly, and was reflecting on just how great a purchase they were. They’re warm enough to wear without socks until the temperature gets down to about 40. Below that, I layer on a pair of socks and am perfectly toasty for a quick walk to the store or my Pilates studio.

Also worth noting, I’d heard nightmare stories about the break in process for Birks, but these were comfy right out of the box.

🥤 My New Favorite Seltzer Flavor

OGs will know my ultimate career goal is to become a seltzer influencer, something I take exactly zero steps to realize except for once a year when I discover a new favorite seltzer flavor and cannot shut up about it. That time is now! That seltzer is Waterloo’s Spiced Apple Sparkling Water. I got mine at Whole Foods. It’s fall in a can. It tastes like drinking my favorite fall candle, which in this case is actually a good thing. I’m already scheming about how to stock up since it’s seasonal.

Where to Next? More Links to Stave Off Your Scaries:

• I am fully seated for this forthcoming holiday movie starring Chad Michael Murray. It looks like low-budget Magic Mike set at Christmas.

• The latest self-pub author? Taylor Swift. Here’s an interesting analysis of the business side of her recent book announcement.

• We got a cover reveal and description for Emily Henry’s 2025 book and it sounds like Beach Read meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

• Jessa Hastings revealed the cover for her next book, which is (sadly) not part of the Magnolia Parks Universe. It sounds like a heavy rom-dram that’s somehow both similar (major family drama) and totally different (South Carolina?) than anything she’s done before.

• Ann Patchett told the New York Times about her biggest regret and it’s… her email account.

See you next Sunday!

Becca

P.S. Thinking of planning a weekend upstate this fall? My friend and podcast co-host

Olivia Muenter

put together an adult book fair that’s happening next weekend outside of Hudson, NY. No tickets required. I can’t wait to hang out with so many of my favorite authors and maybe you, too!