A Few Things With Claire And Erica

Geez, does Marisa Meltzer know how to get the wheels turning. We talk to her about her shiny new book This Is Big, which digs deep into dieting, wellness, feminism, body positivity, and the intersection of those topics—and also about friendship and snacks. Much to discuss, you see. But first! A truly odd (if entertaining) NYC campaign we didn’t want you to miss.   The linkage:   If you somehow want more on the Billy Never Idles campaign, well, here you go.   Read Marisa’s book, This Is Big: How the Founder of Weight Watchers Changed the World (and Me)! Do it!   Jean Nidetch’s NYT obit from 2015—and the whole Overlooked No More obit project.   A wonderful article Marisa wrote a while back for Elle about diets + feminism.   We enthusiastically endorse Katie Sturino’s Boob Sweat podcast. Marisa shouts-out this interview with CeCe Olisa in particular.   Let’s talk about SNACKS real quick: Graham crackers (with cream cheese, covered in chocolate, or as part of an #indoorsmore situation), The Daily Crave smok

Here we are again, talking about stuff no one else is talking about (and we hope that’s a good thing?). Today, we’re digging into a surprisingly handy word and plenty o’ business insights from the bonafide retail legend Mickey Drexler, who’s lived through plenty of ups and downs.   The linkage:   Introducing a weirdly useful term: webonair.   Have you listened to the podcast Bad on Paper? ‘Cause ya should.   If you didn’t catch our first chat with Mickey Drexler, you can do that right over here.   Alex Mill is Mickey’s latest undertaking with his son...and we have been talking about too much on this podcast, we’re aware.   Here’s the Agnès B. cardigan Erica was wearing that you couldn’t see through your headphones. It got a nice send-up from The Cut recently, too.   Reminder that you can sign up for our newsletter, get coupon codes, etc., etc. on claireanderica.com.    Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-se

Reading newsletters and doing ironing—two indoor-kid activities no doubt! Ok, seriously, though, take care of yourselves, find some good distractions, and maybe try to get some fresh air?   The linkage:   Claire bought a full-size ironing board by Brabantia and highly endorses it, and Erica has this hook thingy to hang her ironing board on that she thinks is just great.   The most ironing-enthusiastic person in our world—Claire’s mom—swears by the Miele Rotary Iron (a.k.a. a mangle) for sheets/linens and the LauraStar ironing system (um, as featured in Parasite?!).   To avoid ironing jeans: dryer balls, like these from Heart Felt and these from Food52.   Ok, newsletters! Here are allllll of the ones we love: The Ann Friedman Weekly, Girls’ Night In, Shelter, This Week in Scams, Garden Variety, Here for It w/ R. Eric Thomas (same name as his new book), Why is this interesting?, Cassandra Daily, Well To Do, Deez Links, Quartz Daily Obsession, The New Consumer, Sehat, The Examined Life (from the author of The

There’s so much to think about right now, it seems, but we’re going to take this opportunity to focus on one truly magical person: Jason Polan, an artist we’ve been in awe of for at least a decade who passed away at 37 in January. In a word: heartbreaking—but also a push to embrace living as much as he did. As we reflect on his life, his work, and his approach to both, we wanted to resurface an interview we did with him back in 2017, and if it makes you feel compelled to draw something (anything!), we bet he would have really liked that.   The linkage:   This feels like a great time for voicemails, huh? Give us a ring at 833-632-5463. Just a smattering of Jason Polan’s wonderful work: Every Person in New York (us included), Taco Bell Drawing Club, a Marvel Comics cover, and so many major brand collabs (Nike, Warby Parker, Uniqlo, Levi’s, Soludos, Baggu!). A good use of an hour: reading Jason’s IG captions. Come on with the ridiculously charming ad he ran in The New Yorker for the post office.  @this_girl_i

 When Nikki Ogunnaike got a new job as GQ’s deputy fashion director, we were immediately all, “What’s it like?!” So we took this opportunity to ask her about making the move from women’s fashion to men’s...and where she gets the bags she couldn’t afford when she was starting out. Oh, and while we’re at it, we’re sharing a three-minute exercise another friend used to make a tough decision, too.   The linkage:   Voicemails: We love ‘em. You can get us at 833-632-5463.   Our pal Eliza Bent, who recently made a big move and whose decision-making tactic we co-opted.   Follow Nikki Ogunnaike and her #bathroombigfit looks...and maybe subscribe to GQ, which is what we’re doing? See: this Keanu Reeves profile, this Larry David cover story, and this story about how a wide range of dudes are eating in 2020.    Two menswear brands Nikki is v. into: Alex Mill and Brandon Maxwell.   To source the bags she couldn’t get as an assistant, Nikki turns to The RealReal, Fashionphile, and Threads Styling.   Nikki bought multiple

Not to brag or anything, but our reading has range. Please accept the authors we discuss in this episode—buzzed-about novelist Kevin Wilson, person you’ve definitely heard of Jessica Simpson, and children’s book phenom Sandra Boynton—as proof. But first: We schmear it on thick with the Marmite.   The linkage:   You like coupon codes? Course you do.   C’mon with Marmite’s very knowing mugs and personalized (!!!) jars.   How about putting Marmite on toast with Greek yogurt like Erica? Or on avocado toast like Table on Ten? Maybe you also want to blend it with butter or use it in this chicken dish.   Speaking of salty condiments: We’re very into Momofuku Hozon and Bonji, both available at Peach Mart in Hudson Yards.   Books! Claire’s latest favorite: Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson. If you’re into this, you may also like Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link or Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam.   Erica’s latest favorite: Open Book by Jessica Simpson. If we don’t sell you on grabbing a copy, maybe this NYT prof

How do we train ourselves to be better fashion consumers? Claire, who is as surprised as you are that she’s three months into a shopping ban, has some learnings. And! We’re delivering plenty of intel from our visit to the home and lifestyle trade shows (AKA, the time we went to the Javits Center for fun).    The linkage:   A couple of things we love: 1) coupon codes, which you can now find here and 2) voicemails—so leave us one at 833-632-5463 any ol’ time.    We’re all about Man Repeller’s rundown of Qs to pop before you shop.   Read up on Livia Firth, the co-founder and creative director of Eco-Age, and her 30 Wears Challenge.   Reporting from the tradeshows: COLOR! See: Poketo, Hay, Chilewich, Vitra, and Herman Miller.   Glassware (and colorful glassware specifically)! See: R+D Lab, Lateral Objects, Kinto, Sugahara, and Hawkins New York.   Design-y first aid! See: Airinium Urban Air Mask 2.0, Bioswiss bandages, and, elsewhere, emergency preparedness kits from Judy and Preppi.    Oat milk / vegan choco

It’s possible you’ve been consuming content by Kim France for thirty-ish years, and we’re here to talk about all of it (including her new podcast—which, have you listened?!). Also, not to be the people who talk about our meditation experiences, but we kind of can’t shut up about this one time, ok?   The linkage:   Hit up the Sky Ting yoga classes taught by Marisa Meltzer (in NYC) that we loved.   Check out Kim France’s podcast, which she co-hosts with Tally Abecassis, called Everything Is Fine and her fashion ‘n shopping blog Girls of a Certain Age. Both are ideal for women over 40 and the over-40-curious.   How Sassy Changed My Live, which the very same Marisa Meltzer co-authored with Kara Jesella, is itself iconic at this point.   Kim goes deep on her creative partnership with Andrea Linett while running Lucky in our book Work Wife.   For a preview of the book Kim is writing, read her Medium essays about the beautiful house that didn’t make for a beautiful life and depression at the Condé Nast holiday

It’s total mid-February vibes around here, as evidenced by the fact that we’re entertaining ourselves with new egg preparations and spending our weekend nights getting our jewelry in order. And when we do leave the house? Well, we’re pulling on the tallest, warmest socks we can come by.   The linkage: It’s all about tall socks for wide-leg pants in the winter, especially ones from Richer Poorer and Raey. Alert, alert: Weleda Skin Food now comes in body-butter form. We’re living in a peak organization era. Shout out to The Container Store (for Elfa, of course, and also linen drawer dividers), Yamazaki (see: this TP stand, this side table trash can, this towel rack, this leaning coat rack, and whole slew of jewelry organizers), Muji (see: more jewelry organizers), Marie Kondo’s shop, Hay (very into these plastic crates), Kept (this excellent laundry hamper), Open Spaces (especially nice-looking shelf risers), and Food52 (we won’t shut up about them, we know). Dims furniture is real cute. Claire has their bar

Taking a vacation to Japan is overwhelming. Sharing travel picks is overwhelming. Shopping online consignment is overwhelming. But you know what? We went ahead and tackled it all here, and we’re pretty proud of ourselves, thanks.   The linkage: For Claire, true RealReal browsing is all about the app. But there is, of course, also a (slightly less addictive) website. Another online consignment shop to check out: Luxury Garage Sale. Why not set sale alerts for your go-to brands on ShopStyle, too?  Our six Tokyo picks! A Yomiuri Giants baseball game, the Yanaka neighborhood for wandering around, Gyoza Ro for dumplings, Mikawa Zezankyo for an outrageous tempura dinner (that you can book on OpenTable), Hakusan Porcelain for truly stunning ceramics, and Kappabashi Shopping District for the restaurant-supply shops (including Kamata knife shop) that will have you thinking about buying another suitcase. What we loved in Kyoto! Kyoto International Manga Museum for an anime deep-dive (which turned Claire onto the Na

We’ve got some real dirt today—or, rather, we have ways to clean it up (including a stick vac that’s maybe falling out of favor?) and a guest who’s dishing it on his Stories, which we consider must-see IG. Tune in and then hit up @heyphilchang to see what we mean...   The linkage:   You can find our show notes over at claireanderica.com now. Look at us.   Our robot vacuum endorsements: Neato XV-21 Pet & Allergy Automatic Vacuum Cleaner and iRobot Roomba 960. A somewhat controversial hand vac rec: Black & Decker Pivot Vac. Everybody’s favorite, the Dyson Stick Vac—Claire has the V10, and Erica has the V8—but, wait, should Consumer Reports have us reconsidering? Cam is a Miele fan and will someday be the proud owner of this toy one. Should his brand loyalty change, he could also get a Dyson. Follow Phil Chang’s WILD Instagram. It’s all about his Stories. Further reading from the L.A. Times on Tommy Le, an unarmed Vietnamese-American 20 year old who was shot and killed by a Seattle police officer. To g

Congrats to Cam on his first bday and to Claire on her one-year motherhood anniversary! We’ll get into all of the learnings—and bathtime struggles. But first: a rabbit whose diet is raw, vegan, now grain-free. How very 2020 of her.   The linkage: Ash’s wonderful vet, Catnip & Carrots. Meaghan O’Connell on breastfeeding and hormones for The Cut. For pelvic floor and postpartum incontinence stuff, look into Michele McGurk of Danu Physical Therapy in Brooklyn and Rachel Welch of Revolution Motherhood in Manhattan, in Brooklyn, and on the internet. Underwear for the fourth trimester! From Nyssa. To understand baby developmental leaps, give The Wonder Weeks app a download. Products! You knew they were coming. It’s all about the Snoo (which you can rent), the BabyBjorn Bouncer, the Colugo compact stroller, and the Charlie Crane levo baby bouncer. Erin Boyle of Reading My Tea Leaves shares intel on the Buy Nothing Project here.   www.Biossance.com w/ Code ATHINGORTWO20 for 20% off your full-sized purchase  

A couple of months ago, we went deep on what it felt like to shut down our company Of a Kind (dig into that episode here), and now, with more distance, we have plenty of fresh new takeaways to share. Spoiler alert: We have no idea what our professional futures hold, and we’re cool with that.   The linkage: For further listening on brushing scams, try this Planet Money ep and/or this Reply All one. Here's Wendy Macnaughton’s IG post that made us feel seen. Check out Zola and get 50% off wedding save the dates! YAY.   Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are black tights getting you down? Are you looking to investigate your alcohol consumption? Are you searching for some new places to shop? This is not an infomercial—it’s just an intro to all that awaits you in this week’s grab bag of an ep.   The linkage:   Our fave stores, for fashion and accessories: Idun, Kick Pleat, Noodle Stories, Love Adorned, Esqueleto, Lizzie Fortunato (don’t sleep on the Fortune Finds home goods either!), Lisa Says Gah, Garmentory, Concrete + Water, and Ban.do. Shops we love, for home and gifty stuff: Food52, Collyer’s Mansion, Primary Essentials, Coming Soon, Homecoming, Hawkins New York, and Leif. Tall (definitely investment) boots: Stuart Weitzman’s Lowland and Loeffler Randall's Gia ones. Sheer tights! Wolford Individual 10s are just great. Some drinking stuff: Omission GF beer and madeira, beloved by George Washington.   Some non-drinking stuff: Curious Elixirs, Kin Euphorics, Recess, Proteau, Zero Proof dinner series, The Goods article on how 2019 changed the way we drink,

Talk about thrilling: We have a bonafide icon on today’s ep. We’re talking to Mickey Drexler—who spearheaded Gap and J.Crew in their heydays and is now helping make magic happen at Alex Mill—about how he works and just plain does his days. But first: sweet potatoes, which aren’t boring, ok?   The linkage: Three recipes for exciting sweet potatoes! Ones loaded with lentils, citrus, and feta, ones topped with tahini butter, and ones baked into a (paleo) bread. And one non-recipe: almond butter and seasoned rice vinegar mixed into a sauce and topped with furikake Mickey Drexler’s latest retail undertaking (led by his son, Alex Drexler!) is Alex Mill. We love it. Erica wears these and this all the time, Claire can often be spotted in this and this, and just about everybody sweats these. When it comes to meditating, Mickey is into Hamsa and Transcendental Meditation. A home-goods business Mickey likes: Snowe. Wow, do we get psyched about voicemails: 833-632-5463!   Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Polic

Something we learned in recording this episode: We have a lot of HG beauty products—and you’re ‘bout to hear about all of them. Oh, and about Christmas trees...which, is that still a seasonally appropriate topic?   The linkage:   Glass-blown ornament resources, five days after Christmas: Old World Christmas (hoodies in particular!), Worthwhile in Charleston (in-store only), ABC Carpet & Home, and Best Made Company.   The newsletter Garden Variety sparked Claire’s dry-orange tree-decor initiative.   Skincare we can go on and on about: Lancôme Eau Fraîche Douceur Micellar Cleansing Water, Yes to Cucumbers Gentle Milk Cleanser, Biologique Recherche P50, Moon Juice Beauty Shroom Exfoliating Acid Potion, Kristina Holey + Marie Veronique Barrier Restore Serum, Noto Botanics Resurface Scrub, Binu Binu Seshin Korean Scrub Mitt, Josie Maran Argan Moisturizing Bronzing Oil, Weleda Skin Food, Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, and regular ol’ coconut oil.     Makeup we’re way into: Kosas Tinted Face Oil

If you’re starved for a dose of our trademark randomness, WELCOME. There’s so much to reflect on today, including Marissa Cooper, paleo puffs, Amazon avoidance, and something *vaguely mysterious* called buccal massage.   The linkage:   The O.C. has us thinking a lot about Seth Cohen and Judaism (see also: Tommy Pickles and Judaism)...and low-rise jeans.    A whole lotta healthy-ish cheese curls/balls are having a moment, including Lesser Evil Paleo Puffs "No Cheese" Cheesiness, Lesser Evil Egg White Curls in Huevos Rancheros, and Pipcorn Cheese Balls (in Broccoli Cheddar, too). Oh, and please do read this wonderful New York mag story about Grace Church School that has a LOLZ-y Pirate’s Booty shout-out.   Other food things on our minds: Magic Spoon and Skyline Chili (which have probably never appeared side-by-side before).   For some Amazon long reads, check out The New Yorker piece by Charles Duhigg (author of The Power of Habit) and the NYT piece by Jodi Kantor (co-author of She Said).   To downloa

Welcome to the second half of our very enthusiastic, mildly frantic gift guide! If you’re still trying to track down something for that cool teen ya know, your nana, or anyone who demands practicality, we’ve got you. And hit up last week’s ep if you need more ideas, too. While we’re here, two reminders: 1) Donations are great gifts. 2) Don’t buy junk!!    The linkage:   For teens: Japanese watercolor markers, luggage (check out North Face rolling duffles, Baggu weekenders, and Herschel carry-ons), Olive & June nail polish or manicure kit, gift cert for Nike by You or Miadidas, Katie Kimmel hats/tees/bags, or Ban.do swag   For an eight-month-old baby: Donation to National Diaper Bank Network or RAICES Texas, an ornament (start a tradition!), Lovevery play kit or subscription, or Artifact Uprising board book   For nieces, ages seven and one: Dumye dolls and doll-making kit, Entireworld sweatsuits, Fanny at Chez Panisse cookbook, book-club subscription (Books Are Magic does YA, middle grade, and pictur

What’s this? A holiday gift guide?! You bet. We solicited your Qs for hard-to-shop-for loved ones on Instagram, and we have so very many thoughts. If you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for here, tune in next Monday for the second half, huh?   The linkage:   For pretty/cool playing cards: Look to Fredericks and Mae, Joe Doucet for Areaware, Parks Project, Frank Lloyd Wright, or Woman Cards (there’s a women-in-tech deck, too)       For coworkers (like, $10-$15!): Alpaca keychain, Areaware Little Puzzle Thing, R.P.S pencil case, or Wary Meyers soap      For bosses (like, under $25!): A plant from a nursery or The Sill or a Fort Standard for Areaware totem candle   For employees ($50-ish): Tortuga bookends, Poketo glass straws, or a gift certificate—think a manicure (Tenoverten in NYC, LA, Austin), a massage (The Now in LA), a facial (Heyday in Philly, NYC, LA), or food/drink (Sweetgreen, Blue Bottle, etc.!)   For (but of course) work wives: An experience for you two to do OOO, like a concert,

So, you may have heard: Of a Kind is no more. What’s it been like for us to step away from the business we built and ran for nine years? How are we doing over here? What are we still processing? Oh, so very many thoughts and feeeeeeelings ahead…   The linkage:   Go to the gyno! In NYC, Erica’s a fan of Pure OBGYN, and Claire loves Vanessa Pena. Also, Claire’s doula, if you’re looking.   Jenny Odell’s book How to Do Nothing feels so right for our transition.   Erica is planning on using this time to deep-dive into some cookbooks—Cannelle et Vanille, Lucky Peach Presents 101 Easy Asian Recipes, and Nothing Fancy in particular.   If you want more on Of a Kind’s run, Callia Hargrove wrote a piece for Fashionista that definitely made us cry.   Better Help for 10% off your first month Acuity Scheduling for 45 days FREE Cove for your first month FREE   Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.