Young Adulting

Today we’re discussing our September book club pick: Majesty (American Royals book #2) by Katharine McGee. We’re also joined by the author herself to get a behind the scenes peek at the writing process, the real-life royal inspiration moments, and gossip on what’s next for this series. We loved this book and can’t wait to talk about it with you. Join in the discussion on the Facebook Group.   More Katharine McGee: @katharinemcgee  katharinemcgee.com   Katharine McGee Book Recs: American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld Pretty Things by Janelle Brown Obsessions: Beyond Yoga Bike Shorts Facebook Group SoulCycle at Home John Mulaney Kid Gorgeous Harry Potter Virtual Box Set The Home Edit TV Show Instagram: @thedailytay @sydnesummer @foodloversdiary We’re Reading: Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Boudain The Roommate by Rosie Danan October Book Club: You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria Sponsor: Night: Go to discovernight.com and get 20% off with code BOP20 at checkout. Betterhelp:

We are back to answer more of your career questions! In this episode we dig a little deeper into some of your more specific situations and hear from a listener looking to transition from the dental field into marketing, someone who’s boss refuses to give them feedback, and someone debating what to do about their maternity leave. We also tackle some questions on work and Covid — from motivation to desk decor.   “Finding a new career” book recs: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert The Career Code by Hillary Kerr The Shortest Way Home by Miriam Parker Obsessions: Naadam’s fall cashmere SoulCycle at-home Bike Instagram: @lesrochesrouges @lichennyc @alyssarosenheck We’re Reading: Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover Destination Wedding by Dicta Bosu In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo Before She Was Helen by Caroline Cooney Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman The Roommate by Rosie Danan September Book Club: Majesty (American Royals Book 2) by Katharine McGee Sponsor: Betterhelp: Get 10%

It’s finally here - the Grossy Pelosi / Bad on Paper crossover episode (AKA Gross on Paper). Dan Pelosi is the creator behind the Instagram account @grossypelosi and website, danpelosi.com. Today, he joins us to talk all things food! Dan shares his cooking origin story: from a childhood spent in his grandparents kitchen to having his own platform. He runs down a list of meals for when you are trying to impress or just decompress, gives grocery shopping tips, and chats ways to repurpose leftovers. And — of course — a few Bimpy stories along the way!   More Dan: @grossypelosi danpelosi.com Grossery List (for offer codes) donate to Sage donate to Okra Project Purchase Merch on Website     Cookbooks: Where Cooking Begins by Carla Lalli Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks River Cafe Cookbook - 30th Anniversary Edition Obsessions: VOTE Tees: SW Designs Jess Keys / Alice & Wonder Camilyn Beth Partners Coffee: Brooklyn Roast Show: Episodes (on Netflix) Instagram: @punkpostco @michellearmas007 @karlareed We’re

It’s been a while since we have talked about our jobs and answered your career questions so today… we’re doing it! We got so many questions that we split ‘em up into two episodes, so stay tuned for part 2!   Today we have a mix of personal questions about our careers and some of your more meaty, specific scenarios. We dig into the different ways we have built up our audience and client base, vetting clients and determining your worth. We talk about our 5-10 year plan (more like, lack thereof!), grad school, imposter syndrome, how to effectively network and how our political beliefs have affected the podcast and our jobs. We really loved all of your specific work questions, and we give advice to folks who have been encountering challenges with job titles, managing people, asking for more money (what is your spaghetti number?), and being pigeonholed into a role you dislike. Please send us more of these questions, we love them!   Obsessions: Parachute Linen Bedding West Elm Wine Glasses Instagram: @stay_sna

In this episode we are joined by Venita Aspen, an influencer, model, creative, and co-host of the newly launched podcast, Group Chat Realness. Venita tells us about everything from working fashion week to culinary school and her journey to the career she has today — owning her own creative agency, The Aspen Agency. We dive into what keeps her creative and inspired, and how she takes care of herself (mentally, physically, brows & skincare). We learn more about the Aspen Agency, her life as an influencer in the wake of BLM and the changes she has seen since the movement began, and of course… the birth of her podcast! Then, we (of course!) dive into ALL of her favorite Charleston Recs!   Black creators + brands: @glamazondiaries @prepfordwife  @shadesofpink Partake snack brand LaPierre nail polish   Venita’s Skincare Routine: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Clinique Sunscreen Cleanser by Jemaine Dermatology Glossier Serum Venita’s Brow Routine: Benefit Brow in shade 5 Benefit Brow Pencil Set with Anastasia B

Joining us today is Stef Feldman, the National Policy Director for Vice President Joe Biden’s Presidential Campaign. Stef walks us through her career path from local government in Atlanta to the White House, shedding light on how important it is to work with a political candidate that inspires you and how Joe Biden has inspired and empowered her. She shares her experience working on the campaign, the day-to-day of her job, and then we dive into Biden’s policies and perspectives. We talk about how COVID has impacted the campaign, Biden’s policies to contain and recover from the virus and his plans to scale up testing. We talk about healthcare, women’s reproductive health, and what is happening with the Affordable Care Act. We also talk about racial inequality in America and what Biden plans to do about it. Lastly, Stef give us tips on how to vote and how to get involved. We all need to make sure we have a voting plan in place! About Bad on Politics: Bad on Politics is a monthly bonus episode where we invite a

For our August Book Club we read The Comeback by Ella Berman. The book follows Grace Turner, a young actress who disappeared from Hollywood at the height of her career. During her rise to fame as a teenager, she was sexually and emotionally abused by Abel Yorke, the director who made her famous. After she’s invited to present him with a lifetime achievement award she begins to plot her revenge. Even though Grace is a pretty unlikeable character we still loved her story and root for her revenge. This book isn’t in either of our normal wheel houses, but we loved the story and hope you loved it too! Let’s discuss in the FB group!     Obsessions: Shaker and Spoon  H&M dresses   Instagram: @misterzimi @bookishandblack   We’re Reading: Majesty (American Royals Book 2) by Katharine McGee The Changeling by Victor LaValle You Had Me at Hola  by Alexis Daria   September Book Club: Majesty (American Royals Book 2) by Katharine McGee   Sponsor: Night: Go to discovernight.com and get 20% off with code BOP20

We decided to do a lighter episode this week. On instagram we asked you to propose some fun ‘would you rather’ scenarios and boy, did you deliver! Some are crazy (but for better or worse we still made our choice!), some are silly, and we definitely didn’t agree on everything. Which one of us would give up booze? Which one would give up travel? Who would rather have a lobster claw for an arm than a floor length white beard? What could make us give up books? What about quarantining forever? You can learn a lot about a person in a good game of WYR.  We hope this episode makes you laugh!   Obsessions: Bug Bite Thing: Bugbitething.com D.S. & Derga Candle - Holy Ficus Our Place Pan   Instagram: @cocktails4breakfast @yourbestfriendjoey   We’re Reading: American Royals 2: Majesty by Katharine McGee How to be an Anti Racist (Audiobook) Ibram X. Kendi Rodham: A Novel by Curtis Sittenfeld Deadly Little Scandals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory The Changeling by Victor LaValle     Augus

She’s baaaack! Our most popular guest Carly Heitlinger (of the lifestyle blog Carly the Prepster!) joins us this week to catch up on how she is feeling at this point in the pandemic and what she has been doing to cope with anxiety and inability to really plan anything. Anything… but her upcoming wedding, that is! She gives us the scoop on her super-surprise proposal and tells us more about her fiance Mike (and his family). We also talk a little bit about politics and Carly’s decision to endorse Joe Biden. Lastly, we chat about blogging during a pandemic - it’s definitely been interesting? We wind down the episode talking about favorite snacks (hard agree on one choice, hard disagree on another) and how she manages to only follow 50 people on Instagram!   More Carly: carlytheprepster.com @carly on instagram @carlysbookclub on instagram @carlysstitchclub on instagram   Obsessions: Family Gold by Local Eclectic Tanya Taylor Summer Pajamas and Robe Numberzilla   Instagram: @grossypelosi @gemmacorrell @grec

This week we are joined by Traci Thomas! Traci is the host of The Stacks Podcast, a mom to twin girls, and an avid non-fiction reader. We get a behind the scenes look at how she chooses books for the pod, her favorite books of 2020 (and all time), and talk about the book she wishes would be written. We loved getting her perspective as she’s such a big non-fiction reader and both filled up our Bookshop.org carts with her recs while recording this episode. We talk about BLM, Black authors, and how to really do anti-racism work. We also chat about what happened with Book of the Month and how she is feeling about that.   More Traci: The Stacks Patreon @thestackspod  on Instagram @thestackspod_  on Twitter thestackspodcast.com   Book Subscriptions: Check out Traci's Post    Episodes to listen to in the Stacks: Beloved with DeMaris B. Hill Kiese Layman Interview Red at The Bone with Jason Reynolds  Homefire With Tawny Newsome Ibram X Kendi Interview   Top 3 books 2020: Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir

This month, we read The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. This the story of identical twin sisters (and their daughters) spanning the fifties through the nineties. Desiree and Stella are inseparable growing up in the fictional light-skinned Black town of Mallard, Louisiana during the fifties in the Jim Crow-era south. When they are 16, they run away together to New Orleans. From there, their lives take completely different turns. Desiree marries a dark-skinned man and returns home to raise her daughter in Mallard, while Stella goes on to pass for white - hiding her identity and past from her new family. The book follows the girls’ stories and their daughters, who eventually end up meeting via a chance encounter. We discuss colorism, the theme of running away throughout the book, our interpretations of the title, and our mixed reviews on the ending. Although this book has been in the works for 4 years, its release couldn’t be more timely, as the story has such pointed views about race and privilege. We can’t wai

In this week’s episode, we chat with Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, the co-hosts of Call Your Girlfriend, about their new book, Big Friendship. The book provides an intimate peek inside their own decade-long friendship and also contains conversations with experts on the topic of friendship and it’s importance to our lives. We discussed their writing process, their thoughts on blending work and friendship, and their evolving thoughts on interracial friendships. We also dive into one of our most requested advice topics: how to make new friends as an adult (it’s so hard!).   More Aminatou + Ann: bigfriendship.com callyourgirlfriend.com annfriedman.com sign up for her newsletter! Support independent bookstores and the library in your area   Obsessions: Tanya Taylor Summer Collection Brightland Vinegars Eat Pray Britney Podcast Masterclass   Instagram: @kararbrown @thetinytassel   Books: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Older by Pamela Redmond (out in sept) Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Head Over Heels by Hannah Orens

It’s been a little while since we have talked about quarantine life, so we thought it was time to circle back and share what we have been doing to stay safe, sane, and entertained this summer. We share what our experience in NYC has been like - our expectations of quarantine and the reality.  We also talk about the hobbies we have picked up, the activities we have fallen in love with, the books to read and what to watch.    Join us in the facebook group and let us know what you are doing in quarantine to stay busy this summer!   Activities: Knitting: We Are Knitters kits Gardening New York Times Crossword Puzzles Purging and organizing Try Needlepoint Learn about Orange wine Learn Something New with Materclass or an online course Learn a Language with Duolingo Project Cooking   Book Series Recs: Sarah J. Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses; Throne of Glass) The Selection The Royal We and The Heir Affair The Thousandth Floor series Jasmine Guillory’s books, 5 of them   TV Recs: The West Wing Homeland Scand

In this episode, our long-time friend Nicolette Mason joins us! Nicolette is a fellow blogger who is also a writer, strategist, body positivity content creator, and co-founder of Premme (RIP!), which was a plus size fashion brand. She shares her firsthand experiences protesting to support #BlackLivesMatter and Black trans lives and gives tips to first-time protestors. She also has recommendations for educating yourself and how to diversify the content you ingest on a daily basis. She also shares her career path, the inside scoop on her fashion line, and her favorite beauty products!   More Nicolette: @nicolettemason on Instagram @nicolettemason on Twitter   Nicolette’s Recs:   Instagram: @ihartericka @blairimani @danielleprescod @chrissyford @nikkiogun @iamjarijones @janetmock   Authors and Figures to Research: Audre Lorde James Baldwin Angela Davis Ava DuVernay 13th Documentary (Netflix) Laverne Cox’s Documentary Disclosure (Netflix) Malcolm X Eldrige Cleaver   Skin + Beauty: Lord Jones CBD Face Oil B

In today’s episode we share all of our favorite quarantine purchases, and we also hear from you! Now that we have been in quarantine for months, and shifted seasons, we have lots of new products that we are obsessed with (and some that have stood the test of time - what is time?) We explore a variety of categories from home, food, kitchen, tech, beauty, clothing, and much more. We are so excited to share your recs and try them out for ourselves.      Food/Kitchen/Home: Air Fryer
 Brightland Olive Oil
 Our Place Pan
 Zalto wine glasses
 Orange C Table
 Candles: Beauty Pie + Sensual Candle Co. Tutto Calabria - Calabrian Pepper Spread
 Luxardo Cocktail Cherries Old Man cocktail glasses   Clothing: Old Navy Pandemic Pants
 Aerie oversized tshirts
 True & Co True Lift Bra
 Vuori Joggers + shorts
 Tracksmith Shorts
 Summersalt PJs
 Custom tie dye sweatshirt
 Social Threads Sweat Suit
 (actual sweatsuit is out of stock) UGG Pandemic Shoes
   Beauty: Herbivore Coconut Milk Bath
 Equilibria Bath Bombs
 Sh

Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Elizabeth Acevedo, the author of our June book club pick, Clap When You Land. Elizabeth is a NYT best-selling author and we couldn’t be more excited to talk to her about the book. We learn of her early start in writing as a rapper and poet, her first job as a middle school teacher, and the road to her first publishing deal. We explore the birth of Clap When You Land, the meaning behind the title, the unique way she developed the characters distinct voices, and the differences between writing in prose and verse. We touch on the #publishingpayme movement and the importance of building a strong online community to keep you motivated and excited about your work. Elizabeth also gives us her favorite YA recs, childhood favs, and gives a taste of what she is working on next!   More Elizabeth Acevedo: @acevedowrites on Instagram @acevedowrites on Twitter acevedowrites.com   Elizabeth Acevedo’s Books: The Poet X With the Fire on High Clap When you Land   Book Recs: Dr

For this month’s book club, we read Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. We absolutely loved this book. It’s prose, written in verse, which makes the story even more engaging (and the lines more powerful and poignant). This is the story of two 16 year old girls, Yahaira and Camino who lose their father in a plane crash. Both girls (growing up in New York City and the Dominican Republic, respectively) grow up loving their father and having a close relationship with him. But upon his death, they learn of each other. The book tells each of their stories and struggles. We absolutely loved this book and enjoyed discussing it!   Join in the discussion on the Facebook Group.   And tomorrow be on the lookout for a bonus episode with the author - Elizabeth Acevedo!   Instagram: @shopbfreedom @designaddictmom   Obsessions Sensual Candle Co Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo   What we’re reading this week: How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibrim X Kendi Big Friendship by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman (comes out 7/14) The Nick

Ayana Lage is a freelance marketer and writer in Tampa. More recently, a few of her videos about Black Lives Matter went viral. (We highly recommend her as a resource for everything from virtue signaling to microaggressions, and her stance on Blackout Tuesday, and more to come!) She joins us today to talk about the intensity of the last few weeks, and her thoughts on it all. Everything from how it feels to go viral, what brands can do to be more inclusive (and who is doing it right!), and how growth on her platform is affecting her life personally and professionally. She answers your questions about how the regular person can use their social media presence to support Black Lives Matter and support anti-racist activism. Do yourself a favor and check out her videos and follow her for continued education and insight.   Don’t forget - tomorrow Grace’s Amazon The Drop Collection goes on sale! Go to her instagram to sign up for text message alerts.   More Ayana: @ayanagabriellelage @ayanalage on twitter Ayanalag

This week our friend Rachael King joins us! Rachael is the co creator of RomComPods, Founder and CEO of PodPeople, a podcast producer, and host of TWO podcasts - The Escape List and Tape Club.    We turn the tables a little and Grace interviews Becca and Rachael about the inspiration for and making of RomComPods from the script writing process to casting to ideas for future seasons, and what it’s like working with your best friend. We also ask Rachael  all of your podcast and travel questions!   Be sure to like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts.    More Rachael: @rachaelgking @romcompods @tapeclub @theescapelistpod   Favorite Rom Coms: Rachael’s Top 3: While You Were Sleeping Forget Paris Last Holiday   Becca’s Top 3ish: The Wedding Date Friends With Kids Sleeping with Other People Notting Hill That Thing you Do   Grace’s Top 3: Something’s Gotta Give How to Lose a guy in Ten Days Home Again   Instagram: @ayanagabriellelage @mister_michelle @hayet.ridia @taymoc

Get a sneak peek of Becca's new podcast project, which debuts TODAY! If you love it (and I really hope you do!), you can listen to the first episode and subscribe here.