What are you up to this weekend? Around here, I’m looking forward to pizza night, a kid coming home from college for the weekend, and The Great Gatsby musical, which happens to be in town this week. (Anybody seen it?) I also hope to finish at least one good book, and put the final touches on my February Quick Lit post, coming this Monday.
I hope you have something to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:
I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a bookmarking service.
Saying Goodbye to the Mass Market Paperback. (New York Times gift link) “According to Circana BookScan, which tracks most print book sales in the United States, about 103 million mass markets were sold in 2006, the year before the Kindle was introduced. Last year, readers bought fewer than 18 million of them.”
It’s Maggie O’Farrell Appreciation Week around here! First, I shared a deep dive into the works of author Maggie O’Farrell and a discussion about our favorite “completist” authors (the start of a new series here on MMD): Where to start with Maggie O’Farrell. Then I was thrilled to welcome Maggie onto What Should I Read Next to discuss the new film Hamnet and so much more.
The Most Romantic Place to Go in Every State. (Travel and Leisure) I’ve been to four: Savannah’s River Street, Oregon’s Thor’s Well, Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Washington D.C.’s Tidal Basin. (Not a one was remotely romantic, nor intended to be as I was traveling for work or with kids.) What about you?
Sara Bareilles Musical The Interestings Will Make World Premiere in 2027. (Playbill) “‘When I read Meg Wolitzer’s unbelievably funny and poignant novel, The Interestings, I wrote the first song before I’d finished the book,’ says Bareilles in a statement. ‘I felt like I knew these characters already, and they continue to inspire and challenge me to evolve as a writer and a storyteller.'” (Thanks to Jill for sending me this news!)
Whether it’s yoga, rock climbing or Dungeons & Dragons, taking leisure to a high level can be good for your well-being. (The Conversation) “People often associate leisure with ease and freedom. In contrast, serious leisure involves pursuing something for a long time and gradually developing the skills and knowledge required to excel at it. People have to push through barriers or setbacks to stay engaged and make progress.”
I made Melissa Clark’s Classic Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies last night to satisfy a craving and they were so good! On a related note, my hold for the New York Times Cooking Cookies cookbook finally came in from the library and I am loving browsing through it and baking from it. These recipes are all on the site, but there’s something about the nicely organized physical book you can hold in your hands that is bringing me joy. (That Oatmeal-Raisin recipe is in the book, in the “Nostalgic Classics” section.
Text Is (Still) King. (Persuasion) A reassuring take on the purported decline in reading. “Finishing a great nonfiction book feels like heaving a barbell off your chest. Finishing a great novel feels like leaving an entire nation behind. There are no replacements for these feelings.”
I can’t remember using a shower oil before, but I’m loving the L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil I got in a holiday beauty box.
Don’t keep a diary. Embrace the fragments of real life instead. (New York Times gift link) “Rather than keeping a diary, I started keeping notebooks. Where a diary constructs narrative, character and voice, a notebook is inherently fragmented, allowing for unexpected glimmers of serendipitous juxtaposition and lyric voltage.”
Airborne Thoughts of an Olympic Ski Jumper. (McSweeney’s) “Oh man, did I close the garage?” This made me giggle. Are you watching the Olympics?
My “Anti-Cozy” Trick Is the Only Way I Survive Being Stuck Inside the House All Winter. (Apartment Therapy) “Somewhere between the umpteenth mug of hot cocoa and the third month of darkness, coziness stops feeling restorative and starts to become suffocating.”
A beginner’s guide to translated books. (Books + Bits) “While the inherent weirdness of translated fiction is a cornerstone of what makes the genre so great I would gently suggest that you do not start at its most obscure point. Instead, I offer you a ‘beginners selection box’, with titles from Germany, Brazil, Central African Republic, The Netherlands, Togo, Italy, Cuba, Argentina, Spain and France.”
Many years ago my mom had a ringer tee just like this; I “borrowed” it all the time when I was a teenager. I just ordered one for nostalgia’s sake: wish me luck as I try not to cry every time I put it on. (Evereve, XS–XL)
My house is chaos: where do I start? (House and Garden) Declutter by category, be realistic about time, develop a system, and more tips.
Go To a Museum. Any Museum. (Design Mom) “When I stepped into the museum, I noticed my mind settled down immediately. I swear I could feel my nervous system regulating in real time. It got me thinking about how museums are pretty much ideal for those of us with broken attention spans, or for those of us in need of distraction.”
Don’t miss these posts:
20 chaste and closed door romances for your TBR. Romance has a wide range of heat levels ranging from chaste to high heat. We’re turning our attention to the oft-requested category of chaste and closed door romances!
50 engrossing and adorable rom com books and movies for your Valentine’s weekend. Perfect pairings!
10 contemporary love stories for bibliophiles. These bookish love stories will sweep you away.
Have a great weekend!
19 comments
Valentines Day is also my birthday and we are going to a museum: Mass MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts, which is a favorite. I agree with Design Mom. Museums always soothe me.
A friend told me about the Almond Shower Oil several years ago, and it is now the only thing I use. It’s a luxury, but one I think is worth it! Also the Almond Milk Lotion is a must!
I really miss the mass market paperback format. I bought one recently and may hold onto it just for nostalgia’s sake.
So many good things this week. I love using oil with my shower. There’s something about letting it soak in that seems to do a super feed to my dry, winter skin. I also agree about the romantic travel choices. I have lived in Alaska for almost 30 years, and I would not say that going on a boat trip to Kenai Fjords National Park would be romantic. For most folks, it’s several hours of motion sickness mixed with glimpses of marvel. If ever in Alaska, I would suggest going to Seward, but instead of getting on the boat, you should tour the Sealife Center, then pack a picnic lunch to eat on the beach at Tonsina Point, a relatively short hike from town. Or maybe an even better choice would be to catch a coffee or tea at the Ressurection Coffee House, which is in an old church. Be sure to go up the tiny stairs to snag the comfy chairs in the old choir loft. If I were to ask you all about your state’s most romantic destination, where would it be? I’ve got my journal page ready. Go!
While Isle Au Haut island in Maine is definitely remote and Un-populated, and for instance, you can rent the Keeper’s House at the Isle Au Haut Lighthouse (romantic, no?), still, I wouldn’t call it the MOST romantic place….so many wonderful natural wonders, so many great towns to visit (try Camden), but for me? Acadia National Park is mostly on an island, but part of it is on the mainland—and that part has Schoodic Point, a HUGE outcropping of rocks, that you can walk on, leap across, sit on like it was an amphitheatre, and watch the waves from the sea crashing in, and shooting straight up! It’s quite a show!! When I took my now-husband there to see it, he was overcome and proposed to me on the spot!
I appreciate the declutter article – the built-in grace that is incorporated into the process so that you can take it at your own pace is really helpful, as well as the really helpful guidelines on decision making. I’m going to share it with my husband, although not optimistic that it will be embraced – he likes to “sprinkle” his stuff all over the place. Over the course of many years we’ve established sprinkle zones so that he gets to leave lots of stuff out without me going crazy over the clutter.
My niece and I saw the play in NYC last spring for her Sweet 16…you are in for a treat, Anne! I promptly came home and re-read the book and oh my goodness, it’s so relevant for today. Have the best time with your people this weekend!
What play? The Interestings hasn’t opened? What did I miss?
I have been to Sun Valley in Idaho (my home state) and it is a bit remote, but very romantic. I have also been to Lake McDonald in Montana and as part of Glacier National Park it is certainly a must visit place. I think you could go to almost any location on the Washington or Oregon coast and find a romantic place.
I love the Friday posts. How do you find these links?! They’re always so diverse.
I received the NY Times Cooking Cookies book for Christmas. Try the Salted Butterscotch Chocolate Chunk cookies. They are amazing!
For our visitors to the DC area, my husband developed a “nighttime tour of the monuments.” They look especially beautiful at night. And when our son-in-law proposed to our daughter he used that idea. We live in the Virginia suburbs and there are many candidates for romantic destinations, especially in the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. Warm Springs (The Inn at Gristmill Square) would be one I’d recommend. And the city of Savannah, Georgia would also be on the top of my list. I just finished one of the Faith Fairchild mysteries, The Body in the Wardrobe, which is set in Savannah and is more fun to read for the setting and food descriptions than for the actual mystery (in my opinion). We were iced in for several days and that book was an easy read and a mental escape.
My daughter and I went to the Speed Art Museum last weekend for the first time in a long time (Louisville Kentucky, hi Anne!). It really did soothe my soul. I always come away from beautiful art thinking about how amazing humans are and also how amazing God is.
Anne, you mention a bookmarking service in the heading for the links. I’m not exactly sure what this is. Maybe a post describing and tips for using such a service would be helpful to me and your other readers. Thanks for all you and your team do!
The Ruston Way waterfront in Tacoma, Washington is fabulous. My husband and I usually walk our dogs along this path, so I don’t think of it as especially romantic, but it certainly is beautiful! Grab a meal at Copper and Salt restaurant at the tip of the point for beautiful views and wonderful food!
We rented a house (for a week) in Ruston while visiting my son in Seattle few years back. Our backyard over looked Commencement Bay. We had the best time tracking vessels in an app as they arrived in the port. It was a gorgeous week in June and I think we were able to see Rainier everyday. It was a gorgeous area and one of our favorite vacations.
My sisters & I saw Gatsby in NYC a couple years ago with Jeremy Jordan as Jay (swoon). It was fabulous. Thanks for all the fun links!
Surprisingly, I’ve been to seven of the “romantic places”. I don’t recall any of them particularly romantic, but I did romanticize moving to most of them!
I enjoy your Links I Love every week very much–thank you!
This week’s link of Travel and Leisure Magazine’s “most romantic” choice of Bishop’s Castle in Colorado made me laugh! It is definitely an interesting place to visit, but not what I would call romantic. There are so many more scenic places in our state that would qualify–wildflower season in Crested Butte, the Strawberry Hot Springs in Steamboat. the hike to Hanging Lake in Glenwood Springs, even Lake City–the most remote town in the lower 48 states, are all more romantic 🙂
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