Weekend Reads for the Start of June
Last weekend, I didn't have Weekend Reads. I hoped to, but I went from a weekend camping with the Girl Scouts right into seven days working all day as an election judge for our county's special election for a new County Executive (Senator Alsobrooks previously had the position).
I love being an election judge, and love the team of people I work with for early voting. It's like grown people summer camp, but without the crafts as we spend so much time together in an isolated atmosphere that relationships become more intense and we both can't wait to go home and can't wait to come back together again.
We can't have digital devices (phones, laptops) in the polling place, and I wouldn't get home until around 9 pm, so Weekend Reads was a lofty and unachievable goal. I did use the shortened time we worked on Sunday to put together Amy's Monday Swimwear review, which was excellent. I encourage you to join the Wardrobe Oxygen community, as I hope to offer more review opportunities to members in the future.
I'm receiving a lot of these opportunities through ShopMy, a newer influencer platform that has a lot of transparency, gifting, custom discount codes, and direct communication with brands. Stay tuned, I have reader reviews coming for the social media famous Nori Press as well as a review of Soludos espadrilles and sneakers.
So today's Weekend Reads will be a bit more… robust than usual. I hope you enjoy it, and then if the weather and your community has such events, go out and celebrate Pride! We will not let the current situation in our country take away our joy; loving and supporting one another is what truly makes America great.
Weekend Reads
How to take charge of your family inheritance (spoiler alert, it's not about the estate). (The Atlantic – gift link)
Streaming used to be easy. Now it feels like a full-time job. (Salon)
What’s the best way to store strawberries? We tested popular methods. (Washington Post – gift link)
AI models are cannibalizing each other—and it might destroy them. (Vice)
The art of being Natasha Lyonne. (Marie Claire)
Pirates of the Ayahuasca. (n+1)
‘A billion streams and no fans’: Inside a $10 million AI music fraud case. (Wired)
Can influencer brands survive influencers? (Elle)
Meta found a new way to violate your privacy. Here’s what you can do. (Washington Post – gift link)
The fight over South Korea’s democracy is also a fight over women’s rights. (The Atlantic – gift link)
Women rely partly on smell when choosing friends. (ARS Technica)
Inside the identity crisis in anti-woke media. (Semafor)
Why Labubus are the epitome of sh*t you don't need. (Fashion's Not for Everyone/Substack)
Hidden interiors of musical instruments look like secret rooms of Old World Architecture. (My Modern Met)
Memory cafes offer camaraderie and fun for people with dementia — and their caregivers. (NPR)
The president taps Palantir to compile data on Americans. (New York Times – gift link)
FEMA is not prepared. (The Atlantic – gift link)
Style Inspo and Sale Report
green | ivory with fish | red | white | green and white | neutrals | tan | pink and yellow | orange
knotted rope, woven rope with beads, and macrame bags are a hot trend this summer and a unique enough style of bag that it will look stylish for years to come. For two decades I have carried a knotted bag of my mom's that she got in the 60s, and it's fun to seed the trend back in stores. Even better, it's a textile that has a reasonable pricepoint, making it an easy addition to your summer wardrobe! Shop additional knotted bags:
M.M.LaFleur has 30% off dresses and jardigans at this link. Use code WORKPLAY30. If you're back in the office, this sale is worth a look. M.M.LaFleur makes the perfect timeless, versatile work dress. Travel friendly, chic but so neutral it isn't so memorable that you can't wear it on repeat and for years to come. It will easily update with whatever shoe/bag/accessory is the trend du jour.
ILIA Beauty has its Friends & Family sale going on, where you get 20% off sitewide, 25% off orders $125+, and a free bronzer or highlighter with orders of $175+. If you want a great non-clujmping day mascara that won't smudge or flake but washes off easily, I highly recommend the ILIA Limitless Lash.
See/Hear/Read
I was intrigued by Sirens, a limited series on Netflix starring Julianne Moore, Meaghann Fahey, Kevin Bacon, and Milly Alcock. I didn't know much about it; was this like some sort of Nantucket Get Out or a cult or a murder mystery?
Two sisters, estranged. One is living her Lilly Pulitzer best life as the personal assistant to the wife of a billionaire, one is getting bailed out of jail again. Something goes down with their dad, and Messy Big Sister comes to visit Preppy Little Sister to ask for help, which Preppy Little Sister has no desire to offer.
BIllionaire's Wife is Julianne Moore and she's all zen and dreamy and out of touch because she is so wealthy and the entire world fears her (and her preppy minion) and loves her (is this a cult?). And what happened to the billionaire's first wife?
Shared dreams, falcons crashing into windows, gowns in the breeze on a cliff overlooking the ocean, panic attacks, horrific past lives, and some slapstick comedy tossed in for extra confusion. This is not Get Out, this is not a cult, this is not a murder mystery… I'm not really sure what it was, and while I really was invested in seeing what happened, when I finished it, I didn't feel satisfied.
Yes, I am watching And Just Like That. Yes, I think it's corny and the much of the fashion ridiculous. Yes her necklace looked like Airbnb decor, and her hat looked like OG 80s Strawberry Shortcake and I watch it anyway and I still enjoy it.
We're watching Poker Face (Peacock) with Natasha Lyonne, who is utterly adorable and like a living cartoon character. The whole show is campy and over the top and much be so fun to guest star in. I'm so glad her purpose for travel has changed for the better, and I even like the “Charlie”-like character on the radio.
While working as an election judge, I decided to go through books in my bookcase that I've had for years, kept because they clearly made an impact on me, but now in 2025 I can't recall the story. What I chose and what I thought:
- Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat: What a beautiful book. Highly recommend if you haven't read before or recently. I see why I kept it. However, since I read it again, I am not adding to a nearby Little Free Library so another can enjoy it
- Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson: This is not the kind of book you read when you know you will be interrupted. This is good for a rainy weekend or a vacation or a quiet day where you can gobble it up. I didn't finish but kept to do so.
- The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho: This is a swift read, and when I first read it in early Y2K I found it incredibly powerful. Rereading it was nostalgic and lovely, but didn't have the same power in 2025. Donating, though glad I kept it for this second read.
- Fear of Flying by Erica Jong: Another book that made a major impact on me in the early 2000s. However, at 50 years of age in 2025 I couldn't get through more than three chapters without practically rolling my eyes out of my face. Pretentious navel gazing no fucks left to try to find what I loved in it before. DNF and donated.
- As an aside, that evening, I came home to her daughter's memoir arrived from my preorder. Looking forward to reading it!
- Mistress of Spices by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni: Another beautifully written book telling the story of the Indian immigrant experience in California through the eyes of a spice mistress. I am halfway through and will be finishing. I will be donating not because I don't love the book but because the book is falling apart from age and multiple reads.
I am not a big podcast person, but I listened to two episodes recently I felt worth recommending to you. Both were recommended to me:
- I'm not in the Kardashian fan club nor is my therapist, but she recommended this episode from Khloe's podcast where she interviewed David Kessler, a grief expert. I lost my mom fall 2023 and grief is one of the things we are working on; this was worth the listen.
- My husband is a Rich Roll fan, and he recommended this episode where he interviewed Dr. Judith Joseph. She talks about high-functioning depression, and I could really relate to what she shared and have been implementing some of her recommendations to positive results.
For Your Entertainment
Talking Heads are celebrating their 50th anniversary by releasing the first-ever video for “Psycho Killer” directed by Mike Mills and starring Saoirse Ronan. “This video makes the song better,” the band said in a press release. “We LOVE what this video is NOT—it’s not literal, creepy, bloody, physically violent, or obvious.”
Did you like what you just read?
Consider tapping here to buy me a coffee in thanks. The best gift you can give a content creator is the gift of sharing. Consider sharing this article on Facebook or Pinterest. Thank you so much for your support!
