Morning Person is a weekly newsletter packed with obsessively-curated recommendations and ideas—let’s get to it!

📺 “Palm Royale” on Apple TV+: Maxine (Kristen Wiig) is dead-set on gaining membership to the Palm Beach Club in 1969, an exclusive club reserved for the ultra-rich and safe-guarded by Queen Bee, Allison Janney. The star-studded cast (Kaia Gerber, Laura Dern, and Ricky Martin are also in it) is orangey-tan, and Maxine’s tenacity abuts against the resolve of those trying to keep her out. The plot is over-the-top, but watches like a Slim Aarons photo come to life. Watch if you enjoyed “Physical” or recent Ryan Murphy shows. I’m also curious to watch HBO’s “The Girls on the Bus,” but have yet to see it—let me know if it’s worthwhile!

💿 ‘COWBOY CARTER’ Album by Beyoncé: I mean, obviously. But also, it is astounding how high Beyoncé sets the bar—and then clears it, album after album. With COWBOY CARTER, Beyoncé has created an entirely new sound grounded in tradition, including country (haters be damned), collaborations with legends (hey, Dolly P.), and covers and samples. Take, for example, chords of Beach Boys and Mickey & Sylvia in YA YA, and her chilling take on Jolene: “I’m warning you, woman, find your own man.” Her genius is most apparent when listening to the album all the way through, if you haven’t yet had a chance to!

📚 Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering: It isn’t too late to read this March’s Morning Person Book Club pick before we discuss it tomorrow evening over Zoom (link to register is below and is open to all paid readers!). The novel begins with a piercing scream, in the immediate aftermath of Billie kidnapping her childhood best friend Cassie’s baby. The book examines themes around friendship—how it changes, and what we look for in friends—influencer culture, and motherhood, all in an addictive format. The first half of the book tracks the “before,” while the second half is an edge-of-your-seat account of what happens “after.” So looking forward to our discussion! If you’ve attended one of our book clubs before, you know it’s going to be a good one.

The face of a gal nervously sitting down to her AMA

A few weeks ago, I invited you to ask me your pressing questions—and then braced myself. Though I write about my life more openly than most, it can feel incredibly vulnerable to open myself up to candid questions, especially when yours tend to be so thoughtful, with a couple of serious, heavy hitters! I received hundreds of responses on all sorts of topics and, after reading through them, did my best to respond to themes that came up repeatedly, on friendships, reading habits, relationships, and alcohol and weed use.

Scroll on for my answers to questions, including to those below:

How did you know it was time to leave your marriage?
What are small things that spark joy in your life?
How do you read and watch so many things each week?
You’ve talked about using weed—do you still do this?
How have your friendships evolved, from your 20s to your 30s?

I dove in deep, with honest answers. And don’t miss my interview with cookbook author Mia Rigden and a recipe for her Fresh Crab and Arugula Spaghetti! It’s a packed post. Let’s get to it…

Issue #137: Honest Answers to Your Most-Asked…

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