Issue #139: A Spring Refresh with Tons of Recommendations and Rituals

Open for a surprise. 🌼

📚 The Husbands by Holly Gramazio: Every time Lauren’s husband ascends the attic stairs to change a lightbulb, an entirely new husband emerges. There is, in other words, an endless supply of new husbands (and lightbulbs). Inspired, in part, by Gramazio’s work as a game designer, the book functions as a “choose her own adventure.” How do we really know when to stop spinning the dice and commit?

🎥 ‘The Greatest Hits’ on Hulu: After listening to the first few chords of “This is the Day,” Harriet (Lucy Boynton) is transported to the moment her boyfriend dies in a car accident. Time travel, it turns out, happens every time she hears a song that reminds her of him. Although it can sometimes feel like an extended, cheesy ad for Spotify, the premise lays a sweet foundation for a meditation on love and grief, with a great soundtrack.

📺 “Ripley” on Netflix: I could have enjoyed this tense eight-episode adaptation on mute. The stark black-and-white images render the 1960s as high art or, at the very least, something worthy of film school as Tom Ripley heads to Italy, and into his obsession with the aimless, rich couple, Marge and Dickie.

On a recent run through my neighborhood, I nearly lost my bearings. Practically overnight, grey trees and leafless shrubs began to unveil skyward-facing magnolia blooms and bright-yellow forsythia. Apple and cherry blossoms transformed entire blocks, rendering them nearly unrecognizable. At the same time, my own to-do list burst with its own blooms. After a relatively quiet winter settling into my new home, my hibernation came to an abrupt end, and I suddenly had a plethora of projects and deadlines, all culminating in April and May.

When I remarked this to my acupuncturist, she told me that, according to the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine she’s an expert in, spring is a season with a lot of momentum and exertion that peaks until the summer equinox. As she explained it, we can experience this energy on an individual level in new beginnings and lots of to-dos. She suggested that I be intentional around rest, but also accept this season—it won’t last forever, and is a natural time for fresh starts (think: spring cleaning). Speaking of, I’m guessing you noticed the new, colorful design! What better time? Read on for an interview with the designer, my spring bucket list, the dinner I can’t stop making, and so many recommendations and rituals.