The List (And Why You Should Put Down Your Rosé for This)

Plus 4 things our Editor is obsessed with right now.

I have lazy Sundays down to a science. After sleeping in and going for a short run, I make myself coffee and breakfast, and settle into the newspaper and chores for what we call "house days." That one day—with no plans, when the afternoon seems to stretch out forever—is something I look forward to all week. Last night, I broke from my routine and grabbed dinner with girlfriends on the opposite side of town. I ordered a glass of wine, made a deal with myself not to check how late it was getting, and didn't even mind the long drive home, happy from time spent with good friends. Just a reminder that sometimes rules were made to be broken! Here's what I'm up to this week:

I recently listened to the one-woman play, Girls & Boys, performed by Carey Mulligan, when it became available on Audible. I'd read the New York Times review months before, and knew it was supposed to be fantastic, but was skeptical that listening to it would only approximate the experience of seeing it. Despite my doubts, I was immediately engrossed in the beautifully performed story about a woman and her husband, as well as its broader commentary on how men and women may be inherently wired differently. The story is grisly and real, with a dark, gut-wrenching twist that will have you thinking about it long after the recording has ended. Listen to it here.

It's practically blasphemy to call a cover of a song better than the original, but lately I've noticed some covers that are creative and incredible in their own right (we've come a long way from Elvis ripping off Big Mama Thornton). Read on for some of my favorites, as well as a full playlist linked below:

1. Rich Girl by Lake Street Dive // Original by Hall & Oates
2. Seven Nation Army by Ben L'Oncle Soul // Original by The White Stripes
3. Right Down the Line by Lucius // Original by Gerry Rafferty
4. Billie Jean by The Civil Wars // Original by Michael Jackson
5. Walk Like an Egyptian by Jade Bird // Original by The Bangles
6. You Make My Dreams by Pomplamoose // Original by Hall & Oates
7. I'm on Fire by the Staves // Original by Bruce Springsteen

Listen to the full playlist of my favorite covers here and the with the original songs here, for quick reference (I had so much fun listening to them!).

A few weeks ago, I went to the women-owned L.A. wine shop VINOVORE and asked for an orange wine. The woman there told me she had a personal obsession with the Meinklang Graupert Pinot Gris 2015, which quickly became my own personal obsession because it’s 1., delicious and funky, with a distinct nectarine flavor, 2., tastes way fancier than its $25 price tag, and 3., biodynamic. I've seen it popping up in wine shops all over the city, and instantly recognized it in this month’s issue of Bon Appetit, recommended by their wine editor Marissa A. Ross as the must-try wine of summer. It's available at most good independent wine stores (and if not, you can usually ask them to order it for you). Cheers!

Jonah and I recently bought our first T.V. so when I found myself with a free night this week, I grabbed some takeout and made a beeline home for an entirely self-indulgent, lazy night. I settled on The Bold Type, a series about three best friends who work at a Cosmopolitan-like magazine, and proceeded to watch four episodes in a row. The best way to describe it is as a Sex and the City reboot for the next generation (down to a relationship that feels suspiciously similar to Samantha and Maria's). The characters initially feel like TV tropes (hey, scary editor-in-chief and ditzy sidekick) but become increasingly more complicated as the show goes on. It's the perfect thing to watch on a girls' night or evening solo. The show's playlist is also pretty fantastic.

P.S., If you live in L.A..., I'm planning on going to this Vinovore wine workshop and this screening of The Dawn Wall as well as a screening of Free Solo, with a Q&A with director Jimmy Chin (he's also the director of one of my all-time favorite documentaries, Meru). Fans of The Daily podcast (my holy grail of daily news) can see Michael Barbaro at the Ace Hotel this Thursday. LA Live Talks also has a fantastic upcoming roster of speakers...

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