bras, books, and meatloaf for the soul 📚

invite a friend

view email in browser

our best recommendations for your downtime
issue 222 ~ week of May 28, 2021

editor's note

Happy Friday !

This week, we had a chance to ask Michelle Zauner, author of our May book pick, Crying in H Mart, a few questions about her downtime — you know, the (probably) nine minutes one has between being a bestselling author and an indie pop star. 😉

Michelle, we're such big fans of how you approach writing about food and family so beautifully and personally. Do you approach food writing differently than you approach other forms of writing?
Food feels really simple to write about. It's just ripe with sensory detail ready for the taking. It's a fun place to flex with language and not overthink it, in my opinion, and you can always revisit foods for "research" to get inspired.

As you were writing, how did you think about boundaries in terms of what you felt comfortable sharing with readers and what you felt was too personal?
I think most of the time it's best to just write it out and make the call after it's on the page. It helps to have the perspective of other readers and editors, and sometimes it's just intuitive, striking the right balance between sharing as much as needed to make sense of a person's behavior but also being critical, exposing flaws as necessary to move the narrative.

A recurring thread in Crying in H Mart is your desire for career stability. How do you, as Michelle Zauner in May 2021, define career success?
Oh this is a tough question to answer, because I think ambition just drives you to push further, your definition of success changes all the time. I think having the opportunity to support yourself pursuing what you love is success.

What does downtime look like for you?
Lately it's reading on the couch, playing chess on the chess.com app, buying groceries and preparing elaborate, themed meals for my husband and I to eat together outside. I've also just got really into this game called Dawn of Man which is kind of like Sim City for caveman villages.

What’s one ritual you keep up with each day?
Pretty much every morning I'll share a french press of Reanimator coffee with my husband. I really struggle without it.

In the book, you talk about Maangchi's influence on what you cook. Are you still cooking her recipes? Any that are your favorite right now?
I really love Maangchi's kalguksu recipe! I think kalguksu is a really underrated Korean dish. I also use her baechu kimchi and chonggak kimchi recipes.

In 2021, what’s the best thing you’ve…

Read: Brandon Taylor's Filthy Animals
Watched: The Master Builder
Listened to: I just listened to the new Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten song Like I Used To and I really loved it
Cooked: I made an incredible clams with bucatini recently that has been a favorite
Snacked on: My favorite snacks are old Korean man snacks, like dried squid with gochujang and kewpie mayo with a cold beer and peanuts!

weekly picks

ideas for unwinding this weekend

Announcing our June book pick... via this TikTok that will make your heart skip a beat. Read along with us and support your local bookshop by pre-ordering it here. 💓
A (dare we say) comfortable strapless bra... wearing real clothes again is bad enough, but going back to an underwire bra is just a hair too far. This wire-free strapless bra bridges the gap. 🙃
For when life's a headache... Here's how to figure out if it's actually a migraine: Take a short quiz with Cove to help identify your symptoms, then explore treatment options to start getting the relief you deserve. GNI readers can get 50% off their first month of migraine care with Cove here. 💆‍♀️ Sponsor
Three things worth consuming... this podcast explaining how The Backyardigans are topping the charts in 2021, this dairy-free ice cream that's EXTREMELY GOOD, and High on the Hog (Netflix) for a show equally rich in food and history.
A listen-while-you-work-playlist (yes, Olivia Rodrigo is on it)... "I've recently discovered Pandapiano on YouTube, which features piano covers of popular songs. It's cool to hear songs I love in another way, fun to listen to, and easy to learn!" - Sarah H. 🎹 Reader Rec
A five-minute smart read twice a week... Made by the Morning Brew team, Sidekick is a recommendations newsletter that helps you work and live smarter with some of the best finds from every corner of the internet. Give yourself something to look forward to on Mondays and Thursdays — subscribe for free here. 👩‍💻 Sponsor
One small thing that will make your life instantly a little easier... "I present you with the magic of drawer dividers! Why did I not try them until now?!" Carey, Content Team Overheard at HQ
Your weekly dose of nostalgia... Are phone charms making a comeback? Gen Z made emo cool again, and here's a reminder that you can make pompoms any time you want. 😅

Bonus rec: Making time to play this weekend? GNI readers can get 15% off Whiled puzzles and merch through the end of May with code WHILEDFORGNI. 🐌

👋 Have something that's been helping you unwind lately? Tell us about it and you could be featured in an upcoming Reader Rec.

Sponsor Spotlight: Winky Lux

Everything's coming up roses... 🌹

Meet Winky Lux, a joyful makeup and skincare brand that's reminding us just how much we missed wearing fun, expressive, inspiring makeup this past year. Through innovative and high-quality beauty formulations, ethically sourced ingredients and cruelty-free products, Winky Lux aims to remind us that the spirit of beauty is all about joy. Oh, and their best-selling Cheeky Rose Blush is absolutely worth the hype. This weekend only, you can enjoy some long-weekend deals:

✏️ Spend $30, and get a free Uni-Brow Precision Pencil.
🍉 Spend $50, and get free Uni-Brow Precision Pencil and Watermelon Balm.
😊 Spend $70, and get free Uni-Brow Precision Pencil, Watermelon Balm, and Cheeky Rose Blush.

No code needed, products automatically added to cart with qualifying purchases.

DISCOVER WINKY LUX

weekly reads

reads to share with the group chat

1. A very good read about meatloaf and family. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 (The Kitchn)

2. A year after George Floyd's murder, female activists reflect on what's changed. ❤️ (The Lily)

3. Read this if a year of being incredibly online has you heading for the literal opposite. 👩‍💻 (The Atlantic)

4. You got divorced during the pandemic. Now what? Kacey Musgraves is moving forward. 🤠 (ELLE)

5. Observe the radiance of Asian trans leaders. Now listen to them too. 👂 (Autostraddle)

6. You heard it here first — tufted is trending. 🎨 (Architectural Digest)

7. For chronically ill folks, the idea of a post-pandemic world feels all too familiar. 🌎 (Bitch Media)

8. How to build the perfect packable picnic sandwich. 🥪 (SELF)

9. If you finally find yourself making plans, slow your roll. 📆 (The New York Times)

10. Your BLOTW — belly laugh of the week. 😂 (The Cut)

take action and take care

Ways to take action this week... Find actions and places to donate in remembrance of George Floyd and continuance of the fight for Black lives. Support the Samir Mansour book store, a community center rebuilding a library and bookshop in Gaza. Condemn antisemitism, which has no place in movements for justice and liberation.

Ways to take care… Tap into resources by the Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective, including journal prompts, community care worksheets, and affirmations. Find a peer specialist support group for you — in your area, among folks with a similar condition, or with people who share your background or identity, for example.

heading into the weekend like...

manifesting this book wall (via @fabriksen)

Thanks for reading and supporting GNI and our partners — they help make the creation of this free newsletter possible. Just a note: GNI may receive a small commission from items you purchase from this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | EQUITY | SEND A READER REC | FORWARD TO A FRIEND

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Our mailing address is:

Girls' Night In LLC

1921 Florida Ave NW

Washington, D.C. 20009, USA 20009

Add us to your address book

bras, books, and meatloaf for the soul 📚

weekly picks

weekly reads

heading into the weekend like...

Older messages

Issue #221: breads, spreads, and everything in between 🥖

Question of the day: Which puzzle are you? 🧩

Issue #220: how nostalgia became the highlight of my week 📺

Issue #219: getting uncomfortable, staying accountable 📬

Issue #218: a walk on the whiled side 🐌

You Might Also Like

An Egg And A Shell

Freshly brewed microplastics

"sueño convulso (seizure dream)" by Urayoán Noel

Review: “The Invisible Doctrine”

I’m Ditching My Jeans & Trying These Cooler Pants In 2025

The Year Bisexuality Stopped Being a Punchline

Blake Lively’s Cleavage-Baring Red Carpet Look Was Basically Chic PJs

11 Different Kinds of Checking Accounts, Explained

A Man's Hotel Is His Castle

Lost my seat to… what now?