🌞 Summer '24
A round-up of recommendations from Summer 2024
What’s good, my friend?
The leaves are officially falling and it’s time for another round-up of recommendations 🍁. As is tradition, below you’ll find a list of recs that contain the books, essays, podcasts, shows, videos, and experiences that had a positive impact on me and others subscribed to The Pause over the past few months (thank you if you shared one of these recs with me ❤️).
Explore what looks interesting and if you happen to read, watch, or listen to something that positively affects you these next few months, please don’t shy away from sharing.
Love today and every day,
~ Lindsey/Booch
P.S. A reminder about formatting…
Each recommendation will have a brief description and link to access it.
If a recommendation has a “*” next to it, it means it has been recommended before or was recommended twice this time around.
P.P.S. You can revisit some past recommendations below:
🎧 Listening Recommendations
Podcasts
I was on a Hidden Brain kick this summer. Here’s a few of the episodes I enjoyed (plus one We Can Do Hard Things episode):
You 2.0: The Gift of Other People | Hidden Brain
I loved the perspective this episode gave me around striking up conversations with strangers and about reaching out to loved ones to express gratitude to them on a more regular basis. A lovely listen if you’re feeling a little lonely or disconnected.
The Cure for Self-Importance | Hidden Brain
I was so intrigued by the content of this episode that I bought the guest’s book and am reading it now. A really compelling listen on the power (and importance) of humility throughout our different roles in life. A wonderful listen if you’d like to combat some social media brain.
You 2.0: Taking Control of Your Time | Hidden Brain*
The reminder I needed about the illusion of time and my ability to invest my time in a way that’s meaningful to me. A compelling listen if you’ve been feeling time-scarce lately.
How to Heal Unhealthy Relationship Patterns + Glennon & Abby on Marriage | We Can Do Hard Things
Glennon and Abby do a Q&A with some of their listeners on this episode and I found their answers to be characteristically funny, wise, and thoughtful. A great listen if you’d like to sit back and enjoy some real talk with friends you’ve never met.
Music
On Up | Big Sean
This track makes me tear up every time. The lyrics. The feeling. A beautiful testament to the mental transformation and responsibility parenthood bestows. “Close my eyes, picture heaven and it’s where I’m at.” Too real.
📖 Reading Recommendations
Books
The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center | Rhaina Cohen
https://www.rhainacohen.com/
I loved this read. I loved how Cohen shared stories/examples of how some people are choosing to make friendship a central relationship in their lives, while also doing a historical deep dive into how romantic relationships and friendships evolved to be where they are today (aka: how we’ve come to undermine romantic relationships by expecting too much of them and diminish friendships by expecting too little of them). A thought-provoking read if you’re looking to open your mind.
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness | Jonathan Haidt
https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/book
This book helped me look in the mirror at my own phone usage and question how I was investing my life/what I’ve been modeling to Jazz when it comes to my relationship with my smartphone. Yes, the content can feel overwhelming/anxiety-inducing at times, but it also feels like there isn’t a more essential read at this point in our culture’s existence. From the website: Haidt presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this "great rewiring of childhood" has interfered with children's social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies. An intense but important read.
Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age | Katherine May
https://katherine-may.co.uk/enchantment
I really appreciated this book (especially because I read it after The Anxious Generation—it was a welcome mood-lifter). May has this magical ability to mix her own personal experience trying to infuse enchantment back in her life post-pandemic with historical and philosophical counts of what others say/how others have reached enchantment throughout hundreds of years. A really lovely read if you’re feeling stuck in a rut and want to experience more enchantment in your day to day life.
📺 Viewing Recommendations
YouTube
Celine Dion closes the Olympic Opening Ceremony with a courageous tour de force | NBC Sports
Y’all. When I tell you I squirt tears out of my eyes when I watch this performance, I’m not lying, especially given this context. Triumphant. Gut-wrenching. Extraordinary. 10/10 stars.
Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg Talk New Album & Launching Gin & Juice After 30 Years | Complex
I loved this video. I loved watching Dre and Snoop love on each other the way they do and hearing about this new era they’re ushering in. They’re older, wiser, and having a good time. A really fun watch.
Night Night: Watch Steph Curry put France to bed in slow motion | Paris Olympics | NBC Sports
Steph Curry dominating in the finals of the Olympics in slow-mo set to jazz music??? Let’s go y’all. Too funny. Too pretty. Too wonderful. A true gem of a video. Just a beautiful way to appreciate Steph and all his greatness.
Streaming
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat | Netflix
Trailer
I know this came out years ago, but dude, this show is so good. I love Samin’s cookbook, and her zest for teaching even more. This show is the science of how to cook well mixed with the joy of someone who is absolutely obsessed with food and gets to travel the world in search of becoming a better cook. Worth a re-watch if you haven’t watched it already.
Stephen Curry: Underrated | Apple TV+
Trailer
I was sitting on this documentary for a while and finally got around to watching it—and damn, I feel really blessed that Curry has been on the Warriors his whole career. This has all the feel good emotional hills and valleys that you want from a sports documentary. Worth watching if you love Curry, The Warriors, The Bay, basketball, or sports in general.
✨ Experience Recommendations
Cooking
Chocolate Chip Cookies | Claire Saffitz
I’d been waiting to make Claire Saffitz’s chocolate chip cookie recipe and finally took the plunge—YUM. Worth chilling the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, but even more delicious when you wait the full 48 hours. Her dessert cookbook is here and fully worth the investment.
NYT Cooking App | App Store*
App here
Truly my favorite app on my whole phone. Summer favorites in our house: Shrimp and Tomato Pasta, Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil, Crispy Coconut Shrimp and Shallots, Puttanesca Chickpea-Tomato Salad, Miso-Honey Chicken and Asparagus. And a sweet treat Jazzy and I just tried for fall: Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, so yummy.
Music
La La Land & Disney in Concert | SF Symphony
SF Symphony website
We went to the Symphony twice this summer; once for Disney in Concert with Jazzy and once for La La Land as date night. Both experiences were spectacular and I’m not afraid to admit I cried (kind of a lot) from the pure beauty of both performances. We’re looking to get back to another live orchestra movie soon. A wonderful experience if you like live music (and a reason to get dressed up).