A Thing or Two with Claire and Erica

Thingies time! We’re so excited to sit down with Lana Schwartz, the author of the newest 831 Stories release, Set Piece. We talk favorite character actors, joining ClassPass in 2025, and an incredible podcast season that inspired her book.

Lana’s Thingies include ClassPass (she’s been hitting up MADabolic, Lucent, Good Move, and New Love City), Lorne by Susan Morrison, Sex and the City rewatches, movie trivia at Syndicated, the Rilo Kiley reunion, and Easy Weeknight Dinners by Emily Weinstein.

Lana got some inspiration for Set Piece while listening to the You Must...

Coming through with an exlcu: The A Thing or Two podcast is airing its last ep on May 19, ten years (!!!) since we started this thing. Get ready to walk down memory lane in the coming weeks, but for now, we’re sharing what we’ll miss about podcasting and what we’re ok to leave behind!

But: The A Thing or Two newsletter will live on!

What were your favorite moments of the podcast? Share em’ at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or our Geneva.Launch your store on Shopify and get a $1-a-month trial wi...

Thank you to Nuuly, both for sponsoring today’s episode and for making it easier to get dressed during these hardest times of the year for CLOTHES (spring for Erica, summer for Claire, thanks for asking).

Have we sold you on Nuuly yet? Use cases: trying out a bunch of jeans (or, gasp, shorts), dealing with wedding season, test-driving a bunch o’ new looks without having to own them, navigating maternity and post-partum dressing…we could go on. And! Right now you can get $28 off your first month of Nuuly when you sign up with the code ATHING...

Follow-up time! We did some boots-on-the-ground reporting, and so did you: We have updates on anxiety bookshelves, Santa, calendar systems, PowerPoints as gifts, and (but of course) Kuromi..

Delighted to spot Kuromi in the flash tattoo folder at Haven Tattoo Studio!

If you’re heading to the theater soon, we highly recommend seeing Buena Vista Social Club and Grief Camp—and you’ll find us at LaGuardia High School’s All-School Musical come December! 

Do you have any updates on our updates? Share ‘em at 833-632-5463, podcast@athing...

Boy, do we have topics to cover: a go-to kids' podcasts, sweet treat updates, a new approach to nyms, duvet cover drama, and more. 

Yes, we know about the Greeking Out podcast from National Geographic, and it is great. Speaking of NatGeo, we love Mickey Rapkin’s Pattie Gonia profile.

Our sugar fix(es): Katz Honey Vinegar, tiramisu served tableside at Piccola Cucina Osteria (or in a wee NY Yankees cap), See’s Scotchmallows, Zu’s Candies chic boxes, and pandan in cereal and ice cream sandwiches and many other treats. 

Update! Update! Come get your update! We learned a lot of info about Velveeta loaves, lucky girl syndrome, seasonal treats, minimal shoes, and more that we gotta share! 

On Erica’s iPhone note for seasonal treats in April, you will find  an Ojai Pixie Party, Great N.Y. Noodletown’s softshell crab, and Styer’s Peonies, and coming up with DIY traditions reminds us of The New Better Off by Courtney E. Martin. 

Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy gives cozy-soapy, which is exactly what we want right now. 

Time fo...

We have Ollie to thank for bringing us this ep about a topic near, if not dear: the headache of feeding ourselves and others. (We have to do this multiple times a day?!?!). The app helps you figure out what to cook, makes your grocery list, and *learns what you like*—it’s a whole thing, and we’re grateful for the robots for helping us with this task. In related topics: our always-on-hand grocery items and supermarket immersive theater.

Stuff always in our pantries/fridges: Chara’s Kitchen Barbeque Sauce, Kewpie Roasted Sesame Dressing (the made...

Another day, another grab bag! This time, books for dolls and/or anxious people, kitchen timers, TikTok decorum, and Miranda July’s mesmerizing Substack. 

Meditations for Mortals makes a great case for pleasure reading.

Two of our current top Substacks: Miranda July’s and Heavies by Chris Gayomali. 

Shoutout to Caroline Lusk on TikTok. We will be downloading your videos and sharing them with our pals for the foreseeable future. 

Double shoutout to Nasirin’s Kitchen, Erica’s near–Carnegie Hall restaurant of choice.

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Are exposed ankles back? Luigi Mangione sure says so. Also, stuffie reports, Jibbitz musings, purchasable solutions, travel lacrosse balls, and more!

Stuffie bag charms are happening at 10 Corso Como, we ate up Liza Corsillo’s "I Spent 3 Hours at the Jellycat Diner" for NY Mag, and we’re just getting to know Mofusand and their loreless world via their Uniqlo collab. 

Jibbitz-inspired living is taking over! The Boulder Public Library hosted a make-your-own jibbitz event, and shoe charms and sandal rings are coming for Birkenstocks. Speaking of Birks, do you have thought...

First things first: You won’t get sick from touching a bag of S’noods! We’re also coming at you with custard oatmeal, holiday mash-ups, and the many sides of the TikTok creator fund.

We have a lot of thoughts about S’noods, their origins, and the sweet kugel flavor. 

Custard oatmeal is the new breakfast of champs around here. Erica’s recipe is from Life Around the Table, but there are a lot of fancier versions still.

The Minnesota Zoo and Anchorage Bird Rescue also got in on the...

We have some denim thoughts we can’t bottle up anymore! Also: cookies, curse words, and no-polish confidence. Here we go.

Irene from the Real World made a great TikTok about sitting jeans vs. standing jeans. Shoutout to The Consistency Project for helping us find vintage denim that fits and Jane on Jeans for endless intel—the place for denim discourse. 

The limited-edition Tate's White Chocolate Raspberry cookies? So good! 

These little wooden mushroom nutcrackers + shelled walnuts = a nice pre-dinner snack-slash-activity.  

We are hacking ours...

Coming to you live from the couch! We have a batch of miscellaneous updates for you, from Julius and Tree Paine fanfic to food trends, cute and otherwise.

Cutie news! Hello Kitty + Miffy statues have shown up at 17 State St. in  NYC, and we’re excited to see these two powerhouses partner in this way. 

We are captivated by the very elaborate Fluffy Algodón Cotton Candy Art and floof cotton candy cakes. 

Also! Rebecca Jennings’s story on “pick me” foods for Vox is an incredibly interesting pie...

Happy Valentine’s Week! Let’s celebrate with a cat-neutering campaign, to-go Velvetta, Jibbitz vision boards. Oh, and Santa.

We’re super charmed by CUNY’s callout for couples who met on campus and want our alma mater to do the same. And: Please take note of River Kitty Cafe’s ‘Neuter Your Ex’ initiative. 

How do we these Vans in adult sizes? 

If you’re in NYC and looking for Galentine’s Day plans, come to our event about the bonkbuster on Feb. 13. Dream panelists!!

Back to the...

It’s time to treat ourselves to a good, old-fashioned catch-up. Ready for some updates on workouts, hair styling, hot dogs, and marriage?

Kayleen Schaefer’s Elle article “How 50 Pushups a Day Helped Me Cope In an Uncertain World.” 

Three hair recs: Ranavat Fortifying Hair Serum, the Dyson Airwrap, and Christophe Robin Temporary Color Gel.

Shoutout to PDT, the speakeasy behind Crif Dogs, and the Turkey and the Wolf Cookbook by Mason Hereford and JJ Goode. High-end fun?! 

Claire’s beloved Kikkerland back scratcher; Cam’s...

Ah, we can’t wait for you to get to hang with Upasna Barath! We chat *THINGIES* with the author and playwright—and also discuss her experience writing Comedic Timing, a modern bi-awakening with exceptional dialogue and the most charming friendships. It’s the next exceedingly delightful 831 Stories release, out tomorrow!

Upasna’s Thingies include incense in the mornings (Upstate Stock’s Albany Black Spruce, specifically), scented body oil over perfume (Nuxe FTW), a red lip with no makeup ( Violette Bisou Balm—and maybe she’ll try Ilia Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon?), Italian hand gestures, a heating pad...

In the throes of everything 2025 is throwing at us, we’re discussing how we approach wellness and the small things we do to take care of ourselves (at least a little bit!!!). Major thanks to OSEA for bringing us this episode—10% off your first order with the code ATHINGORTWO!

Can we start with some praise for OSEA’s Undaria Algae Body Butter? It absorbs quickly, it feels excellent, and it’s making Claire actually moisturize every day.

Claire is also exercising with Cam, opting for phone calls over Zooms, going on “do not distu...

Before diving into the newness of 2025, we wanted to reflect on our top Thingies of last year. Fashion, framing, food, and a full-blown flurry of favorites ahead! 

Claire’s best-of Thingies include the PJ Library, Wisp, Épice Paris, Bluesafe24 glasses, Caro Chambers, and the Natori Bliss Girl Brief. 

Erica’s Thingies of the year include Biryani Bol, Nelle Atelier (specifically their Laura style), Susan Orlean’s Wordy Bird Substack, Framebridge, Buena Vista Social Club the musical, and, of course, Josh Hartnett’s return. 

What were your 2024 Thingies? Let us know at...

It’s time to let your inner Larry David out because we have THOUGHTS to SHARE! 

Gen Alpha has a new (jarring??) way to learn their alphabet. 

We were suspicious of isitpacked.com for planning a Disneyland trip, but we’ve changed our tune.

Things we won’t shut up about include OSSA phone straps and Goop Kitchen. 

Let’s discuss Uggs, shall we? 

Do you/kids in your life have daily affirmations? If so, send them in at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or pop them in our Gene...

Call it a classic grab bag from this time last year! Please note that we are still in the market for your Notes App intel… 

Gained some wisdom from @OlsenOracle, a perfect fan account (that is maybe even Olsen approved???).

We’re having a Marcella Hazan moment, thanks to, as Food & Wine put it her “radical simplicity.” Some recipes we’ve been cooking: THE tomato, onion, and butter sauce, grilled fish romagna style, pesto, rice and smothered cabbage soup, and chimney sweep’s gelato. 

Speaking of cooking, we must discuss...

In a rerun of an *absolute hit* episode from last holiday season, we’re talkin’ Thingies with Alison Roman, the woman behind a SLEW of recipes we cook all the dang time. We know you know her, but JIC, she’s the author of NYT bestselling—and gifty!—cookbooks Sweet Enough, Nothing Fancy, and Dining In, she doles out the most delightful kitchen content in A Newsletter and on her Home Movies YouTube channel, and she delivers guidance of all kinds on her Solicited Advice podcast. In essence: She’s full of thoughts, and we want them all.

...

Are a majority of today’s topics serendipitously eighties related? Yes. Are we inadvertently excited about that? Indeed.   

Pizza Hut updates! Tomato-basil Pizza Wine and American Girl’s Book It! Set. 

Someone barefoot 24/7: Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins.  

And spotted! Cutie eyes on Kacey Musgraves merch. 

We are loving Rivals, which is based on a novel by Dame Jilly Cooper. See also: her takes in this Financial Times interview and “It’s Family ‘Sex Scenes’ Night” by Anya Kamenetz for The Cut.

If you’re...

You ready to talk about romance, feminism, and monsters? We sure are, and so is Sanjana Basker, a psychology PhD student and bookish content creator who we’re obsessed with (in a totally normal way). Also: some animal updates, thank goodness. 

Animal Updates! Kacey Musgraves is an NYC rat defender (join the club), the raccoon at LaGuardia has captured our hearts, and Claude has arrived at Erica’s house (by way of Long Island Rabbit Rescue)!

Sanjana’s Thingies are Rivals on Hulu, mass-market paperbacks, Calzedonia tights, @poetssquarecats (see also: @catworkers), and L'Oc...

We are so excited to chat with photo director/visual cultural commentator/incredible Instagram follow Emily Keegin about her Thingies! Also: some thoughts on where to get your gift guides this year, should you not be overwhelmed with them already.

Thank you for respecting our decision not to do 2024 gift guides! If you want past installments, we have five year’s worth here. For the freshest stuff, check out Helen Rosner’s for the New Yorker, Goop (the modern Neiman Marcus catalog?), Caroline Moss of Gee Thanks!, Alisha Ramos of Downtime, T mag, The Strategist’s searchable Gift S...

Welcome to Article Club! A few that require our attention this week span topics from an important anniversary to management tips to recommendation culture. Now off to go eat a personal pan pizza…

Is it an overstatement to say that Book It! is one of our generation’s premier cultural references? This NYT story commemorates the 40th anniversary, and an LA Times article from 1985 made us feel nostalgic. See also: pins for sale on eBay and Tejal Rao’s fascinating review of Chain. 

We loved “Want To Be A Good Boss? Be A Bitch.” by Samhita Muk...

Another day, another kookalook collection of topics from us, including new lingo care of (honorary Bob) Jack Schlossberg, wrinkle makeup, minimalist shoes, LaGuardia Airport, and a straw cupdate. 

Wrinkle makeup—not what you think, probably! Check out a couple of looks by @shine__rising and rachy_mua. Related: crackle lips. 

In which we dip our toes into the minimalist shoes conversation: Gait Happens, Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, and The Infinite Race 30 for 30 doc by Bernardo Ruiz are all relevant on the content front. Some brands of interest: Muki, Vivo Barefo...

We are DELIGHTED to have Alana Cloud-Robinson on today to share her Thingies from her perfect, wood-paneled home (more on that, clearly). She’s the author of the 831 Stories release Hardly Strangers, out tomorrow, and, wow, we can’t wait for you to read this one.

Alana’s Thingies include shoulder pads, thrifting (see: The Council Shop!), her home in Century City, and Irish culture (shoutout to Fontaines D.C., and Say Nothing).

Want more Alana? Check out The Artists Are Frightened, her premier collection of personal poetry.

Also...

After this episode, we have some action items for the Bobs: 1. Petition Dairy Queen and Carvel to make their ice cream cake minis available nationwide, year-round. 2. Use “whenharrymetsallying” in a sentence. 3. Send us your thoughts on NYC Marriage Bureau merch. 

We aren’t doing gift guides this year, but we’ll tell you good places to look once it's time! Start with giftguide.substack.com. 

We’re excited to meet Chewbie, Hi-Chew’s new Mascot, but perhaps this is a "say less" situation?

The Rat Pack is still in our lives, and it introduced us...

We have some very serious reporting about very serious topics coming your way, including the official Sanrio character rankings, a Jellycat status update, and some wild news from the domain-hoarding beat.  

We have to take a moment to show some love to Kuromi, the third-ranked Sanrio character overall and Sanrio costume-sourcing, ℅  Sueju Design and Nerdy Treasures by Amy. 

How Jellycat became so popular with kids and grown-ups alike. Also: Their pop=ups give Sew Your Soul vibes, in our opinion. 

Let’s talk tech! Our listener Olivia shared her Notion tips, we are flatted f...

Just a heads up, this episode will make you want to refresh your bra and underwear drawer! We’re talking Thingies with Lauren Sherman and Chantal Fernandez, the authors of the smart, compelling, and fast-pased book Selling Sexy: Victoria's Secret and the Unraveling of an American Icon.

As mentioned, bra and underwear Thingies incoming! Chantal absolutely swears by the Tom Bra from the brand Mary Jo, and Lauren likes bras from Only Hearts, Notori Bliss underwear, and Bombas UItra Stretch Calf Socks. Also, shoutout to Le Bon Shoppe’s Her Socks. 

Misc. Thingies include Chantal’s go-to...

Gather round! We have a whole lot to say about Fudgie the Whale, learning chess, finding your inner paid tier, and a whole lot more. But what’s new? 

This many week post-launch of 831 Stories, we’re so grateful for the love you’ve shared for Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff! If you’re looking for additional recs to hold you over until Hardly Strangers by A.C. Robinson comes out in November, take a peek at our list.

Did you know Fudgie the Whale’s mold moonlights as Santa during the holidays...

Bobs, you all have been sharing a lot of Thingies that are unignorable. They’ve been moving, unhinged, funny—and we must discuss them. 

We’re loving the nym SNAG: Sensitive New Age Guy, ℅ Maia via the podcast Shameless. 

Portlanders, have you been to The Croc Stop yet—a jibbitz lending library, brought to our attention by Kelly? See also: shoe charms…which we’re kind of charmed by.

Your bathing rituals, friends. Kelsey had a tip on washing makeup brushes in the shower; Rebecca has a tub desk that we co...

Status report: We’re a little bit hanging on by a thread over here, and we’re so impossibly grateful to Duckbill—sponsor of this week’s ep!—for helping us chip away at our to-do lists. (Or, better yet: taking on projects so we don’t have to put them on our to-do lists in the first place.) More on this, along with chore charts, a useful response to the having kids question, and an important discussion of snapping.

Duckbill—a recurring Thingies submission from you all—is an executive assistant for your personal life, led by expe...

Want the scoop on what the kids are up to? Casey Lewis is your gal. We’re chatting with the genius behind After School—iconic newsletter and epic new podcast tracking all things Gen Z—about back-to-school trends, curly-hair controversy, and, of course, Thingies.

Some trending BTS items include tube tops and sweats (ideally together?), On shoes, Adidas Campus sneakers, Birkenstock Bostons, *the* Abercrombie camo hoodie, and Dae’s Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 Styling Cream with Taming Wand.

Casey’s Thingies include the Wet Brush (Claire is trying out the Bounce Curl brush, too...

We are THRILLED that cultural commentator/overall delight Hunter Harris—of Hung Up and Lemme Say This fame—is joining us today to share her Thingies! We couldn’t chat with her without asking for her takes on all the hot pop culture gossip, so unwrap your Fruit Roll-Up and enjoy!

Want more of Hunter? If you don’t already, subscribe to her must-read newsletter Hung Up and listen to her Wondery podcast Lemme Say This, which she co-hosts with Thingies alum Peyton Dix. 

Hunter’s Thingies are LMNT electrolyte drink mixes, Fruit...

Oh, we are excited about this week’s Thingies guest! Get ready to dive into the mind of the inaugural 831 Stories author, Alexandra—AKA Zan—Romanoff. We gab with her about Big Fan, fanfiction tropes, Hanson, ocean swims, online vintage shopping, you name it.

Zan’s Thingies are Henné Lip Tint, Bask reef-safe sunscreen, Will Rogers Beach in Santa Monica, the Gem App, and the public library.  

Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff is out tomorrow, September 10. Grab a ticket to one of Zan’s LA or NYC events (we’ll be in attendance too...

In a true throw-back classic episode from last year: Make sure to double-knot your shoes because we’re running through a bunch of activewear brands, morning baths, kale phones, butter money, and COTC (corn on the cob, clearly).

You can read more about Vuori’s lore in Courier (and try out their Pose fitted polo, Daydream drew, and All the Feels bra for yourself). Other workout wear of interest: Splits59 (specifically their Raquel flared leggings), Wilson (how ‘bout these Wynne pleated pants and the pleated court short?), Tracksmith ( their Article One running sunglasses collab!), District Vision...

Is anybody looking to start a hummus business?!? Do we have some domain names for you! In addition to our GoDaddy closet sale, we also have a grab bag to discuss, including mouth tape, face shaving, rat poop legal battles, WNBA mascots, and more!

Re: personal catchphrases: the title Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner got us thinking. 

If you want to hear the case for VIO2 mouth tape that converted Claire, check out our Guest Thingies episode with Glynnis MacNicol. 

Claire loved getting dermaplaned at Carrie Linds...

Some of you Detective Bobs have already caught on to this, but: We’re starting something new! It’s officially time to give you the scoop on our romantic fiction entertainment company, 831 Stories…and the first book we’re publishing, Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff. It comes out September 10…which means right this second is the perfect time to pre-order it. 

Special thanks to Bea and Leah Koch, behind The Ripped Bodice, for kick-starting this journey! Our podcast episode with them from 2019 for a taste.

The authors and titles that made us fall hard...

Another great day for Thingies! This time from newsletter legend Caroline Chambers, whose book What To Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking (a verified banger!) comes out tomorrow. You’re in for a treat.

Caroline’s Thingies are Sézane Jimmy trousers (often worn with Sézane Lenny low mules), the Olympics (DUH), having swim-safe kids (New Yorkers: Imagination Swimming), and Taylor Swift singing to Travis Kelce. Also, some romance recs! Pucking Around by Emily Rath, Kulti by Mariana Zapata, and Happenstance by Tessa Bailey.

Hey, The Idea of You fans! Ch...

Aaand we’re BACK! We are returning from our summer vacation with lots of updates and some Thingies from the great Tessa Bailey. (If you haven’t read her books yet: WE BEG YOU.)

If you’re looking for good places to start in the Tessa Bailey universe, try It Happened One Summer, Chase Me, and her latest, The Au Pair Affair. She also has an absolutely tremendous TikTok.

Tessa’s Thingies include cleansing wipes for her nose piercing, avocados, Blistex, GXVE by Gwen Stefani’s Liquid Lipstick, Merit (specifically the cream blush...