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- [00:18]
A
Hi, everyone. Welcome back to Baton Paper Podcast. I'm Becca Freeman.
- [00:22]
B
And I'm Olivia Mentor.
- [00:23]
A
And Today is our 2025 gift guide episode. I'm feeling very in the holiday spirit kind of newly as of this week, so I'm very excited for this.
- [00:34]
B
Me too. It's actually one of my highs, so we're on the same page.
- [00:38]
A
Oh, well, tell me about it. Tell me your high.
- [00:40]
B
Well, it's a dual part high, but the first high, I guess, is just that I've had a week at home to do nothing but work and write and revise and read. I have not been social. I have been sleeping. It has been the best. And I have been treating myself to tiny bits of the holiday season. For example, I have been getting one pump of the peppermint mocha flavor in Dunkin in my iced coffees. And every time after I get it, I think, is today the day that I play Christmas music? Is today the day? And I've been delaying the joy of listening to Christmas music, but it did snow the other day, so I feel like that should kind of be my entry point. But I'm looking forward to fully entering this holiday season with just arms wide open.
- [01:28]
A
I'm excited, too. I was at Whole Foods yesterday, and they had the Chobani Peppermint Mocha Creamer, which I think is both the elite flavor of Chobani creamers and the elite Peppermint Mocha creamer. So I have that in my coffee this morning, which I feel like really turned a corner for me. And then a couple of my friends have already put up their Christmas trees and have been sending photos of them, and I'm very tempted to as well, but I'm feeling pretty frazzled. So I don't think I need to take on putting up the Christmas tree prematurely onto my list plate, et cetera.
- [02:04]
B
Yeah, I felt the same way. Instead, I put a day on the calendar where I invited Jake to, like, okay, we'll get our tree this day. We'll decorate this day right after we get back from visiting Jake's family for Thanksgiving. So it's on the horizon. But, yeah, I'm with you. I keep seeing Christmas decorations everywhere, and it's very tempting. Yeah, what's your high?
- [02:24]
A
Well, I also have a holiday high, but it's Thanksgiving related, not Christmas related. So I am hosting my third annual friendsgiving tomorrow. So I think three means it's officially a tradition. It's not a fluke anymore. I'm committed to this as a tradition, but this is my biggest one yet having 10 people, I'm excited. I'm excited, but I'm a little frazzled. Ironically, I was telling a friend last weekend that I wasn't even stressed about it at all because I've now done it. This is the third year I've cooked the same recipes. I kind of have everything down. But now, of course, as it's getting closer, I do feel frazzled.
- [03:04]
B
What are you most looking forward to about this one, do you think?
- [03:07]
A
I mean, I think it's always. It's the stuffing. I love my stuffing, but I also love that other people love it. I love delighting people. And I really converted all of my friends into stuffing enthusiasts. I have to make two pans so people can bring leftovers. People bring their own Tupperware because they want their stuffing due.
- [03:28]
B
Wow.
- [03:29]
A
Yeah.
- [03:30]
B
Famous.
- [03:30]
A
It's famous.
- [03:32]
B
That's exciting. It sounds like it's going to be great. Do you have like a new tablescape or do you do the same one every time?
- [03:38]
A
No, you know, I did a new tablescape last year and I'm just gonna reuse the same thing because I didn't wanna go through the expense or the online shopping to find something new. So, you know, maybe it's every two years we change the tablescape.
- [03:56]
B
Yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense. Keep it easy, especially when you have so much going on. Yeah, well, what's your low, Olivia?
- [04:03]
A
I'm such a dummy. I'm so mad at myself. So yesterday morning, I come into my kitchen and I go to get coffee creamer out of the fridge and I realize that I have left the fridge cracked overnight. I hate my fridge. It's so stupid. It doesn't close unless you like really close it and push on it. It's one of those. And I didn't notice, I guess the night before I just hadn't. And I was like, are you kidding me? So I used my meat thermometer in the fridge to see what the temperature was. And then I did a lot of Reddit stalking to see if I had to declare full fridge bankruptcy or if things were salvageable. And I did end up throwing out some things. You know, anything milk based. I had leftovers that I ended up throwing out. I didn't have any, like, raw meat or anything, but I would have thrown that out. But it seems like the consensus from Chef Reddit was, you know, fruits and vegetables are fine, any vinegar based condiments are fine, and, you know, cheese is fine, anything like that. So I didn't have to throw out everything. But I mean, thank goodness I hadn't gone shopping for friendsgiving yet. I was like, I cannot believe that I did this.
- [05:24]
B
That could have been disastrous.
- [05:26]
A
I know.
- [05:26]
B
If you had the stuffing has meat in it, right? I recall a sausage.
- [05:30]
A
It has sausage in it.
- [05:31]
B
Yeah, yeah. Oh, it would have been devastating. Well, that's annoying. I'm sorry about that.
- [05:37]
A
Oh, it's really annoying. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but feeling.
- [05:42]
B
And your creamer, the peppermint mocha creamer.
- [05:45]
A
No, I got that afterwards. I got that yesterday afternoon.
- [05:47]
B
Okay.
- [05:47]
A
Phew.
- [05:47]
B
Wow. Crisis. Okay.
- [05:49]
A
Thank God.
- [05:49]
B
You really dodged. You dodged a lot of bullets.
- [05:53]
A
Yeah, no, that was a. A reward to myself for persevering.
- [05:57]
B
Right, Good. You deserved it.
- [05:59]
A
So, yeah, now I have all of the friends giving groceries. I have my peppermint mocha creamer. I need to be extra diligent about making sure that fridge stays shut.
- [06:07]
B
Yes. I hate our fridge. I hate our fridge. I actually. I often feel like our fridge is actively fighting against us. Oh, it has the long. It's a side by side, which I absolutely hate. It's like an old side by side. So the freezer is super narrow and you can't really put anything laying flat. Like frozen pizzas. Forget it. It's a nightmare. And often, like, I open it and I just feel like I'm doing that thing where you just throw something in and, like, close it so it won't all spill out on you and I'm just like, stay in there. It's. I despise it. I absolutely despise it. It's days are numbered. Let me tell you.
- [06:45]
A
I was going to say 2026 is the year of its death. Not because it's going to die, because it's going to get replaced.
- [06:52]
B
It better, honestly. Even if we don't renovate the full kitchen, I'm just getting rid of it because I hate it so much. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. Actually, Jake scratched himself the other day and I think it was intentional on the. The fridges part. I like. I think it knows that. Wow. It's at the end of the line. We'll donate it somewhere. But what's your low?
- [07:13]
A
Is it your fridge, too?
- [07:15]
B
I'm feeling emotionally fragile, clearly now I have terrible cramps and I. Every month I do for like a day. And I just think. I don't want to say I'm looking forward to menopause one day, but like, God, I hate the cramps. I hate them.
- [07:29]
A
Can you try something for me?
- [07:31]
B
Sure. Okay.
- [07:33]
A
So I feel like I've gotten a bunch of reels saying that if you take like a sip, like a good sip of pickle juice from the jar, it helps with cramps.
- [07:45]
B
Okay.
- [07:45]
A
And I don't know why it's stuck in my mind. I kind of don't believe that it'll help. And I didn't have pickles in the house, but I'm very curious.
- [07:54]
B
I might try it. I'm on a pretty steady rotation of Advil. And those heating pads that you can stick. Yeah, I love those inside your pants or whatever. God, those are the best. But, you know, we can add some. A shot of pickle juice to the mix.
- [08:07]
A
I mean, it's not even disgusting, so I don't think it's any skin. Well, I don't know how you feel, but I don't think it's like any skin off anyone's back to try.
- [08:15]
B
No, I love pickles. Love. So, like.
- [08:17]
A
And what if it works?
- [08:17]
B
This would be great. This would be awesome. I could replace my Advil with pickle juice. Right? Excellent. Wonderful. Well, I'll report back.
- [08:26]
A
Please. Well, let's take an ad break and then let's get into some gifting.
- [08:34]
B
This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Jake and I left for dinner last night, and it was just before 6pm and it was so, so dark outside that I had to use my flashlight just to get to the car, which is not a very far distance. And it reminded me that we are officially in the dark days of late fall and winter. And this can be such a tough time, mentally and emotionally. And I think it's a great reminder to check in with your friends and see how they're doing and how they're coping with the darkness.
- [09:05]
A
As seasons change and days grow darker sooner, it can be a tough time for many. They this November, Better Help is encouraging everyone to reach out, check on friends, reconnect with loved ones, and remind the people in your life that you're there. Just as it can take a little courage to send that message or grab coffee with someone you haven't seen in a while, reaching out for therapy can feel difficult, too. But it's worth it and almost always leaves people wondering, why did I not do that sooner?
- [09:32]
B
I know that's exactly how I felt about therapy as soon as I found my right therapist. And BetterHelp can help you find your perfect therapist, too. With over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is one of the world's largest online therapy platforms, having served over 5 million people globally. And it works with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 for a live session based on over 1.7 million client reviews. So this month, don't wait to reach out, whether you're checking in on a friend or reaching out to a therapist yourself. Best Better help makes it easier to take that first step. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com badonpaper that's better. H lp.com badonpaper. Well, let's get into these gift guide picks.
- [10:25]
A
Yeah, you can come up with such a cute format for us to use.
- [10:29]
B
Oh, thanks. Well, we've done a lot of different versions of this in the past. We've done it by price range, we've done it by person to shop for. But this time I was inspired by an email I keep getting repeatedly from Pinterest that just says, this is so Olivia coded. That's the subject line every single time.
- [10:48]
A
Oh, that's kind of a genius subject line.
- [10:51]
B
And every single time. I think you're probably right. Pinterest, you do know me well. Every time I open up that board, I'm like, God, they get it. So I thought we would do some Becca coded pics, some Olivia coded pics, and then some bottom paper coded pics to round things out. So we have a smattering of everything, but mostly just things that we like.
- [11:12]
A
But by virtue of people listening to this podcast, maybe they have some overlap with one or both of us and we'll see themselves or their friends in this.
- [11:21]
B
Yes, that was also in my thought process. It wasn't completely selfish, but only partially. So I've divided your section into things that make me think of you. So the first section is gift picks for people who live in New York City or love New York City.
- [11:38]
A
Okay. So the first idea I have are these tea towels from a designer slash brand called Katie Keim. I hope I'm pronouncing that right. And they have a New York toile design. And I love a non traditional toile. Like, I think it's so fun. Like, I remember a few years ago, Rachel Antonoff did a Sopranos themed toile design. And so this one has the dinosaur from the Natural History Museum. It has the skyline, the Statue of Liberty, it has the Guggenheim. It has a pigeon and a bagel and coffee. I think these are so adorable. They come in a bunch of different colors so you can tailor it to the color palette of the person's kitchen. I really like. There's a pink and orange one that I think is really fun. They're definitely A little overpriced. It's $58 for a set of two tea towels. But I would be delighted to get these.
- [12:39]
B
They're really cute. They're also not. Sometimes I think the New York City designs could just be like, yellow taxi cab, and that's it. But these are much more subtle and interesting, and I feel like for people who have been in the city for a while, they would be appreciated.
- [12:55]
A
And they have them for other cities, too. Like, they have a Nashville set, a Houston set. So, you know, this isn't only for somebody who lives in New York. You could get them for a different gifty, too.
- [13:05]
B
Okay.
- [13:06]
A
The second thing I brought are these cocktail napkins from a brand called Chef, who I think might also be an influencer. If this is the same one or I'm not sure the origin here. I didn't look too deeply, but they're selling them on Tuckernuck, and they are cocktail napkins. There's a set of four for $48. One of the napkins has the Statue of Liberty, one has a yellow cab, one has a pigeon, and one has a slice of pizza. And I think these are so adorable.
- [13:36]
B
They're very cute. They're very chic.
- [13:38]
A
Yeah, right. And it's embroidery, too. So I think, you know, if you have somebody in your life who's an embroidery enthusiast as a hobby, I think these would go over like gangbusters. And then the last idea I have, which has New York specific options, but also has tons of other city options. So there's this artist named John Donahue who has a website called all the Restaurants. And there was this stat in the New York Times that the former food critic Pete Wells said that there were 24,000 restaurants in New York. And so this artist decided to try to draw all of them. He's obviously very far off from 24,000. But basically, you can filter by neighborhood or you can filter by cuisine, or you could just start searching local restaurants. And they are the cutest ink drawings, the little splash of color, and they're so perfect of so many different restaurants. And I think this would be the cutest gift, maybe more as like a moving or housewarming gift. But I think it would be great if you know somebody in your life who's recently moved, you could give them one from their former neighborhood or their new neighborhood. There's also ones for Paris, London, Philly, Chicago, D.C. so you can get them for people with connections to other cities as well. And the small ones, the five by seven, are $55 and so you could just give that gift in and of itself. But if there's somebody that you maybe want to give a bigger gift too. I was looking for these frames, which I've gifted a ton of times, that are acrylic, and they are magnetized. They used to have them at Furbish Studios, but they don't seem to have them anymore. So I found what looks like a pretty good comp for them with the caveat that I haven't actually bought one of these or tried them before. But it's from a brand called Hudson and Mark, and they're acrylic frames. And this is asking a lot of me because math is not my strong suit. And they're in centimeters. But I think the A5 size definitely. Fact check me on this. But I think the A5 size is what would go with a 5 by 7. And they have all sorts of colors that are, like, really bright and poppy, and it's just like a clear acrylic frame. And then on the outside is kind of like a bright color. So there's like a neon red, orange, yellow, green. I think this would be so cute with these prints. And you can pick, you know, whatever color you think complements the pop of.
- [16:10]
B
Color in the painting to the restaurant prints, which are very cute. Does he have one of the Olive Garden in Times Square?
- [16:19]
A
Oh, I didn't look. I was looking for my locals to see what ones were there. We gotta see.
- [16:27]
B
I have to look it up. Which, by the way, this is a side note. I was taking a cab through Times Square the other day, which wouldn't be something I would recommend. And I looked out my window, and this is so strange, but Beanie Feldstein was just walking past my cab. What? Just in the middle. It was so strange. It was the middle of Times Square, which is, like, the last place you would think to see a celebrity in New York City. Oh. And she was just right there.
- [16:53]
A
So I am sad to loop back and report that there is not an Olive Garden one, which, frankly, might be a copyright issue. Might not be able to have one.
- [17:01]
B
He probably only does independent, like, not chains.
- [17:04]
A
Do you have a favorite restaurant from when you lived in New York in your old neighborhood?
- [17:08]
B
Ah, gosh. There was this one restaurant that was right under our house, basically our apartment. I think it was called AOC East. There's another one on the west side, I think. But they had these really good truffle fries and wine and oysters. It was this French bar. It was just a nice spot to go. I wouldn't say it was like my favorite place of all time, but we went there a lot. Mostly for the fries.
- [17:32]
A
It does not look like they have one for that location.
- [17:35]
B
Unbelievable. Do they have your favorite restaurant or one of yours?
- [17:39]
A
They have some of them. There was one in particular that I was looking for that's right by my apartment that they don't have, which I was very sad about. But I'm excited to browse more.
- [17:48]
B
Very cute. I love those.
- [17:50]
A
Should we hop over to an Olivia coded category just to keep things interesting?
- [17:54]
B
Sure. Yeah, we can do that.
- [17:56]
A
Okay. So the first Olivia coded category is Gifts for Thrifters and Antique Lovers.
- [18:05]
B
Yes. I'm very excited about this category. I did make it myself. So again, selfish. Okay. So I have been really into getting frames from Goodwill lately. Typically, this is not something I search for in a Goodwill. I tend to look for them in, like, nicer antique stores, I guess because I just like a little. Especially a tiny little antique frame. I think they're so charming. But you can get really nice frames at goodwill for, like $2. You can just get all kinds of sizes, all kinds of shapes. And when I was visiting my parents over, I guess we were there in September, I was going through old photo albums and I just took a bunch of photos that just basically are in a closet being seen by no one. And so I have a stack of them. And I've been. Every time I go to Goodwill, I buy a frame and then I match it up with a photo and it costs me almost nothing. And it just brings me so much happiness, especially with our shelves. Cause I can display a lot more photos than I used to.
- [19:05]
A
What type of photos are you doing? Are you doing, like, childhood photos? Are you doing, like, meaningful memories with the gift recipient?
- [19:13]
B
So for the ones I've been doing, they've been a lot of childhood photos, which I really love, like, looking at, just because I haven't had a lot of photos from my childhood displayed in the past. But I thought for a gift, what could be nice is to just print out a ton of photos of you and the person you're gifting and the two of you together. Or if it is a family member, like a ton of family photos, just give them a stack of photos and a stack of frames and they can kind of choose their own adventure. Like, oh, I really love this photo of us. Or I've never seen this photo of me as a kid, or of us together as kids. They can choose to frame the ones they want because I feel like we all have our Favorite photos of us and friends, but maybe it's not their favorite photo, so this way they can choose. And I also just think. And I talked about this in the last gift guide, but I think we don't print photos out enough as a human race anymore. We just have them all in our phones. So someone gifted me, like, 200 printed photos just, you know, of a trip together or something. It would delight me to no end. So. And it's really affordable.
- [20:22]
A
You're so right. That would be so nice to have just a cache of printed photos. Although, can I tell you the really morbid thing? My brain just lodged as a catch. So let's say you're, like, gifting this to a friend, and then you die, and they just have, like, only photos of you and them, and it's like, wow, they must have, like, really liked this person.
- [20:45]
B
Well, to be honest, I would be so happy that I had the photos because it's. You know, we've all had people close to us die, and often it's like, it's hard to access the photos. You know, no one is taking two hours to sit on Facebook and print out the photo albums from high school or whatever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But if someone did that for me, I would love it so much because I would look at them more and I would appreciate it more. But, yes, that would be morbid.
- [21:10]
A
It's like, do you think Olivia killed this person? It seemed like she was very obsessed with Olivia.
- [21:14]
B
Well, listen, I'm not saying. I'm not suggesting, like, a shrine of some kind, but I'm more thinking, like, for example, you might totally. You print out, like, a hundred photos of your whole friend group in high school, maybe not just you two. So then you have a nice mix.
- [21:30]
A
No, I'm teasing. I love this idea.
- [21:32]
B
This.
- [21:32]
A
This would be so meaningful to get.
- [21:35]
B
Well, the next one I thought about is kind of a blanket suggestion. And this is how I shop for gifts a lot lately. And again, I just really enjoy this. But I can't suggest enough taking someone's hobby or interest and combining it with the word antique or vintage and then just searching on ebay or Etsy because you come up with the weirdest stuff. So, for example, an easy one is, like, if you know someone likes a certain musician or a band, you can look for old T shirts or old merch on ebay, which I think is really cool. Or if someone has a specific hobby. Like this morning, I was just searching on Etsy, like, antique book, and then I saw what filled in, and it was like antique bookends, for example, or antique book stands, which are really cool. Or those sort of table bookshelves. They have a lot of those which are cool. This is also great for sports teams. If you.
- [22:31]
A
Oh, yeah, you got Jake pennant.
- [22:33]
B
Yes, yes. So you can find, like, vintage sports hats or T shirts. And I just think they're a little bit more interesting than like a modern, you know, sports paraphernalia. And same with animals. Like, if you search on ebay, like antique golden retriever painting or something. Because we all have those people that like, only have golden retrievers for the whole life. I don't know if anyone else knows these people, but, like, this is a group of. And they are everywhere. But there's, like, little different things you can search. Or like, you know, we have a whole section for Pisces gifts. But if someone is really into being a Pisces or astrology, there's just a lot of different things you can find that are weird and unique and they're really not that expensive. So it's also just really fun to search. And then my third suggestion would be to plan a thrifting day for someone. If they're looking for an experience, just search around on the Internet for three or four unique thrift shops, secondhand shops. They don't have to be fancy. In fact, I find that just going to a new Goodwill is thrilling. And just put them into a little itinerary, print it out, you know, maybe put in some stops for. For lunch at a nice restaurant or for coffee at a new place, and just present it to the person in your life who likes to thrift. And I promise you, they will be so excited. It's. I can't think of nothing better for a day. Honestly, I love gifting an experience. Well, let's talk about hobby forward gifts. You are someone that I think has mastered the art of the hobby you have. Well, you had knitting. I think you've kind of moved on to watercolors, which is cool. Pickleball, mahjong.
- [24:14]
A
I love a hobby. What can I say?
- [24:16]
B
I think it's healthy. And I know that a lot of people are into these very same things. So. So tell me your hobby forward gift suggestions.
- [24:24]
A
Okay. I admittedly went overboard in this category because I was so excited. So the first one for a watercolor gift is there is this artist who makes workbooks. Her name is Emily Lex. So Emily Lex Studio. And she has all different categories. She has flowers, houses, There's a nutcracker one for Christmas. There's animals, There's Seasons, like anything you could want. And it's these really lovely workbooks. And on one side of the page, there's instructions of how to achieve the look of the reference image. And then on the right side, it's basically like a coloring page, and it's on really heavy, sturdy paper. And one of my really good friends who started or actually restarted watercoloring around the same time I did has loved these books because she doesn't want to have to draw the outlines or pictures or even think about what it is. She just wants to come to the page to relax and just fill it in. And so she has loved these books. She's gotten a bunch of them. They're $24. And so you can just give that as the gift, or there is an add on that you can do for a small watercolor paint palette and a brush for an extra $18. And that way you can get the exact colors that they're using in the workbook. So depending on who you're gifting, if they already have their own paints or, you know, are already into the medium, then maybe they don't need that. But for somebody totally beginning, you can gift them the hobby wholesale.
- [26:04]
B
I'm looking at the Christmas one right now, and it is so cute.
- [26:08]
A
I'm obsessed with the nutcracker one.
- [26:10]
B
It's so, like, nice looking. Like, I feel like it's a great value for $24.
- [26:15]
A
Yeah.
- [26:16]
B
Really, really beautiful.
- [26:17]
A
Good paper, which makes such a difference with watercolor.
- [26:21]
B
Oh, they have a baking one.
- [26:23]
A
Yeah, they have everything. I love the houseplant one.
- [26:26]
B
They're so calming to look at.
- [26:28]
A
Yeah.
- [26:29]
B
Suggestion.
- [26:30]
A
I think these would be lovely for pickleball gifts. I don't think you want to gift somebody actual gear or equipment. I think you want to let them choose that for themselves. So I have some pickleball themed things that if somebody really loves pickleball, I think they would like. So first of all, Mark and Graham has these printed tote bags. They look like a boat and tote from L.L. bean, and they have one with a pickleball motif on it, which is so cute. And you can also customize it with the person's initials. And so right now, it's already on sale for Black Friday. They're usually 79, and right now they're on sale for 59. And I think this would be so cute. I carry my pickleball gear like, I usually have hat, water bottle, sunscreen, my paddle, maybe extra clothes to change into after in a similar tote bag. So I think this Would be really useful for them to use as their. Like, I'm going to play pickleball bag.
- [27:24]
B
Very cute.
- [27:25]
A
Very cute. The second thing, I love gifting an ornament. I have a very quirky tree. I know some people are very particular about their tree. So depending on who you're gifting, there's this ornament at Old World Christmas, which literally is this website that has an ornament for anything you could desire. And I think the one that I like the best is there's an actual pickle with a pickleball paddle and a ball. And I don't know why it doesn't have a face. I think it's small. So funny.
- [27:54]
B
It's. I enjoy this one also. I love that it's called Old World Christmas because I can't think of anything less Old World than a pickle.
- [28:03]
A
Truly. I mean, my folding of paddle. My friend Elizabeth has gotten me a bunch of ornaments here from over the years. Like, she's gotten me, like, weird lobster ones or like, they just have. They have regular traditional ones, but they have one for everything.
- [28:17]
B
Oh, they have a Wordle. That's their bestseller. I'm looking at their best sellers right now. The Wordle ornament is apparently one of the favorites.
- [28:26]
A
So that's $25.
- [28:27]
B
That's a stack of books. Sorry. It's.
- [28:28]
A
Yeah, they have everything. Okay. The third pickleball thing, I couldn't stop myself because I was having so much fun. Anthropologie has a pickleball, like, snack platter, like a chip and dip serving platter that I think is so cute. And the. The outer shape of it is a paddle. And then the part where you put the dip is like a little ball. Oh, my gosh.
- [28:53]
B
It's very cute. Leave it to Anthropologie.
- [28:55]
A
Right? Oh, my gosh. I was delighted by this. It's $58. I think if you wait till Black Friday, it will definitely be on sale. And then for my last hobby gift, if you have somebody who's potentially interested in getting into knitting, one of the first projects I did, actually, the reason I started knitting was because I got an ad for this company and I thought it was just a scarf you could buy and then come to find out it was a kit to knit a scarf is this brand called we are Knitters. And the kits are really great because they come with everything you need. So they come with the yarn, they come with the knitting needles in the right size. They come with the pattern. They come with, like, the needle to finish It So it comes with absolutely everything you need for the project. So it's very all in one. And I also like that they have very cool colors. I feel like they're very style forward color palettes and the patterns are pretty easy to follow. I would say if you're gifting for somebody who has never knit before, I would do a scarf. I think it's the easiest thing to start with because you're not like increasing or decreasing. You're just learning the stitch and going the whole time. That was the first thing I did. The scarf I made is very wonky but exists. So I picked out I really like. There's the Stan scarf I think is really pretty. It's like a two color one, so it feels a little more interesting. And these are both in their beginner category. And that one for Black Friday right now is on sale for $53 for the kit. Also, the Dinka scarf is like an incredibly simple scarf, and that one is $39. So I think this would be a very fun gift if you have anyone who might be into a knitting hobby.
- [30:32]
B
They're both cute scarves too. They're not like, yeah, they are.
- [30:35]
A
And they're easy. So that's key.
- [30:37]
B
I think for beginners, it would be.
- [30:39]
A
Good to learn on.
- [30:40]
B
Yeah. It's not like you're gifting someone like, you know, like, learn this thing. Get better.
- [30:46]
A
All right, Olivia. Our next Olivia coded category is gifts for Pisces.
- [30:51]
B
Yes.
- [30:52]
A
What are we giving the fish of the zodiac?
- [30:54]
B
Fish of the zodiac. I was Googling around about this, by the way, and I should have known this, but do you know that Pisces and Virgo are directly opposite each other?
- [31:04]
A
No, but that astrological chart, is that because of the timing of the year or is that because of the traits?
- [31:12]
B
I think it's both. But they were saying that they can complement each other and bring different things, so it was actually really interesting because I had never looked at that anyway as a Pisces. I feel like if you're shopping for a Pisces, someone who identifies as a Pisces in some way, you cannot go wrong with anything sentimental. I will start there. Literally. It doesn't matter what it costs. If it costs nothing, that's probably even better. For example, if one of my high school friends gifted me a link to a playlist that is all songs we listened to in high school, there's nothing that could bring me more happiness and joy. Like anything that's like this reminded me of you and here is why, or of us. I think is so special. And music is one of those things where I can think of songs that we listened to in high school, but I know that my friends would remember songs that would just bring me right back and that I wouldn't think of at all. So a playlist. It's free, and I think most Pisces would appreciate it. The second thing, I mean, I'm not going to generalize, but I do think the stereotype of Pisces being drawn to water in some way is kind of true. At least it's true for me. I love the ocean. And if you look on Etsy, there are a lot of miniature oil paintings of ocean scenes with very charming frames, and I love them.
- [32:38]
A
Like, how miniature are we talking?
- [32:40]
B
Well, I linked one, and you can see the size of it. It's maybe like, I don't have anything for scale, though. Her hand is in one of the photos.
- [32:49]
A
Oh, I see.
- [32:51]
B
So maybe it's like three inches.
- [32:54]
A
Oh, wow.
- [32:55]
B
They're really, really small. That is very charming, but I think gifting art is really hard. But with something that small, I feel like everyone has a little nook in their home or just a little piece of wall in their office where you can hang this tiny frame. And I'm sure you could also get more specific. Like you could find a miniature oil painting of a specific, you know, beach someone loves or a specific body of water or a town or something. But they' super, super expensive. And I think they're really nice handmade, one of a kind. And you can find some really beautiful frames, too, on Etsy.
- [33:34]
A
Wow, Olivia, are we gonna get into a collab hobby next year, like your thrifting frames? And I'm making miniature oil paintings because something about this, not the ocean scene of it necessarily, but something about the miniatureness of it is really speaking to me.
- [33:51]
B
There's all kinds of miniature oil paintings on Etsy. I adore them. There's all kinds of dogs and obscenes anyway, not just an ocean. You can find whatever you want, but.
- [34:02]
A
We can make them. We can make our own.
- [34:04]
B
I open up the merch store, open it up for business. Ding, ding. Well, you got to find me.
- [34:10]
A
You have to thrift me frames.
- [34:12]
B
Yeah, okay, done. I'm already doing that. That's my hobby.
- [34:16]
A
I know.
- [34:17]
B
Now spend $2. I'm, like, thrilled. I love that, finally, for a Pisces. Although I think most people appreciate this kind of thing. I think Pisces love ephemera. Like, I love old notes, old pieces of paper, movie stubs, tickets. Brochures. Invitations, cards, anything that you can find that's like, personal in some way. I think gifting it to a Pisces, framing it is just always going to. It's always going to hit.
- [34:46]
A
I think about this all the time since we did those ads for Framebridge, who I've used many times to frame art. But the fact that you can frame anything has really stuck in my mind.
- [34:58]
B
Yes. Every time that we've done it with, we framed a key, we framed a pennant. Every single time. I just am, like, giddy with how beautiful items look framed. And I have so many other things I want to frame too. Just like random objects I'm keeping here and there, so can't suggest enough.
- [35:18]
A
Shall we take a quick ad break before we get to a few other categories and the BoP categories?
- [35:24]
B
Let's do it. This episode is sponsored by Quint. As the air turns crisp and the holidays draw near, comfort becomes the best gift of all. Quince delivers layers that last. Sweaters, outerwear, and everyday essentials that feel luxurious, look timeless, and make holiday dressing and gifting effortless. And I don't know why this only just occurred to me, but I have learned that I don't have to wash my very thick sweaters as much if I layer T shirts underneath. I'm really learning a lot as I get into my 30s, but I have been wearing my Quint's white T shirts, which everyone already knows I love as like the perfect baby soft base layer for basically every cold weather outfit I have been wearing lately, and it has just been perfect.
- [36:15]
A
So I've already talked so many times about how much I love Quince's Mongolian cashmere sweaters and the T shirt sweaters, but I don't think I've given enough airtime to how much I love their organic airy gauze blanket. So this is a blanket. It comes in a ton of different colors and it's made out of like a muslin material, almost like a baby swaddle. And I have started layering this blanket. I just ordered a second one this week because I never want to not have it on my bed. And because I don't have laundry, I kind of go a long time between laundry, so I think it would be good to have two to switch off. I layer it underneath the comforter because I get hot in the middle of the night and I still want to have a blanket covering me, but I don't want to the full warmth of a down comforter. And I am obsessed with these blankets. They have them in a Full queen or king? California King. And they're so soft. It's so. Oh it's just so perfect. And by working directly with ethical top tier factories, Quince skips the middleman and offers prices 50% less than similar brands.
- [37:26]
B
This would be a great gift. I think Quince has a lot of gifts actually for everyone. If you remember that pumpkin cardamom candle that I have mentioned so many times, it continues to be absolutely one of the best things ever. So just trust me on this and it would make a great gift. Step into the holiday season with layers made to feel good, look polished and last from Quint. Perfect for gifting or keeping for yourself. Go to quint.com bop for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com bop to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quinns.com bop. I consider you Becca, a top notch expert traveler. So tell us your gift suggestions for people who love to travel.
- [38:23]
A
I okay, so I think this one is a repeat from either last year or the year before. But I and we have different opinions on this because you prefer a different one. But as my personal item to carry on, I love the Dagny Dover Landon Carry on duffel. In the large size, it has the sleeve to go over the frame of your suitcase and the inside has such a smart design. It has a pocket on the outside to hold your passport or your phone or your keys. For any long trip this is usually my go to. It's pretty pricey. So this is definitely a gift for like a spouse, a sister, someone you want to spend a little bit more on. Right now it's on sale for 180, but it's regularly 240. But if you have somebody who is like a road warrior for work or just loves to travel like I think a good like maybe more expensive than they would spend on themselves. Personal item. Carry on is a great gift.
- [39:25]
B
Yes, this one looks great.
- [39:27]
A
Are you still team Calpak Duffel?
- [39:30]
B
Yep, I'm still Team Calpak Luca Duffel. I've used it on pretty much every flight since 2020, so. And it's still hanging on. It's a little more square which I think I like for just like stacking things inside.
- [39:43]
A
Yeah, that one's a little bit more of a tote bag shape versus this is a traditional duffel which I find you can really cram a lot of stuff into. The other suggestion I have is Looking on Etsy for a watercolor print of a favorite city or destination for the giftee or maybe somewhere you've been together. There are so many cute options. I just use Paris as an example and there's so many different price points too. So you know, you can get something that is print or you could get something that is an original painting. You can add a frame if you want to spend a little bit more on the gift. But I think this would be so special and especially if you're shopping at like a really small size, I think it's really easy to put on shelves or on a desk or something where you're not gifting somebody like a huge art piece that they have to display in their home. But just like a little memento I think is so lovely.
- [40:36]
B
Yes, I love this. And you can also do custom ones fairly easily. Like I did a watercolor of my parents new house that they built a couple years ago as a gift to them, which I liked. I think they liked. They still display it. But if some, you know, someone who's like moved recently or is like, you know, also like maybe moving out of a town that they love or a city that they love and they want to remember it. There's all kinds of such cool artists on Etsy.
- [41:02]
A
Yeah, truly. And then the last travel gift I would recommend is the turtle pillow, which I am not a good plane sleeper. And this is the only thing that allows me to get a little bit of sleep on a plane. It looks like a neck brace and I was so skeptical of it, but it basically makes it so that you don't have that feeling where you're falling asleep and then you, your neck starts sliding and then you like snap awake. So it gives you something to lean against and it keeps your neck stabilized. And so on their website right now it's on sale for Black Friday for $44. It definitely is like a weird looking present. So it might need like a photo or an explanation. But man, this thing is helpful.
- [41:44]
B
See, I tried this and it didn't work for me. I think I'm a side sleeper, which I think is why I have trouble with planes a lot of the time. And this is supposed to help with.
- [41:54]
A
That or aisle seat person aisle usually.
- [41:57]
B
But the thing is I can't wear my noise canceling over the ear headphones with this. So then I kind of had to put one back. Maybe I'll try it again though. I still have it, I think. I haven't really been flying a lot recently, but I do the window seat.
- [42:10]
A
And so I combine this with being able to lean on the wall, but I find it really helps. And then I also wear an eye mask, so I'm basically just a nose when I have this.
- [42:18]
B
You're like a mummy. Yeah, I am up there.
- [42:21]
A
Yeah.
- [42:21]
B
Honestly, that's the way to be on a plane. Just like, shut it down. Just like no one look at me. No one talked to me.
- [42:27]
A
All right, let's get to our second to last Olivia category, which is gifts for Real Housewives fans. I am so curious to see what you've brought.
- [42:36]
B
So the first thing I have brought is this little beaded pouch coin purse. You can get them on Etsy and they have dozens and dozens of different famous phrases from housewives, like, beaded onto them. And they're very cute. My favorite one, I think would probably have to be the classic where is it? Like receipts proof, timeline, screenshots. Classic. But they have a lot. I mean, a lot a lot. And they're.
- [43:03]
A
I think it's not. Well, bitch, like the Dorinda.
- [43:07]
B
Yes. There's. I mean, every single one. And I think they're really just like cute to look at. I think getting someone a very sort of kitschy, like pop culture quote gift like this, the key is that they can kind of tuck it inside their life. Like it's not going to be like a frame that they're displaying every single day of their lives. And I think this is cute. Cuz you could just put like Advil in there. You could put tampons, you could put, you know, lip gloss, whatever, stick it into your bag and it's just funny and cute and I.
- [43:37]
A
These are hilarious.
- [43:39]
B
Yeah. I think they're really just nice to look at and they're bright. And there's a turtle time one with a turtle. That's so cute. You. Sorry. I'm reading all of them and just laughing so hard. I wish they had. Have you heard about the gout dick thing?
- [43:54]
A
No.
- [43:54]
B
Gout dick sucker.
- [43:56]
A
No.
- [43:56]
B
Never thought I'd say those words on the podcast. Anyway, that's a quote from this season of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City that I did almost include. There is a Christmas ornament that just says gout dick sucker on Etsy. Wow.
- [44:09]
A
You can get anything on Etsy.
- [44:11]
B
You really can. Salt Lake City fans will understand. But yeah, so that's one. But instead I chose a different ornament for this gift guide, and that is this ornament of Heather. Again, receipts, proof, timeline, screenshots, fucking everything, which is a quote from, again, Salt Lake City.
- [44:27]
A
This gesture of this. Yes, she does ornament is really captured.
- [44:33]
B
If you've seen the scene, it's a very specific gesture that Heather does. She's wearing the same dress in the ornament. It makes me laugh so much because it looks like a Hallmark character ornament or something. The figure of Heather is on the ornament and. And it is just hilarious. And it looks like it would last a while. So, you know, you can pass it down, which is really key.
- [44:55]
A
Oh, it's an heirloom.
- [44:57]
B
Yeah, exactly. But this shop, they also have a lot of different housewives ornaments. They have one of Mary. I can't remember what it said, but Mary is a little girl or you smell like hospital. Oh, God. There's a lot of prostitution horrors. There's a lot of them. So anyway, a real house size Christmas ornament. And then finally, again, I promise this is not an ad for Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, but because it is my main franchise right now, I can't imagine anything more delightful, chaotic and unhinged than ordering a cameo from Brittany Bateman, who is just a special person. And I feel like you could request a song, you could request a dance, you could request pretty much anything from Brittany, and I think she's going to do it. Wow. So I think cameos are. This is. So this is my most cheesy quality. But I think cameos are great gifts because they are proof that you understand something specific about the person. This is a thing that they really like that's specific to them. They're kind of special and one of a kind, but they're not going to take up room on someone's shelf either. So Britney Cameo, it's out there. It's kind of. She's kind of expensive, though. I'm not surprised, though, because she's really quite popular now.
- [46:16]
A
You went above and beyond. I did not realize that there was so much Bravo fan created merch.
- [46:22]
B
Oh, there's a lot. I spent a lot of time going through it. Okay, well onto your last category, which is gifts for people who love to host. This is perfect as we are leading up to your annual friendsgiving. Tell us what you've brought.
- [46:37]
A
Okay, so I think you could gift any of these three things individually or combine them if you want to do a bigger gift. First thing is friend of the podcast. Dan Pelosi, AKA Grossie Pelosi, had a new cookbook come out this year called let's Party, and it's all focused on entertaining. So I think this would Be perfect. I love that his recipes are very home chef oriented. Like, they're usually quite easy. They don't require a ton of weird ingredients. Like, it's very manageable. So that would be one element or a whole gift. Second thing is, I got these snack bowls from Anthropologie last month, and they're striped. They come in a set of two. It's $18 for a set of two. And there's two different color sets. Oh, it looks like they're stocked out of the pink and orange ones. I think these are so cute. I do not know why I love a small bowl so much.
- [47:36]
B
A small kitchen utensil in general.
- [47:38]
A
I think we've learned, oh, my gosh, a small anything. But it's like a perfect size for, you know, some berries, some M&Ms. Or candy or something. Like, it's like not quite a pinch bowl, but like, not a full size bowl either. And I think these are so cute.
- [47:56]
B
They are very cute. They're called nut bowls, technically a nut bowl. Okay.
- [48:01]
A
And then the last thing is big night, which is a store here in New York. They have one in Greenpoint and one in the West Village. And oh, my gosh, this is the ultimate place if you want to get a gift for somebody who loves to host, if you live locally or visiting. But on their website, they have these aperitivo sp spoons set. It's three mini spoons that you could use for salt, caviar, like dips, whatever. One of them is a little olive, one of them is a little tomato, and one of them is a little lemon. And I think these are so adorable.
- [48:37]
B
The spreaders, the snack spreader kit. I know they're really cute.
- [48:41]
A
And so this particular one, the set of three, is $36. So you could gift this with some, like, fancy salt or a tin of caviar, or, you know, you could just gift these. Oh, my God, I think these are so cute.
- [48:56]
B
I love those so much.
- [48:58]
A
All right, what about your last category, Gifts for candle lovers?
- [49:03]
B
I have a few things. The first thing I will admit, I have not actually smelled or burned this candle myself, but I cannot stop thinking about it because the name was just. It's perfect. And that is the Library in a Forest.
- [49:16]
A
Candle.
- [49:16]
B
Candle from the new savant, Library in a Forest. I can't. Perfect. Perfect. And the notes seem really nice too. And the reviews are really good. The description says woody and leathery and wondrous, with top notes of pine needles, citrus, and cool mint. And then they also have middle notes of book Pages, sweet pine SAP and then red cedar is in there. Blue spruce. It just sounds divine. And especially if you know someone who likes Christmas and books.
- [49:48]
A
Yeah, I really like this brand. I haven't tried this scent either, but I feel like I trust the brand. This is where I get my coffee scented work candle from.
- [49:56]
B
And they also have a holiday collection of this scent and two others with Alicia Ramos of Downtime, Friend of the pod. That looks really beautiful and seems like a great value for just like a candle lovers, you know, gift other candle gifts I think you can't go wrong with if again, Etsy, ebay. If you look up antique French match strikers, these are the cutest little match vessels and they usually have really kind of beautiful French old designs. And I've always wanted one of these. They're a little pricey, but I think they're quite special. And if you know someone who loves candles, I promise you they'll and old things, I promise you they'll probably like it. And if you want to sort of elevate it, you could pair it with an antique candle snuffer. You can find really cool ones again on any of these secondhand websites and you can find like ones that look like little bells or little angels or just a bunch of stuff. And I think they're a little more interesting than just like, you know, what you would find on Amazon. And then finally this is the suggestion that ended with me spending $150 on Etsy this morning. Oh, okay. So, so bound to happen. I love a tabor candle, as you know. And if you know someone who loves candles, who loves tabor candles, I am always looking for really unique candlestick holders. And so if you go on ebay or Etsy and you search candlestick holder with like a term, for example, I tried it out this morning and I searched antique candlestick holder, floral and I ended up buying the most outrageously beautiful like 60 year old candlestick holders with flowers and birds. And they're just, I love them but they have like all different, I mean you can google like mid century modern candlestick holders or handmade candlestick holders, hand painted candlestick holders, floral, Victorian. You can really just combine any number of things. I have one sitting in front of me that I got at the thrift store and it just has fish on it which I really like. Anyway, there's all kinds that you can find and you could pair those with some really beautiful brightly colored tabor candles and I think that would be such a perfect gift for someone who loves candles and old things. And I don't know, unique items or if you're gifting.
- [52:19]
A
Olivia MENTOR it's really this is just.
- [52:21]
B
A guide for me. If you know me. Just this is look no further.
- [52:28]
A
Well, let's get into some bad on paper coated gifts. We can kind of cruise through these. We collabed on them. What would you suggest for a bookish gift?
- [52:39]
B
I have one suggestion and that is that, well, it's sort of two in one. It is actually not that hard to get signed or first editions of kind of like modern classic books. So for example, last year on my Christmas list I requested a signed first edition of Gone Girl, which Jake got me. And I had looked up prices before because I was like putting it on my list. I didn't want it to be outrageous and you can find stuff for just, you know, like reasonable prices, $100 or less. I would say it might not be in the best condition but I think that's really special and it kind of shows like I understand who your favorite authors are. I understand what your favorite book is, which so meaningful.
- [53:20]
A
I feel like this would be such a great gift for an author too if there is. I feel like most authors have a more recent book that called them to try their hand at writing or that really inspired their first book and this would be such a meaningful gift to any anyone who's a writer.
- [53:39]
B
Yes, I concur. And I also think if you happen to know someone loves favorite author and I don't necessarily mean like the Taylor Jenkins Reid and Emily Henry's of the world, like maybe it's a, maybe it's not quite so famous of an author. Just try to reach out to them and say like I would love to get, you know, my person, a person, a gift from you, a letter, a signed copy, signed book plate. I feel like most authors would be so flattered and so willing to do something to make that person's holiday. So you know, again, I don't really think that Emily Henry is going to be able to get back to you, but someone might. What have you brought for bookish gifts?
- [54:24]
A
Well, last year I had a mug from Bandeau that said book person. And this year they have, I think it's new. They have a new mug that's very cute that says bookworm on it. So I think this would be a great gift especially if you do some type of like gift exchange with your book club or a white elephant or a secret Santa. I think their mugs are so cute. And I still stick by the recommendation from last year of the Book person mug. But this is another option.
- [54:57]
B
I just looked it up and they also have a very cute beaded ornament that says bookworm.
- [55:02]
A
They do. It's so cute. And then, I mean, I don't think you can go wrong with gifting somebody either your favorite book of the year to share that reading experience. On my end right now, I would say my favorite book of the year is Heart the Lover, which I don't know is a great book to gift because it comes with a side of a emotional breakdown, but I could see Deep Cuts, which is a book I really loved this year, being a great book to gift. If there's somebody in your life who's a music lover or I think the Correspondent would make such a great gift and maybe for like a mom or an aunt or somebody in your life, it could be really nice to read together or, you know, just gifting a book that you think the recipient would love. I had such a special experience of going to a bookstore with my friend Molly in Maine earlier this year. And I bought her three books that I recommended to her that because she wanted to get back into reading that I thought she might enjoy. And getting to hear her reviews and reactions to them has been so fun and special.
- [56:06]
B
I think that's a great gift too. Just being like, let's go to a bookstore and I'll buy you a coffee and whatever book you want. Yeah, you know, like that's nice and expensive and an experience as well. Which books did you suggest to her? I'm curious.
- [56:17]
A
I suggested to her Heartwood by Amity Gage based on your recommendation because she lives in Maine and really enjoys hiking in the outdoors. So I thought that could be a good one for her. I recommended her Wild Dark Shore because she has her master's in ecological conservation, so I thought that would really hit for her. And then I also recommended Broken country to her by Claire Leslie hall because I thought that could be a romance or romance adjacent book, which is obviously my jam that she could be into as well.
- [56:49]
B
Great picks. Well, let's talk about some writer forward gifts. What have you suggested?
- [56:57]
A
Well, I think nobody's gonna be surprised, but you can't go wrong with a set of Le Pens. Michaels has a set of 10 different color ones for 20 bucks. So I think this would be a great gift if you want to spend a little more money. You could add on a cute notebook. But writers got to write. And then the other thing that I think would be really nice if there's somebody in your life who you know aspires to write a book of their own and maybe hasn't quite gotten started, or it's something they talk about wistfully. I think kind of two of the classic books that help people get started are. Are Save the Cat Writes a Novel and Story Genius. And I think gifting them one or both of those books and then potentially a cute notebook for their own ideas would be a really lovely gift to kind of get them on the road.
- [57:48]
B
I love that. That's a great idea.
- [57:51]
A
What about you? What did you bring for the writers?
- [57:53]
B
So this is something that is on my personal list and has been for a while. But I am deeply obsessed with this fabric laptop case from this brand called Kajou, which is French, I think it's this floral print, and it has a ruffled edge, and then you can embroider your initials on the front. And it is really expensive for what it is, but it is beautiful. And they also have a passport holder case, a pouch, also a notebook cover, and you can get them all customized and embroidered. And I think they're really beautiful. And. And I just love them.
- [58:28]
A
I love the pouch.
- [58:29]
B
Isn't it cute? It's quite big, too. Like, if you look at her holding it, you could fit a lot. I. I kind of want the pouch. I kind of want the pouch.
- [58:37]
A
Yeah, but I. I need a pouch like, I need a hole in the head. I have so many random vessels to zip things into that I never use.
- [58:45]
B
I'm looking at the photos of it. Oh, I want them all. Pouches are great, though. Okay.
- [58:51]
A
What about wild card gifts of things that you want to shout about but maybe don't fit into any of these categories?
- [58:59]
B
Well, I just got these two things as they were part of the goodie bags that I made for the people who went on my retreat. And one of them is a customized beaded bag charm. I think they're childish, but that's why I like them. They're these really chunky beads in this brightly covered rope. You can get whatever color you want. But I have had it on one of my bags. I'm really into beaded bag charms in general right now. I think they're so fun. But I also put it on my keys, and I've been really liking it. I think they look really cute with, like, initials. Or you could do a nickname. And then also, it's so easy to do custom embroidered hats on Etsy. And I think, like, if you have an inside joke with someone or, I don't know, you want to do something small for, like, A family member or whatever. I just think something a little bit custom that's very affordable is such a nice gift. And also I think these are two gifts that are kind of ageless. Like, I think teens would like something in this, especially the beaded stuff in this realm. But also who doesn't like a baseball hat, you know, so those are my picks.
- [60:05]
A
I was big into my custom gift era last year. I haven't started shopping this year for gifts, but that was my favorite thing to do is to like make an inside joke into like a hat or a shirt or something.
- [60:15]
B
Yeah. It's so easy. And I think it, it goes a long way. It's a lot of bang for your buck.
- [60:20]
A
Yeah.
- [60:21]
B
What about you?
- [60:22]
A
I brought two things. So the first one is Bubble Bar makes these custom makeup pouches that you can personalize with somebody's name. They come in a ton of cute colors. They're $38 regularly. As somebody who used to work for Bobble Bar, I am positive that they will be having at least a few sales between now and the holidays. You could probably get it for cheaper. And I think for a teen getting a custom makeup pouch and then some kind of like, fun lip product would be such a cute gift.
- [60:54]
B
I agree. Pouches for all.
- [60:57]
A
As a 39 year old adult, I have a makeup pouch with my name on it too, so I like it as well. And then speaking of an ornament gift, I got served an ad for this the other day and I think this is hilarious. Furbish Studios, which is where I have a lot of weird ornaments from, has a buffalo wing ornament. And the buffalo wings are glittery and they're celery sticks. And I don't know why, but I think this is so funny.
- [61:23]
B
Ranch. Yeah, I'm looking at it so funny.
- [61:26]
A
It's $24, so, you know, pricey for an ornament, but, like, would be a cute gift for like. Oh, I could see this going over really well in maybe if you have an office white elephant where you're like, it's just a random thing.
- [61:41]
B
Yes. Yeah. An ornament is also something that I like because you can make it kitschy or weird or very specific. And much like the Real Housewives ornament, you don't have to like display it year round. You can kind of just fold it into all your other ornaments. It'll make you smile and laugh, but it's not like everyone who enters your home will see it immediately. Although, who wouldn't want to see a glittery buffalo Chicken wing. Honestly, who wouldn't?
- [62:10]
A
All right, let's transition out of gifts and let's get into some end matter. Tell me what you are obsessed with, Olivia.
- [62:16]
B
I am obsessed with my new glasses from Warby Parker. They are bright red and round, Harry Potter esque. They are the Gladys style listeners will remember. I have been searching for a pair of wacky glasses for years, and I finally went to get an eye exam at Warby Parker so I could like, try on everything in person, which I think is very helpful. They had a deal where if you get two pairs of glasses, you get like money off. So I bought two pairs, one practical, one notch. And God, they bring me so much happiness. I feel like it's the woman I've always wanted to be in these glasses.
- [62:53]
A
Are the wacky ones getting more play than the regular ones?
- [62:57]
B
Well, you know, I actually, I got dressed the other day, I put on a turtleneck, I put in my contacts, and then I thought the red glasses would look great with this. And I changed out of my contacts and into the glasses. So typically, I don't wear eyeglasses during the day. I wear contacts and I wear my glasses at night. But yeah, I think they are because now they're like a moment, you know, an accessory.
- [63:18]
A
I love this. I love this. I don't know if you feel satisfied with this, but I think I would love to see you or anyone develop a wardrobe of wacky glasses.
- [63:31]
B
Oh, I would love that too. Yes. As I get older, I hope to just acquire more for sure.
- [63:36]
A
Yeah.
- [63:36]
B
What are you obsessed with?
- [63:38]
A
I have a music one again. It's this album called who's the Clown? By Audrey Hobert. And. And I definitely think I'm aging myself here. I had not heard of her, but I think she's friends with Gracie Abrams. I think she's getting quite a bit of heat and buzz. But I listened to this album last weekend while I was doing a puzzle and I think the entire album is so solid. It's like very fun pop, girly music. And I was so disappointed because I looked up to see if she had any concerts. And the album just came out maybe two weeks ago. And it's her first full length album. So I was like, I think I could get it on the ground floor here and there. She has a concert in Williamsburg in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, and it is not only sold out, but the resale tickets are going for 300 bucks a pop. She has a song that I'm told is very popular on TikTok right now.
- [64:34]
B
It's like, sorry, I want to be wanted or something.
- [64:38]
A
Yeah, that's not.
- [64:39]
B
Sue me.
- [64:39]
A
Sue me, Al.
- [64:39]
B
I want to be one. Okay. Sue me. I'll have to listen to the album.
- [64:43]
A
It's so fun. It's a good Friday afternoon album. If you're going for a walk today.
- [64:47]
B
Good to know. Good to know.
- [64:48]
A
All right, we gotta talk about books. I am dying to hear about your experience with this first book.
- [64:57]
B
Yes, I read Sky Daddy by Kate Folk, which is about a woman who is sexually attracted to planes.
- [65:04]
A
But I've heard nothing but positive things about this book. And people saying it's, like, surprisingly tender and not silly the way that the premise makes it sound.
- [65:19]
B
It's a very hard book to explain. It is literally just about this woman whose entire life revolves around this attraction to planes. But it's also a lot about friendship. And I can't explain why I liked this. It just, like, sped by. I read it probably in one day or so over the weekend. I really enjoyed it. I thought the ending was perfect. But it is weird. I mean, it's weird. Someone suggested it to me, and they were like, I think you'll like this because you like Shark Heart, which is also very weird. It's not emotional and tender in the same ways that Shark Heart is. It is, like you said, kind of sweet in a strange way. And there's one scene I like. I cringe so much that I had to, like, put it down. It was so cinematic, the way it played out. I laughed out loud. I cringed. I couldn't believe it was happening. I don't want to give it away. Anyway, if you want something a little bit weird and a little bit different, I really would suggest this. I really did like it a lot. And then I also read A Good Person by Kirsten King, which is out in March, I believe. And this is described as Big Swiss meets Gone Girl, which I think is quite accurate. It is about this main character, Lillian, who is just the world's most unlikable person, is probably how I would describe it. She has a very high opinion of herself. She is very, extremely toxic, extremely narcissistic. And she is seeing this kind of. Not kind of this horrible guy who she's just desperate to have like her. And when he breaks up with her, she hires, like, an Etsy witch to put a hex on him, and chaos ensues. This is just wonderful. I absolutely loved it. She reminded me a lot, the main character of Amy Dunne in Gone Girl, which, as everyone knows, that's just a book and character that I love so, so much. It is like a laugh out loud thriller where you will be hating Lillian the entire way. But also there's something about how horrible she is that just feels really honest and it has like a crazy twist at the end. And I just, it was dark and weird and horrible. Not horrible, but like she was horrible and yet I kind of loved her. And I was laughing the entire way and I just, I love this one. What did you read?
- [67:46]
A
So I am about 2/3 of the way through two different things, but I like them both so I'm just gonna talk about them. So the first thing I'm listening to the audiobook of I wrote this for attention by Lucas Gage, who is an actor you might know from the White Lotus. He was on one season of youf. He married Kim Kardashian's hairdresser on the Kardashians a couple seasons ago. So he's a young actor. He was also in a. He did a very small part in one of the rom com pods productions we did and he was so sweet and I don't know, I just want good things for him. And so I'm listening to this audiobook and it feels much more about his kind of troubled youth than it is about his Hollywood life. I'm about to 2/3 of the way through it and he hasn't even gotten to the Hollywood stuff yet. But this feels very in the vein of the Jessica Simpson memoir where it is so unflinchingly honest or seemingly so and just telling so much shit that like nobody knew about, nobody asked for. Like it is just like throwing it all down on the table and being like, here's all my shit. Like, I am captivated by this.
- [69:07]
B
I've heard good things.
- [69:09]
A
Yeah, and he narrates that. He does such a good job. I'm really enjoying this. And then I'm also reading Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck, which when this episode comes out, will have just come out yesterday. And this is the second novel from the same author who wrote youe Again, which was one of my favorite books in 2023. And so I was very curious to see what she did next. And I was also intrigued because it has a strong Chili's tie in. So this book seems based on Goodreads reviews to be quite polarizing. I want to say that it's probably the first contemporary romance with a very Gen Z protagonist that I've read. The protagonist is kind of this like failed to launch 26 year old. She graduated college into the pandemic and Then kind of moved back in with her mom and all of her plans have been spoiled and she starts a romance with her next door neighbor who's a single dad. So the title is kind of a double entendre that both the character she has daddy issues with her own father and then she's dating this single dad. And you know, she's pretty unlikable. But I'm enjoying this book a lot. And also the single dad is a general manager of a Chili's.
- [70:25]
B
Did you see that she's doing the signed book plates for these are. They look like Chili's receipts.
- [70:31]
A
I love it.
- [70:33]
B
I'm obsessed.
- [70:33]
A
Genius. Genius. But yeah, I'm probably like 70% of the way through this book.
- [70:39]
B
Cool. Well, I do want to read this one too. And I still want to read you again. I'll get to it eventually one of these years.
- [70:46]
A
Well, do you want to give us the pitch for our November book club? If none of those strike listeners fancies.
- [70:53]
B
Yes, we are reading the Correspondent by Virginia Evans, which you've been probably seeing everywhere because it is everywhere right now. This is told entirely through letters, notes, emails, and the main character is this older woman who has lived this prolific life as a letter writer and has had loss and change and tragedy and it's a lot about family and relationships kind of breaking down and rebuilding and I think it's just an all around crowd pleaser. There is also a fascinating article in the Wall Street Journal about this author's career which we will get into in detail because I can't stop thinking about it. And yeah, I think it's just a great November cozy read.
- [71:41]
A
So join us for that next week. We'll be discussing. You can also join us in the meantime in the BFF Group, formerly known as our Geneva group, which is a chat room app. You can also find us in our Facebook group under batonpaper podcast on Instagram atonpaperpodcast. I'm on Instagram ecamfreeman and my newsletter is at Becca freeman.substack.com I am on.
- [72:06]
B
Instagram and substack liviamentor and if you would like to pre order a copy of my book Little One, you can do that today and you can also pre order a signed copy if you would like. And all of that information is on my website and in the show notes and I would be really grateful.
- [72:24]
A
Go do that. Bye bye.