Raw dogging "the change"

Summary

Episode Summary: Raw Dogging "the Change"
Everything is Fine
Release Date: March 24, 2025
Hosts: Jennifer Romolini and Kim France

In this engaging episode of Everything is Fine, hosts Jennifer Romolini and Kim France delve deep into the transformative journey of life over 40. Titled "Raw Dogging 'the Change'," the episode explores themes of hormonal shifts, the importance of social connections, evolving friendships, coping with societal changes, and personal growth. Through candid conversations and personal anecdotes, Jen and Kim provide valuable insights and relatable stories for women navigating this unique stage of life.

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1. Navigating Hormonal Changes

Jennifer Romolini opens the discussion by sharing her recent challenges with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). She candidly describes the debilitating symptoms she experiences when her prescription is delayed:

[01:51] Jen Romolini: “I need the Adderall to, like, keep my brain together. But then that gives me fucking hot flashes all night. I got achy joints. I have digestion issues. I’m just like. No, no, thank you.”

Jennifer strongly advocates for the benefits of HRT for severe menopause symptoms:

[01:51] Jen Romolini: “If you could take hormones and you have severe menopause symptoms, that is my highest recommendation.”

Kim France discusses her own approach to hormonal management, noting her limitations due to a history with cancer but emphasizes the usefulness of hormone creams:

[02:54] Kim France: “But, you know, even hormone creams help.”

---

2. Embracing Social Interactions and Meaningful Connections

The conversation shifts to the significance of social interactions in maintaining mental and emotional well-being. Kim France references an article from The Atlantic highlighting the benefits of throwing more parties and engaging in meaningful daily interactions:

[03:22] Kim France: “I think we all need to be throwing more parties... and have one meaningful human interaction a day.”

Jennifer Romolini shares her recent experiences hosting multiple dinner parties and celebrating her birthday, emphasizing the joy and fulfillment these gatherings bring:

[03:54] Jen Romolini: “I had another dinner party and I made dinner again. It was actually really, really fun.”

---

3. Overcoming Age-Related Inhibitions and Embracing Spontaneity

Jennifer Romolini recounts a spontaneous night out at Los Globos, a popular lesbian bar, showcasing her willingness to break free from self-imposed constraints:

[05:14] Jen Romolini: “I was dancing in the lesbian bar. That song... I might have taken off my shirt and danced in a bra. I'm not kidding.”

This experience leads her to reflect on the psychological barriers that come with age, where fear of predictable outcomes often limits spontaneity:

[06:36] Jen Romolini: “But now I am like basically living like a monk. I was like, that's it. I got home at 12:30am like, fuck that.”

Kim France expresses her desire to pursue personal interests, such as taking voice lessons, signaling a commitment to continuous personal growth:

[07:11] Kim France: “I actually think I'm going to take voice lessons... I have set the wheels in motion for that to happen.”

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4. Evolving Friendship Dynamics

The hosts explore the changing nature of friendships as women age. They discuss the absence of a singular "best friend" and instead emphasize having a tight-knit crew of close friends who provide support during various life stages.

Jen Romolini illustrates this with examples of reconnecting with old friends and forming new supportive relationships:

[46:30] Jen Romolini: “I have many friends, but not a best friend... My friend Julie from high school... whenever my dad was sick, she was one of the first people I called.”

Kim France echoes similar sentiments, highlighting the fluidity and evolution of friendships over time:

[48:22] Kim France: “My friend Ann, who I definitely think is one of my closest friends now, was not in my life for maybe 20 years.”

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5. Coping with Economic and Social Shifts

Jennifer Romolini expresses frustration over the bankruptcy of Forever 21, reflecting on the rapid changes in the fashion industry and her nostalgia for past shopping experiences:

[11:06] Jen Romolini: “Wow, that feels like a big deal.”

Both hosts discuss the impact of social media algorithms on their daily lives, with Jen voicing her disdain for manipulation and the overwhelming presence of targeted ads:

[12:07] Jen Romolini: “I don't like being manipulated. I hate it.”

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6. Personal Recommendations and Lifestyle Choices

Throughout the episode, Jen and Kim offer practical advice and personal recommendations on various topics:

• Health and Wellness: Discussing the benefits of bone broth for health:

  [50:00] Jen Romolini: “I pour it into a pot to a small saucepan. I heat it up, and I squeeze a little lemon in it, and then I drink it.”

• Fashion and Comfort: Sharing tips on selecting comfortable yet stylish footwear:

  [33:31] Jen Romolini: “There's a brand called Archies, and they're great flip flops. They look just like normal... they mold to your foot.”

• Reading Habits: Highlighting the joys of reading physical books over digital formats:

  [09:59] Jen Romolini: “I just don't find the reading experience as good. I feel like it's more engaging to read a paper copy and probably just better for you.”

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7. Media and Entertainment Insights

The hosts discuss their favorite TV shows and comedians, emphasizing the importance of authentic and meaningful content:

• John Mulaney's Show: Praised for its authenticity, humor, and handling of personal topics:

  [36:42] Kim France: “I love John Mulaney so much. He has such a great sensibility about what makes LA great and quirky and weird.”

• White Lotus: Applauding Sam Rockwell's performance and the show's narrative depth:

  [38:17] Jen Romolini: “I couldn’t believe I got to watch Sam Rockwell on the White Lotus... it was very unique.”

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8. Supporting Loved Ones Through Challenges

Jen and Kim offer heartfelt advice on how to support friends facing serious challenges such as cancer and addiction:

• Supporting Friends with Cancer: Emphasizing the importance of reaching out and being present without making the conversation about oneself:

  [54:14] Kim France: “Reaching out is just never the wrong thing to do.”

• Helping Friends with Addiction: Suggesting practical steps like attending AA meetings together and offering non-alcohol-centric activities:

  [55:37] Kim France: “Offer to go to an AA meeting with them. A lot of times people don't want to do that alone.”

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9. Answering Listener Questions

The hosts engage with their audience by answering various listener-submitted questions, providing personalized advice on topics ranging from beauty tips to managing friendships:

• Shrinking Pores: Recommendations on using specific acid treatments for reducing visible pores:

  [46:30] Jen Romolini: “There’s one Paula’s Choice acid treatment that works... put them on first.”

• Looking Good in Photos: Tips on posing and camera angles to enhance appearance in photographs:

  [52:05] Kim France: “Always insist that the photograph is just from the chest up... make sure to lower your chin.”

• Supporting Friends: Strategies for making support efforts centered around the friend's needs rather than one's own:

  [53:37] Jen Romolini: “I just have to avoid making it about me.”

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10. Final Thoughts and Recommendations

As the episode wraps up, Jen and Kim share their personal "Things That Don't Suck," highlighting items and experiences that bring them joy and comfort:

• Jen Romolini: Excited about her new pair of men’s Levi's 501s, praising their comfort and fit:

  [43:07] Jen Romolini: “I got a pair of men’s Levi's new 501s... I'm loving them.”

• Kim France: Promotes her new book, Ambition Monster, expressing pride in its cover art and the meaningful feedback from readers:

  [35:12] Jen Romolini: “It's a paperback of my book... It's such a beautiful cover.”

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jen Romolini at [01:51]: “I need the Adderall to, like, keep my brain together.”
• Jen Romolini at [05:14]: “I was dancing in the lesbian bar.”
• Kim France at [07:11]: “I actually think I'm going to take voice lessons.”
• Jen Romolini at [12:07]: “I don't like being manipulated.”
• Kim France at [54:14]: “Reaching out is just never the wrong thing to do.”

---

Conclusion

"Raw Dogging 'the Change'" offers a profound exploration of the complexities and liberations that come with life after 40. Through honest dialogue, personal stories, and practical advice, Jennifer Romolini and Kim France provide a supportive and insightful guide for women navigating midlife transitions. Whether discussing hormonal health, the evolution of friendships, or coping with societal shifts, this episode encapsulates the essence of embracing change with resilience and grace.

Transcript

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[Kim France]

Hello and welcome to Everything is Fine, a podcast for women over 40. We are your hosts. I'm Kim France.

[Jen Romolini]

And I'm Jen Romolini.

[Kim France]

How are you doing today?

[Jen Romolini]

I'm doing pretty good. I mean, I gotta say, my hormone replacement therapy, my hormone therapy, whatever we're calling it, my prescription has changed. So there. It's like, there's a delay. And so I've been without hormones for, like, I don't know, 10 days. And I don't know how people are out here raw dogging menopause because I'm just like, Jesus fucking Christ. Like, I need the Adderall to, like, keep my brain together. But then that gives me fucking hot flashes all night. Like, I got, like, I got achy joints. I have digestion issues. I'm Just like. No, no, thank you. If you could take hormones and you have severe menopause symptoms, like, that is my. That if. If nothing else comes out of this show for the years that we've been doing it, that is my highest recommendation.

[Kim France]

Yep. Yep, that's it. I mean, I can't. I can't do most of the hormones. You know, I won't because of the cancer.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes.

[Kim France]

But, you know, even hormone creams help.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, I mean, everything helps. I mean, I do bioidentical creams, you know, whatever. Like, they're supposed to be very, very safe. Like the safest form you can do. But I need it. I mean, you know, I just need it. So that's. That's how I am. How was your week?

[Kim France]

My week was pretty good. Pretty quiet, as usual. Although. No, that's not true. We actually had a surprisingly social week.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, good. So did me about yours.

[Kim France]

I've been thinking about this because there was an article in the Atlantic which I've tried to find. I saw the headline. I think it was the Atlantic, and I want to read it, but it's about how we all need to be throwing more parties. You know, just that. That is really good for you to, like, be invited to and go to and throw parties.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes.

[Kim France]

And then also there was another article about how we all need to have one meaningful human interaction a day.

[Jen Romolini]

That makes sense. That makes sense.

[Kim France]

Which makes perfect sense. So this has all been on my mind.

[Jen Romolini]

I had people over for dinner on Friday night. I had friends over. Our friend Liz, I had over. And her house.

[Kim France]

How is she doing?

[Jen Romolini]

She's doing okay. She's doing okay. Our friend is one of the people who unfortunately lost our house in the LA fires. She's doing okay. A lot of my friends are just in rough places right now. And so in a way, I'm not in that rough of a place. You know, my life's pretty stable at the moment, so it's nice to be the person who can be a stabilizing force for people, you know? But, yeah, I had another dinner party and I made dinner again. Another amazing, amazing. Had people over, no big deal. You know, spruced up a bathroom, lit a candle, made a big dinner, got a couple new placemats. You know, it was just. It was actually really, really fun. But it was three nights in a row. Cause we went out for my birthday night, which was Thursday. We had friends over Friday night. And then Saturday night, a friend who's going through a really hard time in her marriage, and I went out and at A certain point, I don't know what happened, what turned, but I was like, you know what you need to fucking do you. You need to go dancing.

[Kim France]

Uh huh.

[Jen Romolini]

So we went dancing.

[Kim France]

No way.

[Jen Romolini]

So there's this club right near me called Los Globos that on a Saturday night has a line around the fucking block. And it's like really close. It's like three blocks away. So we like had been in a bar and we were like, okay, let's just go. And I was like, I'm not staying in this fucking line. And the bouncer just looked at us and he was like, just come in.

[Kim France]

Come in, old ladies.

[Jen Romolini]

Exactly. And then he was like, there are lots of different rooms. Like there's lots of different things going on. I'd never been inside. There's lots of different things going on. I think you'll like the one downstairs, you know, it's for the girls. And so I was like, wait, what's he talking about? I was a little buzzed. And then I was like, oh, we're at lesbian night.

[Kim France]

Amazing.

[Jen Romolini]

And the only thing that's been running in my mind like ever since is I was dancing in the lesbian bar. That song, you know that song? I was dancing in the lesbian. Oh, I forget who it sings it. Anyway, we wound up drinking more, we wound up dancing. The dancing was really fun. I might have taken off my shirt and danced in a bra. I'm not kidding. Are you kidding? No, I'm not kidding.

[Kim France]

That's amazing.

[Jen Romolini]

You know, I think it was good for my friend. I don't know how good it was for me. And now I am like basically living like a monk. I was like, that's it. That is no more. I got home at 12:30am like, fuck that.

[Kim France]

Oh my God. Oh my God. But how fun.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, it was fun. It was fun. And like, I've been thinking more and more about how this age, one thing that happens is the walls start to close in. Like, you don't, you just don't shake things up as much, you know, you're just like, ah, I know what the. I know what the end result is going to be of that, you know, and so there's just contingencies on everything, you know? Well, I'm not going to do this because it's going to lead to this because you just have done so much, so you know what the end game is and that keeps you from doing shit, you know? So I'm trying to do more shit.

[Kim France]

Yeah, I think that's good. I actually think I'm Going to take voice lessons. I actually think that's not just something that I'm saying I'm gonna do.

[Jen Romolini]

Amazing.

[Kim France]

I have set the wheels in motion for that to happen.

[Jen Romolini]

Amazing. I think that is such. Such good news. I think you're gonna enjoy that a lot, and I think it's gonna be fun. And also, like, well, even if it's not, you've done something, you know, like, you've done this thing.

[Kim France]

Maybe I'll karaoke better if even. Only that comes out of it.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. My worst. My worst dreaded activity, karaoke. Everybody loves it. Everybody loves it.

[Kim France]

You can't even. Even after a drink or two and like, everybody getting into it, you just can't do it.

[Jen Romolini]

I know how tone deaf I am. And even there's. I think there's no amount. Like, I think there's no amount of alcohol. Like, there's. Like, really? There's no amount of alcohol. There's no amount of peer pressure because I've done it, like, twice and just been like, this is hell. I hate this. I hate this. I can't keep up with the. I have, like, vision processing issues. I can't keep up with the lyrics. Like, it's just. I'm bad at it and. No, like, you don't want to be on stage. You don't want to just be bad at something. Like, it's just, you know.

[Kim France]

No, I understand.

[Jen Romolini]

I think you're probably kind of good at it.

[Kim France]

No, Jen, I can't sing at all. I can't sing at all. Ask me to sing something.

[Jen Romolini]

Sing something.

[Kim France]

Happy Birthday to. No, that's too easy. I just can't sing that badly.

[Jen Romolini]

You just can't sing. Oh, my God. Speaking of singing. And this was. I was gonna save it for my Things that Don't suck, but I have been going at 5am in the morning to the London Writer's Hour, which is just an hour of writing with people all over the world. And I. At the beginning, like, the first five minutes, you say what you're gonna be working on in the chat. On the zoom chat. And then at the last five minutes, you say how you felt about what you did. And I wrote. It was, you know, it's 5:50am on the day of my birthday. And I wrote in, like, I'm really excited. I wrote 700 words and it's my birthday, and all these, like, lovely British people and other people sang Happy Birthday to me.

[Kim France]

That's really nice. And I know you cried.

[Jen Romolini]

I cr. Harder than anyone's ever cried.

[Kim France]

That's so nice. I love that you do that.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, well, I mean, I often have insomnia. Like I'm often up around 4:30 in the morning. And so I've just started making it a practice. Like, why don't I make this productive time? And you know, I've written. I don't know, I've written like 15,000 words of this novel just by not even, like, not even giving it one full day.

[Kim France]

Right.

[Jen Romolini]

So it's just. I grab an hour, I grab a half hour here, I grab an hour. You know, it's just. I'm just moving something forward. But it's actually really peaceful to sit and write with other people.

[Kim France]

I love writing when other people are in the room.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, right.

[Kim France]

It makes. Cause like today, this morning, I was trying to get work done and Paul's gone and it was just so fucking quiet here. Like, I much prefer another presence.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, yeah. There's something nice about it. So, yeah, I've been doing that. My friend Mary Lowry introduced me to that. And it's free. Like after you go a couple. Like, after you go a number of times they want you to like give them like a. You know, it's basically like a substack fee, but it's free to like try it out. And they have several different times. Like it's not only, well, 5:00am is 8:00am East coast, but they have several different times. But I can't do 8am because that's. I'm getting into a whole kid routine at that point.

[Kim France]

But yeah, I was interested to read today that Forever 21 has gone bankrupt and is going to close all its American stores.

[Jen Romolini]

Wow, that feels like a big deal.

[Kim France]

Did you go through a Forever 21 phase? Like, I totally remember taking the car down to Union Square when I was at Lucky and going to Forever 21 and buying like $20 camisoles.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. I think I had like forever. I mean, I was never. I was never forever 20. I was like forever 30. Forever 35. When I was shopping there, I had a little bit. I mean, I was always more of an H and M person, but I had a little bit. There was something about Forever 21 that. Whereas H and M, somehow I get. I'm like, oh, this stuff's nice. There's something about Forever 21 where I would pick up a shirt and be like, this is going to last me two days.

[Kim France]

Yeah. No, it was crap. It was absolute crap.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, but I got.

[Kim France]

I got a little. I had a little pang this morning for Forever 21.

[Jen Romolini]

Well, it's weird how much things are just changing, right? I mean, that's the thing. Like, I don't even know what the cheap short. Like, I kind of do, you know, But I don't even. There's things I just don't even know anymore.

[Kim France]

There's so much. And just yesterday I was thinking, like, you know what? I want my phone to be about 30% dumber.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. Yes.

[Kim France]

My phone is suddenly so smart and knows so much about me, and I don't like it.

[Jen Romolini]

I don't like it either. And I don't like anything. Like, I don't like how Instagram has turned into TikTok. I'm just, like, watching all these random re. I'm like, what the fuck is that? Who are these people? And then I'm suddenly in it. And the other thing I was thinking about, speaking of, like, not knowing anything, is I was. I don't know what I was reading. It was something that just, like, came to me, but it was like, some. I used to know when somebody would mention. I know this because I interviewed a lot of people and asked them what. Who their style icons were. Like, this was the thing that was part of my job. I used to know when somebody mentioned a style icon, who. It was like, pretty much like 99% of the time I knew who the person was. I think it's the opposite now. Like, these Gen zers. Addison Rae, I looked her up. I was like, ah, that's your style icon. Like, what is happening?

[Kim France]

I know. Well, there's no. I mean, there's not a lot of, like, great indigenous style happening on social media that I can find it. You know, there are some people who do street photography, but I think the people, they're attracted to photographing or wearing costumes.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. Costuming. Yes. Yes.

[Kim France]

It doesn't. Like, when we started Lucky, you could really find photos and magazines of women on the street and what they were wearing, and now you can't find that anywhere.

[Jen Romolini]

I mean, I'm like, I just started following a couple of young, much younger. Cause you know how you go through ebbs and flows with wanting to refresh your style or being engaged with style. And I'm sort of on an upswing. I'm like, oh, okay. I want. I want to update my look. I'm interested in clothes right now. Like, what. What do I want to look like? So I'm, like, looking for inspiration. I mean, we. We talk to the Fug girls about this a lot, and I'm following a couple of influencers who are like, you know, sweet like, you know, Scandinavian, let's say. Or like people who are European. But it's, it's hard. It's hard because they also don't tell you what, what they're wearing. Like, you don't. They don't because they're withholding that. They're definitely gatekeeping that to. For like a paywall. So you just don't know what people are wearing. And it's, it's really confusing. And it's also diffuse, as I was saying a couple of weeks ago, that it's just hard to sort of track it down.

[Kim France]

Yep. I think that's 100% true. What I wouldn't do for like a really great street style photographer just posting a picture every day.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. But I also want to know where to source the things too. Right. I want both. I want both. Which I'm, I'm. You know, and I want budget fines. I want, you know, I don't know. I want it all. I want it all.

[Kim France]

You know what you want? You want a magazine?

[Jen Romolini]

I want a magazine. I want a magazine. I want to be. I want my phone down. I want to be flipping through a magazine, you know, with a, with a drink or a cup of coffee and just like, oh, that's interesting. I want to be Dog earring.

[Kim France]

Yes. I was actually. I usually read books on my phone, but it's actually one of my things that don't suck. A reader sent me her book, which is either coming or came out. And so I've been reading a physical book which is very pleasurable. Let me just say the name of the book right now before I forget.

[Jen Romolini]

Please do.

[Kim France]

It's called A Gorgeous Excitement. And the author is named Cynthia Weiner.

[Jen Romolini]

I know that name.

[Kim France]

Yeah, she's been around, I think. And it's about the preppy murder. Really? It's a fictionalized take on the preppy murder. Do you remember that? When Jennifer Levin was murdered in Central park by Robert Chambers and he said.

[Jen Romolini]

It was rough sex.

[Kim France]

Yeah, he said it was rough sex. So it's about that scene and those kids that summer that it happened.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, interesting. Interesting.

[Kim France]

Yeah. And it's pretty well drawn. I like it. I like it. But anyway, just reading an actual physical book after staring at my phone, it was very pleasurable.

[Jen Romolini]

I can't believe you read on your phone. I find that impressive and shocking. I can't. I. Yeah.

[Kim France]

Well, I'll tell you why I like it. Because you turn the page all the time. It makes reading into kind of like a move at a faster clip, I think. Maybe because it's only a couple of paragraphs on a screen and you're flipping so fast.

[Jen Romolini]

I like a paper book, though. I get lost. I get lost without a paper book. I really like it. Even my Kindle. I just don't. I don't find the reading experience as good. I just. I. Cause, you know, you were like, oh, wait, who was that character? And you go. You flip back a couple of pages, and, you know, it's just. I feel like it's more engaging to read a paper copy and probably just better for you.

[Kim France]

Yeah, I mean, better. I mean, I think I like to flip the page every two paragraphs because of what phones have done to my attention span.

[Jen Romolini]

Well, yeah. I mean, I keep having to take Instagram off my phone, and then I put it back on, and then I take. I have to keep taking it off, though, because it's no longer just, like, pictures of my friends. And I guess I could change everything, and I could, like, figure who am I following and just, like, come back. But it's just. It's such whiplash. And we've talked about this before, but right now it is such. Cause it's like. It's like, oh, fascism. And then, you know, like, somebody's baby. Like, it's just like, I know it's too much, and it's like, then I realize that, like, there's dark web things happening, too. Like, you can tell certain posts are being promoted. Like, there's a lot of Blake Lively hate right now that's clearly being pushed. You know, that's, like, hitting me. Because, like, somebody's paying for that. Like, there's obviously a sub. Something's going on that you could pay meta to surface your content. Right? There's definitely something happening. And you could see it sometimes, like, around when Angelina Jolie. When that movie came out, I was just getting constant Angelina Jolie content. Like, just anytime I'd search anything, it was Angelina. And I was like, okay, somebody's clearly done. This is a campaign. But it doesn't look like a campaign. It looks like old videos of her looking sexy and, you know, but it's obviously, like, they just want her to be everywhere in the ether. They want her to be top of mind. And I don't like being manipulated. Just like you're saying you don't like your phone being smart. I don't like being manipulated. I hate it.

[Kim France]

Yeah. Yeah. I've hated that from ever since they started serving you ads for the website you were just on. Oh, it's just gotten worse.

[Jen Romolini]

I got served some absolute trash that I bought. I can't believe it. And I know better. And it was some neck roller plus serum in it and it was like the la. There was like a picture. Because they trick you, right? Because it's like the lady looks like it transformed her neck. I know better. I like report this shit every week. I know exactly what ingredients work and which don't. And most products under a certain price point, especially with like things like that peptides and everything are not going to work because they don't. They can't afford the formulation that needs to be blah, blah, blah, blah blah. And still I bought this like 31.99 gadget serum. That's trash. I know it's going to be trash.

[Kim France]

Yeah, well, we do that sometimes. I know it's very. And it makes it and it is very tempting. I'm pretty good at not being tempted by the ads that are served to me. But I definitely go for it every once in a while.

[Jen Romolini]

I mean. And 90% of the time, disappointed.

[Kim France]

90% of the time. The only thing that ever didn't disappoint me that I first read about online, I mean that was served to me that I then bought in person was a Marfa Stance jacket.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay.

[Kim France]

It's a brand called Marfa Stance. And they just were serving the fuck out of me. And finally I saw one in a store and I was like this is cute and bought it. But I'm less eager to or willing to buy something that is like that.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, it's always trash. It's always trash. I've gotten fooled and then I just buy it and I don't even remember I bought it. It's like as if it didn't happen. And then it shows up and you're like o. Oh, that thing that happened at 9:47 when I was stoned.

[Kim France]

I know. Well, that is, I mean, being a little stoned when you are shopping or when you are like doing your instacart order. Like I will order some weird food if I am high when I do the instacart order.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, that's. You can't do that. You can't. I know.

[Kim France]

Well, sometimes I do. It's like strawberry linzer tarts would be fun to have in the house. I'll get some of those.

[Jen Romolini]

I've been making chia seed pudding.

[Kim France]

Oh, you're so good.

[Jen Romolini]

Fuck you. It's so gross. No, fuck you. It's so gross. I have been making it though. I've been blending blueberries and almond Milk and then putting. It's so easy to make, and it's so good for you, but it's really gross.

[Kim France]

No, it's. It's viscous. Yeah, it's really viscous. Like, it's spermular.

[Jen Romolini]

It is. It's like. It's so gross. It's so gross. And it doesn't taste that good. Like, there's nothing great about it. The texture is disgusting. The flavor's, like, not great. Like, okay, fine. Like, edible. But it does have a lot. It does have a decent amount of protein in it, and it has a decent amount of protein in it, and it's supposed to be really good for you. And after my debauched night on Saturday night, I'm just like. I'm reaching for anything that's, like, clean. I'm just like, I got it. Give me a nun's habit.

[Kim France]

I get it. I totally get it.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You have a night like that. Because the thing is, you have a night like that and you wake up the next morning, you're like, okay, that was. I have. It's like cats lives. It's like, I have, like, seven of those, you know, for the rest of my life and.

[Kim France]

Exactly.

[Jen Romolini]

I just blew one.

[Kim France]

But you didn't blow it. It was well spent. I see you were with a friend who was having a tough time.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. Did you ever have that? I don't know if you have this, but I'm always like, I always am trying to remind people that life is good. I'm like, no, it's great.

[Kim France]

No, that's never my tack.

[Jen Romolini]

No, that's true. That is not your tack at all. That is why we are well matched.

[Kim France]

I'm like, I know. That sucks. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that that irrevocably horrible thing happened to you.

[Boost Mobile Representative]

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[Instacart Representative]

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[Jen and Jess from Fat Mascara]

I'm Jen. And I'm Jess. And we're the hosts of the beauty podcast Fat Mascara. We fell in love with the brand Violette FR after we had its founder, French makeup artist Violette Seurat, on our show. I need a minimalist but effective skincare routine. So I love Violette fr's Boom Boom Milk. It's a multi purpose rebalancing spray that protects your skin's natural microbiome and improves overall skin health. The main ingredient, fermented birch SAP, is a miracle worker. Use it alone or as your first step. You can also sandwich it between your active topicals. A French secret for less reactive skin. Visit violafr.com to discover Boomba Milk, a French skin care essential that will bring your skin to its healthiest state.

[Instacart Representative]

Date.

[Jen Romolini]

Let's take a quick break from some ads. And we're back. Oh, I'm just looking for life to be redemptive and holy. It is not. It looks bad out there. Looks very bad.

[Kim France]

Oh, I know, I know.

[Jen Romolini]

Chuck Schumer, man, what the. Hi, Chuck. What's up? What's up?

[Kim France]

Chuck Schumer? Well, you know, let the younger people take over. All the younger people who are so pissed off at him in Congress, take over. Do it. I'm ready.

[Jen Romolini]

Aoc Go ahead, take over. AOC Tim Walls. Just. Everybody just come in. Just come over. Take over. I mean, not. Tim Walls is still older, but, like, it is crazy when you're just seeing them all. They can't even. None of them can even wear, like, hard shoes anymore. Like the.

[Kim France]

I laugh because I wear sneakers.

[Jen Romolini]

No, but these are our leaders. And like, you and I were just talking before we got on about, like, how our brains don't work in the same way and how we're not like, generative with ideas in the ways we used to be when we were younger, you know, and like, that's 52 talking. Like, these people are 80.

[Kim France]

I know.

[Jen Romolini]

They can't be. That's not, you're not in like your most, you know, creative problem solving now.

[Kim France]

You know, I was. Some comedian was going on about the difference between Democrats and Republicans and he said, you know, Republicans meet another of the Republican. And they're like, all right, man, you're on our team. Great. Democrats meet, you know, or liberals meet a fellow liberal. And they're like, exactly how liberal are you?

[Jen Romolini]

All right, that's fair.

[Kim France]

It's 100% fair. You know, I mean, I really do think there's gotta be a change in the way we think and approach things.

[Jen Romolini]

I do too. But I also think that we gotta bring something to this gunfight. We gotta, you know. Well, yes, yes, something.

[Kim France]

Because it's only, it's a one sided gunfight right now. We're not even. We don't even have our guns blazing.

[Jen Romolini]

No, our fight is like, this isn't constitutional. That's it.

[Kim France]

None of this seems right.

[Jen Romolini]

This isn't how we did things in the past. Tsk, tsk, finger point. This is shit. Like, you have to fight these motherfuckers back. I listened to a really interesting. And I have many, many feelings about Bill Burr. Most of them are not positive. But he was on Fresh Air last week and he, the comedian, Bill Burr, and he was talking about like us just bending over for Elon Musk, like this loser, just this loser who's not even American. It's just like, how did this fucking happen? How did this happen? And part of how it happened in the same. This is a little bit connected to Bill Burr. But part of how it happened was we kind of did neglect boys for so long that they went looking in the wrong places for leadership because we spent like a whole decade being like, girl power, girl power, boys bad, or just forget about you boys. And we created a kind of vacuum for them, I think.

[Kim France]

Yeah. I mean, just for starters, you know, I mean.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, that's not the only. That is not the only problem.

[Kim France]

Yeah, like.

[Jen Romolini]

But yeah, no, we haven't talked about. Have we talked about the car. The car dealership outside of the White House?

[Kim France]

No. What happened?

[Jen Romolini]

You didn't see this? This is going to be so late by the time this comes out. But it's still. I can't. It's so horrible, but it's so fucking ridiculously funny. Trump, like Elon Musk Tesla stock is tanking because, you know, everybody hates him now. Everybody hates him now. So it's like, you know, sure, there are billionaires who have Money. But, like, you know, most of the people who follow Trump don't have that much money. They're uneducated, they don't have that much money, et cetera, et cetera. Not most, but I don't know what the percentage is. But bottom line is Tesla, Tesla stock is tanking. So because Elon Musk owns Trump, he just fucking owns him. And you could tell he owns him because Trump fucking hates children and lets that kid just like, talk shit like Trump hates kids, and he's just letting that kid talk shit to him and pick his nose next to him and everything else. Like, that's how you know that Elon Musk owns Trump. So Trump, I can't believe you missed this. Trump lets Elon Musk bring like seven Teslas in front of the White House. And the two of them stand in front of this, right? And somebody took a picture of Trump's notes that he is, like, going to give this whole speech about Teslas and he's like, like, he's given the prices of the Teslas, how much money you, how much you would have to pay, like, for basically for like an easy 329amonth you can own.

[Kim France]

So they, so they were. So they were selling cars on the White House lawn.

[Jen Romolini]

So he's selling cars on the White House lawn. And it's the fucking. It's, it's, it's just the most ridiculous thing. And they're just like, yeah, they're just totally like, hawking this thing, right? But the funniest thing is, and this is the thing about Trump, and somebody pointed this out on some platform that like, went viral because I fucking hate him so much, and so many of us hate him so much. But he is also sometimes really fucking funny. And it's horrifying. So he gets into the Tesla, he was like, he looks at the red one and he's like, this one will be the one for me. And he gets in and he goes, he looks around the Tesla and he goes, everything's computer.

[Kim France]

Oh, my God. Amazing.

[Jen Romolini]

Amazing.

[Kim France]

He'd never actually been in a Tesla. Is also an amazing part of that.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, the whole thing is amazing. Like, the whole thing is so horrible, but also so amazing. It's just like. I don't know, I don't even.

[Kim France]

I was watching a reel, a John Mulaney reel, and it must have been from the last presidency. Maybe it's from this one. But he's like, him being president is like a horse breaking into a hospital.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, it's from his stand up Last stand up special guest.

[Kim France]

Yes. Like, everything's gonna be okay, but not for a while. And you're not sure how.

[Jen Romolini]

It's so bad. It's so bad. He's doing everything. It's fucking nightmare. It's a fucking nightmare.

[Kim France]

It is a nightmare. I found out that a couple who I know and, like, I don't know them well, and I won't say how I know them, but I found out recently that they both voted for Trump.

[Jen Romolini]

A lot of people did. A lot of people were like, yeah, he's gonna do a great job.

[Kim France]

People I think are like, nice, decent enough. People, like, I can't talk. It's rendered us mute.

[Jen Romolini]

It's just. It's just like, what else would you fall for if you fell for him? Like, what else would you fall for?

[Kim France]

Well, that's a terrifying question. Yeah, that's a terrifying question. And the truth is, the fact that they fell for this is a terrifying conclusion.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. Well, I mean, ultimately, people just want to protect their money.

[Kim France]

Well, and this couple. I know that that's their. I know that that's their motivation is 100% protect our money. But in a way, they're worse than the MAGA people because they're willing to overlook all the shit that they find unappealing to protect their money.

[Jen Romolini]

That's right. That's right. I agree. That's exactly it. I 100% agree. That's exactly it. It's disgusting. It's disgusting. And, like, at this point, it's so bad that you just have to be like, okay, I hope we get through this. You know, I'm calling my senators, but, like, I hope. I hope we get through this. I hope we get through this. This. Like, we get through this constitutional crisis. Like, also, eggs are still fucking expensive, motherfuckers, and the market is tanking. So how is your money. Because you thought he was going to protect your money. And he's like, well, a little recession, just a little taste, it won't hurt anybody.

[Kim France]

Exactly.

[Jen Romolini]

Yep. He doesn't. Nobody cares. He doesn't care. He. I actually can't believe how willing he is to tank the economy. I'm actually. That's. I'm actually kind of shocked. I thought that. I thought. I naively believed that he actually cared too much about money and what people with money thought of him to tank the economy, but turns out, nope, just his ego.

[Kim France]

Nope. Nope. Anyway, I think this would be a.

[Jen Romolini]

Good time to do things that don't suck this week.

[Kim France]

Things that don't suck. Do you want to go first.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, I have found. I am. I'm sick of my Birkenstocks. I'm just gonna say it loud and proud. I'm tired of wearing rubber Birkenstocks. And flip flops are back in style. But I can't wear flip flops because I'm old. But I can wear flip flops with arch support.

[Kim France]

Very good.

[Jen Romolini]

But wait, they're not. There are some ones that are really terrible. Like, fit flop. Like, no, whatever, whatever. You wanna wear flip flops, fine. I wanted flip flops that looked like normal flip flops, but have a little arch support. Like, they looked like I was wearing the flat. And there's a brand called Archies, and they're great flip flops. And they look just like normal. Like whatever the brand is that you would get, like reef or whatever. And I got a pair of red flip flops and I got a pair of like, almost like a camo green slides from them. And they're great and they, like, mold to your foot. So you buy them and they start out with a good arch support, but then they even get better because within couple of days of wear, they just really mold to your foot. So I'm psyched.

[Kim France]

Archie's.

[Jen Romolini]

Archie's.

[Kim France]

Okay. That's a good one. I think that the COVID of the paperback edition of Ambition Monster doesn't suck.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, thank you very much.

[Kim France]

And in fact, is awesome. And in fact, is you.

[Jen Romolini]

It is not me. It is not me.

[Kim France]

No, I know it's not you. I know it's you. I know it's not you. I know it's an artist who made this painting. But from the back. It's the back of a woman's head. She's wearing a blazer. It's just you. I feel like if that painting turned around and faced me, it would be your face.

[Jen Romolini]

It's a very awkward. It's a very awkward. So I have the paperback of my book. We just released it this week. It's coming out May 13th. Buy it if you want to. I'm sure there are many listeners who have not bought my book, so you can buy it now. It's this much less expensive price point. But I'm in love with this paperback. Like, it's very rare to get two great book covers.

[Kim France]

Yeah, you got lucky.

[Jen Romolini]

I got really lucky. Well, my editor has amazing taste. Kate Napolitano has amazing taste. And this is such. It's such a beautiful cover. Like, I can't believe it's my book. Like, I would pick up this book because it's so cool looking, but it does. As a blonde woman who looks kind of from the back, but you could tell like something's wrong with her. She's got her shoulders a little fucking askew. Her head, like. She just looks kind of uneasy. Yes.

[Kim France]

She's maybe drunk. She's maybe drunk.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. She looks fucked up. And it's just. It was a perfect choice for the COVID of this book. I'm super excited about it and really all thanks to Atria for it because it, you know, cover of my dreams. And also all thanks to everybody who supported this book. It's like, I still am getting emails from people like that the book has meant something to them and that's just the best.

[Kim France]

The best.

[Jen Romolini]

It's the best. Thank you for saying that. Continue on with your list.

[Kim France]

Okay, next on my list comes Everybody's Live with John Mulaney also on my list.

[Jen Romolini]

Such a good show. Go.

[Kim France]

I love John Mulaney so much. I think the show is like a love letter to LA in the best way. He. He has such a great sensibility about what makes LA great and quirky and weird. He has, like, you know, great taste in guests. He's so fucking charming. I just. I enjoy John Mulaney so much every time he is, like. I can reliably watch comedy and laugh out loud when John Mulaney is involved.

[Jen Romolini]

I agree. I think he's the best. And I think he's. I think. I think the guests that he's choosing are so interesting. And it's so messy. I love how messy it is. The whole show is just. It's not overproduced, it's not slick. It's kind of just. It's really chaotic. No, it is.

[Kim France]

And not all of it works.

[Jen Romolini]

No.

[Kim France]

Like, some of the bits are like, okay, glad that one's over. Hope I don't see that again.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. And he acknowledges it. He's like, we don't know. The funniest thing was when he was like, yeah, we had it down, but it was just long enough that we forgot how to do the show. So. Yes.

[Kim France]

And it was very nice. He was very funny and kind of poignant. Talking about his wife's breast cancer.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. Olivia.

[Kim France]

And talking about cancer brain and how stupid you get when you have cancer. He can be funny about. I mean, all the best comedian, but he really. He does something really fresh with dark material that I appreciate.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. There's a real kindness to him, I think. I think ultimately there's, like, a sweetness and a kindness. So even if he's talking about something dark, Whether it's his addiction, whether it's wife's breast cancer. He's funny. I mean, like, honestly, like, few celebrities, I would like to be my friend more than John Mulaney. Like, although. Would it be fun? Yeah, I think it would be fun.

[Kim France]

I think it would be fun. And I've always heard that comedians are the worst, you know, the moodiest, the darkest. Like, you don't want to be around them. But I get the feeling John Mulaney would be different.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. That he would be a good time. This is television related, but not a whole TV show. I think something that didn't suck this week that I couldn't believe I got to watch was Sam Rockwell on the White Lotus.

[Kim France]

Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. Give him the Emmy.

[Jen Romolini]

Give him the Emmy. Just like to have a very good actor who you don't see very often just parachute in in an extraordinarily beautiful shot. Like, they're sitting in this hotel bar and it's just gorgeous. And then to deliver an unbelievable monologue. Like, really just so unique and just like, you were just like, wait, where's this going? Like, I had no. It was just really original writing. The writing was excellent.

[Kim France]

Well, I have to say, I don't know that I'm loving this season, but I do really appreciate Mike White as a talent.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, yes.

[Kim France]

You know, he makes such, like, unexpected choices that really pay off.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. That was the word I was looking for. Unexpected. That monologue was so unexpected. I was just like, it was completely. Where are we going with this? Sam Rockwell. Oh, okay. All right. And then Goggins playing off him was amazing, too. Amazing. Amazing. Yeah. That was really good. I think that I feel dissimilarly where I think this is the best season, and I think that Mike White is just getting better and better and better at doing this. Like, I. I'm kind of obsessed with it.

[Kim France]

Who's the gun toting maniac?

[Jen Romolini]

I don't know.

[Kim France]

I think it's Parker Posey.

[Jen Romolini]

I don't think it's Parker Posey. I think it might be the guy that. Sorry, spoilers. I think it might be. Let's just say this. I think it might be the guy who. The massage therapist who.

[Kim France]

Porn shy. Porn shy.

[Jen Romolini]

I think. No, no, not him. The other one. Who. Who. What's her name? Michelle Moynihan sleeps with at the end.

[Kim France]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, that guy.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, I think it might be him and his crew. Friends. Yes, his crew. That's what I think. That crew was funny. But Also, that was a very realistic. The way that night with those three friends built. That was a very realistic way that those nights build.

[Kim France]

Yes, I think so, too.

[Jen Romolini]

Sloppier and sloppier. Then she's crying about her husband and how she has to pay alimony, and then suddenly you're, like, not fun anymore because you aren't fun. Really.

[Kim France]

No, I know. And the scene when, like, she's, like, lying on the sofa in her bathrobe.

[Jen Romolini]

Picking her butt, is passed out, and the one friend who's like, okay, we need to wrap this up. Like, there's always the one friend, you know? I know.

[Kim France]

In her pajamas.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, yes. That's not us. We are never that friend. But there is that. We're never that friend. The one friend who was, like, fresh faced and has brushed her teeth. And it's like, okay, it's time for us to go to bed. Other people are, like, stripping down naked. Like, yeah, it was good. So that was one of mine. Your turn.

[Kim France]

Okay. There's a show I don't think I've mentioned on here before called Paradise. Have I mentioned it?

[Jen Romolini]

You started to mention it and then you were like, oh, I can't. You were basically like, I can't talk about it because the whole premise of it is filled with spoilers.

[Kim France]

That is a little bit true, but I finally. It's an uneven. I said that after I'd watched a few episodes. It's an uneven, even show, but the last two episodes depict a kind of apocalypse scenario in a way that is really realistic feeling.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay. Okay. Oh, okay. Okay, great.

[Kim France]

Like a planet extinction event.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, great. Well, you know what? I think it's good that we're defunding the epa.

[Kim France]

Oh, I know.

[Jen Romolini]

But paradise is good. Worth watching, you think?

[Kim France]

Worth watching. I mean, some episodes are better than others than the last two episodes. Just nail it.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay, well, I have. Let's bring this up. I have a jeans recommendation.

[Kim France]

Oh, wow.

[Jen Romolini]

I got a pair of men's Levi's new 501s, the originals from Amazon. Sorry, I'm such a hypocrite, but, yes, I did. They were only $60 and I did the trick of what my actual waist is and added two inches. And they're great. They're actually great jeans. And, like, I'm not at my thinnest right now. And I was like, oh, they're going to be too tight in the ass or too tight in the thighs. And they're actually. I'm loving them. I've been wearing them every day since I got them.

[Kim France]

Wow, that's good to know.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, they were super, like, $60. They're a hard. They're a hard denim. And I was like, can I wear hard pants? But they're roomy enough everywhere because they're men's jeans. So they're just kind of roomy. Like, they're. They're nice. I'm into them, and I feel like I solved a jeans problem.

[Kim France]

Wow.

[Jen Romolini]

I know.

[Kim France]

That's big news.

[Jen Romolini]

I know. It is big news. It is. I really should have led with that the whole episode. The whole episod. All right, your turn.

[Kim France]

No, that's it. That's what I got.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay. I got one more. I finally figured out what to do on our Patreon, which I have not known what to do on the Patreon because we both have substacks. And what do you do? This I have started on Patreon. You can do a chat. And I have started an Ask Me Anything beauty chat on the Patreon. So if you join our Patreon, you are a patron. You will not only get show notes and all of these recommendations and a couple of additional recommendations a week, but I am just offering beauty advice, and I realized, oh, shit. I know a lot. Like, someone was like, my skin is very dry. What's an inexpensive cream that I could use for? And I just had done this, reported this whole story out on this ingredient urea, which sounds like urine, but it's not. And so I knew exactly what to say. Anyway, I've been giving a lot of advice over there, and it finally feels like something that is robust and worth everybody's while.

[Kim France]

Very good.

[Jen Romolini]

I know. I feel like I solved. I cracked a code.

[Kim France]

Thank you for doing that. I was not involved at all.

[Jen Romolini]

Sorry, you're busy. I mean, you're not, but I love you. All right, I think we have a couple of listener questions.

[Kim France]

We do have some listener questions. Questions.

[Jen Romolini]

Let's try to answer them. Look at this new format we have now. It's just. It's amazing. Okay. Wondering if, you know, any treatments or products to shrink pores. Mine seem to have become more visible as I age. I'm 52. That is true. They do. That's because of collagen loss. Your pores are going to be more visible. It's a big problem with aging that nobody talks about until it happens to you. There's a couple of things. There's basically, they're acid treatments. There's one Paula's Choice acid treatment that works. It's like a 2% selectic acid or something. And then Cosrx also has a really good pore and blackhead treatment, and they're both, like, thin and watery. And you just put them on. You put them on first. You put the thinnest beauty product on the thinnest consistency beauty product on first. And I would think this would be the thinnest.

[Kim France]

Okay, very good.

[Jen Romolini]

Tell me about your best friend. Where did you meet? How often do you talk? What do you have in common and not in common? I don't know how to answer this because I don't have a best. I have many friends, but not a best friend.

[Kim France]

Yeah, I feel the same way. I haven't had a best friend in a really long time.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, it's weird, right?

[Kim France]

I think friendships just change, you know, and how you think about them. And I think. I think best friend is a kind of adolescent notion. And I'm not saying that in a dsy way. I'm just saying it's like, I think, you know, we think about it that way. I mean, if I think about my closest friends.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. Like the crew of closest friends.

[Kim France]

Yeah. My small crew of closest friends.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes.

[Kim France]

Like, you're definitely one of my closest friends.

[Jen Romolini]

Same.

[Kim France]

My friend Michelle is definitely one of my closest friends. My friend Kate, you know, there are people I've. You know, a combination of people I've known a long time and people I've known less long.

[Jen Romolini]

And then the thing is, like, I would say, like my friend Julie from high school, we don't talk that often at all. But if I needed to. But when my dad was sick last year or two years, whenever he was sick, when my dad was sick, she was one of the first people I called, and we immediately were close. You know, it's not. I feel like friendship just changes. It morphs. It's amorphous almost. It doesn't have. And then I have my friend Christy, who lives up the street, who I see several times a week. And when there's something going on in the house, I'm like, come over and help me with this, please. Everything's different, right? Yeah.

[Kim France]

And you've got people like my friend Ann, who I definitely think is one of my closest friends now, was not in my Life for maybe 20 years, you know? And that happens.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. Yes. Christina Mueller is back at my life in a big way and who we worked with at Lucky, and we are suddenly very close. So it's. It's. I just think the friendship is just so much. The definitions of friendship are so much more elastic and I. You know, I've met people through work. I met through people in high school. I met people through parenting. You know, it's all kinds of different ways that I've met. I have, like, a new, really close friend who's my writing. My new writing accountability partner, Mary. She and I have become really close. Like, she leaves me, like, a voice memo every day. That's weird.

[Kim France]

Yeah, it's weird.

[Jen Romolini]

I mean, and you and I have known each other. Every time I go through a box in this house, I find something from, you know, we've known each other for 25 years almost.

[Kim France]

Yep. Yep.

[Jen Romolini]

We met.

[Kim France]

Yep. Yep. I mean, if you count when. When was that blackout? Cause I count that as the beginning of our friendship.

[Jen Romolini]

2002.

[Kim France]

Yep.

[Jen Romolini]

It's a long time.

[Kim France]

Yep. It is a long time.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. Yeah. And, like, it just. I think the friendship is just paced differently now. And I. I do think it requires upkeep. Like, I think that what is interesting in this question is, how are you keeping up with your friends? But I do think that cadence is different for all different friends.

[Kim France]

Yeah, I do. And I do think it all comes down to whatever you put into it at this age.

[Jen Romolini]

That's right.

[Kim France]

You know, and keeping connected. And it comes back to what I was saying at the beginning of the episode about having one meaningful interaction a day, at least. You know, I knew the day after Trump was elected that the thing I needed to do was call everybody I cared about.

[Jen Romolini]

Right. Okay, please explain what I'm supposed to do with bone broth. I pour it into a pot to a small saucepan. I heat it up, and I squeeze a little lemon in it, and then I drink it.

[Kim France]

I mean, I use bone broth for cooking. I use it, you know, when I need chicken stock for something. But I also like drinking bone broth. It's actually quite delicious. It can be.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. It's not gross. I thought it would be gross, but it's actually really delicious. I ate grave. I grabbed high cholesterol. When you're menopausal or post. Yes. That's a thing that happens that is correlated to the menopause transition. I don't know if the question is how you treat it. I'm doing all kinds of things to try to keep mine down. I just don't want anybody to tell me I have to go on statins. That's what I'm really trying to avoid.

[Kim France]

What are.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, do I just make that up? What is the thing that you have to take?

[Kim France]

Is it.

[Jen Romolini]

Don't you have to Take a thing.

[Kim France]

I'm sure you do.

[Jen Romolini]

There's like a thing that you have to take that, like if, you know that keeps your arteries from clogging and you have to take it every day. And I'm just trying to avoid whatever it is. I might have just made up statins, but whatever it is, you have to take it. And I'm really trying to avoid having to take a pill every day.

[Kim France]

I take so many pills every day.

[Jen Romolini]

I know. I mean, I take so many supplements. I'm trying to. And I also take. I also take Adderall. I'm trying to avoid taking this particular thing. Okay, Tips for looking good in pictures.

[Kim France]

Okay, first of all, if you're me, always insist that the photograph is just from the chest up. Okay. I do not like a full length portrait, but if you. It is a full length photo. Not standing with both feet planted on the ground next to each other, but like, there's a way you can sort of put one foot in front, I think, also making sure to lower your chin.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, that is true. Making sure the photo's taken from above.

[Kim France]

From above. You know, when they wrote about our wedding in the Times, it was like, it was like really, really sweet. But the photos were. Were horrible because the guy shot them all from below.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, he was like sitting on the ground. Who the fuck does that?

[Kim France]

He takes a picture of a 59 year old bride from the ground.

[Jen Romolini]

A man. A man.

[Kim France]

A man who doesn't care about if it's flattering.

[Jen Romolini]

They don't think about it. They're like. I mean, and those pictures are really expressive and beautiful, but I understand.

[Kim France]

I know I just look kind of big in them.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, well. And you wouldn't look at that way if he took them from a above.

[Kim France]

True, true.

[Jen Romolini]

You know, there's like, you know, you put the arm out. I think there's the arm out trick. But like that looks so obvious, like at this point, you know, in a photo. So it's like, I don't know, sometimes I put my arm behind me kind of, you know, I don't know. I don't know what I. As discussed. I hate. I hate being photographed by others. I feel like I'm photographed without love so much.

[Kim France]

Okay, that's funny.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay. I've been thinking about how to be a supportive friend like Kim. I have a somewhat distant friend dealing with brain cancer. Do you reach out? How do I make it about her and not me? Can I. Or I have a new friend facing alcohol addiction. How do you support someone going through that? Oh, God.

[Kim France]

I mean, how do you make it not about you with the friend who has cancer? I think that the fact that you asked means you're not gonna make it about you.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah.

[Kim France]

You know, I think that being aware that people so fucking frequently make it about themselves is the first step towards not making it about you. I think people also are anxious often about reaching out to someone who's sick or somebody who's grieving.

[Jen Romolini]

But.

[Kim France]

But it's never the wrong thing to do. Reaching out is just never the wrong thing to do. Finding the right words makes it the hard thing to do, but it's always the right thing to do.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. Yeah. And honestly, because I feel like I don't know what to say in these situations. A lot of times I'll just google it. Like, I'll google like, what you know, and I'll look up, like, what people say they want to hear in these situations. It helps me find some kind of language that feels appropriate. Cause I sometimes don't know how to approach these. And I think a lot of people don't. And. Oh God, I have a new friend facing alcohol addiction. How do you support someone going through that, Kim?

[Kim France]

Well, I would say it depends on where that person is in their journey, whether they are facing it in fact or not. You know, if they're facing it and they truly are, and they're looking for a way out of their addiction, then you can offer to go to an AA meeting with them. A lot of times people don't want to do that alone. And AA is perfectly welcoming if you're just there as a support system.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah.

[Kim France]

I think, listening. I think that addicts shut their brains down when they sense that somebody wants them to change, you know, So I think it can be really tricky. But if it's somebody who is facing it, I think you can just be a supportive and lovely friend.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. And do things with them that. Or offer to do things with them that are outside of drinking. Because I feel like social situations are so often, you know, based around alcohol and, you know, if you can think of other activities to do together, I think that might be nice.

[Kim France]

This is, I will say, sort of on topic. This is the golden age of non alcoholic drinks. That's true. Like every time I go to a bar, every time I go to a restaurant, like, the options for non alcoholic are greater and greater.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, but you might not want to be in a bar is what I'm.

[Kim France]

Saying, you know, or in a restaurant. Forget about bars. But like, you know, and if you, if you know if your friend doesn't want to go to a restaurant right now because it's hard for them to be around alcohol if they're trying to abstain, then go for a walk or something.

[Jen Romolini]

All right, I've got two more good questions. Okay, the first one is this. Oh, someone wants to know my favorite brand of smoked salmon for breakfast. I just get the Whole Foods brand without sugar. This is the good question. What songs have you added to your Spotify liked songs playlist lately?

[Kim France]

I'd have to look.

[Jen Romolini]

I know. Get your phone out.

[Kim France]

Okay. But tell me this. There's a thing. There's a liked songs playlist.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. Go to your library.

[Kim France]

Hang on. Okay. Your library liked songs. Okay. The most recent liked song on mine is a song I've been listening to, a little Kodachrome by Paul Simon.

[Jen Romolini]

The most recent song on mine is I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar by Jonathan Richman.

[Kim France]

Because you were thinking about it. Because you were dancing in the lesbian bar.

[Jen Romolini]

That's right. That's good enough, right? Just one.

[Kim France]

Just one. I don't know if everybody wants to listen to my all over the place musical taste.

[Jen Romolini]

Exit. Well, mine's. I trust me that I think that mine is much more chaotic. I also have Writing for that Feeling by Bill Callahan, which I've been listening to a lot. All right, this is the last question of the day. Wedding season is coming up. Nieces and nephews, what to wear. Suggestions on styles, print or solid are all all our east coast late summer fall. Thanks.

[Kim France]

This is what I sweat, what I'm gonna wear all the time. But I always try to remember this very good advice, which is, you will not be the worst dressed or the best dressed person at any event you attend. Maybe you'll be the best dressed, but just like, you're going to be somewhere in the messy middle. So, like, take the pressure off yourself. Like, wear something that you're comfortable with that you feel makes you feel good about yourself that's dressy enough for the event. I'm always surprised when I go to events by how casually certain people are dressed.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. You know, and they look great and comfortable. They look so comfortable. Right.

[Kim France]

Like, so just wear something that makes you feel good. It doesn't have to be new. It doesn't have to be some, you know, sparkly thing. It just has to be something that you're gonna have a great night in.

[Jen Romolini]

It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to be trendy. It doesn't have to be, you know, it doesn't have to be like, you know, this is the be all, end all outfit. It's like, really? Cause I make this mistake all the time where I overthink an outfit and then I actually wind up hating the outfit because I've overthought it and I'm not comfortable. Like, wear the thing that is comfortable because it's gonna be hot and like, maybe you wanna dance or maybe just wanna be standing all night and not feeling in pain. Just wear something that feels good. That is my number one.

[Kim France]

Yep, me too.

[Jen Romolini]

All right, that's it. There we go.

[Kim France]

That's an episode.

[Jen Romolini]

That's an episode. Thanks for listening to Everything is Fine. We are your hosts. I'm Jen Romelini.

[Kim France]

And I'm Kim France.

[Jen Romolini]

If you like the show, please rate and review it across the platforms. It helps people find the show. It makes a difference to our. I don't know. Never know, never know. Just say it. I heard another podcaster say it once. Just say it all the time. Okay. If you want to get show notes and join our beauty ama, ask me anything. You can join our and support the production of the show and help us pay our editor. You can join our patreon [e-mail] everythingisfine. You can find Kim on her substack. For more style advice, kimfrance.substack.com you can find me at jenromalini.substack.com you can Find us both on Facebook robust and private Facebook group. We're also on Instagram if podcast. The show is mixed and edited every week by Natalie Rivera. We love you so much, Natalie.

[Kim France]

So much.

[Jen Romolini]

So much. And we'll be back next week.

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[Jen and Jess from Fat Mascara]

I'm Jen. And I'm Jess and we're the hosts of the beauty podcast Fat Mascara. We fell in love with the brand Violette Fr after we had its founder, French makeup artist Violette Serat, on her show. I need a minimalist but effective skincare routine. So I love Violette fr's Boom Boom Milk. It's a multi purpose rebalancing spray that protects your skin's natural microbiome and improves overall skin health. The main ingredient, fermented birch SAP, is a miracle worker. Use it alone or as your first step. You can also sandwich it between your active topicals. A French secret for less reactive skin visit viola fr.com to discover Boomba Milk, a French skin care essential that will bring your skin to its healthiest state.

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