Forever35 Podcast Summary: Mini-Ep 433 – Giant Swords of Meat

Release Date: March 5, 2025
Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu

In this engaging mini-episode of Forever35, co-hosts Doree Shafrir and Elise Hu delve into a variety of listener interactions, share personal anecdotes, and offer thoughtful advice on friendships and self-care. True to their signature blend of humor and self-awareness, Doree and Elise navigate questions and comments from their audience, providing a relatable and insightful experience for listeners.

I. Recognition from The New York Times

Timestamp: 01:08 – 03:36

The episode kicks off with Doree and Elise celebrating a significant milestone: being featured in a New York Times roundup of the "five best beauty and self-care podcasts."
Doree Shafrir shares her excitement, saying, “We got listed in a little roundup of the five best beauty and self-care pods out there right now... I think they just did a roundup and yeah, Dory saw it from a Google Alert, so how amazing.”
Elise adds humorously about her methods of avoiding overwhelming news headlines by diving straight into games within the NYT app, highlighting their lighthearted approach to news consumption.

II. Upcoming Guest and Q&A Encouragement

Timestamp: 03:36 – 04:15

Elise announces an upcoming appearance by Rachel Goodwin, a makeup artist known for addressing specific beauty inquiries.
Elise Hu remarks, “She doesn’t do that much skin care. It is mostly like makeup stuff. So if you have makeup questions...”
Listeners are encouraged to submit their makeup-related queries via phone or email, ensuring that the episode remains interactive and audience-focused.

III. Listener Emails: Childhood Lice Outbreaks and Reflections

Timestamp: 04:15 – 07:13

Doree and Elise address an email from a listener concerned about her children itching at school, fearing a lice outbreak.
Doree Shafrir recounts her own experience from Thanksgiving 2018: “There was a lice outbreak at my daughter's elementary school... Ava got it... Thankfully, my youngest didn't.”
Elise confirms similar experiences, sharing, “We had a lice outbreak last year, and it was quite expensive for us.”

Further along, the hosts reflect on a listener's comment regarding an episode about water tasting bland:
Elise mentions, “We just got this text that said, 'from the archive, water tastes like nothing...'"
Doree relates personally, expressing her preference for icy cold water over lukewarm, adding a touch of personal insight to the discussion.

IV. Valentine’s Day Reflections and Restaurant Experiences

Timestamp: 07:13 – 10:34

The conversation shifts to Valentine's Day experiences, sparked by listener feedback. Doree shares her unconventional Valentine’s date night, including a visit to Fogo de Chão, a Brazilian steakhouse where she previously worked.
Doree Shafrir explains, “...evaluated whether these establishments were bumping or not bumping. And one place they went was the Brazilian steakhouse, Fogo de Cho.”
Elise humorously comments on the high demand at the restaurant: “I had noted that it was slammed. It was so bumping.”

The hosts also discuss Cassie David’s viral essay on feeling "too full to fuck," highlighting the importance of prioritizing intimacy and connection even when one feels physically satiated.
Elise Hu suggests, “The workaround if you do feel that sometimes you are too full to fuck is to fuck first.”
This segment underscores the podcast’s focus on authentic self-care and relationship dynamics.

V. Book Recommendation: "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone" by Lori Gottman

Timestamp: 17:05 – 18:18

Listener Catherine from Sacramento recommends Lori Gottman’s book, “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone,” focusing on therapist selection and personal therapy experiences.
Doree Shafrir highlights the book’s approach: “It has vignettes of her anonymized patients... she then kind of takes you through their whole journey.”
Elise acknowledges Gottman’s contributions to psychological literature, mentioning her advice column in The Atlantic and the creation of terms like "intersectionality" and "critical race theory."

VI. Friendship Advice: Supporting Friends with Anxiety and Depression

Timestamp: 19:05 – 25:03

A heartfelt question from a listener touches on maintaining a friendship with someone struggling with long-term anxiety and depression. The listener expresses concern about potentially enabling negative patterns while trying to offer support.
Elise Hu advises, “Focus less on worrying that you're enabling her and focusing more on does this friendship serve you... You can be a little bit more self-centered here.”
Doree Shafrir echoes similar sentiments, suggesting a reevaluation of the friendship’s foundation: “Maybe take another look at what your friendship is about...”
The duo emphasizes the importance of self-care and boundaries, acknowledging the challenges of supporting loved ones through mental health struggles without compromising one's own well-being.

VII. Chocolate Chip Cookies: Recipes and Enhancements

Timestamp: 25:03 – 28:42

The episode takes a sweet turn as Doree and Elise dive into listener-submitted chocolate chip cookie recipes.
A voicemail from Katie Sinden adds a creative twist: adding cannabis THC to cookies for a relaxing dessert.
Katie Sinden shares, “I put cannabis THC in my cookies... it's a perfect little take the edge off.”
Elise praises Katie as a long-time listener, encouraging more submissions: “Katie is a long time listener of Forever 35 and Excellent Adventure.”
Additionally, an Instagram DM from Joy the Baker features a recipe for two giant chocolate chip cookies, each occupying half a cookie sheet, exemplifying the hosts’ playful exploration of baking ideas.

Throughout the episode, Doree and Elise maintain a warm and inclusive atmosphere, inviting listeners to engage through various platforms like Instagram, email, and voicemail. Their discussions balance personal experiences with practical advice, embodying the essence of Forever35 as a space for relatable self-care conversations.

Notable Quotes:

• Doree Shafrir [01:31]: “We got listed in a little roundup of the five best beauty and self-care pods out there right now... how amazing.”

• Elise Hu [07:13]: “We had a lice outbreak last year, and it was quite expensive for us.”

• Elise Hu [18:26]: “She does have a good advice column in the Atlantic, right?”

• Doree Shafrir [25:03]: “Katie is a long time listener of Forever 35 and Excellent Adventure.”

Forever35 continues to provide its audience with a blend of humor, personal stories, and thoughtful advice, making self-care an engaging and communal journey.