Welcome to our Monthly Digest where we recap a month’s worth of books, podcasts, recipes and more. One of our monthly staples is our Dear Bestie/Besty column. We are answering your calls for advice as a mini podcast once a month. If you have a Dear Bestie/Besty question, you can share with us here. Thanks to Tara for her question this month!
Reading
Nothing pushes us quite like this section of the RWLC list. We share what’s on our nightstand (see: what we’re currently reading) in our weekly issues so coming up with brand new lists of unshared titles for the monthly digest is a tricky needle to thread. In the spirit of keeping things both helpful and easy, here is a compiled list of books we are excited to read this summer. You can preorder or put your Libby/Library holds in now!
All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball by Kate Spencer: I loved Spencer’s In A New York Minute that released in 2022 and this sounds like such a fun Summer romance. -BKS
The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick: Nikki also wrote 'The Measure’, which was my April Book Club pick. I finished it early and immediately put this new release (out in June) on my summer radar: heartache and hope, a new research center allows people suffering from loss to sleep through their pain and wake up healed, with some potential side effects. -KNW
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid: I love TJR and look forward to her yearly releases. This latest book is set during the Space Shuttle era of the 1980s and it feels like she wrote it just for me! -BKS
Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor: This is Taylor’s debut novel, out in June, about two Harvard students who believe they’ve discovered the cure for aging. A different kind of love story where the thirst for achievement consumes and the stakes are forever. As someone who retired from a pharmaceutical research career a few years ago and currently considers skincare one of her top hobbies, I’m intrigued. -KNW
With a Vengence by Riley Sager: Much like TJR, I look forward to Riley Sager’s yearly thriller, typically released in June. I’m almost a RS completist and this year’s offering looks like Murder on the Orient Express meets the TV show Revenge and I’m here for it. -BKS
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio: Not a new release, but apparently I’m on a time-bending kick. JBH1 was recommending follow-up book in a TikTok I saw a few days ago and The Husbands made the list. A quick review of the blurb had me immediately adding it to my summer reading list. When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There's only one problem--she's not married… -KNW
Watching
BKS: In between basketball, we’ve watched a few different things I’d love to recommend to you. First up, Fly Me to the Moon, a movie about the moon landing with Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson. It is obviously set in the 1960s in Florida and as people who live near the space center and have a family history in the space program, we ate it up! Then we caught up on the show every one else watched months ago: Nobody Wants This. And all y’all were correct! It is delightful in every way and I can’t wait for season 2. One thing we’ve loved watching with the kids is The Americas on Peacock/NBC. It’s a nature documentary narrated by Tom Hanks and it is so beautiful and so riveting! If you have an animal lover in your house it is a must see. We are currently watching The Residence on Netflix and enjoying it—full report coming soon.
KNW: I can’t link college basketball, but it’s safe to say that this took up the bulk of my television viewing in March. It took priority on the main television most weekends. Congrats to the UConn Women’s team and the Florida Men’s team for taking home the trophies this year. I would assume that 0% of people are surprised that both Betsy and I consumed Meghan Markle Sussex’s new Netflix show With Love, Meghan. She didn’t recreate the wheel but the show gave throw-back Food Network vibes in the best way and we loved it. We are both not-so-patiently waiting for our packages to be delivered from the first As Ever drop.
The little people in my house caught some of WLM and it sparked quite the conversation around cooking and baking which led us to the Food Network’s Kid’s Baking Championship. We just finished Season 2 and they’re hooked. It’s proven to be a great ‘family watch’ experience and is available on multiple streaming platforms (Hulu, Disney+ and Max).
Listening
Executive decision to leave ‘audio’ books in the ‘reading’ section, we’re choosing to define listening as podcasts or other auditory content consumed.
BKS: As you now know, this is a Benny Blanco hype house and so I’ve listened to the Selena + Benny album, obsessed with the track ‘Call Me When You Break Up feat. Gracie Abrams.’
I have a rather robust rotation of podcasts I listen to faithfully each week. I thought I’d share a tried and true and a one off series I’ve finished. In this case, one led to the other. I’m a big fan of The Deep Dive with June Diane Raphael and Jessica St. Clair. Actors and Writers, they’re hilarious and I love their banter as they talk about work, life, and motherhood. (One of my favorite under the radar sitcoms is Playing House staring Jessica and her writing partner Lennon.) Any hoo, I was listening to the Deep Dive one day and Jessica was talking about how she doesn’t really like true crime and it’s probably because her hometown was the site of two famous crimes. So naturally I googled them to see if there was a podcast for one of them and that’s how I found Father Wants Us Dead. You can tell by the title that it’s dark but if you like true crime it is a fascinating listen.
KNW: Queen Kylie interviewed Michelle Obama and Kelly Clarkson during the final weeks before she went out on maternity leave (joke - she had her baby girl, Finn, and then was back in the recording studio two days later - bless her). They were both delightful conversations and while I am almost 10 years older than Kylie and very much not from Philly, I would love the chance to talk sports and motherhood with her.
We would be remiss if we didn’t remind you that Meghan Sussex’s new podcast Confessions of a Female Founder is out today. Episode 1 has her in conversation with her friend and Bumble found Whitney Wolfe Herd.
Cooking
To honor our past month’s topic, here are 8 Summer Blockbuster Recipe Ideas. Some are family friendly. Some are just for you. We promise all are delicious. File this away for all post-Memorial day meal planning (Editor’s note: Memorial Day is 48 days from today.)
KNW:
This Black Bean Corn Quinoa Salad is the perfect dish to take to a backyard bbq. While I can’t promise the tiny people will eat it, the (non-picky) grownups will love it and it’s great the next day, cold, with some leftover grilled chicken.
Easiest Pasta Salad: bowtie pasta, tiny tomatoes, chopped mini cucumbers, Italian dressing (get the Olive Garden one). Everyone will eat it (just don’t be offended when some people pick around the vegetables).
Grilled corn and peaches - elite way to cook these from May - September.
Smashed Burgers on the grill using a cast iron skillet or griddle pan. You’re welcome for this new favorite burger recipe.
BKS:
Batch your grilling. Listen. Always grill at least one extra protein and veggie while you’re at it. You will be so thankful the next day when dinner (or lunch) is basically done.
Chicken Salad/Egg Salad: serve with crackers, fruit, chips, etc. Will be getting a head start on this idea this weekend for Masters Sunday.
BLTs: a crowd favorite at my house, best served on some good bread from the bakery.
I love a cowboy caviar served cold in the summer. Perfect for serving with tortilla chips or just as a side at a BBQ.
PS: this blood orange margarita is easy and refreshing and a perfect addition to the summer cocktail list. Sub Topo Chico for tequila and you have a bubbly summer mocktail! -KNW
Briarpatch State of the Union
File the Briarpatch SOTU under ‘March disappointments’. Our glorious plans to get together were spoiled by some ill-timed germs that left us states away. We have our eyes on a new date for a ‘meeting of our minds’. Between now and then, since this is the third digest and end of the first quarter for ‘From The Briarpatch’, we would be remiss to not offer up our deepest gratitude for coming alongside us as we launched this new adventure into the world.
It’s brought a beautiful rhythm to our weeks and filled our hearts with joy. In the midst of *all the chaos*, FTB continues to feel like a warm hug of content and connection. Whether we are spilling the proverbial tea on hard friendship experiences or wading through the ins and outs of summer at home with small people, we’re so delighted to keep showing up.
Speaking of connections, we are quite smitten with the chat feature in the Substack platform. It feels like a group text, without those pesky dings or notification bubbles.
As we mentioned, summer is 48ish days away and if you want to catch up on our summer series or want to upgrade your subscription to go back and hear those, we think it would be well worth your time!
Thanks for hanging out…
Love,
Kristin + Betsy
JBH - Jenna Bush Hager
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