A Summer Escape
A Hawaii schadenfreude watch, fun new seasons of shows, Greek myths retold, adorable mice art, and more.
Hello there,
I’ve been breaking one of the golden rules of newsletters: to send them on a schedule on a consistent basis. Sorry about that. But I finally had time to sit down and write one, so here you go.
Watch
The White Lotus is HBO’s latest show showcasing rich assholes destroying each other’s lives, this time at a hotel in Hawaii. Parts of it are very funny, other parts are cringey, and some are just straight-up gross. The score is excellent and eerie, and the acting is on point. One critic noted that the writers have the same blind spots as the characters, and well, fair, but watching the rich suffer is kind of the point. A fun tidbit: while the cast and crew were filming at an actual hotel, they annoyed the guests spending up to $9,000 a night, per the LA Times. I would love to see a crossover episode with Succession.
Bonus: several shows I’ve previously recommended are back for new seasons, including:
Never Have I Ever (Netflix), which has an incredibly strong second season. I was pleasantly surprised to find it as laugh-out-loud funny and tear-inducing as the first season. A+.
Ted Lasso (Apple TV), which so far is not quite as endearing as the first season, but still very sweet.
Making It (Hulu), which I’m really enjoying so far. This season has a lot of really incredible creations.
See the full list of watch and read recommendations here.
Read
Given the latest never-ending feeling of the pandemic, I’ve continued to be drawn to escapist genres, and I found two other Greek mythology retellings I enjoyed.
I really enjoyed A Thousand Ships, a feminist retelling of the Trojan War. It switches perspectives constantly, and while incredibly brutal and at times upsetting, it’s really compelling. And I also liked Ariadne, a retelling of the princess of Crete’s story from her perspective.
Follow
Mouse Interiors is an Instagram account that just aggregates drawings from children’s books and artistic renderings of mice. It’s very cute and sweet and soothing.
Do
Combine these two recipes to make an excellent potato salad, a combo inspired by a friend’s recipe (thanks, Matias!). In my version, you use the mayo, yogurt, and dill from the first recipe, leave out the eggs entirely, and add some Dijon, shallots, and cornichons from the second recipe. Tiny pickles make everything better.
Until next time,
Rachel