A Thing or Two with Claire and Erica

Are exposed ankles back? Luigi Mangione sure says so. Also, stuffie reports, Jibbitz musings, purchasable solutions, travel lacrosse balls, and more!   Stuffie bag charms are happening at 10 Corso Como, we ate up Liza Corsillo’s "I Spent 3 Hours at the Jellycat Diner" for NY Mag, and we’re just getting to know Mofusand and their loreless world via their Uniqlo collab.    Jibbitz-inspired living is taking over! The Boulder Public Library hosted a make-your-own jibbitz event, and shoe charms and sandal rings are coming for Birkenstocks. Speaking of Birks, do you have thoughts on Reykjaviks?    We love this Ruth Madievsky quote in her piece in The Cut about the Berlant/Novak podcast:  “The pair bonded over their mutual obsession with purchasable solutions to the problem of being alive.” Two of our current solutjions: a lacrosse ball when traveling and a magnifying mirror with a light. The concept made us think about the book Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.   What purchasable solutions to the problem of being alive (aka Thingies?) do you rely on? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.   Treat your hair nice with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO. Ring in spring with Fast Growing Trees. Get 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHINGORTWO. Sleep better and get 20% off your Helix mattress when you use our link.  YAY.

First things first: You won’t get sick from touching a bag of S’noods! We’re also coming at you with custard oatmeal, holiday mash-ups, and the many sides of the TikTok creator fund.   We have a lot of thoughts about S’noods, their origins, and the sweet kugel flavor.    Custard oatmeal is the new breakfast of champs around here. Erica’s recipe is from Life Around the Table, but there are a lot of fancier versions still.   The Minnesota Zoo and Anchorage Bird Rescue also got in on the fun of ex-centric V-day fundraising.    A follow-up on produce drawer cold remedies, @dr.beachgem10 has thoughts.   We found some comfort in Sarah Eckel’s "How I’m Staying Sane" installment of her Substack It’s Not Us.    Get your store running on Shopify and get a $1-a-month trial with our link. Welcome spring with Fast Growing Trees. Get 15% off your first purchase with the code ATHINGORTWO. Change your clothes with Nuuly and take $28 off your first month with the code ATHINGORTWO. Sleep better with Bearaby and use the code ATHINGORTWO for an exclusive 10% discount. YAY.

We have some denim thoughts we can’t bottle up anymore! Also: cookies, curse words, and no-polish confidence. Here we go.   Irene from the Real World made a great TikTok about sitting jeans vs. standing jeans. Shoutout to The Consistency Project for helping us find vintage denim that fits and Jane on Jeans for endless intel—the place for denim discourse.    The limited-edition Tate's White Chocolate Raspberry cookies? So good!    These little wooden mushroom nutcrackers + shelled walnuts = a nice pre-dinner snack-slash-activity.     We are hacking ourselves out of Google AI by adding curse words to our searches.    What corners of TikTok are grabbing your attention? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.   Start your store on Shopify and get a $1-a-month trial with our link.   YAY.

Coming to you live from the couch! We have a batch of miscellaneous updates for you, from Julius and Tree Paine fanfic to food trends, cute and otherwise.   Cutie news! Hello Kitty + Miffy statues have shown up at 17 State St. in  NYC, and we’re excited to see these two powerhouses partner in this way.    We are captivated by the very elaborate Fluffy Algodón Cotton Candy Art and floof cotton candy cakes.    Also! Rebecca Jennings’s story on “pick me” foods for Vox is an incredibly interesting piece about how food trends change, and it brought some great memes to our attention.    Speaking of meme accounts: We suggest taking a peek at Assistants vs. Agents on Instagram and their Hollywood Agent Awards specifically.    What celeb content are you fanfic-ing? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.   Show your hair some love with Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO.   YAY.

Happy Valentine’s Week! Let’s celebrate with a cat-neutering campaign, to-go Velvetta, Jibbitz vision boards. Oh, and Santa.   We’re super charmed by CUNY’s callout for couples who met on campus and want our alma mater to do the same. And: Please take note of River Kitty Cafe’s ‘Neuter Your Ex’ initiative.    How do we these Vans in adult sizes?    If you’re in NYC and looking for Galentine’s Day plans, come to our event about the bonkbuster on Feb. 13. Dream panelists!!   Back to the onions: Pauline Chalamet advocates for putting a cut one under your bed when you start to feel sick.   Live La Dolce Velveeta with Vel2Go, lol.   Fiber! See: Floura.    Also, are we manifesting via Jibbitz now?   Friends, the fire-proof bag.   Do you know who Claire’s Secret Santa is? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.   Learn from the best with MasterClass and an additional 15% off any annual membership when you use our link. Support a balanced gut microbiome with Ritual’s Synbiotic+ and get 25% off your first month with our link. YAY.  

It’s time to treat ourselves to a good, old-fashioned catch-up. Ready for some updates on workouts, hair styling, hot dogs, and marriage?   Kayleen Schaefer’s Elle article “How 50 Pushups a Day Helped Me Cope In an Uncertain World.”    Three hair recs: Ranavat Fortifying Hair Serum, the Dyson Airwrap, and Christophe Robin Temporary Color Gel.   Shoutout to PDT, the speakeasy behind Crif Dogs, and the Turkey and the Wolf Cookbook by Mason Hereford and JJ Goode. High-end fun?!    Claire’s beloved Kikkerland back scratcher; Cam’s beloved Champagne poppers.   “62 Extremely Passionate Recommendations” ℅ Harling Ross’s Gumshoe Substack.   Looking for a little pick-me-up? Share what’s been cheering you up lately at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.   Launch your store on Shopify and get a $1-a-month trial with our link. YAY.  

Ah, we can’t wait for you to get to hang with Upasna Barath! We chat *THINGIES* with the author and playwright—and also discuss her experience writing Comedic Timing, a modern bi-awakening with exceptional dialogue and the most charming friendships. It’s the next exceedingly delightful 831 Stories release, out tomorrow!   Upasna’s Thingies include incense in the mornings (Upstate Stock’s Albany Black Spruce, specifically), scented body oil over perfume (Nuxe FTW), a red lip with no makeup ( Violette Bisou Balm—and maybe she’ll try Ilia Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon?), Italian hand gestures, a heating pad, meaningful apologies, and Opsin Archive ceramics.    Also, onions are approaching A Moment in untraditional formats (as in, on feet?)?    Keith Haring helps us define cutie eyes—shoutout to Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring by Brad Gooch—and even if you can’t make it to Luna Luna, check out the original posters and merch.   What does a meaningful apology look like to you? Share at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.   Treat your hair to Nutrafol. Take $10 off your first month’s subscription with the code ATHINGORTWO. Launch your store on Shopify and get a $1-a-month trial with our link. YAY.  

In the throes of everything 2025 is throwing at us, we’re discussing how we approach wellness and the small things we do to take care of ourselves (at least a little bit!!!). Major thanks to OSEA for bringing us this episode—10% off your first order with the code ATHINGORTWO!   Can we start with some praise for OSEA’s Undaria Algae Body Butter? It absorbs quickly, it feels excellent, and it’s making Claire actually moisturize every day.   Claire is also exercising with Cam, opting for phone calls over Zooms, going on “do not disturb” more often, making lunchbox drawings, and watching TV on her phone while doing other things.   Erica’s getting an actual desk setup, eating a fulfilling lunch (shoutout to Chris Gayomali’s Heavies Substack about soup), revisiting her five-year journal, maintaining a saved sentence archive practice, and having high-end fun and heavy snacks.    How are you taking extra care of yourself right now? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva.   Give your skin a New Year glow-up with clean, clinically tested skincare from OSEA and get 10% off your first order sitewide with code ATHINGORTWO. YAY.  

Before diving into the newness of 2025, we wanted to reflect on our top Thingies of last year. Fashion, framing, food, and a full-blown flurry of favorites ahead!    Claire’s best-of Thingies include the PJ Library, Wisp, Épice Paris, Bluesafe24 glasses, Caro Chambers, and the Natori Bliss Girl Brief.    Erica’s Thingies of the year include Biryani Bol, Nelle Atelier (specifically their Laura style), Susan Orlean’s Wordy Bird Substack, Framebridge, Buena Vista Social Club the musical, and, of course, Josh Hartnett’s return.    What were your 2024 Thingies? Let us know at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, @athingortwohq, or in our Geneva!   Download the free Zocdoc app and book that doctor’s appointment now. Launch your store on Shopify and get a $1-a-month trial with our link. YAY.  

Explore the quirky evolution of the alphabet for Gen Alpha and the joys of planning Disneyland trips using crowd-tracking. Delight in the cozy comfort of Goop Kitchen meals and UGG boots as the hosts share their favorites. Discover the playful world of trendy accessories like puffer boots and OSSA phone straps while navigating the transformation of smartphones from mere devices to stylish essentials. Join in on humorous reflections on birthday traditions and personal growth through MasterClass!