Happier in Hollywood

Liz and Sarah talk to Gretchen Rubin, aka Liz’s sister, about her fantastic new book of witty and thought-provoking aphorisms, Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives. Some favorites: What can be done at any time is often done at no time. Easy children raise good parents. Accept yourself, and expect more from yourself. Choose the bigger life.  This week’s Hollywood Hack is one of Sarah’s favorite skincare products — Biossance toner. Finally, Sarah recommends the podcast Sleep With Me.  Sign up for Liz and Sarah’s newsletter at happierinhollywoodpod@substack.com.  Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, andSide Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/ LINKS: Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives by Gretchen Rubin: https://amzn.to/3R3mJLL Biossance toner:  https://amzn.to/4kl0luD Sleep With Me podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pizzarizzo-brick-builder/id740675898?i=1000697222640  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liz and Sarah talk to Hollywood veteran and career coach Laverne McKinnon about career transitions, career grief, and the tumult happening in Hollywood. Then, in The Craft (& Fain), they share a tip that will improve your writing — set a high bar. This week’s Hollywood Hack is a product Sarah has been using for over a decade: Dr. Bronner’s Organic Lip Balm. Finally, Liz recommends the limited series Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix. Sign up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com. It will come right to your inbox! Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, andSide Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/   LINKS: Moonshot Mentor with Laverne McKinnon: https://substack.com/profile/129372378-laverne-mckinnon?utm_source=global-search The Grieving Brain by Mary-Frances O’Connor: https://amzn.to/43rOCnM Dr. Bronner’s Organic Lip Balm: https://amzn.to/4koxlSv Apple Cider Vinegar trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2Yj_rmCzhE Photo by AARN GIRI on UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liz and Sarah have video anxiety! They’ve started making at least two videos a week for their new Substack venture, and it’s a learning curve! What do they wear? How much lighting do they need? And will they survive without Chuck editing out all their uhs and ums? In The Craft (& Fain), they discuss why they always “go down the road” — even if they end up taking a U-turn. This week’s Hollywood Hack is a great gift for the reader in your life: the Elsa Peretti Heart Bookmark from Tiffany & Co. Finally, Sarah has a thriller book recommendation— The God of the Woods: A Novel by Liz Moore. Sign up for Liz and Sarah’s newsletter at happierinhollywoodpod@substack.com.  Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, andSide Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/ LINKS: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King https://amzn.to/3EdV9YP Elsa Peretti Heart Bookmark from Tiffany & Co. https://www.tiffany.com/accessories/games-novelties/elsa-peretti-heart-bookmark-22157027/?omcid=ppc_google_TIFFANY_WJ_USA_NOBRID_HOM_HOME_OGOING_EC_BRAN_GTAD_CRD_ENG_USD_E&mkwid=s%7Cpcrid%7C708342824544%7Cpkw%7Celsa%20peretti%20heart%20bookmark%7Cpmt%7Ce%7Cpdv%7Cc%7Cmtid%7C744dpc50313%7Cslid%7C%7Cproductid%7C%7Ctargetids%7Ckwd-724266727647%7Cgroupid%7C166248212792%7C&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-_9SByrFDKi9GC_LKww0nzo6Oa4 The God of the Woods: A Novel by Liz Moore https://amzn.to/41hclEL  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve all tortured ourselves by stewing over something we said or did — or didn’t say or didn’t do. It’s time to stop the stewing! Liz and Sarah’s advice? If you think you’ve offended someone, reach out. In Take A Hike, Liz and Sarah talk about a reader who reframed taking a walk as “genius activation,” and it’s inspired them to reframe things in their own lives with whimsical monikers. Sarah’s now thinking of picking up poop as “yard beautification” and Liz is calling Orange Theory Fitness “kangaroo time.” This week in Hits & Bombs, they give two Hits. One to Sarah for getting a new printer for her house, and one to both of them for planning more work lunches. Then Sarah has a printing hack: Make things smaller to print them, which saves paper and makes documents (like recipes) easier to manage. Finally, Liz recommends the new season of Mike White’s The White Lotus on HBO. Sign up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com. It will come right to your inbox! Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/ LINKS: Epson EcoTank ET-2803 Wireless Color All-In-One Cartridge-Free Supertank Printer: https://amzn.to/3EFMLlj The White Lotus Season 3 trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwQRkOK5KC4 Survivor Season 37: David vs. Goliath (featuring Mike White): https://amzn.to/4i4MshZ Walton Goggins: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0324658/ The Shield  trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klSVH4dJrGU Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah talks about how much her work life has improved since she got an office space in downtown Ojai — and how it’s made her realize that Liz needs to make her office into her own space too. In Take A Hike, Sarah shares how participating in Emily Gaines Demskey’s Three Good Things Substack every day has made her happier. Liz is passionate about this week’s Hollywood Hack: Croc slides. Next, Liz and Sarah both had sort of Celebrity Sightings. Liz saw a crew filming for the upcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic starring Jeremy Allen White on her street. And Violet’s nanny, Dawn, almost ran over Ted Danson. Finally, Sarah recommends the Homeschool Moms Unfiltered podcast. Sign up for Liz and Sarah’s newsletter at happierinhollywoodpod@substack.com.  Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/ LINKS: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King https://amzn.to/3EdV9YP Tell Me 3 Good Things Substack: https://substack.com/@emilygainesdemsky Croc slides: https://amzn.to/4gDcyYt Homeschool Moms Unfiltered podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2-ep2-the-realities-of-homeschooling-gifted-kids/id1746633244?i=1000684826371See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liz and Sarah are answering all of your questions! What advice do they have for someone new to Hollywood given the state of the industry? Do they receive residuals from TV shows they’ve worked on? What is their opinion about the ongoing legal conflict between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni? Do Jack and Violet listen to the podcast? They discuss all these and more!  If you want to see videos of Liz and Sarah answering even more questions every Saturday, sign up for their free weekly Substack newsletter at happierinhollywoodpod@substack.com.  Sign up for Liz and Sarah’s newsletter at happierinhollywoodpod@substack.com.  Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/ LINKS: All the Way to the River: Love, Loss, and Liberation by Elizabeth Gilbert: https://amzn.to/4grtUHy Show Don’t Tell: Stories by Curtis Sittenfeld: https://amzn.to/4jJXJ9q Colored Television: A Novel by Danzy Senna: https://amzn.to/40LcTlS White Lotus Season 3 trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwQRkOK5KC4 Love Is Blind Season 8 trailer: https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/love-is-blind-season-8-release-date-news Photo: Aakash Dhage For Unsplash+See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liz and Sarah have entered an era of completion. They’ve had so many open projects, but now some are wrapping up — or at least moving to the next phase. It feels good! In Take A Hike, Sarah shares her list of things to do instead of doom scrolling. Some ideas? Meditate, bake something gluten-free, or “organize a small space.” Next, they revisit an L v. S (Liz versus Sarah) about planners. Liz has come around to Sarah’s planner love! This week’s Hollywood Hack will help you end meetings smoothly: Announce when there are two (or five or twenty) minutes left. Finally, Sarah recommends the book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. Sign up for Liz and Sarah’s Substack Newsletter at  happierinhollywoodpod@substack.com.  Get in touch on Instagram and Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, andSide Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! LINKS: Legend Planner: https://amzn.to/40QvSwT On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King https://amzn.to/3EdV9YP Waterpik Sonic Fusion 2.0 Professional Flossing Electric Toothbrush: https://amzn.to/4giJchZSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liz and Sarah have decided that it’s time to embrace the identity of “content creator” — in the evolving world of Hollywood, it’s part of stepping into the future. In Take Two, they revisit the topic of allowing for “disproportionate joy.” Turns out the idea is catching! Next, in The Mailroom, they answer a question from Liz’s sister, Gretchen, about getting notes. This week’s Hollywood Hack is an upgrade of a past Hollywood Hack: Loop Switch 2 Adjustable Earplugs. Finally, Liz has a book recommendation — Dinner For Vampires, a memoir of her time in a cult by One Tree Hill star Bethany Joy Lenz. Sign up for Liz and Sarah’s newsletter at happierinhollywoodpod@substack.com.  Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!  Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/ LINKS: Pasadena Humane Society: https://pasadenahumane.org/ Wildfire Recovery Fund: https://www.calfund.org/funds/wildfire-recovery-fund/ LAFD Wildfire Recovery Fund: https://supportlafd.kindful.com/?campaign=1040812 Loop Switch 2 Adjustable Earplugs: https://amzn.to/4hltuDG Dinner For Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz: https://amzn.to/3WqCqzv  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Along with everyone else in Los Angeles, Liz and Sarah are feeling so much love for their city. But they’re also suffering from crisis fatigue. Every time they think life in L.A. is getting back to “normal,” something else happens. This time, it’s the devastating wildfires that have taken lives and destroyed thousands of beloved homes and businesses. In Take A Hike, Sarah reveals the twenty-five categories of things she is NOT going to buy in 2025. Next, in The Craft (& Fain), Liz and Sarah share a tool of the trade that’s helping them with their new Substack newsletter — Notebook LM. This week’s Hollywood Hacks come in handy when the power is out (as it has been for Sarah and many Angelinos this week): a battery-operated neck light and a wireless bottle lamp.  LINKS: Notebook LM: https://notebooklm.google/ Carson Dual Headed COB LED neck light: https://amzn.to/3PsMzrH Wireless bottle lamp: https://amzn.to/404dqz4 Sign up for Liz and Sarah’s newsletter at happierinhollywoodpod@substack.com.  Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!  Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Episode 400 of Happier In Hollywood! Liz and Sarah are so grateful to all the listeners who are part of their dynamic podcast community! In honor of this milestone (and the state of Hollywood) Liz and Sarah are declaring a reset. They’re stepping into the future with all of the excitement and blind optimism they harnessed at the beginning of their career. Next, Liz and Sarah reveal their 2025 Team Theme — “Flower and Fly 2025.” Their symbol is a bee, and they both got rings to keep their theme top of mind. This week’s Hollywood Hack is earth friendly and fun: Facebook Marketplace. Finally Liz recommends Landman, starring Billy Bob Thornton, on Paramount+. Sign up for Liz and Sarah’s upcoming Substack at happierinhollywoodpod@substack.com.    LINKS: Facebook Marketplace: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/ Landman trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zxh49-bsIkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.