Hello friends and foes!
We wanted to do something a little lighter (and easier to write) as we gear up for the new season and work on other ~projects~. Since it’s been a minute since we talked about things we like that make us happy, we’re bringing back one of our favorite segments, “Shit We’re Obsessed With.”
Sh*t Perrye’s Obsessed With
After two years doing Zoom University, the transition to “back to normal” - whatever it means - has kept me busier than ever. Between the mentorship program, my thesis and maintaining an active social life, I thought I wasn’t great at keeping up with my usual load of media consumption, but oh damn, I was wrong.
Recently, I went to a friend’s house to watch the annual Gémeaux Awards, which honor achievements in Canadian television and digital media broadcast in French. Over the evening, I realized that I watched 90%, if not more, of all the nominated and winning- award shows, so it’s not really surprising, especially with the new television season, that most shows currently on my rotation are from Quebec.
The title,” Before the crash,” suggests the fate awaiting the series’ protagonists. All of them will, one way or another, run into a wall. The show quickly became a favorite of mine. The directing is magnificent, and the texts are contemporary and sharp. Every week, I’m genuinely excited to know what happens next with this friend group evolving directly or in proximity in the world of investment banking.
For the first time in the history of television in Quebec, two daily fiction series are facing off at the primetime hour of 7 pm: the medical series “STAT” on ICI Télé - Radio-Canada and the legal series “Indéfendable” on TVA. Although people are mainly eager to see which series come on top regarding ratings, I simply see this as more things to watch. Both series proposed different things and deserved to be watched for different reasons. The networks deploy all their tricks to keep us spellbound, and at the moment, it’s working pretty well for me.
“Les moments parfaits” follows the adventures of the Thomas-Gagnon family clan, who each question their life in their own way. It’s a feel-good series that combines the right balance of drama and endearing moments that always hit the right spot at the end of a busy week.
Talented Black Women. That’s all I have to say. Oh, and my John Boyega agenda is stronger than ever.
I recently returned to my blow-dry era. However, dealing with constant heat requires protection, and this product does the trick. My friend Myriam told me about it when the product was on sale this summer, and it is one of my fave recent purchases in the hair department.
La Zarra
Unlike some success stories rooted online, La Zarra owes her meteoric rise only to her talent being noticed – and celebrated. Inspired by a range of artists from Édith Piaf to Mariah Carey, whose influence can be heard, La Zarra has a unique ability to mix genres. As a listener, we are taken on a journey where the emotions conveyed are deeply felt. Her first album, “Traîtrise,” has been out for a while, but there’s no timeline for discovering an artist.
My friend Bri’anna (@LaNoireDe) started her newsletter, Within Our Gaze, a while back. You can see her passion for Black art in every issue you read. She also gives excellent recommendations that would have fallen under my radar otherwise. Please give it a read!
Shit I’m Obsessed With by Gaby:
Man, I’ve been so busy these past couple of months that when Perrye proposed we write this, I could barely come up with anything. It was a good reminder to take some time for myself! These are in no specific order, so bear with me.
Not Another Cooking Show
I’ve talked about this before, but since fall is here, it felt necessary to bring it up again. Because winter makes me miserable, I cook a lot more hearty, comfort meals AKA a lot of soups and pasta. I think that Stephen’s pasta recipes are by far my favorite. He does a good job explaining technique and the importance of certain ingredients, and his Weekday Sauce and Vodka Sauce are now part of my rotation. If you’re not big on watching youtube videos, his websites have the recipes in a no-nonsense format which I really appreciate. If you want more recipe recommendations, Perrye wrote about another fave, Love and Lemons.This is so frivolous, but I love miniature houses and sets. I was basically born an Old Lady so I started a Christmas Village a couple of years ago. I’ve been buying one or two per year (they’re expensive!), and I’m slowly collecting the Dickens A Christmas Carol village from Department 56. There’s also an Addams Family collection that I love but honestly cannot justify buying, lol. My latest obsession, however, has been those DIY miniature house kits. Honestly, I didn’t even know it was a thing until I saw one my best friend made. What can I say? They’re cute as hell.
CBD Headache Roller from Somebody
I spend a lot of time in front of my screen wearing contacts, so you know how it is. My friend got me this as a gift for my birthday, and I was like, hmmm, sounds fake, so it sat in my drawer for ages. I used it one day when I had a tension headache, and it actually helped! I try not to take more meds than I already do (it takes a lot to keep this carcass going), so it was nice to find an alternative. I love the smell, and it hasn’t caused any breakouts for me, so it’s pretty solid in my book.Passion Planner 22-23 Academic Planner
I am on this never-ending quest to build the best planner for myself. Because I am a noted stationery bitch, I have very specific ideas about what I want. I have the basic layout, but I’m still looking for a binder style and paper that I like. In the meantime, I’m back to using my trusty Passion Planner. I think this might be year 3 or 4. I tried the Happy Planner first, but the layout was not doing it for me. I also have the Daily Undated version when I need to switch it up for lists/quick notes and a Rhodia Goalbook for bigger thoughts or book notes. Along with my google calendar, I have a pretty tight system to help me remember things while also giving me enough variety so that I don’t get bored.
A while back, I talked a little about figuring out which ADHD strategies work best for me. Aside from being forgetful, I struggle with time perception and task initiation. Using a visual timer is helpful for both. I spend a lot of time “tricking” my brain into doing stuff, so when I’m struggling with something, I put 5 minutes on and say that I only have to work for that amount of time. More often than not, I’m able to keep on working. It’s also great when I’m a little hyper-fixated but need to switch gears. They come in a whole bunch of styles and sizes, so I’m slowly adding one to each room of my house where I might need it.
I don’t really watch a lot of K-Dramas these days, but there’s a pretty strong guarantee that if Park Min-Young is in it, imma be watching it. The premise of this drama is new to me. She plays the part of a professional bride who gets married (and then divorced) to men who need to have a wife for some reason or other. The love triangle is between one of her longer-term clients and someone who knew her from her ~past. The pace is good, and there are some interesting b plots.
My other faves featuring her are What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? (amazing) and City Hunter (ft. a Lee Min-Ho fresh from his Boys Over Flowers era). I also loved Sungkyunkwan Scandal, but the main protagonist turned out to be a trash human, so proceed at your own risk.
Practical Magic
Along with Under the Tuscan Sun and Pretty Woman, Practical Magic is one of those movies that I will never say no to watching at any time. I always watch it during this time of year, along with Hocus Pocus and other Halloween-esque movies. The premise of the movie is great, but I love the movie so much because of the house. It is the brujita house of my dreams. If I ever get a chance to build my own house, it’s probably accidentally on purpose going to look like it. Maybe I also want to live in an idyllic small town in New England.
Sh*t We’re Both Obsessed With
Perrye: I recommended that show in my first newsletter issue. Like most, I saw this show’s instant genius and upcoming success. It will make you laugh and cry all in the same episode. Plus, the cast chemistry is simply off the charts. I may or may not watch many videos from their recent press tour. I could talk for hours about this show, but it’s better to see it yourself. If you haven’t caught up yet, do it! You definitely won’t regret watching this award-winning Emmy show.
Gaby: I think what I love the most about Abbott Elementary is how tender it is while still being able to be hilarious. I can’t tolerate the amount of secondhand embarrassment from shows like the Office or Parks and Rec. It makes me so uncomfortable! As a public school kid, the series' first episode gave me so much nostalgia and made me reminisce about all of the fantastic teachers I had over the years. I thought Quinta Brunson was the best part of Buzzfeed back in the day, so I am so happy seeing her thrive.
Our friend Georgia from the Broadscast has a romance book newsletter! Her suggestions and books review are great and definitely make it easier for us when looking for what we want to read next.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for sticking with us! We hope at least one of the things caught your attention. Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from talking about Hockey™, especially when things are just so bad. However, do not fear! With the regular season starting, we’ll be back to our usual hockey coverage.
xoxo,
Gaby and Perrye