FRIDAY ROUNDUP: Juicy Rivals, The Perfect Burger & Stay-at-Home Sons
PLUS a book giveaway and call your reps
Happy Friday, friends. This week’s roundup has everything from circadian rhythm hacks to a giveaway of seriously juicy summer read (hello, political rivals with history). We’re also talking surveillance creep, summer camera swaps, and Father’s Day gifts that don’t suck. Plus: we’ve added local threads in the EYP chat, so if you’re looking to meet up or connect offline, now’s your chance. → You can find that here!
Get outside first thing in the morning. Even just stepping outside for 5-10 minutes, whether it's to grab the mail, sit on your porch with coffee, or take a quick walk around the block can wake up your body naturally and help regulate your circadian rhythm. The morning light tells your brain it's time to be alert and active.
Turn an old photo into a postcard. You can just flip over almost any photo, write your message on the back, add a stamp, and mail it off. The postal service will deliver it just fine. Photos are sturdy enough to go through the mail system.
Call your reps. Tell them you are concerned about the consolidation of federal databases under private contractors like Palantir. Request they hold public hearings on the use of private surveillance technology by the federal government.
The Rise of the Stay-at-Home Son (The Wall Street Journal)
Unemployed adult sons are staying home longer and their parents are footing the bill. What started as a pandemic-era pause is turning into a broader cultural trend.
Can Love Survive a Recession? (The Atlantic)
Economic instability is tanking dating optimism. This piece explores how inflation, debt, and financial fear are reshaping romantic expectations, especially for young women. Love may not conquer all after all.
Trump Wants America to Make Things Again. Does It Have What It Takes? (NYT) President Trump wants to revive factories, using tariffs as a tool. Companies that want to re-shore manufacturing are grappling with how to do it.
Pride Organizers Say Sponsors Are Pulling Back Amid DEI Rollbacks, Economic Fears. (NBC News)
Several of the country’s largest LGBTQ Pride celebrations have lost major sponsors, to the tune of $200,000 to $350,000 per event.
What The Latest COVID Vaccine Changes Mean For Pregnant People And Children (The 19th)
Can you still get the vaccine? Will insurance still cover it? The 19th answers questions pregnant people and parents might have about the recent change.
Ditch the Disposable: A Better Way to Capture Your Vacation
Travel film cameras are cute, but wildly unsustainable. Here's how to shoot your summer like a grown-up. From
How to Become Friends With Literally Anyone
This method works even for anxious adults with no free time. From
How to Raise Open-Minded Kids in a Closed-Minded World
Psychologist Emily Edlynn breaks down how to teach kids empathy, flexibility, and critical thinking, no worksheets required. From
How to Have a Slower Summer
The perfect companion to Jam Girl summer, a list of lazy, lovely ways to spend the next few months. From
The Science of Being Generous (and Why It’ll Make You Happier)
Turns out making people happy doesn’t just feel good, it literally rewires your brain. Read it here.
A Perfectly Blended Burger. LaFrieda’s 50/50 beef and wild mushroom blend is super popular, but you can DIY a dupe, from
. Get the recipe here.A Midcentury Time Capsule in Illinois. Architectural Digest tours a 1957 home that looks like the Mad Men cast just stepped out for lunch. Check it out here.
How to Have a European Summer Anywhere. How vacation can be a state of mind. Find out how here.
Watch These Dads Meet Their Newborns For the First Time. A viral video captures the emotional moment dads meet their babies for the first time. Grab the tissues.
Miyabi Kaizen Chef’s Knives are made with a 65-layer steel construction and look cool AF.
I was in the Orvis store recently and saw man after man lusting after this Barbour Classic Bedale Jacket which I concur is incredibly handsome and a lifetime use piece.
I’ve been impressed with the quality of items I’ve purchased from UntuckIt, their Wrinkle-Free Durif Shirt is a bestseller for a reason and offers a good variety of fits and sizes.
Men deserve a comfy jogger too – and nothing beats Vuori for moisture wicking comfort. Bring that man to the athleisure side.
It’s not a gift list for men without a whisky tumbler, but the handmade tortoise glasses from East Fork are really gorgeous and would be a great addition to any bar. ($14 each)
If there’s one thing about my dad is that he loves fire. It’s a splurge but people LOVE these Ooni pizza ovens. The benefit is then you get to eat homemade pizzas.
Since everyone is playing pickleball these days, I say lean into it and get these adorable paddles for the whole family.
Theragun is running a sale for $140, if you have anyone in your life who exercises a lot I recommend these things. They offer a ton of relief to sore muscles.
The Away weekender in Amaro Brown is chic and masculine while also being extremely functional. I love the quality of their products and use them all the time. Separating stinky shoes from clothes is a game changer.
You can order a Pat LaFrieda Burger, I’ve heard great things about the Beef & Wild Mushroom 50/50 Blend.
Lastly, it wouldn’t be father’s day without offering your special somebody a picture of You (and maybe the kids too). You can upload a digital photo to framebridge and they will send you a complete framed gift.
*Some of these links are affiliate where I earn a commission but you are not charged extra!
Each week, I give away a book to my paid subscribers (U.S. only), and this one is dripping with summer nostalgia and political intrigue. I’m thrilled to offer a copy of The Summer We Ran, a story of first love, buried secrets, and the way the past always finds its way back.
In the summer of 1996, Tess Murphy was just trying to follow her mother’s rules: keep quiet and stay out of trouble. But everything changed when she fell for Grant Alexander, the boy next door with a pedigree and a future. Their love was the stuff of summer legend, until tragedy struck.
Now, two decades later, Tess and Grant are political rivals running for governor of Virginia and the secrets from that long-ago summer are no longer staying buried…
This is a novel about love, ambition, sabotage, and the long shadows cast by the past.
→ Comment SUMMER below for a chance to win.
Happy Friday, Emily!
What a wonderful newsletter. I’m looking forward to reading all weekend. Thank you very much! Rachel
Summer!