Sydney's Sunday Reads: #3

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Happy Sunday, friends! What’s been on your mind lately? For me, it’s been the power of friendship. Dating can be a bit of a mixed bag, made even worse by a global pandemic and a total dependency on technology to build connections you hope will last. But when times are tough, and you think it’s next to impossible to meet someone you truly vibe with, turn to your friends, the ride or die companions who have been with you since Day One. They’ll laugh with you, listen to you, and make you remember that there are people in the world who get you. Sometimes the most meaningful relationships (romantic and platonic) are just under our noses, whether we realize it or not.

Sydney's Sunday Reads is a weekly blog series that highlights some of my favorite stories, articles, think-pieces, and more from around the Internet.

Ready? Let’s get into it!

  • What a thrill! - If you’re a 90s kid like I am, then you might remember the magical fierce fabulousness of Shelley Long in Troop Beverly Hills. The fashion, the lingo, the female empowerment; it’s one of my favorite movies of ALL TIME. So imagine my shock and glee this week when I found out that there’s a sequel in the works! Dust off that DVD and your best 90s-era khaki fashion throwbacks - 2021 is about to be (campfire) lit! (Elle)

  • A family that cooks together… - What are some traditional recipes in your family? The recipes passed down to you from your elders, or the ones you and your siblings clipped out of magazines years ago and are now so crinkled and tattered you can barely make out the instructions? In this sweet piece by Abigail Raminsky, the power of a handmade cookbook filled with memories in the form of recipes has helped her stay close to family throughout the years, even when she was thousands of miles away, or now, as she shelters in place with the new family she made with her husband. (The Week via Food52)

  • Food for friends. - When writer Lisa Donovan learns the news that her two best friends are divorcing each other in the height of the pandemic, she’s devastated. Her first instinct is to invite her closest friend over for a socially-distant meal on the porch. But three hours before their visit, Lisa cancels. She wants to lend a healing hand, but she’s still healing herself - quarantining alone in her home for two months had led her to a resolve: she had to quit drinking, and she had to confront her depression. But that proves to be no easy feat. Finally, she turns to cooking, a practice meant at first to produce a soul-nourishing ginger-based soup for her friend, but ends up becoming her saving grace as well. A really powerful essay. (Lithub)

  • Seeing blue. - When it comes to selling a product, or encouraging engagement, color - specifically the color blue - matters. The folks over at Travel + Leisure took a deep dive into how their readership ticks based on the way they click, and their findings went well beyond what was expected. According to the Insititute for Color Research, which is cited in the article, we all make initial snap judgments about people, places, and products within 90 seconds, and 60-90% of that is based on color alone. And since the color blue promotes productivity, a sense of calmness, and inner peace, it’s no wonder that readers, social media users, and even in-person impulse shoppers respond exceptionally well to it. But it doesn’t end there: research has also shown that adding ANY bit of color to an image will increase the amount of time a viewer will pay attention to it. Color science is fascinating! (Travel + Leisure)

  • 🎶 My girlfrieeeends. 🎶- - In more 90s/00s entertainment news, did you know that Girlfriends, the hit Tracee Ellis Ross-led sitcom about four twentysomething Black women navigating life, love, and friendship in Los Angeles is now on Netflix, 20 years to the day it originally aired? You know what I’ve been doing since Friday. But if you’re looking for even more content, check out this cast reunion interview with Elle! (Elle)

  • Literacy Matters. -In honor of International Literacy Day (September 8th), here’s a handy way to locate independent bookstores in your area. And if you’re specifically looking for Black-owned booksellers to support, here’s a list for that, too!

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