This & That 8/7: What to Watch, Read, & Buy
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The Ballad of Wallis Island, Movie, Amazon Prime Video, or AppleTV rental. FabLister Allison L. let us know about this award-winning movie that she loved seeing at the Sundance Film Festival, and we’re so glad she did! It’s about an eccentric man who has won the lottery (two times) and invites his favorite band to reunite on the remote island where he lives. It’s a heartwarming, wonderful watch.
The Hunting Wives, Series, Netflix. People seem to either love or hate this show! Called by some an ‘erotic thriller murder mystery’ series, and also a racier, soapier ‘Big Little Lies’ set in Texas, its about a young woman who’s moved to Texas and falls in with her husband’s boss’s wife and her web of friends who are up to lots of antics that they shouldn’t be! If you want a fun, raunchy, soap-opera show with murder, sex, lies, affairs, and secrets, this is for you.
Freakier Friday, Movie, Theaters. It’s been 22 years since we all saw and loved Freaky Friday with Jamie Leigh Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, and the sequel hits the big screens tomorrow, August 8th. Twenty-two years after Tess and Anna endured an identity crisis, Anna now has a daughter and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might strike twice.
The Naked Gun, Movie Theaters. It’s been 37 years (!) since the original The Naked Gun was released, and now Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson are starring in this version of the franchise’s slapstick humor movie, where Neeson plays the son of the infamous Leslie Nielsen character. Looks to be the fun, low-brow comedy you’d expect from the franchise. And as Neeson and Anderson are now a real-life, off-screen couple, their chemistry is said to be very good!
See our FabList of all 2025 TV Shows/Movies we’ve recommended and our 2024 recs! Plus, here is the shortlist of our favorite 2024 shows/movies.
My Next Breath: A Memoir, by Jeremy Renner. This inspiring story of acclaimed actor Jeremy Renner’s near-fatal accident - he was run over by a 14,000-pound snow cat while removing snow at his Tahoe home, while trying to save his nephew’s life. He plays a tough guy in the movies, and we learn in this book how tough he is. The book delves into his inner strength, endurance, and hope as he overcame insurmountable odds to recover. Jo is loving it - and the audiobook is narrated by him, so it’s especially good!
Spectacular Things, by Beck Dorey-Stein. This Reese’s Book Club book is about two sisters, their dreams, and the sacrifices they make for one another. Set in a small town in Maine, the sisters Mia and Cricket are daughters of a single mom who was an aspiring soccer star. One daughter becomes that star herself, and the other must balance her life alongside her. Chrissie thought it was a good beach read - a fairly predictable book, but one that kept her happy while literally reading it on the beach in one day while on vacation.
The Love Thief: A Novel, by Arielle Ford. Chrissie and Jo met the author, Arielle Ford, while traveling in India this past spring and were excited to read this book, her first fiction offering, which follows many bestsellers in the non-fiction love/relationship category. The book follows a Southern California chef who gets duped by a boyfriend and then heads to India to find and heal herself. It’s more than a fun ‘love gone wrong plus some good revenge’ story, though, as it delves into meditation and how to heal. Chrissie read the book cover to cover in one day. An interview with the author is coming soon!
See our FabList of books we’ve recommended this year and our complete 2024 book recs list. Plus, here is our shortlist of favorite books of 2024. Share with your book club!
Saks is having a Fashion Flash sale, and we noticed incredible prices on Birds of Paradis by Trovata blouses. The cotton fabric is very high-quality and luxurious, perfect for everyday wear or travel. We don’t know how long the sale will last, so we hope you hop on and grab some of these tops at great prices!
If you’re particular about keeping your clothes clean and pressed, Jo has learned about some new items you need to know about. FabLister Hardie C. (read our interview with Hardie here - our most-read interview ever BTW!) swears by this Dawn Powerwash to get stains out of clothing. It’s a miracle! I know it says dish spray, but it works on even the toughest stains on clothing. Downy Wrinkle Release is an all-in-one anti-wrinkle spray for clothing that fights static cling and eliminates wrinkles without the need for ironing. It comes in a convenient travel size for smoothing out wrinkles on the go.
A long-sleeved white cotton tee may not be the most exciting of purchases, but given that these days a good tee can somehow cost upwards of $100 (!), Chrissie was excited to find that she loves this $20 option. It’s not cropped but also not very long, and it’s not oversized but also not tight (the site calls it a ‘boxy, ever-so-slightly cropped silhouette’). And the collar looks great under a crewneck sweater. Comes in 5 color options.
Looking for some summer cooking inspo? Jo has been making these recipes on repeat:
Ina Garten’s Seared Salmon with Spicy Red Pepper Aioli
NYT’s Cooking Oven Seared Salmon with Corn & Tomatoes
NYT’s Cookie Butter Blondies
Ottolenghi’s Blueberry Almond, and Lemon Cake
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