This is an extra long episode thanks to Mississippi State’s football stunner and my trip to the Mississippi Delta. I mean, WHAT A TIME, everyone. The Bulldogs got a signature win against Arizona State, and everything from the uniforms to the crowd to the social media to the CATCHING OF THE FOOTBALL was absolutely fantastic. Naturally Melanie and I break down all of my thoughts and reactions to the game, plus some observations about the college football weekend in general.

We also talk to our good friend Travis Cottrell – who’s the special guest for our San Antonio live show – and it’s Melanie’s turn for Five Favorites.

Hope you enjoy!

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You can click here to listen. Or you can even listen right here.

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Show Notes:

• State’s new black uniforms
• Arizona State’s helmets
• Blake Shapen’s hair
• Brenen Thompson
• the exciting (thrilling!) end of the State / ASU game
• my favorite State social media post of all time
• Florida’s tough loss
• Clemson struggles against Troy
• Cassius Howell’s three sacks
• HailState Instagram account
• Mississippi Delta
• The Barn by Wright Thompson
• George Somerville from Scotland
• Ramon’s in Clarksdale
• Laurin McCracken
• Caroline’s new book
• The Summer I Turned Pretty
• Travis Cottrell
• Running Girl sports bra
• Old Try prints
• American Flat picture frame
• 24 Days of Beauty Advent calendar
• denim bomber jacket (also this option)

Sponsors:

• Boll & Branch – use this link for 15% off and free shipping
• ZocDoc – use this link to find and book a doctor today
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• Mint Mobile – use this link to shop for plans

The first big weekend of the 2025 college football season did not disappoint, and on this episode Melanie and I discuss some of our favorite parts (not to mention our Side Eyes and I See Yous). It didn’t hurt that both the Aggies and the Bulldogs were victorious, though admittedly, those wins weren’t necessarily pretty.

On top of that, Melanie offers an update on Caroline’s new Costco membership, and it’s my turn for Five Favorites.

Enjoy, everybody!

– Become a Patron!

– Our Amazon Shop

– San Antonio Live Show (10/23/25) tickets are on sale now!

You can click here to listen. Or you can even listen right here.

We’d love for you to subscribe on iTunes, and we’d be honored if you’d leave us a review.

Show Notes:

– Lee Corso’s last GameDay moment

– Alabama loses to FSU

– Texas loses to OSU

– Gus Malzahn offensive coordinator at Florida State

– Carson Beck at University of Miami

– Zach Calzada at University of Kentucky

– A&M defeats UTSA

– State defeats USM

– Fluff Bothwell

– Stonka Burnside

– Baylor’s opening game uniforms (others loved them)

– Joe Tessitore

– Brian Kelly

– our friends Cole and Katherine’s Tuesday Date Night podcast

– Mischa indoor/outdoor pillow

– Aesop Eleos body cleanser

– Lazyboi cordless leaf blower

– glass straws with cleaning brushes

– large beaded choker necklace (MY HEART)

– sinus medicine for Piper

Sponsors:

– OSEA – use code BIGBOO for 10% off your order

– Hungryroot – use code BIGBOO for 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life

– Thrive Causemetics – use this link for 20% off your first order

– AG1 – use this link to get a $76 welcome gift with your order

Well, our kids are back at school once again, so apparently (this week, at least), Melanie and I  have some freed up mental space to clock a collection of mild frustrations and also grievances. We discuss them, of course, along with a couple of internet-y things that have recently brought me all manner of joy.

We also share some anticipation about college football (‘TIS THE SEASON), and it’s Melanie’s turn for Five Favorites.

Hope you enjoy!

– Become a Patron!

– Our Amazon Shop

– San Antonio Live Show (10/23/25) tickets are on sale now!

You can click here to listen. Or you can even listen right here.

We’d love for you to subscribe on iTunes, and we’d be honored if you’d leave us a review.

Show Notes:

– gift a Costco membership (what a delightful option)

– Huntsville, Alabama is happening

– Snail on the Wall bookstore in Huntsville

– Marcus Lattimore’s poem that brought me to tears

– Marcus Lattimore’s IG

– new GAP commercial with Katseye

– let’s calm down about Cracker Barrel

– Siete Street Corn tortilla chips

– Siete spicy dill pickle potato chips

– The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon Prime

– “Bitin’ List” by Tyler Childers

– Voluspa Temple Moss candle

– Spanx polo tank dress

– Swirl decorative glass pumpkins

– Cavaliere boots

– suede shoulder bag

Sponsors:

– ZocDoc – use this link to download the app for free and book your appointment

– Remi – use code BIGBOO to get up to 50% off your nightguard

– Drink LMNT – use this link for a free sample pack with any purchase

– Thrive Market – use this link to shop their Labor Day sale and get 30% off your order if you’re a new member

On this week’s episode Melanie and I recap our (very brief) time together in Nashville, we talk about all the reading I’ve done over the past week (it’s obnoxious, really), and we discuss a couple of takeaways from the most recent round of RushTok (all the balloons at the University of Arkansas really made an impression on us).

We also break down my first attempt at playing mahjong, and it’s my turn for Five Favorites.

Enjoy, y’all!

– Become a Patron!

– Our Amazon Shop

– San Antonio Live Show (10/23/25) tickets are on sale now!

You can click here to listen. Or you can even listen right here.

We’d love for you to subscribe on iTunes, and we’d be honored if you’d leave us a review.

Show Notes:

– Caroline’s new book, The Lion & the Bear, out October 14th

– The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville

– Drusie & Darr

– restrooms at The Hermitage

– Ladybird Taco

– New Heights episode with Taylor Swift

– Taylor Swift and sourdough

– Taylor Swift and Slim Aarons

– Bamboozled on Friends

– Lilo’s Salad (this is the salad that Melanie and I love)

– Any Given Saturday on Netflix

– e newton jewelry

– Tri Delt Bid Day baloons at University of Arkansas

– Culpability by Bruce Holsinger

– These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean (fairly spicy in the event that you try to avoid spicy)

– Let’s Make a Scene by Laura Wood (also fairly spicy with a really fun premise)

– The Ferryman by Justin Cronin (NOT The Journeyman – I got the title wrong on the episode)

– Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

– Taryn Delanie Smith / The Unlikely Countrywoman on YouTube

– Bare Home comforter set

– By Anthropologie Hardware Side-Slit midi skirt

– Mateo’s Cantina Salsa

– Just in Time cast recording

– We the Free Garden Painters pullover

Sponsors:

– Maya Chia – use code BIGBOO at checkout to save 15%

– AG1 – use this link to get a free $76 welcome kit when you subscribe

– Thrive Causemetics – use this link for 20% off your first order

– Helix – use this link through September 8th to get 27% off

Hi hello good to see you –

I’ve mentioned before that I seem to get a lot of requests for information about three places: Birmingham, New York City, and Portland, Maine. I’ll claim expertise about Birmingham since I’ve lived here for approximately one quarter of a century, but I’m not an expert on NYC or Portland by a long shot. I’ve just visited both places a good bit, and I have some preferences, and I’m always delighted to share those preferences with you. The problem is that I have shared info about all three cities in bits and pieces and lo, over a variety of social media platforms. So when it comes to where can you find my recommendations and reactions and whatnot – well, the short answer is A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.

You’re so welcome.

And that is why, this summer – as I have rummaged through old newsletters and Google docs and etc. to share links with readers and podcast listeners – I have come to realize that I need one centralized place to direct people with their questions.

This blog post is going to be that place. Officially. LOOK AT ME STREAMLINING THE PROCESS.

All righty. Let’s start with the Magic City.

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

– For starters, Melanie and I did a Birmingham city guide for our B’ham live show back in 2024, and we included so many of my favorites. Feel free to peruse that PDF.

– Just to make sure you know where I would stay if I were coming to town: Valley Hotel is a gem. The Grand Bohemian is also fantastic, and there’s a new Residence Inn in Mountain Brook.

– I’m super intrigued by a new boutique hotel called The Painted Lady.

– There are a few new restaurants I would add to our original list: Bayonet (next door to Helen with the same owners), Current Charcoal Grill, Armour House, and Johin’na.

– Just to reiterate: if you leave Birmingham without stopping by the shoe department at Gus Mayer, you’ve done yourself a disservice. I’d put Gus up against any shoe store in the country. I said what I said. :-)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

– I’ve done a couple of New York round-ups in newsletters. Whether you subscribe to the newsletter or not, you can reference those newsletters for hotel suggestions and info about our most recent trip.

– If you want to see one great show in NYC between now and the beginning of 2026, my vote goes to Just in Time. If you’re in New York between now and September 7th, you really, really need to see John Proctor Is the Villain. Most meaningful play I can remember.

– I get that Times Square has its challenges, but if you’re doing a theater-heavy trip, you can’t beat it for proximity to the theaters. Just put your head down and don’t make eye contact with the people dressed up like superheroes. I felt like the Hard Rock Hotel was a really nice oasis in the middle of the madness. And did I mention that it’s the best hotel air conditioning I have ever encountered?

– One of my Pilates instructors really loves The Michaelangelo, and I’m intrigued by its location. It also looks like they’ve done a recent upgrade / remodel of the rooms, and that’s always nice to see.

– Some friends and I had a really lovely early lunch at Palma a couple of years ago, so I always like to recommend it, especially for a girls’ trip.

– Hotel Chelsea remains on my want-to-stay-there list, but I feel like it should be for more of a shopping/sightseeing trip instead of a Broadway trip.

– Just a friendly reminder that The Wallace is DREAMY.

– The Wallace is also just a couple of blocks from the Beacon Theatre, and it’s always a good idea to check out who’s playing at The Beacon when you’re there. My nephew Beck and I saw Tedeschi Trucks Band there last year, and it was magical.

– My friend Kasey and I went to Cafe Carlyle for a dinner show last year, and it was a total blast.

– For central / north Alabama (and some Mississippi) travelers, I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend Delta’s three-times-a-day direct flights from Birmingham to LaGuardia. The 11 o’clock flight gets you to LaGuardia by 2:15-ish, and you can almost always roll right up to your hotel for 4:00 check-in.

– David and I had the nicest driver on our last trip from our NYC hotel to the airport. He gave me his business card, and I’m gonna put a picture of it here. I’m a big Lyft user, but if you’re traveling in a group, it’s so nice to have someone with a big SUV waiting to pick all of you up at the airport. This chauffeur’s name is David, and he said to feel free to text him to make travel arrangements. I’m going to line him up for when I’m there again in December.

– Finally, I always book shows directly through the show’s website (go to the show’s website, then click on Buy Tickets) as opposed to any third-party site. If something should go wonky with tickets (and that’s never happened to us, btw), I’d like to be able to sort it out at the theater box office.

– Wait – another finally – I always book hotel rooms through a hotel’s website. I don’t use any of the third-party travel sites…there’s usually a mark-up, and again, if something goes wrong with a reservation, I want to deal with the hotel directly.

PORTLAND, MAINE

– David (my husband, not the driver in NYC) works for a company in Portland, so we have had the joy (AND IT IS A JOY) of getting to hang out there a good bit over the last few years. Portland is a charmer, for sure, and it’s also super walkable from downtown to the bay. In fact, we have never rented a car when we’ve been there; David walks from the hotel to his office, I walk around and pop in and out of shops, we walk to wherever we’re going to dinner – it’s just walk-y all around.

– I’ve never stayed downtown in Portland; when I go we always pick a place closer to Commercial Street because that area is where I like to do the bulk of my wandering. My favorite hotels are the AC and, if you want a little extra space, the Cambria.

– I’m not a donut fan in general, but I always, always, ALWAYS go to The Holy Donut in Portland. The blueberry donut should be a requirement for all visitors.

– Another requirement: the Duckfat frites at Duckfat. When I was in Portland earlier this summer (it was the next-to-last stop on my friend Jamie’s birthday cruise), our group-o-travelers made the pilgrimage to Duckfat, and there wasn’t a person in our group who was sad about that. The fries alone are outstanding, but when you add that gravy and those cheese curds? A REVELATION.

– Obviously seafood is a big deal on the Maine coast, but usually D and I will hit a point where we just want a really good burger. Our fave is Butcher Burger. My gosh. MY GOSH. It’s so delicious.

– For seafood restaurants I have a couple of recommendations: Street & Co. and Eventide. Street & Co. is more traditional/now-you-must-crack-open-this-lobster, and Eventide is small plates. Very different vibes in terms of the atmosphere, but the common denominator is really excellent food. David says that Scales is fantastic, too (I haven’t been there, but I’ll take him at his word).

– If you want more of a pub situation, there are tons of options, and I can vouch for the fish and chips at RiRa. Gorgeous views of the harbor, too.

– Love a good lobster roll? Try The Highroller Lobster Co. I’m not a lobster roll connoisseur, but this is a great non-food truck option. There are excellent food truck options all around, though.

– I think Standard Baking Co. is the go-to for really beautiful pastries / breads, and I am a devoted fan of the coffee at Navis Cafe. I’ve done a good bit of writing and/or editing fueled by their caffeine.

– As for shopping – there’s just so, so much – but there are a few places I go every single time: Kate Nelligan, Blanche & Mimi, Sea Bags (I don’t need any more tote bags, but I love looking through all their designs), and the CUTEST kitchen shop, LeRoux Kitchen (I could spend HOURS there).

– Obviously there are all sorts of Portland treasures tucked away all over the city, so when you’re there, be sure to ask some locals about their favorites. D’s coworkers have given us so many great suggestions.

Questions? Leave ’em in the comments like it’s 2008 and blogs are the hottest thing going on the interwebs.

Happy travels, everybody!

This week Melanie shares all about her fun weekend at the lake, I share all about cleaning out my refrigerator (life is full of glamour and also thrills), and we both share about the season finale of The Gilded Age (spoiler alert: WE ADORED IT).

We also do a quick analysis of groceries we throw away more often than not as well as dig into some of our recent thoughts about plastic surgery. Plus, it’s Melanie’s turn for Five Favorites.

Hope you enjoy!

– Become a Patron!

– Our Amazon Shop

– San Antonio Live Show (10/23/25) tickets are on sale now!

You can click here to listen. Or you can even listen right here.

We’d love for you to subscribe on iTunes, and we’d be honored if you’d leave us a review.

Show Notes:

– Happy Trekking snack mix from TJ’s

– Trader Joe’s Hot Honey popcorn

– Bayonet in Birmingham

– Trader Joe’s Greek Yogurt

– Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar

– Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar spread

– Lilo’s Salad

– Any Given Saturday on Netflix

– Shiny Happy People (season two) on Amazon Prime

– The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon Prime

– The Gilded Age on HBOMax

– Phylicia Rasad

– Siete Street Corn tortilla chips

– We the Free Lotus jeans

– Kut from the Kloth Blake super high rise jeans

– Anua Heartleaf pore cleansing oil

– PJ Harlowe Lainey / Lola set on sale

Sponsors:

– Trust & Will – use this link for 20% off

– Mint Mobile – use this link for the special offer

– Thrive Market – use this link to shop their back-to-school sale

– Boll & Branch – use this link to get 15% off and unlock free shipping