Happy Saturday. I still can’t get over one of Japan’s newest species, the skeleton panda sea squirt. Is it cute? Is it creepy? I honestly don’t know. Something else I’m not quite sure about: Whether Korn and Rob Zombie should be considered girly pop — even though some TikTokers apparently think so. What I do know is Miss Evelyn Mae has convinced me to enter my “Golden Girls” era extra early. And I have a feeling KFC’s Chizza is going to be my new favorite comfort food.
Meet Andy Dawson. He’s a 35-year-old failed comedian who’s recently been dumped by his long-term girlfriend and can’t figure out why. As part of his quest, Andy ruminates, parties, and tries — unsuccessfully — to hash it out with his male friends. Alderton is the master of writing about women’s heartbreak, relationships, and doing things on your own timeline. “Good Material” proves she can do that just as well from the perspective of a languishing man. So we decided to ask her a few questions. Here’s what she had to say…
Q: You’ve become something of an older sister to your readers — guiding them through breakups, fights, and female friendships. “Good Material” is about a man’s heartbreak, from his point of view. Why make that shift?
Alderton: I wanted to stretch myself as a novelist and imagine heartbreak from a person’s perspective who is totally different to me in every way. I wanted to explore male friendship and brotherhood, having spent so much time writing about female friendship. And I also just didn’t want to write about another heartbroken woman. When you write a novel or a screenplay, you create characters who become your roommates who sit next to you at your desk every day. I didn’t want to spend another year with a sad lady.
Q: How difficult was it to write from a man’s point of view? Did you consult some of the men in your life?
Alderton: I interviewed 15 men. I asked them about breakups, unrequited love, relationships, friendships, sex, crying, drinking, masturbation. I asked all the questions I’ve always wanted to ask them, but under the guise of professional research. It was great. I couldn’t have written Andy and his friends without those conversations.
Q: You’re hosting your dream book club: Who’s invited, what are you reading, and what are you eating?
Alderton: Zadie Smith, Lena Dunham, David Foster Wallace, Dorothy Parker, David Nicholls, P.G. Wodehouse, and Martin Amis. We’re all reading Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s upcoming book “Long Island Compromise.” We’re eating a mound of salted potato chips dipped in sour cream and caviar. Alison Roman made them. Ernest Hemingway is mixing martinis for everyone, but he’s there only in a waitstaff capacity. Otherwise he’ll take over the whole thing.
Q: What’s the best book you’ve read recently and why?
Alderton: “Arrangements in Blue” by Amy Key. It’s a book in which the author reflects on a life spent as a single woman and how that affects friendships, freedom, domesticity, family, sexuality, the psyche, the self. It observes things about being alone that I have never seen or heard articulated before. It takes its chapter headings from the songs of “Blue” by Joni Mitchell, which gives it a beautiful, effortless structure. I haven’t been so obsessed with a book in a long time. I read it on holiday with a friend, and she couldn’t wait for me to finish it because I wouldn’t engage in any conversation while its pages were open.
A Hearty Recipe That’ll Make You See Hummus In a Whole New Light
theSkimm
Think hummus is just for snacking? Enter dinner hummus — which, to be clear, is very different from nights when you’re so tired you house a half-eaten container with whatever crackers and veggies you find. Instead, it’s when a little extra effort and a couple of hearty toppings transform the dip into a fully satisfying meal. As is the case with Spoon Fork Bacon’s garlicky loaded hummus, which includes a generous layer of spiced lamb and a swirl of fresh herbs.
The Time Commitment: Don’t be thrown off by the total cooking time, which is an hour and 35 minutes. The lamb rests for an hour (during which, you can too), so there’s just 35 minutes of active work. But if even that’s too much, you can cut down on the prep time by using a store-bought hummus.
Try It With: Pita bread, which you can grill, toast, or jazz up with smashed garlic cloves or za’atar. It’ll also pair well with a nice crisp beer (like a pilsner) or a glass of syrah, which complements the lamb’s pepper and spice.
The Spanish Beach Town No One’s Told You About (Yet)
theSkimm
Calling all beach lovers in need of a new beach to, well, love. Malgrat De Mar would like a word. Located one hour up the coast from Barcelona, this historic fishing town is known for its 14th-century monuments, pedestrian- and bike-friendly passageways, and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. Oh, and if you sign up for this club, you could fly to Spain for as little as $295 roundtrip. (Or save $500 on your next getaway.) Did we mention it’s only $1 to sign up? Just saying...
🛏 If you’re looking for some serious R&R, check into the adults-only AQUA Hotel. It has a full spa, a massive pool, and rooms with beach and mountain views. For something a little homier, try the Mallorca Boutique Hotel. It’s located three minutes from the beach and they serve breakfast in a dreamy sun-drenched garden.
🏖️ Given its location, the best way to spend your days is — you guessed it — at the beach. Stroll along the promenade and grab an ice cream or a pan con tomate (bread with garlic and tomato) to hold you over until dinnertime. If you’re traveling with kids, you’ll want to snag tix for the Marimurtra Botanical Garden or the Marineland water park.
🏛️ For adventurers and history buffs, check out the Parc del Castell. Its famous watchtower dates back to the late 1300s. The town’s first church, the Church of St. Nicolau, is another must (and great for people-watching).
🍴 Craving classic Spanish tapas? Try Morro Chico Tasca for a cozy, tavern vibe. On the hunt for a good sangria? Stop by Nuria. It’s known for its drinks, extensive gelato menu, and killer vegan burger. For authentic paella near the beach, grab a seat at Restaurant Sancho Panza.
Get there for less by… joining this club for just $1 before midnight tonight. You’ll set your home airports, and they’ll take care of the rest (aka send you email alerts when they find the best flight deals). No wonder they’ve got 1 million members. Buen viaje.*
We asked you to vote on an etiquette question you’d like answered. The winner was:
Q: I really like my coworker, but they’re pretty negative and often come to me complaining about work, which leaves me feeling drained. How can I ask them to cut the constant complaining?
“It’s your responsibility to take care of yourself, so you can either change the subject or be quite honest with your coworker. You can say, ‘Let’s try and focus on the positive.’ Or, ‘Let’s not talk about this right now because it’s really bringing me down, and I want to have a good day’ … You could also try offering a solution [that directs them to someone who can actually handle the situation]. For example, if somebody isn’t pulling their weight and your coworker is resentful that they have to pick up the slack, I’d say something like, ‘Maybe you should go to that person, and let them know you aren’t able to assist anymore’ ... Another solution would be to ask, ‘Can we talk about this after work? Right now, I’m on a deadline, and I have to finish my writing project.’ At the end of the day, you really have to be in control of your time and create boundaries for yourself. Otherwise, people will continue to come and complain to you, and you’re not a sounding board. You’re not getting paid to hear their complaints.”
2. The $10 caddies that'll maximize your shower storage.
Finally, a place for everything for your Everything Shower. These adhere right to the wall and are made of rust-resistant metal, so you won't need to clean them.
*PS: Want more product recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram.
Up for a challenge? These new puzzle games are easy to get into, but tough to excel at. (Trust us, we’re still trying.) You can play alone, as a team, or competitively against your frenemies 😈. We’ll see you on the leaderboard.
THESKIMM: HERE'S WHAT'S NEXT
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Skimm’d by: Rasheeda Campbell, Melissa Goldberg, Alex Carr, Margaret Wheeler Johnson, and Niven McCall-Mazza
Photos by Penguin, Spoon Fork Bacon, hxyume via Getty Images, Amalie Orrange, Brand Partners
