Things That Are Red

Gina opens up her literary brain and spills her top-shelf favorites—from Dave Eggers’ hot mess of a literary breakthrough to the razor-sharp wit of Dorothy Parker. It’s a love letter to rule-breaking structure, red pens, and the strange power of a perfect sentence. Rabbit holes explored: experimental memoirs, punctuation rebellion, Scholastic Book Fair nostalgia. Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

After sharing her aura photo, Avery Amensen and Tony dig into what makes us seek out colors, categories, and cosmic validation. Spoiler: it's not just about the vibes. Rabbit holes explored: aura readings, body neutrality, Viking energy. Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

Patti Barbalato shares the story behind her secret family pasta sauce—taught by her mom, handwritten by 12-year-old Patti, and stealthily referenced by her dad from a folded scrap of paper. It’s tradition, it’s memory, and yes, it’s meatballs on the side. Rabbit holes explored: lasagna diplomacy, kitchen chaos, Catholic Italian Sundays, and the emotional power of comfort food. Brought to you by Re...

Paige Klein spent nine summers in the trenches (sometimes literally) working at her family’s landscaping business. From hammering concrete to dodging horse flies, she earned her stripes—and a closet full of red polos.  Rabbit holes explored: SPF solidarity, the art of breaking concrete, Grandpa Klein’s ketchup obsession.  Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

Our thief-catching, problem-solving, lock-savvy girl detective Avery Amensen shares her experience as a wannabe gamer.  Rabbit holes explored: whiteboard sessions, cute on top, origins of the word “plucky.” Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

Personal pizza chef Chresten Jensen shares his hot takes on America’s favorite pizza topping.  Rabbit holes explored: Cupparoni, dueling pizza shops, best dough spots.  Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

Tony Lieb pits the purists against the progressives in his exploration of hot sauce and its genetic implications. No, like, for real.  Rabbit holes explored: thick jalapeño, Cowboy Carter, beige Christmas, fusion restaurants.  Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

Kyle runs for fun. Kyle runs for fun through red rocks. Kyle runs for fun through red rocks at night. Decide for yourself if he’s inspired or insane.  Rabbit holes explored: hallucinations, decision trees, running playlists.  Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

Let’s talk about those little red raccoon guys and how no one ever sees them. Unless you’re Amanda’s son. Then they’re old news.  Rabbit holes explored: natural enemies, Master Shifu, the Minnesota Twins, Chick-Fil-A. Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

Ah, to be a twelve-year-old on a joyride in your dad’s prized car. Wait — just Laurie DePhillips, then?  Rabbit holes explored: bike safety, Prince, Panda Express, teenagers, Cher. Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

Are red onions even red?! Avery Amensen takes us on a journey of her personal battle against the red onion. Rabbit holes explored: lessons from children’s books, taste bud development, evolution of language. Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

If the impact of a song can be measured by how long it stays in your brain, U2 has done a real number on Jason Ploog. And he likes it that way.  Rabbit holes explored: first concerts, best concerts, the art of an album, streaming services. Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

You think you know everything about the Smurfs? Buckle up. Resident skeptic, Tony Lieb, dives into the internet lore around your favorite blue crew.  Rabbit holes explored: G.I. Joe, creepypasta, propaganda, Slender Man, communism.  Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

Former hair dye addict, Paige Klein, talks about her drive to stand out and embracing her natural hair color.  Rabbit holes explored: grunge, blue eyes, stereotypes, emo playlists.  Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.

Our resident baking queen, Debbie Kelly, shares memories that revolve around her red KitchenAid stand mixer.  Rabbit holes explored: generators, murder mystery parties, love languages, #boymom, leftovers. Brought to you by Red Dot Labs.