Read the Room: A Culture Club

Can being perceived in the simple act of eating soup signal gayness? In this summer-ripened edition of our Weekly READs hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen recount what they’ve read, endured, ate, and done recently. From books on Scottish warlords to TikTok trends and Netflix reality dating disasters, we’ve kept ourselves busy with all manner of entertainment. We’ve also savored the warm weather with...

What even is the difference between a parody, a satire, and a spoof? In this deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen attempt to dissect and define the hallmarks of these comedic movie sub genres (even if we wind up using them interchangeably in the end anyways). From classics that were Oscar nominated and laugh packed, like Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, to nostalgic decade-spanning fr...

The warm summer air is buzzing, the moon is shining, and the fire is roaring - could there be a more perfect time for a spooky story? In this special seasonal mini episode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen entertain each other, and our dear Roomies, with perfectly mysterious, murderous, and mystical stories (campfire sold seperately). First, we investigate the ancient origins of the "campfire story...

  Can a classic really stay consistently entertaining for 1200 pages? For our June Book Club deep dive episode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen explore the hidden treasures at the heart of Alexandre Dumas’ behemoth of a book, The Count of Monte Cristo. We begin by providing historical context for the French classic, from Dumas’ own colorful past, to the serialized nature of The Count’s publication...

    What do almond milk matcha, passport nightmare fuel, and anime head pats all have in common? Welcome back Roomies to another Weekly READ, the mini episodes where hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen divulge all that they’ve read, endured, ate, and done recently. From classics like All Quiet on the Western Front and Sand County Almanac, to more modern fare such as Paper Girl, us girls stay up on ou...

What is it about The Bard’s works that captures the inner world of 2000’s teenagers so well? In this deep dive episode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen explore the big boom in teen-centered Shakespeare movie adaptations that started at the end of the 20th century and thrived throughout the Y2K era. While we acknowledge that borrowing from the Bard of Avon is no new phenomenon, we zero in on works...

Can we finally resurrect Blockbuster? In this chatty mini-sode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen have a lot to say as they unpack the quickly growing trend that has evolved around embracing physical media. From the revival of record collectors to avid readers with their library cards, we discuss the (particularly youthful) consumers driving the switch from an almost entirely digital existence, to o...

Are Romeo and Juliet the original OTP? Can a SHIP be strong enough to win a Pulitzer? In this deep dive, hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen investigate the vast, digital, and community-drive world of Fan Fiction. Our exploration unveils that the most powerful question a reader can ask is: what if?  What if Jay Gatsby fell in love with Nick Carraway? What if East of Eden was a space epic instead? The...

What does Donna Tartt have to do with chicken salad? Welcome back for another Weekly READ, where hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen divulge what they've read, endured, ate, and done recently. From cravings and food kicks, to Pulitzer Prize nominated fiction, we've been consuming a diverse array of tasty treats recently. We mention some fresh TV fixations, like Beef and The Pitt, and recall our grand...

Why on earth are there so many hot Scots in historical romance novels? Is there no place and time more arousing than 18th century Scotland? In this deep dive, randomly selected from our fishbowl of eclectic research topics, hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen explore the equal parts erotic and enchanting world of Bodice Rippers. We define this oft trivialized genre and chart its storied past, from th...

Who wants to spend more time outside with us this summer? In this mini episode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen each explain their ins and outs for summer 2026. Though we all created our own lists, there are some big patterns in our responses, like wanting to spend more time in the sunshine, whether that's by taking a hot girl walk around the city, putting our hands into some garden soil, or just...

Can we please stop making Ted Bundy documentaries (or Dahmer, or Manson, etc.)? In this deep dive episode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen break down the roles we all have to play in the popularity and pervasiveness of true crime media, from overzealous detective-wannabes to well-meaning victim-empathizers. We explore the definition of the true crime genre, which seems to bleed into everything fro...

What's worse Roomies, breaking your nail while playing golf or breaking the glass dish that holds your uneaten lunch? Welcome back for another weekly READ, where hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen let you in on what they've recently read, endured, ate, and done. From Dungeon Crawler Carl to Savage Appetites: Four True Stories of Women, Crime, and Obsession, our reading material proves to be, once ag...

How would Orwell feel about fart jokes? Welcome Roomies, to the first Book Club Edition episode, where hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen dive deep into this month's pick: Animal Farm. Whether you read with us, or are just joining in now, come along as we explore this dystopian classic, from its history, to the very real and scary similarities we see in the American government today. Our break down...

Ladies, does she drive you crazy? In this mini episode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen pay tribute to the queen mother of indie rock, Florence Welch, by recapping their recent experience attending the "Everybody Scream" tour in San Francisco. Our conversation includes our personal affinties for Florence's music, anticipations for the tour, an overview of the set list, the lighting and visual desi...

Why has media based on The Troubles surged in popularlity within the last decade and what can we learn from this ever-emerging body of work? In this more gravitas deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen investigate recent literature, movies, and TV shows set around The Troubles. We break down a historical overview of the violent, 30-year ethno-nationalist conflict in the North of Ireland, which...

What do dirty sodas and Sword of Destiny from The Witcher series have to do with each other? Larsen's been consuming both. And how on earth does the musical Chicago relate to Jack Black's recent revisit of Anacoda? Alexys wishes she was high for both. Welcome back for another one of our Weekly READs, where hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen recount, with appropriate levels of celebration and commise...

Why does Hollywood continually cast a gorgeous 20-something next to a seasoned leading man 20 years her senior? In this second episode of a special 2-part deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen investigate the unsettling patterns and disquieting tropes that define the broad body of age gap media we examined earlier. If Part 1 was us taking this pervasive trend out of the societal closet, Part...

Is the MET Gala just a prequel to the Hunger Games? In this culturally repsonsive mini episode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen attempt to admire and appraise the looks from the 2026 MET Gala without feeling the ~billion~ pound weight of capitalism. We briefly summarize the history of the event, the cost to attend, the evolution of the infamously exclusive guest list, and the important preservatio...

What can a 54 year old woman and a 27 year old man possibly have in common? In this first episode of a two-part deep dive, hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen take the startling, scary, and oftentimes perverse trope of age gap relationships out of the taboo closet that society likes to bury it in. From Lolita to Sense & Sensibility, or Mrs. Robinson to MILF Manor, we explore the history, or bette...

How do Lolita, sassy slogan tees, and ice box cakes connect? They've all been on hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen's minds. Listen to us explain why in this Weekly READ episode, where we break down what we've read, endured, ate, and did recently. Our chat includes wondering why there was so many SMEG appliances in You, Me, and Tuscany, the plight of breakouts caused by face shaving razers, and the...

What's with all the hype? In this deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen dissect the modern hype machine that powers the phenomonen of overrated books. We break down the social media frenzy and recency bias that propel big reader expectations and can lead to dissatisfaction and disappointment. Critical discourse includes our definition of overhyped- this is not a conversation about bad books,...

Did you know the last Saturday of every April marks Independent Bookstore Day? In this mini-sode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen celebrate the upcoming occasion by breaking down the history of the holiday, as well as why it matters and why our local independent book sellers deserve more love. Our conversation includes the ongoing battle with Big Book that sellers and publishers are facing, the am...

Whats with the data-fication of our habits and hobbies? For this deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen pulled a random research topic written on a piece of paper out of a fishbowl of possibilties (re: a little glass bowl). The fishbowl decided it was time to explore the trend of tracking apps, focusing especially on apps we use to track our media consumption- such as Goodreads, Storygraph, an...

What do Taylor Frankie Paul, springtime allergies, dating apps, and a California heat wave all have in common? They've all been harbingers of spring that hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen have endured lately. Welcome back to another Weekly READ, where we break down what we've read, endured, ate, and did recently. Our answers are ripe for interpretation and run the gamut from farmer's market scones...