The Essential List 27. Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo's Favorite Spring Thingies
A double whammy edition from two of our greatest curators.
Claire and Erica have been in my inbox since 2014—one of the few I’ve kept up with, week after week. Their newsletter and podcast, A Thing or Two (the podcast wraps next week after a 10(!) year run), have been a kind of lifeline over the years: equal parts recommendations, reflections, and cultural dispatches that have spanned everything from condiments and cardigans to career pivots and grief.
The newsletter will live on (via Substack, of course) but they’re turning their focus to their next venture: 831 Stories, a romantic fiction company that celebrates happiness, horniness, and the kind of joyful reading we could all use more of. Their fourth book, Set Piece, just dropped the day we spoke.
Claire and Erica have been sharing recommendations online since long before personal roundups and affiliate links became the norm. One of their earliest ventures was the e-commerce site Of a Kind, founded in 2010—a beloved platform that paired independent designers with thoughtful storytelling.
What’s always drawn me to their content is how broad their curiosity runs: beauty, fashion, parenting, mental health, travel, culture, food—a little bit of everything, but always in a manner that’s thoughtful and thorough (which I so appreciate as I have a strong passion for a deep dive myself). As self-proclaimed professional enthusiasts, they genuinely love sharing what excites them.
On that note, first, Claire and Erica each share some of their all-time favorite spring thingies—aka things they love and think more people should know about. Then, we discuss the long game of good taste, the rise of rec culture, and their favorite corners of the internet right now.
Claire’s List
Martiniano Glove White I found these on The Real Real but have seriously considered buying a backup pair new because I get so much use out of them. They feel like an update on the white sneaker trend of the last decade in that they help dress down certain looks or can make an all-black outfit feel more right for spring.
KATZ Honey Vinegar My mom made me a salad dressed with this last time I visited and then kindly sent me home with a backup bottle from her pantry after I wouldn’t stop raving. We just leveled up to splitting a full case so I can start gifting it to friends.
Dore La Micellaire I hate washing my face with soap (so drippy, so messy) so I’m very reliant on Micellar water, but I’m picky about which one I use because some leave a sticky residue. (Yes, I have a complicated relationship with face cleansing.) This one is great, as it should be because French girls invented micellar water. (Don’t fact check me on that.)
Revlon Colorstay Longwear Lipliner in Nude I’ve been buying this for decades at this point. Any time I’m in a drugstore I will check to see if they have it in stock and usually buy them out of it. No fancy lipliner I’ve tried has compared.
831 Stories Real Men Read Romance T-shirt We just came out with these and they make me laugh every time I see them. Perfect on men, women, and everything in between.
Elseware Metallic Watercolors I do quick little watercolors for my son’s lunchbox every morning and I really blew his mind by leveling up to metallics recently.
Erica’s List
Front Street General Leather Purse With Handle Ok, this is the perfect—the most deeply charming—little bag for when you’re in the mood to travel light. It has not one but two kiss lock compartments. If you’re in NYC, buy it in person so that you can fall in love with something else from FSG, one of the best vintage stores in town.
Creamore Mill English Paper Pot Press My husband is the gardener in my household, but (not to brag) I’m the head paper-pot-maker. It’s very satisfying not only to create these little seedling homes from newspaper but to shove them directly into bigger pots when the time comes because the material biodegrades.
Buck Mason Pima Boxy Crew This is my go-to tee: It’s the right level of boxy for me, and the hem falls at my waistline. It’s as good with a pair of jeans as with a swingy skirt—and made in the USA, too.
Miffy Umbrella One of my most prized souvenirs from a trip to Japan last year was a Miffy umbrella (another: Miffy postal stamps—do you sense a trend?). Blessedly, there are many to be had on eBay.
Saltyface Basic Tanning Set This comes with a brush and the brand’s Tanning Water, and both feel like true innovations in the world of trying to bring a little glow to face. I apply a few spritzes before bed a couple of times a week, and that’s that.
Campo Grande Ibérico Pork I never thought I’d be someone who looked forward to grilling season as much as I do, but the first few warm months are definitely my favorite “having people over” time of year. Stocking this in my freezer means I just have to remember to defrost—it only requires salt and pepper, it’s so flavorful.
You’ve said your brains have been rewired to make the newsletter—that it’s a lens you move through the world with. What does it feel like to have your curation reflex so deeply baked in after a decade?
Erica: Totally. I think Claire and I are just natural enthusiasts and recommenders—it’s something we’ve done our whole lives. I actually just had my 20th college reunion this past weekend, and it brought back this memory of how, in college, I wrote a column for the school paper about things to do in Chicago—places to go, things to check out. When I graduated, I passed that column along to Claire, and she picked it up. So this lens of sharing and recommending is something we’ve both always had.
Since starting the newsletter in late 2011, we’ve just gotten into the habit of taking copious notes on everything we come across—from a play we’ve seen to a condiment we’ve tried. We just love sharing things that feel deserving of a bigger audience—things that should be on more people’s radars.
You’ve been curating and recommending long before every influencer had a roundup or affiliate link. What’s it been like to watch the culture around recommendations explode?
Erica: It’s interesting—we’ve definitely been doing this since before this current era, but even before us, there were places like DailyCandy and Racked. There have always been versions of this, though they were often less personal. What’s changed is the rise of the personal recommendation—it’s really moved to the forefront.
I genuinely believe most people just love sharing things they’re excited about. Yes, you see cynical takes about people trying to make a quick buck, but affiliate linking really just followed a behavior that was already happening.
Claire: From my perspective, affiliate links helped people actually make a living from sharing, but I see this more as an outgrowth of social media—Instagram in particular. Some people get into recommending thinking they’ll make a lot of money from affiliate links, but it’s actually really hard to earn significant income that way.
I genuinely believe most people just love sharing things they’re excited about. Yes, you see cynical takes about people trying to make a quick buck, but affiliate linking really just followed a behavior that was already happening. Platforms like ShopMy and RewardStyle came in because people were already recommending things, and others were already eager to hear those recommendations.
Erica: And I think a big part of the appeal is that it offers a kind of relief from the algorithm. We’re constantly fed things that aren’t of our own choosing, so personal recommendations feel like an escape break from the “you may also like” of it all.
You once did a podcast episode about online shopping tricks and tactics—and it was one of those “oh wow, it’s not just me” moments. Have your systems for tracking wishlists or future purchases evolved since then, or are you still operating out of a mess of tabs and notes?
Erica: I’ve tried a bunch of the apps that have popped up in this space, but they always feel too high-tech for what I want. I don’t love the idea of loading links into something, double-checking all the info, getting push notifications… I just want a low-lift system that sits quietly in the background until I’m ready to revisit it. I don’t want it to feel like another to-do list or task manager.
Claire: I’ve kind of shifted—maybe not intentionally—but a huge percentage of my clothing consumption now happens on The RealReal. I use their heart or obsessions feature to track pieces I like. It adds a sense of urgency, too, since someone else could buy it. And I kind of gauge how much I care based on my heartbreak—like, if it sells and I’m still thinking about it, that’s when I know I need to track it down elsewhere.
Laura: Are you searching mostly by brands or specific items?
Claire: Almost entirely by brand. I’ve tried category searches—like I still have one saved for black flats—but it’s pretty hit or miss. Sometimes I’ll drill down into a brand because I want a specific item, like a blazer from here or a white flat from there. But mostly, it’s brand-based. And honestly, it’s become like a second (or third) social media feed. I just open up my saved searches and see what’s new.
Are there any new sources—people, platforms, corners of the internet—that have become your go-to discovery spots lately?
Claire: I’ve never really had a style icon or followed a specific person for cues—I love seeing how other people dress, but I don’t model myself after anyone. It’s more about observing what’s around me. That’s one of the reasons I love living in New York—it’s so fun just to walk down the street and see what people are wearing.
Erica: Lately, I’ve been drawn to a corner of Substack that feels more like classic personal essays written by people with really good taste. They’re not explicitly recommendation newsletters or shopping-focused—it’s more just people moving through the world thoughtfully.
by is one I love. She has amazing taste and style, and when she talks about what she’s buying, there are no links—just photos of her in a Sacai dress. It’s great.I also really enjoy
by . He’s the editorial director at SSENSE, but this newsletter is about the intersection of fitness and wellness in a way that’s interesting and compelling.I like the ones that are bite-sized and not daily—they feel more manageable. One we both love is
by —she does our PR for 831 Stories. It’s full of surprises and feels so distant from trend conversations happening elsewhere. That feels like such a fun treat.Another one I really love is
, especially how she writes about repair and care, and actually provides real resources. There are so many people saying, “Take care of your stuff,” but Emilia shows you how: what products to use, where to go, what services are out there.Claire: Kaitlin’s is one of my absolute favorites. It’s one of the few I’ll always go back and read if I miss an installment. I also always open
’s newsletter —she’s such a smart writer, especially about books. I love —she writes a lot about art and culture. She’s a novelist, too, and just someone who’s clearly out in the world—going to galleries, parties, stores—and reminds me I should be doing that, too.One of my all-time favorites is
by A.J. Daulerio. It’s technically a sobriety newsletter, but neither Erica nor I are sober—or even sober curious—and we both absolutely love it. It’s just such a thoughtful reflection on being human, on mental health, on the many forms addiction can take. It’s beautifully written and honestly, just excellent.Another one I love is
by —she writes so intelligently about parenting and relationships.And of course,
by —all timer. She’s one of the funniest writers on the internet. I love her podcast too, but her writing is just outstanding. is a really excellent beauty newsletter. It’s fairly new, but Marisa’s a close friend of ours, and she’s basically a vault when it comes to skincare, beauty, and style. She has such deep knowledge, and you can feel that expertise in everything she writes.And then there’s
by —it’s a great one if you’re trying to keep up a creative practice.
Are there any small brands you love and think more people should know about?
Erica: This isn’t exactly a tiny brand anymore by any stretch, but we’re huge fans of Lizzie Fortunato. We’re just endlessly impressed by how, season after season, Lizzie puts out collections that feel totally distinct and new, but still so clearly Lizzie. That kind of consistency—with real evolution—is remarkable. They’ve had the business for nearly 20 years now, and it’s just really, really special to be able to create and design with that kind of longevity and identity.
Another small business I love is Park Deli, which is a florist–slash–skate shop in Prospect Heights. The owners, Michael and Valentine, have such a specific, exuberant, joyful aesthetic. They’ve been doing this for years, and it’s kind of similar to Lizzie in the sense that you can instantly recognize one of their arrangements—it has this bright, poppy, unmistakable vibe. They also do a lot of merch, product drops, and collaborations, and you can just feel how much heart goes into everything.
Claire: I also really love the kids brand All Small Co. They bring such a joyful spirit—and a great sense of humor—to kids' clothes. They have a sweatshirt with a built-in crossbody fanny pack, and another with a removable teddy bear in the breast pocket. It’s all very funny and playful, but not tacky. It really appeals to my son—and also to me—which is nice.
What’s the last thing you bought that you feel really good about, and how did you find out about it?
Erica: When Claire and I were in LA, we visited our favorite vintage shop there—Scout in West Hollywood. It’s small, perfectly curated, and the prices feel just right on the cusp of what you want to pay for it—which to me means they’ve nailed the pricing.
I bought this kind of gray T-shirt–poncho situation. It’s made from a T-shirt, but they’ve removed the armholes so it just drapes. It’s the kind of piece I would absolutely never buy online—but in person, it was so cool and fun. Something I’d only ever find there.
Claire: The last thing I bought that I felt really good about was popcorn from Bessou, which originally started as a Japanese restaurant in Noho. They’ve expanded into packaged foods, and one of the things they sell is this flavored popcorn.
I found it at R&D Foods in Prospect Heights, which is near us. I got the miso caramel crunch, which is a salty-sweet mix with sunflower seeds and other seeds, and also the soy butter flavor—which is also excellent.
It actually reminded me of this popcorn I got addicted to on my honeymoon in Japan—Mike Popcorn, which has this elusive flavor that’s basically soy sauce and butter. I’ve been chasing that flavor ever since, and this popcorn gets surprisingly close.
Thank you both! Congrats on 10 years of the podcast—I’m so glad that the newsletter will live on, and I’m looking forward to following along in this next chapter with 831 Stories 💘
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