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Recs #108: Fall Book Releases on My Radar, Cozy NYC Spots, and a Diane Keaton Gem

And a life update!

Alisha Ramos

Oct 17

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This is the Friday recs post at Downtime, a weekly roundup of culture, books, delights, and things on my radar for my paying readers.

Hi!

I’m writing this from my hotel room in New York, where I decided to take myself on what I’ve been calling an “inspiration-gathering trip.” It’s my first time traveling solo without my daughter or husband. As a certified homebody and anxious person, I feel like this is a small but meaningful milestone, equal parts nerve-wracking and life-affirming. The city is only a train ride away, but being here on my own feels expansive in a way I didn’t realize I needed.

ily nyc

I’ll share some of the bookish and design-y NYC stops on my list below, in case you want to bookmark them too. Mostly I just wanted to put this out there for anyone (parent or not) who might need a little nudge to do something just for yourself. Do it!!

On another note, in case you missed it on Instagram: I’m pregnant with our second baby, a boy. 🩵 Thank you for all the kind messages! I’m feeling really happy (and relieved to be out of the first-trimester trenches…August and September were a struggle!!). This is our second IVF pregnancy and I hope to share more about what it was like soon—let me know if you have any specific q’s.

Lastly, I know pregnancy announcements can be difficult if you’re struggling with infertility, loss, or uncertainty. I’ve been there, and it’s really hard. If that’s where you are right now, I see you and I’m sending a big virtual hug. Take care of yourself and feel free to mute any pregnancy-related posts that come through (I promise there won’t be too many).

Onto this week’s recs!

xo,
Alisha

Winner winner: Congrats to our giveaway winner, Caite, who won a copy of the cookbook LINGER by Hetty Lui McKinnon! As a reminder, all paid subscribers are eligible to win giveaways each month.

Upgrade to paid

I loved seeing what Downtime readers are reading right now in last week’s comments thread. Here are a few book recs from you that I jotted down:
- Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach — I loved Wedding People, so I clearly need to read this, a rec from Caite.
- The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig — “A fantasy book and perfect transition to fall/spooky season,” says reader Allison.
- The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett — “Hands down best book I’ve read this year and I can’t wait to read more by her,” says reader Ellie.
- The Wilderness by Angela Flourenoy — I keep hearing about this one, a novel about five Black women over the course of their twenty-year friendship.
Downtime Book Club: We’re headed into the final stretch of our two-month read of Isola by Allegra Goodman. 📚 The reactions have been varied on this one, which makes for the best discussions. You’ve still got two weeks left to read with us, if you want to jump in!

Here’s what’s in today’s issue, beyond the paywall:

The fall book releases on my radar!
Bookish and design-y NYC spots to visit
Two recent recipe wins
One cozy movie I recommend

1 // Transcendent music and tributes.

I was saddened to learn the news of neo-soul artist D’Angelo’s death this week. While I can’t even come close to claiming to be an expert on all things D’Angelo or even his cultural significance, his music was simply so beautiful and one-of-a-kind to me.

“Really Love” from the Black Messiah album was our first dance song, so perhaps that adds to the sentimentality of it all; it’s one of my favorite tracks of all time, a song that brings me to tears. If you’re looking for a transcendent listen, I highly recommend it:

Black Messiah

D'Angelo

Album

For more background reading on D’Angelo’s life and career from a real music reporter, I recommend this tribute in Vulture: “D’Angelo Saw His Future in the Past”.

“Hip-hop, jazz, and gospel didn’t merely rub elbows in his songs. Cycling coolly through sounds, he exemplified the limitlessness of a Black American musical consciousness that yielded pioneers everywhere from folk to hard-core punk.”

Hunter Harris also wrote a beautiful tribute here in her newsletter...

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