Girls Gotta Eat - You Can Fix a Dog but You Can’t Fix a Man feat. Isabel Klee

Episode Date: July 20, 2026

We loved our conversation with Isabel Klee (aka @SimonSits) about dogs, boys, and coming of age in New York City. The #1 NYT bestselling author shares her stories of looking for love in her 20s before she met her fiancé, the dogs she fostered along the way, and why you can fix a dog but you can’t fix a man. We talk about what secure relationships really feel like and why she freaked out and ended one, the insanely romantic thing he did to get her back, and her theory on getting back together after a breakup. We also discuss why backpacking post-college was “cool” in theory but lonely in reality, her upcoming summer camp wedding, red flags with guys when it comes to dogs, and her book being made into a TV show. Before Isabel joins us, we are talking about friendships going through different stages of life and debating if certain foods have a time of day. Enjoy! Follow Isabel on Instagram @simonsits and get her book Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About. Follow us on Instagram @girlsgottaeatpodcast, Ashley @ashhess, and Rayna @rayna.greenberg. Visit girlsgottaeat.com for more. Thank you to our partners this week: Skims: Shop Skims cotton and all of our favorite pieces at https://skims.com. Hungry Root: Get 40% off your first box and free item in every box for life at https://hungryroot.com/gge with code GGE. Ladder: Get a free 7-day trial and $10 off your first month at https://ladder.fit/gge. Ride or Die: Watch the new series now streaming only on Prime Video. Nutrafol: Get $10 off your first order and free shipping at https://nutrafol.com with code GGE10. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of the time, like, love and patience really does heal a dog, but not a man. This podcast is a Dear Media production. Hi, guys. Hi, guys. Welcome back to another episode of Girls Got to Eat. Welcome back. We are in Dewey Beach as you listen to this. It's summer in a row.

I love it so much. I'm so excited to go and to drive down. We're, like, all going to, like, road trip together. I'm so excited. Also, do my eyebrows look black to you? They're dark. Yeah. They're transitioning.

right into their final state. Yeah, I went to Evertrue Salon. It's in Flatiron. It's where I get my eyebrows. Microbated. And I love them. They do like a phenomenal job. But they are black the first like week that you get them done.

And you're like, oh, no, I've made a horrible mistake. But I have not had makeup on at all in like two weeks. I'm just rolling around with like black eyebrows and nothing else on my face. It is liberating. Every time somebody's looking at me, I feel this urge to be like, they're not always like this. But like I said to like one person I was like ordering a coffee and I could tell she was like looking at my face and I was like my eyebrows don't normally look like this and she was like what? And I was like I don't think it's how you think it is. I don't think it's how you think it is. But has anybody just been like girl those eyebrows that's a sleigh? Like is anyone said anything like positive? Because they are no like because they are prominent and they are well shaped. Clearly that's the point. People always comment on my brows the shape of them. Microbial is the best thing I ever did for my face besides get fake teeth. But the prominence is extreme. No, no one has said anything, which makes me think that they are staring at them. But I mean,

time and time again, I am just reminded like, no one's, no one cares about you that much. No one's thinking about you. It's just like very funny to look at a person and be like, I don't normally look like this. And they're like, I wasn't thinking about you literally at all. Okay, let's thank our partners and then we will get into it. Okay. Thank you to Skims, Shop, Skims, Cotton, and all our favorite pieces at skims.com and A Hungry Root. Get Four. 40% off your first box and a free item in every box for life at hungry root.com slash gge with code GGE. And thank you to ladder.

Get a free seven day trial and $10 off your first month at ladder. dot fit slash gge. And ride or die, watch the new series now streaming only on Prime Video and Nutraful. Get $10 off your first order and free shipping at neutraful.com with code GGE 10. So today we have Isabel Klee and we are so excited. We had the best discussion with her a few weeks back in New York. This is one of my favorite books I've ever read dogs, boys, and other things I've cried over. It's right here prominently on my bookcase.

And I just loved it so much. Like, Isabel, if you're listening, she's got a fan girl you even more, which we do plenty in the interview. But I would have read it for, like, I would have read three more lengths of the book. You know, when you're watching a show, you're like, I would have watched so many more hours of that. I would have read so many more hours of it. I just loved it so much. It's really one of my favorite books I've ever read and definitely maybe my favorite book of the year, which is a strong statement given the year in books we had.

Hell yeah. So it's just, I mean, strangers yesteryear and this. And I haven't finished fame sick. I didn't return to it yet. I read most of the fame and I didn't finish the sick, the Lena Dunham book. But I will. I will. I'll finish it.

I want to finish it. but I just had to put it aside and pick this one up. And I'm so glad I did. And we can't for you guys to hear the interview today. I mean, this just blew me away, this book and this interview. I just thought that she is so phenomenal. I'm really, we're so excited for you guys to just hear the interview. She's just, she's so fantastic.

It was different than any interview. I thought we were just going to talk about dogs for an hour. And I was like, they're going to kiki about dogs and I'll hang out. And she was so phenomenal. It's just, I cried off and on the whole time. And you've not just sobbing, but just getting really emotional. And, you know, if you read the book, you'll see why. And I really want to be fostering dogs more.

We have a dog, obviously, Azul, who is so great with all other dogs. We should be bringing more dogs into this home. So we were looking last night at a couple foster rescues in L.A. And just I'm ready to, I want to do that. I just think we both are like, we're scared. We'll never want to give them back. But you're just so equipped for it. I mean, you have a dog.

Like, you understand. Like, I was talking to Lisa Lippman, who's your vet. And she was like, is it time to get a dog? And I was like, I just, I never know because I travel so much and it would just be so unfair to a dog. Like, you have, at least the husband at home. If you go to town, like, he has like a wonderful dad at home with him. Like, I still don't know what I would do with, like, an animal right now, like, shuttling one back and forth.

But she suggested fostering. And I'm just like, I don't know if I'm equipped. I don't know what I would do with a dog. I'm not equipped. Yeah, it's a lifestyle change. We would only foster for a period of time when we were both going to be in town for a while, you know, so we're considering it. But I think we're both scared that we'll be like, well, yeah, that's our, that's ours now.

That's Azul's sister, his little brother. We had our eye on this dog, like, named Sue, like, that's up for adoption with wags and walks in LA, we can't get over Sue. Senior, eight-year-old German Shepherd mix, Susan, Susan. I'm sorry, that's an iconic name. Hilarious. Azul and Susan. So we're just keeping tabs on Sue.

Like, I don't know. We, you know, just we saw her. She spoke to us. So. Okay. Can I tell you something? I, because I do really want you to move here and this might be like getting in my way. But like, I do kind of see you guys as a two dog family. A hundred percent.

We're a two dog family. We just need to figure our lives out. Like, if we were really going to stay in L.A. permanently, we'd probably have three. I mean, I really just, we need to figure out what our lives look like. And if we were going to move and how to. get multiple dogs across the country in the first place and moving into a smaller space. But yeah, I mean, you know, my life dream is to have a senior dog rescue on my parents' farm. And I said, Shashonka knows that.

And last night we were talking about it, and he was like, when do we start? I'm like, that's our like down the road retirement plan. But some days I just want to say fuck it all and start that life. I just, I really like, I never thought about it. I really see you guys as like a two dog family. You're both just tall and you're able to like handle several animals. You know, I could really see you guys being good with like a lot of big dogs. I mean, you have a lot of dogs at your parents' house.

You guys have a ton of animals. Yeah, like I, we were in Montecito this past weekend, which there's like one anecdote I wanted to share. And so many dogs. And every time we see like a couple with two dogs, that should be us. And I love when they sort of look alike in some way, same size maybe. Like, or maybe we love the idea of two black dogs. We also love the idea of a black and white. Sue is brown.

So Sue doesn't really, and she's big, bigger. But we like love the idea that is like would have like just yin and yang like black and white, same type of dog, same size. And they're just like walking down the street. So cute. Like show stopping. But I did just want to share like one quick thing. You have all these things you want to talk about. And I can't wait to discuss them.

But we spent this weekend. We did like an overnight trip in Montecito. And I mentioned this. And this is with a friend of mine and her name's Angie and you've met her too. And this was something I just found it really like interesting and heartwarming, this friendship that I. I have with her. This is someone that I was really close with in Atlanta. And when we met, we met through some other friends and we had this group for a while. And I was like the single girl of the group. She was recently married when I met her. And I became really close with her.

And I loved her husband. And I would always be over at her house. And she was always like cooking for me. And like, you know, she's just kind of like a big sister vibe. But I was just like single slut running around Atlanta. And she's like married and settled, you know, when they were about to have kids. And I would be at their like big house and just like, you know, maybe one day that I could have like a life like this minus the kids. And that was just kind of our relationship. And then she moved away and they moved to Florida. And I visited her a couple times and really kept the friendship. Like we really valued the friendship and we stayed friends when she moved. And then we just like lost touch. Like just because like nothing happened. I mean, she had a second child and I moved

to New York. And I feel like our lives just went in different directions. And we would maybe comment here and there on social media. She's not really big on social media. But I don't think I saw her since I visited last, which was like 2015 or something. I really think that's the last time I saw her in person. And again, she congratulated me when I got engaged. But this wasn't even a friend that we were like probably text each other happy birthday every year. Like we really did kind of lose touch.

And that's just life sometimes. And when her and her husband saw that I was touring last year, they made the drive. They live in Naples. They drove to Tampa for the show. And they came and it was so nice to see her. We had the best time. And she was like, you know, we should do this more.

And then they came to L.A. last summer for, they come to California every year. Then you met them. And then they came to your tour this year. Like, we want to run it back. Yeah. Opening night. And like I sat with them and your dad, like the four of us. And then she was like, this summer again, we do this L.A. trip.

And we want you guys to come and come to Montecito. They get a house there for a couple weeks every summer. And we went and we went around wine tasting. And it just, I love how friends. friendships can evolve and ebb and flow like that. And I think it's just such a nice reminder that that can happen. And again, like, no, no conflict, nothing happened. We just grew apart and we came back together and it's just so crazy that I'm here with

our husbands or friends now. They loved each other. They had such a bromance. And like, I used to just be this like single slut running around, you know, coming over, having breakfast with you guys, like sharing my stories from the night before and how life changes and how friendships can change too. Like, it's interesting to be friends with somebody that long ago, lose touch, probably don't see each other for eight years and then kind of pick back up.

And now you're like doing a trip, you know, and she's coming to support you. And I just, you know, I could talk about friendship forever and like share these different stories. And I just think it's like one of those things that, you know, it's encouraging if you ever feel like you have someone in your life that maybe you've like lost touch. Your lives have changed so drastically in different stages. And you can always just like, you know, pick it back up. I've been seeing these two memes a lot.

One, this sort of does nothing to do with this and one does. But it says like the strongest, most enduring friendships, the ones that last a long time are not like free of conflict. They're people that allow each other to change and be in different phases of life. And you allow people to just like be a mom or be a wife or be a single drunk slot. And like you can just like hold space for somebody else to be in those different phases of life. And Melanie sent me that the other day because there's another meme that says, know, I had the same best friend at like 22, 32, 32 and 42, and like, that's a real. And I, I have. And

then she sent me down on the back end of that. And it's like, I've, like, loved her through every phase. And, like, you will be the same in my life. Like, I will know you through all the phases. And I think those are such, like, beautiful enduring friendships that you're like, yeah, I can find value. I can let people kind of go out of my life a little bit and come back into my life. And like, life is so long. And those are the kind of friendships I feel like misty-eyed about. Yeah, yeah, those are, again, like different types, ones that are truly 30 year plus, no breaks. And then ones that you're like, I don't know, we like lost touch and now we're friends again and we're in different stages of life.

Like they were taking their son to basketball camp. He's in high school. I have a picture with him when he was two. You know, those types of things too. And then I never saw her again, like kind of thing. So I don't know. We've always said that too just about our touring and the way it's connected us with people from different stages. of life. And she's not the only real story like that where you and I have toured, whether it's

with girls got to eat or individually, and seen people that we may have lost touch with forever. If they hadn't have been like, oh, I see you're in town. Like, let's kick it and let's, you know, reunite. So that's been really nice too. And, you know, just friendship guys, hot take. But I thought that was nice. If you guys were wondering who I was with this past weekend, that's who it was. I love their vibe with her daughter. It makes me like laugh and smile. She's how, telling how old she has 16? She's 12 going on 30. She came with us to the wine tasting and she just hangs out with adults.

It's crazy. Their relationships with their kids is the best I've ever seen. Their kids love them. They love hanging out with them. They have a daughter and a son. The son is older. He's a teenager. I think he's a sophomore.

She is 12 and she just fucking hangs with the adults. I didn't want to do that at that age at all. Nobody, well, it was two things. I didn't feel like the adults were doing cool stuff and nobody talks. to me like I was anything more than like an 11 year old. And like you sent me this photo on this bus that you guys were taking from winery to winery. It was like three couples and this girl. And like to hang out with her, she's just like a little adult. Like it's so nice to talk to her. And it's like funny. I never would have done that with my parents. Like Brina, she, you know,

she like goes to eat by herself. Like I mean, and they, they're saying like a really nice, safe area, but they'll be like, she's going to head out and have breakfast. Like she'll be she goes, she, she eats alone. She eats alone. A 12 year old's like, I'm going to. I'm going to. I'm going to head out. I'm going to head out now. I just walked down the street against very safe, like the village, and then she'll go have breakfast alone. And they're like, I guess this is okay. I'm like, we grown women message us. How do I go to eat alone? I'm too intimidated. It took me 35 years to be comfy sitting in a bar by myself. Truly, like, I have had to coach myself into this. Like in the most, London, the first time I ever took a trip by myself, London was the first city

I ever went to and I was like, I remember standing outside the restaurant. Like, you could do this girl. You could do this. You could sit at the bar and have dinner. You could be by yourself. No one's going to look at you. Yeah. It's just, I don't know.

I look at them as like, man, you guys are really good fucking parents. In this day and age with the kids and the social media and all the things to see these kids, 15 and 12 that want to hang out with their parents and like just love them and respect them and want to hang out with their parents, friends. I'm just like, man, what did you guys do? We should have them on for a parenting episode. But it's just really, it's just inspiring to see. I'm glad you guys had fun. It looked so fun.

Yeah, it was really fun. Love Minesito. I was hoping you would see like Megan, Markle or Oprah. You know, they live up there. Yeah, we just didn't see any celebs, but also I'm bad. It recognized them. But that is where so many of them are all the time. Like, clearly.

It's a fancy place. It is a fancy place. I don't know if those are my people. Meanwhile, we're in Dewey Beach. I'm like, this is more my speak. Those are my people. Yeah. I mean, I just, like, I love St.

Trape, but, like, I love Dewey Beach. Like, I feel like we're, like, get you a girl that could do both. Like, I felt totally comfy in Santerpey walking around. Megan popped into the Chanel store, got herself a bag. I was like, this is beautiful. But, like, I can't wait for Dewey. I can't wait for Dewey. Yeah, we went and had drinks at the Rosewood Miramar Beach resort,

which is just absolutely. stunning. You have to go if you're there and at least have drinks. They do great to sunset. We just went for like a midday drink. And, you know, it's like whatever, $3,000 a night type resort. Yeah, more money than the rich Carlton. It's so expensive. Yeah. And that's not where we stayed. But I was just like, you know, I like being here. I like fancy shit. But this just, I don't feel comfortable. Like I don't go to a place like that. And I'm like, this is it. This, these are my people. You know, like there's just a different air about it. Like, I love it for a weekend. And I love to go around and go all these places. They don't feel super pretentious. Some of them do. But then some of them, like,

I just, this is not, I'm going to be, yes, much more comfortable and feel more at home and at ease and more more, I don't know, what's the word, a less pretentious place, the more normal place. You and I grew up in like normal blue-collar towns. Yeah. So, anyway. Okay, I have two thought starters for you. I'm just curious what your thoughts are. I don't know if you've ever talked about this. So I was talking to our friend Jeremy, who does this bagel show that you and I have both been on. It's just like a thing that he does on Saturday mornings. And he said he had a guest come on. And basically asked people what your bagel order.

And he was talking to some girl on it about like locks and cream cheese, like classic stuff. And this girl was like, oh, I would never eat like fish in the morning. And he was like, oh, you're not Jewish. And like, we were just joking about like not eating fish in the morning. And I was like thinking like I'll eat anything at any time a day. I will eat pasta at 8 o'clock in the morning. I will eat fish. When he said fish in the morning, I was like, I eat white fish.

I eat like smoky white fish and like smoked salmon, which are the fisciest of fish in the morning. Like food does not have a time to me? Like does food have a time to you? Like does your palate know what time it is? Yeah. I don't, I will eat fish in the morning too. Like, but I'll eat a steak and eggs, even though steak is a dinner item dish. But I really don't want to.

to wake up and eat leftover pizza or pasta. Like also, I'm a breakfast all day, girly. Like, you know me. Like, that's my favorite type of thing is I loved a place that serves breakfast all day. I love an all day cafe. And I will go and eat it one or two in the afternoon. And if there's still savory breakfast, like, I'll gravitate towards a dish like that. But I like breakfast food in the morning.

But there are exceptions. Because when you hear fish in the morning, you're not having a sea bath. It's not like a roasted salmon with asparagus. I don't want asparagus in the morning, really. But like I also, like most brunch menus are mainly sweet. It's like waffles, French toast, pancakes. And to me, that volume of sugar in the morning is not something I ever want. Like people think it's weird to eat something like fish in the morning.

But like I think eating what is essentially cake for breakfast, like that I would never do that. That's not, I don't want that in the morning. I don't want like a shot of. sugar like that just straight through my body. And I'm in the minority. I think most people are like, I actually rarely go out to the brunch with somebody that doesn't say like, let's get pancakes for the table, obviously. But there needs to be something savory too. Because it really, I mean, I wake up and I have fruit every morning. This is the first thing. I put in my body and then I have coffee and then I go from there. Well, sorry, I take a giant shit and then I go from there.

I like clean out and then I start with a meal. But it's supposed to be protein. It's supposed to be eggs, you know, you really are not supposed to just full, like, sugar bomb your body with chocolate chip pancakes or waffles, but sometimes you have to. Okay, so I was curious if food had any time of day for you. And so my other question for you is, I want to know what you think about this. I heard this girl say this thing in the airport lounge the other day. She, this girl walks in there like a very attractive couple and she just looks so cute. She's this, like, aloe set on and, like, no makeup hair pulled back. She just looked really, like, clean girl. And she just looked really, like, clean girl, cute little aesthetic.

And he was like, what would you like me to get you from the bar? And she said, whatever is the most expensive. And then she just kind of like smiled. And he was like, okay, I got you, babe. And I was just like, I love that energy. I just loved it. I really was like, it's never been me. I've never said anything like that.

A drink? From a drink. Yeah. That's, no, that's weird energy. You don't know what your drink is. What do you? Just whatever. whatever. It's going to be something weird. What you want a tequila? She went Don

Julio, a shot of Don Julio, 1942 in whatever time. Like, you don't know what your preference of drink is? Grow up. Are you even old enough to drink? It's giving. I've never drank. I hate it. I think she meant champagne. I think she might get me the most expensive champagne. I did not hate it. I was like, I've never related less to something, though. Like, I've, that thought has never like crossed my mind. Like, What would you like? I'll take the most expensive thing. Like I just, I'm not like a princess treatment girly.

I would, I would like to emulate that more in my life. I think that like, am uncomfortable having anybody do anything for me? Okay. Not the expensive thing, but just in general. No, it's giving amateur hour, especially with alcohol. What do you want to drink? Grow up. Maybe champagne.

If you have that kind of money and you want champagne, I can understand whatever is the most expensive because it is going to probably be a you get what you pay. pay for type situation. Totally. I will say that. I mean, but most of the time you're not even drinking champagne, you're drinking Prosecco when you're going to order it at the lounge. That's for sure. So that I will understand. But just in general, I don't know, get a preference and stop trying to cosplay a rich person. It's so out anyway. Well, also, my question too is, do you pay for things to the lounge? Like, yeah, some stuff. No, not everything's free. It's not like an open bar like a wedding. It's not like a top shelf open bar at the lounge. It's like some stuff

is free. Like, bottom, middle shelf. No, I don't know. I don't say like burnets at the Delta lounge. But it's like a tier of alcohol that's free and then you have to pay for the good stuff, the good stuff, whatever. I really did take it to me. I thought she meant like champagne or wine. I don't think you would just say like blanketed whatever is the most expensive. Like I don't think that's like what's like Johnny Walker blue or green or like the different colors of Johnny Walker. there can be like $100 for like an ounce. But I just was like, that is an energy that is so foreign to me. I can't even like understand it.

I'll just take what's most expensive. I mean, with wine, it probably is what you get what you pay for. If that's what she meant, if she was like, I want a Pino Noir or I want a Chardonnay, the most expensive one. If money is no object, I can understand it. So I would need more information. Okay. I didn't ask any more questions.

I just looked at her and I was just like smiling. What'd she get? You didn't follow up? He walked over with a, think, a glass of white wine. It wasn't champagne. It was white wine, which is, I would say, probably the cheapest. When you go champagne, red wine, white wine, that's the cheapest of all the things. Well, good for them.

We are just going to take a quick break and then we will get into it with Isabel. So I am telling you guys about Ladder. This is a new partner and this is a great way to, workout, get your fitness in. We really want to share with you guys kind of how this works. So this is going to be your workout plan from an expert coach, plenty of coaches, different trainers that's going to be new each week and it can be done from anywhere. So it's cost effective. It is going to be convenient with your scheduling and you're going to get expert guidance and structured workouts that get you real results. So I just did one of these workouts.

I did the bell bottom burn. This is a kettlebell workout for lower body. So really building that booty and I really loves it. I mean, I do a lot of strength training at home. I love workouts like this. I love doing them on my own schedule. I have a decent amount of equipment. And so I really, really enjoyed it. I felt like it really was an effective workout. I really love their trainers. And these are real workouts designed by certified coaches. You get a new plan every week that builds on the last. That's where ladder comes from. So this is a way to really commit and do workouts where you're seeing the results and they're building each week. So the workouts connect. Each week progresses from the one right before it through structured training blocks. It feels like having a coach right

there with you. And any strength training style you prefer. So I mentioned strength training, but there's Pilates. There's at home dumbbell, hybrid strength, glute focus programs, kettlebells. Like I mentioned, I did the kettlebell lower body. Yoga even stretching, whether you train at home or the gym, there's going to be a plan that's going to be for you. Cardio, of course, hit workouts. It's all in there. And then your progress is tracked automatically. So that app is really smart. It remembers your weights, your reps, your sets. So you can see yourself getting stronger over time. And there's a community behind it. So there's a group chat. So the coach will answer questions and members motivate each other. I love this. I love the social

component about it. You can hold each other accountable and you can be in that chat. That's really, really fun. And it costs less than $1 per day, which is elite level personal training for a fraction of what you pay in person. Some of these gym prices, I feel like it's outside of my like understanding. I was like, someone was saying recently, I'm not going to name any names, but what a gym cost for the month? I was like, what are you even saying to me? I know. That's crazy. Yeah.

So this is, it's going to be just a great plan with these personal trainers at less than $1 per day. So you guys can check it out and remove the guesswork with Ladder and get a real coach in your ear telling you exactly what to do for every workout. No thinking, everything planned for you. If you have an iPhone, head to ladder.fit slash GGE and take a quick quiz to find your perfect ladder plan. Use our link and get a free seven day trial with no credit card and $10 off. your first month if you join. So again, that's ladder.fit slash gGE and get that free trial. So summer is upon us. We're just like traveling more. If you have kids, obviously they've a million activities, summer camp, things like that. You know, if you're like a Jewish kid, you go to summer camp.

And Hunger Root is this fantastic personalized grocery delivery service that you can curate what everybody wants, what you want, what you like to cook, and it'll all be delivered to you. And I think in the summer we're also having like parties, rubbing people over. You're just doing a lot more entertaining than you normally do. And you go on the website for hungry root and they're going to ask you tons of questions about what you like to cook. How many people are you cooking for? Do you want to focus on high protein or vegetarian? Anything like that. And they're going to help you craft these grocery store baskets. And there's 50,000 chef craft recipes and many are ready in just 15 minutes. So they're going to help you put together these recipes as well. And it's highly, highly personalized.

So like for me, I like to cook a lot of breakfast. I don't cook a lot of dinner. So for me, It's like eggs, it's veggies I can pool quickly. It's different proteins that I can have in the morning. And hunger screens out over 200 additives like high-furtose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and preservatives. Their meat and seafood is super high quality. So everything on there is really, really great, good for you, good for your body. And I just love how personalized and convenient it is for you.

So you don't have to make these long lists, go out, go to the grocery store, especially for me. I don't have a car in New York. So to have it delivered to me is just the most convenient thing. So you guys check it out. There's so much on there that is great, taste great, good for you. You can always change your goals, your needs, your lifestyles if you need to alter that. But you're going to love Hunger Root as much as we do for a limited time. Get 40% off your first order.

Plus get a free item in every box for life. Go to hungryroot.com slash GGE and use the code GGE. That's hungry root.com slash GGEE, code GGE to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. Okay, neutraful. I'm telling you guys about, we've been talking about my hair a lot recently. lot of you guys are like, okay, what's your hair growth plan? And I do a lot of different things, but Nutraful is the cornerstone of it. And I take the women's formula. This is four capsules a day. And this is how you are going to address any issues you have with your hair. Hair thinning,

shedding. It has a proactive approach. It targets the root causes. You're going to see improved hair growth, decrease shedding, visible thickness while taking Nutraful. I have been taking it for years. I can't imagine my life without it. I bring it with me with my travel. I have my little pill container, so I never skip a day. It is the number one. one dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement brand, and it's the number one hair growth supplement brand personally used by dermatologists. I think it's so important in the summer. Summer just wrecks havoc on your hair between like the sun and you're swimming more. I mean, swimming in the ocean, you get that like salt in your hair and just it's like really damaging. I mean, I feel like I come

away from a vacation that's been so great. But like it really has taken a toll on my hair. And so this is, I feel like a great time to continue it, of course, or even just start it. And it's going to help you feel more confident about your hair, whether again, you're headed to the beach, exploring a new city or just enjoying a long weekend get away, great time to start. So neutral's hair growth supplements are peer reviewed, NSF certified for sport and clinically tested. And they have the different formulas, of course, for men and women, postpartum, menopause, and your lifestyle factors, such as a plant-based diet. So you get the support that's actually right for you, super easy to add it into your daily routine, automated deliveries, free shipping. So you can let your hair be one less

thing to worry about. See visibly thicker, stronger, faster growing hair in three to six months with Nutraful. For a limited time, Nutrival is offering our listeners $10 off your first month subscription and free shipping when you visit Nutraful.com and enter promo code GGE 10. That's Nutraful.com spelled N-U-T-R-A-F-O-L dot com promo code G-G-E-10. And let's get into it. Okay, guys, we are very excited to welcome our guest today. She is a writer, a rescue advocate, and creator of the beloved community as Simon Sitz. Her debut memoir, dogs, boys, and other things I've cried about is a very funny and deeply honest look

at love, heartbreak, and growing up in New York City and the many rescue dogs that changed her life along the way. Her book became an instant number one, New York Times bestseller, and it is already an option for television by Universal Studios. Please welcome to the show, Isabel Clee. Yay! I'm so happy to be here. We're so happy to have you.

I actually found you first, and she's like, you're going to love this book. You have to read it. So I have followed you for so many years. I follow so many dogs, rescues. Of course. psycho person. But your dog Simon reminds me of my first dog, Dewey, like mini version. And he passed in 2021 and you posted this thing about your dog in your 20s, like maybe last year. And I could barely

get through it because it hits so hard of like this dog. I got him when I was 25. I had no business having a pet. I was 25 as well when I got Simon. Yeah. And I was just, I had him for 12 years, like through all of the moves, moving to New York City, the dating, the struggles, the career, all the things. And it, like, helps you become a grown-up. And it was really hard for me to watch that real. And then it's the first fucking page of the book. It's the dedication.

And I was on the plane. Like, this is so unfair. And, like, I need a trigger word. I'm sobbing on the plane. Like, how dare she? I actually, it's about your Chihuahua. No, no. The first page of the book.

Oh, no, the first chapter is about the Chihuahua. The dedication is the dog you got in your guise. I was like the first chapter, the first page about the chihuahua hooked me immediately. But I followed, no, not Putina. Oh, Tiki. Tiki. Which one?

There's so many. He's the one I'm talking about. I followed his whole journey already. So I just even, the ham. I was like, the ham. I know. But anyway, I just have to tell you, I just, it speaks to me so deeply. And to have it start like that.

I was like, oh, we're in for a wild ride. This book is really. needs a trigger warning if you love dogs, even if you don't, of course, but it is ups and downs, and it's a real dear jerker. I actually have a funny, so you saying that you were crying on the plane, I got a DM the other day from a flight attendant, and she was like, I never DM people, but I have to tell you how many women I've seen crying, reading your book on planes and crying about it. And she's like, I follow you. So it's always like this point of connection that I'm like, oh, I see that book. Because it also has a bright green cover and it's like beautiful cover.

Yeah. I feel like it really sticks out really like if you're, you know, in a crowd or whatever. And she's like, I always see it's always women reading it, crying on the plane. That's so sweet. And then the girl in the first two rows ahead of me wearing your merch. No way. Wait, really? Like the back you have a, does a hat say Simon sits on the back? I'm like, this is crazy. Wait, that is crazy. I really want to talk to you about how you're feeling. I mean, to get messages like that, New York Times bestseller for how many weeks? Six weeks. Okay. And just. It must be a woman in the best way. Like, I just want to hear how you're feeling because it's incredible. I, it is crazy. I mean, I feel very grounded. And I always tell people that at the end of the day, I'm still like scooping up dog poop in my day-to-day life. And like, I'm still like disgusting wearing like clothes for the same three days.

And so I am very grounded in what I do because what I do is like inherently just like messy and non-glamorous. But to have like my book launch party was thrown by Oscar Daylor. There's like all of these moments where I'm like, this is actually so insane. We were just talking before we started recording that I'm a huge reality TV girl. I was the bartender on Watch What Happens Live. That was a huge pinch me moment. I'm just like obsessed with all things Bravo. So there have been quite a few moments that are just so crazy.

I can't even wrap my head around it. Well, congratulations to you. I mean, it's really amazing. The book is so approachable. We're going to pause in two seconds to tell me what the book is about. But it's such like a beautiful story just about like growing up and finding yourself and moving to New York. And why don't why don't we start by you talking about the book and the inspo and what it's about? Yeah.

So it's a memoir of my 20s in New York City. And kind of my trials and tribulations of dating and moving in with random roommates. I mean, if you've lived in New York City, everybody has lived in 1,000 different apartments. I always find it amazing when I meet somebody from somewhere else. They're like, oh, I've lived in the same apartment for seven years. And I'm like, no, in New York, it's like a new one. With people you knew. Yeah, it's like a new one every single year with strangers.

Always strangers. Craigslist. Craigslist. Yeah, exactly. You talk about these, and it feels very girls-esque. Yes. Like moving in with the three women, like these three strangers. Yeah.

Just like this, you really did it. Like, I think you write this line to be young and broke in New York is a badge of honor. Yeah. I have always, I never, I didn't live like that. Raina did. I didn't live here when I was young and broke. Just successful. I don't know.

I kind of wish I did. I was telling us about like there's so many parallels between she and I. We lived on the same street. We lived, I lived on York and 76. Were you on 72? Oh my God. My first bed was a twin bed. Yeah.

That's all you could fit. I had a twin bed and a clothing rack. My boyfriend was in Brooklyn. We had a long distance relationship. We had a lot of similarities. I had like zero dollars. I took the bus every day. I'm even like afford this subway.

I don't think my first boyfriend and I, I think we went out to eat one time and it was when he asked me to be his girlfriend. And then every other time I think we would literally go to the dollar store and get frozen meals and make those frozen meals. Like I cannot remember a time that we went out to eat because we were so broke. Like you just had no money to, you know, like do anything. But essentially it's about my 20s doing all those things, dating bad guys. And then how I found fostering dogs and how I, you know, I've always been this hopeless romantic. I've always kind of worn my heart on my sleeve and looked for love in the way.

worst places and it was how I learned to pour that love that I had into animals rather than men who probably didn't deserve that love. I just, I love the comparison between like rehabilitating men versus dogs and like you can pour your love into a dog and it's just like it works. Yeah. It works at the right of patience. Love. Yeah. I mean, you've proven that. Yeah. And if people don't know your content, which of course they should, is you bringing in these kind of, I don't, what's I call them undesirables. Yes. But like, yes, the really won't be adopted.

Otherwise, what's the top level of them? Oh, what is the word? It's like a, like a level three. Yeah, like I always take medical or behavioral dogs. Yes. And they are, oh, New Hope Only is that's the, yes, new hope only is. So they're not like eligible to meet the general public. They have to go to a foster.

And you're just working wonders. Like, it can be done. Yeah. You know, people look at these dogs. and they're like, that dog is going to bite me. Or that dog will never cuddle with me or that's not going to be the sweet lap dog I want. And you're like, ha-ha. Yeah, it's not the healthy advice I would give about men, though.

It's the opposite. You're like, you pour your love into this and we can rehabilitate them. And it's like, no, just assume they're not going to change. Well, that's 1,000 percent. And I think that was my learning lesson from my 20s was I did that so many times. You know, it's like you meet these guys. And I'll just speak for myself, but I do think it's a very common experience with women dating men. I wanted love so desperately that like if a man loved me back, I was like, I can make this work.

And even if I didn't particularly like them that much, even if we weren't that compatible, even if they weren't that nice to me, like, I was like, just the fact that you're interested in me, like, we'll make it work. Like, I'll move heaven and earth to make this work. And that's just never going to work out well. And I think that was the biggest learning lesson was like, when a dog comes to you and they're scared and shaking or aggressive or, whatever the case may be, you can usually make it work. I mean, I won't say always because some dogs are beyond fixing and, you know, they've just been through too much. But a lot of the time, like, love impatience really does heal a dog, but not a man. I always compared my ex to my first dog

in that it was just kind of hard. Like, Dewey was love my life, but he was difficult and it was a lot of stress and he was hard to manage, especially for someone like no resources in my 20s. But it's different because obviously my ex and I broke up and Dewey and I were together for it. Like it's, I hate to even compare him because of that. It's an interesting parallel. And my husband now and my dog now, Azul, are the easiest love I've ever had. Like Azul is the easiest dog. He was my first foster after Dewey.

I was like, he's perfect. He's so easy. And then I found this partner that's like, this is actually how love should feel. And not with dogs, but like the. comparison there is really, really interesting. It's crazy. I really do believe, I mean, all relationships are going to be work in the sense that like you're going to have to figure out your communication style and what you need in a relationship. But I, you know, now that I'm with my fiancee, I truly believe you just need to get a guy that's like perfect out of the

box. I'm like, I can't change you. You just got to find him. I just, I don't disagree. I think it's good to go. It's just, that's the healthiest way to go into anything. You just got to find him. And I'm like, I've met my fiance and I'm like, you are like a fully formed human being. And I don't have to like coach you. Yeah. I don't have to coach you. I don't have to tell you what to do. You have a clean apartment.

You have a good job. Like you're just a nice person. And I'm like, yeah, that's, I'm sorry to all the single girls out there. But like you just got to find a good one. But in your, when did you mean, how old were you when you met? I was 28. Okay. 29.

But you will. That's the thing. When you're dating in your early 20s, like you shouldn't be thinking about marriage. we think. Oh, no, I completely agree. So you are going to date the, like, fixer uppers. But people are shittier in their 20s, too. Yeah, that's true.

I was shittier as well. But I think that you can change certain things about a person. You can coach them to communicate with you the way that you need it. I completely agree. But you can't coach a person out of, like, an avoidance attachment style or an anxious attachment style. Like, you really have to, like, work with what's in front of you know. Of course.

Those kinds of things where it's like in your 20s, I mean, granted, when we were all in our 20s, it was a different political climate. Yeah. But like, you know, I mean, I mean, sure there are people who were like, oh, I could, you know, he'll change or I'll get him to come around, or I just met a bartender yesterday who was telling me about this guy that she was dating and he randomly broke up with her. And I was like, oh, like, what was his reasoning? She said, he thinks that we are too far apart in our beliefs. And I was like, well, are you? And she's

like, well, I'm super liberal and he's like a centrist, but I thought it was fine. I was like, I was like, I think he did you a favor. It's kind of hard to be a centrist. That's today. Interesting from him. Yeah. Yeah. Also that he knew. Uh-huh. Yeah. And she's, and she's, She was like, oh, I thought it was fine. I thought we were meeting in the middle. I said, I don't think you should meet in the middle. He's also probably not as far into the middle as you would think. I completely agree.

And we talk about this all the time. I mean, today in this political climate, it is just really hard to date somebody that doesn't feel exactly like. You need to be able to go home at the end of the day and discuss the current events with your partner because we're so inundated with it right now. I cannot fathom dating somebody who did not align with me politically, morally. Who wasn't like? And passionately, too.

Like, passionately feels that way. that's the hottest thing about a guy. Totally. He actually cares about romance rights. But bare minimum here. But I think so many people have trauma and they work through it. But when you are wanting to get to a certain age and actually get married and settle down, you should look for someone that's gotten there. Like Rain has an ex that has been through so much with addiction and trauma.

And when she dated him, he had done so much work. He was really stable. He was really healthy given what he'd been through. I'm sober for like five years. You'd been in therapy. But even still, we kind of failed to communicate in a lot of ways. Well, that's another thing we have in common is that I dated, well, I won't speak to your ex, but my ex was a heroin addict. Oh, I just slept with one of those.

The chef. Yeah, the chef. Or the, he worked at a restaurant. At the restaurant. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You just slept with one of us. How was it? Amazing.

He fucked me like he didn't. He fucked me like he didn't have a family. I mean, it was unbelievable. That's how they get you. He's a bad person. That's how they get you. But I mean, yes, that guy had done a lot of the work. He didn't, I mean, and I thank his ex for that because his ex went through a lot of

shit with him to get him to the point where he sobered up, got into therapy, and she's happy and moved on. So is he. I mean, thank you to all the women that came before us and the shit that you don't have. I know. So the men that you've written about and this guy who was essentially, I feel like your first love, maybe the addict. and did you have any hesitation writing about them?

Or like, I'm just curious from that aspect. I didn't. I, you know, well, it goes without saying that everything has changed. So all the names are changed, all the identifying details. And also that particular X, I would say that was the trickiest to write about because there was a lot of legal stuff that I actually had to take out. But he in particular is completely off the grid. I have tried my hardest to stalk him and find him.

And like, sometimes I'll get like a little. little glimpse of like, oh, he worked at this restaurant or whatever, nobody could find him. Even with all of the information that I know about him, he is completely untraceable. So I'm not worried about people like finding him or he can't even find you probably. It's such an interesting question. Like when you write about people, I mean, she and I both like to write and I wrote a couple chapters about these two specific guys, one my ex-fiancee and one is just this guy I also were my comedy hour about.

But I thought like, what are these people going to say when you put this in front of them? Nobody's reached out. So I'm not sure if anybody's read anything. But yeah, I don't know. I guess I kind of just feel like this is my life and this happened to me. And there's a great quote that I always misquote. But it's something like if people wanted you to write kindly about them, they should have behaved better. And so I just kind of feel like, you know, I had one X that I wrote about who I ended up getting Simon with.

And he was wonderful. And I wrote nicely about him. Of course. You know what I mean? I'm like, he was a nice guy. So I wrote nicely about him. him. So yeah, in the grand scheme of things, I just kind of like, I'm like, this is, this is my life. And they also knew they were dating a writer when they did me. So I don't know. I don't, there's been no repercussions. And there can be no legal repercussions, obviously. But I've, nobody's even like, touched base with me about it. It still feels respectful. It's just, it's just it's not skating by any means. I just, if you guys haven't read the book, that's it that feels like this was your story and these are the facts. Well, an interesting thing about memoir, too, is so obviously it had to go through. It's just. It's not. It's a story. It's. It's a legal read with a lawyer. And so with that X in particular, in my original copy of the

manuscript, I write about his childhood. And I wasn't allowed to write about that because that's like hearsay. Like I didn't experience that. Like you can only write about what you experience. And so that also helps. Is like, I'm not writing about his life of like, here are the things that he experienced and the trauma that he went through. It's like, this is just like what I experienced. and this was what he did to me. And so I think that also helped me in the end of feeling like it was truly just my story. It's something about writing about people or seeing yourself be written about us. We always want to feel like we're being represented in a way that we see the past.

And we agree with the interpretation of what happened here. And ultimately, you're never going to 100% agree with anybody's interpretation of anything because everyone sees the world through their own lens. But I imagine to be really hard. Like I think about Ashley writing a book one day and like writing about our relationship and our friendship. And I'm like, I'm excited to like read her interpretation of it, like on a book, you know, and the pages.

And I don't know if that's different than obviously romantic exes, but I think we all kind of want to feel like that. My friends, I wrote, I write about so many of my friends who I'm still extremely close to. And they all loved it. And I write about my roommates, Sarah and Hannah. And I describe Hannah as a lanky brunette and Sarah as a curvy redhead, which is true. But they, like, now they, it's like they're a schick. They're like, I just had a picture.

She'll be like curvy redhead checking it. It's just like the way. that I described them. So there are these funny little moments that I'm like, I just wrote it not thinking twice about it, but then my friends are reading it being like, oh, that's how you're describing me. That's so funny. But my friends in general

have loved. Of course. And like, love the slight fame that comes with it of, you know, if they're at events. I'm like, that's Hannah and everybody's like, oh my God. They're the kid of the side character. Yeah. I have a question. So I wanted this book not knowing anything about you. Ash, she was like, it's amazing, she's amazing, you got to read it. And I didn't

expect immediately, because you write so well and you're so intelligent. I was like, this girl is like a literary degree from a college. And immediately, you're like, I went to college for six months and it wasn't for me. So can we talk about maybe like early days and how you got to New York and your journey here? So I did go to college. I'll start by saying both my parents are writers. My mom was a public school English teacher, seventh grade English teacher. My dad was a journalist growing up. So I did go to school for writing. I was completely depressed. I hated college. I don't know. I'm such an outgoing person.

It's like still weird to me to this day that I hated college so much. Like hearing you guys talk about your college experiences, I'm like, that should have been me, but for whatever reason it wasn't. And I just hated it. And we went to a depressing college, right? I did. Is it the most depressing college? Okay, I got flack for this.

Okay. So my... You're like, weird. I was depressed at the most depressing. Wait, why is it? Is it Theta? It's Ithaca. So Ithaca itself is like a really cute college town.

It's the same town that Cornell is in. Sure. Road trip. Cornell is the movie. Cornell is gorgeous. Ithaca is like brutalist architecture, like cold. It's like very modern. Like I think it was made in the 60s.

It is just like. And then so the winters are so long and so brutal and awful. And I won't get too into the details. But I think Cornell was like the college with the highest like depression and suicide. Right. Yeah. For a long time. So it's like, I think Cornell, it's the pressure of the school, but it's also the environment.

It's, I do think it's a really depressing place. And I did get flack for this, some, like, publication from like upstate times or something. We're like, writer Isabel Clee says upstate New York is the most depressing place in the world. I was like, this is out of context a little bit. Also, you're allowed to be depressed there. You're allowed. I was depressed. I don't, but I should, maybe I shouldn't.

Maybe I shouldn't. Yeah, I don't know. But that's the truth. So we're deeply affected by the weather. So like we don't. It's our first voice note to each other. Everyone should go to college in California. And I did it.

And I'm just saying I wish I. You imagine how much slottier we would have been if we went to college and someone sunny? The American apparel dresses we could have been wearing. Well, girls still were wearing them. And I will never forget being in Ithaca in like negative 20 degree weather, girls. And you don't bring your coat because you don't want it. You just got it. And heels.

Heels. No coat. Heels on the ice. Crazy. When I first read the quote, Slots don't get cold. I was like, so real. It's so rare. I never brought a coat out.

No, you never bring a coat because then what are you going to do? Like put it on the floor of some frat house. I would lose it. Yeah. Anyway, okay. So I was depressed. I begged my parents to leave. They said, do one year and then you can like do whatever you want.

So I did one year. And then I worked in California. I backpacked through Europe as one does. I moved to California or no, I moved to Hawaii to work on a sustainable farm. like I did everything that you're supposed to do on like a gap year. I was just like young and stupid and did whatever I wanted. I didn't really enjoy it. I'm such a homebody.

I'm such a creature of habit. And I knew I wanted to move to New York City at some point in my life. And I was like, why not now? So I applied to a couple colleges. I got into Marymount Manhattan College, which doesn't exist anymore. Oh, really? Oh, really? I think it was bought by Northwestern.

So I think I went to Northwestern. Oh, say that. You should, yeah, tell people that. But I didn't. And so then I did end up getting an English and writing degree from Marymount. So I did, I did. You were correct. I did do that.

Well, also, we don't have degrees in writing. And I think we're good writers. No, you certainly don't have to validate it in any way. But I want to back up to something you said when we were just talking before where you said like, and you said just now, that you didn't really enjoy it. Because I think a lot of people are like, that sounds amazing. Yeah. But the reality of it, not so much for you. I think that a lot of people probably have this.

experience is when you're young and you do these things, like I was backpacking through Europe with like five of my guy friends that I met in California. And boys are just like gross. Like I love them, but they're just like gross. I'm like staying in hostels with them. I have zero dollars. I'm eating like croissants for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I, it's just, it's miserable. And you're backpacking. It's hard. Yes. And I think it's good for character development. I think it's good for like I said in the book, like a dinner table story. But I did not quite enjoy myself. And probably lonely at time? Totally lonely. I nannied for a billionaire, yes. And it was the loneliest I have ever felt other than maybe being in Ithaca. Sorry, Ithaca's really like,

it was truly so lonely. And so yeah, I had all these experiences. And I was just like, I just want to feel like I belong somewhere. I want a community. I want. to be settled somewhere. And New York is not the easiest place to infiltrate. But once you're here and you have that community, it is like nothing I've ever experienced. Yes, truly. It is like the most magical thing. And I've been here for almost 15 years now. And so I've had quite a long time. But I, yeah, I think this is like the most settled I've ever felt in a place. And you're like, I've been to all the places. And you just bought a place? I just bought my first. Yes. Thank you.

With your yard and everything. I know. I'm so excited. And that's, I mean, for anybody buying is a huge deal, but especially I feel like for New Yorkers, it's like a real badge of honor. People will do it. We, I know two people. Yeah. Of like dozens and dozens of friends of ours.

I know two people that are here. You would talk about New York in a way that we always have. So Raina lived here. She just moved back. I don't know. Also 15 years. For 15 years. We are the same.

We are. We are. Similarities. And I lived here for six years. And then we moved L.A. And I am planning to move back. as well. But just the high highs and the low lows, I just think about it all the time because like the highs feel so high because like the lows feel so low. And LA is steady. L.A. is happy, steady, stable every day, just like the weather. And it's just you have to decide what kind of life you want. And I'm trying to decide if I want to come back to this life after living a more steady life for three and a half years. And now I'm married. And so coming back and like, do I I want to jump back in.

But it's just, you talk about it the same way we do. I thought about this yesterday when I was like running around. I went to go up yesterday. I took this beautiful walk in the West Village. I went to Beauvais at this great morning. And I was like, I've never been happier. Everything is perfect. And then I had to go to the Lower East Side to get my, to go to the Taylor.

And I took the subway. It was a thousand degrees down there. Everyone was touching me. It was really sweaty. I was like out of breath. And like I had to get back to have dinner with Ashley and a friend of ours. And I was like so hot and sweaty. And I was like, I fucking hate this.

And if we were in L.A., I'd hop in my car. and drive three minutes and drop this stuff off and come home. I actually feel really passionately about this because I think that it's so important to have a natural friction in your life. And I think a lot of people live places, I've never lived in L.A. so I can't speak to it. But, you know, those places that are like the suburbs where everyone looks the same and everyone feels the same way and there's no friction. You're never interacting. There's nothing is ever difficult.

You hop in your car in your driveway. You drive to the grocery store and you don't interact with anybody. The only people that you're interacting with are your friends or your family who probably agree with you on most things. There's no friction. And of course, there's like friction in your life with your mom and, you know, there's all these things. But I think New York, it's so important to be constantly bombarded with life. And that doesn't happen in a lot of places.

I think you have to meet people who are different from you and interact with people. people who are different from you and experience things that, like, you wouldn't normally experience. So I'm so passionate about that. And I, you know, it doesn't work for everybody. I don't think New York works for everybody. But I think that that is like the magic of New York. Well, it builds character, too. We even talk about this with guys dating. Like, if you haven't been through anything, it's like not attractive. Like just, and that's, you're talking about day-to-day friction, which I love that term too. But just you have to go through some shit. Like, I don't want to, like, we've talked about guys that are just, your life's been too easy.

Like, you have no character because of it. Yeah. Or like guys that you meet and, and look, this isn't anybody's fault, but it's like they're single and they're like, oh, I just got out of like an eight year relationship. And I'm like, okay, like, what am I supposed to do with that? I can't compare with that. No. It's like, yeah, I need somebody who's like gone through things, done things, seen things.

Had some strife. Yeah, had some strife. Conquered, like, dealt with adversity. Maybe not too much strife, but. Yeah, not too much. too much. Also, those are the kind of people I want advice from as well. Like when I say I have a real problem, real conflict, I have real decision making I need to make. Someone who's never experienced like do or die, sink or swim situation, like, they're capable of giving advice, I guess. But like,

I want advice from somebody that's going to be like, you got to do this thing. Yeah. Because it's going to be so hard otherwise. Here's my experience in it, you know? Yeah. Okay, just going to take a quick break and we will get right back into it telling you guys about ride or die. This is a new series on Prime Video. It is playing it now. So you guys can check it out. We've been talking about it for a couple weeks now. Super excited. The show is so fun. High-Octane action comedy starring Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham. And they are two best friends of 20 years whose lives are upended when one turns out to be a secret international assassin. They find themselves on the run with a mysterious villain chasing them and Debbie's husband,

who is Octavia Spencer. He's involved in something deeply corrupt, just like a man. Of course, it is a race against time and a road trip across Europe to untangle the truth and stay alive. we love this so much. It is action-packed. It's spicy. There's a friendship angle, which we love any sort of friendship story. And we're just talking about this in the intro. This is really a story about heartfelt friendships that prove it's never too late for a new lease on life, especially with a lifelong friendship that is literally bulletproof. Again, this is really, really hilarious, incredible cast, adventurous, and sexy. So you guys can check it out. Ride or Die is a new series, now streaming only on Prime Video. Okay. And skims, I mean, Truly, this is the clothing I, like, live my life in my place when I run errands. Their cotton is just absolutely fantastic. It feels great in my body. I always recommend it to friends. When I have had girlfriends that need bras postpartum, I recommend their bras to them.

But they have so many different cotton pieces. They've cotton jersey, cotton bread, lightweight cotton. And I wear their pajamas a lot, but I've been wearing these cotton jersey foldover pants. They're like a second skin. I know. I travel to them. I, like, wore them on my 11-hour flight. Really? Yeah. Because I just, I usually do sweats and I, in the summer, I mean, it's too hot, hot take. And so these are a second skin. They are so comfortable. And they're not as binding as like your standard like workout type, type leggings that are tighter. It's too hot. But they're just, they're perfect. Yep. It's too hot. It's too hot for leggings. I love the folder pan. I love it for errands. I love it for like a cute airport look. They also have a cotton rib tank.

that's great. And it just holds up. I mean, everything I have from Skims I've had for years and years. I have all their leisure and pajamas and I wear it all the time. And it's great for gifts for other people too. So you guys will love it. You'll love the way it feels. They have tons of colors. You'll love the way it holds up, like truly wash after wash. And you can shop the skims cotton and all of our favorite pieces at skims.com. And after you place your order, be sure to let them know that we sent you. Select podcast in the survey. And be sure to select our show and the drop-down menu that follows. So I want to talk about your current relationship. I can't saw myself. your current fiance.

I might have another one next week, so you never know. But prior to him, you were dating a spectrum of people, but that weren't right for you for various reasons. They're not the people that you ended up with. And you were trying to make it work, like you said, if you, like me, I'll figure it out. Was there ever a turning point of realizing, like, I've realized when I need to get out of these relationships? My intuition is very strong.

And I always, like, I know very early on if, like, a person is right for me. mirror wrong for me, but I will like keep going then for like two extra years. Yeah. And it's, I did get much better about like cutting it off when I didn't. I, the best example is that right before I met Jacob, my current fiance. I dated this guy. He was so gorgeous, so nice. Literally like the nicest guy. My, my old roommates still talk about him, not in a way of like, I wish they're obsessed with Jacob, but they're just like, God, he was so nice. I'm like, yeah, he really was so nice.

And hot. And hot. We dated for six months and he really wanted to be my boyfriend. And I just knew he was not my person. And I, you know, six months was good for me. I was like, wow, I'm really cutting it off, like, early. Because I could have like, you know, at that point. Six months a long time.

Pete, most women marry that guy. Yeah, well, that's what I'm saying. I was like in my late 20s. And it was like he was super stable. had a great job and all these things. He wanted to be with you. Yeah. And he want, I remember he was like, I would, there was this moment. It was his birthday. We like went out to the movies. I was saying, oh, my mom says happy birthday. And he said, how do you refer to me to your mom? And I was like, by your name. And he's like, do you say like, boyfriend? And I just remember this feeling of like this sinking in my stomach. And you just know. And I was just like, no. Like I don't and I don't see it going there. And that was like very difficult. for me, and that was right before I met Jacob. And it's just like I got much better about like cutting it off on the earlier side because I am that kind of person who will stay with somebody for years even if I know.

But I understand it. I think you look at the dating landscape and you're like, it's so bad. And I see my friends get treated really poorly. And Ashley and I get, we see so many horrible stories that people being cheated on and treated poorly and someone never committing to you. And it's like you find a nice, stable hot person. And you're like, holy shit. We're on love. I don't care. No, I have friends. I'll be entertained other ways. I'm sorry, nice, stable and hot. Like, how do you even, how are you all three? I know. And he's, and he was. And he was. Yeah. And then I, like, one-up. You know what I mean? I, that is another thing that I tell my friends, my very best friend in the world dated a nice, stable guy who her heart wasn't in it. I was like, trust me. Like, I know you don't think that it's possible, but you will.

within a month she found her guy. I love that. And it's like the scarcity mindset. I mean, we just think you're like, you know, we're like, this is the best I'm going to get. This is the best I'm going to get. We do it with apartments. We do it with jobs.

We do it with partners. But like you're never going to be able to have any space to let a better partner. And if you don't let that go. Yep. I understand being scared to let it go. I, yeah. I was always terrified that I wouldn't find anything better, always. Which is so crazy now that I'm in my current situation.

And I don't know. It's also a situation. Yeah, I got you started on it. In my, it sounds like a bad thing. In my current situation, I don't know why it just comes out. I don't know. Well, it's just, current situation is really funny. You know what?

In my engagement? In this situation that I got myself into. I saw it to talk the other day that said the women who have the best partners are the women who hate men. You hate men. It's true. And that's me. I sent it to my fiance and I was like, I, this is me. We have a high bar.

What's a Drew Afuelo? I think she says something like that too. Drew offweil says that for sure. Oh, probably. Yeah. So then you met. Jacob. And did you know immediately it was different? I knew immediately it was different. I did. It's not a spoiler, but if you read the book, I did break up with him early into our

relationship. And that was because, yeah, it's spoiler alert. So I knew immediately it was different. It was just like, oh my God, this is like everything I've ever wanted. He was so funny and and had a huge life and had all these friends and had a great job, like just like the total package. The difference between Jacob and my exes were that my exes were like obsessed with me. And like to a point where it was like smothering. And I felt that I felt smothered in all of my other relationships. But that's what I knew what love was. And Jacob has such a healthy attachment style that he would just be like, I'd be like, I'm going out. He'd be like, have fun. I'm like, you're not jealous, you're not telling me to stay home, you're not like, wow, what the fuck is going on.

And I convinced myself, I'm like, he doesn't even like really love me. Like, I totally got into this, like, unhealthy, yes. And I was just like, I remember feeling like, I don't even think he would care if I broke up with him, which is just not true. And I, you know, kept threatening breaking up. And he was like, please don't break up with you. Like, I'm madly in love with you. And I'd be like, I don't know. Like, it was just, he was so healthy and stable that I was not used to it.

that's so interesting like the pattern that you used to because it sounds like every other guy you were like he loves me enough for the both of us yeah i was just like so I was obsessed with being like wanted and Jacob wanted me obviously and loved me so much but it was like different it was not like he had his own life he'd be like okay you go out with your friends I'll go out with my friends like call me when you can like you know just like so healthy and so normal not jealous possessive like no yeah and I was just like but why are you not? And like, it was so different for me. So I ended up breaking up with him. I got myself into therapy. He was, oh, by the way. What did he even do? Like, was he like, girl, I told you not to do this. He literally was like, you're being so stupid. I mean, you'll read it in the book. He's like, you're being so stupid and you're making such a big mistake. And I was like, okay, like whatever, broke up with him. He was already in therapy, by the way. Like, such a green flag. I was not. To deal with you. Yes. Yeah. No, literally. He was in

therapy and he's like, I don't think this is a good idea. I can't think if my girlfriend's going to break up. He's in therapy, like, she thinks I'm too stable and I need to unwind that a little bit. What do I do? What do? Yes, seriously. And I started therapy and, like, very quickly realized, like, what was going on. I think we were broken up for, like, three to four months.

Oh, a lot of times. Significant. She texted me, like, once a month, being like, hey, I'm still in love with you, and I'm still here and like what like and like he every month that went by he was kind of like okay I'm gonna I'm moving on like I'm gonna like start he was dating he was fine he's having fun yeah but he sent me he went on a trip to the Grand Canyon and this is I still get chills talking about this he hiked down to the bottom and like you camp at the bottom and send you can like send things via like pack mule he sent me a postcard oh my god and it said at the

the ends of the earth, it's still you. This situation you got yourself into. That's the situation? Wait, he wrote this or was... He wrote that. Like, it wasn't on the postcard. He came to eat this on his own. He wrote it.

It's framed in my apartment. I feel sick. No one's ever loved me that much. I thought I had it like that. No, you don't. Like, I got engaged. I thought I had it like that. I did not.

It's engraved and then he engraved it in my engagement ring. At the end of the Earth is still you. I really do have it. like that. I would have walked it back. Shoshawks said shit like that. I'm just like that was amazing. It is. It is. Yes. Yes. My ring's engraved too. Guys. Okay. My thing is like, I love you until it gets tough and then I will leave you. Yeah, well. My ring is the coordinates of a special place. It's fine. And listen. And I'm not, that was competing. I'm just like, people are listening. But if we were. But if we were, let's, maybe we should get them together and they can like duke it out or something. Just talk about how secure they are. Okay. So that was that what did it? that was certainly pushed me in the right direction.

And then he texted me because I had gotten him tickets to a concert for his birthday. And then the concert was like coming up. And he was like, we were still broken up. He was like, do you want to come with me? Like you got me these tickets. Oh, like before you, like months prior. Okay. Yes, before we broke up.

And I was away. I was like, I'm away. But like thank you for like, I hadn't answered any of his text messages, by the way. This was the first one that I answered. And I was like, thank you for thinking of me. but I'm actually going to be away. That was like the catalyst. It was the first time I had responded.

And then we just kept messaging. Okay. He and at this point I was like deep in therapy and I was like I miss him. And like we were texting. He was like, I don't know if you'd ever like want to get a drink. So we ended up getting a drink. And I went into it being like, I just want to like apologize. Like I wasn't necessarily.

I didn't know what his current situation, his current situation was. His current situation. Yeah. And I was like, I just want to apologize because like I completely fucked that up. And so we went into it. I apologized. But it was like there was definitely like a vibe. And I invited him back to my apartment. He came back because I was like, oh, do you want to see Simon? Because I got Simon before I met him. Right. So he came back to see Simon. And then I made the first move. I kissed him. And we've been together ever since. Yeah. So I think we were broken up a total of like four months. I think it's interesting. You don't see a lot of people break up for that long period of time and get back together. And it sounds. And it sounds. Like you both kind of did everything right. He checked in intentionally, but not too much. Yes. You went to therapy, like to figure out like why doesn't this feel like enough for me? I think that that's a really big thing. I don't think that you should get back together with an X unless something has changed. If you're just getting back together because you miss each other,

but like the reason why you broke up is not different. Like I felt fundamentally different. Totally. And our relationship since getting back together has been, I mean, we've been together now for over five years. So we've been back together for a very long time. But it's just night and day. Like, we are just so much, I'm less crazy. I think a lot of people do just because you miss each other. I mean, it's a real feeling. I validate it. Yeah, totally. Like, I think that people can only behave for so long for... And then the thing pops up again. And it comes back again. Yeah. Well, and it sounds like you reflect on it. Like, that's the exact way it needed to happen. Like, the break was so important. I say that all the time. I think if we had just kind of like trudged through it. And it's,

I don't think it would have turned out as good as it had. I think I needed that breather and I needed to go to therapy and I needed to be on my own. It was also my very first time living by myself, which I think was really instrumental. I got this like 300 square foot studio apartment on the border of Clinton Hill and Fork Green. And I just felt like that was so instrumental to like my growth and just like figuring out who I was. So I do, I really feel like that break was necessary. So when he met Simon for the first time, I saw you talk about this on Chicks in the Office too, but I wanted to talk about it on our show. Like, what was the immediate meeting?

Like, was there anything special there? Like, was it immediate green flags? And he kind of knew he had to win him over. Was he a dog person? Like, I just want to know about his history with Simon, too. So he is, he grew up a dog person. His family actually, like, has three dogs, three rescue dogs, like, at all times. Okay.

But he wasn't like a crazy, like he loved dogs, but he wasn't like a crazy dog person. like I am. His previous relationship, they actually got a dog together. And I think it was like, the dog was really difficult. I think it was like kind of traumatic. And he went into, like, when he was dating, he was like, I don't want to date a girl with the dog. And then he ended up finding like the craziest dog person. Why? Why? Because a dog is a lot of work, right? So it's like, you can't travel as freely. Your schedule is more regimented. Like, we could only sleep at my apartment unless I was, it was like, it's a whole logistics thing. And I think that. And I think that he had just gone through so much in that previous situation that he was just like,

it's like a lot on a relationship. And anyway, we match on Hinge. He sees Simon. He knows that Simon is like my entire life. So he invited, it was COVID. And so we couldn't go on a first date. And he was like, come over, like, we'll just have like a glass of wine, bring Simon. And I was like, I don't know if I want to bring Simon because, you know, a dog in a new space. It can be kind of like overwhelming. He was like, I have to win him over just like I have to win you over. So I brought Simon. He had set up a charcuttery board for us. And then he'd set up a barcudery board for Simon. Oh my God. That guy was trying to get laid late that day. Yeah. And it was like all these treats. I'll laid out on a platter. It was so cute. Simon was like a nightmare. Simon immediately

pees in his apartment. Simon is completely potty trained. To this day, I'm like, I don't know. Yeah. Testing his territory. Testing him. And like Jacob was like, it's totally fine. I'm like, oh my God, I'm so sorry, like so embarrassed. He knew that Simon, he had to win Simon over. And then the other big thing was like a couple months into our relationship, Simon is really medically complicated. He has like really complex epilepsy. He's very expensive. And really early on in our relationship, Jacob sat me down and was like, I want to split all these bills with you. And I, again, was pretty, I was less broke than I was previously, but I was still, you know, didn't have a lot of money. And that was like a big, he was just like,

I want to help like alleviate this burden that you have and like take care of him. Was that before the breakup? So that is just. I was not well. Guys, I was not well. No, but he knew he was going to like be with you long term. Like that's how he, he was like, this is my. He told me I was the love of his life two weeks after we met.

Also, there's nothing wrong with you. I think there's nothing wrong with being like this isn't enough for me. There's plenty of, like I've dated people to where I'm like they're a great teammate. They're good looking. they are kind and wonderful it's not for me. But like I was head over heels in love with him. I think that is what I was like there, something was wrong with me. That is so huge.

Yeah. You know, and it just, of course, God forbid, if Shoshan going to ever to get divorced, Azul's my dog. But like, it was so clear when we first started dating the first time he met Azul. Like he was nervous. Yeah. Like it's a big, someone has to impress. But now that's our dog.

We share responsibility. Like, it's just how it should be. I don't even feel comfortable saying like, my dog anymore even though it's like it is you know he was there years prior but that is huge yeah it's a huge thing when you're a single dog mom a single mom who works two jobs yeah it's it's a big deal when you're at home crying on the lawn on the bedroom when you're a single mom no single moms are going to come from me of saying that no but when you have a dog as a single person it is a huge deal to have like whoever you're dating like that like your dog like and vice versa like have them like

and help and want to help like clean up walk in the dog in the rain were there any red flags with guys you dated and whatever dog you had at the time whether it was simon or a foster like or do you have any of those like the way they treated do they talk to didn't talk to did you ever have those moments it was all pretty yeah cool i it was all pretty cool i mean i had went out the couple guys who were like, I don't want the dog in the bed, which I'm like, absolutely not, this is literally Simon's bed. It feels so unmasculous. That's a red flag. Such a red flag. It's just, I'm not doing that. No, I'm like, this is literally his bed. I understand a little bit more if it's like your bed, but like that was never the case. I was like, this is, you're literally sleeping.

We're just not going to work. Like, we don't, we don't share the same values. Yeah, but like, guys that don't like dogs. Like, there's just, I'm not the biggest animal person in the world. I'm like hyper clean. I just, I'm like, crazy. I'm really anal retentive. But like a man that said to me, I just blanket. I'm just not into dogs. That would be so weird. There's only one that I've ever met.

And I was like, this is hard to its stomach. Yeah. No, I, and I think that's also it is like I wouldn't go out with somebody who didn't like dogs. But there were people, there was like levels to it, I guess I would say. It's like some people are obsessed with dogs. Some people like dogs. Some people tolerate dogs. And so, but nothing like crazy.

but I've definitely certainly turned Jacob into a crazy dog person at this point. Does he have his own dog voice? He does. Yeah, I think we both have dog voices. They're not like, sometimes you hear dog voices and you're like, that's insane. Yeah. But they're like just a little twinge on our normal voices. Do you guys talk like your silent?

Like, well, we're always just like we are like Azul's inner monologue. It's so corny. Yeah. No, that's the only way to be a dog parent. Like you have to. You must. Yeah. They can't speak for themselves.

So you guys are getting married in the September. In the fall. Okay. Tell us if you, like tell us where, and what as much as you want to share. I'm just curious. And if Simon's going to be involved. We're getting married in the Adirondacks at a sleepway camp. Oh my God.

And we rented out of sleepway camp for three days. I love sleepaway camp. Are you not Jewish, are you? No. How do you know about sleepaway camp? That's crazy. Other people went to camp. No, it's just, it's just as much as Jews.

I know. Jewish people do love sleepaway camp. Jewish people did invent. camp, little do you know. Yes. And my parents shipped me away when I was eight years old for a month. Every single summer, they're like long term. I will, so did mine.

And I'm Catholic. Okay. Yeah, I went to a Christian camp. I didn't know you guys had that. Yeah, we did. A Christian camp, a cometh. Well, it wasn't a, I didn't go to Christian camp. But my mom actually grew up, uh, so she's from Brooklyn, and she went to sleepway

camp in the Hamptons, like, as a little girl before the Hamptons were like super bougie. And she went. there. So when I was young, I went to sleepway camp in the Poconos, loved it. When I was 19, I worked as a sleepway camp counselor in California. Okay. And it was like the best time of my life. Like, I would still do it if it was like not, wouldn't be weird if I was still a camp counselor. It's literally the best. And so Jacob separately was also a camp counselor. And so it's just like big in our personalities. I feel like we're, we have like big personalities. And I also wanted

a wedding that was going to be dog friendly. So I found this sleepway camp. They're super dog friendly. For other dogs? Yes. Like guests are bringing their dogs? Guess are bringing their dogs. Guess are bringing their dogs.

I'm bringing Simon, obviously. Did I read this on Instagram? Because I saw you said that like obviously it's like bring your dogs. Yeah. Oh, I just posted about my wedding invite. So that's probably where you saw it. And so everybody's for dog. Yeah.

When I read it, I was like, my head exploded. So it's three days of adult summer camp. With dogs. With dogs. I'm so mad and jealous. I didn't think of this first. You could do it. You could still do it.

going to do the dog thing. A slipperway camp. Yeah. Sleepway camp. Emma Coffman camp in West Virginia, I'm going to drag everybody out there. Totally. That's true. It's like I'm so mad.

We're like, you're not having, not having anybody that I want to marry stopping me. You can do it. You can also do it with just like your friends. Like get a hundred of your closest friends. And I'll do it for the camp. Okay. Sorry. Okay.

Yes. Okay. So it's a, everybody's bringing their dogs three days. So it's like we rented out the full camp. So like everybody's staying in cabin. the lake archery, like the whole thing. We're doing a field day. We're doing a talent show.

Talent show. Oh my God. Yeah. We love a talent show. And then the Saturday will be the actual like wedding day. So like a normal ceremony and like whatever. But like the rest of the days are just like pure fun. Like campfire every night.

Yeah. It's going to be amazing. I didn't know you could do this. This should be the biggest trend. I mean you like did you invent this? I didn't invent it. But I do think, um, I've seen a couple people like on TikTok do it before. I just, I don't know. I just, like, wanted it. I love, I love upstate New York prior,

the most depressing place. The Adirondacks are so gorgeous, though. But I just knew I wanted it to be longer than just like the day. I feel like sometimes I go to weddings and it's just like gone like that. We did four days and we, it felt like a camp at the end of it. Like, everybody knows each other. A few people came to our wedding like just Saturday. And I'm like, you've missed the weekend. Like, we are all bonded for life. You've been in your For three days. We took a blood oath yesterday. Like, you missed it.

Yeah. How many people? I'm just curious. We're inviting like 130. Okay. So it'll, I, it won't be that many. But you'd be surprised. It sounds like a wedding people want to go to.

Yeah. If you and I did a summer camp, if me and my fiancee did a summer camp, I feel like we do a talent, I'd be like, Ashley and I are actually going to be in charge of this. Yeah. We're doing the show. Yeah. Ashley and I are actually going to. Well, Raina, you did a set at my buddy.

So Rainia officiated and fucking crushed it. Well, yeah. My best friend is officiating. She is. So that's. And then one of our good friends is actually like a comedian actor and he's hosting the talent show. Oh my God. So he, we do have like, we're putting all the personalities to work.

It'll be a whole thing. Is Simon involved in ceremony at all? Simon will be there the whole weekend, obviously. Of course. But Simon has this like quirk that like if he knows that he's supposed to be quiet, he'll bark. So I don't know if he'll be invited to the ceremony. But like we'll definitely do pictures with him. Like I'm like, I don't know if he needs to.

like witness it. Well, we, so my husband walked Azul down and a little tucks. We got him, he's just really quiet. I was going to say, I'm sure he's better behaved. But he actually just, he's great. Dewey, I don't even know what would have happened. Yeah, but he used to come on stage with us in front of thousands of people and just sat there. We did town hall. He just sat on stage. It was like iconic. So yeah, he would have been fine. But we bring him up to the front. And he is like a kind of weird about surfaces. And we got married in like a pedestal thing. And we thought he was going to be up there because we wanted him in the photos. But he like put a up and was like, absolutely not.

It was kind of slippery. He hates like a slippery surface. Is he neurodivergent? He's like, I don't like this texture. He's a little weird with, like. Ashley also, actually really doesn't like super surfaces. Yeah, so we have a lot of similarities. She did birth him.

She passed him. I passed it on. Yeah, it's hereditary. So he went off to the side and was with my husband's family in his little talks. Oh. We really thought he was just going to be up there. Me, Raina, Shishonk, Anna Zol, on that pedestal.

I really, the hardest I cried at her wedding, I think, where I was like, I have to invert my eyes, was watching her husband and the dog, walked down the aisle. I thought it was going to be seeing her walk down the aisle. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, a dog in a little tucks will really get you. I know. Let me know if you want the link. It's a good one. I kind of do. Yeah. That's so fun. Yeah. I'm very excited. Yeah. That's really, really fun. Well, tell us what's next. Yeah. You wrote this book. I mean, it's just, it's so great. And the movie, the TV show. Yes, the TV show. I'm obviously so over the mood. As I wrote this,

book, I knew it would make a good TV show, or at least I thought so. I think it's written in a very episodic way where it's like a boyfriend and then a dog or a roommate and then a dog. And it's kind of like these little chapters. And so I was so thrilled when it got picked up. We're in the process of finding writers right now. So it's still very early days, but that's really exciting. And then I am working on another book. This one is a novel. People have asked me if I'm going to write another memoir. I was like, I don't have anything else to say. I was just going to ask you. I'm only 33. I don't want to put you on the spot. I'm like, did you dump it all pretty much? Yeah. I mean, I think I have to live a little bit more life before I can write another memoir.

Because I'm like, this one ends when I'm 30 and I'm 33. So I'm like, what do I even write about the last three years? I'm obsessed with this and I love that career trajectory. Do you know Dolly Alderton? I am so obsessed with her. So like her first book, all the things I learned about love. And everything I learned, everything I know about love. Yeah, and friendship and whatever, the, like, subtitle. But then she moved on, I mean, she dumped all her stories. It was incredible. And then she moved on to writing these novels, which were obsessed with, ghosts and then good material.

It's crazy because I was researching your book and you for the episode. And one of the things I saw immediately, it said, if you love Dolly Alderton's, everything I know about love, you'll love this book. She's a huge inspiration for me. She was actually, when you're, like, submitting a book proposal, you have to write, like, your comps. and she was like my number one. Actually, I have kind of a crazy story. So I finished my book, writing my book in London.

And I kind of felt like I needed to be like out. You know when you're like, you need to be outside of something to like look at it? Like if you're too emashed in it, it's hard to finish. So I went to London to finish it. I, you know, closed my laptop, cried, went and got a glass of wine. And then I walked into a bookstore. And that book is front center. but it's not a new book.

So I was like, oh, this is so interesting. And I opened it. It's signed by her. And I was like, it was like full body chills. I bought it, obviously. It was like such this huge moment because she's such an inspiration. Her career is such an inspiration. And like kind of it's like what I want to mimic.

Yes. So that was just, it was so weird. I just finished my book. Right. It's not new. No, it's not new. And it was like, I saw and it had a little sticker on it. It was like, oh, I like open it signed by her.

I was like, what? That is so special. You remember how I found the book. I don't know if you remember this. This guy that I slept with. He was like, this is my favorite book. He was a comedian at a comedy festival. And we were out all night long and we like had sex all night and we were so fucked up.

And like six in the morning, I was like on my way back to my room. And I was like, what's his book? And he was like, it's my favorite book. And I was like, it's my favorite book. And I was like, it's mine now. And I just took it to my room and that's how we found the book. Wow. Well, I saw it in a bookstore.

Again, it was kind of like in L.A. It was kind of front and center for an older book. And I then, but we just love, I mean, ghosts and good. The Tiro, like, the breakup book from a man is just like, I mean, she's just. She's amazing. And she also has written a couple TV shows now, which she's like done a couple. Yeah, she's, God, I'm blanking on, she did some adaptation recently. That was like really cool.

I just think she's the coolest ever. Your book I wanted to like go buy it in a bookstore. It's my favorite bookstore. It's in Delaware. It's in Rojoboth Beach where I'm from. And it was just really like they have the right on the shelf, like top of the bestseller list. It was really so fun. Do you have a favorite bookstore here? Favorite bookstore? I live in Greenpoint, so I love Word on Greenpoint. It's actually, I did my pre-sale campaign through them. And I mean, there's so many good bookstores in New York City. Like, just unlimited good bookstores. But that's the one I go there all the time. Like, it's on my, like, loop with the dog. So I always just like stop in and see what they have. And yeah, they're the best. I love that. Well, this is so good. We could just talk to you for you. I know. This is so great. No, this was phenomenal.

And you are still sort of on a book tour? Yeah, I'm doing events through the summer, but my, like, long haul book tour that was like three weeks straight is over. Thank God. I had the time of my life, but I'm like, I need a nap. But yeah, here and there's going to be a couple more events. But you're also planning a wedding. Like, are you pretty involved?

It sounds like, I mean, you got a lot going on. Yeah, there's a lot going on. And I just moved two days ago. I mean, we love that level of chaos. We love that. Where can people find you, find your Instagram and anything else that you are working on? Yeah. So my Instagram and my TikTok is at Simon Sits and my memoir, dogs, boys, and other things I've cried about is available wherever books are sold.

This is so great. Congratulations on all your success. Thank you guys for having me. Will you guys know where to find us, Girls Gotta Eat.com, Girls Got to Eat Podcast, Instagram, TikTok. I am Ash Hess on Instagram and TikTok. Raina is Raina. Greenberg for her tour tickets. Oh, I'll be in Nashville and Salt Lake next week.

Okay. So you guys, come to my show. Grab those and we will not have a snack on Thursday. We're going to be in Dewey Beach. So we will see you guys Monday. Watch full video on Spotify and YouTube. And we'll see you guys then. Have a good week, guys.

Bye.