The Sunday Digest 140

"Take a step back from the race that you've been running in."

Jul 13, 2025

Welcome to The Sunday Digest — a free Sunday newsletter featuring long (and some short) reads, original columns, things I’ve saved over the last week, relaxing playlists, episodes releases, exclusive product drops, and more. Yes, you can reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you. Or, if podcasts are more your speed on Sundays, we’ve got that too.

Sunday Read › What Is It About Breakfast on ‘Love Island’?

by Tanya Sichynsky for The New York Times

A manicured hand reaches for a blue plate holding avocado toast, eggs, bacon, fruit and a “C” shaped pancake.

If you’ve been following Sunday Scaries since around 2020, you know that I have a guilty pleasure in life: Love Island UK. As embarrassing as it is to say, seeing the USA version’s popularity skyrocket this summer was heartwarming despite me taking in most of the season through memes rather than actually watching.

Most viewers know the rituals at this point, especially the mornings — sunglasses in bed as they turn on the lights, segmented recaps of the night before, instant coffees being stirred. And, of course, the extremely mediocre breakfasts floating around as everyone prepares for another day of producer-manufactured drama.

Here’s an excerpt:

On “Love Island USA,” breakfast is a meal, a metaphor and a powerful equalizer.
There is a primal hum that scores the ritual, which is performed almost exclusively by the men to court, curry favor with or lay claim to their female counterparts. Sequestered in their oceanfront villa and managed by producers, contestants have few romantic gestures at their disposal as they aim to pair up or get dumped from the island.
“Every guy’s making a full course meal for the girl they like,” said Mr. Brown, 25. “So if you don’t do it, then you don’t like her and you’re cooked.”

Read in full here.

The Sunday Haiku

Sunburns and tired eyes

that give me away on sight,

but it was worth it.

Things I Saved This Week

My Sunday To-Do List

Wimbledon Men’s Final, duh.
Fold laundry from the family trip we took last week.
Go through the film I took over that trip. I worried the entire trip that it wouldn’t turn out because (1) my new camera jammed the night before we left so I left it behind and (2) my old camera is literally falling apart so I wasn’t positive it would work. Luckily, everything came out great.
Watch one more episode of Love Island UK so we can catch up to Casa Amor. Yes, I abandoned USA a long time ago.
Maybe get a club sandwich from the deli I’m gatekeeping until I’ve had more of their menu.
Fall asleep after reading a few chapters of “I Regret Almost Everything” by Keith McNally.

I hope your Sunday is really really really good,

Will